Editorial Review

Take the power and flexibility of a dedicated computer gaming system and combine it with the easy-to-use, instant-on format of a high-end console system and what do you get? Well, if you also add in DVD playback ability and broadband Internet connectivity, you get Xbox.

The advanced components inside Xbox make it the undisputed powerhouse among current game consoles. A 733 MHz Intel main processor and 233 MHz graphics processor from industry leader nVidia deliver photorealistic graphics in real time. A cavernous hard drive stores saved games and characters, making flimsy memory sticks obsolete. The built-in Ethernet port enables super-fast multiplayer online gaming over a broadband Internet connection. Four game controller ports allow you and three of your buddies to play at the same time, or you can use them for other peripherals such as gamepads, light guns, and who knows what else?

But Xbox has more going for it than fancy innards. The Xbox's Windows-based operating system is a breeze to program on, earning it grateful accolades from Electronic Arts, Infogrames, THQ, and other game producers. The less time developers spend struggling with the operating system means the more time they spend tweaking gameplay, which ultimately results in better games. And games are what it's all about.

Well, games and the fun of owning a green-glowing game console that looks like it came from Darth Vader's living room.--Mike Fehlauer

The Xbox Video Game System with Controller S includes the Xbox console, the popular "S" style Microsoft controller, and all necessary cables. A DVD kit (sold separately) is required to access DVD playback ability.

Features

• Xbox game system (includes Xbox console, one controller, and power and A/V cables)
• 8 GB hard drive
• Ethernet port for broadband Internet and local area network gaming
• 4 controller ports
• Plays DVDs with separately sold DVD kit

Reviews (244)

Oh, I love my Xbox.
My title simply states it. I love XBOX. I mean its the same price as a PS2 except with 4 controller ports AMAZING graphics (i have doom 3) 8 gb hard drive, and able to upload CDS for games. WOW. Do what I did. I traded in my PS2 for xbox almost a year ago and I'm glad I did. So, go the way of an XBOX!

XBOX Rocks!But if you really want a good system....
Dont get me wrong the XBOX is THE best system available.But if you are seriously wanting one, wait untill November of this year when the XBOX 360 will hit shelves.Its going to be the new XBOX and the new BEST gaming system EVER!!!

The Xbox does not suck
Im an Xbox owner And Gamecube owner but seen the PS2 in action. Ive read some lies about the Xbox that arent true first of all The Xbox is being recalled because Xbox overheated and catches on fire is some what true yet false the Xbox overheats and the cords catch on fire thats because the models before Oct 2003 had a little defect But the models are now safe. The controllers were huge at the time but over the years the Xbox controllers shrank now there are diferent varietys of Xbox controllers. Now the Gamecube I like the GCN for great titles like The Mario series,the Sonic series,Super Smash Bros Melee and Resident evil 4 I agree the GCN has Improved over the years. Sorry Nintendo Lovers But Nintendo..is..DYING and I repeat DYING Nintendo is not coming out with good new titles just plain sequels. It hasnt made a good game since metriod prime. Although maybe a miracle will happen When Legend of Zelda comes out later in 2005. Nintendo just lost the company Rare to Microsoft Because Microsoft has more money and better games than Nintendo. I Know Your thinking Halo or Halo 2 well yeah thats what made MIcrosoft today Before i played Halo I Hated that game I thought it was stupid till i played it. I had my GAYcube for 3 years and it doesnt work at all even on a brand new Game. I like this system but its not all that great.

Now the Kid who wrote Xbox sucks Is wrong the Xbox is a great system And the Controllers dont come in one color it comes in three like See through blue and green and regular black And PS2 and GCN have black controllers but theyre not ugly unlike xbox THEYRE THE SAME FLIPPEN COLOR YOU COLOR BLIND IDIOTS. The graphics are better than the other systems the xbox graphic processer has 233 MHz and The PS2 has 150 MHz and the GCN has 162 MHz (wow the GCN has beter graphics than the PS2).The memory is internal which makes it so you dont have to buy a memory card when you first have the system ( unlike the GCN an PS2) you can buy a memory card if you want But it cost $24. You can play online and talk to who ever is online. Microsoft is a very succesful company and if your still not sure dont listen to the Losers who pretend to have and Who buy theyre Xbox from hobos cuz theyre lookin to get shot by people who have or made xbox. Talk to Xbox owners or talk to video game sellers From gamestop,game crazy, and ebgames or G4 tech tv ( for people who dont know when you see agood system when you see one its a tv show check your local listings) ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Video Games    2. Xbox (x box)    3. Microsoft    4. Consoles   

Features

• Third person action gameplay consisting of a series of lightsaber battles against a variety of uniquely challenging enemies including droids, humans and Jedi.
• Live the most exciting moments from the movie and follow the films tragic conflict through the perspective of Anakin Skywalker and Obi-Wan Kenobi.
• Master both the light and dark sides of the Force using dozens of different lightsaber attacks and upgradeable combos.
• Devastating Force powers including Force stun, Sith Lightning and Jedi Mind Trick.
• Battle in over 16 levels across four movie worlds including the planet Corusant, the sinkhole planet of Utapau and the volcano world of Mustafar.

Reviews (27)

Real Letdown
Anyone who has played Battlefront knows why this is a letdown.Dual player coop mode has only four scenes!! Four!I really expected much more.Graphics are great but it's mindless and lacking in tactics.

What a drag
I am a big fan of the Star Wars video games, but this one is a definate let down.The game is mindless and simple with very few even challenging parts.The game took almost no time to complete and left me feeling ripped off after only a few hours of playing.The game was more about pimping the movie by showing actual movie footage, than by giving the game substance and meat.If you want a movie preview this is your game, if you want a game keep shopping.What a drag.

Side Scrolling Game In 2005?
Why in the year 2005 are they still making side scrolling games? The reason older games used this format was because of inferior computer capabilites.Yet now in the year 2005 they make a side scrolling game.This game is ok if you like side scrolling old-school technology. You cant see the enemies coming at you until there right on you,but it doesnt matter because the game is easy.I wish it was a third-first person game with tons of detailed & different light saber & force moves.This game just plays too outdated for my taste. But many kiddies who werent born to experience old-school gaming now get a chance in this game.This game could of been better.But its just another lame movie based video game. It was rushed into production and released just before the movie to live off of hype. This game wont have lasting appeal or playability. Except for the versus mode.I think Bounty Hunter on PS2 & Republic Commando Xbox are far superior games. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Star Wars (Starwars)    2. Video Games    3. Xbox (x box)    4. Microsoft    5. Action    6. Adventure   

Editorial Review

In Forza Motorsport, it's all about you and your car. With over 250 of the baddest racing machines imaginable, an infinite number of ways to customize them, and all the tools you need to tune them to perfection, you'll find yourself behind the wheel of the slickest vehicles on the planet.

With Forza Motorsport, you'll be able to own cars from the world's most recognized manufacturers. Get behind the wheel of the Enzo Ferrari, Porsche 911, Ford GT, or the Audi R8, to name a few. The physics model of each car is based upon actual car data, so your driving feels like the real deal. Plus, Forza has taken meticulous steps to design each car's visuals according to exact specifications. Teams of artists have worked to reproduce the surface properties of materials in an ultra-realistic fashion -- the painted metal is shiny with gloss, the glass reflects light, and the car's rubber is rich with texture.

You can trick out every car with real-world body parts, such as rims, wings, side skirts, bumpers, and hoods. At the advanced paint shop you can pimp your ride with phatty decals and classy custom paint schemes. But don't stop with looks alone -- Forza also lets you upgrade your car with suspension kits, turbochargers, superchargers, intercoolers, brakes, and racing slicks. It's your car, and Forza gives you the tools to make it your own.

