MEMBER PROFILE FOR EvilTed
Average Overall Score Given: 6.77778 / 10
Total Forum Posts: 4
Reviews
Rugby 2005
Overall: An EA Sports-ized version of Rugby. Some pretty accurate environments and decent player animations, coupled with EA Sports polished presentation make this game an excellent choice for anyone interested in the sport of Rugby. Even if you don't know the rules, this is the perfect primer for you, as the game has several options for teaching the rules of the sport and how to use the controler. Gameplay: For the most part "It's in the Game!". Theres the running, tackling, punting, drop goals, line-outs, etc... There is not much in a Rugby match that you won't see in 2005. Some of the controls are a bit difficult to master, especially the drop kick goals. Unless you are standing right in front of the poles, you will have a difficult time kicking one through. The art of the scrum is also difficult to get used to. I still rarely win a scrum. I also find it difficult to stay on sides after a tackle, and I've drawn about 10 times more penalties than my opponents. For the most part though the contols are easy enough to manage, and you'll be scoring tries regularly before long on the medium level. The AI tends to be a bit suspect for both teams. Don't expect your team mates to be where you expect them or need them most of the time. But the other team will chase you like a school of fish, so you should be able to manage just fine.
Graphics: The game looks great. It reminds me of the FIFA soccer look and feel during the game play. When watched up close the tackles look very brutal, but the default camera has the players at about an ant's height, so you will have to look at replays or change the camera angle to get the full effect of whats been done with the on field play. Overall I though the game looke super.
Audio: Like most EA Sports productions, this one has a pretty decent sound track. I've tracked down several of the songs on Itunes I liked them so much. The on field sound is pretty cool, you can hear your players barking calls to each others. As with most sports games you will eventually want to turn off the play by play. I don't really count that against the game though. The sound was a solid effort in my opinion.
Suggestions: The drop goal kicking controls need work.
Overall Score: 8.0 / 10
Halo 2
Overall: First I'd like to say that I just completed the single player campaign, and I am furious. Mad at myself for not quitting sooner. Mad at the hype leading up to this game. This has to be the worst story line EVER in any game. There is no plot that I can make out, and the various levels barely tie into each other. The ending is the coup de grâce. WORST ENDING EVER!!!!! If you were expecting a great campaign game, you are out of luck. This game does not live up to its hype there. It doesn't even come close. One redeaming factor is the solid Live play. This is one of the funnest games I've ever played on-line. Gameplay: If you can ignore the weak plot and story line, this is a very fun game to play. The different levels are challenging, and actually less repetetive than in the first Halo. Gameplay-wise This is pretty much the same game as Halo. So go and read the game play description for Halo. Seriously, I do not think much has changed except that they made it easier to get killed. Since Halo was a great game to play, you know this one is.
Superb on-line gaming experience. Lots of different game types, and rules, and maps. There should be something there for everyone. The ability to form clans is kind of cool.
Graphics: Its Halo. The visuals are the same as Halo. The one thing I found annoying is the cut scenes seem to use the game engine. This had the odd effect of having things appear and dissapear from the scene at add times. One time Sgt Johnson didn't have a head at the start of the scene, it was just a uniform and a hat standing there. and then the head appeared a second or two later.
Audio: I don't like commenting on sound since I only use the speakers on my TV. I really like the sound track for this game. The music for the ending-credits is pretty good. Game sounds OK.
Suggestions: Lay off the weed and then go to any elementary school to get help with this story. I'm sure almost any 4th grader could come up with a better game plot and story line than what you have here. And for the people who say this is so they could make a Halo 3, that is a load of B.S. The ending to Halo didn't make me angry, and they were able to make a Halo 2. There should be a definitive end to each campaign. This is not some sit-com that you can flash "To be continued..." at the end. People who shell out that much money deserve something atomic.
Overall Score: 6.0 / 10
NHL 2004
Overall: Hockey. Its pretty much the same thing every year from EA. I traded in ESPN Hockey for this title, and I was pleasantly surpised. For a single player hockey game, I think this one may be the best of the 03/04 season.Gameplay: EA has done some fine work in modeling a hockey game. Players actually setup in the zone, and attack the net properly. Defensemen are in position to hold the puck in the zone. Stupid passes are intercepted. It is difficult to break out if you don't follow to the pattern. This game really feels like hockey. Its not perfect though, as is usual with EA, the game speed is way to fast. Some things that occur on the ice are physically impossible (like shooting the puck from the blue line, and the puck rebounds of the boards and goes all the way down to the opposite end of the ice). The imperfections can be easily overlooked.
