Product Description

Universal Media Disc (UMD):The Universal Media Disc (UMD) is a newly developed compact, high-capacity optical disc, which is the storage device for the PSP (PlayStation Portable) handheld entertainment system.UMD is the next generation compact storage media, only 60mm in diameter but can store up to 1.8GB of digital datamore than three times the data held on a CD-ROM.A broad range of digital entertainment content such as game software, videos, movies and oth ... Read more

Features

• Sony PSP Specifications and Features:
• Dimensions: Approximately 6.7 in (W) x .9 in (H) x 2.9 in (D)
• Weight: .62 lbs (including battery)
• CPU: Proprietary PSP CPU
• Main Memory: 32MB

Reviews (519)

Freakin' Sweet
First, this is not a kid's review, I just used this because it was much easier. At first, i was going to buy a Nintendo DS, but then i saw this. The DS cannot compare to the PSP. This system is AWESOME!!! Were do I start. The graphics are by far the best I've seen for a portable system. The lineup for games is basically the PS2 lineup, with future games like 007 from russia with love, Grand Theft Auto Liberty City Stories, Star Wars Battlefront 2, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, Madden 2006 And NBA Live 2006. Now that new movie companies are publishing DVD's the movie line up is good too. The MP# feature will be nice too. But i did find a couple of downsides though. first, it did not come with a USB cable, but "supposedly" they already lose about $60 on each. Second, it scratches easy. Third, the battery only last about 5 hours. And lastley, Memory cards are Expensive! But hey, I love my PSP, so If you have the money, go for it.

GODLY GREATNESS!!!!!!!!!!
First of all...This system is god!!!!!!!Im sure thewrte are the wackos that think the Ds os good well i got news for you IT ISNT!!!!!!!!PSP has movies, music, and games and............other suff!!!!it just rocks!and now for some true facts:
PSP is god
DS sucks
end of that.

Really worth the money
This machine is incredible!!I bought mine on June 4days ago at TOYS R US, and even the cashier said it is worth the money.I readthese reviews on the PSP saying there is dead pixels, what a total lie whoever is saying that they do not have a mind.This system does it all.Oh and if you buy it make sure you cherish like if it's your child, never let it out of your sight.PSP is simply beautiful.

PSP- a real gamers review
First of all let me start by saying that most of the reviews on this site are by people who are casual gamers. I personally have been playing games for most of my life and have owned every major console avaliable. The PSP has several major flaws that the competitors do not.

The first flaw i have seen is the games, the launch titles are mainly football and racing games. i myself am not a sport or racing fan and find no interest in these titles. Although if you were would you really like to play 4 different racing games that are really just the same.

The second flaw is the console durability, the console is easily broken, i know you are meant to look after it but for a portable machine it is going to be dropped at some point in the consoles life. It has several manufacturing flaws as well, such as dead pixels, scratched screens, unresponsive buttons, and disc that like to fly out the back of it if the console is manipulated.

The third flaw is the price, it is very expensive for what it does. It can play MP3's and movies which is great but it does at a substandard quality and you need a memory stick in which to store it. It can not play DVD which means you have to buy the UMD which are far more expensive and will only work on the PSP. while you can buy more high quality products such as a portable DVD player and an iPod for around the same price.

So overall there are far better alternatives to what the PSP can do, for example: portable DVD player; MP3 player. Also having owned a Nintendo DS it is a far more innovative product, with the touch screen bringing wider possibilites for the games. Also if you despartly want the graphics of the PSP in a portable console then please wait till the GBA 2 comes out on the market. it will be far better and have the quality of product that we have come to expect from Nintendo.

Thank you for reading my review, and i hope that it has helped you in your choice of handheld consoles for the future.

Nice
one word describes this: nice. as with all other Sony products. Stunningly beautiful graphics on a large (4.3 inches i think) screen, analog, cool looking handheld is amazing. I have one myself. The music and the video just adds to the perfection of the PSP. But, there're some cons. 1st of all I would have to say the games are quite pricey, and that the psp may be a bit heavy for some, and as for the dead pixels, i believe it was the ones for sale in north america that may have them, because i saw 2 that had them, and of course mine doesn't, and also with the battery that doesn't have that long of a life, but.... who would play with a handheld for 4 hours? (thats how long psp battery would last) the verdict: cool looking system with crazy graphics, so get it for sure if money allows, but you may have to charge it often, and watch for the dead pixels. ... Read more

Product Description

Dimensions: Approximately 230 mm (W) x 28 mm (H) x 152 mm (D)Weight: Approximately900g Compatible formats:- PlayStation format CD-ROM - PlayStation 2 format CD-ROM - PlayStation 2 format DVD-ROM - Audio CD - DVD Video* - DVD-RW (VR mode) * The term "DVD Video" is used to refer to DVD-R, DVD-RW (Video mode), DVD+R and DVD+RW discs.Interfaces: - Controller Port x 2 - Memory Card slot x 2 - USB connector x 2 - NETWORK connector x 1 (100BASE-TX/10BASE-T) - LINE connector ... Read more

Features

• Internal volume has been reduced by 75 percent
• overall weight has been halved
• thickness trimmed down to 2.8 cm (thickness of current model is 7.8 cm).
• Size is almost as small as a hardcover book, making it easier to carry around and enjoy games and DVD videos anytime, anywhere.
• Equipped with an integrated Ethernet port and modem port for online play.

Reviews (164)

mostly response to the xbox 360 fanboy
to make this relevant: i own the orig ps2 and love it, so therefore i would love gameplay on this. as for the differences i understand that there are technical issues but for peopl elike some of my dorm friends who only play casually and value space this is perfect (they love it).

to the xbox 360 kid review: honestly, get your facts straight before spouting nonsense like that. i wont touch the tech aspects (such as the different TYPES of ram involved in both units, the amount of vram, the teraflops they can poop out, floating point numbers, or any of that). what i will talk about is your talk of gameplay. it is true that square is departing from the ps. oh no, ffxi is coming to xbox! scary. oh wait no it's not. k i'm being a jerk, yes it's true that the games aren't going to be exclusive to ps3. however, I've got two words for you, and this is a HUGE deal in console wars: backwards compatibility. and before you spout of "the 360 is backwards compatible" it's only partially backwards compatible. on top of that the playstation line has a far larger game library to draw from.

i'm not claiming one's gonig to be better than the other, but i'm defending the ps line before people just write it off when the xbox 360 comes out this year.

and as the previous poster said, ign does NOT claim that the xbox 360 is far superior.

and also the ps2 slim is nice if you're only casually using it and need the space/decor.

Should Have Been Free!!
Sony thinks that they can make up for the PS2s short-comings by releasing a new one right before the next-gen consoles are released?! This should have been exchanged for all of the old PS2s cause they break the DAY after the warranty finishes. Sony has lost yet another customer. Save your cash for the Xbox 360.

Original PlayStation 2 is better
Don't buy this, the original PlayStation 2 is better than the new design.

In response to "a kids review"
this "kids review" stated that ign.com said the 360 was more powerfull overall.they said nothing of the sort.in fact, with only number to go off of, ign was reluctant to call a winner.

however, if tech specs are all we have, then the PS3 is clearly the winner.pushing 2 teraflops, it's twice as fast as the 360, and boasts a GPU twice as powerful as the top-of-the-line NVIDIA GPU on the market today that usually run about $500 apiece.this does NOT mean that the PS3 will cost $1000 dollars (that would be ludicrous), but it DOES mean that it's graphics prowess will be unmatched.combine that with dual RAM of 256 each, plus a 7xCell processor (that's 7 microprocessors in one chip!) verses 360's 3 core chip, and you can start to see the advantages.add bluetooth wireless controllers (7!) and it's clearly the winner.

