Product Description

MODEL- 20061VENDOR- KONAMI FEATURES- DDRMAX 2 Dance Dance RevolutionThe dance revolution rolls on with DDRMAX2 for Sony PlayStation 2,packed with the ultimate mix of hit American songs. Gamers will be up on their feet and dancing all night long with new game modes and the return of past favorites including "Work Out" mode and "Edit"mode where gamers can count calories and customize dance moves androutines.* DDRMAX2 Dance Dance Revolution Partial Song List (Not including Hidden Songs): "A Little Bit Of Ecstasy" - Jocelyn Enriquez"AM-3P" - KTz"Break Down!" - Be For U"Busy Child" - The Crystal Method"Celebrate Nite" - N.M.R"Conga Feeling" - Vivian"D2R" - Naoki"Days Go By" - Dirty Vegas"Destiny" - Naoki feat. Paula Terry"Do It Right" - Sota feat. Ebony Fay * New game modes and graphical interface featuring music videos * Customize dance steps in Edit mode and exercise in Work Out mode * Links with previous games for special features -- SPECIFICATIONs ------------- ESRB Rating : E for Everyone Genre/Category: Family System: PlayStation 2 System Number of Players : 1Compatible Peripherals: Nice electronics is your source for everyday low prices on theKonami 20061 - DDR Max2 PS2 and all other Konami Video Game Acc ... Read more

Features

• Customize dance steps in Edit mode and exercise in Work Out mode
• Links with previous games for special features
• For 1 or 2 players
• All-new exclusive songs, licensed songs and dance hits
• New game modes and graphical interface featuring music videos

Reviews (122)

one of the better games.
This game is amazingly fun and addicting. I started playing 2 or so years ago, and i'm still playing it. It will only take you a couple of weeks to reach Heavy Mode and maybe a month or 2 before you can beat MaxX UNLIMITED.
To play this game, you step on the arrows on the dance pad corresponding to the arrows scrooling up the screen. Some songs are exceptionally fast (320 BPM: MaxX UNLIMITED), others are really slow (140 BPM: So Deep). The fast ones may seem impossible to read at first, but after some time, it'll be easier to read than a picture book.
Personally, the hard songs are really easy over time. Believe it or not, i have "AAA"ed MAX 300, MaxX UNLIMITED, and The legend of MAX, and im one of the best players in Ohio.
And by the way, if you go to buy the Japanese version of MAX2 or Extreme, have fun with PARANOiA Survivor MAX (Hardest song in DDR history) ;)

Much better than seditary gaming!
I love this, I still don't understand how anyone can actually do the advanced levels (seems impossible to me).The thing that I'm not sure about is if it will save info for 2 players?Overall fun and a good workout for body and mind and spirit.

"Patrick Swayze Would have been proud of me"
Last Friday, my aunt Chris and uncle Chris (no joking they have the same exact name; on a side note though, for laughs I like to call uncle Chris aunt Chris, lol)came into town to go to some formal dinner of some sorts with Mom and Dad. I was supposed to go to 9 Mile with Lyle and look at guitars with him but Mom and Dad said I had to baby-sit Chris and Chris's 12 year old daughter (my cousin) Trisha.

She was kind of spoiled but that's what happens to most only children. Anywho, she brought over this new virtual reality game for the PS2 called Dance Dance Revolution 2. Whereas the point is to stand on these pads and, you guessed it dance. Lyle ended staying over to keep me company while bratty Trisha played with her High Brow toy. She ended up having two of those virtual reality pads so two people could play. When she offered, Lyle immediately stated, "NO WAY, those are strictly for girls and Asian guys", I quickly followed his lead to save face with him (he was a little irritated that we had to skip guitar browsing, so I didn't want to push it).

Around 10:30 Trisha went to bed so Lyle and I watched Black Dog (a great Patrick Swayze movie, by the way), Lyle went to bed right after the movie ended, but I told him I wanted to stay up a little bit to practice my harmonica. After about 15 minutes when I thought he would be a sleep, I kind of betrayed him and turned on Dance Dance. I played and it grew on me really quick. Before I knew it, I was dancing like my feet were on fire. After about twenty minutes I thought how fun it would be to go head on head with someone else. Since I dared not to wake up Lyle or Trisha, I had an ingenious idea.

What I did was I boxed in the second pad with the couch, loveseat, and chairs, then I tied a bog biscuit to a string and hung it from the light fixture above the pad. Then I woke up Morris (my dog) and did a quick grappling bout with him to riel him up. When I found him ready enough I put him in the furniture enclosure and showed him the dog biscuit. The match was on! We played straight for about a half-hour. I danced like there was no tomorrow while he jumped up and down trying to get the treat that was just inches from his grip. In the end I pretty much annilatted Morris, I think he only beat me like once.

In conclusion, Virtual Reality is finally starting to show some promise. It's been a long road for it. I just hope the world can show the future generations of virtual reality the tolerance and acceptance that Morris, Trisha, and I have.

Now at the Review writing section it asked me 2 questions.The first was "How much fun is this game?".Well thats easy.It is a Tuttleman approved 5 stars of fun.The second question was "How do you rate this game overall?".The problem is that I could never admit to Lyle that I actually liked this crazy contraption.Do you know how many cool points I would lose if Lyle knew I was (for one night only) a solid-gold lord of the dance with feet of fire!?ALL OF THEM.So I'm rating it 1 star over-all, just in case Lyle asks me what I rated it.That way I won't technically be lying to Lyle.Later.

DDR Rocks!
This game is fun, addicting, and healthy for you! DDR Max 2 is well worth its price. Although most of the songs in it are not all that common, the music selection is still pretty good and I would recomend this game for any beginners in the world of DDR.

It teaches you the basics and also allows you to choose harder options for those of whom are already hooked to the arcade version.

AWESOME
this is one of my favorite video games, you have fun and get fit at the sme time! I would recomend this for everyone who loves to "get down." ... Read more

Product Description

A massive demonic invasion has overwhelmed the UAC's Mars Research Facility leaving only chaos and horror in its wake.

As one of only a few survivors, you must struggle with shock, fear, and an all-out assault on your senses as you fight your way to Hell and back, in an epic clash against pure evil. ... Read more

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 (46)

Doom 3
This game is one of the best games i have ever played. It has great graphics. Envoirnments. And alot of other great things. i would recommend this game alot. But Not if you are younger than about 12 to 13 years old. This game has very high levels of blood and gore. I am 12 years old and my parents only let me buy it was because i made a big deal with them. In this game you kill zombies monsters. A lot of the monsters are very gruesome. another reason not to let young kids play this is because it is so scary! you will be walking along and a demented zombie with half his head blow off and is on fire will just apear out of no where. what really dissapointed me about this game is that you don't have any duct tape so you have to switch between your flash kight and your gun. and the fact that the levels are so dark. so you can hardly see anything but thats why its so scary. There is also some gore like you will be walking along and there might be a arm leg or pelvis on the ground. but i do have to admit the body parts do look fake. Sortof rubber like something you would get for halloween. But overall this game is very great. And if you are 12 or 13 or older this game is a must have. but if you are not the wait will pay off. GREAT GAME!!!!!!!

