Reviews (451)

Stange is good
Majora's Mask is a strange game: while it is a direct sequel to Ocarina of Time, it is clearly a Zelda game of a very different shade.

It begins with Link slowly trudging deep in the Lost Woods, with his trusty horse, Epona, when he is attacked by a masked and mischevious Skull Kid - who steals his precious Ocarina and Epona. Worse still, the Skull Kid turns Link into a Deku form of himself, and Link finds himself in a strange Mirror - like Hyrule. Things turn even worse when Link finds the moon slowly getting bigger over the course of 3 days...

Majora's Mask features the very same Gameplay as Ocarina of Time, with a few exceptions. The entire course of the game is set within 3 days or 72 hours - and hours seem to pass like minutes, giving a player a total of just over an hour. While this may seem off-putting, it is implemented very well - people have set schedules over the course of the game, meaning you will be pottering around the Clock Town while not in dungeons, with the promise of an upgrade - or even a new mask.

Masks, as the title suggests, play an important role - some make you run faster, talk to enemies, summen foes or sooth arguements and more. There are a total of 24 masks to collect, the reward being a mask containing "The Merits of all masks". The best of the masks are the ones that allow transformation. (Let's face it, who HASN'T dreamed of swimming as a Zora or rolling as a Goron) The Zora Mask, the Goron Mask and the Deku mask. they allow you to transforminto all your favourites from Ocarina, each with the gifts of the species - Super fast swimming, Incredible strength, and, er, spitting nuts.

Majora's Mask is harder, darker and more original than Ocarina of Time - the unique aspects of the game are implemented very well but the way the game is played may be off-putting for some. Brilliant and totally original.

P.S. the start bits kinda boring.

The darkest in the Zelda catalogue
If only that damn site IGN didn't take my idea first. They described this game as the Empire Strikes Back in Zelda and it's true. It's more darker, more gloomy and at times it can even be depressing. Unlike Ocarina of Time which oozed coolness and wonderment or Wind Waker which was cheery and uplifting due to its look, Majora's Mask is quite different than other installments but in no way is it bad, it's just different.

Story: I always considered this game more like an epilogue to Ocarina of Time rather than a full sequel. At the start of the game directly taking place after Ocarina, Link is in a forest and gets ambushed by Skull Kid and is turned into a Deku(they look like tiny trees with a long mouth) and enters a portal. From here Link finds himself in Termina, a land that is gonna be destroyed by a falling moon in 3 days. So it's up to Link once again to save the day using the powers of time and this weird masks.

Graphics: Reviewing this game in 2005 with such games as Metroid Prime, Halo and Metal Gear Solid 3 of course puts Majora to shame but remembering the graphics at that time, it's more of an extension of Ocarina only darker and not as vibrant. Due to maybe the Expansion Pak or just the game itself, the game does have framerate issues and some rough textures. Beware that the Gamecube re-release on the Collector's Edition sometimes freezes the game.

Gameplay: All Zelda games pretty much to this day revolved around some kind of "gimmick": in Ocarina it was time travelling, Wind Waker was controlling the wind, Minish Cap was the ability to shrink to thumbnail size and the Oracle series revolved around time travelling and season changing. Majora's Mask revolves around, yep you guessed it, masks. Link with the benefit of 24 masks(25 if you get all 24), Link can turn into different characters such as the Deku race, Goron race(big tough creatures with a taste for rocks) and the Zora race(fish people roughly). Or there's different masks like Postman, Ghost, or Bunny mask which makes him run faster.

The other aspect for the 3rd time in Zelda's history revolves around time travelling, once in Ocarina and the other in Oracle of Ages. Only this time it's different. You see the game's clock makes 3 days take about roughly 50 minutes before the moon crashes so with the Ocarina you can go back to Day 1 and start over, even make the time go slower so you have more time. This is quite annoying to say the least since your funds, arrows and bombs revert to zero if you go back to Day 1, your items are intact, your extra stuff isn't. And also you could be in the middle of a dungeon to be really close only to be on the final day and have to reset to Day 1, which incidentally cancels any progress you made in the dungeon.

Not to say the game is bad(it's just slightly hard) but it's quite enjoyable to go through, if you don't mind it's tone anyway.

very very good but,not as good as 'ocarina of time'
I played the Legend of zelda ocarina of time in 1997,WHAT A YEAR THAT WAS!!!I had so much fun!then in gameinformer magazine the new preveiws page said that there was going to be a new game called 'the legend of zelda:majora's mask'it was about link going to a new land where the moon is falling and he has only 3 days to live and on the third day link has to play the song of time so that he can go back to the first day,I HAD TO HAVE IT!but then half a year later when it came out,I was very upset because when I played it,it was too easy and I beat it in almost a week!when I played'Ocarina of time'it took me almost two YEARS!but other then that it was a fun game,Very fun in fact.I really liked that you can upgrade your sword,when in 'ocarina of time'the master sword is what you see what you get!PROS TO MAJORAS MASK:There are lots of masks that you can get and they give powers(like fast running),you can upgrade your sword twice,there are new songs for link to play on his ocarina and there is a bank so link can have alot of money!CONS:you have to play 'the song of time'way to often because the moon is falling for some reason and you have only 3 days to live,finding more then half of the masks are very hard to find,the game has only four temples and they are all very hard way too short.but all in all this game is worth around $15.00,so if you like the other Zelda games try this one too!

Zelda
A great game but it doesn't have the zelda magic if you want a good N64 Zelda I would get Ocarina of Time.

Amazing with a suprise in every repeat!
This is truly an impressive game!Although many say this is the worst Shigeru has ever made in a Zelda game, I love this on top of all others.Although this game is repeated because of the 3 day repeat, I found that every time i traveled back, i was able to find something new to do.What other game designer can make three days, exactly the same, have so much differentiation between them. truly a work of art. ... Read more

Amazon.com Review

Though it looks like a toy, don't be fooled: the Nintendo GameCube is a powerful video game console that rightly deserves its place among the other next-generation game systems. In fact, its playful, appealing design and small size (the unit is a not-quite-cubed 6 inches) aren't the only features that set it apart from the others.

For starters, Nintendo has quite clearly made this a game-only machine. It doesn't try to play your CD collection, run your movies, read your e-mail, or store your MP3 files. The company has concentrated its efforts on games. All the prelaunch titles we've seen play smoothly, with bright, fast graphics and great sound. Nintendo says its engineers have removed traditional bottlenecks that have, in the past, slowed down processing. New components designed by IBM and MoSys, as well as a large-capacity secondary memory cache, keep instructions moving through the system's microprocessor (MPU) at peak levels. In English: the GameCube is optimized to push speed up while pushing costs down; hence its position at the lower end of the price spectrum.

The GameCube is the first Nintendo video game system to use a disc-based medium rather than cartridges for its games. Moving the software to disc media generally means lower development costs for the publishers, which, in turn, trickles down to the consumer not only in price, but also in availability and quality, as it's then easier to try out untested game ideas (Pikmin, anyone?). While most other systems likewise have their games stored on discs, the GameCube's 3-inch format is smaller than everyone else's, and is so designed to fit in a shirt pocket as much as to deter would-be software pirates.

Of course, the main advantage of the GameCube is that it's the home field of one of the world's premier game designers: Nintendo. While powerhouses Electronic Arts and Sega make games for all systems (including this one), you can play Nintendo games only on a Nintendo system. And Nintendo, you might recall, has been hitting them out of the park since it started with Donkey Kong. In fact, here's a roll call of characters and series you won't find on the other consoles: Mario, Legend of Zelda, Perfect Dark, Metroid, Kirby, and, of course, Pokémon. A few names that the GameCube will share with the other guys: Madden, Tony Hawk, Sonic, Batman, and Star Wars.

The system also comes with four built-in controller ports, so you can easily plug in extra controllers and let friends join in for the multiplayer games--it's even got a built-in handle so you can easily move it to a friend's house. It comes with two memory card slots for saving your progress through games, and there's the capacity for future expansion into the world of online gaming.

In short, the GameCube isn't an all-in-one entertainment system, and neither is it the most powerful of the modern video game consoles. But for video game enthusiasts who want to stick with their favorite characters, its value cannot be beat. --Porter B. Hall

Unit Specifications

• MPU (Microprocessor Unit): 485 MHz custom IBM PowerPC Gekko
• Graphics Processor: 162 MHz custom ATI/Nintendo Flipper
• Texture-Read Bandwidth: 10.4 GB per second (peak)
• Main Memory Bandwidth: 2.6 GB per second (peak)
• Pixel Depth: 24-bit color, 24-bit Z buffer
• Sound Processor: 81 MHz custom Macronix 16-bit DSP
• Sound Performance: 64 simultaneous channels, ADPCM encoding
• Polygon Performance: 6 to 12 million polygons per second (peak)
• System Memory: 40 MB
• Main Memory: 24 MB MoSys 1T-SRAM
• Disc Drive: 128 ms CAV (Constant Angular Velocity) system
• Data Transfer Speed: 16 Mbps to 25 Mbps
• Media: 3-inch, 1.5 GB capacity disc
• Controller Ports: Four
• Memory Card Slots: Two
• Audio-Video Output: Analog and digital
• Dimensions: 4.3 by 5.9 by 6.3 inches (height by width by depth)

Features

• External bandwidth of 3.2GB/sec, for really fast gameplay
• It also includes 64 sound channels -- you'll feel like you're in the game, with the top-quality audio
• The new 485MHz processor makes loading & starting the games faster than ever -- no more long load times!
• The processor is also capable of creating 6 to 12 million ploygons per second -- no more slowdowns in the middle of the game!
• Supports instructions for incredible effects -- your games will be brighterm faster, and more dramatic than ever before

Reviews (487)

You are right and wrong 1 star folks
Okay,I agree with you,this system is sort of childish. But the what you call "childish games" are suppose to be fun for adults. Let me give you some examples.

Mario Kart: Double Dash!!: My mom loves this game!

Super Monkey Ball: Fun for all ages (and adults)

There's millions and millions of examples,too much.


Now that I've told you why you are wrong,let me tell why you are right. Okay,I goota admit,there is didly squat of rated M games,and Rated T games are like rated E. Overall,this system is great. I'd reccomend it. If you have have some extra cashola,buy the best system of the year,DS. Make sure to get SM64 DS as well.

P.S X-Box and PS2 sulks,I like Play Station better then the newies.

the affordable gamecube
Today I finally purchased a gamecube from a local retailer on sale for just 97$ w/ a free game, Metroid Prime 2(50$ game currently). I figured I then only paid 47$ for the system itself adding in the bundle. (I really wanted the metroid 2 echoes game too) I chose the metallic "platinum" color over the ugly plain jane black one. For me nintendo has far too many kiddie games and just a couple I'd be interested in, but my wife and kid like all the kiddie stuff and I already own an XBOX & PS2 that have more games for the teen/adult gamer. The 3 systems will entertain our family until the hype ends over the upcoming "next-gen" systems (Revolution, 360, & PS3)and they have price drops into 100-150$ each and have 20$ games available as well. If you get a gamecube I'd suggest adding the 1019 memory card for it(30$) and also an S-Video cable from monster cable. I really like the compact size of the gamecube, but I don't really care for the akward styling of it's controller very much, the N64's controller was pretty weird too w/ it's "3rd leg". It's also nice to see nintendo finally using discs instead of old-school cartridges. I was considering a Nintendo DS, but I couldn't justify spending more for a portable system w/ less powerful graphics than a highly rated home console like the gamecube. Maybe the DS will have a price drop down to what the advantage costs now(80$). The PSP is way too overpriced for me to even consider it and it's weak battery life and fragile LCD are major drawbacks to me. Anyways I'm happy w/ my decision, the gamecube is a quality system and you can get a system and games cheap now.

Best system
This is the best system currently out. It has all the classics and is more fun than the other systems.

Highly recommended.
Any fan of the Nintendo 64 needs this console to add more depth and knowlegde to their already large collection of games. I highly recommended a Gamecube for any fan. And soon the Gamecube Revolution will be released making another ultimate console due out in the future.

listen up, fanboys...
all you nintendo fanboys are cramping up the xbox reviews. thats our turf! :p but anyway,you say "oh, the crapbox (wow thats clever) is so bad, all the games are just rippoffs, and they're all for pc, and the controller is huge, and this and that and whatever" well, gamecube stinks even worse. i mean, what games do you have for it? animal crossing? pokemon staduim? please. what's that? there are 'mature' games for it? resident evil series, thats it. name ONE 1st party nintendo game that's rated M. you can't. conker doesnt count, he's from rare. or perfect dark, thats rare too. and rare went over to microsoft anyway when they saw how bad gamecube was doing. even the system itself looks like a Playschool product. who makes a purple console? and to the one who said 'xbox players are losers and loners with no friends', that's gamecube's territory. i'm not gonna call the guys over to play a heart-pounding game of butterfly catching on animal crossing. oh, and nintendo STILL HASN'T GONE ONLINE. xbox live is the greatest online gaming service around. and the xbox controller has gotten progressively smaller as time has gone by. and 3rd parties make controllers that are even smaller than gamecube's. so lets see, if i want Billy Hatcher's Giant Egg i'll get gamecube. if i want GTA AND Halo 2 AND just about every other game you could want, i'll get xbox. ... Read more

Amazon.com Review

Showcasing enhanced versions of the Super Nintendo classics FinalFantasy IV and Chrono Trigger, Final Fantasy Chronicles is amust-have "retro" bundle for the serious role-playing game fan.

Originallyreleased in the U.S. in 1991 as Final Fantasy II, the groundbreakingFinal Fantasy IV introduced the "Active Time Battle" combat system thathas since become a staple in the series. In addition to new computer animationsequences and minor gameplay enhancements, this reissue sports a new dialoguetranslation that is more faithful to the Japanese version and fleshes out thepreviously pared-down story of a conflicted knight and his quest forredemption.