XBXO 1.5 vs. PS2

I don't even know if the XBOX 360 can compete with the PS2 this fall. The PS2 is releasing great games. XBOX 360 games look mediocre and not next generation.
Microsoft can release a new system ,but without games to back it up they will end up losing more money on their ambitious project.
... Read more

From Amazon.com

To help you start your PSP collection, we've created this special bundle, which includes the games Wipeout Pure, Twisted Metal, NBA, Ape Escape, and World Soccer Tour in addition to the Sony PSP value pack which comes with the AC adapter, battery pack, 32 MB Memory Stick Duo, earbud headphones with remote control, soft case, hand strap, Spider-Man 2 movie, and of course the PSP system.

The era of no-compromises handheld gaming has arrived. Get ready for immersive, 3D gaming on a console that is poised to change the way we think about portable devices. With wireless internet, video and digital music playback, and incredible data storage and connectivity options, the Sony PSP--or PlayStation Portable--is a complete solution for the mobile digital lifestyle. Sony has hit the mark by combining both horsepower and groundbreaking features into a package that weighs just a hair more than half a pound.

Design
The PSP's exceptional performance comes from a 333 MHz processor that dwarfs the speed of competing handheld consoles. Add this polygon-pushing muscle to 4 MB of fast DRAM and 32 MB of embedded RAM, and you've got a device with graphics rendering capabilities close to that of the PlayStation2. And because no game is complete without audio, the PSP is generously appointed with built-in stereo speakers, as well Dolby Digital 7.1 surround soundcapability. Sony has also pulled out all the stops with the PSP display. The bright, 4.3-inch LCD sports a 16:9 aspect ratio and 480 x 272 pixel resolution--plenty of real estate for heavy gaming action and widescreen-format movies. All of this is powered by a removable, and rechargeable, lithium-ion battery.

Screen machine: The 4.3-inch display sports a 16:9 aspect ratio and 480 x 272 pixel resolution. Movies and games on the go have never been more gorgeous.

From a controls perspective, the PSP is made for gaming. If you're familiar with a PlayStation controller, you'll be a pro at the PSP's controls in no time. Directional buttons, as well as an analog stick are provided. Meanwhile, the familiar left and right shoulder buttons, as well as triangle, circle, cross and square buttons are integrated into the device's slim case. Finally, home, select, and start buttons give you quick access and control over the PSP's important functions.

To have and to hold: The PSP's easy-to-master controls are cleverly integrated into the device's slim profile.

Supported Media
At the heart of the PSP is a new, proprietary media format known as the Universal Media Disc, or UMD. Each UMD can hold 1.8 GB of data, enough room for rich and complex games. UMDs, which are housed in a protective cover, slide into the rear of the PSP. Sony has declared the UMD an open format for developers and media content owners, so movies, music and other media are on the horizon from third parties. Sony has also signed on many popular game developers for the platform, so a deep library of titles is on tap.

While the UMD is great for read-only media such as games and movies, Sony solves the problem of data storage with the addition of a Memory Stick Duo slot. With Memory Stick Duo media, you can store your saved games, downloaded online content, personal video and audio files, and more. When you want access to these files from your PC, simply use the PSP's USB 2.0 port to turn the device into a fastportable media drive. Then, drag and drop files such as your photos, MP3s, and videos onto the PSP, just as you would any other removable storage device. The PSP ships with a 32 MB Memory Stick Duo, and additional media with higher storage capacities are available.

Major media: Sony's PSP-compatible Universal Media Disc (UMD) can hold 1.8 GB of data.

Connectivity
The PSP blows away the competition in the connectivity department. Indeed, the PSP's ability to connect to the internet, and to other PSPs and USB-based peripherals, is a real advantage. At the top of the list is Wifi connectivity, or IEEE 801.11b. Use this wireless internet standard to connect to other gamers around the world for hot multiplayer action--all from your couch, or your local Wifi hotspot. As mentioned, the PSP's USB 2.0 port is great for PC connectivity, but it also opens the PSP up for a whole range of future peripherals. Sony has plans for the PSP in other ways, too; the unit's infrared port speaks of remote control capabilities in the near future.

A Digital Companion
If you haven't already guessed, Sony has positioned the PSP to be much more than a gaming device. Out of the box, the device is ready to serve as a portable video player and photo viewer. By using the new H.264 MPEG-4 video standard, Sony obviously has its eyes on making the PSP a robust video device with support for feature length movies and more.In addition, the PSP offers a great way to transport and share your photos in JPEG format. And let's not forget the music. Load up your favorite MP3-encoded songs onto a Memory Stick Duo and you've got a portable audio powerhouse. The device also supports Sony's ATRACaudio codec, so you can play songs acquired from Sony's Connect Online Music Store. Sony even ships a nifty pair of earbuds--complete with an inline remote control-- with the PSP.

What's in the Box
PSP device, AC adapter, battery pack, 32 MB Memory Stick Duo, earbud headphones with remote control, soft case and hand strap. ... Read more

Reviews (519)

Freakin' Sweet
First, this is not a kid's review, I just used this because it was much easier. At first, i was going to buy a Nintendo DS, but then i saw this. The DS cannot compare to the PSP. This system is AWESOME!!! Were do I start. The graphics are by far the best I've seen for a portable system. The lineup for games is basically the PS2 lineup, with future games like 007 from russia with love, Grand Theft Auto Liberty City Stories, Star Wars Battlefront 2, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, Madden 2006 And NBA Live 2006. Now that new movie companies are publishing DVD's the movie line up is good too. The MP# feature will be nice too. But i did find a couple of downsides though. first, it did not come with a USB cable, but "supposedly" they already lose about $60 on each. Second, it scratches easy. Third, the battery only last about 5 hours. And lastley, Memory cards are Expensive! But hey, I love my PSP, so If you have the money, go for it.

GODLY GREATNESS!!!!!!!!!!
First of all...This system is god!!!!!!!Im sure thewrte are the wackos that think the Ds os good well i got news for you IT ISNT!!!!!!!!PSP has movies, music, and games and............other suff!!!!it just rocks!and now for some true facts:
PSP is god
DS sucks
end of that.

Really worth the money
This machine is incredible!!I bought mine on June 4days ago at TOYS R US, and even the cashier said it is worth the money.I readthese reviews on the PSP saying there is dead pixels, what a total lie whoever is saying that they do not have a mind.This system does it all.Oh and if you buy it make sure you cherish like if it's your child, never let it out of your sight.PSP is simply beautiful.

PSP- a real gamers review
First of all let me start by saying that most of the reviews on this site are by people who are casual gamers. I personally have been playing games for most of my life and have owned every major console avaliable. The PSP has several major flaws that the competitors do not.

The first flaw i have seen is the games, the launch titles are mainly football and racing games. i myself am not a sport or racing fan and find no interest in these titles. Although if you were would you really like to play 4 different racing games that are really just the same.

The second flaw is the console durability, the console is easily broken, i know you are meant to look after it but for a portable machine it is going to be dropped at some point in the consoles life. It has several manufacturing flaws as well, such as dead pixels, scratched screens, unresponsive buttons, and disc that like to fly out the back of it if the console is manipulated.

The third flaw is the price, it is very expensive for what it does. It can play MP3's and movies which is great but it does at a substandard quality and you need a memory stick in which to store it. It can not play DVD which means you have to buy the UMD which are far more expensive and will only work on the PSP. while you can buy more high quality products such as a portable DVD player and an iPod for around the same price.

So overall there are far better alternatives to what the PSP can do, for example: portable DVD player; MP3 player. Also having owned a Nintendo DS it is a far more innovative product, with the touch screen bringing wider possibilites for the games. Also if you despartly want the graphics of the PSP in a portable console then please wait till the GBA 2 comes out on the market. it will be far better and have the quality of product that we have come to expect from Nintendo.