Simply disturbing...
I'll just keep this short and simple--I've been a Doom fan since the beginning and the old versions were creepy, but as for this version...the title of my review says it all! Make sure you have a loud sound system with surround sound, turn the lights off, and get ready for your hair to stand on end!

Just one final note--many complain about the flashlight, but I think it adds an element of challenge to the game...how fast can you grab your weapon before you get pummeled?!?

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

Features

• Add new characters, new maps, and exciting new levels with online content downloads
• Includes Crimson Skies: High Road To Revenge (Rated T)
• Track your stats and rankings against others with your own unique ID number -- the GamerTag
• Get connected anywhere people are playing Xbox games
• Talk up your skills and challenge your buddies with the Xbox Communicator, then strategize for future games

Reviews (15)

The greatest online invention ever to hit consoles!!!!!!!!!!
This is the greatest thing I have ever seen. Xbox live is a great way to take your gaming online because it works with numerous amounts of games and is something you can never get bored with. A little too much, but every penny is worth it. The new revolutionary way of communicating over the internet is phenomenal. People actually talking into a headset together while they are playing.

More features about xbox live is the fact you can create a gamers tag, which is just any silly name that pops into your head with also an optional voice sensor. This allows your voice to sound anything you want it to. It is the coolest and funniest thing alive.

The people online are very friendly and helpful, but sometimes you get those people who do not give a dang about rookies. People who just bought this item; stay absolutely away from Halo 2 for right now. The people in the multiplayer matches will slaughter you in seconds. Take it from me. One minute the enemy is vanished and the next minute they are wacking you over the head with their gun.

You have the choice of a yearly renewal or monthly. Im not sure how much the monthly is, but the yearly is fiftly bucks, which is well worth it.

There is only one slight problem with xbox live. If you do not have internet connection from the room you are playing in, then it may become costly. You would have to get a game adapter, a wireless modem, and a bunch of other connections. This alone boosts the price up to somewhere you cannot afford.

All in all, this product is fabulous and recommend it to people who feel lonely playing with AI all the time. Isn't time for another challenge. Maybe someone that is actually real and can be more of a challenge.

You decide.

This RULES but bundle with a new game already, PLEASE!
Before I get to all the good stuff.It would be nice if XBOX bundled with a different game already!!!We all have that game, we all need another headset, we all need to renew.So bundle with a new game!(I realize this needs to be said to XBOX not Amazon, but they probably read these reviews.)

XBOX Live is the greatest thing that ever happened to video games!You will find your self not even finishing games because online play is so much fun and addicting.No matter how sophisticated developers make the ai, it can never compare to human intelligence and challenge.After playing online you will go back to the game campaign with new skill.Xbox live adds an infinite amount of life to games.Some games have a much more advanced Live experience then others, ie. Halo2 with matchmaking and ranking systems, that really adds to the experience and playability.

Guarantee...You will spend way too much time playing Live!The house could catch fire and you will not put the controller down.You will find yourself thinking about yesterdays matches while you should be thinking about your work/school.You will be so wired, sleeping is just not an option.Your sex life will go down the tubes, unless she plays Live with you (let her win, and don't tell her she sucks.)You will forget you have kids.Dinner, what for?What day is it? Yes this will happen to you.

Be aware (in all games) for cheaters and those that taunt, swear and spray racist comments.This is a problem with the Human race not XBOX Live.Some people can really get carried away and ruin the experience for all of us.

The Reason For Buying Halo 2
Now I got xbox live back in 2003 but I never really saw a reason to use it
In November 2004
I recived a package in the mail
as soon as I opened it I screamed at the top of my lungs HALO 2!
I started to play it and it was so fun
but there was something missing
something that didnt feel right
And as soon as I could put my finger on it I knew what it was
Xbox L.I.V.E. (Livin In Virtual Ectasy)
I rushed and found my microphone and all of my stuff
and the rest is history
Now alot of people says that halo 2 story mode was pretty bad
and right away u have to know that
theyve never played xbox live
with xbox live
ur halo 2 experience is
complete
the friends list is in all live games
but it doesnt work as well in other games
than it does in halo 2
buy it
and ull see the reason
why xbox rules
1

Great deal, but get a better headset
I just bought this package for my first experience with X-box Live.I love the network (although the level of discourse isn't always that high).The inclusion of a $20 game (Crimson Skies) was a great addition to the one year subscription.While some might complain it's an older game, being new to the X-box, I'd never played it.

The only complaint I had was the headset.I find it very hard to wear.It's hard to keep it behind my ears when I'm wearing my glasses.Because the wrap-around portion is one size fits all and extends back so far, I can't sit back in a chair with a headrest without knocking the headset off.Just generally I'm not impressed with the headset.

must get it!!!!!
Oh my god!!! i have been wanting xbox live now for some time, but had never played it. well i just played it at my friend's house and it is great!!! 10 thumbs up!!! I must get this!!! But mostly because Halo 2 was really fun! ... Read more

Product Description

DOOM 3: Resurrection of Evil continues the terrifying, intense action of DOOM 3, the fastest selling 1st person PC shooter ever, with an all new storyline featuring new missions, characters and weapons, including the return of the id signature double-barreled shotgun.Supported Video Cards:ATI Radeon 8500 ATI Radeon 9700 ATI Radeon 9800 ATI Radeon 9500 ATI Radeon 9600 ATI Radeon 9000 All Nvidia GeForce 3/Ti series All Nvidia GeForce 4/MX series All Nvidia GeForce 4/Ti series All ... Read more

Features

• Single- and multi-player action for ages 17 or older
• Fight back against a demonic invasion of a Mars research facility
• First-person shooter game with real-time dynamic lighting and shadows
• Realistic physics; revolutionary new 3D graphics engine
• Cinema-quality visuals; surround sound; ever-changing environment

Reviews (13)

Not good.
What the hell are you guys talking about? This expansion is terrible. Firstly in the first game you were in a never-ending maze of pitch black corridors that all looked alike. Here, you are in a never-ending maze of pitch black caves that all look alike. But caves are even more boring than metallic corridors. I mean at least the Id guys had to use some textures in the first game. But the guys who did this must have said "I know, lets make it easy on ourselves and only use 1 texture - ReddishBrown to simulate Martian sandstone." Secondly, in the first game you were constantly hit with childish horror-house tactics, eg. you walk into a room, 2 nasties appear in front of you, then the door locks behind you, the lights go out so you can't see a thing and have to fire wildly into the dark, while at the same time you hear that corny "evil" laughter - hehehehehe. Well here, you get exactly the same thing. But for me the worst thing in this expansion is the way they have filled it with platform style "obstacle courses". I hate those. They only put those in games when they've run out of ideas of what to do next. And there are a lot of them in this. You know the idea, where you've got to run before a descending wall crushes you but it is perfectly timed (even with that slow-down-time thingy) so that it takes you 8 attempts before you get it right. Annoying. That kind of thing belongs in Tomb Raider, not Doom.