And once your ride is ready, you can immerse yourself in 17 different environments that deliver challenging tracks textured with accurate, photo-realistic graphics. Slip on your driving gloves, get behind the wheel, and rev your engine as you ready yourself for the world-famous Nring Nordschleife, the corkscrew turns of Laguna Seca, the urban jungle of New York City, or the lush Copacabana in Rio de Janeiro. Each location has been recreated with detail matching the attention given to the vehicles -- the total package of fast cars and exotic locales makes the racing experience of Forza Motorsport totally awesome.

Take your powerful, new creation to cyberspace, and challenge the globe's toughest drivers on Xbox Live. Once you've built your vehicle and mastered all the driving nuances, you'll be ready to burn some serious rubber.

... Read more

Features

• Make every car yours: Collect models from more than 60 top car manufacturers, including Mazda, Nissan, Mercedes-Benz, Honda, Chevrolet, Ferrari, Porsche, BMW, and Dodge. Trick out sport compacts with real-world body kits, rims, spoilers, decals, side skirts, fender flares, and hood scoops. Add motorsport decals and team paint-schemes to supercars, GT racers, and exotics. Transform production cars into racetrack monsters.
• Tune it up: Take your car to the garage and install alternative engines, suspension kits, bolt-on superchargers, brakes, rims, racing slicks, and more. Fine-tune gear ratios, fuel-mapping, forced-induction pressure, tire temperature and pressure, and ignition timing for the ultimate setup.
• Experience the most technically advanced driving simulation on Xbox: Top automotive engineers teamed with experienced programmers to create an advanced physics engine for Forza Motorsport, designed to simulates authentic car performance. Cars incur damage and wear, which affects car performance. Advanced tire and suspension models respond to heat and pressure changes as well as weight transfer and aerodynamic load.
• Drive in gorgeous track environments: From the famously challenging Nurburgring Nordschleife to the spectator-lined streets of Rio de Janeiro, race on meticulously designed tracks with an incredible sense of speed and realism.
• Check out the revolutionary A.I. Drivatar technology: Train your own A.I. Drivatars to use the same racing techniques you do, so they can race for you in competitions or train new drivers on your team. Drivatar technology is the foundation of the human-like A.I. in Forza Motorsport.

Reviews (12)

Decent...but overhyped
I definetly looked forward to this game, but after 2 years of Project Gotham 2, I can't seem to accept what "seems" like a game that was created before PGR2.

The graphics are by FAR a letdown. GT4 blows it away, and PGR2 is must crisper also.

Game play is decent...sure its more realistic, harder to drive, turn, less acceleration, but it's NOT AS FUN!!

If you are a GT4 fan, this may be for you. But if you want instant XBOX live racing with a more "fun' factor...then look to PGR2.

Get the Fanatec Speedster 3 ForceShock steering wheel
If you have an extra $150 after buying this game, then I strongly recommend you also get Fanatec's Speedster 3 ForceShock steering wheel for Xbox.It was designed to work with Forza Motorsport, and it's the closest you'll get to a force feedback steering wheel on the Xbox.The Xbox doesn't offer true full-blown force feedback, but this wheel is pretty close.The wheel also works with other Xbox racing games, but Forza Motorsport has special code in it to work specifically with the Fanatec wheel to offer force feedback.

Unfortunately, Amazon doesn't sell this wheel, so you'll have to get it from either Gamestop or Fry's.

A real beauty!!!
I loved GT3 on the PS2. THe realness was fantastic, but it suffered one problem, after a while it just wasnt fun! As great and realistic as the game is it just wasnt as fun as Need for Speed - Hot Pursuit. Now comes Forza... hands down the BEST racing game I have played period! Adds the realism of Grand Tourismo with the fun factor of Need For Speed Underground.

It's great that Forza has the option of using the left stick for periferral vision too.... but I wished it was smoother looking all the way around the car like you see when looking to the front right and left corners rather then the straight cuts you see when looking back and to the back corners.

All in all a great racing game! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Video Games    2. Xbox (x box)    3. Microsoft    4. Action    5. Adventure    6. Racing    7. Flying   

Features

• Compete in action packed lightsaber duels against Darth Maul
• Experience mind-blowing space battles in your starfighter
• Use the Force to construct - accessing secret areas and overcoming obstacles - and play as many favorite characters such as Obi-Wan Kenobi, Anakin Skywalker, Yoda and more!

Reviews (14)

Lego StarWars- an awesome game w/ many cheats
The first few seconds i played this game, and i was hooked. Its title may make people think its a poser video game, but i say its the real deal. its also fun to beat up your partner, giving them less limbs and stuff. i rate it a 11 out of 10 because its just that good!
Also, here are a few cheats to use at dexters diner
~Ki Adi Mundi = DP55MV
~Padm`e = 92UJ7D
P.S. all the codes require lego Studs.

Revenge of the Bricks
First a point of clarification: Lego Star Wars is not a game destined to go down in the annals of gaming history. It is not for the hardcore gamer. However, if you are a devoted fanboy of Star Wars, or Legos or Star Wars AND Legos, then this game will not disappoint.

First I shall talk about the many ways this game is a fanboy's delight. There is something very odd, yet astoundingly cool about seeing the Star Wars universe transformed into Legos. Every aspect of the game is tied to the bricks. When enemies (and your character) die, they shatter into lego pieces. Jedi have to use the force to build and break pieces. Every ship, building and character is built from bricks. It all works flawlessly and, thanks to good graphics, looks good too. Also, transforming the Star Wars movie into Legos adds a quirky sense of humor to the (in some people's opinions) sometimes lacking movies. Familiar scenes are fun to see skewed as Lego reimaginations. There is no dialogue, so all the little Lego guys communicate through facial expression and sound effects, and it works surprisingly well.

For the Star Wars fanboy, you are set, if anything by the sheer number of playable characters. You can unlock almost any Jedi that has been in the prequel, and tons of other characters that all look great and sometimes hilarious as Legos. I'm pretty sure this is the only Star Wars game that you can play as Darth Maul, Darth Vader and The Emperor, not to mention a Gronk Driod, three versions of Obi-Wan, Yoda and of course, R2-D2.

Gameplay wise, Lego Star Wars is a bit more complex than its look would mandate. Combat is simple, but effective. The game also has a very simple RPG feel, as you have a party of different characters that you must switch to at different times to perform different tasks. This is no Final Fantasy or KOTOR by any stretch of the imagination, but you do need to be mindful of having the right characters with you at the right times. It adds something to a game that could be seen as too juvenile.

That brings up a good point. Lego Star Wars is marketed as a kids game. This will scare away the hardcore gamers, which is probably a good idea and just what the makers wanted. Hard core gamers who are not Star Wars fans probably should keep looking for a deeper, more challenging game. I am not a kid (per se) but I was still able to find a lot of enjoyment in this game. The most "kid-like" quality is that it is short. In a rental period, you could unlock pretty much anything worth unlocking.

The saving replay factor is that every single level has the chance for cooperative multiplayer, so its a great game to have on your shelf when friends come over. Because its controls are simple and the story is familiar to almost everyone, its a great game for people that don't usually play video games.

All in all Lego Star Wars is a fun great game. Though its not for everyone, its for anyone that likes Star Wars, Legos and accessible gaming.