Thank you for reading my review, and i hope that it has helped you in your choice of handheld consoles for the future.

Nice
one word describes this: nice. as with all other Sony products. Stunningly beautiful graphics on a large (4.3 inches i think) screen, analog, cool looking handheld is amazing. I have one myself. The music and the video just adds to the perfection of the PSP. But, there're some cons. 1st of all I would have to say the games are quite pricey, and that the psp may be a bit heavy for some, and as for the dead pixels, i believe it was the ones for sale in north america that may have them, because i saw 2 that had them, and of course mine doesn't, and also with the battery that doesn't have that long of a life, but.... who would play with a handheld for 4 hours? (thats how long psp battery would last) the verdict: cool looking system with crazy graphics, so get it for sure if money allows, but you may have to charge it often, and watch for the dead pixels. ... Read more

Amazon.com 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 (249)

4 year cycle.
Microsft lost 4 billion dollars on the XBOX project and is apparently ending support. Nvidia already stopped shipments of their chip for XBOX production.A 3 1/2 year cycle is pretty short for a system and are abandoning everyone who purchased/purchases a XBOX.
Will the XBOX 360have a 3 year cycle when the Playstaion 3 embarasses it.
Hope not.We might see the XBOX 420 in 3 more years. Save your money.

Definetely worth the money
Finally ... I got myself a gaming system ... something in life that is just for my pleasure ... nothing else ... don't even have to expect good results, ROI etc.

After reading a few reviews etc. on various websites I could narrow down my decision to XBox and PS2. It was a pretty tough to bring it down to the final one though. Both had good reviews and both were priced at the same range. PS2 had a wider range of games but XBox has an internal harddrive, PS2 had a slimer console but XBox had better graphics and so the list went on.

Finally I went with the XBox since I am the kind who likes to save a review games, scores etc. and buying a memory stick every now and then would've been expensive in my case.

I am a happy customer. At $150 its a great buy.

Im being honest here. no offense
X-box is a good system only for 2 reasons, Reason 1: Halo 1 and Halo 2 these games are goooood! Reason 2: The power of this system and the beautiful graphics that it has. but i gave it 4 stars because the system is huge and heavy. omg just Try to bring this system to your friend's house or on vacation your in for some serious weight lifting. Its sort of stupid that they have to make the system so heavy and they have soo much multiplayer games. And look at the controller, it was designed for king kong to use, or maybe a dinosaur, maybe even a octopus, or a cyclops. ps2 may be a weak system with choppy graphics, But it has much more exclusive games, Metal gear solid 3, devil may cry, god of war, the getaway, dragon ball z budaki, jet li rise to honor,killzone The Smackdown series etc. When it comes to game companies im sorry to say this but Sony is the king of them all. Sony will always be king. They are taking x-box and nintendo to school. Sony has already made there portable system PSP(Playstation portable). Dont waste your money on x-box and especially gamecube. Gamecube has a small library of games. i Bought the gamecube for resident evil thas all that is untill i found out that resident evil 4 will be out for ps2. If you want to bash the ps2 because it breaks alot then get the new redefined ps2 which i got. Its more capable and mine hasnt broke on me or anything. I will never waste my time with xbox, i bought the gamecube and it wasnt what i was looking for. So i made the right choice and traded my gamecube in and bought the better system Playstation 2.

Beware
Microsoft is ending the production of the XBOX in a few months. They also might stop making games for the system all together.
It would be unwise to purchase oneunless you want a ssytem with no new games.
On the other hand the PS@ and Gamecube will have a wide range of new games coming this fall.

great system...at the end of it's life cycle, anyway
i really only have one major problem with the ol' 'Box.it's game library is atrocious.the systme unfortunately lacks the variety i've come to expect from my game systems.the only headway into resolution of this problem has been within the last year, starting with Ninja Gaiden.i'm sorry, i just don't like FPS or PC style games.up until recently, Halo was all the XBox had going for it, and again, i don't like FPS.there is nary a Japanese game on the sucker, save for the occasional gem from Tecmo, and Microsoft refuses to support or market it's first party titles in any decent fashion, oftem forcing the development studios to seek out another publisher when they are dropped by the big M for no reason.

Microsoft, in my opinion, is a primary contributer to the demise of one of the most creative dev houses in the world:Oddworld Inhabitants.

all is not dark in the world of the big M, however.while i love my PS2 (and it's massive and diverse library), the XBox is clearly superior in visual power.this is about as important as you make it, depending on how hung up you are on graphics.i still adore 2-D sprites, so obviously, graphics, while important, are not #1 on my priorities list.they have also managed to snag a few exclusive titles the whet my interest, such as KOTOR 1 and 2, Fable, and Oddworld: Strangers Wrath by the afformetioned Inhabitants, which did not sell to it's potential due to shoddy marketing by EA (the other big evil), who were pissed because they refused to develop a PS2 version.
also to the XBox's credit, titles that are offered multi-platform are best presented on the Xbox.

the hard drive is certainly a nice addition, and XBox Live beats the hell out of anything Sony has going right now in regards to online gaming.the four controller ports are nice, but i barely have a chance for two-player as it is, so it's not a biggie, either.the redesigned s-controller is definatley an improvement upon the previous canned-ham version Microsoft shipped.interesting bit of trivia:the s-controller is actually the Japanese XBox controller that was designed for smaller Japanese hands.

all in all, i simply find the PS2 a superior game machine.it may not be as powerful, but the proof is in the games, and Sony has it all over the big M in this regard.game variety is Sony's bread and butter, and they have shown unwaivering support for their first party developers like Naughty Dog, Insomniac, Polophony Digital, and David Jaffe's God of War team.Microsoft dropped titles by both Double Fine (Psychonauts) and Oddworld Inhabitants (see above).Sony also has the largest collection of third party exclusive titles.this, too me, explains why the Playstation brand continues to dominate the market.

it's a little sad that Microsoft figured this out a little too late to really do anything about it.here's hoping they don't make the same mistakes with the 360.they really can't afford to go the way of Sega.they don't have any franchises to fall back on.

well, at least they always have Windows

... Read more

Product Description

Nintendo (NTRSVKBA) Nintendo DS ... Read more

Reviews (598)

I HAD A DS
Hey I had a DS. I thought it was fun and all with the touch screen. I was thinking the the DS would be better but I was wrong. Nintendo wanted to release another handheld. I dropped the DS. Here are a couple of reasons

Graphics Suck
Lack of INNOVATIVE GAMES (skip that lack of games)
Repetitive games and gamplay sucks
Too much hype about the piece of junk
It is too bulky

You have your opinion I have mine.
Be smart don't be a retart get a PSP you'll be glad you did!!

Hey Nintendo freaks...
Let me make a long story short, everything sucks on the DS. I have a PSP and it is very addicting and better then are worst system EVER!!! I hope you throw away your freakin DS AND BUY THE BEST SYSTEM EVER,the Sony PSP!!!!!


(PS: Nintendo did a great job on Resident Evil 4. Its my favorite game. I can't wait for The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess.)

Boo! Bad System with bad games
The DS is not really a good system. Its weak system wise and the games are not exactly good. TheySUCK!!!. The systems graphics still have 2d stroller games. Don't buy the DS. Get the PSP or if you don't have enough money, save up for Xbox 360, PS3 or Nintendo Revolution. Do Not Waste Your Money on the DS!!!!!!!!!!! Buy PSP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I Love IT!!!!!! It kicks @$$!!!!
THis thing is soooo cool.If u want to get a PSP instead, Don't.The Ds is going to have very fun games and will even have the real version of Metroid Prime:Hunters.I have a DS and am very,very impressed.So overall, i give this thing a 1,00000 stars out of 5 stars!!!!!!!I LOVE THE DUAl SCREEN.D-S! D-S! D-S! D-S! D-S! D-S!