They learned a thing or two...
I was personally quite pleased with the first installment of Doom 3. Some low points existed, however, for me. Like the whole 'flashlight' gripe about the fact that this is the distant future and you can't even have a flashlight on your gun or helmet like they've done already so many years ago! That was just silly. And obstructive to game play as well. They addressed that here. Sort of an apology for such a ridiculous fumble. Next is the fact that while there was an assortment of 'baddies' in the first game, too many of the same-ones were thrown at you of a few sorts, while others were barely even used. This games addresses that as well. You get a nice array of new demons to kill while a few of the lesser used ones were re-introduced into this program. This program is a tad shorter than Doom 3 in my experience. But, that's O.K. with me. Too much of a good thing can go sour. You revisit a few of the locales from the first installment. But, not so many that it feels like exactly the same game. The extra weapon was nice. Familiar when compared to the weapon in Half-Life 2. But, executed very nicely. The ending was very weak. However, i personally believe that they are making room for another add-on in the near future. So, Valve did one-up the original in a lot of ways, but the fear factor is a little bit lost. As the sounds and environments feel similar to the first in an atmospheric way. So, if you've played the 'hell' out of the first, you get a 'been-there-done-that' kind of feeling when you spot another demon in the dark. But, this did have a few moments for me where i had to stop it for a short while. It can get intense.

Double-barreled Savior
I liked Doom3, maybe a little too dark, but my eyes adjusted.This expansion pack wasn't much of an expansion, way too short even for $20!Living in the boondocks and all it probably took me longer to drive to the store buy it, get home and install it than it took for me to beat it, that just blows in my book.I didn't mind the fact that it was pretty much the exact same game because I really did like D3.I find it entertaining running around and mindlessly blowing $hit up.The one part that really saved D3 ROE was the fact that they made up for ID's slip - no double-barreled shotgun!What the hell, it was a great step up in Doom 2 and that crappy version they made for N64, I thought it was a guarantee that we would have been able to use it for the newest addition to the Doom family, but no.I mean come on, it's become a staple in ID's games since Doom 2, why the change?Maybe I'm flippin' out too much about a fake shotgun, but I'm sometimes like an autistic child, I'm very easily amused and upset (I'm going to hell for that one).Bottom line if you are willing to pay $20 for another 5 hours of Doom 3 go for it, otherwise the changes aren't that significant where you won't be able to live your life if you miss it.On a side note, if anyone knows where I can get a mod to use the double-barreled shotgun for D3 e-mail me or post it here. (johnkleineider@northwesternmutual.com) No complaint e-mails about my autistic crack, thanks.

I call that Resurrection of Crap
So, they did manage to squezee out an expansion pack for the DOOM3. I just finished the game today and I have to say that I am utterly disappointed.
First of all, let's talk about the original doom3, with all the poor ratings from mags aside, my personaly experience is poor. There's no doubt that the graphic is surperier, however most times you wont' even get a glimps of the glory, the entire set is way too dark for a video game, at some places even with the "never dying" flashlight you still can't see your own fingers. The story line is pretty simple, no something you would expect from a newer generations of hardcore games, especially from veterian developers such as ID software. I think they focued way too much on the details on the graphics of the games instead of develop a well ploted classic, and may I remaid you that you can't see the nice graphics most of the time!!!
Second of all, the expansion pack. To start off with, I think the game really did finish last time with D3, oh crap, the bad escaped at the end. What's gonna happen? He's gonna come back and cause another Hell return. That's where the expansion pack start. Needless to say, the plot was dry and boring, (IT'S EVEN DARKER THAN THE FIRST ONE). So you go through all these elevators killing monsters mostly from the first one. with the addition of one common one that throws plasma lightbulb instead of fireball. WOW, what an improvement!!! GUNS?? usually the expansion pack come with many new and improved gears and toys to crunch your thirst for blood. The D3 ROE comes with a new "shotgun" that has double barrel and ... wait, that's it! yeh, sorry to disappoint yall, but that was it. Oh yeah... You can't just give us royal fans just one gun for the expansion pack right? Let's borrow an idea from another game HL2, the grabber, you can grab and throw back! How original! For people who hasn't played HL2 before, this might just work as ID's IDEA.
Last but certainly not least, the ending, I can't say too much about the ending, but i can tell you this much, I COULD NOT BELIEVE IT IS DONE when it's done. short and simple, no thinking or other mind twisting strategies, there's isn't even a goshdarn final clip. I mean come on, even the lamest movies have something blow up at the end. THINK ID! THINK!
Ok, i gave it 4 stars from graphics when you can see them, 0 for darkness 'cause what's the point of rating if you dont' know what you are looking at? 1 for storyline since there's really not much to it. and 0 or -1 for the ending. Man, I just can't believe i wasted time for this Resurrection of crap. (try it if you want, if you are really bored)

Resurrection of Blandness
During the writing of this review I'm experiencing the same creative block that the developers obviously experienced when upper management told them to squeeze an expansion out of their rectums. Unlike them, however, I will not resort to stealing random ideas from other games (mainly the grabber, ie the equivelant ofHalf-Life 2's gravity gun) and covering the mess with lots of eye candy and dim lighting. ... Read more

Product Description

Namco (10024) Katamari Damashi PS2 ... Read more

Features

• Simple play controlled with analog sticks only; no buttons to press
• Dimensions change drastically as clumps grow; 2-player battle mode
• For 1 to 2 players
• Ball-rolling and object-collecting gameplay with quirky, infectious humor throughout
• Insanely cosmic animations; wacky musical stylings; royally contagious storyline

Reviews (98)

Roll with a goal!!
Upon hearing about this game, my knee-jerk reaction was that it would be the most boring game in existence.I mean, seriously, how fun can it be to roll around a ball, picking up various items along the way?!Apparently more fun than anyone anticipated (judging by others' reactions and ratings)!

Other reviewers have been doing a great job describing the goal of the game; that of rolling around a sticky ball (katamari) and picking up progressively larger items.Once you get the katamari a certain size (as determined by what mission, stage, level you're on) the King of the Cosmos turns your katamari into a star or constellation.

What many of the reviewers seem to have missed is the goal of each level.The overarching theme is to make stars and constellations, in order to restore all of the stars to the sky.However, each level has specific nuances.For instance, when trying to make the constellation Taurus, the goal is to pick up the largest cow you can find.Additionally, you may want to try working on making the constellation of Gemini.In this level you need to try and pick up two (a pair) of each item.Your score is then calculated for however many pairs you have.

The game is fantastic, simple (in controls and purpose), but still challenging... with time limits to produce a certain-sized katamari.I do not own this game, and have only played it once, but I guarantee that I will be purchasing this game in the near future!It's a great game.Give it a chance!I think you'll like it!

Humorous, infectuos and weird
So, you are pint sized prince who rolls katamari, a ball that everything sticks to. As things stick to katamari, ball grows and larger are the objects that you can merge with katamari. Almost all levels are time trial (I dislike time trials) and you have a size ball must reach, so you roll around and learn what levels look like in order to make katamari grow faster. All levels are medium or easy, except Poland.

Game is logical, which we haven't seen in a long time, and it is really attractive: imagine rolling 5 cm big katamari to pick up nuts and batteries in the beginning of the level and , after some time, rolling katamari big enough to pick up people, cars, buildings, and , finally, clouds and rainbows.