Graphics: Not a bad game to look at. The on ice graphics are nicely done. I can't put my finger on it, but there is something about the player animations that make this game unique. It is not so cartoonish, but certainly doesn't look real. I like it.
Audio: decent music is included with this years title. I think EA gets hockey and hockey fans, because the music fits the title. The game sounds though are crappy as usual. Announcers are mostly lousy, and the on-ice sounds are non existent. But I expected nothing more, so I am not disappointed
Suggestions: I know it will never happen, but I'll keep asking, please, please, please can we have XBox LIVE support?
Overall Score: 8.0 / 10
ESPN NHL Hockey 2K4
Overall: As far as game play is concerned this is the best hockey game of the year. However, this is the BUGGIEST game I have ever played on XBOX. I own several dozen games, and rented many more. I've played many games, and this is the worst as far as game crashing bugs are concerned. I played an entire franchise season (82 games) only to have the game crash after the last game, and now loading the saved game locks up the XBOX. Thats over 100 hours worth of time wasted. Apparently this is a known issue at SEGA, and that is why I have to give this game a 1.Gameplay: Like I said, this is the best game available for a game of hockey. Most rules are modeled OK in the game. Some rules are not. Delayed offsides are not handled properly. There are no sunch thing as coincidental minors, major penalties are not called unless it is a fight.
Graphics: Great looking game. The player animations are superb. Plays very much like a hockey game. Not a whole lot to complain about here.
Audio: Sound is sound. This is a hockey game so who cares about sound. You know what would be cool is if someone would do player voices on the ice. WGHIII did this way back in 1993, nobody does it anymore.
Suggestions: Fix the bugs. This game should have never made it on to shelves in its current state. Your QA department should be ashamed of themselves.
Overall Score: 2.0 / 10
High Heat Baseball 2004
Overall: It's a baseball game. Very similar to all the other baseball offerings out there. So if you've played any baseball game on XBOX you probably have a good idea what this game is about. Overall, I enjoyed playing this game. I probably won't purchase it at its current price.Gameplay: It plays like baseball. Simply put, the controls are simple enough that you pick them up fast. The game play has the feel of baseball. One thing that sets this game a part from the rest is the attention to stats. Baseball is all about the stats, and this game provides you with plenty.
Graphics: It looks like baseball. The animations, for the most part are great. It gets choppy sometimes. My wife laughs when players go through eachother, so collision detection could have been handled better.
Audio: I don't know, its a baseball game. Not exactly an activity that requires much by the way of sound. I guess the crack of the bat sounds authentic.
Suggestions: Hmmmm....LIVE support maybe. WTF is wrong with all the baseball games this year. I figured one of you meatheads would have LIVE support.
Overall Score: 7.0 / 10
Star Wars: The Clone Wars
Overall: Average to below average for the Star Wars line of games. A game with a decent plot line, but poor game control and poor graphics makes this a mediocre title at best. I sold the game the same week I bought it.Gameplay: Like all the Star Wars games, you shoot stuff. You do most of your killing inside vehicles. Some of them are difficult to control. Too difficult in my opinion. There are also parts of the game where you get out of your vehicle and kill things with your light sabre. This part of the game is so horribly done it is laughable.
Graphics: It looks like Star Wars. There is a war going on in the back ground, but it always seems like you are not participating in it. You can run your vehicle into clones and droids and they just get bumped out of the way. It is odd. The bad guys you do shoot look nice, and blow up in cool fashion.
Audio: Very annoying, and unfortunatley required to play the game. For instance, Luminara is your wingman to start the game. She talks all the time--"yap, yap, yap" But she is also guiding you through the level, so you need to listen. You can't turn the volume down. It sucks to have a game you don't want to listen to.
Suggestions: Were you guys in a hurry or something? This game blows.
Overall Score: 4.0 / 10
Nascar Thunder 2003
Overall: In a single word: &quo;. I love stock car racing, and I've played alot of racing games on the PC and on console. This one is not a good one. Given the hardware that the developers have to work with, this game is very mediocre. Subpar if you compare it with other racing titles available for XBox. Gameplay: This game attempts to capture the thrill of stock car racing, but fails in the most simple ways. The AI cars are perfect drivers, and thus are very predictable. Playing this game with joystick is impossible, and playing with wheel is not much better. Modifying the car setup doesn't seem to have much of an effect. Jeez, I could go on an on
Graphics: Graphics are bad. The old Nascar 2 game for the PC has better graphics than this game. I don't know why, but it is way too cartoonish for me.
