MEMBER PROFILE FOR Whisper
Average Overall Score Given: 7.47826 / 10
Total Forum Posts: 12088
Reviews
Silent Hill 2: Restless Dreams
Overall: Survival horror games have always had a special place on my game rack since the original Resident Evil games for the playstation made the genre what it is today. Silent Hill 2 is a great, though not perfect survival game.Gameplay: Silent Hill 2 is a very atmospheric game. Though sometimes you walk for a long time without coming across anything, that is something you have to live with in games like this. The puzzles can be tedious and repetetive, but scary atmosphere keeps it entertaining for longer than it should.
Graphics: A grainy overlay is present for a lot of the game. At first I thought this was either a terrible mistake, or a stupid purposely included aspect. It was purposely included, and I grew to like it. It really adds to the atmosphere. The monsters and character models are decent, as are the environments. Shading and lighting effects are very good.
Audio: Turn the !&%$@#* crackling radio off. Other than that, the sound makes this game what it is. Very scary sound effects enable this game to make you jump at any moment.
Suggestions: Sequels.
Overall Score: 8.0 / 10
Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six 3: Black Arrow
Overall: Black Arrow, the first some-what dissapointment for me to come from the Tom Clancy stable. No graphical improvement, one new weapon (they also took one out), and some sub-par maps are the story for this expansion to Rainbow Six 3.Gameplay: I was dissapointed that they only added one new weapon.. which isn't very useful to boot. They took out a weapon just like it. The game is pretty much exactly the same as the first one, which isn't a bad thing.. but I was hoping for some better multiplayer maps.. what's there doesn't come close to the best available on Ranibow Six 3.
Graphics: The graphics are still Tom Clancy polished. They have always had top of the line graphics in these games.. and this doesn't change here. No improvement over the original though.
Audio: Perfect sound once again. I have never had any complaint from any Tom Clancy game when it comes to their sound.
Suggestions: Don't make essentially an expansion pack.. make a whole new game.
Overall Score: 7.0 / 10
Top Spin Tennis
Overall: A surprisingly fun and entertaining game, Top Spin offers the best in tennis gaming by far. It was much better than I expected.Gameplay: A well designed career mode makes for great play and growth in your character in the game. Though there aren't many actual tennis players to choose from, especially women, this game is still fun with a created character.
Graphics: This is one of the top looking games in console history. Very under-rated in the visual department. Everything is smooth, vibrant, and beautiful. This suffers in no areas.
Audio: Though there isn't much to speak of in the sound department, what's there is near perfect to what you would hear on TV or at an actual tennis event. Very wll done.
Suggestions: More real player. More women.
Overall Score: 9.0 / 10
Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon
Overall: This was one of the first games I played on the XBOX that wasn't Halo. I always had trusted the Tom Clancy games to provide me with solid entertainment, and they once again prove to be the best running game series with their first installment in the Ghost Recon sub-series.Gameplay: A short but sweet campaign mode is a good central reason for owning this game, but is not enough. Included is a very good multiplayer mode with large levels and fun and intense gameplayer. The multiplayer games can be long, but can end any second with one shot to the head. Very tense gaming.
Graphics: The visuals are pretty good, though there are some glitching and invisible walls to handle, overall it is good. There are some annoying camera angles that plague the game, but I got over it.
Audio: As always Tom Clancy games feature top notch voice-overs and sound effects. This game is no different.
Overall Score: 8.0 / 10
Tiger Woods PGA Tour 2003
Overall: Golf has always been fun for me in real life or in a game. The Links game offered the best gaming, but this Tiger Woods doned game is top of the line as well.Gameplay: A wide variety of players and courses allow you to do many things in this game. The career mode is well done, taking you through an entire season in the golfing world. The controls are easy to learn but hard to master.. exactly how golf should be.
Graphics: The backgrounds and course objects are well done, but the character models could use some work. They are the focal point of your sight, so they should be the best looking thing on the screen.. in this game they aren't.
Audio: Not much in the sound department here. Clapping, whacking, thudding, cheering.. all the usual golf sounds you would here. Can't give this a higher score because there is nothing special in this games sound department.
Overall Score: 8.0 / 10
Tetris Worlds
Overall: I wasn't the one who rented this.. my mom wanted to see what the "new" tetris is like. She played it for an hour and quit.. all she can play is the traditional tetris. I played it for a while and couldn't get into it at all.Gameplay: No matter what cool extra they can add to a game like this.. in the end all it is is falling blocks that you have to line up. Hardly avanced, hardly entertaining.