There should be a sequel soon, and I'd like to see levels that are different visually (Saudi Arabia looks like Russia). Some levels could have special restrictions, like it is forbidden to roll people, some levels should have interesting geometry, let's say sliding down the street or possibility to roll down the roller coaster. It would also be nice to have more levels with large katamari, and more levels in general.

The main reason game got 4 stars is camera...but, BUY! Game is weird but also really fun to play!!!

????????????? But FUN!
the developers of this game were obviously on an overdose of every drug ever created! This is the wierdest game i have ever and ever will play in my entire life! But in a good way . . . the game actualy has shadow of brilliance combined with block and and solid objects. The game however is VERY fun! which makes me wonder about drugs . . . (just kidding, drugs are bad!)all ages will find a whimsical joy in this odd, fun, and blurry brilliance. Its a bragain, u have no excuse!

Fun, Fun, Fun!
This is a great game for anyone, no matter the age.
If you can use the Playstation controller, you can play this game.

Plenty of others have given good descriptions of it, so I just wanted to echo a 5 star review.

If you have kids, you will be playing right along with them, I'm sure.

Tripped Out
I first played this game at a buddies house and was hooked on of all things, the tunes.Basically this game is like the others have said - the stars are gone and it's the son of the King of Cosmos' job to put them back to the sky, and re-create the constellations.So, the son goes to earth and with a ball called a Katamari, he rolles up anything from ants to skyscrapers so that a giant ball of stuff they can be elevated into the sky and turned into stars.

The thing about this game that's so addictive are the little challenges to it and finding different things that you missed the first 4 times you rolled on a level.You wind up enjoying watching others play it because you look at the details of all the objects that are around you in the game - and how impressive it is!(the amount of detail)The gameplay to this is simple and fun - one of my friends likened rolling the ball to driving the Warthog in Halo 2; not so bad of an analogy.But that's all you really need - you don't use the buttons really or anything else; just the analog sticks, which make it a game that almost anyone can play and enjoy.

Definitely recommend it.I enjoyed the game and the tunes in the game were cute if anything else.Try not to think too much of the 'plot' of the game... there really isn't one although there is a small story to carry along which is more of a gag for the tripped out herb heads.But this really is a pretty easy game that you can just pop in, take your mind off things, and play.I guess my only gripe would be that it wasn't very long at all... even though I wound up playing it for about 3 hours straight when i got it.Check it out! ... Read more

Product Description

Working with award-winning science fiction author Orson Scott Card, GlyphX Games has created a gripping storyline that will thrust gamers and readers alike into an incredible intergalactic saga.In Advent Rising, players make decisions that effect not only what they experience in the first game, but the entire Advent trilogy.Storyline:In Advent Rising, a common legend pervades the galaxythat of a powerful, highly intelligent ancient race that will one day deliver the universe.They ar ... Read more

Features

• Single-player game play presented in stunning, cinematic format;
• Switch between 1st and 3rd person point-of-view;
• Built using next-generation Unreal technology, integrated with the Karma physics engine;
• Unprecedented collaboration with Hugo and Nebula award-winning author Orson Scott Card on sweeping storyline;
• Develop amazing superhuman powers;

Reviews (6)

Technical problems keep it from being great
Advent Rising was announced a few years ago as the first in a trilogy that was epic in scope.It has all the workings of a great project as well.The original story began in the director's mind and he knew it would be such a grand story that he enlisted the help of notable sci-fi scribe Orson Scott Card to help work the script.Card worked on the script, getting the dialogue right and also assisted with the overall story.On top of an excellent author, they employed an orchestra and the Mormon Tabernacle Choir to perform.All of these should spell out to be a recipe for sucess.And it does, sort of.

What holds this game back from glory are the myriad of technical issues.To begin with, the game is beautiful.Graphic-wise, it reminds me of Halo 2.Halo 2 had no loading after the initial load and the graphics, while nice, suffered at times from having to be rendered quickly.The same goes for Advent Rising.In fact, while you are watching a cutscene, the game is busy loading the next sequence.What this does is put a tremendous strain on the engine.If the engine is strong, it shouldn't pose much problem.But, unfortunately, this sometimes spells disaster for Advent Rising.

The first 40 minutes of the game did not give me a great first impression.During the training sequences, the game locked up three times.I had to replay the same sequence about 4 times to get through it simply because I did something the game didn't like and it froze.The game auto-saves onces you hit certain check points and if you have to reset the game, you're starting back over from the beginning of the checkpoint.Things became much better as the game progressed and I don't remember the game freezing again.

Added to the lock ups, the game stutters when there's too many things going on at once.I don't mean when little things are happening, I mean when you have a squad of 3-4 people on your team shooting at 4-6 enemies and there's two drop ships coming in and launching missles that explode with huge flames.When that happens, the game's audio begins to "click," the frame rate drops very noticeably and things become a bit annoying.But again, this only really happens when there's a ton going on.

Unfortunately, more technical issues abound.Namely in the sound.With the beautifully orchestrated music pounding, the screams of people fleeing certain destruction, the explosions, the lazers tearing apart buildings, you'd expect to have a lot of sound.Unfortunately, in the cutscenes the sound tends to be muted.To give you an example, on my surround sound receiver (which the game supports by the way), I usually keep the sound at 10-11 for a decent, full sound that doesn't also piss off my neighbors.For this game, generally I have to have the sound on at 16-17 and it's still muted.I know the reason is probably because the game is loading the next scene and the engine is faltering because of it.

A love it or hate it device is used for targeting.Called "flick targeting," you use the right stick to change between your targets, effectively "flicking" it in their general direction to lock onto them.For those who use their right stick to change the camera constantly, like me, this can take some time to get used to.But, if you can train yourself not to change the camera as much will find it works pretty well.Where it can get into a problem is when you are trying to run from the enemy to get to cover.When this happens, and you try to reorient the camera to find some place to run, it can become frustrating to continually lock onto targets.Also, when you receive your power to levitate objects, this becomes even more of a hindrance as you not only lock onto enemies now but also moveable objects.Click the right stick (R3 button) helps with this problem because it releases the camera but it still causes moments of annoyance.Honestly, though, it's a great system to handle more than one enemy at a time.

At the heart of the game, past all of the technical problems and targeting woes is a great story.The beginning of the story with the Seeker's attack of your home world reminded me of what Halo 2 was missing.Here we saw devastation on your homeworld, we fought on the homeworld and it generally stressed the feeling of your world at risk.From there, it's an epic event after epic event as the seekers cause untold problems, a few plot twists occur and a few deaths propel our protagonist toward his goal.It's a great story and the dialogue is terrific, bring to mind movie quality.The voice actors are a charm to listen to, and there are a couple funny moments.Card's influenced can be seen everywhere.In fact, I was waiting for the main characters to break out in a discussion of Varelese and Ramen in terms of aliens (read the Ender's series if you didn't get that).