Audio: Hmmm...I'm not even goind to comment. I don't have anything nice to say here either. Some of the tracks are kind of nice.
Overall Score: 3.0 / 10
Enter the Matrix
Overall: This game compliments the movie. I watched The Matrix, then went to The Matrix: Reloaded and then rented this game. I couldn't stop playing, I enjoyed it so much. The game is actually short enough to finish in about a week of solid playing. I finished it in 8 days. Solid game play, yet short game time-line, makes this game the absolute perfect renter.Gameplay: Lots of martial arts whoopass. I was nervous at first, but the controls were very easy to get into. I started kicking butt without really knowing what I was doing. The game will give you hints on how to play as you go, and you can pause the game and read the hints if you want. This information supplements what little you get from the manual, and I found it quite valuable. There were some things I thought could be improved. The car chase plots seem to rely more on luck then skill.
Graphics: Looks good, but not great. The gameplay is smooth, but some of the cut scenes were very choppy. I don't expect much from games that play on all consoles, so this game at least met my expectations.
Audio: Sound is fine in this game. The music adds to the cinematic effect of the game. The only problem I had with sound is some of the cut scenes were choppy and the sound was garbled.
Suggestions: Make another one, and make it about the same length. I like short fun games to rent.
Overall Score: 8.0 / 10
NBA Street Vol. 2
Overall: Bottom line this game is addictive and fun. It follows an NBA JAM style of play, so it isn't a basketball sim. In this case, this is a good thing. 3 on 3 Basketball, unen !&%$@#* bred by gravity, out of bounds lines, and rules. It can be good time if you let it.Gameplay: The controls can get complicated. The more advanced moves you want to perform, the more buttons and triggers involved. It is important to learn the advanced moves, becuase it is how you earn style points, and game-breakers. In other words, its not enough to beat your opponent, but you have to look good doing it too.
Graphics: This is port, and in this case the graphics are good. Not great. The Michael Jordan character is stunningly realistic looking. The Magic Johnson character looks poor.
The street ball players all seem unique, which is kind of cool.
Audio: Interesting. A good mix of old-school and contemporary music. The announcer didn't annoy me like most sports game announcers do. I guess I would say that the sound is surprisingly well done.
Suggestions: Make is play on LIVE and I'll buy vol. 3
Overall Score: 8.0 / 10
Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon
Overall: This is the game I had hoped conflict desert storm was going to be. That being said, I still expected more from this game. Oh, well. I've enjoyed my time playing this game, but it has about run its course.Gameplay: Great game play. Easy to use interface. Easy use command and control features. Oh, yeah and you get shoot a whole heap of stuff. Weapon effects are very realistic in this game (unlike conflict desert storm).
Graphics: Looks ok, but not great. This does effect game play, because at a distance you can't tell what the hell anything is. You have to get VERY close to something before you can see it (and then kill it).
Audio: The game sounds really shine. You may not always be able to see the bad guys, but you can probably hear them. That is cool. Also, this is the first game I've played where explosions actually impair your ability to hear the sounds of the battle field. AHHHH!!!! I'M DEAF!!!!
Suggestions: More missions. Unless you bought the game for online play, there really isn't enough missions in this game for $50. I finished all 15 missions on veteran level in the 1st week. Thats not cool.
Overall Score: 8.0 / 10
NHL 2K3
Overall: Best hockey game available for the XBox. I've played them all, and this one is the best. If you like hockey, and I mean real hockey, you will like this.Gameplay: Superb player action and animations. The game is the closest thing to how hockey is really played that I've seen on the console. Players play in there positions, but will leave there positions if they see an opportunity.
The goalies are unscoreonable at first but after a few weeks of practice, I was scoring a reasonable amount of goals per game.
Graphics: The ESPN presentation is nice. The player animations are outstanding. I love to watch some of the goalie saves in slow motion. They can be outrageous.
Audio: Its a hockey game for god's sake. Who cares about the sound. I did have to turn off the announcers, but I usually end up doing that with any sports game.
Suggestions: I would like to see the results for all league games in franchise or season mode. I would like to switch between season and playoff stats when the playoffs begin.