Although not as well known as Final Fantasy IV--and noteven part of the Final Fantasy series, for that matter--1995's ChronoTrigger is a nonlinear adventure game where players must travel across timeto save a princess (and the world in the process). New Japanese cartooncutscenes from animator Akira Toriyama (creator of Dragonball Z) gracethe updated Chrono Trigger, and an extras mode (filled with game-relatedgoodies that must be unlocked) has been added, increasing the already highreplay value of this title with multiple endings.

Admittedly, the games'two-dimensional graphics and simplistic sounds are quite "lastgeneration," which may turn off some younger gamers and recent converts to thegenre, but their solid gameplay, deep storyline, and memorable characters arestill first-rate by today's standards. --Joe Hon

Pros:

• Brings together two classic Super Nintendo role-playing games
• Retranslated text of Final Fantasy IV more faithful
• Extras mode increases Chrono Trigger's replay value
• New animated "movie" sequences

• In-game graphics and sounds are quite dated

Reviews (139)

The Best Role-Player AND How To Fix the Load Time Problem
I've noticed a couple people complain about the load times (especially during battles).There's a quick and easy fix for PS2 owners: In the main menu under the PS1 Driver, there's a setup option for "Fast Loading".When you turn that on, the game will load as fast as the original cartridge did.Problem solved.

.

And now for the game: Chrono Trigger is one of, perhaps even *the best*, role-playing game ever made.Final Fantasy 6 is my favorite in that series, but Chrono Trigger has a stronger appeal for me, personally, because of the time travel/sci-fi theme.You and your characters travel across several thousand years (from medieval times to a distant, robotic future), in your quest to beat back the bad guys.The battle system allows you to chain your characters together for extra-powerful attacks, which is a unique innovation.Finally, how the game ends is never the same.Like a Choose-Your-Own-Adventure, the ending varies depending upon how you play the game.Chrono Triggers offers lots of replayability, and is a true masterpiece.


As for FF4, the game is somewhat weak.Many call FF4 their favorite final fantasy, but I was not too impressed.I'd put it somewhere in the middle.It was originally designed to run on the 1980's 8-bit Nintendo, but at the last minute FF4 was upgraded to run on the just-released 16-bit Super Nintendo, and it comes across as primitive, both in graphics and story.Not as good as what came later (FF anthology).


Bottom Line: Buy Final Fantasy 4/Chrono Trigger right now... mainly for Chrono Trigger, but also to satisfy your curiosity about FF4.If you're like me, you'll cherish it forever.

2 for the price of 1. YEAH BABY! (Long, but worth reading)
Final Fantasy Chronicles is such a great game, I don't Know where to start.(!Attention!, If you have a Super Nintendo and have Final Fantasy 4 and Chrono Trigger you don't really have to bother buying this game, unless you want to check out the added features).FF4 is just like the SNES version only its been enhanced with new magic, monsters,items, and CG(computer generated)cinemas and more stuff. I might be wrong, but I heard somewhere that the Playstation version is much harder than the SNES version. This game is quite entertaining, and the storyline is was one of the best I've seen. In my opinion, I thought Final Fantasy 7 was better in every way. Even though FF7 is better than 4. 4 is still a pretty good game. that's about it for FF4.
If you liked Dragonball Z, then your gonna LOVE Chrono Trigger cause it's made by the "Great" Akira Toriyama (you know the guy who made the characters from DBZ).I thought Chrono Trigger was better than FF4 in terms of gamplay,and graphcs. In my opinion, it ties between FF7.(only FF7 has better graphics). Chrono Trigger is the prequel to Chrono Cross. I thought Chrono Trigger was better than Chrono Cross.(Chrono Cross's graphics were much better).Chrono Trigger has VERY little to do with Chrono Cross. Chrono Trigger is about a red haired boy named Crono(NOT CHRONO), that travels through time along with his friends to save the world.
The only thing bad about these two games is that the graphics are quite dated and that it takes a long time to load in Chrono Trigger when you pull out the menu sceen. I don't think Graphics that are a decade old shouldn't bother most gamers. If it does, then I'll beat you up. This game cost less right now than any of those two games did when they where brand new, especailly now in 2005. Chrono Trigger was a rare, hard to find game at that time that usually sold somewhere around $60. right now, it doesn't cost more than $20. To me, FF4 is like an added bonus to Chrono Trigger in the final fantasy chronicles package. It would take a lot more to fully describe this game. I hope this review was helpful to you

P.S. Get Final Fantast 7 while you're at it.

Final Fantasy Chronicles
Even though that most people will overlook this game because it's a PlayStation game that's a re-release of a 16-bit game during a time when we've already moved on to the 128-bit generation, if you're an RPG fan that has yet to play either of these classics, it's a must-have title. With the multiple endings and fantastical game design and lovable characters, Chrono Trigger alone is worth the full price of admission. Add in Final Fantasy IV and you have an astonishing deal that you simply shouldn't pass up.

Chrono Trigger Yesss
I remember as a kid (not that long ago) and playing Chrono Trigger on my friends Super NES and how friggin awesome it was. When I found out that it was later released for the playstation I wasted no time in ordering it and popping it into my PS2. (Note you MUST have a PS1 memory card in order to save) Other than this there is no problem in the translation of this game to the Playstaion. Also added to the Playstation version are amazing new cut sequences.

I have yet to play the FFIV but I will eventually. These games are both classics and a must have for all seriouse RPGers.

A welcome, but slightly flawed, re-release collection
I love it when companies re-release classic games on newer systems for those of us who grew up with them and like to walk down memory lane, and FF Chronicles collects 2 great games in one. I have many blissful memories of playing FF 4 (2 at the time) when I was much younger and it was newly released. My obsession with Final Fantasy started with number 1, and was established without doubt after playing 2. It is a phenomenal, albeit very dated game. The characters and storyline are among the best in FF history, and the gameplay (though straightforward) remains very fun. The graphics and sound of the game were top notch when released. The graphics remain very colorful and appealing even now, and the music is good if rather "cheap" sounding compared to modern games. I sometimes wish they would have spiffed these games up a bit (improving the instrumentation of the music, adding some bonus features, etc.), but I can also respect getting the games in their original form without alteration (except for the CG scenes, of course).
That is one area of major disappointment for me, the CG movies they added to FF 4. They exhibit the worst graphics I have ever seen on the PS1. A big disappointment, especially coming from the masters at Square. It looks like someone with no experience just threw them together at the last minute. I would rather they just not added them. Furthermore, I wish they could have maybe spliced them into the game instead of just having them at the beginning and end. That really misled me.
Still, a great, faithful remake of a wonderful game from the days of old.

I never played Chrono Trigger on the SNES, so it was a new experience for me, and I did wish once playing it that I had played it in my youth, as it is a phenomenal game that, although I enjoyed it, I would have appreciated much more when I was younger. Great graphics for the time, and about the best music I've ever heard in a video game. The story and game play really pull you in, and the world is one, like any great fictional place, where you find yourself wishing you could just become part of it.
Also, in contrast to FF 4, I really enjoyed the CG movies they added. They are in the anime style by the guy who did Dragonball Z, are spliced into the game at the appropriate parts,and are really very good.
I am disappointed however, as many others on here have stated, that this game has painfully long load times that really decreased my enjoyment of the game. Every time you get into a battle or bring up the status screen, there is about a 3-5 second wait, which may not seem like a big deal, but believe me, it gets annoying real fast. Still, if you're patient, it is a good game.

I find myself wishing that they had released FF 3 on this compilation instead of Chrono Trigger, though. I mean, it is FF Chronicles. If they had put 3 on here, we could have had the entire FF series on the PS. As it is, 3 will likely never be available in a form I'm willing to acquire and play, and thus it will eternally remain a hole in my FF experience. If they had put FF 3 on here, maybe they could have done another 2 disc compilation with Chrono Trigger and Secret of Mana. Now that would have been awesome.

Sadly, I can only give this 4 stars overall, and thats me being realistic as opposed to overly nostalgic. They are both great, classic games, and I'm glad to have them, and I did enjoy them. But, this collection is flawed in several ways that just a little bit more work from Square could have prevented, and made this truly worthy of 5 stars. ... Read more

Product Description

After Archimonde and the Burning Legion were defeated at the battle of Mount Hyjal, a new threat rises throughout the land and it's up to you to defeat it. ... Read more

Features

• ESRB Rating: Teen
• Genre: Strategy
• Mission: Experience a vast new chapter in the epic Warcraft saga
• Platform: Mac OS 9.0 or higher, OS 10.1.3 or higher; Windows 98/Me/2000/XP

Reviews (88)

Great addition to a great game!
When I first went to my friend's house to play Warcraft 3: Reign of Chaos, I had lots of fun! I didn't enjoy the normal maps too much, sadly, and I wasn't really looking forward to buying the game.

Then, I went online with my free Battle.net account and downloaded a player-made map. I really loved the map, so I decided I'd save up and buy Warcraft 3. The game kept me entertained on and off. I'd play it for hours on end, then I'd stop for about 2 weeks, then go back to play it again! New maps are made almost every week, as players love to find fame. I, myself, have made a number of maps.

Anyway, when my friend got the expansion pack, I played a few Warcraft 3: Frozen Throne maps at his house. WOW! They were great! I couldn't stand having the game without the expansion! So, I got my allowance, and bought the expansion!

I recommend this to anyone who likes RTSes (real-time strategies) or even people who DISlike them, because the game could be called an "Action\Adventure Role-Playing Strategy Sports Driving Sim" or something! It's a multi-genre!

good stuff
this is definatly a good expansion set, just like the regular Warcraft3 itself. if you beat the first one, i suggest you buy this. graphics improved, more gameplay, and more fun. online action is great, including 1 new hero per race. i love this game and so does everyone i know who owns it.

1 year of frozenthrone playing and im not yet tired of it
Alright people that think this game is boring and it should have a Naga race and a Drenei race is stupid. I mean it would be pretty fun, but it would take lots of balancing and stuff so...no. Humans, nighrelves, undead, and orc are enough and the game is fun enough with out those other 2 races. I mean u can still play as adrenei or naga in the single player...and even on custom games...i was playing open rpg islands and i was a naga and i was swimmin anround shootin things with the naga seaweitch. The game really isnt that hard to play when u get used to it. Heros make everythign so intense and exciting which is why when ur fighting the enemy you really should take out the hero then work on the units.

The thing that i kinda hate about warcraft frozen throne and warcraft roc is the blademaster...cheap crap. he just got cheaper in this patch i mean now he can run through my units. Im always undead...and if youve been undead race u know what im talking about. Death to that dam blademaster. BUT finaly, they just got 2 new heros in a patch a alchemist and a firelord. I am very impressed with the alchemist he can take on the bladeamster pretty well.Anyways, people been saying how starcraft is better then warcraft and im like why? they say because its too shiney. I'm like ok...period over gotta go to enxt epriod...get this game ur kids will liek it buy it!! wee!!!!!!!!!!!Sinferno rulez!!!

Tried and true style of game works yet again
There really isn't much original about the Warcraft 3 game, and its expansion Frozen Throne campaign.It's yet another clone of itself/StarCraft/Ages Of Empires, etc. etc. etc. where you build, upgrade, build some more, upgrade, start sending your forces out, upgrade, replenish your forces, upgrade, repel enemies that may be attacking your base(s), start wiping out major concentrations of enemies, replenish your forces and complete any upgrades not already made, and finish off all your enemies.This has been done a hundred times before, and I'm sure it's not the last strategy game which will use the same method.The hero unit in Warcraft is cool, though.

The game is really easy to start, and gently eases you into the game.The cutscene movies are incredible, the best I've ever seen in a game.It's hard to say which campaign was the best, but I'd have to say it's a toss up between the Orc and Night Elf ones.I didn't like the Undead campaign, but the summoning of buildings was kinda neat.

I did get tired of hearing "Frostmourne hungers" everytime I moved my Undead hero, though.

the beast at this game beassssssssst
Warcraft is my favorite computer game. It has a lot of fun especially when you kill your allies. I'm level 100 because I play every minute of my life except for now and when I'm at school. When I play nobody messes with me. I'm the best person you could find on the game except for my brother. You should definitely buy this game. ... Read more

Amazon.com Review

A curse has closed Captain's Cove Amusement Park! Someone has stolen one of the carved wooden horses from the park carousel, despite old tales that say bad luck will befall the park if the horses are ever separated. At first Nancy Drew believes the disappearance is tied to an unsolved jewel theft... but is the carousel hiding another secret, too?

Like all of the Nancy Drew mysteries from Her Interactive, Nancy Drew: The Haunted Carousel is a first-person role playing game that lets players explore its richly imagined amusement park setting while solving the spate of mysterious incidents that have shut down the park. Featuring well-drawn characters, some tough but satisfying puzzles, arcade games, and plenty of thrills, this game is sure to satisfy.

Though the game design and artwork have the winsome flavor of the original Nancy Drew novel series, the tools the teen sleuth has to work with are utterly modern. A cell phone keeps players in touch with faithful friends like George, Bess and even the Hardy Boys. Nancy's laptop lets you pick up helpful e-mails that assist in analyzing clues.

The game informs as it entertains. As players unravel the mystery they also learn a few basics about electrical repair, carousel design history, the uses of a lathe, and decoding old stenographic documents. In this way, The Haunted Carousel seamlessly and safely allows girls to truly inhabit the role of Nancy--to be resourceful, clever, persistent and, of course, more than a little snoopy. Player confidence is only enhanced by the game's structure, which poses some tough challenges but also makes sure you have the tools to solve them, and provides lots of encouragement along the way.

Captain's Cove is not without its dangers, however. Carelessness could plunge Nancy into a dangerous accident, which leads to getting her banned from the amusement park property. Fortunately, the game is very forgiving, allowing you to choose a "Second Chance" option that lets you revisit--and revise--any critical mistakes.