For all that's good in this game, and there's plenty do not get me wrong, I feel semi-disappointed.This game has been pushed back countless times.Mostly, it's been pushed back to help fix the frame rate issues, and other technical problems I've noted.And so when the game was finally released I was shocked when the very things that made it miss release date upon release date were still causing problems.What is most annoying is that we are this far in the Xbox development cycle and bugs abound.We are currently waiting for Xbox 360 to come out and countless games have been made that are more beautiful and less buggy than this game.It's disappointing to see that even this far into the Xbox life problems are still occuring.Maybe the game was too grand for the Xbox and should have been an Xbox 360 launch title.Whatever the case, this game is really good, regardless of the problems.If you can overlook the technical issues above, you will find not only a good game, but a good game with a heart.And that's hard to find today.

A Fun Epic Sci Fi Shooter ,Flawed But Fun.
Advent Rising is a third & first person shooter that is a fast pace Sci-Fi Epic like gaming experience that is best desribed as a star wars/halo2 mix. But Advent Rising is still a unique game in its own right. You play in 1st & 3rd person which can be changed while playing. There are about 11 different weapons ranging from ballistic to the alien variety & they all have great response,sound,& power. You are able to equip & fire from both hands by using both triggerssimular to halo2 ,&most weapons have alternate fire modes. You can perform Melee attacks & will get advanced melee's as you progress in mastery levels 1-5.The Mastery Level is a reward system ,as you use a weapon or power you will automaticly gain level ups such as more damage or better accuracy,also it'll open up alternate fire modes on special power & weapons you can gain up to 5 levels on all weapons & powers.You eventually will aquireSpecial Powers simular to force powers in star wars games. These powers include LEVITATE ,which gives you the ability to levitate enemies & shoot them in mid air ,also liftinanimate objects &you can also throw enemies off cliffs, SURGE which is a type offorce push to damage enemies & if you hold trigger for a stronger surge blast,NEGATE which gives you the ability to make a shield & its advanced stages you are able to put up multiple sheilds ,4 when maxed out,alternatly you can carry a shield ,AEON PULSE which gives you the ability to shoot pulses from your hands in which damages the enemy, TIME SHIFT which gives you the abilty to warp time & attack enemy at a great speed which causes alot of damage to enemy,it basicly looks like a quick sprint into the enemy ,kinda like a running charge at a blurring speed,& finally SHATTER which you can shoot ice shards, which look more like blue spheres on screen, & its advanced stages can freeze an enemy. All Weapons & Powers also have (alternate) modes of fire & powers in which becomeavailable as you advance in mastery levels 1-5. All powers use energy but as you gain mastery levels you will use less energy.You automaticly are awarded the power ups as you fight or use powers,you can look in your weapons & powers menu to see there effects.You have different vehicles to drive that resemble halos warthog, & there is an enemy alien tank that looks quite good. The land vehicle (scythe) 4x4 ,is very responsive & has verystrong boost power. You can also operate anti-air turrets when available.For the most part your on foot.This game is a pure 1st & 3rd person shooter with an added very helpful force type super powers, these powers arent thrown in just for fun or looks you'll definalty use them & need them alot, I found myself prefering to use the force type powers more & morein the later stages ,because in Advent Rising the more you use anything the stronger it gets with the mastery level up system.You can equip a power to one hand & a weapon to the other hand for an endless array of good combinations ,or you could just use the powers ,whatever works for you.The graphics are good & they get better as you advance in the game, but I do have a "S" cable so keep that in mind.Overall Advent is a very fun game ,but could use some polishing up on a few things. The targeting system is a little herky-jerky .You use the right analog stick to change & hone in onto targets . Adversly you also use the right analog for the camera pan & tilt. Things makes things a little unbalanced when in a firefight as sometimes when you are trying to look into a certain direction the targeting ring will lock onto a different target than you intended. But I had no serious problems that hampered my game experince with the targeting system . I think it would have been better to have a cleaner smoother targeting system or even a free form target system like most first & third person shooters have. But you can adjust the Targeting systems sensitivity in the options menu.There is also alot of slow down when the screen gets full & on one occasion the sound got messed up. But even with these game flaws Advent Rising is still a very fun shooter with nice level detail which is 95% linear but still very EPIC movielike in design. I noticed there are some simularities to halo2 in the design of some of the levels in Advent,with vast open spaces & the like.But dont let me mislead you Advent shouldnt be compared to HALO2 .Id say Advent is a loose mix between a star wars type game & halo2. The cutscenes are nicley done with Greatstory content & good voice acting & there are a ton of clips to be seen. Advent gameplay is good but when the framerates slow down ,which is often,is gets stiff. And the camera could be a little smoother,but your still able to see in (3-d) all directions like other 1st & 3rd person shooters. But even with all of these flaws Advent is still a very fun shooter.I beat the game on Normal difficulty in 3 days ,the story was very good ,just make sure to watch the entire CREDITS because at the end there's a surprise Boss battle with another ending & it definatly opens up for the sequel. You have 4 difficulty settings Easy,Normal,Hard,& Ultra. Its a fairly challenging game thats not too easy ,& not too hard ,but you can change difficulty while your playing to suit your needs.Its a very good start to a game series ,hopefully with some fine tuning ,sequels to this game will take note of gamers comments & improve on it. In a nutshell Advent Rising is kinda like watching a very good Epic movie storyline while you get to partake in being the star.Advent Rising is a fun overall Sci-Fi gaming experience regardless of its flaws. Definalty Worth Playing.Im looking forward to the sequel.

Advent Rising- The Beginning of a Legacy
Advent Rising is the first in the Advent Trilogy. This is a great start for a franchise that is sure to have people talking for a long time. The game does have it's glitches, but they seem small and unimportant compared to the game's great aspects. I am really suprised by the low scores that have been given by IGN, GameSpot, etc. I think this trilogy will be a compelling, original experience, that will have it's fair share of glory before it is through.

First, I want to state that Tommy Talarico Studios has done a phenomenal job with the music. The music was what really brought together the whole experience for me. When the humans started to be attacked, I got a real sense of tragedy that only great music can deliver. Throughout the entire game, I was drawn in by the simple, yet effective, melodies. Advent Rising has some of the best audio of this year.

The next thing I want to talk about is the story. You play Gideon Wyeth. The younger brother of renowned captain, and playboy, Ethan Wyeth. The story is that you and your brother are to escort an ambassidor onto an alien shuttle, so that your races can become allies. The aliens, who are called Aurelians, warn you that the Seekers are coming to destroy the humans. The story draws you in so quickly, that you will find it hard to put the controller down, even to go to the bathroom. Some of the cinematics are very long. Advent Rising compensates for this by letting you pause during the cinematics, and letting you skip them, or restart it, but I digress. Back to the story. Very early in the game, you are faced with a tough decision. Both your brother Ethan, and your fiance Olivia are injured. You can only save one. It makes little difference in the end who you choose, but I found the outcome very sad.

Next comes the gameplay. This game is very interesting, because it is kind of a Third Person Action Shooter RPG. Let me explain. There are a variety of elements in the game, that keep it diverse and fun. The RPG element comes into play, when you have used a weapon or ability so much, that you become more proficient in the skill. Later in the game, you learn from Kehlem, an Aurelian, how to levitate objects. You gain different unerthly skills throughout the game, which you can become more proficient in.