Overall Score: 9.0 / 10
NHL 2003
Overall: I love hockey. I like this game. Its not hockey, but its close. Overall this is a solid game. EA Sports has done a decent job making an entertaining hockey game.Gameplay: Its hockey, and that should be appealing enough. But if it isn't let me tell you a few thing about this game: As far as player positioning, this game is great. Break out patterns look kind of like break out patterns, player try to park in front of the net, defensemen try to move them away from the front of the net. The game has slowed down some from the 2002 version, and so the stats are a little more reasonable. Player "miss" passes. It seems EA Sports is starting to add some of the detail they've been missing in the pass.
Graphics: This game does not look as nice as many other sports titles for XBOX. When I buy an XBOX game I expect alot, and this games graphics are not its strong point. Once you've played 5 games, you've seen everything your ever going to see in the game. This is not bad though. The play gets a little choppy at times, and this annoys me. This game is an obvious port, but it should perform better.
Audio: Sounds are great. I don't like announcers so I turn them off in all sports games I play, so I won't comment on whether they are good or bad. I don't care about them. The on-ice sounds are superb. I mean they are very cool. The music is not bad either, in fact I really enjoy the rink music. It even puts up a little bubble to say give the name of the song and the band which is neat. I never give a high rating in sound for a sports game, but this one deserves it.
Suggestions: Where is the XBOX Live support? Come on you meatheads!
Overall Score: 8.0 / 10
Halo: Combat Evolved
Overall: Great Game. Great Story. Easy to start, difficult to finish. This game is a true gem. No wonder it is the game by which all other x-box games are judged.Gameplay: Some people have said this game is difficult to get into (mainly because of the controls). I disagree. I don't think there is a better way to make a 3-d shooter for a console game.
This was an excellent introduction to the X-Box for me.
Graphics: Again, this is the game by which all other games are judged. The graphics are magnificant. The play is smooth. The control of the game play is intuitive. This game made me scream once.
Audio: The sound is good. I don't play games for sound though. It is, however, the first time I found myself listening to the sound for clues to where the bad guys are.
Suggestions: On line play
Overall Score: 10.0 / 10
NHL Hitz 2003
Overall: If you are a hard core hockey fan, you will have to look past the fact that this is not really hockey. I don't think it was intended to be hockey. Once you can do that, and put up with a few bugs, this game is kind of cool.This is a great game if you only have a short time to play. You can crank out a game in a little over 10 minutes.
I would recommend renting this one first if you have never played a Miday sports game, to make sure its right for you. I like them, but you may not.
Gameplay: Its not hockey. Its played on ice, with sticks and pucks, but its not hockey. Its faster, more brutal, and has way fewer rules.
The only penalties are for fighting and roughing the goalie. I would like to be able to turn off the roughing the goalie penalty, and make it a true free-for-all.
You can even play with your goalie. In my season, Ed Belfour has 11 goals. Ed has a decent wrist shot. Ed Rocks!
THERE ARE BUGS IN THIS GAME!!!! Sometimes after a face-off one of your players will be frozen in place, and will stay there until he is knocked down. Another bug that has happened twice to me is after when the game ends, and I'm trying to advance to the main menu the game freezes with a humming noise comming from the TV. If you don't save after every game, you could lose many game results. I had to replay 10 games once, and I was not happy so now I save after every game.
Graphics: About what I would expect from an X-BOX title. I certainly would expect no less. Players resemble their real counter-parts, but in my opinion other hockey titles have done better. Animations for the most part fine. The fighting is less cheesy than in most hockey games.
Audio: Again, this is what I expect from X-BOX. Nothing out of the ordinary here, but it doesn't suck either. The music tracks are more hockey oriented than some of the other hockey titles.
Suggestions: Fix the bugs.
Overall Score: 6.0 / 10
Conflict: Desert Storm
Overall: A 15 scenario, shoot-em up game. In every scenario you are guided through a very narrow playing world, and kill a bunch of stupid Iraqi soldiers (and possibly some mostly harmless T-62/72 and BMPs). The bad guys are incredibly stupid, but it's a pretty even fight because they out number you and the other guys in your team are pretty stupid too.If you like to shoot stuff, and not have to think about what you are doing, this is a great game.
If you are looking for a realistic model of combat, this will be quite disappointing.
Having served in Desert Storm, I will keep this title for novelty purposes only.
Gameplay: I see that most people enjoy this title. To be honest, I was disappointed. Perhaps that was because I expected more.
This is not a bad game. I found it somewhat entertaining. I can get passed the fact that the missions have no basis in reality. Its a game, and fun should outweigh realism when developing games.
