MEMBER PROFILE FOR BillyDKid
Average Overall Score Given: 8.06667 / 10
Total Forum Posts: 0
Reviews
Outlaw Golf
Overall: Over-the-top golf w/ wacky characters doing wacky stuff in between strokes. Fun premise hides great golf game, but antics become annoying after awhile.Gameplay: In the end you really have to like golf to like this game. Beating on your caddies is fun at first, but is the only real difference between this and regular golf sims. Fairways are standard. Characters do not say and do enough, and get boring very quickly. You will skip past them to get back to the strokes which leaves you with only a solid golf game. I'm not that big on golf, are you?
Graphics: Very nice, sharp, detailed graphics, but cartoony. Compliment the over-the-top feel of the game well, if only the gameplay did.
Audio: I don't pay much attention to sound. Voice acting was fine, but could've used more variety. SFX were fine.
Suggestions: The premise was great, but you didn't do enough with it. More characters, more animations, more comments/dialog, more mini-games and make the fairways as over-the-top as the characters.
Overall Score: 8.0 / 10
Quantum Redshift
Overall: Beautiful graphics, cool vehicles & environments, fast-paced wipeout style action and a story to tie it together.Gameplay: Solid wipeout-style racing action, excellent progression to Redshift, story element rounds it out nicely.
Graphics: Excellent grphics and good use of Xbox power. Great environment, nice effects.
Audio: Nothing struck me as either great or horrible.
Suggestions: Even more power-ups!
Overall Score: 9.0 / 10
Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit 2
Overall: Running from the cops and playing cops chasing the bad guys. Universal appeal for arcade racing fans. Solid overall design, but also bland.Gameplay: Varied missions, branching progression, ability to play as both bad guys & good guys, solid physics, but yet I found myself bored shortly into the game. The game is solid, but there is little production value. It almost feels more like a sim than an arcade racer. Not my cup of tea.
Graphics: Graphics are good, but nothing outstanding in my opinion.
Audio: Sound is good, but nothing outstanding in my opinion.
Suggestions: More action, more over-the-top features, more fun. I was shocked to find myself bored with this game. I was really looking forward to it.
Overall Score: 8.0 / 10
Toejam and Earl 3: Mission To Earth
Overall: Unique, quirky exploration-based platformer with lots of character. Gameplay is simple, but addicting. Funk/rap/hip hop theme works great. Characters & phrases are hilarious and fun.Gameplay: You are funkified aliens come to Earth in search of stolen funk albums. You roam around floating levels in the sky converting humans with funk fu, collecting presents (power-ups), playing mini-games and laughing your !&%$@#* off at the characters, comments and design. A beautiful game, one of the most relaxing and enjoyable games I've played. Two-player co-op, random levels and downloadable content multiply the value and extend the life of the game enormously.
Graphics: Colorful & cartoony are the name of the game here. Humans are hilarious caricatures/parodies.
Audio: Character comments are flat-out funny as hell and really make the game. Voice acting/singing is very good actually although it doesn't take itself seriously.
Suggestions: Know that you've created an incredibly fun and enjoyable game here and please continue to make more.
Overall Score: 9.0 / 10
Wreckless: The Yakuza Mission
Overall: Awesome graphics, use of Xbox special effects, quirky design & smashing the heck out of everything in your path are the pros. Cons: not enough levels, time limits suck, not enough smashing things up, some levels are very frustrating. A lot to like, but not a finished product. Gameplay: Smashing things up and showcasing the power of the Xbox are what this game is about. Unfortunately several levels play like a sadistic platformer requiring precision jumping, traversing narrow paths and complete knowledge of the level. You'll go from having a blast to throwing the controller across the room.
Graphics: Amazing detail and use of Xbox effects. Replays in some filters are practically photorealistic.
Audio: Some very funky dialog and voice-acting here, but sound effects are very good.
Suggestions: More smashing missions. Actually I would make that the focus of the sequel. More lenient time limits. Two-player mode.