Beautifully designed, true to its subject matter, and with a genuinely interesting mystery at its heart, Nancy Drew: The Haunted Carousel is a game that will have girls hungering for more.--Alyx Dellamonica ... Read more

Reviews (579)

Yawn
I've got to say; you have to have an interest in ancient culture to play this game. It gets pretty boring otherwise. Also, I am stuck at the part of the cave where you have to answer what Pacal was afraid of. I tried talking to the hospital-bound what's-his-name, but he didn't know and now the hospital is closed, apparently never to open again. This must be a glitch of some sort and it really annoyed me! This game is nearly impossible so you HAVE to use a hint website--overall, I think, the worst of the Nancy Drew games I've played so far.

The Final Scene
I loved Final Scene so much!!!!!!!!!Well if you have never played Nancy Drew be aware there will be alot of traps!!!!!Well Final Scene is really about Nancy and a school reporter Maya Nguyen.The setting is at The Royal Palladium Theatere.I promise you will be hooked to this game,i know because i have solved it.You will never guesswho it is!Most of the rooms have lots of secret passage ways so be aware!Oh yeah they have millions of Secret Passage ways!The music is increidble!The game is timed on the 3 day!Because of the demolition.You have 3 days too find alot of clues well not in real life but in the game!!!!!!!!!Nancy Drew Rocks!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

My DDI review!
I have to applaud the creators for the greatest gaming experience I have ever known in my short life!If this was a movie and I was Epert and Roper I'd give it ''two thumbs up''.You as Nancy are vacationing on a tiny island in the San Juan Island chain.But before you can kick up your feet for a relaxing day,Katie,the woman you're staying with's boat is vandalized!Who did it,and how is it tied in with the baby Killer Whale who showed up in the channel?That's the mystery to solve in Nancy Drew:Danger on Deception Island.

Nancy Rocks!!!
Ok I've played and finished all the games and am awaiting the new one.These games are great!!!They are suspenseful and fun for girls 10 & up.The Final Scene is one of my favorites.I reccomend Ghost dogs of moon lake, Secret of Shadow Ranch and I also liked Danger on Deception Island.If you like puzzles and mysteries, you'll like Nancy Drew computer games.

NANCY DREW RULES!!!!!!
I love the Nancy Drew games!The first one I ever did was Ghost Dogs of Moon Lake. It was a challenge and so real it's frightening! I had to look up a few cheats for a few challenging parts but it was so hard to get away from the screen! The next Nancy Drew game I did (Treasure of the Royal Tower) was with a friend I had over. We were glued to the screen for hours! We solved it, and were very surprised to see who the culprit was!Now I started Secret in the Scarlet Hand, and I am probably halfway done with it. I suggest you get all three games, because they are addicting, and such a blast!I will be doing the Curse of Blackmoor Manor next. Oh one more thing, animation 5 stars, fun 5 stars, and customer happiness 5 stars! ... Read more

Amazon.com Product Description

In the tradition of the multi-award-winning Star Wars: Jedi Knight, Star Wars: Jedi Knight 2, Jedi Outcast features rebel agent Kyle Katarn in exhilarating first-person action. Several years have passed since Kyle avenged his father's death and saved the Valley of the Jedi from Jerec and his band of Dark Jedi. Allowing his Force powers to languish for fear of falling to the dark side, Kyle entrusted his lightsaber to Luke Skywalker, vowing never to use it again. But when a new and menacing threat to the galaxy emerges, Kyle knows he must reclaim his past in order to save his future.

LucasArts is developing Jedi Outcast in partnership with Activision's critically acclaimed Raven Software. Players assume the role of Kyle as they employ a unique mix of weapons, Force powers, and the lightsaber in both single- and multiplayer modes. Jedi Outcast features expanded and enhanced use of the lightsaber, with new attack and defense moves. Tap into the powers of the Force, including jump, push, Jedi mind tricks, and more. Employ combat or stealth, depending on the situation. When a fight is necessary, be at the ready with an arsenal of weapons: stun baton, Bryar blast pistol, and blaster rifle to name but a few.

Explore breathtaking Star Wars locales such as Cloud City, the Jedi Academy on Yavin 4, Nar Shaddaa, the smugglers' moon--plus some never-before-seen locations. Multiplayer options include deathmatch, saber-only deathmatch, and team capture the flag. ... Read more

Reviews (337)

THE BEST STAR WARS COMBAT GAME EVER!!!
I LOVE THIS GAME TOO MUCH!!! BUT WHICH IS BETTER=OUTCAST OR ACADEMY!!!!!

Mac users can be Jedi!
Jedi Knight II: Jedi Outcast is one of the first games I bought for my Mac.Gameplay is challenging and fun!The single player storyline is entertaining and pulls you into the game and keeps you there.After a slow start with no Force Powers or light saber, you really will begin to feel like a Jedi Knight.Kyle Katarn's character is one of the best characters I've seen in any game, and could easily be a film character in a Star Wars movie.Some of the most memorable levels for me are fighting as a Jedi alongside Jedi Master Luke Skywalker against a half dozen or so Reborn Dark Jedi, fighting criminals in Nar Shadaa where you really must make use of your arsenal of cool weapons, and the two key battles against Tavion and Desann.I have other, newer games, but Jedi Knight II: Jedi Outcast is the game I keep coming back to play.

The multiplayer matches are fairly standard Quake 3 Arena fare, with one exception, the one-on-one Lightsaber Duel.You may think you're a Jedi Knight after dispatching hundereds of storm troopers and Dark Jedi in the single player game, but the real creative battles happen in Lightsaber Duels against real people online.Just please remember to fight with honor and bow before combat.

Jedi Outcast has reasonable system requirements will play well on any modern G4 or G5 Mac.

Jedi Academy
As other people have said, the plot for one-player mode is very...Well, almsot pathetic. It left me confused, it didn't explain alot. But the game is still enjoyable, the graphics are OK.

In Multi-Player, you can fight other players. You can choose what you want you charecter to look like and change it as much as you want and pick your light saber. My only complaint about Multi-player mode is everyone there is rude. Well, almost everyone. There are certain clubs and "cults" where they go around calling non-members of their club/cult "Lamers".

Overall, it's a pretty good game.

Lightsabers, now that's different!
I am by no means a hardcore gamer, but for any fan of shooters, this is a great one, and it gives you a chance to get away from just shooting a bunch of goons (in this case, stormtroopers).Instead you can run around with a lightsaber and hack everything up ( I did this rather gleefully).For a game as old as this one is, it looks good, I'm not sure how it compares to a game using an unmodified Quake III engine but it looks almost as good as Star Trek: Elite Force 2, which is undoubtedly the best Quake game out there.

Still the best Star Wars game out there
To date, I've played almost all of the Star Wars games released- starting way, way back at the black & white DOS game where your primary (and only) goal is to center your crosshairs on a weaving TIE fighter and blow it up with a push of the fire button. I'm a former flight sim fanatic (not so much now, due to the sad state of the genre), a current RPG fanatic, and I absolutely detest FPS games. This is largely due to the fact I get splattered whenever I join a deathmatch, but is also because these games generally lack even a remote semblance of a storyline and characterization.

Having said that, and keeping in mind that I've also played the excellent X-Wing, TIE Fighter, X vs. TIE, X-Wing Alliance, Knights of the Old Republic, &c (I could go on for quite a while with this) one must add extra weight to the fact that I really like Jedi Outcast. And yes, I am aware that it's a shooter. So the big question, of course, is why?

First and foremost, this FPS actually has a plot and characters. Not only that, but it has GOOD plot and characters- so much so that they have actually been inducted into Star Wars canon.* This is an honor no other Star Wars game has yet been able to claim. In fact, the storyline is so good that you will hardly notice that you're not really seeing any new kinds of enemies (stormtroopers and other Imperial slime are still the general fare).

The sound and look is superbly done. Voice acting is top notch, and instead of having full motion video cutscenes with horrible dubbing (as in the first Jedi Knight) they've used the game engine to fill in the blanks. And yes, it actually looks quite good- even compared to current games. Great attention to detail is a key factor in the presentation- when you walk into a cantina, you'll hear the familiar music from the Mos Eisley Cantina in Episode IV. The locations are varied and magnificent, with some taken from the movies (e.g. Cloud City on Bespin) and others from the expanded universe (e.g. Nar Shaddaa).

Now, though I'm a lousy FPS player, I still know enough to say that the weapons are very cool. There's the standard rocket launcher, sniper rifle, close-range grease gun, and default pistol. All have very unique looks and effects, and strengths and weaknesses. Most have an alternate fire mode, which can add interesting functionality (e.g. laser tripwires on mines).

And then, of course, we have the lightsaber and the Force. I cannot overstate how cool these are, and it's impossible to really describe it here. All I can say is that you've really got to play it, and that if you get good with both, two things will happen: you won't use your guns anymore, and you'll really feel like a Jedi master.

The level design is excellent, with puzzles that make you feel smart when you figure them out, but also don't take a total genius to solve. As with the other Jedi Knight, there are secret areas that hold extra power-ups that can seriously aid in your cause. There's also many interesting objectives that require unique interaction with the environment. For example, you'll at one point have the chance to commandeer an AT-ST and run amok through the jungles of Yavin 4, blowing up stormtroopers as you go. How cool is that?

Though I don't use multiplayer mode often (yes, I like this game, but I still get wasted in deathmatches) I have seen enough of it to say that it's comparable to any other FPS out there. There's no vehicles in multiplay, but who needs those when you have the Force? You can challenge others to one-on-one saber duels, play Star Wars-imbued variants of familiar games like capture the flag, and snipe honorlessly at passing Jedi from a balcony.

Given its long, excellent campaign and flawless presentation, Jedi Outcast comes with the highest recommendation. Even if you're not a Star Wars fan, its compelling story and great arsenal of weaponswill appeal to the FPS fanatic. Jedi Outcast is also one heck of a deal now, and still looks great despite its age. Go, and may the Force be with you!

*Specifically, Kyle Katarn is universally recognized as the guy who stole the plans for the first Death Star. ... Read more

Product Description

Galactic Empire:Headed by Emperor Palpatine, the Galactic Empire represents the oppressive remnants of the Old Republic. The Galactic Empire has superior mechanized armies, including the mighty AT-ATs. It also commands legions of ruthless stormtroopers, the faceless enforcers of the Emperor. The Empire even plays host to a contingent of Sith Knights, skilled in the dark side of the Force, who are capable of bending any would-be insurgents to the Empire's cruel will.Rebel Alliance:Onc ... Read more

Features

• evel brings new wonders and new forces.
• Accessible gameplay built upon the familiar RTS engine adapted from Ensemble's popular Age of Empires series
• Use the scenario editor to create custom single- or multiplayer battlegrounds with virtually any Star Wars units and settings.Star Wars Galactic Battlegrounds: Clone Campaigns:
• 14 original single-player combat scenarios
• New civilizations

Reviews (25)

Can't...stop....playing!
This is an awesome game. The graphics could use improvement but the gameplay is fun. I can't stop playing this game its addictive. I played for 5 hours once and I didn't even know. If you like Star Wars as much as I do then BUY THIS GAME!

Not to Bad By mike
I bought this game about 1 month ago, and it is'nt that bad. The graphics could be better, but the reality of the units as far as corresponding to the movies is good. After a while, the concept gets kind of repetitive, but the difference in units depending on the side does liven it up. Also, it's cool to be able to be different sides, rather than just the good guys.(I mean, come on, who doesn't want to kick some rebel dairiair with an AT-AT?) Anyway, the graphics will leave a 2-D aftertaste in your mouth, but for big starwars fans it's definetly worth 10.00 bucks.

It's Hiroshima all over again!
this game is the most awsome game of its type i have ever played, and i own every one of the comand and coucer games and age of mythology, and this one woops all of them! it is a guarentied sucess among u and your froedns with its multyplayer mode...so buy it now!! its an awsome game!

Sweet! Oh YEAH!
This is the best video game ever! It's even better than Dark Forces 2 Jedi Knight!I've only played demo but oh boy, do I love it! You can download the demo at Lucasarts,com/products/battlegrounds/default.htm . That is the adress for the home page of the game. When you get there, to the left side, there's a panel with different choices on it.Click downloads,and you'll see at the bottom of the page, two sites with the download is available.

game out in 2001-2002, still the graphics are horrible
it lags a lot in graphics. the gameplay is neither good. interesting if you want to know more about the Star Wars stories from Episodes I, II, IV, V, & VI.

i'd suggest to wait for the new RTS "Star Wars Empire at War" coming in 2005 made by the creators of "Command & Conquer Generals" (i'm not talking about publisher EA or Electronic Arts, i'm talking about the once Westwood Studios' programmers) ... Read more

Amazon.com Product Description

Age of Empires 2 Gold Edition unites the exciting game play ofboth Age of Empires 2: The Age of Kings and Age of Empires2: The Conquerors Expansion plus additional content for onecompelling gaming experience. Experience real-time evolution as youbuild your civilization into a flourishing empire, from the Dark Ageto the Imperial Age. Decide whether to conquer the world throughmilitary might, commerce and diplomacy, or intrigue andregicide. There are many paths to power but only one will reignsupreme.Age of Empires 2: The Age of Kings spans 1,000 years,from the fall of Rome through the Middle Ages. Players control thedestiny of one of 13 civilizations. The game keeps the epic scope ofAge of Empires' gameplay while evolving the combat and economicfeatures. Developed by Ensemble Studios, Age of Empires 2features the expertise of Bruce Shelley, co designer of Age ofEmpires and the hit strategy game Civilization.Age ofEmpires 2: The Conquerors Expansion adds five new civilizations,four new campaigns, 11 new units, 26 new technologies, real worldmaps, and much more. Experience the adventure of the SpanishConquistadors as they enter the exotic lands of the Aztecs, or relivethe destructive force of Attila's pillaging Huns. This add-on packfocuses on the armies and military thinking of a handful of history'sgreatest tacticians, including Attila the Hun, El Cid, andMontezuma. The new civilizations each have unique attributes,buildings, and technologies, such as Chinese Rocketry and PersianMahouts. You'll put hussar cavalry, kamikaze siege units, andhalberdier infantry into battle in four all-new campaigns.Play up toeight other conquerors via modem, Internet, or LAN. ... Read more

Reviews (42)

A game woth it
Age of Empires 2 is a cooooool game. If you have already played AOE 1 then you will really like this game. Instead of a population of 50 in AOE1 you can have a population of 200. You can build your economy very quickly in this game and can create a mighty army in this game. When I played this game I found out that it has serveral cool campaigns also. The campaign of Genghis Khan was very difficult due to lack of resources but otherwise very good. But in the difficulty of between moderate and hard is only when you enjoy. Rest are either too easy to win or too hard to win. The recorded game had helped me a lot in acheiving a lot in this game.