Overall, Advent Rising is amazing. It is an original, fun, and extraordinary experience. The stunning visuals, beautiful music, and compelling gameplay, come together to deliver a refreshment from the same old games. This is a sure contender for game of the year. Advent Rising is the first in a trilogy that will take the gaming world by storm.

Good Game, but has a few bugs
I am a 24 year old gamer and feel this game is truly unique.It is nothing like Halo except that you are human killing aliens.The game is beautiful constructed and the storyline is captivating--it vaguely reminds me of star wars.I recommend at least renting this game if not buying it.

The only problem with the game is that at certain times your character jams.For example:You use one of your super powers and you float into the air, but then never come back down.It can be very frustrating.Plus the aimng system is very touchy and at times you lose where you are shooting.

With all said, It is a great game and should not be over looked.Rent it at least.

A little buggy, but tons of fun!
I was mesmerized by my first glimpses of the game and had been waiting patiently for Advent Rising to come out.I was overjoyed when it finally hit the shelves, but became bit worried when when I read a few reviews before the fact, and found their verdicts to be mediocre at best, poor at worst.Undaunted, I bought the game to see for myself, and personally, I wasn't disappointed.The storyline, which pits humankind as a race of myth, destined to save the universe against the Seekers, a race that is bent on destroying them(and written by the great Orson Scott Card, no less) keeps you riveted, wondering what is going to happen next; the music is a top-notch orchestral work of beauty, and the gameplay is fast, intuitive, and pulls you in. However, the negative points will severely turn off some more nitpicky gamers, in that there is a major bug in the realm of frame rate.Some areas of intense battle slow down severely, and subtract from the experience.
Also, there is a problem with the targeting system in that it is EXTREMELY tricky and twitchy, switching from one enemy from another at the drop of a hat, and losing sight of the main character in intense combat moments.This can be frustrating, but like the frame rate problem, can be overlooked.Also, the sheer amount of obvious work and love put into the game makes up for these problems.
As it is the first in a planned trilogy, those problems hopefully will be addressed in the later games.All in all, Advent Rising is a game well worth its money, and plagued by overly harsh reviews.I say give it a try; if you're a bit nervous about it, rent it first and see.Aside from the framerate and targeting system, the game is a masterpiece, and like other reviewers have said, NOT to be compared to Halo.If its two major problems had been addressed properly, however, I believe that reviewers would have been kinder to it.But it is a game not to be snubbed for its shortcomings.It's tons of fun and a worthy addition to anyone's Xbox library. ... Read more

Features

• New songs, including exclusives for the U.S. and licensed songs.
• Special "Work Out" mode allows you to have fun getting in shape.
• Get the arcade experience with the specially designed dancing pad.
• Over 100 minutes of dance music plus brand new game modes.

Reviews (17)

Great game and workout!
This is my first time ever playing ddr. I have read several reviews on how people got into shape playing this game because it was so much fun and addicting. They were right! The only complaint I have about this bundle pack, when I bought it, the salesperson said it came with the eye toy. I was sooo disapointed to find out it didn't. My sister works in a music store where they sell the bundle pack, and she also thought that it came with the eye toy due to misleading advertising. In the fine print it says sold seperately. The makers of this game need to make it more clear that it does not come in the pack.

Good exercise! Tara's review
I got this game today. It did not cost me much. My brother and I had to pay thirty dollars each. Anyway, I like this game. It's pretty fast. I have not been to weight loss mode yet, but I heard it's cool from the other reviews.
Hope you enjoy this toy.

Some good, some bad.But fun overall.
I play dance games a lot.I own all the console games and think this is one of the better mixes for PS2.I'll go over the pros and cons catagorically...

Graphics:The graphics are nice for a PS2 DDR game.However, I have been playing DDR Extreme in the arcades for a couple years now and the graphics are not the same.If you go to Japan, this is the same overall graphics as DDR Festival.

Music:The music is top notch despite several cover songs that were used in Karaoke Revolution.

Scoring:The scoring is now back to the way 5th Mix in the arcades handled the points.This would be ok if this game didn't have the Extreme moniker on it.

Gameplay:Gameplay is excellent, but I have a gripe in the song selection menu...Non-stop and challenge modes are available, but are always selectable in the song selection menu.In other words, you can play everything up to your last stage and STILL choose to play a non-stop or challenge course.In the arcade, challenge and non-stop mode are available at the difficulty selection screen for good reason.

For the normal person who is just getting into the DDR craze, this is a good stepping stone.For those who are hardcore DDR players, this is still a good investment.You may be just a little let down however.

Never Bored
I got this gift as a Christmas present. I play it just about every single day. There are so many different modes, characters, and songs that you can unlock. You have fun while playing, excercising, and dancing.

When I play I don't even seem to notice the time. The dance pad is excellent, and still is in the condition it was when I opened it. I've had no concerns with this product what so ever. It's very entertaining to have a couple of friends over and challenge eachother.

The songs are great, and there are so many different sorts to choose from. There are slow, fast, extremely fast, and medium song melodies. If you're stuck inside on a rainy day or something, and you still want to excercise, play this.

It even has a Workout mode where you can keep track of your weight, and what it seems you've moved to after each session of DDR.

Overall, this is one of the greatest games.

Great exercise!
After playing this game at a friend's house, my son wanted it so bad he paid for it with his own money.He plays it almost everyday and it has become a great form of exercise for him. This is one video game that I really enjoy watching him play! ... Read more

Product Description

The U.S. Army has received a distress signal from Area 51 where a viral outbreak has just shut down the research facility. A small Hazardous Materials unit led by specialist Ethan Cole is sent to investigate. As Cole, players will delve into the mysterious confines of Area 51, discovering a deadly mutagenic side effect of the virus that controls the minds of those infected, as well as an ancient alien colony buried beneath the facility. ... Read more

Features

• Play as HAZMAT specialist Ethan Cole investigating a viral outbreak
• Use both human and alien weapons to control the chaos and contain the outbreak
• For 1 player
• First-person shooter
• Explore five levels set in the U.S. government's most secretive and secure military facility

Reviews (14)

spend hours killing everything in sight
I bought the game a couple of days ago and I can't put it down, I've played through hours of battles online and see no end anytime soon. Good game.Also, can we please stop comparing everything to HALO, I'll admit, the first HALO got me to buy the XBOX after years of owning a PS2.But the 2nd HALO was garbage and offered nothing new. This game is great in single player mode and online and honestly offers more fun.But that's just my opinion.

The Truth About "Area 51" (Xbox)
"Area 51," the FPS redux of the arcade blast fest of the same name, is fun and addictive - two qualities that are certainly necessary in any good FPS. However, it is also, in a word, anticlimactic.

In "Area 51," you take on the guise of Ethan Cole (straight from the Generic Hero Name Generator), a soldier voiced by the "X-Files"' David Duchovny, as he and his team are sent into the legendary military facility known as Area 51 to investigate some strange occurrences there. Suffice it to say that Ethan and company get more than they bargained for, and have to shoot hordes of aliens and genetically enhanced baddies to ultimately win the day.