Overall Score: 8.0 / 10
SSX Tricky
Overall: I played the original SSX when it came out for PS2. It was a fantastic game screaming for a sequel. Unfortunately this is more of a director's cut. The game really hasn't changed that much. If you've played SSX, you may want to wait to get this cheaper than $50. There is plenty of SSX goodness here though and the additions/changes that were made are all very cool. It's still a blast to play.Gameplay: This game is just rock-solid fun. Over-the-top tricks, well-designed tracks, colorful and addictive.
Graphics: Very colorful, cartoony style compliments the gameplay very well. There is a little very minor slowdown when the camera pans in on the action with most/all the skiers on the screen at one time. Only happens in a couple spots.
Audio: Features voices by some of Hollywood's biggest celebs which is cool, but not enough samples makes it repetitive after awhile. Same announcer & music from SSX is as fun as ever though.
Suggestions: How about a whole new game next time? And on-line play? Support XBL please EA. Thank you.
Overall Score: 8.0 / 10
The Thing
Overall: The Thing is one of my favorite Sci-Fi (action/horror/thriller) movies and getting to play a game based on the movie is pretty cool. Especially considering how many years have passed. Sadly the game is not so deep and with little story and lots of repetition, it fails to immerse the player as much as I hoped for.Gameplay: There are some very cool elements here. It is great how they incorporated the issue of trust with NPCs, but it's not handled perfectly. There are a good variety of weapons, although you will use your flame thrower the most. Maybe there wasn't a lot you can do in a setting in Antarctica, but overall the story was bland, fighting repetitious and the environments got boring. It's also a pretty short & easy game, except the handful of bosses. It will frustrate the heck out of you trying to figure out how to beat them.
Graphics: Nothing to write home about, definitely not pushing the Xbox at all.
Audio: Nothing special.
Suggestions: This was a great effort and well appreciated.
Overall Score: 8.0 / 10
Splashdown
Overall: Solid jet-ski racing action, lots of levels. A port, but not a bad one. Very nice graphics, easy to pick up and play.Gameplay: This is a solid racer that will give you hours of action, but it's an arcade racer at the core with little arcade fun to go along with it.
Graphics: Very good graphics, especially considering it's a port. Viewpoint is too distant to make you really feel the action though.
Audio: I don't pay much attention to sound most of the time. Nothing horrible, nothing amazing.
Suggestions: Bring the viewpoint closer to the jet-skier, add power-ups and more creative tracks.
Overall Score: 9.0 / 10
Enclave
Overall: A great-looking, medieval fantasy hack & slash w/ shooter elements! There's a lot to like in this game. If you can survive the di level, you will feel greatly rewarded. Gameplay: Depending on character, you will cast spells, engage in simple melee or shoot arrows shooter-style through some killer levels. Lack of mid-level saves combined with a handful of instant-death surprises makes the game unnecessarily frustrating at times. Makes for a challenging game, but not fun for everyone.
Graphics: Excellent, sharp, detailed levels throughout this game. A real stunner at times, one of the better graphical offerings on Xbox.
Audio: Sound is decent, but I don't pay a lot of attention to it. Nothing horrible and nothing amazing.
Suggestions: If you really felt strongly about no mid-level saves, then you should have at least made a mid-level save cheat code. I think the game would've been more popular and sold better for you if it had. It's a great game.
Overall Score: 8.0 / 10
Azurik: Rise of Perathia
Overall: Colorful adventure game, somewhat Zelda-like but with more adult feel. Interesting weapon, large environments, long game. Unfortunately not well-implented and feels essentially unfinished.Gameplay: Despite N64 poly-counts, Azurik provides a beautiful world to adventure in. Unfortunately, it's just not fun to play. A little buggy, lousy combat, highly annoying camera and formulaic elements.
Graphics: Totally last generation graphics, although environments are still beautiful to behold. A mixed bag at best, only if you're open to it.
Audio: I don't pay much attention to sound in games. Nothing horribly, nothing amazing. Move along now.