Great game, spoiled by networking issues
Having played every one of the AoE games from the very beginning, I was delighted to find a Mac port of AoE II Gold. The gameplay is great, and is seriously addictive. The only downside (which has resulted in this game receiving only four stars) is that network play between Macs and PCs is not possible, and gameplay between two or more Macs is problematic. This is highly unusual for a Mac game, but of course, the problem can be seen written all over a big banner in the main screen "Microsoft."

This is the only issue i have with this game, in all other respects it is one of the best strategy games ever made.

A MUST OWN GAME!
if you dont have this game already,you should.This game will truly give you endless hours and hours of fun.I've had this game since it came out,and i still play it all the time.It brings some history to kids minds about the middle ages and their warfare, but also gives you tons of action and strategy....a truly great game.

Age of Empires 2
This game is awesome! The first time I played it, I loved . I just bought it off Amazon. It combines history and action. But this game is not a history lesson. If you don't want to buy it because you think that is a history lesson, it is not.

Most Awesome Game Ever
This game gives you total control over your forces and makes you feel like a real general.Ypu have to buy this game. ... Read more

Features

• Futuristic role playing game
• Fight your opponents either bare handed or in giant robots
• Full 3D environment
• Innovative battle system and immersive storyline
• For 1 player

Reviews (247)

Best game of all time
This is by far my favorite game ever. It has an incedbly deep storyline focusing on religion, but having many other elements as well. The character development was phenominal, better than any other RPG I've played(I have played many). However, this game is not for everyone. It is very, very long (it took me 80 hours on my first playthrough), and a lot of that time is spent reading cutscenes. If you do not have patience this game is not for you.

a timeless story of fighting for what is right (and love)
After playing Xenosaga, I was quite eager to pick this game up in some way.Unfortunately, somehow Crash Bandicoot made the greatest hits collection, and great games like Xenogears are forgotten, but I was fortunate enough to drop the name near a kid who had a cousin who had a copy, which I was glad to purchase, since the cousin didn't like it.

I must admit, I was somewhat disappointed with the battle system.Although it can be fun at times, it lacked the luster that the Materia and Sphere Grid systems had in the world of Final Fantasy, simply making battles mediocre button pushing.The slightly dull combat system wouldn't have been so bad if battles had taken any strategy, but, for the most part and with a few exceptions near the very end, battles are mostly just using your strongest combo and healing yourself when necessary.Once you get Billy in your party, you become practically invincible, since he is able to heal the entire party for more than 300 HP for a paltry 4 EP.The best aspect of the game's combat system, however, would be the gear system.Although not used as well as in Xenosaga, Xenogears makes gear combat fun by separating it from the status of the characters, but also giving the gears abilities based on the abilities of the character riding them.Fighting in gears, however, is always done in a way that you can't win without them, or you can't use them.The only times you'll have access to your gears is on the world map and in places with large enemies that would crush a party on foot.This is once again a place where SquareSoft could have added strategic elements (benefits of battling in gear Vs. on foot, an element used brilliantly in Xenosaga), yet decided to opt for simpler battles for a more complex story line.

The music in Xenogears, composed by the brilliant Yasunori Mitsuda of Chrono Trigger and Chrono Cross fame, was terrific for it's time, but with the quality sound that the PS2 is able to put out, Xenogears music will just get dull, especially to the ear of one who has played Xenosaga.Also, like in many other RPGs, Xenogears music is extremely repetitive, especially during the second disc.The theme song for this game was done by Joanne Hogg, and is very
similar to the theme songs from Xenosaga, using the exact same instrumentation and style, yet Hogg's voice just has that enchanting quality which I haven't yet tired of.

Xenogears' story is where it shines, and earns its entire five stars.Xenogears takes elements of religion, fantasy, and sci-fi and mixes them to create the uplifting, suspenseful story of young
Fei's search for the truth (and escape from it) in a world of lies.Enter the character of Elhaym, the beautiful soldier who happens to stand at odds with Fei due to her birth and origin, who changes Fei forever by showing him the joy of love.Each character has his or her individual motive, from the villains to the heroes, each trying to find what they most desire.Some wish for power, others for love, and others simply answers to life's most difficult questions.From the beginning of the first disc, you are propelled from Fei's quiet existence in a small village in the woods toward the flying cities of Shevat and Solaris to the paradise Mahanon.The second disc, unfortunately, falters, as the action is greatly reduced, and the game becomes almost a series of monologues telling us what happened and how.For a good example, imagine if the scene where
Luke and Han rescue Princes Leia in Star Wars were replaced with Luke and/or Han sitting in a chair saying, "We then traveled to the Death Star to save the Princes.We found out that she was being held in a certain cell and saved her, but on the way out, we encountered some guards (picture in background of the heroes and storm troopers engaged in fighting), we only survived by jumping down a hole into a trash compactor..." etc.This gets somewhat obnoxious, but I'm sure that this was only done to save space and avoid the obvious irritation of having a third disc for the end movies.If you're completely into the game's story, you won't mind the dialogue bits too much, since they allow you to skip over some annoying bits that would keep you from getting to the incredible conclusion.

For those Xenosaga Fans out there, this game will make a great hold over until Feb. 15, when Episode 2 comes out.I know I'm going to be at Wal-Mart at opening to get my copy.

Amazing Story and Great Game Play
This RPG has one of the most intricate and interesting storylines I have ever played.You are introduced to a number of characters with complex storylines and realistic emotions.I would go into more detail, but i don't want to give any away.But let's just say that it involves warring nations, genetic engineering, and the destruction of GOD.One of the interesting aspects of the game, however, is the fighting style.Unlike the Final Fantasy Games, or Star Ocean types, this fighting style involves three types of attacks: strong medium and weak.Through combinations of attacks, you can create special moves that deal extra damage.Also, fighting occurs either in hand to hand combat or in gears, which are giant fighting machines that have limited fuel.I don't know what else to say, but trust me that you will not regret playing this game.Also, this game takes awhile, but it's a blast.The unique fighting style also adds a lot to the game and the animated sequences enrich the story.

My favorite RPG of all time
Xenogears is one of the best RPG that I have ever played. The unique use of anime, romance, tragedy, and music all come together to create a great gaming experience. This story has a lot of plot twists and every time that you think that you might have discovered some truth in the game, you get surprised when you find out more details that you were not previously aware of.

The music is great and I enjoyed it so much that I got the soundtrack. All the main characters in the game have their unique histories and perspectives that keep the story going. Expect to spend about 80 to 100 hours to complete this one.

My favorite videogame of all time
I'm at the point of my life where videogames are becoming more and more pointless.The golden age of turning onto entertainment is changing for me.If there is one videogame that stands as best videogame of all time goes, for me this is the one including Chrono Trigger. ... Read more

Product Description

There has never been a better time to buy the game everyone is talking about.The Sims Deluxe Edition combines into one premium edition the most popular PC game of all time, The Sims, as well as the top-selling Sims expansion pack, The Sims Livin' Large, and a host of all-new exclusive features and content. ... Read more

Features

• Includes:
• The Sims: Create an entire neighborhood of Sims and run or ruin their lives with the full version of the best-selling PC game of all time. Help your Sims pursue careers, make friends, and find romance - or make a complete mess of things! Open-ended gameplay gives you the freedom to set your own goals and chart your Sims' destiny.
• The Sims Livin' Large: With over 125 additional items, five additional career tracks with 50 additional jobs and a cast of wild characters like the Grim Reaper and the Genie, this best selling expansion pack puts your Sims into outrageous situations and settings.
• Sims Creator: Recreate every Sim you can imagine with this powerful tool that allows even the novice users to customize every detail of how their Sims look. Even put your own face in The Sims!
• 25 plus Exclusive Objects

Reviews (183)

Would be five stars except for Sims 2...
This pack contains the game that started it all.Here, even more room is made for individuality and creativity.

What do we learn from the Sims?

1.Deferring gratification is essential for a "win."
2.Money isn't everything - but it isn;t evil, either.
3.Energy is limited but renewable.
4.Balance is crucial.Spending all time and energy on one thing is rarely good in the long run...

Wonderful, wonderful game.

Boooooooooorrrrrrrrring!!
I've heard so many people rave about the Sims over the past couple of years that I finally decided to break down and buy it. This is one of the few times that I have to say I honestly have no idea what the big deal is all about.

The Sim is a "people simulator". You create little people, plop them down in a house and control thier lives. You buy them clothes, furniture, make them meet people. Just about everything real people do. And that's basically the problem.

The thing I that I found least entertaining about the Sims is that the whole game revolves around what I call "micro-managment". Every last little detail you have to scrutinize. Though some might find this appealing, I found it tedious and boring. It makes me feel less like I'm playing a game and more like an accountant. The game is also quite slow paced. Even if you speed up time, the game can move too fast and then you can really lose control over the game.

The gameplay consists of a "point, click, and watch" formula for gameplay. You click on an object, your Sim person will walk to it, use it, and then go back to being idle. After time if you develop a pattern the Sim person will do things on his own, but that takes a while. After endlessly pointing and clicking and watching, I started to do things like try to set my Sim person on fire, or not have him go to the bathroom for a while. It is rather fun to torture your Sim person but it wears thin after a while.

The graphics are good. The Sims speak in some kind of jibberish. And there's lots of Sim skins available for download on the internet.

All in all I'd have to say that I really don't get this game. Maybe it's because I'm more used to games like Metal Gear Solid and SOCOM that I have trouble playing a game of this type. I tend to like having more direct control over the outcome of a game. The Sims made me feel like I'm a spectator. I'd have to say pick this up only you find a really good deal. Otherwise it's best to take the $20 you were going to spend and pick up something else. Sorry, but this is one I can't recomend.

simy
this game is simulated life.Why is it "fun" to do the dishes in a game, but not in real life?who cares?it is!so, but now or die now.

simulated people
The Simms stands for simulated people.A simulation is like the real thing but on the computer.You dont move around a maze like Mario.YOu have to take care of you're SIMMS PEOPLE!!You have to feed them and give them windows and jobs and make them go to the bathroom.It's like your a scientist whocontrols the experiment which is people. And notice didnt say you are GOD Peo-PLE so you cant get made at me.

Now some warnigns about the game.Peoplewho play the Simms like to talk about wht there simms did that day and who they met and how they are doing.YOU HAVE TO TAKE CARE OF YOU'RE SIMM OR THEY WILL DIE PEO-PLE!!!!iF YOU THINK YOU CAN PLAY IT A LITTLE BIT and put it away then it is not for you.Go get Halo Half life or another first person shooter!!Part of the fun of the simms is being with people who now about it and want to talk to other people abbout how there Simms are doing!!!

Also it is very addicting!!!!

ALo you can kill your sim by putting them in the pool and taking the ladder away!!!

Kinda Fun, but mostly ANNOYING!
Overall, the concept of this game is fun and the writers had some really good ideas and it's funny in some ways. But what I HATE about this game is that you spend more than 70% of the time making them go to bed, eat, and go take a bath/shower!!! Like, I get it, but enough already... They have so little energy that you never have time to do anything fun. One or two activities, and they're down on the floor. WHAT?! Ha, don't even bother getting them a job b/c you will see them again...Just stick with the cheat codes. If this game did not have this one flaw (ie energy would last longer) then it would be awesome. I'm buying Sims 2 and I really hope that this will not be as big a problem!!!! Grrrr.... ... Read more

Amazon.com Review

Set in the interval between The Phantom Menace and Attack of the Clones, this first-person adventure lets you step into the role of the galaxy's most heavily armed bounty hunter, Jango Fett, as you track a renegade Jedi across the galaxy, collecting information (and bounties) along the way.

In addition to Jango's trademark dual blaster pistols, your armor bristles with gadgets and weaponry: darts, flamethrower, blowtorch, scanner, cable snare, and--of course--a missile-launching jetpack. Use this arsenal to battle hordes of uncooperative guards, fend off rival bounty hunters, scale precipitous skyscrapers, and capture fugitives--dead or alive. The basic controls are surprisingly easy to master, and you've got enough armament at your disposal to fight your way out of almost any situation. Still, some finesse is required: as fun as it is to walk into a room and blast everything in sight (and it is fun--especially when you're the one wearing the jetpack), you may discover when the smoke clears that the guy you just fried was worth twice as much alive. Oh well...

The complex storyline is revealed by extended cutscenes that let you rest your thumbs while Jango follows up the next lead. (Star Wars fans will appreciate the quality and detail of these scenes, as well as the fidelity of the story arc--namely how Jango is chosen as the model for the clone troopers in Episode II.) And anyone familiar with the Lucas Arts suite of games will not be disappointed by the superior graphics, music, sound effects, and fully realized characters and locations. The pace of the game is up to you: methodically seek out the secrets of each level, or ruthlessly blast your way to the big payoff. --Maile Bohlmann

Pros:

• Impressive graphics and rich detail
• Excellent scripting and voicing
• Nice balance between action and strategy
• Controller setup is intuitive and easy to learn

Cons:

• Long stretches between save points
• Climbing sequences can become redundant
• Weapons must be holstered to use scanner, leaving you vulnerable

Reviews (79)

pretty good game
When you first start to play this game, you'll be amazed on how different is. Instead of running around with a lightsaber slashing people in half, this game lets you pulverize people with pistols, missiles,grenades,and an assortment of deadly weapons. It will provide countless entertainment(like watching people run around on fire) along with fustrating puzzles(it takes a long time to find out what to do).