AWESOME!
For PS2 this game was awesome!!!!i dont have any other platforms so i dont know about any others but i thought it was really cool, the graphics were avg. compared to most PS2 games and the concept of LEGO and star wars put together was just the icing on the cake. It is a clean game with no gore or blood or anything, so if your parents are like mine and are very strict about what games u can play then even they will let u play THIS game8-) -its a smiley ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Star Wars (Starwars)    2. Video Games    3. Xbox (x box)    4. Microsoft    5. Action    6. Adventure   

Reviews (20)

The 2nd best RPG!!!!
Jade Empire is an excellent game, period.It's not perfect, but what game is?Well, KOTOR came pretty close to perfect...so due to it's similarities and since many people played that game (either loving it or hating it) I think it is a good reference point for Jade Empire.

STORY -As usual with Bioware, the game is driven strongly by a great story and very interesting characters.From a young girl possessed by two different demons and a mysterious and feisty woman in black, to a huge axe wielding mercenary who only wants to drink and fight.The plot is filled with myth, magic, spirits,demons and a share of comedy.It has elements of classic kung fu movies which you will immediately recognize.The only downside to the story is that it's not that surprising.I think the plot twist KOTOR had will be very hard to beat...and Jade Empire has it's share of surprises, but nothing you can't see coming.I won't reveal the plot twist, but I think the impact of KOTOR's plot twist was that it involved the player's character directly, while Jade Empire's twist centers around an NPC.This is not necesseraly bad, since it serves the plot perfectly and ties up the story nicely...but the impact is not as strong.Regardless, Jade Empire's story and characters are by far it's strongest points.

GAMEPLAY - A lot of people complained about KOTOR's turn based system, so did I when I started the game.To fix that, Jade Empire's combat system is real time. This was done no doubt to try and get more people to play the game, not only RPG fans, and since it is a kung fu game it makes sense.The combat system is essentially a rock-scissor-paper game.The downside....it's too simple!Action gamers will not get as excited with the fighting system due to it's simplicity and RPG fans will miss the strategy behind the turn based system.Add the fact that the standard difficulty level is not too tough and you end up with a pretty easy game to beat.There's no real leveling-up, all this does is increase your health, chi and focus bars more, and improve your styles, which by the way you can get along with just two of them really.I beat the game with the first weapon style I got and the first martial style.The inventory is also trimmed down a lot to gems.While in KOTOR you had to customize your inventory for different fights or situations, adding to the strategy, here you can get along just fine with whatever it is you're carrying.In summary, the gameplay seems to be "RPG-Light" to try and get more people to play it, but it may be just a bit too simple.The moral aspect of it has no influence either.While in KOTOR being dark side or light side had meant different quests, different powers, etc. in Jade Empire it has really no influence during the game, probably just for the ending.Does the gameplay make the game less enjoyable...not really, but it is I think it's weakest point.

GRAPHICS AND SOUND - No complaints here.Graphics are awesome, the music great, and the voice over is good as well.The loading times are still long though.

OVERALL -As said at the beginning, the game is great...although I personally enjoyed KOTOR more.This one is also shorter which is a shame because it is good enough to make you want to keep playing it.Story, characters, graphics and sound are great while gameplay is good, but a bit trimmed down.That's why I think it's the second best RPG...KOTOR still being the best.

A Martial Odyssey

After creating the 2003 game of the year, what would you expect from Bioware? Well it's not what I saw coming, passing up the chance to make the sequel to KOTOR they decided to finally make a game that they've imagined for nearly a decade, an RPG in an ancient-China like land with plenty of kung-fu elements.

Jade Empire is not your standard RPG, it's far from it, but with it's improvements on the genre it very well may become the standard. The first noticeable difference in the gameplay is the innovative fighting style allowing you to fight in real time, but it's a change for the better. It's truly new feel is based around the d-pad, setting a different fighting style to each direction so that while in battle it is simple to change between them. This allows for many moves with various twists making it easier to navigate attacks. Bioware was correct in saying that for the player to be a kung-fu master they must feel like one as well, this is what the system of fighting does over a turn-based so common to RPGs.

I will not ruin the story, but it leads for action-packed sequences that will have you on the edge of your seat. You will easily find your self immersed in the story of this world. If you have played "Knight's of the Old Republic" you will know that Bioware's storytelling is top-notch and they only improve with Jade Empire's plot. The scenes have been pondered and perfected, the mythology is in-depth and brings an incredible realism to the world, and the architecture and newly-developed language are the icing on the cake.

On your quest there is plenty of customization available, mini quests to go upon, and lands to explore, all the while your choices having consequences leading you down the path of The Open Palm or The Closed Fist. You also constantly upgrade your character with the experience you gain over time, mastering different ways of fighting.

I have not enjoyed a game this much in a long while, and even if your are not a fan of the RPG genre this game can draw you in. It is an almost certain for RPG of the Year and a definite contender for Game of the Year.

Bioware's attention to detail, the over 320 minor characters have full voice-overs, and superb gameplay earn Jade Empire
A Bliss of 9

In The Fashion of KOTOR
I believe this game is alot better than the resent KOTOR II. The graphics are pretty decent. However there are flaws to this game but they are very few. I wonder if Bioware had done KOTORII, it would've been alot better. The story to this game seems like a Star Wars rip off but a well done rip off. The graphics are pretty impressive and the gameplay is solid in and real time. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Video Games    2. Xbox (x box)    3. Microsoft    4. Action    5. Adventure   

Editorial Review

Sam Fisher is back for more espionage and intrigue in Splinter Cell: Chaos Theory. All the nail biting about whether to go in "hot" with guns blazing, or to use stealth is back in this new version, plus some amazing improvements. Chaos Theory ups the ante with vastly improved graphics, totally open level design, and coop gameplay.

Fresh from the East Timor operations, Fisher is now put on the front lines of information warfare. The year is 2008 and the world is suffering from citywide blackouts, stock exchange sabotage, and electronic hijacking of national defense systems. The stakes are high and Fisher, as the NSA's most elite black-ops agent, is inserted in operations to aggressively gather intelligence. A wide range of missions call on a lethal mixture of weapons and close range combat. While Chaos Theory demands the same agility and athleticism required in previous Splinter Cell incarnations, some new weapons, gadgets and moves are available, such as the prototype Land Warrior rifle, and the stealthy, but oh-so-deadly inverted neck break.

In addition to an improved graphics engine, physics are enhanced, too. Enhancements like rag doll physics, particle effects, and realistic interaction with the environment make the Splinter Cell experience more immersive than ever.Just as judging your environment was crucial in past Splinter Cell games, Chaos Theory demands that you understand the delicate balance between light and shadow to stay alive.

Chaos Theory offers great replayability in single player mode, thanks to its vast, open level design. There's always more than one way to achieve your objectives. At the beginning of each mission you are given your objectives, but you must choose how to go about completing them. Decisions about stealth versus conflict are yours to make, too. Should you enter a mission with non-lethal weaponry, a host of guns and ammo, or a little bit of both? You decide.

The Splinter Cell franchise is known for its tense, stealth-driven multi-player modes, and Chaos Theory is no exception. This version adds unique cooperative modes where you and your teammates must complete infiltration missions. Try to keep each other alive. Try to thrive in the dark and strike when the moment is right. ... Read more

Features

• EXCLUSIVE CLOSE RANGE KILLS: From knife attacks to athletics hand to hand kills such as inverted neck breaks, dramatic ledge throws, .
• CO-OP STEALTH: Play multiplayer with a friend and coordinate your infiltration in an all new multiplayer challenge
• REAL WEAPONS OF TOMORROW: The most complete arsenal of weapons and gadgets from the knife to the experimental Land Warrior System.
• AMAZING REPLAYABILITY: Totally open level design with multi-paths and optional secondary objectives.
• ULTIMATE CHALLENGE: Intelligent enemies making your mission more risky as you have to get closer to them...