Suggestions: Try a different genre and design the gameplay first.
Overall Score: 6.0 / 10
Circus Maximus: Chariot Wars
Overall: There are not enough games that take place in ancient settings. Chariot racing seems like a refreshing change of pace from sports cars.Gameplay: Controls are complex and challenging at first, but ultimately the game does not offer enough features to entice players to keep playing. Most fun for 4 players, 1 or 2 gets a little boring.
Graphics: Graphics are not great, but not bad. Game is cartoony, but done to represent realism which isn't really a good idea. Fairly drab overall.
Audio: Ok? I don't pay much attention to sound in some games. Didn't notice anything horrible or great.
Suggestions: You seem willing to embrace a modi !&%$@#* of fantasy amidst the realism of your game. I suggest you delve a little further and up the arcade action a notch. Better power-ups, crazier environments/tracks would benefit gameplay greatly.
Overall Score: 9.0 / 10
Max Payne
Overall: Gritty, old-style gangster theme shooter. Solid action, (once) unique bullet-time feature. Great game to port to the Xbox. Somewhat short, but worth a rental at the very least.Gameplay: Lots of action here, but total game is a little short with little replay value. Bullet-time is fun, but not needed to beat the game. One of the best 3rd-person shooters made.
Graphics: Graphics are decent, but character models are lacking. No FMV cut-scenes??
Audio: I don't pay much attention to sound in games, but sound seemed pretty good to me.
Suggestions: Longer game, FMV cut-scenes, make bullet-time essential to gameplay, multi-player please!!!!
Overall Score: 9.0 / 10
Silent Hill 2: Restless Dreams
Overall: Eerie, survival horror differentiating itself from RE with more subtleness, atmosphere, mood & story. Style and creepiness outweigh dated graphics and gameplay, but not by much.Gameplay: Play this game in a dark room by yourself at night. Wonderfully creepy game, which slowly and subtly heightens tension till you can't take it anymore. Unfortunately most of the game you spend walking in this wonderfully creepy atmosphere not doing a whole lot. There are plenty of disturbing creatures to kill, a maddeningly confusing story complete with 5-6 alternate endings, but too much down-time, repetition, bad (and few) puzzles, and poor graphics. Completely linear and non-interactive environments top off the list to make this a decidedly last generation game, but still worth a look and rental at least.
Graphics: Very poor graphics for this generation. It's a ported 1st gen PS2 game with no improvements to main game graphics.
Audio: Sound is done very well and adds enormously to the feel of the game.
Suggestions: Longer game, interactive environments, more puzzles, better puzzles.
Overall Score: 8.0 / 10
Amped: Freestyle Snowboarding
Overall: A challenging, great-looking, snow-boarding sim. A refreshing change from the SSX madness, but rough around the edges. An excellent first try.Gameplay: Trick system is unique and deep, but needs a little refinement. Very challenging, nearing impossibility at the end. Good variety, fun moving up through the ranks. Well designed mountain. What's with the snowmen??
Graphics: Truly excellent 1st gen graphics. Sharp, detailed, beautiful environments for you to snowboard in...
Audio: I don't pay much attention to sound in some games. Nothing horrible and nothing to write home about either.
Suggestions: What's with the snowmen?? Difficulty levels! Fix collision problems, refine trick system, more interactive areas.
Overall Score: 8.0 / 10
Project Gotham Racing
Overall: A solid, challenging, somewhat unique racer with tons of unlockables and replay value out the ass. But you really have to work for it and it's not always a pleasant ride.Gameplay: Powersliding is absolutely key to this game and it's very difficult to master. It will take you a long time and lot of blood, sweat and tears to beat this game. That's always a good thing, but there needs to be some good rewards along the way to keep you going and that's where this game falters. There are very few "little things" in this game to make you smile, laugh or otherwise feel like you're having a good time. It wouldn't have hurt the game to put them in, and would've made the game more rewarding and easier to get into for the less hardcore gamers.