A real downside of the game is the weapon system. you get cool weapons, but you mainly ues the pistols for the entire game. Also, some of the graphics are kinda bad.I remember I missed a guy with a sniper rifle and the game count it as a hit....wich was good. The extra bounty system is pretty cool, but it really doesn't affect the game that much.

Overall, it is a game that is worth your money.

Oh how I wish for a sequel to this awesome game!
This was the second game I ever got for PS2 and I just love it. I still go back to it after several years for nothing more than the thrills and good times it has to offer. Bounty Hunter isn't perfect but it is one of the better Star Wars games I've played and its a great third person shooter. I remember how much the graphics, cutscenes, effects, sound, and dialog blew me away a couple years ago and all I can do today is appreciate all these things more. Every time I play the game (I've played it a lot) I find new things to mess around with, whether it be small rodent creatures to blast or secret areas containing heavy weapons. The worlds are immerse with detail and most are actually almost beautiful. The explosions and laser blasts that fill the levels all look great, as do the characters, who's lypsyncing and motions are excellently executed. The action gameplay is fast paced with a very high frame rate. The sound design sounds as though it was taken directly from a Star Wars film. And most of all, the story is very entertaining, from your first encounter with the villanous scum Meeko, to your stealing of Slave 1 from an astroid prision, to meeting Tyranus. The story takes you all around the galaxy and be prepared to meet up with some familiar characters such as Zam Weesel. Many have complained about the game's repetetivness and lousy camera and I will admit that the camera tends to work a little strangly at times, but it certainly can be controled and is not something to get all worked up over. Bounty Hunter's action has never boared me and I find it's controls to be intruative and easy to use. Star Wars Bounty Huter is an excellent game with high production values and many good things going for it, I truely hope Lucas Arts releases a sequel for it because it is one of the best games I have ever played. Thanks for reading.

Overall? Mediocre.
I got thorough this game in a short while considering how long it's taken others that I know to get through it. During that time, however, I didn't have a life.
Though many got frustrated with this game I did very rarely. I'm the kind of person who loves a challenge and has a very high patience level.
In Star Wars I've always loved the Bounty Hunters, they seemed very interesting and were fun to study. I had to struggle a lot to find any information about Jango Fett and this game helped, it goes rather in depth with Jango Fett.
According to some of my sources some people like to 'feel' like a bounty hunter, if that's your only reason find another game, only on one level do you actually 'feel' like a bounty hunter.
I enjoyed this game mainly for the challenge, the levels got harder and longer as I progressed, I struggled with my last few. You often have to find very small ledges.
The graphics were well done in some parts, very bad in others. Sometimes Fett would become part of the scenery for a moment and then come back into sight so I tried not to get to near to objects.
If you like a challenge I suggest this game, but only if you're a Star Wars fan. To those with small amounts of patience, may I suggest another game?

Lets ruin a good concept shall we Lucasarts?
I got this game at my local Gamestop for $14.99 used, I had looked at the Amazon.com reviews, and they where good, I looked at the Gamespot.com reviews, and they called the game mediocre,
and they where right, the games concept is original, and the weapons are cool, but the gameplay just doesn't follow through, part of the reason is its excruciating difficulty, I spent 45 minutes on one level, and the only level I really enjoyed was Corusant, because you felt like you where really a bounty hunter, and I had to use cheats to get to that level.
This game could have been great, I mean come on what Star Wars fan Doesn't want to fly around as Jango Fett, collecting bounties before he gets his head cut off, the game needed many things, like difficulty settings, and being able to fly Slave 1.
The animations are very well done, but the neatness of the weapons, and the animations where not enough to keep me from returning it.

An Average Action Game...Hardly Anything More
After seeing Attack Of The Clones, the idea of a video game that might have some more background into the character Jango Fett appealed to me. Sadly, this game didn't live up to the expectations I had. Bounty Hunter is basically a cross of platforming, Star Wars and quick gunslinging thrown together into a strange result.

In the game you play Jango Fett [Of course], in the days before Episode II. Sure, Fett is able to scan crowds for bounties, swoop down on his jetpack and claim his money. Its an interesting feature, but the game's long levels are mostly a combination of tricky jumping platforming with the aid of a limited fuel jetpack. Fett is able to fly with his jetpack and utilize a wide variety of Star Wars weaponry including his trademark dual blasters, gauntlet flamethrower and toxic darts and a sniper rifle [Among others including special blaster guns that you find scattered throughout the levels].

The gunslinging atomosphere in the game is basically just flying around and shooting blaster bolts at everything in the room. Half of the time, when engaged in large firefights and using Jango's blasters, you can hardly see what is going on and end up firing bolts randomly until nothing is left in the room.

The storyline does put a little backbone and support into Jango Fett's story such as how he became to be the template for the Clone Army and how he met Count Dooku and Zam Wessel [You know, his assistant in early Episode II].

The graphics for some of the major cutscenes in the game are pretty good and detailed, though those that take place in the game are pretty poor. Plus, in several situations you find yourself sniping Tusken Raiders around Tatoonie and exit out of the first-person scope view only to find some large desert creature in the process of draining your health. This game is definetely not worth purchasing, but it may prove valuable for Star Wars fans. My reccomendation is to rent it first though. ... Read more

Features

• For 1 player
• Classic long-term strategy game
• Use combat, science and diplomacy to rule the world
• Watch out for multiple rivals developing nearby
• Includes three new maps and other special features

Reviews (9)

Fun and Addicting...sound familar??
If you liked civ 2, then civ 3 is right up your alley. All the little things that civ 2 lacked, civ 3 makes up for. The first day I bought this game I must have played for 14 hours straight its that addicting, the game actually keeps you from doing or thinking about anything else except the game... The game does not run slow at all, it runs at a speed comparable to civ2 if not a little bit faster, and the A.I. is much smarter and more challenging to contend with. If you remember Colonization and the original civilization this game has all the features you were wishing for years ago. More animation within the gameplay, not too much because that would take away from this classic strategy game, higher level of intricacy within the game engine, the game has become fully mind absorbing, you are constantly desring to improve your nation and the city improvements actually morph throughout different time periods, arial views of cities are much more appealing than we've seen before. But be warned its hard to stop playing once you start. I can't explain it, find out for yourself.

Awesome
This game was really good and that everyone who likes building armies should try it. It's only a little slow so don't let that stop you. I think that anyone who is really frustrated by the speed, probably has a problem with their computer.

Not impressed
Game of the year??This game has lots of bells and whistles (perhaps too many), but it lacks an important ingredient...fun.In many ways this game is a step backwards from Imperilism II.It follows many of the same ideas, but when it comes to battles this game is sorely lacking.One of the most interesting aspects of Imperialism was the ability to control multiple units in one battle.Here each unit simply goes one on one with another and the computer decides who wins.Additionally, the game is just too PC for its good.If you get attacked by someone else suddenly half of your cities erupt in civil unrest, making it very difficult to fight.The message seems to be that you should conquer the world by investing in the arts??

Excellent, highly addictive game with few reservations.
This is an incredibly absorbing and eerily lifelike game. When I made a deal with England knowing it was only to buy time so that I would attack them I actually felt guilty.

Some answers to the critics here... Boooring obviously never learned how to play. He should try researching and changing to a more productive form of government. Tank loses to spearmen. Actually that's rare but not unheard of in real life, too and he needs to remember that, although it's represented as a single figure each unit represents a squadron and a badly damaged squadron of tanks might well fall to a health squad of spearmen if they're smart enough to get inside their range and swarm them.

There are a lot of improvements over previous Civ's making the game worth buying. Particularly better trade, better graphics, many more diplomacy options, significant civilization style, attribute and strength differences.

Brickbats.
In many ways the port to Mac is REALLY bad carrying over all the Windows quirks and inconsistencies instead of porting it to a true Mac application e.g. writing their own dropdowns, eliminating the Mac menu and creating their own (with options missing) not using real windows, taking over the whole screen etc...

This game is so good that sooner or later you're going to want the upgrades, Conquests and Play the World and the likelyhood is that you won't be able to get them on the Mac.

Pretty Good---sort of.
Well the game is pretty cool, but there are a couple of problems i have faced:
1. the game speed is pretty slow, and i have a new computer, powerbook g4, and something like 500 MB(?) of space.

2. You cannot move your guy without holding down the 'fn' key in the lower left hand corner of the keyboard, because the game interprets the left arrow on a G4 powerbook as being a 'page up' key.What i have had to do is just use the mouse keypad for everything involving movement.

other than that, if you got a normal keyboard, the game should be cool.So definetly get this game if you have a desktop, and if you don't mind pointing and clicking, try your luck with a laptop. ... Read more

Reviews (16)

he its cool
Hey karl jorden u are right arc the lad collections is the bombardi but it did not come out for snes my cousin got this the day it cam eout and sold it when the last disk messed up on him at eb games retailersi automatically jumped to disk 2... when istarted playing mind you. but i know how are looks but it was not n snes it proves i am right go to gamespot and see its original released date, back in the day japan.. did not get mad when underpar games went on the systems i means ony did not care..but i know a lot of developers whom wanted to develope stuff for psx and ps2 when psx was almst done and ps2 is now in 2004.. i read that they said.. that they do not want no more little kid game son the system lol not like that.. i mean no more graphics like shining force.. it was a game they wanted on ps2 shingi force or to move subpar grpahic remakes to ps2 and psx in tis dying days was rejected.. iread it some where... so you can say they were invisiably fired...

but people here it is http://www.gamespot.com/finder/findgames.html

it was not on snes..rbably was going to it and got postponed for psx i guess over there theres my proof.

i ad not seen it in 3 ears this game iw a snot far in part 2 my cosin ticke dme off... heard es buyin it agian though...

cannot give it a solid like rating..

Awesome collection of strategy/RPG's...
Arc the Lad 1-3 was originally released by Sony. Arc 1 was released when the PS One first came out, in 1996/1997. About a year later, Arc 2 came out, then Arc 3 followed in 1999. The problem? They were never released out of Japan. Luckily, Working Designs, the company responsible for bringing out Lunar and Lunar 2 with great extras, has brought all 3 of these games out of Japan, with great packaging like the Lunar series.

Arc 1 is pretty short. You could finish it in about 10-15 hours (20+ if you do all the side quests), but it's still a lot of fun. Arc 2 continues the great story, and is a whole lot longer. You could spend anywhere from 50-100 hours on Arc 2. And finally, Arc 3. They took the job system from Arc 2 and made it the main part of Arc 3. Although not as serious, and more lighthearted, than the other games in the series, Arc 3 is still pretty fun. My favorite is Arc 2, then 1, and finally 3, but they all provide hours of fun and entertainment.

Also included is Arc Arena, which allows you to fight other monsters with monsters you capture in Arc 2. This was kind of fun, but I didn't really get into it.

The packaging comes with a hardcover instruction booklet (over 100 pages), a memory card holder, a "Making of Arc the Lad Collection" cd, and more. If you're a fan of strategy/rpg's, don't miss out!

Something that's fun again
I'm only about 1/2 to 2/3 done (I think)with the second game, and I already feel that I've more than got my money's worth.It's not terribly complicated, I've gotten a lot of amusement out of strange things, like looking at the bathtubs with different caracters, the game play is FUN. You don't have to be an ace player, mastering obscure button patterns, and there isn't too much conversation or graphics, JUST GAME!

Arc the Genius, sayeth the Genius...
Arc the Lad isn't a game that everyone will like because there isn't very much exploration. You don't control your character very much at all outside of battles and you have to get caught up in the dialogue in order to enjoy the story and the game. Arc the Lad's best feature is the battle system. The battle system is defiantly unique, of course there are a number of games that use a system that is similar but Arc the Lad came out before those games, it was an SNES game when it first came out in Japan mind you. As soon as I fought my first battle I loved this game and it reminded me of Shining Force, and once I met Tosh I was sold. Great start off to the series even though the last boss is extremely easy.

Arc The Lad II is better than Arc the Lad, and yes I have beaten it (for that reviewer who claimed not very many people have beaten it). The spells look better than Arc the Lad and you get to capture monsters and have them join your team. A complaint I have about the monsters is they cannot equip armor and so cannot keep up with your human party members. But with monster Arena you can fight with your friends (assuming you don't spend all your time on Amazon and do have friends) with your monster and so still keeping them up on levels is pretty important. This game is tougher than the first, it has more puzzles and tougher enemies plus the level you can level up to is insane (I have no idea what the max is but it is over 150). This game introduces the Hunter's Guild to Arc the Lad lovers where you take up jobs and go after wanted monsters all for money. Most of the cast from Arc the Lad joins up with your party and you can fight with them, if you've beaten Arc the Lad you can use convert and your characters from Arc the Lad will be at the same level with the same weapons you last left them at. The transition between games is extremely smooth thumbs up to this game! Sometimes the battles do get annoying but bare with it man... it's a good game, now shut your complaining.

I must admit I haven't beaten Arc the Lad III , so I think I'm entitled to my opinion about this one. Man I love the character Lutz but everyone is so mean to him, Alec (the hero) is suppose to be his best friend and yet he joins the others in picking on him they should realize that Lutz kicks all their [butts] and they should shut up cause he's the best character... Ahhh that felt sooo good Ok. enough about my Lutz raving. The game is better than the other ones. You meet a lot of the cast from the first and second game but it's rare for you to fight along side them, none of them join your party. But that's ok cause you fight with Tosh for a while (he's not at the same level I left him on GRRRRRRR) The plot revolves more around the Hunter's Guild than the second one and you're introduced to other Guilds.... Not sure if I like the other guilds or not I rarely use them but hey if you like that type of thing I guess. The magic looks good and now instead of capturing monsters you turn them into cards where they'll do one move and disappear, hey I'm not complaining I think it looks pretty cool myself. Anyways this game is awesome with the awesome battle system all the Arc the Lads have... So great stuff here... Did I mention Lutz is awesome?