Reviews (50)

suck
thisgamesssssssssssssuuuuuuuuuuuuccccccccccckkkkkkks my freindteddylovesitbutitsbadto the bone

Just About a Perfect Game
The Splinter Cell series has been truly amazing, and with #3 they have perfected it. The AI is great, the graphics are stunning, and gameplay is simply fun.

First, if you've never played the Splinter Cell theory, you really have to see these graphics. Curtains ripple in the wind. Candlelight gleams faintly. Streetlights fall through blinds in rippled patterns. It is gorgeous to watch.

The plot feels very real and current. You're a lone spy, sent in to get information and extract hostages. You learn more as you go through the game, finding out who to trust and who not to trust.

All the latest gadgets and techniques are here. You have to use your heat vision, night vision, electronic vision to scan for danger. You have a wireless device to scan laptops from nearby. You can shimmy along pipes, hang by your knees and grab people beneath you. You can slit holes in fabric curtains and grab people through them. You really begin to forget that this is "just" a game.

The enemies have become quite intelligent. If you turn off lights, they wonder who did that. If you open doors that should have been closed, they notice. You really couldn't ask for much more.

But then, it gets even better. The missions offer a number of ways to solve them. There isn't just "one path". And multiplayer is truly phenomonal. You could play multiplayer every day for months and never get bored.

Of course, it needs to be pointed out that, while you can aim for stealth as much as you wish, this is a game involving violence. You are snapping the necks of guards, watching hostages be killed in nasty ways, and generally dealing with adult dangers. This isn't a game for pre-teens.

But that being said, the game is amazingly immersive and does reward you for taking the stealthy way through the course. You get far more points for sneaking in and out of the enemy base, vs doing a Rambo and blasting away everything in sight.

Highly recommended!

Tom Clancy and Ubisoft did it again!
There is not enough you can say about this game. If you've seen the previews, then I should stop there, because the graphics are the best I've ever seen. Great reflections, lighting, and overall effect. And the animation is very smooth and realistic. The sound and music are exelent as in any Splinter Cell game. But they managed to surpass that of it's predacessors. The music is very cool and fits well. The gunshots, water, running all sounded so real. The gameplay is much less linear now. The game is built around playing it your way. You can shoot your way through, go stealth, ot's awesome. The replayablity is improved as well. I'm on my third time through. You can snap people's neck from pipes, and you get a knife, which can be used to cut throats, cut material, and bypass curcuts. The multyplayer has returned and is better then ever. As a merc this time, you can get an SMG, assualt rifle, or shotgun. You also get tons more devices as a merc and spy. Like a camo suit for spies and poisen mines for mercs. That is only small compared to what you get altogether. The new maps are also great fun, and they've got some old maps to. The plot is much better. I won't say anything, but there are a few plot twiwsts. The A.I. is the best I've ever encountered. The guards will shine their flashlights where you were and where they think you are. They'll talk to each other to find you. And this time they don't forget abount you. They won't stop for a good while.I'll break down everything here:

GRAPHICS: 10 OUT OF 10

GAMEPLAY: 10 OUT OF 10

PLOT: 9 OUT OF 10

A.I.: 10 OUT OF 10

MULTYPLAYER: 10 OUT OF 10

REPLAYABILITY: 9 OUT OF 10

SOUND: 10 OUT OF 10

Over all, the best game I've ever played. I urge you to get it ASAP. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Video Games    2. Xbox (x box)    3. Microsoft    4. Action    5. Adventure   

Editorial Review

Halo 2 is one of those rare video games that garnishes attention from regular folk who wouldn't know which direction to point a game controller. With more than 1.5 million pre-orders and a massive release party in Times Square, the game enjoys the sort of buzz, and sales, generally reserved for boy wizards. But does it merit the hype?

Opening Scene

Halo 2 opens with a cut scene in the Covenant Holy City of High Charity. Much has happened since Master Chief (that's you) created so much havoc for the Covenant in the first Halo, and the Arbiter has much atoning to do for his failures. This first cut scene is long, but the lush graphics, orchestral sound, and polished voice talent for both this and other cut scenes as well as the game itself put most animated television shows to shame.

Much has happened since Master Chief created so much havoc for the Covenant in the first Halo, and the Arbiter has much atoning to do.

In the end, though, Halo 2 is unabashedly a first-person shooter. It has a Mature rating and is not meant for kids. Gameplay is constant and intense. No sooner is one bunch of aliens taken care of than another descends. The controls are identical to the first game so those familiar with it will be up and blasting in no time. And the sound and graphics have been beefed up so that Halo 2 is undoubtedly one of the most beautiful console games available.

Opening Fire

Most of the weapons from the first game return, although strangely the MA5B Assault Rifle (the default weapon in the first game) is not available. There is a single melee weapon known as the Covenant Sword, but the controls for it are the same as that for all the shooter weapons, making it difficult to direct. Also, for a new twist, you can hold two of the smaller guns at the same time and shoot double-fisted.

As for vehicles, the old favorites are back and joined by a few new, mostly Covenant wheeled monsters. Some improvements have been made to the AI so that the nonplayer characters can drive without running into too many obstacles while you man the turret. This improved AI also has enemies ducking for cover, and the banter from both the Marines and the bad guys has undergone massive improvements so that it no longer sounds quite so repetitive.

On Your Own

The most significant change in the single-player game is with Master Chief's much-touted defensive suit. At the beginning of the game, he is told that the suit has been upgraded, but it's really undergone a severe downgrade. In Halo 2, the player has only one lifeline. Unlike in the first game, there is basically no defensive shield on the suit, making gameplay tougher. It can often take multiple--sometimes a maddening number--attempts to make it through thorny parts of the game.

Or with a Friend

Finally, no review of a Halo game is complete without mentioning multiplayer. One of the main reasons to buy Halo 2 is the ability to play through Xbox Live, a feature not included in the first game, which was among the original releases for the Xbox. Multiplayer for Halo 2 uses all of the same weapons and vehicles as in the single-player game, and the types of games available in Halo (King of the Hill, Slayer, Capture the Flag) return with a host of new maps. Multiplayer Halo 2 offers customizable profiles, control layout, and screens as well as a voice proximity feature, where you can talk with other players via an Xbox Communicator so that those closer to you sound louder than those farther away. Players can also create both permanent clans and temporary parties in the Xbox Live world. Undoubtedly, this multiplayer feature alone ensures that Halo 2 will remain a top-selling game for years to come. --David Morel

Pros:

• Lush graphics and orchestral sound
• Constant, thumping shoot-'em-up action
• Multiplayer available through Xbox live

Cons:

• Suit downgrade makes single-player often overly difficult
• Get ready for some bleary-eyed mornings

... Read more

Features

• Covenant forces attack Earth, another Halo ring comes into play, and the Master Chief takes the battle to the Covenant
• New vehicles and weapons, destructible environments, low gravity, online play, Human vs. Covenant multiplayer battles, improved AI, and more
• Better control: sprint at twice normal speed, peek around corners, chain melee attacks into devastating combos
• Completely rewritten graphics engine allows previously unimaginable complexity anddetail

Reviews (532)

Excellent sequel with few very small issues
For the first few years in the xbox's life, I was the most anti-xbox person among my friends.That all changed the summer of '04 when I played Halo for the first time.It was a blast, and gave me that rush that only a few games have.

So here we are with the sequel to the game that made an xbox worth owning in the first place.Halo 2 isn't a great game; it's an excellent game.With perhaps the most perfect fps controls ever, killer graphics and replayability that shoots through the roof, Halo 2 is the new killer app.

First of all, if you played Halo, do yourself a favor and play this game on at LEAST the normal difficulty.To get the full experience out of this game I would really recommend playing through on Legendary.Trust me on this.When you finish the game you will release the biggest sigh of relief since beating Ninja Gaiden.