Graphics: Very detailed graphics, but not as good as many have stated. Replays looked too much better than the real thing.
Audio: Good, I don't pay much attention to sound in some games. Nothing horrible, nothing to write home about...
Suggestions: How about a storyline, amusing backgrounds, corny commentary, a babe in a bikini at the finish.. anything!
Overall Score: 8.0 / 10
Tetris Worlds
Overall: I love puzzle games and I've had a copy of Tetris in some form for as long as I can remember. I'm always sad to see how little innovation has been made with this game over the years. Tetris Worlds adds a cutesy, tolerable story to the game and a handful of minor twists on the original theme, but not enough to warrant a purchase. You can download as fun versions for your PC for free.Gameplay: The real appeal to this version is the Tetris variations, some of which are only mediocre, the rest a little better. Nothing to rave about, but definitely some extra fun and challenge to be had here. They really could've done a lot more though. I mean this is basically the exact same game as the Game Boy Advance version...
Graphics: How much can you do graphically with Tetris? As simple a game as this is, they actually could get very detailed with block designs, animations and backgrounds, but they didn't. It's colorful and cartoony. Sigh.
Audio: One cool thing about this game is you can use your own soundtracks. Hearing your own tunes instead of the game toons is a real godsend.
Suggestions: Geez... bombs, power-ups, new pieces, larger pits, gameplay innovation, puzzle mode, a story-line not geared to pre-teens. You're missing a large percentage of your core audience.
Overall Score: 5.0 / 10
Bruce Lee: Quest of the Dragon
Overall: The only appeal to this game is the Bruce Lee license, which should be taken away from them for making this steaming pile of crap. If not for the license, this game would've dropped off the sales charts the first week. Horrible graphics, major graphic glitches, terrible gameplay, hideous voice acting and contrived, boring story make this one of the biggest stinkers on the Xbox IMO. I'd rather play Kabuki Warriors.Gameplay: Simple button-mashing, completely linear, non-interactive environments.. Bruce Lee is like an Atari 2600 game translated to the N64 and left unfinished as a demo. Ok, a little harsh. But just a little. This game is an insult.
Graphics: Horribly graphics. Low-poly models. Major graphic glitches make this game seem like a rough demo. I think this game literally could've used a couple more months of polishing just in the graphics department.
Audio: Terrible voices. The voice for Bruce Lee was nothing short of insulting. And yet the sound is probably its best feature.
Suggestions: You should be ashamed for releasing this terrible game. And gamers should be ashamed for buying it. My biggest Xbox disappointment.
Overall Score: 3.0 / 10
Totaled!
Overall: What's not to like about demolition derby? Bright shiny cars, realistic damge, lots of unlockables, varied gameplay elements, some mini-game style objectives all add up to pretty fun experience. Bizarrely long load times and relatively short single-player experience bring the game down a bit, but not as much as other reviewers have stated IMO. A good gamer can beat this game in a weekend though, so this is a buy for hardcore fans or multi-player gamers only. Gameplay: The gameplay is solid with more elements than in any previous game of this type. Objectives vary from amassing a set points, the most points in a time limit, being the last survivor, straight-out racing, busting tricks.. there's a lot of game here folks, it just wasn't implemented great. Load times are not as ridiculously long and annoying as reviewers have made them out to be, but they are strange and do spoil the pace if you're the impatient type. Another complaint I've read is that cars and the environment are rather "sticky". I think Rage was going for a more realistic feel here, blending arcade with some sim aspects, which rarely translates in a universally popular gameplay style. Bottom line, if I crash a car at 60 MPH into a wall, I'm not going to bounce off and keep going very often. Most of the time you have to back up and pull yourself out of the mess. This isn't Mario Kart people!
Graphics: Very good graphics, not as sharp as preview pics on the internet made it seem it would be, but good nonetheless.
Audio: I don't pay much attention to sound in games. Nothing noteworthy here, but nothing horrible either.