Overall Arc the Lad satisfied me especially its battle system. The Arc the Lad series (though I haven't played the fourth one) flows together better than any video game series I've ever played.

Hmmm, overated, and not joking
Alright this review is going to reveal the truth about arc the lad. No there isn't any spoilers, but I will spill out the real details.

Arc the Lad 1: Great game. Really short. But really fun, after you play it once it isn't as great, but still I loved the battles and the 2d graphics worked great.

Arc the Lad 2: Ok its got alot more in it. You can change your weapons, more spells, tons of characters, monsters to control, yet sadly fails. The reason being? Noone actually plays to the end. Most of these people reviewing probably haven't gotten to the second half of the game. The first part is great. Then the battles start to get more frequent. The third part is enormously filled with meaningless battles, one after another. Then we reach the final areas. Tons of battles in which the reward is a new plot twist, you now must go to some random town and enter a doom tower filled with 30 levels of battling fun! Ok so you beat the tower, then split up in some ice area, 2 groups, thousands of battles. So you reach the final dungeon(s). Ok you walk up some stone blocks... now your going to HAVE to fight 5 consecutive battles in a row. Then go into this place and search for like 5 switches or something, it wasn't clear. I fought 4 battles going into a house and coming out, then realized there was nothing in there. I walked up to it, entered battle, went inside and battled, entered a room to find nothing, left the room and battled, went outside and battled. In these battles you are outnumbered. You just use your magic and take them down in about 3 hits. The magic starts to get real annoying after you see it thousands of times. Ok so you find the switches, guess what, you have to go into this creepy lair and fight some bosses, great. Overall the game really slumps. Most of the reviews here just say that arc the lad 2 has more then arc the lad 1 and is better. Sure arc the lad 2 starts great, but I am WARNING you, you will probably just stop caring by the end.

Arc the Lad 3: I got to the final dungeon and quit in arc the lad 2, then arc the lad 3 was popped in. I did not load my data because, well, I never finished arc2 to the dead end. So you basically are a hunter. The Cast seems dry compared to the original. Still the 3d seems appropriate, because most games are 3d now. It isn't better then what you can find anywhere else. Just go play a game like final fantasy 7 or legend of dragoon and you will be more satisfied. But arc the lad 3 seems kind of a blend of arc1 and arc2, with some today standards thrown in.

Arc the Lad Monster Arena: Pointless, you load in some monsters from arc the lad 2. I used a monster throught the whole game in arc2, yet the monster was still 10 levels behind all my other characters. Monsters are pointless, you have like 30 different good characters to choose from. This game just has some battles, and buying of stuff. Don't worry about it.

Extra: The book is kinda cool, considering its hardback. The little stand things are not really needed. The memory card holder will probably never be used. But the analog covers seems kinda okay, but feel weird. The making of the games is not really a blast either, its just showing you how they do stuff that you will never be able to do.

Overall the games are not that satisfying. If arc1 was released alone for like 15 dollars I would get it. But it is really short. So do not spend your money on this product. Borrow it from a friend, play arc1, then return it. ... Read more

Amazon.com

If you're still suffering the lingering effects of Pac-Man fever, you'llbe excited to hear that Namco's Pac-Man Collection repackages theinfectious original with three other Pac-Man-themed games in a new anthology forthe Game Boy Advance.

Pac-Man Collection contains the original Pac-Man, plusPac-Attack, PacMania 3D, and the never-before-seen-out-of-the-arcadePac-Man Arrangement game. Pac-Man plays like you remember, andlike Namco Museums's picture perfect re-creation of Ms. Pac-Man,it features spot-on control, graphics, cartoon cutscenes, sound effects, and,best of all, music from the coin-op (who can forget that opening theme?). Assuch, it's easily the best of this collection.

PacMania 3D is basically a 3-D version of the original, and is just aboutas uninspired now as when it came out. Pac-Attack is a cool variation onsuch puzzlers as Tetris and Columns, and as such it's perfect forhandheld gaming. Pac-Man Arrangement is an odd little game that playsmuch like the original but adds weird power-ups that, for example, make yougigantic.

Because Pac-Man Collection is a perfectly emulated package, there isn'tmuch to gripe about, save that Ms. Pac-Man is a far, far better game thanthe original, and you'll have to shell out more money if you want that one. Butfor retro gamers on the go who also want to track down ghosts and eat powerpills, this package is sure to sate your hunger. --Andrew S. Bub

Pros:

• Perfect graphics and sound
• Perfect controls
• Pac-Attack is a fun Tetris variant

• It's missing the best Pac game, Ms. Pac-Man
• Pac-Man Arrangement and PacMania 3D aren't really great games

Features

• Platform: Game Boy Advance
• ESRB Rating: Everyone
• Genre: Strategy

Reviews (49)

WARNING:DO NOT PLAY THIS GAME!
OH MY GOSH..THIS IS THE WORST GAME IN GAMEBOY GAME HISTORY!
BE AWARE!

baddddddddddddddd
its bad , dont get it, pac-man arangement is retarted and so is pac-mania, pac-attack is fun until after awhile it gets boring dont get it it a waste of money.

Pac-Man Collection
THIS IS IT , Like the Monkey on Donkey Kong Country 2 is on the LOOSE , The pellit chomping Smiley is back in 4 of his greatest adventures. He chomped his way into everyone`s heart for many years, and now " HE`S BACK " This game is worth the price and is loads of FUN, So everyone ENJOY.....EngineMan Eric

Great collection!
It's a nice collection of Pac-Man, Pac-Man Arrangement, Pac-Mania, and Pac-Attack. I'm STILL trying to beat the original! Pac-Attack, 100 stages, gotten through about 30. I already beat Pac-Man Arrangement and Pac-Mania. The easiest was Pac-Man Arrangement, then Pac-Mania(could've been easiest if it wasn't for that 3rd level!!! Levels 1, 2, and 4 are easy though), then Pac-Man, then Pac-Attack.

If you don't have a GBA or DS, GameCube and Xbox has Namco Museum. Pac-Man and Pac-Man Arrangement are there. Pac-Attack is unlockable by getting 25000 points on Pac-Man. Pac-Mania, 20000 points on Ms. Pac-Man. Remember to save it!

Pac Man Fever
I grew up in the 80s playing Atari and arcade games.So when I purchased my new Gameboy Advance SP, I immediately wanted to buy Pac-Man.I definitely was not disappointed.The cartridge contains 4 different games.The basic Pac-Man game is a good replica of the arcade version, replete with Blinky, Pinky, Inky, and Clyde.It can be played in full-screen or scroll version.The full-screen version is a bit small, but I find the scroll version difficult to play as you cannot see what the characters are doing on other parts of the board.

PacMania 3D and Pac-Man Arrangement are variations on the classic Pac-Man.Pac-Man Arrangement is my least favorite of the 4 games.Although the board is colorful, the floating dots add nothing.I also find it somewhat confusing, and it's difficult to control.PacMania 3D is enjoyable and includes several 3D worlds.You can make your Pac-man jump, and the ghosts have great menacing glares.

However, Pac-Attack is definitely my favorite game here - a brilliant variation on Tetris.Like Tetris, the falling blocks must be arranged.Some of the blocks contain ghosts and some contain a Pac-Man, and the goal is to arrange the ghosts so that you can eat them.It's pretty addicting.Overall, I'm really enjoying this collection.Most highly recommended.
... Read more

Product Description

You're Jak, a quiet hero in the making. Jak and sidekick Daxter are playing on Misty Island a wee bit close to a pit of Dark Eco. Daxter falls in and crawls out looking like a fused otter and weasel. The two visit the village's local wise man, the Green Sage, to transform him back. But the Magical Ports from one island to the other have shut down, and the only way to reach the more knowledgeable wise men that could help him is to embark on an adventure, of course. In every region there is a strange conspiracy around the concept of Eco that adds another layer to the game. Dark Eco is deadly, or at the very least, mystical and strange. Jak and Daxter's world is filled with all kinds of the mysterious element known as Eco. Green Eco gives life, and it's contained in chests and containers all across the many environments the pair encounters. Blue Eco provides energy, speed and opens doors, and Red and Yellow Eco provide energy and the ability to cast fireballs, too. Races, a collection of minigames, enemy chases and timed events are all part of the gameplay. ... Read more

Features

• Platform: PlayStation 2
• ESRB Rating: Everyone
• Genre: Action/Adventure

Reviews (289)

jak and daxter
that was a good game but please go back to makeing crash games.

Pretty good...
Ok, I thought this game was pretty good. But hey, I was only eight when I got it. I've seen alot of people saying it stinks. Most of these people are allowed to Ratchet and Clank. I've never played it. I'll put it in specific terms: if you aren't allowed to play alot of T games, this game rocks.
Pros: Awesome graphics
Cons: Too short

Boredom beyond our deepest nightmares...
...also known as Jak & Daxter: The Precursor Legasy. This game is all about running around a silly free roaming 3D world while beating up repeative enemies you have seen 15646 billion times earlier and collecting tons of crap. I got this game a loooooong time ago. It was fun at first, but then came the titles that could exterminate this game: Ratchet & Clank, Ratchet2, Ratchet3, Jak II, Jak3, Sly Cooper, Sly2, The Urbz, Sonic Heroes... the list is long. Now lets talk about the game's features:

Pros.
Okay graphics.
Cool scenery.
Free-roaming action adventure.

Cons.
Crap voices.
Insanely boring missions.
Veeeryy repeative combat.
Only 3, count them THREE bosses!!!
Soon gets annoying and frustrating.
Sooooo easy.
Very short.
Zilch replay value.
Jak is a MUTE!
Doesnt even compare to Crash Bandicoot.
Stupid music.
Almost every mission involves some Eco boredom.
Zoomer missions are frustrating.

Now see: 3 pros and... about... 13 cons.
That means this game is just a smelly good-for-nothing excuse of an game. I dont play this game anymore, it just collects dust while I entertain myself with REAL titles. They are too many to count so I wont count them.

Graphics: 6.5
Sound: 3.0
Gameplay: 4.7
Replay Value: 1.5
Fun: 2.0
Overall: 1.0

Final Verdict:
THIS GAME SUCKS!
Avoid it, run away from it, stay away from it, whatever, just do not, I repeat: DO NOT BUY IT!!!

all about jak an daxter
I praise the good lord that I only rented this game for 7 nights. To be honest it didn't 4 nights. The game is toooo easy and simple. On top of that it is tooooo short. However it was fun for the short 4 nights that I had it. Naughty dog used to the good games like Crash Team Racing and Crash 2 my favorite out of the first three. But this junk errr game or game wanabee is just the example of how good companies can screw up BIG time. The one time I about it is the hoverbike but that is about it. So go out and get a real game like Spyro the dragon:Year of the Dragon which should be cheaper and better than this junk.

Boring
This.. game... STUNK!!!!!!!! Do not play. The storyline is absolutely stupid. The missions arent even fun. Just dont play it. It's just a waste of time and money. ... Read more

Product Description

New Characters:Assassin -- The Order of Mage Slayers was formed after the Vizjerei survived the tragedy brought on by Bartuc and Horazon. Their purpose was to watch for rogue magi that may become corrupted by the forces of Evil. To be effective at this task they were trained in abilities that were not conducive to Demonic corruption. Living as rumor and myth to the general population, even other magi knew very little about this mysterious order. Their reputation was shrouded in mystery and t ... Read more

Features

• Two new character classes (the Assassin and the Druid) each with 30 unique skills/spells
• One new Act set in the Barbarian Highlands
• Many new monster types, including bosses and uniques
• Interactive environments such as siege towers and fortified battlements

Reviews (267)

Lady Gamer's Review
In D2 LoD, you are following the path of Baal, the Lord of Destruction. He has ventured into the Barbarian highlands to find the Worldstone, the source of the Soulstones. The town you play in is Harrogath, NPC's include Malah the healer, Larzuk the armorer, Nilathak the Elder,(he's also a Necromancer, you'll see how in the fifth quest), Cain, who accompanies you through all the acts, and Anya, the Elder Aust's daughter. Two new characters are available, the Assassin and the Druid. Assassin skills feature lightning, fire, and blade Traps, Shadow Disciplines, and Martial Arts. An all new set of weapons was created- claws, of which she can hold one in each hand. This includes katars, blade talons, cestus', and scissors suwayyah. The Druid features elemental skills, like Hurricane and Armageddon, he can summon spirits like wolves and vines, and he can shape shift into a Werewolf or Werebear. He has a unique helm set of Sky Spirits, Antlers, and Wolf Heads. Of course, there are six new quests, and various monsters such as Minotaur demons, Sucubbi, and Enslaved. New "little" things include jewels, runes, expanded stash, and class-specific items. This is the game that completes the Trilogy.

game rocks like doom 3 and half-life 2
this game rocks. its better on the online and its not a waste of money. i got good chars with high lvl weapons and kicking sets. online is never boring and some people can be total dicks or friends. the only problem is that it doesnt let us use our spells and skills in town. :)

buy this game along with doom 3 and half-life 2. these games are great and worth money. i dont like to say this and start rumors but they are makeing a half life 3 and expansion for half life 2 and if u heard already this well dont bitch and if u think this game sucks go play hacky sack or that totaly gay halo 2.

so peace out.

Fun & Challenging, but Baal-runs ruins it.
Diablo 1 was fun and addicting. However, with duping (the ability to duplicate any item in-game), everything got just way too easy. You could beat Diablo without much of a thought as everybody had the most powerful of weapons.

Diablo II was much more challenging as that bug has been resolved. The graphics were improved and the ability to learn only a certain number of skills added a real strategic portion to the game.

The only bad thing that Blizzard should have resolved is what is known as a Baal run.Baal is a new character in the expansion.He throws four groups of minions at you to defeat and you end up getting a lot of experience.If you don't kill Baal, you can do this over and over and over again racking up a lot of experience points.Unfortunately, this makes leveling up and advancing waaaay to easy and took the challenge out of the game.Now the only challenging thing is getting to Baal.So if you are playing online on Battle.Net, you are playing against characters who did Baal runs for a couple of hours and are now more buff than imaginable.Blizzard should have fixed this a long time ago.