The DS deserves more
Alright people, listen up. I own both a PSP and a DS. While the PSP may be more powerful, I enjoy my DS a WHOLE lot more. My reasoning is simple: Until the PSP receives better software, the Nintendo DS remains at the top of my list. What I look for in a gaming system is not time-fillers, but instead games that I want to continuously play, usually because of the story. But in givin time...Maybe the PSP will rise. ... Read more

From Amazon.com

To help you start your PSP collection, we've created this special bundle, which includes the Intec "Dock It" docking station, Sandisk 256 MB Memory Stick, and Wipeout Pure game in addition to the Sony PSP value pack which comes with the AC adapter, battery pack, 32 MB Memory Stick Duo, earbud headphones with remote control, soft case, hand strap, and of course the PSP system.

The era of no-compromises handheld gaming has arrived. Get ready for immersive, 3D gaming on a console that is poised to change the way we think about portable devices. With wireless internet, video and digital music playback, and incredible data storage and connectivity options, the Sony PSP--or PlayStation Portable--is a complete solution for the mobile digital lifestyle. Sony has hit the mark by combining both horsepower and groundbreaking features into a package that weighs just a hair more than half a pound.

Design
The PSP's exceptional performance comes from a 333 MHz processor that dwarfs the speed of competing handheld consoles. Add this polygon-pushing muscle to 4 MB of fast DRAM and 32 MB of embedded RAM, and you've got a device with graphics rendering capabilities close to that of the PlayStation2. And because no game is complete without audio, the PSP is generously appointed with built-in stereo speakers, as well Dolby Digital 7.1 surround soundcapability. Sony has also pulled out all the stops with the PSP display. The bright, 4.3-inch LCD sports a 16:9 aspect ratio and 480 x 272 pixel resolution--plenty of real estate for heavy gaming action and widescreen-format movies. All of this is powered by a removable, and rechargeable, lithium-ion battery.

Screen machine: The 4.3-inch display sports a 16:9 aspect ratio and 480 x 272 pixel resolution. Movies and games on the go have never been more gorgeous.

From a controls perspective, the PSP is made for gaming. If you're familiar with a PlayStation controller, you'll be a pro at the PSP's controls in no time. Directional buttons, as well as an analog stick are provided. Meanwhile, the familiar left and right shoulder buttons, as well as triangle, circle, cross and square buttons are integrated into the device's slim case. Finally, home, select, and start buttons give you quick access and control over the PSP's important functions.

To have and to hold: The PSP's easy-to-master controls are cleverly integrated into the device's slim profile.

Supported Media
At the heart of the PSP is a new, proprietary media format known as the Universal Media Disc, or UMD. Each UMD can hold 1.8 GB of data, enough room for rich and complex games. UMDs, which are housed in a protective cover, slide into the rear of the PSP. Sony has declared the UMD an open format for developers and media content owners, so movies, music and other media are on the horizon from third parties. Sony has also signed on many popular game developers for the platform, so a deep library of titles is on tap.

While the UMD is great for read-only media such as games and movies, Sony solves the problem of data storage with the addition of a Memory Stick Duo slot. With Memory Stick Duo media, you can store your saved games, downloaded online content, personal video and audio files, and more. When you want access to these files from your PC, simply use the PSP's USB 2.0 port to turn the device into a fastportable media drive. Then, drag and drop files such as your photos, MP3s, and videos onto the PSP, just as you would any other removable storage device. The PSP ships with a 32 MB Memory Stick Duo, and additional media with higher storage capacities are available.

Major media: Sony's PSP-compatible Universal Media Disc (UMD) can hold 1.8 GB of data.

Connectivity
The PSP blows away the competition in the connectivity department. Indeed, the PSP's ability to connect to the internet, and to other PSPs and USB-based peripherals, is a real advantage. At the top of the list is Wifi connectivity, or IEEE 801.11b. Use this wireless internet standard to connect to other gamers around the world for hot multiplayer action--all from your couch, or your local Wifi hotspot. As mentioned, the PSP's USB 2.0 port is great for PC connectivity, but it also opens the PSP up for a whole range of future peripherals. Sony has plans for the PSP in other ways, too; the unit's infrared port speaks of remote control capabilities in the near future.

A Digital Companion
If you haven't already guessed, Sony has positioned the PSP to be much more than a gaming device. Out of the box, the device is ready to serve as a portable video player and photo viewer. By using the new H.264 MPEG-4 video standard, Sony obviously has its eyes on making the PSP a robust video device with support for feature length movies and more.In addition, the PSP offers a great way to transport and share your photos in JPEG format. And let's not forget the music. Load up your favorite MP3-encoded songs onto a Memory Stick Duo and you've got a portable audio powerhouse. The device also supports Sony's ATRACaudio codec, so you can play songs acquired from Sony's Connect Online Music Store. Sony even ships a nifty pair of earbuds--complete with an inline remote control--with the PSP.

What's in the Box
PSP device, AC adapter, battery pack, 32 MB Memory Stick Duo, earbud headphones with remote control, soft case and hand strap. ... Read more

Reviews (519)

Freakin' Sweet
First, this is not a kid's review, I just used this because it was much easier. At first, i was going to buy a Nintendo DS, but then i saw this. The DS cannot compare to the PSP. This system is AWESOME!!! Were do I start. The graphics are by far the best I've seen for a portable system. The lineup for games is basically the PS2 lineup, with future games like 007 from russia with love, Grand Theft Auto Liberty City Stories, Star Wars Battlefront 2, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, Madden 2006 And NBA Live 2006. Now that new movie companies are publishing DVD's the movie line up is good too. The MP# feature will be nice too. But i did find a couple of downsides though. first, it did not come with a USB cable, but "supposedly" they already lose about $60 on each. Second, it scratches easy. Third, the battery only last about 5 hours. And lastley, Memory cards are Expensive! But hey, I love my PSP, so If you have the money, go for it.

GODLY GREATNESS!!!!!!!!!!
First of all...This system is god!!!!!!!Im sure thewrte are the wackos that think the Ds os good well i got news for you IT ISNT!!!!!!!!PSP has movies, music, and games and............other suff!!!!it just rocks!and now for some true facts:
PSP is god
DS sucks
end of that.

Really worth the money
This machine is incredible!!I bought mine on June 4days ago at TOYS R US, and even the cashier said it is worth the money.I readthese reviews on the PSP saying there is dead pixels, what a total lie whoever is saying that they do not have a mind.This system does it all.Oh and if you buy it make sure you cherish like if it's your child, never let it out of your sight.PSP is simply beautiful.

PSP- a real gamers review
First of all let me start by saying that most of the reviews on this site are by people who are casual gamers. I personally have been playing games for most of my life and have owned every major console avaliable. The PSP has several major flaws that the competitors do not.

The first flaw i have seen is the games, the launch titles are mainly football and racing games. i myself am not a sport or racing fan and find no interest in these titles. Although if you were would you really like to play 4 different racing games that are really just the same.

The second flaw is the console durability, the console is easily broken, i know you are meant to look after it but for a portable machine it is going to be dropped at some point in the consoles life. It has several manufacturing flaws as well, such as dead pixels, scratched screens, unresponsive buttons, and disc that like to fly out the back of it if the console is manipulated.

The third flaw is the price, it is very expensive for what it does. It can play MP3's and movies which is great but it does at a substandard quality and you need a memory stick in which to store it. It can not play DVD which means you have to buy the UMD which are far more expensive and will only work on the PSP. while you can buy more high quality products such as a portable DVD player and an iPod for around the same price.

So overall there are far better alternatives to what the PSP can do, for example: portable DVD player; MP3 player. Also having owned a Nintendo DS it is a far more innovative product, with the touch screen bringing wider possibilites for the games. Also if you despartly want the graphics of the PSP in a portable console then please wait till the GBA 2 comes out on the market. it will be far better and have the quality of product that we have come to expect from Nintendo.