Suggestions: More cars and longer racing tracks like in the Destruction Derby series. Fix the load times!!!!! Looking forward to a sequel!
Overall Score: 8.0 / 10
Tony Hawk Pro Skater 2x
Overall: If you've never played a Tony Hawk game and have any interest in doing so, this is the game for you. Tons of levels, excellent controls and gameplay. Hardcore Tony Hawk fans may not get enough new here to warrant a purchase though.Gameplay: Even the original Tony Hawk levels still hold up. Almost a platform game in level design, the series set the standard for a new genre and only Aggressive Inline has been able to match/improve the formula. The transition for TH2 to TH1 and the extra levels should've been better developed. By the time you reach the TH1 levels you're stats are going to be maxed. Otherwise this is the quintessential Tony Hawk game.
Graphics: Very good graphics, with some minor tweaking for the Xbox, but nothing spectacular. Solid framerate.
Audio: I don't pay much attention to sound in games. Custom soundtrack feature is cool, but you have to crank the music volume up and SFX volume way down to be able to hear your own songs for some reason...
Overall Score: 10.0 / 10
Blood Wake
Overall: A great and unique water combat game, that you'll apparently either love or hate. I love it. Set in an alternate Far East you take on missions to take down an evil group of baddies. Great setting, cool weapons, and challenging missions highlight this underappreciated title.Gameplay: The one frustrating aspect is there are no mid-level saves (as in Enclave). You can work your way 20 minutes into a mission, only to die and have to replay it again and again. The difficulty is challenging, but hardly impossible. I found it quite rewarding, although honestly I would not want most games to be designed this way. Weapons are cool and well-designed. Boat physics may be a little too realistic for some, but creates a unique feel IMO. Cut scenes are sketches (like Max Payne) and story is pretty unoriginal. Overall though I think this is one of the better Xbox games out there.
Graphics: Backgrounds are a bit plain, but otherwise the game is very detailed and stunning. They focused much of their time on the water though.
Audio: Good sound overall. Voices were a bit plain and annoying, but were hampered by the contrived plot...
Suggestions: Utilize ramps more. More single-player arenas. Co-op story mode. Add enemies on foot and in land-based vehicles. More power-up variety. Add secret areas. Increase arcade elements. Add ability to choose which ship to use in each level. Have a different ending for each difficulty level. Great game!!
Overall Score: 9.0 / 10
Cel Damage
Overall: Easy to pick up and play, beautiful cel-shaded graphics, frenetic turbo-charged pace, loads of fun and a great party game, even for non-gaming friends. An under-rated gem, although probably not worth $50 for most.Gameplay: Drive around kicking the crap out of each other cartoon-style! That's all there is and it's done very well. Cartoon physics and wacky weapons/characters are a riot. The gameplay is a bit repetative, but not overly so. There seems to be a lot of luck involved when you're first playing the game, but put some time into it and you will see that almost every character, weapon and level has it's own subtle (albeit simple) strategy and winning consistly requires skill and experience.
Graphics: Crisp, colorful and cartoony. The Xbox needs more simple, well-made games like this. Framerate is rock-solid.
Audio: Excellent sound compliments the game perfectly. Character voices are quirky and fun and often hilarious.
Suggestions: More levels, add some secret areas to each level, different types of multi-player play, and more power-ups besides weapons. Really looking forward to a sequel!
Overall Score: 8.0 / 10
Crazy Taxi 3: High Roller
Overall: I loved the game in the arcade and figured this was a no-brainer. Unfortunately it's not enough different from the game I played years ago. Same gameplay with a few new features and mostly bad mini-games. And lousy graphics. This game might be worth getting for a fan... if it was $20. This is a rental at best IMO.Gameplay: Controller button mapping is unnecessarily difficult to master, making pulling off crazy maneuvers a chore. Graphics are equal to a bad PS2 game. Gameplay is stale now and without any design or gameplay innovation does not hold up. Mini-games are mostly poorly conceived with only 1 gem among them. I'd rather play Simpsons Road Rage.