After playing for several years, I think I'm going to "graduate" to World of Warcraft (also by Blizzard) which I've noticed is quite similar in many ways. But I'm sure I will return to the world of Diablo quite often as there are still a few challenges left to conquer.

I play this everyday, im an expert
I play this game all the time, im one of the godliest people on US East Hardcore.So much fund dueling and trading other ppl.I enjoy the social aspect of this game and the player vs player a lot, loads of fun to scam people too.

HOOKED ON THIS GAME
I am absolutely addicted to this wonderful game...My honey introduced me to it and ever since then I have been playing it...What makes it so great,for me, is that you can have a female character: Amazon, Assassin, or sorceress.I love all of them.I've been every character and they are all equally challenging in different ways.I also think, what makes this so addictive, is finding better and better weapons, jewels, gems, armor, etc...there are all kinds of magical items...and the skills you can develop are pretty variable.I have tried Amazons that shoot cold arrows that freeze monsters so you can kill them easily, and I have also tried amazons with spears that have lightening properties....If you havent tried this game and are thinking of it...go for it.You won't regret it.The only thingI regret is that they have'nt come out with more diablo. ... Read more

Editorial Review

The game that launched the Nintendo 64 system stands the test of time as one of the first andbest exploratory action/adventure games. Guide the legendary plumber through an incredibly vast magicalworld with never-before-seen movement and camera-angle freedom. Mario's got the moves with graduatedspeeds of running and walking, jumps, super jumps, bounce attacks, swimming, and more. The more youplay, the more moves you'll discover.

This industry milestone game lets gamers play at their own pace, encouraging them to explore new nooksand crannies of its many levels with a Zen-like approach where the journey is as important as the goal.Other N64 games such as Zelda, Banjo-Kazooie, and Donkey Kong 64 all owemuch of their inspiration to this gem of a game. A showcase for the system's graphics and processing speedcapabilities, Super Mario 64 is a must-have for any N64 owner. --Jeff Young

Pros:

• Huge world makes for enduring game experience
• Plenty of room for replay
• State-of-the-art graphics for its time
• Imaginative levels keep you guessing, and helpful characters act as an in-game tutorial

• First-generation game doesn't feature as much texture or detail in graphics

Features

• Restore peace in the Mushroom Castle
• Enter paintings that lead to a variety of words
• Retrieve power stars
• Battle a variety of enemies
• For 1 player

Reviews (227)

Super Mario 64
This is the greatest game of all time!This game is very challenging and it has great graphics!This Game has tons of levels,secret levels,and secret passages!Plus It has a boss for almost every level!This is the 4th game I ever bought. bought it in 1999.What makes the game unique is that it takes a long time to comlpete.You have to collect 120 stars and beat Bowser 3 times!I've had this game for 6 years and it's still my fanorate!Buy this game it would be a shame not to.Especially since it has great 3-D graphics

one of da best videogames of all time 4 nintendo
this was my second game i brought after buying blast corps which was my first game Super Mario 64 was a game made from heaven da graphics are off da scale with mario look some real u would want 2 eat him and ask 4 seconds please and da music has some remix from da earlier mario days during da original nintendo game system da levels are simple 2 hard not really that hard if you work hard 2 have fun you won't be disappointed at da very end of da end when you get 120 stars not 70 stars you get 2 c mario's green friend not yoda yoshi who looks uglier than mario party but it is a pleasure 2 see him but sadly u can't ride on top of him like da earlier days he is there 2 run his mouth 4 a couple of mins if u read his messages and give u some extra moves 4 mario 2 use and 100 marios so mario can have more lives than cats because some of the levels in the game allow mario 2 fail continously and after yoshi does that he leaves after yoshi leaves and goes 2 da waterfall u can now fly outside da castle as much as you like u can even stay on top of da castle as long as u like but beware if u jump 2 many times on top of da castle da u will go a dark room nside peach castle which will allow u 2 have no other choice but 2 restart da game so use mario new moves from yoshi wisely now when you finish da first half of da game which is having 70 stars you get 2 c mario's ugly girlfriend peach but u need 2 beat da hard browser on da final showdown on da very top of peach's castle n da videogame when u beat browser he will turn into a big bright star that big star is full of all da stars you have capture n da previous levels and then you wil turn into supermario man this is my favorite part of da game mario use his cap with wings and flies like superman but he is da fatter version of superman and is missing yellow on his clothes but da yellow is da star so u can say he is da next superman (tip of making mario da fatter version of superman put him next 2 a yellow star with his cap with wings on his head take a picture and you will c what i am talking about when mario looks just like superman)anyway after mario grabs his wing cap and puts it on top of his head he will fly right down 2 peach and they will renite but only 4 a limited time because u don't want peach with mario every step of da rest of da game u would eventually get so upset u would want 2 kill peach instead of da other enemies like browser oh yeah n da middle levels of da game n da basement of peach castle n da room where u c a liquid painting i love da level because mario can transform n2 like a power ranger like character (or like da characters from dual heroes if u ever played da game u understand what i am talking about) he looks cooler n liquid suit plus he can breathe underwater but his fat weight and da liquid suit keeps him from floating above da water but it is still very cool 2 c i no most people including myself don't enjoy fail but mario makes failiing fun he really does because if u fail from high places mario will scream (like a r2 from star wars three o like a girl u pick which 1 makes u laugh more) all da way until he hits da bottom somethings he will hit head while he is still scream and you will c yellow stars not da stars that mario captures but da yellow stars da give cartoon characters a head aches and when u finish da game and have nothing else 2 do and it is late at night during da weekends play mario and put him n volcano levels da have 120 stars and with 100 lives 2 c him fail l00 times and record it on tape 2 make u own cartoon of mario making a fool out of himself u can call it 100 ways of kill super mario but all jokes aside this is a great videogame and will be enjoy especially 4 people who r big super mario fans like myself

one of da best videogames of all time 4 nintendo
this was my second game i brought after buying blast corps which was my first game Super Mario 64 was a game made from heaven da graphics are off da scale with mario look some real u would want 2 eat him and ask 4 seconds please and da music has some remix from da earlier mario days during da original nintendo game system da levels are simple 2 hard not really that hard if you work hard 2 have fun you won't be disappointed at da very end of da end when you get 120 stars not 70 stars you get 2 c mario's green friend not yoda yoshi who looks uglier than mario party but it is a pleasure 2 see him but sadly u can't ride on top of him like da earlier days he is there 2 run his mouth 4 a couple of mins if u read his messages and give u some extra moves 4 mario 2 use and 100 marios so mario can have more lives than cats because some of the levels in the game allow mario 2 fail continously and after yoshi does that he leaves after yoshi leaves and goes 2 da waterfall u can now fly outside da castle as much as you like u can even stay on top of da castle as long as u like but beware if u jump 2 many times on top of da castle da u will go a dark room nside peach castle which will allow u 2 have no other choice but 2 restart da game so use mario new moves from yoshi wisely now when you finish da first half of da game which is having 70 stars you get 2 c mario's ugly girlfriend peach but u need 2 beat da hard browser on da final showdown on da very top of peach's castle n da videogame when u beat browser he will turn into a big bright star that big star is full of all da stars you have capture n da previous levels and then you wil turn into supermario man this is my favorite part of da game mario use his cap with wings and flies like superman but he is da fatter version of superman and is missing yellow on his clothes but da yellow is da star so u can say he is da next superman it is like u r watching da next God after defeating da devil n da videogame(tip of making mario da fatter version of superman put him next 2 a yellow star with his cap with wings on his head take a picture and you will c what i am talking about when mario looks just like superman)anyway after mario grabs his wing cap and puts it on top of his head he will fly right down 2 peach and they will renite but only 4 a limited time because u don't want peach with mario every step of da rest of da game u would eventually get so upset u would want 2 kill peach instead of da other enemies like browser oh yeah n da middle levels of da game n da basement of peach castle n da room where u c a liquid painting i love da level because mario can transform n2 like a power ranger like character (or like da characters from dual heroes if u ever played da game u understand what i am talking about) he looks cooler n liquid suit plus he can breathe underwater but his fat weight and da liquid suit keeps him from floating above da water but it is still very cool 2 c i no most people including myself don't enjoy fail but mario makes failiing fun he really does because if u fail from high places mario will scream (like a r2 from star wars three o like a girl u pick which 1 makes u laugh more) all da way until he hits da bottom somethings he will hit head while he is still scream and you will c yellow stars not da stars that mario captures but da yellow stars da give cartoon characters a head aches and when u finish da game and have nothing else 2 do and it is late at night during da weekends play mario and put him n volcano levels da have 120 stars and with 100 lives 2 c him fail l00 times and record it on tape 2 make u own cartoon of mario making a fool out of himself u can call it 100 ways of kill super mario but all jokes aside this is a great videogame and will be enjoy especially 4 people who r big super mario fans like myself

Excellent,but
Okay,the game is very addicting. The sound,graphics,gameplay is all great! But I discoverd something else funer. Super Mario 64 DS. That game is way better. This game is good but that game is something you can't keep your eyes off. Remember when you finish the game and eyerything to do and ther'es nothing left to do, well this DS game has mini games. They are very addicting and fun! You can draw on this as well. The adventure mode takes longer folks. You can play as Yoshi,Luigi,Mario Wario. In The beginning of Super Mario 64,you could just walk in. But thwe DS version is different. You have to collect a rabbit to get in. There is more room's in this castle too with more levels. Instead of collecting 120 stars. You have to collect 150. If you don't have enogh money for a DS and the game but have a N64,dust off the original and have some fun. Or go out and buy your DS and game. Get whatever. You have to play this though. If you don't think I'm right,then you will be sorry.

Best Mario game in the series!
This is the best Mario game I have ever played! One of my favorite levels in the game is the flying sky level. If you like Mario and you never played this game,play IT!! ... Read more

Amazon.com Review

Train Simulator takes the obsessive realism ofMicrosoft's best-of-breed Flight Simulator games down to earth. Sixreal-world rail lines are included from throughout history, includingthe Flying Scotsman line of 1920s England and the modern OdakyuElectric Rail commuter line in Tokyo. Attendees at the National ModelRailroad Association's August 2000 convention marveled at the game'spainstaking attention to detail. But this game is not a model railroadgame; it simulates the real thing. The game's developers traveledacross the world with cameras and microphones in order to authenticallycapture the trains in their natural habitats. Train Simulatorlets you experience the world's greatest trains in all their glory.

Train aficionados can drive the train, run the rail yard, or dive inwith the terrain editor and create the rail lines of their dreams. Oryou can just sit back, relax, and admire the beautiful scenery anddreamy click-clack of the tracks. --Andrew S. Bub ... Read more

Reviews (143)

Great game for train lovers!
If your a train lover you will probally like it alot! IT allows you to be right up with the controls of many locomotives, it has superb graphics and great sound. If you are looking for realism this is the game for you. The sounds of the trains are exact and there is doppler effect. For those who don't know how to drive a train there is tutorials that teach you how to operate steam, electric and diesel locomotives. If you don't feel like driving you can take a train ride and be the passenger. The scenery is fantastic it looks just like it would in real life. The passenger trains are very fun to drive, beacause you on a tight shcedule and there are many hazards along the way such as animals on the track, wheather, damaged track, broken signals and more. It also provides the challenge of freight trains. Also there are hundreds of downloads and add-ons for it! So if you like trains and realism I highly recomend this game.

Bad, bad, bad
Unless you need something to put you to sleep, you can skip this one.Given, It was originally published in 2001, so the graphics could be much better, but in the end this is just a very boring game.Essentially, you get to drive a range of different trains, but there is none of the strategy you find in something like Rail Road Tycoon.

Great fun
I purchased this game a couple of years ago, after the initial release. For one reason or another, I ended up getting rid of it. But I just had to re-purchase this game. It was a little cheaper this time around, considering the game has been out some time already.

My decision to purchase this game, twice, should reflect how much I enjoyed this game.

I personally like to play a "free" activity, and my favorite is to take the steam engine on the Northeast Corridore tracks. When driving any of the trains, play with full manual controls for the best effect.

The steam engine has a slightly steep learning curve, but it's definately worth it. Twisting the valves, opening the firebox, shovling coal, all these things (when done manually) can lend a great sense of realism to the game. To the point where I can imagine myself sweaty and grimy, sailing ~60mph trying to keep this infernal contraption from derailing! And yes, make sure you turn derailments ON, and switch to an external view as you realize, with horror, that you just cannot make that curve...

Superb Experience-Gotta love Trains
I totally agree with the Customer from Idaho and others - it really gives you a real life experience, and can bean"addictive" experience
I run it on Windows 2000 and have no problems of downloading and crashing.I hesitate to say but have the impression Windows XP doesn't have enough "steam" for it.Also you need a good graphics/video card.My real joy is driving the steam trains - Deisels don't have the same degree of difficulty - !!!! Ever slid back down a steep gradeor gone nowhere with a Deisel.

Train Sim.
I really enjoyed this game. When i first bought it i had a little problem installing it but that was on behalf of my computer. The game is very realistic, it clears your mind, and helps relax you. There are some challenging parts but what game is fun when you can beat it in the first hour you play it. I gave this game 5 stars because i really like the softwear Microsoft makes. So if anyone is interested in Trains then this is one of the best games on the market money can buy, and not to mention this game is cheap. ... Read more

Product Description

Since the Beginning of Time the forces of Order and Chaos have been engaged in an eternal struggle to decide the fate of all Creation. That struggle has now come to the Mortal Realm... And neither Man, Demon, nor Angel will be left unscathed.Diablo, Lord of Terror, and youngest of the Three Prime Evils, awoke from his long sleep beneath the dark earth. Setting in motion a grand scheme to free his exiled brothers, Mephisto and ... Read more

Features

• Five all-new character classes with unique attributes and abilities.
• Four different, fully populated towns complete with wilderness areas.
• Multiple dungeons, caverns and crypts in every town for players to explore.
• Expanded world filled with all-new quests, weapons, spells, armor, monsters and non-player characters.