Thank you for reading my review, and i hope that it has helped you in your choice of handheld consoles for the future.

Nice
one word describes this: nice. as with all other Sony products. Stunningly beautiful graphics on a large (4.3 inches i think) screen, analog, cool looking handheld is amazing. I have one myself. The music and the video just adds to the perfection of the PSP. But, there're some cons. 1st of all I would have to say the games are quite pricey, and that the psp may be a bit heavy for some, and as for the dead pixels, i believe it was the ones for sale in north america that may have them, because i saw 2 that had them, and of course mine doesn't, and also with the battery that doesn't have that long of a life, but.... who would play with a handheld for 4 hours? (thats how long psp battery would last) the verdict: cool looking system with crazy graphics, so get it for sure if money allows, but you may have to charge it often, and watch for the dead pixels. ... Read more

From Amazon.com

To help you start your PSP collection, we've created this special bundle, which includes the Intec "Dock It" docking station, Sandisk 256 MB Memory Stick, and Twisted Metal: Head-On game in addition to the Sony PSP value pack which comes with the AC adapter, battery pack, 32 MB Memory Stick Duo, earbud headphones with remote control, soft case, hand strap, and of course the PSP system.

The era of no-compromises handheld gaming has arrived. Get ready for immersive, 3D gaming on a console that is poised to change the way we think about portable devices. With wireless internet, video and digital music playback, and incredible data storage and connectivity options, the Sony PSP--or PlayStation Portable--is a complete solution for the mobile digital lifestyle. Sony has hit the mark by combining both horsepower and groundbreaking features into a package that weighs just a hair more than half a pound.

Design
The PSP's exceptional performance comes from a 333 MHz processor that dwarfs the speed of competing handheld consoles. Add this polygon-pushing muscle to 4 MB of fast DRAM and 32 MB of embedded RAM, and you've got a device with graphics rendering capabilities close to that of the PlayStation2. And because no game is complete without audio, the PSP is generously appointed with built-in stereo speakers, as well Dolby Digital 7.1 surround soundcapability. Sony has also pulled out all the stops with the PSP display. The bright, 4.3-inch LCD sports a 16:9 aspect ratio and 480 x 272 pixel resolution--plenty of real estate for heavy gaming action and widescreen-format movies. All of this is powered by a removable, and rechargeable, lithium-ion battery.

Screen machine: The 4.3-inch display sports a 16:9 aspect ratio and 480 x 272 pixel resolution. Movies and games on the go have never been more gorgeous.

From a controls perspective, the PSP is made for gaming. If you're familiar with a PlayStation controller, you'll be a pro at the PSP's controls in no time. Directional buttons, as well as an analog stick are provided. Meanwhile, the familiar left and right shoulder buttons, as well as triangle, circle, cross and square buttons are integrated into the device's slim case. Finally, home, select, and start buttons give you quick access and control over the PSP's important functions.

To have and to hold: The PSP's easy-to-master controls are cleverly integrated into the device's slim profile.

Supported Media
At the heart of the PSP is a new, proprietary media format known as the Universal Media Disc, or UMD. Each UMD can hold 1.8 GB of data, enough room for rich and complex games. UMDs, which are housed in a protective cover, slide into the rear of the PSP. Sony has declared the UMD an open format for developers and media content owners, so movies, music and other media are on the horizon from third parties. Sony has also signed on many popular game developers for the platform, so a deep library of titles is on tap.

While the UMD is great for read-only media such as games and movies, Sony solves the problem of data storage with the addition of a Memory Stick Duo slot. With Memory Stick Duo media, you can store your saved games, downloaded online content, personal video and audio files, and more. When you want access to these files from your PC, simply use the PSP's USB 2.0 port to turn the device into a fastportable media drive. Then, drag and drop files such as your photos, MP3s, and videos onto the PSP, just as you would any other removable storage device. The PSP ships with a 32 MB Memory Stick Duo, and additional media with higher storage capacities are available.

Major media: Sony's PSP-compatible Universal Media Disc (UMD) can hold 1.8 GB of data.

Connectivity
The PSP blows away the competition in the connectivity department. Indeed, the PSP's ability to connect to the internet, and to other PSPs and USB-based peripherals, is a real advantage. At the top of the list is Wifi connectivity, or IEEE 801.11b. Use this wireless internet standard to connect to other gamers around the world for hot multiplayer action--all from your couch, or your local Wifi hotspot. As mentioned, the PSP's USB 2.0 port is great for PC connectivity, but it also opens the PSP up for a whole range of future peripherals. Sony has plans for the PSP in other ways, too; the unit's infrared port speaks of remote control capabilities in the near future.

A Digital Companion
If you haven't already guessed, Sony has positioned the PSP to be much more than a gaming device. Out of the box, the device is ready to serve as a portable video player and photo viewer. By using the new H.264 MPEG-4 video standard, Sony obviously has its eyes on making the PSP a robust video device with support for feature length movies and more.In addition, the PSP offers a great way to transport and share your photos in JPEG format. And let's not forget the music. Load up your favorite MP3-encoded songs onto a Memory Stick Duo and you've got a portable audio powerhouse. The device also supports Sony's ATRACaudio codec, so you can play songs acquired from Sony's Connect Online Music Store. Sony even ships a nifty pair of earbuds--complete with an inline remote control-- with the PSP.

What's in the Box
PSP device, AC adapter, battery pack, 32 MB Memory Stick Duo, earbud headphones with remote control, soft case and hand strap. ... Read more

Reviews (519)

Freakin' Sweet
First, this is not a kid's review, I just used this because it was much easier. At first, i was going to buy a Nintendo DS, but then i saw this. The DS cannot compare to the PSP. This system is AWESOME!!! Were do I start. The graphics are by far the best I've seen for a portable system. The lineup for games is basically the PS2 lineup, with future games like 007 from russia with love, Grand Theft Auto Liberty City Stories, Star Wars Battlefront 2, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, Madden 2006 And NBA Live 2006. Now that new movie companies are publishing DVD's the movie line up is good too. The MP# feature will be nice too. But i did find a couple of downsides though. first, it did not come with a USB cable, but "supposedly" they already lose about $60 on each. Second, it scratches easy. Third, the battery only last about 5 hours. And lastley, Memory cards are Expensive! But hey, I love my PSP, so If you have the money, go for it.

GODLY GREATNESS!!!!!!!!!!
First of all...This system is god!!!!!!!Im sure thewrte are the wackos that think the Ds os good well i got news for you IT ISNT!!!!!!!!PSP has movies, music, and games and............other suff!!!!it just rocks!and now for some true facts:
PSP is god
DS sucks
end of that.

Really worth the money
This machine is incredible!!I bought mine on June 4days ago at TOYS R US, and even the cashier said it is worth the money.I readthese reviews on the PSP saying there is dead pixels, what a total lie whoever is saying that they do not have a mind.This system does it all.Oh and if you buy it make sure you cherish like if it's your child, never let it out of your sight.PSP is simply beautiful.

PSP- a real gamers review
First of all let me start by saying that most of the reviews on this site are by people who are casual gamers. I personally have been playing games for most of my life and have owned every major console avaliable. The PSP has several major flaws that the competitors do not.

The first flaw i have seen is the games, the launch titles are mainly football and racing games. i myself am not a sport or racing fan and find no interest in these titles. Although if you were would you really like to play 4 different racing games that are really just the same.

The second flaw is the console durability, the console is easily broken, i know you are meant to look after it but for a portable machine it is going to be dropped at some point in the consoles life. It has several manufacturing flaws as well, such as dead pixels, scratched screens, unresponsive buttons, and disc that like to fly out the back of it if the console is manipulated.