**SPOILER ALERT**

Many people knock the single player game, and this is MOSTLY (not always) for two reasons:
1)For part of the game you play as a covenant elite, and
2)The ending is one hell of a cliffhanger, I guarantee it will illicit a "WTF!?" from nearly everyone.

**END OF SPOILERS**

I personally don't mind those two aspects of the game.Once some people get past that, it's hard to deny that the single player game is fun.With the addition of dual weilding, boarding, more interactive enviroments and an increase in the number of enemies you'll face, Halo 2's single player game is a beast on its own.The lush graphics and rich colors will leave you in awe, and if you pair it with a 5.1 surround sound system, you're in for a real treat.There are a few minor problems with the game, such as glitches in a couple of cut scenes, but the end product easily overshadows this.But the fun doesn't end there...

For those with xbox live (or with friends, for that matter), multiplayer will give you hours upon hours of fun.I personally prefer 8-16 player team system link games, but xbox live is fun, too.There are so many game variants, and I don't think I've played all of them yet.And with the addition of 9 new maps available to everyone sometime in June, the life of this game just got a shot in the arm.With the single player, this makes Halo 2 the new killer app for xbox, and will probably remain the most popular until we see xbox 360 later this year.

...you're entitled to your opinion.
Halo 2 was a good game, exceptional by my standards, sure it was a hassle getting through the level with the lack of defenses... but geez...

I personally liked this game for these reasons
-Good gameplay, remniscent of Halo TwT
-Solid sound and graphics
-Good story

My gripes...
-Semi-repetitive gameplay
-Dual weilding clutters up the m***********g screen!
-The health system is harder to deal with... TwT but that's okay, Masta Chief's still gangsta...

P.-Friggin-S.- Samwise, you're entitled to your opinion, albeit a very idiotic one... but your misconception of us being "retards" is based off of non-concrete evidence and your lack of tolerance for other people's opinions. I understand that you believe we are, but seriously, go back to lonely nights with vaseline, kleenex and a copy of "The Rocky Horror Picture Show", because with an attitude like that, you obviously have no friends, life, or parents to teach you manners that and you apparently need a girlfriend. Same goes to anyone else who rags a game and can't do any better. So to all of you I'd like to say you're not worth being called retarded because poor Terry Schiavo doesn't deserve to be associated with people unable to do stuff with a fully functioning brain, so shut up, and don't blow my Xbox high!

lol did he say fable and halo stinks?!
Thie game is a must it has a good soundtrack cinemas and gameplay it will keep you buisy just playing levels to mess around with the vehicles the only things bad about the game is they changed the asult rife model (i like the original assult rife better) and they made it so you play as a elite all else is fine halo 3 is going to be at e3 so all u xbox live players out there get the multi player expansion pack for 20 dollars (you need halo 2 to play) i think microsoft will make new features such as peaking around corners and new viechles dont think hallo series will end this franchies will be a very long and popular series.

spoiler alert








people are saying the story for halo 3 is master chief travels back in the past to kill the people or aliens that made halo but that would stink cuz it would be like pong a never ending battle so master chief will destroy it aliens will destroy master chief! and all those game he said stunk is NOT TRUE KOTOR IS FOR EVEN STAR WARS HATERS!it a very good game that has multiple paths and it is a hack and slash not turned based

GET THE FIRST BEFORE THE SECOND YOU WILL NOT REGRET IT! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Video Games    2. Xbox (x box)    3. Microsoft    4. Action    5. Adventure   

Editorial Review

The wait is over. After five years of development, Lead Programmer John Carmack and the id Software team have put together a revolutionary visual experience. If your PC has the juice to set this game loose and you have a thirst for first-person shooter action, you're in for a treat. Although Doom 3 is not perfect, the 3D graphics engine upon which it is built sets a new, jaw-dropping standard that makes this game a must-have.

Hell on Mars
Your character is a low-ranking Marine on a routine rotation to the Mars Research Facility of the United Aerospace Corporation (UAC). That's pretty much all the backstory you need. Doom 3 is a bit skimpy in the storyline department, but rich plotting and character development have never been the focus of the Doom franchise. Action is the name of the game here, and we found plenty. After a few minutes of wandering through the facility, listening to rumors about impending catastrophe from the staff (remember Half-Life?), it was time to start shooting. We fought our way through dark, lavishly detailed environments until finally doing battle with pure evil in the depths of hell. Although the game offers no opportunities to explore the Martian setting apart from the linear corridors of the research facility, good level design and well-crafted sound effects succeeded at scaring the living heck out of us all the way through.

Fearsome monsters. Dimly lit environments. The perfect recipe for horror.

Creature Discomforts
Groaning zombies and the sudden leaping attack of an eleven-eyed Imp are just the beginning of the horror and anxiety in Doom 3. Floating Cacodemons attack from above with a mouthful of teeth... ethereal Revenants fire flesh-seeking missiles with deadly accuracy... a swarm of spider-like Trites skitter down the corridor, hungry for blood. Although the enemy AI in Doom 3 is less crafty than we would have liked, the incredible variety of enemies--each with a unique style of attack--outweighs this shortcoming somewhat.

Guns, Guns, Guns
While there are many powerful weapons in the game, they are designed to force players to anticipate and plan for firefights. For instance, we liked wielding the chaingun to shred enemies at longer ranges, but the weapon devours ammo and using it on close-range targets was a waste of bullets. We quickly learned to switch to the shotgun or the chainsaw to dispatch foes at close range.

One piece of hardware, the flashlight, was a point of both salvation and frustration for us. Doom 3 is a dark game and many enemies know how to take advantage of it. You'll often find yourself switching back and forth between your weapons and your flashlight just to see what's lurking ahead. This problem might easily be solved by duct-taping the flashlight to your equipped weapon, but, alas, we found no duct tape on Mars.

Looking Good
Doom 3 looks incredible. Every room is exquisitely detailed, from the shimmer of the air near a heat source to the texture of a hamburger sitting on the counter of the company mess hall. Id obviously went all out designing every creature in the game and their realism makes them all the more horrifying. The eye candy does come at a price, though, and we were forced to play at fairly low resolution even on a Pentium IV 2.8 GHz and an ATI Radeon 9500. Even so, gameplay was smooth as silk. For higher resolutions (1024 x 768 and above) the latest generation of ATI or Nvidia cards is suggested. --Joshua Gunn

Pros

• Stunning display of graphics technology
• Strong level design with lots of spookiness
• Rich variety of enemies
• Plenty of hours of single-player gameplay

• Thin storyline
• Stiff system requirements
• No headlamps or gun-mounted lighting in the 22nd century
• Fairly basic multiplayer options

Features

• Struggle with shock and fear as you fight your way, in an epic clash against pure evil
• Incredible, advanced 3D graphics and physics, with surround sound and real-time dynamic lighting
• Compete in vicious multiplayer action where you'll use light, shadows, and a totally dynamic world to your advantage
• The most intensely realistic and visually stunning game yet -- with the look and feel of a computer-rendered animated movie

Reviews (44)

Wha? What? Was that a woman crying?!?
Single Player*:

Doom 3 is avant garde in the sound and lighting department. The strange sounds you hear bouncing along the piped walls seem to get more frequent the more time you take. You have no idea if they are in the distance, if they are right in front hiding in some unlit place. Hell, you hear them. A rattling corpes falls , dangling from the ceiling, it was this the rattling noise, nothing more, nothing less. Next noise and you might not be so lucky, cause the service lights of the complex just went out. Should you hold your favorite artillery in the dark or hold your flashlight to see your way through? Balance it out, perhaps, switching mindlessly between light source and twitching trigger finger.