Reviews (533)

Best of the Genre
Diablo II is a helluva lotta fun.I'm not so much a single player person, but a multiplayer person.The gameplay is well thought-out and engaging.The plot is corny, but, then again, this is an RPG.

The graphics are kinda mediocre, but the gameplay makes up for it.The expansion is a must.Playing online is incredibly addictive, which I don't like, but I get a kick out of it.What makes this game is the interaction in multiplayer.

(...) is easy to use.They catch a fair few cheaters.

My main complaint is that there are many lamers.There is a group of people that buys duplicated items of the internet at like 10 dollars a piece.This is what I don't like.There are other people that hack accounts and steal characters and equipment, and that is just lame.Thankfully, this has not happened to me, although my brother got hacked a long time ago.

Even so, the fact that your account might get hijacked just adds to the reality that it is, after all, just a game.

___________________________________________________________________________________________

The single player is a lot like the multiplayer.It is a good way to learn how to start out independently.In fact, the multiplayer is like single player, but just with more people.(surprise)

There aren't many glitches, and there is skill involved, up to a point.

Buy this game.It's worth your money.So is the expansion.

Great game!
Diablo 1 players. Yes, I know you have suffered, but Diablo 2 fixed all their problems and this game is 700 times better! Get it!

Learned some lessons from DIABLO, but quests more restricted
DIABLO 2 can be summarized as "like DIABLO, but more so." DIABLO 2 has more locales, more varied scenery, more (and more elaborate) AIs, more control over developing your character's skills, more types of characters to play, better play balance, and so on.

Like the original, DIABLO 2's settings are (mostly) randomly generated, so that with the exception of some set-piece areas (like the Skeleton King's lair in the original), no two games follow exactly the same map. DIABLO 2 has four acts covering 5 locales (including Tristram, the setting of DIABLO). Each act has very different climate/geography and monsters differing accordingly.

You're following the trail of the Wanderer (the hero of the first game) as he locates the other Prime Evils, Diablo's brothers, before leading you into Hell and the final confrontation with Diablo himself. The settings in general have much greater variety and eye candy, and include outdoor segments as well as dungeon crawls.

Act I is a generic-Europe setting, with a lesser-demon Level Boss rather than a Prime Evil. Act I most closely resembles the earlier stages of the original DIABLO, and contains references back to the original, as the player's task is to help the Sisters of the Sightless Eye. (The Rogue from DIABLO was a member of the order; your closest-equivalent player character in DIABLO 2 is the Amazon, who has a different backstory.)

Act II is a desert scenario, with a sort of Egyptian flavor to the tombs, and a different, more formidable type of undead. Act III, by contrast, is a rainforest, emphasis on poisonous insects, water monsters, and fast-moving little AIs with blowpipe attacks. Act IV's revamped version of Hell is much more larger and elaborate than that in the original, with an assortment of demons and new attacks. The succubae weren't retained, but as a tradeoff Act I has hordes of renegade Rogues.

Many of the AIs have been revamped to make them tougher and to give them more distinctive appearances. While the distinct colour schemes were retained, the details are more elaborate and they're tougher opponents. The carver-type AIs now include shamans, who in addition to their own magical attacks can raise the fallen. Animated skeletons on higher difficulty levels may now have mages as well as archers with them.

That's one of the biggest changes from the original. Monsters not only regenerate after you've cleaned out a level (even lesser "unique" monsters, though not Level Bosses that have to be killed to end an Act), but many monster types can raise the dead or harvest energy from corpses. There are also delayed-action attacks, as poisons and antidotes have been added.

Other changes from original:
- Multiplayer and single player now use the same limited set of quests, rather than single player having a random selection of a larger set of quests.
- Play balance on character abilities now includes active and passive skills, differing by character type. Not just any character can learn spells.
- In addition to mana and life, player has stamina. While you don't have to eat or sleep as in, e.g. DARKSTONE, you either have to pace your character, stock up on stamina potions, or be content to move slowly.
- In addition to Town Portal spells, each Act contains a set of fixed waypoints, and the player can return to earlier Acts if desired.
- Towns are more elaborate. Apothecaries selling potions are now separate from magic sellers, and at least one NPC per Act can "gamble" with you. You can hire and equip NPCs who will follow you and fight what you fight. If they're with you, your experience points are divided with them, but they level up and become more formidable over time.

Some lessons learned by the designers:
- Local smiths can upgrade weapons, e.g. installing runes or gems in them. Partway through Act II, a quest item allows you to combine multiple gems of the same type to get a single gem of a better grade, so strategy is a factor.
- In town/camp you have a chest in addition to the inventory on your character's person. Items in the chest are safe, but if you're killed and resurrected, anything you were carrying has to be retrieved from the body. Since you're fined a large amount of your total gold when you're resurrected, you're motivated to scavenge your own body anyway just to get some of it back.
- Partway through Act I, you revisit Tristram and rescue Deckard Cain, who now has enough gratitude to identify items for free instead of gouging you.
- Some unique items now come in sets (e.g. helmet, breastplate, gauntlets) that are stronger together than apart, and mostly effective for specific character types (e.g. bonuses apply only to a paladin). Strategy comes into play: is it worth saving an item in the hopes of acquiring the rest of the set?

In summary: the thing I miss most from the original is the randomized quest mix on single player. The active/passive skill system is interesting enough to make up for restricting the player's ability to create super-powerful spell-casting Rogues and the like.

As in the original, even in single-player a game can't be saved in multiple states; you can only have multiple characters working through different scenarios. In multi-player, items can be transferred between characters by drop-and-switch, but that's about it.

nothing tops this
there have been many trys by different developers to copy the play style of diablo 2.they are no doubt good but they are NOT diablo 2.diablo 2 has the best story, fun factor, sound, cinematics, addictiveness and replayability.i stopped playing this a long time ago because i was hooked on starcraft but i am going to start a new character tonight just to see how fun this game is again.my previous barbarian only got up to lvl 46.i've been playin WoW and have a lvl 60 alliance human paladin but there is not nearly as much loot as there is in diablo 2, thus making many characters look the same.(to the post below- all mmorpgs require a fee to play...its what basically gets them paid to make updates, fix the servers, etc.)cant wait to start diablo 2 again!

Another increible Blizzard's production
Lord Of Terror
When Diablo came out almost 4 years ago, it was the surprise hit of the 1997. One day there wasn't Diablo, the next it was on store shelves, and the day after North American productivity plummeted 25%. Although Blizzard liked to classify it as a RPG, it wasn't really one. More like an action-RPG, since so much of the game relied on reflex and mouse-clicking. The story development was slim and roleplaying aspects non-existent. Yet the simple, addictive gameplay hooked us all and had us begging for more.

After years of development, a few promises, a few leaked features and dozens of delays - Diablo II is here. The Second Coming of Hell and another dip in all IT stocks came to my desk less than a week ago, and grudgingly I accepted the job of reviewing the game.

For those of you who've been in a timewarp the past 5 years and never heard of Diablo or Diablo II, let me give you a brief rundown on both.


Diablo
Diablo was a game where you played a hero of one of three character classes - Warrior, Sorcerer or Rogue. This hero operated out of a small town called Tristram, underneath which Hell itself was opening up. At first simply trying to clear the local corrupted Cathedral of vermin infestation, the hero soon discovers that something much more sinister is afoot. Hence you keep going deeper and deeper through the game until you discover that none other than the Lord of Terror himself - Diablo - is at the root of all the problems. You see, he, along with his two other brothers - form the Three Prime Evils. They got banished from Hell by lesser evils and then rampaged around the world until they were captured in soulstones given to mortals by the angel Tyrael.

Through 4 different dungeons having 4 levels each you fought, died, and recovered your own corpse. You'd restart the game when it got too hard to gain xp in easier areas, and go back in again. It was all about getting to the next level, getting the next spell, getting the next better weapon or armor. It was simple to the point of being idiotic. Click the mouse to move somewhere, then click-click-click-click-click at some monster until it dies, and move on to kill more. That's an over-simplified description, of course - but the point is that Diablo was extremely addictive.
... Read more

Product Description

In an interesting mix of side-scrolling action and role-playing games, Valkyrie Profile will have you scouring the ranks of the dead in search of suitable warriors for Odin, the Norse god of gods.But before these dearly departed can be entered into Odin'seinherjar, or heavenly army, you've got to train them in the right battle skills. ... Read more

Reviews (37)

PERFECT....
Is she not perfection... this game was amazing. GREAT STORY, good game play, interesting combo attack system. Maybe the most enjoyable game I have ever played.Several endings based on how and when you do events. Very expensive now but if your up to spending for these overpriced playstation games this is the one to get.

Love the ending
I just completed this game, I played it twice because ending B left me longing for more so I tried for the A ending, and wow I'm surprised, so much drama I loved it. Hoping for a sequel, if you read the reviews on this site you will notice how different this game is, I wish I would have bought this game when it came out in 2000, it's 2005 now, I truly regret not buying it, this game is amazing, so amazing I rank it up there in my list 1.Xenogears 2.Final Fantasy Tactics(tie)Valkyrie Profile 3.Chrono Cross. If your tired of the same boring stuff like the Final Fantasy Series I suggest you get this game, it has a good storyline which the FFS (except FF3)lack. Like Xenogears this game will become an underground classic beloved by those who have it and played it.

Who needs Final Fantasy when you can have the real deal?
Much like one of the lost souls in this game that are recruited and trained, Valkyrie Profile has been given a chance for life again in the secondary market.Although it was hugely successful in Japan, this American version bombed stateside.It is only now that the game has faded into oblivion that gamers have caught on to the charm and appeal that it offers.Valkyrie Profile will surely go down in the annals of video-gaming history as one of the best (and best-loved) RPG's ever to hit the market.

I can't remember much hype surrounding the release of this title, as it came out in the wake of the genre-redefining Final Fantasy VII and its sequels.And that is such a shame, because there are so many positive things to say about this game.Although it is billed as an RPG (role-playing game), Valkyrie Profile effortlessly combines elements of the best side-scroller, action, and adventure games that even the most casual of gamers will recognize.

In the tradition of the Final Fantasy series, Valkyrie Profile creates a cohesive and compelling storyline that pulls you in and keeps you there until the final credit has faded.It has characters that you literally grow to love as you, as the eponymous Lenneth Valkyrie, gather and train lost human souls to fight as Odin's einherjar at Ragnarok, the cataclysmic battle at the end of time.

The segments of the game where you control your character and roam around complex, confusing dungeons are reminiscent of the ever-popular Super Mario games.These side-scrolling adventures are the meat of the game; in them you encounter not only monsters to engage in battle but also characters that become your party, and ultimately, the einherjar.When you initially encounter each character, a flashback sequence kicks in and tells you how and why that character died.Then your job as Odin's army recruiter begins and you convince them to join your party.From then on it's off to run into monsters and level up!

Like Diablo and its sequel Diablo II, how you equip the members in your party determines how powerful they are and how quickly they level up.As Valkyrie, it is also your job to make sure each member is adequately equipped with armor, weapons, and accessories.You choose three einherjar to fight by your side at any given time.If you have more than three einherjar, you are given the choice of whom to put in your party.And this is where Valkyrie Profile sets itself apart from other RPG's:not only is it important about whom you put into your party, but it is also important where you place them in your attack formation and when you have each character attack the enemy!Given all these options in battle, it is no wonder playing this game is so much fun!

The game's visuals are just stunning and the sounds are music to your ears.You have about 15 minutes to look and listen to the first cinematic sequence that opens the game.In this time you can soak in the majesty of the images that were used to illustrate the story and its characters, and you can lie back and hear the carefully composed instrumentals that emphasize the mood of each scene.(Incidentally, you can even buy the soundtrack to this beautiful game!)

Obviously, a lot of time and thought went into the making of this game; do yourself a favor and experience it.The secondary-market prices may be a bit steep, but they're a testament to the complexity and replayability this game offers.So, pick up this title that fell by the wayside, give it a good working-over, and make it a prized part of your video game collection--before Ragnarok comes!

Eternal Shine
When I bought this title a few years ago, I really didn't expect anything overly special. This is one of the few times I will gladly report that I was dead wrong. I am not a big gamer, but this is the only RPG I have played where you fully control your own destiny. Not only are there three main ways to play (easy, medium, hard), but every thing you do and every decision you make counts for something here. The designers did themselves and everyone else the greatest of favors by paying attention to the slightest details, in the gameplay and in the graphics. Overall, a wonderful experience that won't lose it's shine no matter how many times you play.

Man! Some games really cost big bucks!!!
This one is worth it, though! I was lucky; I got mine for twenty bucks from a Walmart a few years back. An interesting and unique title which I still put in and play today, Valkyrie Profile will disappoint you if you can get a hold of it. Personally, I wouldn't let my COMPLETE, MINT game go for less than two hundred, though (that is to say, you ain't gettin' it!).

Valkyrie Profile follows the last days before ragnarok, the end of the world. You play as Lenneth, one of three valkyries who must gather the souls of the powerful slain to fight for the Aesir in their final struggle against the Vanir (yeah, I know, they were SUPPOSED to fight the giants, but give 'em a break). Along the way, however, you may uncover clues to your own clouded existence (the choices are up to you), and in any case, you will meet many reprehensible characters who will fight by your side.

The games development system mirrors that of Star Ocean 2 (another fine game from the same makers), and the combat is incredible. Unbelievably enough, an RPG finally understood that yes, combat and levelling up COULD be interesting. In fact, no part of this game is boring. Strategic combat, good storyline (the intro is a little lengthy, however), multiple endings, choice-driven role-playing - what more could anyone ask?

But apparently, many people DID want more. This game bombed over here (unfortunate, since obviously the makers had sequel in mind, judging from the endings), but you would be very lucky to play this now. So let me say: Should this game ever find its way into your local used game store, snap it up! You'll be quite happy you did. ... Read more