"Area 51" owes the usual debt to "Half-Life." The setup is similar, it goes without saying, but the infamous underground base and namesake of the game do provide some unique thrills - even if they're not fully capitalized upon. The level designs too often involve lots and lots of flip switching and button pressing, but otherwise do their job admirably. Still, although the top-secret setting provides ample opportunity to theorize in a fantastical way about what kinds of things that are truly taking place there, the game makes it feel quite familiar, like pretty much any other generic sci-fi corridor crawl, complete with bloodthirsty mutants and evil extraterrestrials. There are too few moments of sheer inspiration here - which makes one sequence, a sardonic discovery that the first American moon landing was faked, all the more memorable when it occurs.

Enemies suffer from this same sense of "been there, done that, shot that a million times before in a million other shooters." That said, there's more than a little something to be said regarding the gameplay, which is fast, furious, and ultimately compelling. Weapons, while mostly boilerplate (not surprisingly), pack a real wallop that is too often missing in the genre of late, and taken in effect with some very good rag doll physics make for action that is truly tasty. Given that this is an action game through and through, that's certainly high praise, and makes the game recommendable on that point alone.

Halfway through the game, the player character develops mutant super powers that further inject some sense of variety, allowing him to slow time, hurl vampyric parasites that can restore his health, and ultimately turn his enemies against each other. Whether or not this mutant element of the game is essential from a design perspective, it nonetheless adds flavor, and at times these abilities (particularly the parasites) are extremely helpful in dire combat situations.

Production values are another high point in "Area 51." As previously stated, the graphics are easy on the eye, and don't come with a high price attached. Despite the onscreen action there's never any discernable slowdown, and load times between missions are exceptionally brief. Also worthy of mention is the professional voice work, done by the aforementioned Duchovny (whose recognizable brogue makes it easy to settle into the conspiratorial setting despite the character's blandness), Powers Boothe (underused here as Major Bridges), and Marilyn Manson (whose alien, "Edgar," is the stand-out). Unfortunately the sound effects wrapped around these things can be a bit tinny at times, and, on a few occasions, quite annoying. Weapons discharges have a good sound to them, though, which helps make up for this.

It's unfortunate that the storyline running behind the scenes here is so unremarkable -- except perhaps for its remarkable ability to confound and confuse. It's a convoluted mess chock full of loose ends never properly tied. Perhaps the biggest flaw in "Area 51," however, is the anticlimactic finale, which comes and goes without much ado - so much so, in fact, that I had no idea I had reached the conclusion until I got dumped back onto the menu screen. Given that the single player campaign is fairly brief, this is a real disappointment.

All in all, though, "Area 51" provides an enjoyable FPS experience while it lasts, which unfortunately isn't long enough. Even so, the quality of the action at hand nullifies many of the game's faults. Well worth checking out, when it's all been said and done.

Three Stars.
Area 51 is standard FPS that plays decent .I beat the game in about 4 days .Its not too hard of a game. AREA 51 just doesnt come close to matching the quality of HALO2 . The graphics in area 51 are good but not great.Sometimes I noticed there was a haziness type effect to the game. The best part of the game is when you get to the alien ship & see the greys , the look of the game takes a turn for the better but its not until 3/4 into the game. If your a fan of the X-files you (might) like this game more for the investigative factor in this game ,because your supplied with a scanner type device that scans journals,people,experiments,etc. to give you clues & info on secrets in AREA 51.Also David Ducovny voices your player throughout the game. The storyline is pretty standard AREA 51,alien virus etc. & you eventualy can morph into a mutated human with certain abilities. You can transform at any time once your infected. The mutant/virus helps towards the end in the final stages.When you finaly see the GREYS alien (the ones with big eyes) its looks pretty kool and you can shoot/kill them. So people who are into x-files & anything related to that type of show might like this game more or less.But it realyjustplays like a standard FPS that you probably should rent because you will be done before the rental is due.I agree with some of the other reviewers that HALO2 just raised the bar too high for this game too compete. 3 stars for AREA 51 ,Rent First.

ehhh....
I agree with the reviewer that said this game is like a mix between Halo and Half-Life, but like that reviewer said it doesn't really come close to either of those.Even if it did, you might as well just play the originals.

The first type of enemy that you fight is very similar to the flood in Halo, i.e. big zombie like creatures that run straight at you and sometimes shoot at you along the way.With them are the little mutated spider things that look almost exactly like the ones in Half-Life.After that you fight against human (or human-like) soldiers that have about average AI, and they are also almost exactly like the soldiers that you encounter later on in Half-Life.

The controls, weapons, voices, etc, are average at best.The graphics are very good, but it seems like any game that is coming out now has outstanding graphics.

What annoys me the most about this game is that it is advertised as being a battle against aliens, but all you really see in the game are parasite infected zombies and human soldiers.Definitely a let down.

Overall:just another generic shooter.Not horrible, but definitely not great either.

Original is better!!!
I have played the demo but not the real game and it stinks!
Worse than original(the original OWNS!!)
Guns are definitly ripped off from halo 2
and did I mention the original owns? Nothing can beat the original Area 51 (by the way, you can buy the original for ps1)!! ... Read more

Product Description

SanDisks Memory Stick PRO Duo is half the size of a standard-size Memory Stick PRO media and it offers the same technologies including high speed data transfer, built-in MagicGate, and high capacities. The Memory Stick PRO Duo is the ideal solution for the most portable devices such as pocket-size digital cameras and with the use of Adaptor, it can be used in all PRO-compatible devices. ... Read more

Features

• Save your game levels, listen to digital music, play your favorite video, and download and store game cheat code characters and game skins
• Utilizes exclusive MLC memory and controller technology developed at SanDisk
• Meets all MS specifications, and is guaranteed compatible

Reviews (1)

Don't buy this for PSP
First off to start I am not a kid, I did this because I didnt want to go through the crap of writing a normal review. I bought this stick for my PSP and bought a memory stick reader with it. When I put the stick in my PSP it acknowledged it, yet when I put it in the reader and tried to put music on it, Sonicstage said that it wasnt compatible. I tried changing my music system from Sonicstage 2.0 back down to Sonicstage 1.5 but to no effect. To have something to compare it to I tried putting music on the 32 mb card provided by the PSP and it worked fine. My computer acknowledges the memory stick, but says it doesnt have any memory on it. For those of you looking for a better deal than the more expensive sony cards, if you have a PSP just go with the sony cards ... Read more

Product Description

Nintendo (DOL P GALE) Smash Bros. Melee GC ... Read more

Reviews (1001)

There's is Hope!
The Gamecube, ah the Gamecube. It's good, but not good enough, but hey, that's just my opinion. I did not want a Gamecube, I did not! But I decided what the heck, I loved the original Super Smash, so I bought The Super Smash Bros. Melee. Oh my god! this game was so good, I loved it, My PS2 seems like nothing compared to Super Smash. It's a great game, and it has such a huge lasting appeal or replay value.

Gameplay: The controls are suprisingly easy, if you can button mash, this is your game, if you're not so good at controls, you need some practice. but very easy.