Graphics: Severely substandard Xbox graphics and this is an exclusive??? Sega really dropped the ball in this department. The game was either rushed, originally designed for a different platform or just not given the attention it should have been. Either way, it's an insult and on that ground alone does not deserve our money/support. Luckily other aspects make this an even easier decision to make.
Audio: I don't pay much attention to sound in games. Nothing noteworthy here other than the fact that this least important aspect of the game is probably it's best and it's still only mediocre.
Suggestions: Do not insult us with thrown-together crap like this again please. Although in Sega's defense, more people will probably buy this piece of crap than any of their other fantastic Xbox only games they've obviously put a ton of work into, so who can blame them? The profits on this game must be enormous.
Overall Score: 4.0 / 10
Aggressive Inline
Overall: If you like the Tony Hawk games, you should try this out for a totally refreshing (albeit totally derivative) take on the genre. Think Tony Hawk with bigger, better designed levels and a little more pizazz. Any Tony doesn't jiggle like Chrissy :)Gameplay: Excellent control with the sticks (but oddly not so with the d-pad). Levels are beautful, well-designed and huge, deep trick system, unique leveling system. This is a sold game for any fan of the genre. You're missing out if you don't try it out. A very refreshing change from the Tony Hawk series.
Graphics: Considering this is a port, the graphics are excellent. The best of all 2nd & 3rd party Xbox games and rivaling some of the 1st party ones as well. Framerate is rock-solid.
Audio: I don't pay much attention to sound in games. Nothing terrible here, it's all good. You can disable songs from the soundtrack you don't like.
Suggestions: More!! Looking forward to the sequel!
Overall Score: 10.0 / 10
Elder Scrolls III : Morrowind
Overall: The BEST single-player game for Xbox. Amazingly huge detailed world, completely open-ended, literally countless number of things to do and missions/quests to complete. Morrowind is a world unto itself and you will disappear into it if you're not careful. You must like RPGs and be open to new and unique elements though...Gameplay: You can be whatever you want to be, do whatever you want to do and the game is so well-designed in this aspect that there is almost never and major game-destroying repercussions for your actions. There are a few bugs (that I've never encountered in 60+ hrs of playing), and some leveling design glitches that are easy to exploit (but it's your choice whether you want to ruin the game for yourself of not), but these problems are so easy to ignore. I've spent many hours just wandering the countryside exploring and mixing potions, marveling at the landscape and weather, discovering that you can literally go anywhere you want. I can pick up or drop any quest at any time. Unprecedented freedom is what this game is about and it does it incredibly. I love this game.
Graphics: I think Morrowind is graphically exceptional. There are framrate stutters that are quite minor, but when you consider the PC requirements to run this game, it's amazing the Xbox can do it at all. I'm floored at how smooth the detailed scenery scrolls as you move/walk around. Take a minute to look up at the sky and see the unnecessary detail they put into this part of the landscape and you will marvel at the level of depth the graphics give this game. It can be quite dark at times, but cast a light spell or carry a lantern/torch!!!
Audio: I don't pay a lot of attention to the sound in games, but I love the music in Morrowind. Spell sound effects are just plain odd, but everything else is quite detailed and immersive.
Suggestions: More!!! Downloadable content!
Overall Score: 10.0 / 10
Jet Set Radio Future
Overall: I don't know why this game wasn't a blockbuster hit. It is super-easy to pick up and play, it's long and difficult to beat, has refreshing gameplay, hip and funky style, great graphics... simply one of the best games available for the Xbox.Gameplay: Controls are very easy to use. A monkey could bust tricks in this game right from the get-go, but they're a pretty minor aspect of the gameplay. Tricks are there to add to the game's style. Gameplay is centered around figuring out levels which are fantastically designed. As a hip in-line skating gang member you run around the varied sections of Neo-futuo on your rocket-powered skates, busting out death-defying tricks, taking out nasty rival gangs, covering up rival graffiti, recruiting new members and taking on the nasty evil corporate/government baddies. This game has it all. Everyone should try this game.