This is Doom 3 and it's a perfect upgrade of what I'd expect the Doom 2 classic to be today. The graphics and mood are built with as much realism I've ever seen in a game. Things pop out from dark corners and lunge through opened doors, making you jump back more than once.

The controls in the game utilize the XBox R-type controller perfectly. The D-pad allows you to assign direction (^V<>) to your favorite lead/plasma/rocket/soul stocked wrist cronies. This allows for quick access. The concept of quick access is driven further with the incessant need to switch flashlight/artillery.

The single player story is told through dead people's PDAs. Pick em up (they're not using 'em anymore) and find access codes and tales of their experiences in their UAC Depts. It's an interesting way of telling a story that's been told before. I enjoyed this medium.

Online Co-Op*:

This is a great addition to the game, one that any XBliver will be very happy to have. Grab a buddy and go through the game together. I haven't solved the game in this mode, but the levels for Online Co-Op seem to be a little fewer and/or peared down from the single player game. It's a fun experience especially with a friend.


In closing, Doom 3 is a great dark masterpiece. It's very reminiscent of the old Doom games you remember from PC, seeing upgrades of your enemies and all that. You'll also remember that the enemies will come right at you, head-on, in a rather dumb sort of fashion, meaning they lack state of the art AI. That's a reason I chainsawed a star away from being a 5 star title. Don't expect flanking or running and hiding on the vermin's part. They come right at you. Many times this makes you jump back.

*The reason I structured this way is because I found the Single Player game the best experience of Doom 3. Don't cheat. Single Player meaning no spectators in the room and lights out. Stereo sound if you have it. The game is less atmospheric if you are talking to someone in the room or joking with your XBox live buddy at how fat his ex-girfriend is.

It's Doom, For Better and For Worse
I make it a habit of renting games before buying them. If the game's truly worth it, I'll gladly pay the "extra" fee due to renting it first. I rented Doom3 for the Xbox, and here's my spin on it.

Pros:
- graphics are superb and very atmospheric. It's downright creepy at times.
- Excellent, atmospheric sound, and perhaps some of the best sound in any current console game.
- Good overall translation from the PC to the Xbox. Considering what the original PC specs for the game are/were, this says a *LOT*.
- FPS gameplay translates well to the console controller. Very responsive and intuitive.
- Cooperative play adds a fantastic dimension to the game. It's nice to go Demon hunting with someone else tagging along blasting bad guys as needed.
- Collector's Edition comes with Doom I and Doom II. It's worth the extra $10 for those alone, as getting those games to run on Win XP is almost impossible at times.
- A nod to id for trying to put some sort of story to it this time. A weak story, mind you, but a decent effort nonetheless. I especially like that it's the guy's first few days at the place, meaning he's none too sure of what goes where yet. The PDA feature is nice, as it eliminates the days of yore where you wandered around pulling levers for no reason.
- It's the same ol' Doom, atmosphere, zombies, demons, extremely tough boss battles, and all.

Cons:
- It's the same ol' Doom where monsters pop out of boxes in the wall...behind you...in the dark. Why can't the monsters enter the area in some manner other than a "secret" panel, say morph through the wall somehow and maintain some level of invincibility during said morphing? And the monster-behind-you-in-the-dark paradigm is a bit stale for today's games. I know it's part of the atmosphere, but it seems to be an afterthought in design to me. Maybe I'm just jaded after playing Halo/Halo2, Prince of Persia: Sands of Time, SW: Republic Commando, and others.
- Repetitive gameplay: Despite the attempt at a story, it's still go through level, monster pops out behind you, blast monster, find code or whatnot, exit level. The technology exists to do oh so much more, demonstrated by those games mentioned above.
- Equipment Usage: In the future we can travel with regularity to Mars, where we have colonies established. We have harnessed the power of plasma into weaponry, and have put supercomputers into projectile launchers. But, either due to bad supply chain management or ineptitude, we can't find any duct tape to tie a flashlight to a weapon. Nor do we have Night Vision Devices (NVDs). It's a research station where excavation takes place, and yet *no one* has mining helmets? We failed to carry forward any personal system for producing light other than the flashlight that can't be tied to anything. Missed opportunity to address this, or even add a touch of humor here. Other elements are explained in the PDAs, why not this? It seems like another afterthought to me, and more work could have been in other areas to maintain the creepiness. I understand completely the emphasis on "atmosphere" for the game, but that atmosphere could be just as easily imparted by other elements. Having to recharge a pair of NVD's for example, would lend just as much atmosphere to the game. I suppose so much horsepower went into the graphics that there was little room left to do anything else.
- Underutilized story elements: The PDA is great and all, but it's underutilized. It would be interesting if you got a certain amount of info and are then given a choice; manipulate building functions through the PDA to get out faster, albeit without as many weapons or whatnot, or go through the building popping monsters, risking much more harm, but getting better weapons at the end. Why doesn't it have a comprehensive *map* of the place on it?? It can download video and security clearances no problem, but it doesn't have a map???
- Linear gameplay: To be totally fair, this is a problem with a lot of games now, so maybe I shouldn't be too harsh. One of the endearing things about Halo2 was the ability to play as members of both sides of the conflict. I think the Doom series could benefit from some fresh thinking in that regard; letting you play as various characters who eventually meet up at the end, (or not, depending on character played), then you're given a choice as to which character to play to go after the bad guy, for example. Randomization of the levels and the like, a la Diablo and Diablo II, would breathe some modern life into the series as well...and add to that creep factor every time you played.
- (Xbox version) Paltry cheat codes: Yeah I like using them and will freely admit it. I especially like unlimited ammo cheat codes, because, well, they're fun to use *after beating the game*. If I *wanted* a real life shooting experience with limited ammo, I'd *join SOCOMM*. The PC version has an unlimited ammo code, but the Xbox version doesn't. It does however, have invincibility, the single most boring cheat code ever invented. WHY?!?!?!

So color me so-so about Doom 3. Will I buy it? Good question. Doom fanatics already have the PC and Xbox versions, love both equally much, have the board game already, several action figures around the desk, and really don't care what I have to write about it. The Collector's Edition is intriguing; knowing that I could simply insert the disk into the Xbox and play Doom and Doom II all over again without having to write some batch file on my PC to manage virtual memory or whatnot is a value added benefit. I may wait until it goes down in price, say closer to the end of the year or whatnot.

A big disappointment
When i was but a lad, this kind of thing would have been a great game to play. But now as an older wiser gamer i can see through that kind of thing. By that kind of thing, i mean cheap thrills, which this game has plenty of and will use often. After playing this game for about an hour or two, you will begin to see that if you see a dark corner or hear a "SSSSSS" something is there or coming. And odds are you will shoot in the direction of the sound or darkness and almost 99.9% of the time, there is something there that you will have just killed. That's how i went through this game, and in the end i just didn't get enjoyment out of it. After finishing the final level, i really felt like i wasted my time playing it because the challenge just wasn't there. If you must play this game, do it for the graphics and rent it. Save your money. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Action    2. Adventure    3. Video Games    4. Xbox (x box)    5. Microsoft   

Features

• The most intensely realistic and visually stunning game ever created; with graphic fidelity never before seen in video games outside pre-rendered CG movies.
• Dripping with atmosphere and changing the look of 3D games forever, DOOM 3 features realistic physics, 6-channel surround-sound, and real-time dynamic lighting and shadows that create an environment of ever-changing fear and uncertainty.
• Compete in vicious multiplayer action where light, shadows, and a totally dynamic world can be used to your advantage or peril.

Reviews (40)

AWESOME!!!
AWESOME!!!DOOM I II and III on one disk nothing more needs to be said....BUY THIS!!!