The third flaw is the price, it is very expensive for what it does. It can play MP3's and movies which is great but it does at a substandard quality and you need a memory stick in which to store it. It can not play DVD which means you have to buy the UMD which are far more expensive and will only work on the PSP. while you can buy more high quality products such as a portable DVD player and an iPod for around the same price.

So overall there are far better alternatives to what the PSP can do, for example: portable DVD player; MP3 player. Also having owned a Nintendo DS it is a far more innovative product, with the touch screen bringing wider possibilites for the games. Also if you despartly want the graphics of the PSP in a portable console then please wait till the GBA 2 comes out on the market. it will be far better and have the quality of product that we have come to expect from Nintendo.

Thank you for reading my review, and i hope that it has helped you in your choice of handheld consoles for the future.

Nice
one word describes this: nice. as with all other Sony products. Stunningly beautiful graphics on a large (4.3 inches i think) screen, analog, cool looking handheld is amazing. I have one myself. The music and the video just adds to the perfection of the PSP. But, there're some cons. 1st of all I would have to say the games are quite pricey, and that the psp may be a bit heavy for some, and as for the dead pixels, i believe it was the ones for sale in north america that may have them, because i saw 2 that had them, and of course mine doesn't, and also with the battery that doesn't have that long of a life, but.... who would play with a handheld for 4 hours? (thats how long psp battery would last) the verdict: cool looking system with crazy graphics, so get it for sure if money allows, but you may have to charge it often, and watch for the dead pixels. ... Read more

Product Description

The Star Wars Episode III video game features third-person character action gameplay that will deliver the ultimate Jedi action experience as Anakin Skywalker and Obi-Wan Kenobi join forces in fierce battles and heroic lightsaber duels until ones lust for power and the others devotion to duty leads to a final confirmation between good and e ... Read more

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 (42)

Short but Sweet
Star Wars Episode 3 may dissapoint some hardcore gamers, but for fans of Star Wars, it will no doubt entertain.

The RotS game is a very fun play. It has a somewhat deep combat system (not as deep as the Lord of the Rings games)The actuall combat moves arent mapped out like in the lord of the rings games, but different combos of buttons will produce different moves.

RotS is a good looking game. Some elements arent particularly great, but it still looks good. The lightsaber animations are phenominal, although the majority of animations arent so hot. The character models are good, the enviroments are ok, some blanness shows here and there, and if there is a big explosion the framerate drops a tad.

Now, while it is a good, even above average, game, I have to say it is one of the shortest games I have ever played. On the hardest difficulty, you can beat it in 5 - 6 hours. The levels were probably drug out as much as possible, but they could have added a space fight level, like in the begining of the movie, or levels that dont revolve around just Anakin and Obi-Wan. Like maybe some clone vs. battledroid levels where you play as Mace Windu, or a level where you play as Yoda and you fight Emporer Palpatine. Additions like this would have added serious time to the game, and a bigger fun factor.

While the games combat has different fight combos, it isnt forced enough. You can get through the game by hack-n-slashing.

Overall, if you are a fan of the movie, you will undoubtably love this great addition.

Concept- Make the ultimate Jedi simulator

Presintation- 8.3- The box art is good, the menues are nice and polished, and there is scenes from the movie woven into the game.

Graphics- 8.0- Overall, very nice. Some good lightsaber animations and some good enviroments, but mostly everything is good to par.

Sound- 9.0- Star Wars games always sound good. My only problem with the sound is almost all the voiceovers during gameplay are almost as bad as in the movie.

Gameplay- 8.1- Combat is fun, could have been deeper, and the force powers are used well. The levels are particularly done well, but are ok. The camera has some problems too.

Playability- 8.4- you can get through the game hack-n-slashing. But it still is good.

Overall- 8.0 - Good game, could have been better (like most Star Wars games) Star Wars fan boys will love it.

Replay Value- 8.5- You probably wont play the single player campaign much after you beat it, but there are so many unlockable levls (including one great level where you play as Yoda) Two player duels with unlockable characters and arenas (including darth vader and ben kenobi in the original Death Star)

"yah its pretty sweet its .........................AWSOME!!"
THIS GAME IS PRETTY SWEET, IT HAS SWEET JEDI COMBOSAND STUNNING KILLS. IT HAS A GOOD STORY PLAY AND THE GRAPHICS ARE GREAT. THE MULTIPLAYER IS AWSOME BECUASE YOU HAVE SO MANY CHARACTERS AND LEVELS. IN CO-OP YOU HAVE LIKE FIVE LEVELS TO PLAY WHICH ISALL RIGHT. THE BONUS LEVELS ARE SWEET BECUASE IN ONE OF THEM YOU COULD PLAY YODA WHICH YOU CAN PULL OFF SOME SWEET MOVES. THIS GAME IS GREAT AND II SUGGEST YOU GET IT.

P.S. "MAY THE FORCE BE WITH YOU

Cool, but no KOTOR.....
This is a really cool game, graphics and all. But, I was expecting it to be a Knights of the Old Republic game--more RPG than an arcade/action type game. So, if your expecting KOTOR #3, forget it. So, as a stand alone Star Wars game, I give it 4 stars. But, because I expected it to actually be KOTOR #3 when I bought it, really overall I'd give it 3 stars.

What have I done?!
OMG!!!This game is way worse then the movie.I mean the deaths aren't even the same!And the actors don't do the voices!The only 3 good things about this are:graphics,action,new ending.Nuf said!

you'd think battling the sith would be tougher!
Star wars episode 3 is a decent game with exceptional graphics, plenty of fighting and a variety of wonderful unlockables, yet the easy gameplay leaves you wanting more. Even at hard mode this game is incredibly easy to beat. It is also pretty short and next time I hope lucasarts produces a challenging jedi game allowing you to play through all 6 episodes. ... Read more

Product Description

You don't have to spend countless hours on a leveling treadmill to get to the interesting parts of the game, because combat is designed to be strategically interesting and challenging right from the beginning. You don't have to spend hours running around the world to prepare for a quest, because Guild Wars allows you to instantly travel to the beginning of any quest that you've previously unlocked. You'll never spend days playing only to discover that choices you made early on have left you with ... Read more

Features

• Built for Competition - After learning the game and building up your first character, you may choose to test your skills in head-to-head competition or guild warfare. The game is designed to reward player skill and teamwork, not time spent playing, so you won't need to spend hundreds of hours leveling up your character to compete.
• The game includes integrated support for guilds, with guild banners and halls, chat rooms and forums. Guilds can challenge other guilds to battle, compete for control of key parts of the world, and be ranked on a worldwide ladder.
• Unique Streaming Technology - ArenaNet's unique streaming technology forever eliminates the concept of patching a game. You don't have to wait a month for the next big patch to experience new content. Instead, the game constantly and intelligently streams new content to your computer in the background while you play. The world can change continually. This allows us to build a much more dynamic game world than any thathas existed before.

Reviews (53)

Guild wars got it RIGHT
My experience with mmorpg's include DAOC, SWG, PS, EQ II and WOW...yes I am a geek. Guild wars got it right

MISSIONS & TRAVELING:
There are missions to do if you choose to, missions basically lead a player from one town to another. The missions use waypoints to make it easy. You can choose to group with henchmen (AI) or other players. It does not take long to form groups, longest I have waited is 3 minutes (no kidding). Traveling from city to city that you have been to is as easy as opening up the map and clicking (no more time sinks).

LOOT:
Loot drops are automatically assigned to each player of a group. There are 3 different types of quality loot: white (least rarest), blue, purple, yellow (most rarest). I am level 15/20 and I have only seen yellow loot drop twice, super sweet stuff. I love searching for loot drops fun :)

PVP:
2 types of pvp arena and capture the flag. Capture the flag is played in groups of 8, 6 teams and is for the level 20s. If you don't want to level a character, just make a level 20, the game allows you to do this to play capture the flag only. U.S, Europe and Korea compete in capture the flag and the winners are announced in system messages. Arena is AWESOME. No need to find a group, just click join and you are randomly grouped with others for a 4-on-4 battle, fun because it is so balanced. Skill is the only thing that matters, did I say super balanced :) I often find myself in 2 hour sessions saying just one more battle and you get experience.