Graphics: C'mon, you know you like them, kicks the PS2's graphics outta the the park! And they run very smoothely. The only problem is how you can run right through people, but who cares! (8/10)

Entertainment: What do u think? So much, with the BIG variety of characters, nice variety of levels, multi-player, you know, a lot of entertainment is to be had. (10/10)

Replay Value: A lot! You'll never want to stop! Okay, you will, but you'll want to fit it into your schedule every day, yeah, it's that good!(10/10)

Difficulty: C'mon, if you think it's hard, you won't have too much luck on hard or very hard mode. (9/10)

Overall: Sure this game has it's flaws, but what game doesn't?! It should be 19.99, but it's so good, it's still 30.00, and it's a Player's Choice! Buy it, it's really, really worth it!
(9/10, overall score) (not an average)

Finally, There's hope for the Gamecube!!
- D C

yay^_^!
this game is a MUST HAVE for people with gamecubes!!!!!
it has prettyful graphics,cool 1P modes,(except adventure,without giga bowser-_-;)
theres lots of characters,25,way more than the original.
u can collect trophies!like almost 300!!!!!
SONIC AND TAILS R NOT CHARACTERS!!!!!!!!!!don't listen to them!!!!!
kirbys the best char!!!!!!!!!
P.S:a super smash bros. is coming out for the new Revolution!!!:O
P.S.S:how can a game with jigglypuff be rated T?!?!
Starfishie"Star"^_~

...WHAT ARE YOU PEOPLE THINKING?
Why are you reading these reviews?
This is one of the BEST GCN games out there.
Just BUY IT.

- Kolby Manning

Oh, and P.S. - fire dragon99, you loser.There is not a PS2 version of this game! Stop living under a soundproof ROCK!Why would Sony publish a game LOADED with NINTENDO characters?And if the game did exist, there is no way that it would be "A lot better."PS2 Sucks and ruins games. Just go play your little PS2 nonexistent SSBM.And get a spell checker.

Sweet.
This is a great game. The first time I played this game was actually at "TOYS R US" and then I played it at my friends house. I liked it so much I begged my parebnts to get it for me and eventually they did!!! I play it all the time!!! I have all of the characters. I enjoy playing this game with my friends and kicking their butts!! I love this game.

The Greatest of All Nintendo Games
This game excels in every area, and does not require a multicategory review to prove it. The sequel to one of the best video games ever, this is a monumental achievement.
This game shows exactly why everyone loves Nintendo.

Well, it used to be that way.

Sony and Microsoft are celebrating over their triumph over the powerful Sega Dreamcast system, and glad that it'll probably never gain the strength to once again be a major force in video games. Now the two supergiants want Nintendo out of the picture, too. Gamers look more and more for graphics and action rather than new ideas, and since Nintendo does the latter, it won't survive long.

Sad to say this, but Nintendo's on its way out.

Here's a list I made predicting the future of games:

1.) Nintendo will die sometime during or after the next console generation. It will not be taken over by Sony or Microsoft, who will consider its games "kiddie" and "worthless".
2.) These game genres' popularity may change:
First-person shooter: Increase
Fighting: Increase
Racing: Stay the same
Platformer: Extinct
Puzzle: Extinct
RPG/Strategy: Decrease
Sports: Stay the same
3.) Future consoles will move their focus even more from games to features, such as DVD, Internet, "Home" systems, etc.
4.) Sony and Microsoft use their mighty money powers to create a monopoly for themselves.
5.) These ESRB games will:
EC: Extinct
E: Decrease
E+10: Decrease
T: Stay the same
M: Increase
AO: Increase
6.) Game systems hit a level of "Maximum realism".
7.) Game mascots (ex: Mario, Crash Bandicoot, Mega Man, etc.) will no longer exist; all characters will be realistic people.
8.) Second Great Video Game Crash will occur somewhere from 15 to 25 years from now when consumers lose interest.
9.) Sony and Microsoft in their ultimate clash; unsure if Sony or Microsoft wins.
10.) Sony and/or Microsoft easily overpower all third companies with new consoles. This leads to less variety in games and consoles.
11.) After the Second Great Video Game Crash, neither Sony nor Microsoft may be able to save the industry they've destroyed. No third companies will help, as they will have been wiped out long ago. There will be no Nintendo to pick up the industry once again, as it had in the First Great Video Game Crash of 1983 with its NES console. No telling what happens at this point.

For all those of you who play only Nintendo, buy all the Nintendo consoles and games that you can, as they'll disappear forever only less than a decade from now. If I was asked, however, which game to get first, I might recommend this one. It'll be a treasure for the ages. ... Read more

Reviews (32)

NES
Widely considered the best system of all time. Has hundreds of great games, including Metroid, The Legend Of Zelda & The Legend Of Zelda II: The Adventure of Link, Final Fantasy, Super Mario Bros. 1, 2 & 3, and countless others. I highly recommend this system.

Nintendo Sweeps the table on Video Games!!!
Nintendo Really did well on this system
This system has some of the best classic games I can think of including: Super Mario Bros. #'s 1, 2, and 3. RBI Baseball. Tetris, Zelda, and a ton of other games. This system is also very family friendly. No really grphic violence or stuff.

Educational games are also availible. (Younger Kids LOVE Ernies Shapes and Grover's Numbers). Some games teach good hand eye coordination and shooting skills too, just get the famous classic Duck Hunt, and buy the NES Gun.


No matter what your age, NES has classics for you.
The system itself is a work of art too. 2 controller plug-ins ( I Think I heard that there was some way to make that 4 plug ins). Good for many hours of family fun.

There are some cons though:
-The RF Modulator (The thing that connects the NES to your TV)
is pretty hard to figure out ( There is something that you can buy to make AV outputs for you Nintendo, but that is normally not included with it).

-The cartridges have the tendency to get a lot of dust in them. (Fix this by blowing in the bottom of the cartridge)

- And it is a little hard to find good support for it too. Although a lot of times you can fix it with a little brainpower.


But altogether I would recommend this awesome Nintendo to anybody, any age.

4 1/2stars altogether

- The classic, the best, the only
-- Brandon about the NES

Nintendo NES is Still the Best
The 8-bit NES System takes you back to a simpler time.A time when graphics weren't overwhelming and violence wasn't as prevalent in video games.(Yes, of course there was some, but not to the extent of, say, Grand Theft Auto and it's ilk.)The games are easy to comprehend and play.They're also easy and cheap to find at thrift stores.All you have to do is clean them up and pop them in.Many web sites offer PDF downloads of the manuals/instructions as well so don't worry that you don't get the game mint in the box.The system and games are easy to maintain.Anyone with a phillips head screwdriver and a q-tip with a dab of rubbing alcohol can keep games and system clean and blink-free.New 72 pins can be easily installed for under 10 bucks - then your old system will play forever.I particularly like the Role Playing Games and the ability to save games for future play.Super Mario Bros. 3 is by far the best (and one of the toughest) video game ever created.Enjoy it!Relive your youth or show your kids what video games were like "back in the day."

I love it
I'm only 13 and my grandma has the NES system, but i'd rather play that than play my x box. There are some great games for that system. Like star trek next generation, kirby nightmare indreamland, RBI baseball. techno bowl. i love it. i'd trade my xbox for that system any day. im really 13

you need this for duck hunt alone
duck hunt is probably the best game ever but then you add in the other titles from this system and you have to get this system. man i loved duck hunt ...