Thanks id for another great game
Doom 3 is THE scariest game I've played yet. Im waiting to get resident evil 4 for my gamecube. But i dont know if it will compare to walking down a bloodstained corridor with , written in blood on the walls, words like DIE SUFFER BURN. Then all the lightbulbs shatter, leaving you with only a flickering bulb. But then you start to see the images of "things" with chainsaws flashing around you that arent really there. thats when id really amazed me. Thanks id, looking foward for quake4. peace out.

Doom 3 Collector's Edition
First off, I love Doom. I have loved the franchise since the first time I played it. The series has aways been great, but not to scary. Not any more. Doom 3 is an enhancement on everything that Id Software has brought us before.

The moment I started the game, I was hooked. I was playing non-stop, and was terrified the entire time. Id Software has taken Doom to an unimaginable level of detail, fun, and terror. The game has a lot more story this time, but not enough to where you will be playing for twelve hours before you fire your weapon. Basically, you are a marine stationed at the Union Aerospace Corporation, (UAC) where teleportation is being extenisivley researched. Something goes wrong, and a gateway to hell is opened. After that, the game consists of shooting, dying, and screaming in terror.

A lot of people complain about not being able to use your flashlight and gun at the same time. This highly trained marine can wield guns of all types, take multiple hits before dying, and can hold off the entire populus of Hell by himself, but he just can't seem to figure out duct-tape. It seems really stupid, but it adds terror to the game. I for one, think that it was a good move on Id Software's part.

Now, if this was all that Doom 3 had to offer, I could stop right now. But, there is online multiplayer, and online cooperation, which is exclusive to the Xbox version. Also, if you can afford to shell out the extra ten dollars to buy the Collector's Edition, do so. The Collector's Edition includes concept art, developer interviews, and an entire episode of ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Video Games    2. Xbox (x box)    3. Microsoft    4. Action    5. Adventure   

Features

• One Touch Squad Control system features intuitive and straightforward controls and direction for your squad of Clone Army troopers
• Both original and new content from the Star Wars universe
• Single- and multiplayer modes (up to 16 players over Xbox Live)
• Squad-based first-person shooter that lets you explore the elite world of the Star Wars military
• Lead a 3-man squad behind enemy lines

Reviews (44)

Pretty darn good if you like gunning games.
This game is good but it just doesn't cut it following up in Halo's wake. Less intense than Halo but the levels are basicly repetetive after the first. Plus, being able to revive your soldiers makes it a lot less challenging. Still, it is pretty fun.

Please wake me up... I fell asleep
This game was cool through the first level, but every level after that was almost identical. The weapons set seamed very weak, I felt like I was shooting a pea shooter the whole game. I also spent way too much time "Retrieving Bacta" (health for the squad) this game really seams two years behind in game play and definitely didn't live up to the hype. The squad control was OK but there is very little strategy when commanding them. The blue highlights around Snipe or Anti-Armor locations scream put a guy here, again eliminating any strategy. Buy the way "XBOX Live" game play is horrible, I will be trading this game in tomorrow.

good but weird
i like this game. bit all you do is shoot gay aliens ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Star Wars (Starwars)    2. Video Games    3. Xbox (x box)    4. Microsoft    5. Action    6. Adventure   

Editorial Review

Following in the footsteps of the award-winning titles Full Throttle and Grim Fandango, visionary designer Tim Schafer delivers his newest creation--the bizarre, psychic adventure, Psychonauts.

For years, the Psychonauts have deployed their psychically-armed operatives all over the world, but now there is trouble brewing in their own boot camp. A deranged scientist is abducting camp cadets for their brains! One student, a mysterious and powerful new arrival named Raz, stands alone against the lunatic. Raz must develop and unleash an arsenal of paranormal powers, including his most powerful weapon of all--the ability to launch himself telepathically into the minds of others. Ultimately, he must enter the psyche of his worst enemy and destroy his dark plans at their source. Entering the mind of madman has its challenges, and Raz must struggle to preserve his sanity while he battles to save the day.

In this third-person shooter, you will explore 13 levels--three that are set in the "real" world, and ten that are set inside the mental jungle-gyms and terrifying prisons of dementia. Journeying through the mind of a lunatic, Raz, you will rise through the ranks as you collect figments of imagination, sort emotional baggage, clear out mental cobwebs, and crack open memory vaults. After you complete special training missions, Raz will learn new psychic powers, such as levitation, telekinesis, invisibility, pyrokinesis, clairvoyance, and confusion.

With tightropes, trapezes, ladders, poles and other dynamic environmental features, you'll zip through an engrossing story injected with humor, vivid characters, and a spectacular range of wild, imaginative environments. The non-linear plot offers incredible depth of play, loaded with multiple paths and strange sub-challenges like digging up imaginary atomic elements, finding lost brains, and telekinetic canoeing.

You'll thoroughly enjoy the journey with Raz as you make your way through weird worlds and the dark recesses of Schafer's creative, squishy gray matter in this oddball, puzzle-game shooter. Psychonauts delivers monsters that slink like cats in the night and puzzles that will bend your brain like string theory--you'll be dazzled, confused, and challenged. ... Read more

Features

• Explore 13 incredibly unique levels--three set in the real world and ten set inside fantastic mental playgrounds and horrific dungeons of dementia
• Rise up in rank as you collect figments of imagination, sort emotional baggage, clear out mental cobwebs and crack open memory vaults
• Complete special training missions to learn the power of Levitation and the ability to focus Razs mental energy into a powerful PSI Blast
• Rank up to earn additional psychic powers including Telekinesis, Invisibility, Pyrokinesis, Clairvoyance and Confusion
• Put your thoughts to useRaz can grab the thought bubble over his head and pull it down around himself as a shield, hang from it like a hot air balloon, or jump on top of it and ride it around like a skateboard

Reviews (3)

So good that I achieved supreme wood.
man this aint the best game i ever played but it is really really really awesome.i been playin it for 38 out of the last 50 hours and i get real mad when i die but the game looks awesome.it looks so good that i get wood sometimes which is awesome.playing the game is awesome because you can do all kinds of awesome stuff like light things on fire which is really awesome.i'll tell all of you to run out and get this game because its pretty awesome overall.

Psychonauts - Clever, Imaginative, Fun!
Let me start off this review by saying that I play a lot of different videogames, and owe allegiance to no genre in specifics, which is why I'm not going to compare this game to others.There are a variety of aspects that the game has which make it awesome, and I will cover these individually, in seperate paragraphs.

First off, creativity.This is not a spoiler, so have no fear as I progress.The game revolves around a ten year old child with psychic abilities by the name of Razputin, or "Raz".Without his parent's knowledge, Raz sneaks into Whispering Rocks Psychic Summer camp, a secret government training facility for young psychics.Once discovered by the camp counsellors, he is informed that his parents have been called, and will pick him up in a couple of days.Until then, he is not allowed to participate in any psychic training or activities.Of course, this doesn't stop our young adventurer from doing exactly that, and this is where the game begins.The game invites you to actually explore other character's minds, usually to help them solve an internal problem (frequently due to insanity), and each of the levels creatively reflect that character's problems.For example, you are invited into the mind of Fred, a distant relative of Napoleon, who has a split personality disorder as a result of continually losing strategy games to one of the inmates at the asylum.As you enter his head to kick Napoleon out and restore Fred's sovereignty of his mind, you are invited to play a game of strategy versus Napoleon's embodiment in Fred's mind.