EXTRA:
There is NO monthly fee. The load times of this game are fastest I have ever seen, 1 sec for me. No more time sinks. I should have bought this a long time ago. If your going to buy 1 game for rest of 2005, it should be guild wars.

Game is not for All MMO players
this game is a good game but its not for all MMO playersits mainly for those that get board easily hehe who are low income and also for those that whine about kill steals

I like this game as it is set to where you can do most things solo at a early lvl and later on when you are established in a guild you can play for the higher lvls or just look around for a group granted there is some that rush through and some that dont know what they are doing there are always people like this in games but it is rewarding when you find a group that knows what to do and dont leave anyone behind if possible

i have a lvl 10 elementalist ranger at the moment and i have solowed for the most part with myself or 1 person in game or npc groupof 3 others with myselfthe group max is 4 now i believe i havent done any pvp yet but from the reviews ive read i doubpt i want to there are some invisable walls but you arnt lead down a path all the time you can cut crossed country in alot of areas

Economy is like all other games can be high in areas as people are greedy most of the stuff is found and sold on a auction channel of sorts but most basic thigns are bough from npc's

the avatars in my opinion as a female very beautiful atleast the elementalist but yes as in all games you have scruffy looking fellows too

The bottom line here is what one man's or woman's opinion of a game is not always the opinion you would give a game my advice is try it if ya dont like it sell it used or something like that or see if there is a trial or spend all your time reserching it and let somone else dictate rather you will or wont like a game you will never know till you play it for yourself.

Julie

Beware: MMO-Lite..All that glitter is not Gold
I frankly just burned my $50 bucks with this game. This game is Bad with a Capital 'B'. There is something seriously missing from this game(if you are a Star Wars fan..'the force is unusally weak with this one'). I find it hard to fanthom how so many people are claiming this game to be the next best thing since sliced bread. Trust me its not.
This game doesn't feel like an mmo its mostly a persistent single player online game. One of the main attraction of an mmo is to be able to see other people running around in a persistent world. You can wave them, help them out, have a chit-chat or maybe even duke it out if they are hostile to you. There is no such aspect to this game. Every mission is 'instanced'; its just you or your guild or AI henchman(AI lacks and they feel like 'npc's too). You dont get to see anyone else.
They are invisible walls in this game everywhere. Unlike many other mmo's you just can't walk over to where you please like in a real persistent world. Instead you are forced to follow and play along a path chosen for you. For e.g...you are going on the road and there is a nice water-fall you see some distance away. So you decide to walk down the hill and check it out. Surprise...there is a invisible wall blocking your way. You have to stay on the road..it was all just a illusion or some cosmetic matte painting. This cuts down the real virtual world factor right there and than. Your only chance of seeing a group of people is in the cities and the way the game is setup you wont be spending much time in cities anyway.The city further lack the community feeling with no inns, housing or gathering places everyone just stands in the middle of the town.
As far as rpg element is concerned, the classes and their powers are poorly setup. Only 8 of your skills can be used at any time. I want to be able to use more than 8 skills sometimes. Combining two clases is a good idea but the 8 skills limitation further cuts down the charm of this aspect.
There is no player run economy as to speak...you sell stuff to npc's ho hum. Player run economy is an absolute must in my view for an mmo to get some sense of realism.
PVP is where this game really falls apart. This mmo strong point was its 'pvp aspect'; however this is where it fails the most. Instead of providing a real war like feeling that is so well done in 'World of warcraft' this game throws you in team based instanced arenas. Just imagine playing a online fps like 'Unreal tournament' or 'Counter-strike' with fantasty characters as well as weapons and you will get the complete picture. Dont expect to be the ubber champ if you haven't first played the pve aspect of the game lvl 20 + and unlocked specials skills. Because you get the standard Lvl 20 template for those classes if you decide to just go pvp but not the special skills that you can unlock if you had tried the pve aspect first. Some of those pve learned special skills are clearly superior to the standard pvp template and players already know this aspect and have learned to exploit it. So it means that whether you want to do pve or not you will have to if you want to be really good in pvp and reaching to lvl 20 is still a time-intensive pve grind. Now i come to my biggest complaint when it comes to pvp. So many people are touting strategy and true skill-based pvp in this game. Well the truth is far from it. Unless you have established guild with people you know you will be thrown into random 4 man teams with each player specilizing in certain skills like 1 is ranger, 1 is tank etc.. You are forced to group to pvp whether you like it or not, forget about any sniper or solo support role. Not to my surprise this random team of unknown people falls apart rather quickly. Most of the teams i have played in like to just rush in or charge without any ryhme or reason and resulting mayhem causes utter confusion with the victor being a warior or someone who can mash buttons the fastest. Or everyone just go into different directions once they get into arena and you are pretty much on your own and good luck here if you a pure ranger. There is no strategy atall that i have seen any team discuss or even apply so far. Another huge pitfall is those invisible walls blocking you from striking at the opposing player. If say you are on a hill and you see the opposing players down below. Well you think that you have a strategic advantage here dont you escpecially if you are a full fledge Ranger/elementalist. Surprise...you just cant attack them in most cases because of those invisible cost-cutting walls and have to run down the long winding preset path to get them and in the meantime giving your position away. So forget about launching a surprise attack on anyone in most cases which is one of the major forte of true pvp. You will see many more pitfalls especially the feeling that there is no real war going on in this game. There is really no gain or charm from pvp except just for the thrill of doing pvp. You character dont gain anything. PVP should be a integral part of the game rpg aspect not some side wrestling match.
Last but not least, the character creation is worst of any recent mmo's I have played so far. Some of characters look like misfits out of a bad Gothic heavy metal group...just have a look at the game 'Necromancer'. Others look like drag queens(sorry not to offend anyone its just a quip). Ontop of it you just have few templates and cosmetic choices to apply. As a result most people end up looking much the same with a real bad wadrobe case. And dont get me started at the Warior template. Supposedly the warrior is the start all and end all class. What we get is an over-weight and bald extra reject from the Gladiator movie.
This is the end of my rant. If you look at my other reviews I give credit where its due and discredit where it is also due. This game is far from what some people are making it to be. There is a reason this game is not charging you a monthly fee and it shows. Read all the reviews and make a educated guess its just that there are far better 'real mmo's' out there too. Dont let fanboy's or overly exicited people mislead you. This game tries to do a lot of things all at the same time while cutting costs but in the end ends up doing nothing well. No-monthly fee here is a double-edged sword here. I for one will throw this game into my garbage can and they can forget me ever getting buying their other expansions. I got suckered once because of all hoop laa that surrounds this game...but no more.

Some aspects are very good, others need some work.
The first thing that should be stated forthright about this game is that it shouldn't be classified as a massive multiplayer online (MMO) game.Much of the game takes place in private zones that approximately 8 people can access at a single time.There are towns and outposts that can harbor many more players, but these are merely gathering areas to form groups for your private instanced area; the vast majority of this game takes place in very small groups that do not interact with anybody else.In nearly all other MMO games, you're interacting with a large number of people all the time.I suppose there are perks to having your own private area to share with a few other people, but I found much of the playable areas depressingly lonely since there is little, if any player-player interaction.