Graphics: Simply beautiful. Vibrant, colorful cel-shaded goodness give this game a wonderfully unique feel that compliments the gameplay perfectly.
Audio: Eclectic, off-beat, funky, sometimes bizarre, sometimes hilarious, undeniably hip soundtrack only adds to the unique feel of this game. Definitely not for everyone, but I loved it.
Suggestions: More!!!! Maybe advertise better? Thank you!
Overall Score: 10.0 / 10
Hunter: The Reckoning
Overall: Mindless, repetative shooting and running from monsters and zombies. Fun at first, but gets boring very quickly. Many have raved about this game, but I hated it. Fun for an hour. Rent it first.Gameplay: There is some old-school appeal to it, but the levels and monsters and gameplay are so repetative and your choice of action so limited, I don't see how everyone didn't run screaming from this game. This is the Tetris of shooters, which to me is not a good combination. No real variety kills this game.
Graphics: Decent quality, but dark. Probably the best feature of the game, but not at all the most important to me.
Audio: I pay very little attention to this aspect of games. Nothing atrocious here, but nothing noteworthy either.
Suggestions: Umm.. how about some puzzles, interactive environments, vehicles, a 1st person view, and a little more strategy than run and shoot.
Overall Score: 5.0 / 10
Dead to Rights
Overall: This is a solid 3rd person shooter, w/ many extras that harken back to the good old days of the 80s and arcades. The graphics do not push the Xbox, looking as good as an average PS2 game (which makes sense, since it's a port). While it's a tough game and may not appeal to everyone, there is an awful lot to like. If you liked Max Payne and are open to new gameplay elements, this is a no-brainer. DTR is the better game. Gameplay: The controller setup is a little annoying at first. I don't know why any shooter would not use the triggers to shoot. But it does add to that 80s arcade feel. The game blends shooter gameplay w/ beat-em-up gameplay and throws in tons of "old-school" mini-games to shake things up. A couple of the mini-games are weak, but most remind me of my old Atari 2600. I haven't had a workout like this in a long time. The shooting and fighting are solid. The engine appears bug-free. Difficulty level can be frustrating occasionally, but taking a break and coming back will usually help you see you were just not trying something else. You can disarm opponents, break necks, send your canine companion to rip out someone's throat, throw punch/kick combos, block/dodge, throw canisters and shoot them to explode, use enemies as human shields... and you need to use every skill you have to beat this game.
Graphics: Typical PS2 graphics, nothing to write home about. Many people are bagging this game because of the graphics, but to me gameplay and length are more important. FMV cut scenes are great.
Audio: Sound is ok, I pay the least attention to this aspect of games. Nothing atrocious, but I can't rate the quality very well.
Suggestions: Revamp or take out the stripping mini-game. Stripping should never be boring! Use the triggers to shoot! Otherwise great game! Very refreshing experience.
Overall Score: 9.0 / 10
Halo: Combat Evolved
Overall: A truly excellent shooter. Has a little more to offer in the multi-player experience, but the one-player missions are solid. You will certainly get a lot more for your money if you have a friend or two to play with, and it would be quite a shame if you didn't. Gameplay: The controller is perfect. The triggers are sweet. It took me an hour to get used to the controller/controls in this game which is right on par. Afterward it felt smooth as silk. Awesome weapons & vehicles. The warthog is a blast. Great AI, cool levels/story/enemies. I'm having a blast!
Graphics: Beautiful graphics, as good as current PC games. Neato light effects, detailed environments right to the horizon, a great showcase for the XBox graphics processor.
Audio: Don't pay a lot of attention to sound, but seemed great to me. Crisp, booming, all the little nuances that keep you immersed in the game.
Suggestions: More weapons & vehicles! A few more one-player missions! On-line smackdown! Great game as it is tho.
Overall Score: 9.0 / 10