This game touts being able to lead a team through missions, but the CPU has a difficult time following orders. Often times I just tell me guys to follow me, but when I stop at a corner to peak around the edge 1-2 guy walk right out in the open and get shot. This I find very annoying.
One great thing about the game is the ability to quickly shift control to other members of the team. That was well implemented.
I also like the ability to give first aid to wounded team members.
Graphics: This game does not look as nice as Halo, and at times gets jerky when there is alot of stuff happening.
However, it can be visually stunning. Weapons seem to behave as I would expect (except killing a T-62 with a LAW is a bit of a stretch). Using the sniper rifle with the scope can be really cool.
T-62's look like T-62's. BMP's look like BMP's. Goats walk around (and you can shoot them).
I think there are issues with how the player move. He seems slow for certain simple moves. For instance, when your player starts getting shot in the back, it takes forever to turn around. Fortunately, a player can take 5 or 6 hits to the back without much bother.
Audio: Adequate but nothing to impress. The AK-47 does have its distinctive chatter, and that was kind of cool as far as attention to detail is concerned.
Suggestions: The addition of simple movement formations for command and control of the team would greatly enhance the playablilty of this game.
Overall Score: 4.0 / 10
NFL Fever 2003
Overall: I heard this was a great game, so instead of Madden I bought this. I was disappointed. Its a great looking, fast paced, arcade version of football. Perhaps a step up from NFL Blitz series as far as realism is concerned.If your looking for a fast paced game of football, that does not resemble real football, this game is it.
If you want a football game that resembles reality, look elsewhere.
Gameplay: This game is not football. If you are forced to play five minute quaters to get realistic stats it just is not football. Its that simple.
I had a guy get 123 sacks in a single season, and he was a rookie for the MN Vikings. That is plain B.S., and that was on 5 minute quarters.
This is not football.
Graphics: Beatuful game. In fact this is the only redeeming quality of the game. The player models are superb. The weather effects are the best I've seen.
Audio: Holy cow. This game has the most annoying announcing duo ever. I turned them off after my third game because I heard everything they had to say at least 5 times. I still hear "Take to the house" in my sleep.
Suggestions: Give it up. You guys suck.
Overall Score: 4.0 / 10
Outlaw Golf
Overall: How do you make one of the most boring sports ever devised by mankind more appealing to the cosole gaming crowd? Play it with criminals and sexpots. Add a load of humor and you have an outstanding game of golf.Gameplay: A hilarious cast of characters, and one of the best golf models I have ever played on a console makes this game a winner in my book. I used to think golf games were best played on the PC, this game changed my mind. This game does an incredible job at modeling golf, but keeps it fun.
Graphics: All I can say is that the graphics are stunning. The player models are cool, the courses are detailed (and challenging).
I just wish there were a few more courses to play.
Audio: Like I said, golf is boring. The sounds of golf are boring as well. This game spruces up the game with goofy comments by the cast of characters, and a funny (if not annoying) announcer. The background music is not bad. It would be nice if this game allowed soundtrack playing. Overall this games sounds stands on its own, though.
Suggestions: More courses, more courses, and more courses. More sexy females wouldn't hurt, but not required.
Overall Score: 10.0 / 10
Fifa World Cup 2002
Overall: Guide one of many included countries national team through the World Cup of Soccer tournament.EA Sports soccer offering on the XBox for this year.
Gameplay: The game play is smooth and easy to control. In my opinion this is some of EA sports' best work. The play movements seem smooth and natural, even when there are collisions and tripping.
This is the best air play model I have played in any soccer game.
This game does have limited replay value beyond trying to win the World Cup with every team. There are only four unlockable all star teams. Other than playing in the tournament or playing a friendly, there is no other game options.
I still play the game at least once a week, and I've had it since July 3rd.
Graphics: Superb graphics, with great attention to detail. Some players even look very similar to their real world counterparts, which is new to the EA Sports soccer world. I can't think of anything that I would change visually.
Audio: If there is a weakness to this game, it would be sound. But this is a sports game, and sound really does not matter too much. The announcer's are very repetetive, more so than normal for a sports game. Also they have nothing analytical to point out about the game, but I am sure this is not to offend anybody by talking poorly about their national team.
I would say that sound is adequate.
Suggestions: None really, since I'll probably own a new console in time for the 2006 World Cup.
Overall Score: 9.0 / 10