The game is divided up into two spheres: Player-Versus-Environment, and Player-Versus-Player, with specialized characters devoted to each.Player-versus-environment characters can explore the world AND engage in player-versus-player combat, but player-versus-player characters are restricted to just that: player-versus-player combat.As you progress through the main storyline and other side-quests with your player-versus-environment characters, the skills and items that you discover will be unlocked for any future player-versus-player character you create.If you haven't unlocked any items and skills and would still like to enjoy player-versus-player combat right off the bat, the game comes with several pre-made characters you can use solely for player-versus-player combat.There are six classes of players: warriors, rangers, monks, mesmers, necromancers, and elementalists.Each character has a primary profession and a secondary profession, allowing for interesting combinations of characters such as a player that is primarily a necromancer, but can swing a sword almost as good as a warrior.Some skill combinations don't really work too well, but the fact that there are a potential of 30 different classes combinations is pretty refreshing.In addition, even if you're the same primary and secondary profession as another character, you most likely have a different set of skills, of which you're only allowed to have 8 equipped at one time).This also aids in helping your character feel truly unique.

The main storyline is very good, and I enjoyed progressing through each quest as more of the main story was revealed.When you play through the main storyline, your character and whoever you're partnering up with, be it other human players or computer controlled "bots", are the focus of the quest, and your actions in the storyline make it seem like you're actually doing super-human deeds instead of some trivial task like delivering a package.It is your character that saves entire cities from certain doom, it is your character that holds off armies of undead as they march towards your location; nothing you do is trivial.

But once the main storyline is over, all you're left with is player-versus-player combat, which I personally did not enjoy.There are many strong strategies that people have already figured out for player-versus-player combat, so some battles are more luck than skill.Whenever I played in the player-versus-player arenas, I got the feeling that I was just playing some glorified first person shooter like Unreal Tournament, but with swords and spells.You can go back and try to unlock more items and spells, but this gets very boring and tedious quickly.I tried to play through the main storyline with a different type of character, but didn't find it as enjoyable or engaging as the first run through.

However the main thing makes this game unbearable isn't so much the game mechanics as it is the people who play Guild Wars.There is no community, and you will never see the same person more than one time.Also, in a game that requires a lot of team play and coordination, there is an overabundance of people who simply don't care for tactics and are bound to get your character killed with their carelessness.

The best part of Guild Wars is the fact that there is no monthly fee, and the steaming content that updates as you play.I'm sure ArenaNet will be able to do some interesting things with their streaming content system, but there really wasn't enough substance in the game to keep me hooked for long after I finished the main quest.The player-versus-player combat did not appeal to me, however if you believe that you'll like it, you'll most likely enjoy Guild Wars.If you're going to try this game, I strongly recommend you do so with a group of people that you already know, as there is no player community to speak of.

Better than any MMO EVER!
I've played almost every mmo out there and this game is definately a step above. I thought since there was no monthly fee that there would be a huge lack of content but boy was I wrong!!! I have played it since release and there is so much to do and so many styles of play that I feel I will never grow tired of it. I've cancelled all my monthly fee games to play this one and I haven't regreted it since! ... Read more

Amazon.com

The Sims was one of the most popular games ever made. In it, players micromanage the lives of a family of virtual people, or Sims, and influence their paths toward success or something akin to a nervous breakdown. Its open-ended blend of cartoonish behavior and everyday living is unique in an art form otherwise obsessed with carnage and sports. With The Sims 2, longtime fans now have a deeper game with lots of ways to customize and share their experiences. The game will also attract first-timers because the goal-oriented gameplay and the luridly fun starter families make it easier to get into the action right out of the box.

Now Sims are born with the traits of their parents, families grow, and Sims grow old.

The People in Your Neighborhood
The game starts at the neighborhood level. Here you can create a housing development from scratch or start with one of three premade neighborhoods, each with its own theme. From there, you'll settle on a house and a family of Sims to control.

Create your own Sim (above) or your own house (below) from scratch with advanced tools.

Aside from the basic needs carried over from the previous game, Sims now have aspirations, wants, and fears. The wants and fears are the day-to-day things that occupy their minds, like wanting to see friends or get married and fearing death or being rejected for a kiss. Satisfy their wants, and they become more efficient at completing tasks you assign them. Realize their fears, and Sims become lethargic, cranky, and unresponsive to your commands. Aspirations are the big-picture things, like raising a family, becoming wealthy, and gaining knowledge. Succeed here and you'll be able to buy odd gifts for your Sim to improve his or her life, like a money tree that pays dividends or a "fountain of youth" water cooler.

What Else Is New?
Of course, you wouldn't be able to juggle all that if it weren't for the improved "Free Will" option, which makes it easier for Sims to fulfill their basic needs. The artificial intelligence of the game is noticeably improved; they won't turn on radios just as a family member is going to bed but, strangely, they do occasionally put their dishes on the floor.

Another big change in the series is the concept of the lifespan. Now Sims are born with the traits of their parents, families grow, and Sims grow old. Not only does this go hand in hand with aspirations (growing up is the first aspiration that a baby Sim will have), it provides a limited time with which your Sims can achieve their goals.

The Universal Control Panel helps you manage your Sim family.

A Family Affair
The Sims 2 not only lets you create just about any type of Sim in any type of family, build elaborate houses, and even create a neighborhood from scratch, but it also allows you to start the game in medias res, with premade households. These families all have backstories that are smart spoofs of soap-opera plots--lots of scheming, romance, ghosts, and family fighting. Parents of teens shouldn't worry, though, because nudity is tastefully blurred out and "woo-hoo" between Sims takes place completely under the covers. The ESRB has given this a Teen rating. If The Sims 2 were a film, it would likely land between PG and PG-13.

The makers have included some nice tools to help share the universe you've created. For example, you can capture in-game stills and video to show friends the private moments, family interactions, and house parties of your Sims. You can even package a household to share as a blog or an album on a special Web site.

The Sims 2 is for patient gamers. Like life itself, the game is filled with mundane details, like getting ready for work and doing dishes. The game also demands a level of creativity from its players that the run-and-gun game genres wouldn't know what to do with. But those who stick with it will be rewarded with an absorbing, amusing diversion and a virtual family history that they've created themselves. --Porter B. Hall

Set Up a Sims 2 Machinima Studio
Amazon.com contributor Porter Hall reveals how you can make movies using the Sims as your actors. See his guide to setting up a Sims 2 Machinima Studio. ... Read more

Features

• Build dream homes and design neighborhoods with new building options
• Lifestyle simulation where you manage your Sim's dreams and fears over a lifetime
• Mix Sim genes and see physical and personality traits through the generations
• Control the camera and capture the action into mini movies
• Generate unique Sims with the new Create-A-Sim feature

Reviews (6)

The Sims2 for Windows
Hi, I have the sims2 game. My friend and I really enjoy playing it! It is so much fun. People just need to try it out and see if they like it!

The Sims 2
Yes, I am a Mac user, and yes, I can't wait until May 30th!!
I have played The Sims 2 before, and it is SO COOL!! I love to go to the park, stand under the trees. It feels like you're right there with them!
I may not have to wait, though, if I get the Windows computer I've been wanting so badly. And if I don't get that computer, then I'll just get this on May 30th. Oh, lucky me.
Well, anyway, I've always liked building the houses, and now I can make so many changes (especially when I do the cheat -- hee hee!)
All my friends like The Sims, especially me. So I root the sequel on!

-- Nina S.

The Sims 2 for Mac - Why the Wait?
I've waited since the slightest infromation of the Sims 2 to get it, with much impatience. And now, I find out that it's not coming out for Macs until May 30th? I really, can't wait this long. All of my friends have it and I just watch them play it in raging jealousy. So not fair. I wish Maxis would have waited until May 30th to release the Sims 2 for Mac and PC, then I wouldn't have to watch all of my friends play it and brag and stuff. I played it at my friends house, and I was glued to the screen until I had to go home! I can't...wait...until...May...30th. I'll be so mad if Maxis pushes it later for Macs like they did for PC!!

finally...