Humor: I have to admit that I have been particular to Tim Schafer's sense of humor ever since playing Grim Fandango, and this game made me laugh a lot. For instance, at one point in the game you find yourself in the mind of a former high school wrestler.The walls inside the sewers of his mind are decorated with high school lockers, and one passageway is designed as a gym shower room, at which Raz remarks "Man, I feel like I'm back in High School...Which is wierd, because I'm only ten years old"The game is full of clever little side comments which make the game a blast to play, and the interactions with the other characters are constantly amusing (My favorite character is a psychic camper by the name of Mikhail, who is from Russia and has an obsession with finding a hairless bear)

Gameplay: I like the style of gameplay a lot.This is one of the first platformers I've played in a long time that seems to actually get everything right.If it's possible, you just have to try.If it's not possible, then there's no way to hack around it until you're supposed to.Some games tend to screw this up and allow the impossible, and it's nice to play a game that has a good environment to it.Moving on, the control system is nice.You move with the left analog, adjust the view with the right analog.You can assign three psychic powers (out of a possible 8) to hot buttons, and the game pauses while you assign them (you assign by pushing right on the d-pad).You can pull items out of your backpack, which never gets full (which doesn't break realism because at any given time you only have a max of something like 13 items of small-medium size).The game allows double jumping, which I usually think is cheap, but Psychonauts excuses it by defining it as an innate psychic ability which can be improved once you get the active psychic ability "levitate".The only thing I disliked about the gameplay was the fact that when you tried to target things, you had to be fairly close to your target, which seems silly when the main reason you would target something in Psychonauts is to use a ranged weapon like Psi Blast.

Sound/Music: This game has an awesome soundtrack.Every mind you invade seems to have the perfect music written for it, from the Mexican-themed "Black Velvetopia", to the Godzilla-like "Lungfishopolis".I'm not really an expert on describing music, which is why this part is going to be short, but let it be known that the music is just as awesome as the rest of the game, I just can't describe it owing to my own deficiencies.

Graphics: This game uses the xbox's graphical potential fully.I experienced no lag at all while playing, and yet could see clearly that everything was richly textured, high on polys, and gorgeous to look at.The graphical style is a little cartoony, which is something that I love in videogames, but I understand it is an acquired taste, so that is something you should definitely be aware of.In addition, each mind uses the game's graphics slightly differently, and gameplay varies a lot from mind to mind.For example, the earlier mentioned "Black Velvetopia" has a somewhat inverted color scheme, as if the world was being viewed under a blacklight.

So here we go with a final summary, which is probably the only thing most of you readers will read anyways.
Creativity: 10
Humor: 9.5
Sound: 9
Gameplay: 8.8
Graphics: 10

Overall: 9.5 - This game is one of the best games I've ever played, and is one of the best out there for xbox.Get it! :)

One of the best so far this year
Everytime Tim Schafer creates a game, I know it will be a blast.Having been on a roll starting with The Day of the Tentacle up through The Grim Fandango, each game has been delightfully intelligent, creative and an overall wonderful experience.Psychonauts is no different.In fact, it is one of the best games I have played not only this year but in a long time.

The setup is that there is a camp for psychic children who feel different in the outside world.At the camp, the counselors teach children how to harness their power to become Psychonauts, psychics who actually enter people's minds and sort out their problems.Because of this setup, each and every world is completely different from the others.Connected to a hub world of the camp, each real "level" is a person's mind.And each mind reflects the person's personality, fears, phobias etc.For instance, the beginning level is that of your drill instructor.His level is a warzone complete with mines, air plane drops, explosions, barbed wire etc.

Tim Schafer's touch is also evident in the characters who are actually characters.They all have a personality and are very emotive.I haven't laughed at a video game so hard since Conker's Bad Fur Day.This game is hillarious.From the kid who practices looking through a peep hole in the day to get practice for when it's filled with girls to trashing a town Godzilla style, the game has it in spades.However, there are some surprisingly disturbing moments in the game that are also darkly humorous.Because you have psychic powers, you also can do some pretty cool stuff from pyrokinesis, telekinesis, levitation, invisibility, etc.These moves help you progress through the levels and pick up hidden items throughout the game.

Graphically, the game is awesome on the Xbox.The levels are done in vivid colors and with a wonderful cartoon style.The campground seems alive as there are creatures walking your path.From squirrels, crows, pigeons, lizards, bears, etc, the world seems populated and just feels real.You can tell a lot of time and effort was put in to make this game come alive and it works.The game is presented in 480p, for those interested.

Aurally, the characters are voiced to perfection.Some great voice actors have been employed and it really helps create characters that are lovable.The only audio glitch I've noticed is that sometimes my speakers will "click" as voices come in or as the sound changes sometimes.The game is also presented in 5.1 surround in game.

Since the game is a platformer, all of the standards apply.In the real world and in each person's mind, there are a ton of things to collect.In the real world, there are arrowheads that can be pulled from the ground that represent cash.There is a scavenger hunt also going on that will earn you rank (which gives you new powers) and there are cards that can be formed as more rank.In each person's mind, there are also different things to collect such as emotional baggage, mental cobwebs, figments of the imagination and safes which you much punch open to reveal some of the person's past.Some of these slide shows are funny and some are actually kind of sad as you see how these people came to be who they are.I list these items to collect just as a note that the game definitely exhibits all of the charms of a platformer.But there actually is a reason to collecting everything and they fit together in this humorous world.

The game moves quickly and besides one or two intstances of panning that had the game do a wave type pattern, it is perfect.My recommendation if you play the game is to take your time talking to everyone.It helps flesh out the story and if you listen and keep making rounds after each world you will see minor breakups, makeups, humorous instances involving squirrels who tell one kid to kill everyone, and plain funny dialogue.Take your time with this one and you will definitely be rewarded.

This game is great, it's just what I was looking for.It helped remind me why I play video games.When a person can create such wonderful worlds and allow you to play in them, you realize why you play games.It is so creative.Where else can you be chased by a giant fish, rage across town as a Godzilla-like creature, be in a disco world where you must race, pin-ball style, wage war against a Napolean complex and set fire to squirrels?If you want a creative and fun video game that will take approximately 10-15 hours of your time, then this is definitely a must buy.Sure some say the game is too easy and relies on platforming cliches but honestly when you are having this much fun, does it really matter?Why quibble over small faults when you will genuinely have a complete and utter blast playing the game?I absolutely cannot recommend this game enough.And unfortunately, it's one of those games that will end up like Ico or Beyond Good and Evil where no one hears of it and no one plays it.Don't let that happen.Play this game because its games like this that the industry needs to keep creating.

A must buy.Creative and excellent. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Video Games    2. Xbox (x box)    3. Microsoft    4. Action    5. Adventure   

Editorial Review

Rockstar Games has partnered with DUB Magazine -- the authoritative source on automotive lifestyles -- to redefine the racing genre with Midnight Club 3: DUB Edition. With this installment, the series that took racing from the tracks to the open urban streets is back, and the stakes have never been higher.

Get ready for insanely fast driving with open-city racing in Atlanta, San Diego, and Detroit. The online competition brings together up to eight players with the most comprehensive vehicle customization every seen in a video game. You'll be driving the hottest licensed real-life SUVs, import tuners, muscle cars, choppers, and luxury rides on the road today. Plus, you can trick them out with the latest rims, trims, and upgrades just like the pages of DUB. Without a doubt, customization goes above and beyond any other game with Midnight Club 3. The level of detail dedicated to your car's look and feel is unprecedented. Not only can you trick out your car, but you can select your favorite chassis, brakes, exhaust, and even power-boosting nitrous oxide!

Midnight Club 3: DUB Edition has more speed, more choices, and more chrome than any game has ever packed under the hood. It rocks hard, and delivers slick, fast, intense driving action in challenging environments. Step up, pimp your ride, and get ready to hit the streets for high-adrenaline urban racing! ...