Graphics: Falling and twisting blocks. Little flashes when you get rid of a line.. nothing interesting at all in the visual departments. This would be the exact same game if it were done with Gameboy graphics.
Audio: Nothing going on with the sound either. I would just listen to my own music when I play.. because there is nothing in the game worth listening to.
Overall Score: 5.0 / 10
Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon: Island Thunder
Overall: Tom Clancy is back with another simultation style tactical shooter in the Ghost Recon series. Island Thunder is the title of this entertaining and engrossing, albeit short, game. Gameplay: Island Thunder IMO has the best story out of all the Tom Clancy games out there, which made me play through the campaign more than once.. something their other games did not. The weaponary you can choose from is 100% authentic, adding to the simulation goodness this game offers. Though the campaign is too short, the game does offer online playability, which makes this game one you fell good about buying and displaying.
Graphics: The visuals are very good. The trees, the grass, the mountatins, the models.. everything. Though I hate invisible walls, I understand they must be there. Overall this is one of the best looking games on the XBOX.
Audio: Once again the Tom Clacny games offer the best in voice-acting, gun and explosion effects, and all around great sounds. Keep them coming Red Storm.
Suggestions: More sequels, longer campaigns.
Overall Score: 9.0 / 10
Unreal Championship
Overall: I must admit. I am an Unreal Tournament enthusiast. I loved the PC games. I am a master at them.. top player in my old high school. Though I believe the game is better for networked PCs.. not a console. Overall the game is fun.. but I only played it with bots so I'm sure I didn't get the whole experience I should have.Gameplay: This came is 100% different than the Tom Clancy games I have played for years.. which makes it feel much fresher then it really is. It is very fast pace, there are lots of weapons, and it is overall very fun.
Graphics: The graphics are quite good. When there is a lot going on there seems to be some frame rate issues, but overall I have no gripes with the good visuals in this game.
Audio: The sounds are good as well. All the essential FPS sounds are there. This game does them top of the line, where other games like this wouldn't care much about the sounds.
Suggestions: XBOX live it. Thanks for the sequels.
Overall Score: 8.0 / 10
UFC: Tapout
Overall: What could be a decent premise, is bogged down by the ultimate prerequisite... UFC isn't that exciting to begin with.Gameplay: Very easy to learn controls like mosting fighting and wrestling games.. and decent depth to the modes isn't enough to save this. The matches can end very quick.. 20 seconds in on some cases. UFC is all about submission and holds.. which doesn't make for a very exciting experience. UFC does not need a game about itself... it doesn't deserve it.
Graphics: Standard XBOX grappling graphics. I don't judge the graphics overall.. but based on what the XBOX can do. So this is just slightly abover average. A game like this doesn't need to have good graphics..it needs good gameplay.. which this also misfires on.
Audio: Standard sounds you would hear from UFC are there. "UGHHHH" and "OARRRRGHHHH" are the classics. Then there is the "YEAHHHHHHH" from the crowd. You can see how deep this game is.
Suggestions: Don't make a 3rd game. You shouldn't have made the 2nd.
Overall Score: 6.0 / 10
Van Helsing
Overall: I rented this game before renting the movie. Had I have rented the horrible movie first, I never would have rented this horrible game.. saving myself MORE time. I wish I never rented either one. This game is pretty bad, though I like some elements.. overall this came only kept me entertained for an hour.Gameplay: The game does have some unique weapons that are only seen in the rare RPG games the grace the XBOX.. so if you like using clubs, arrows, slings, you will like that aspect of this game. The controls are easy to learn off the bat.. but the story hardly keeps you interested. There are some creepy moments in the game, I give them credit for creating a decent atmosphere, but overall there is nothing to make me come back to this game.
Graphics: The graphics are average. The character models are decent and the weapon effects are pretty good, but the environments are pretty shotty. There is some good lighting here, which gives it its creepy atmosphere.. but at times they over do it, making it too dark.
Audio: The sounds in this game are pretty crappy. The weapon sounds seem like 16bit soundbytes you can get form the NES days. Some neat music is used in cutscenes and in the menus.. but nothing ingame to keep your attention.
Suggestions: I heard they're making a sequel to the movie. Big mistake. Don't make a sequel to the game.
Overall Score: 4.0 / 10
WWE WrestleMania 21
Overall: I had a chance to play this game a while both at a friends house and in-store. I used to be a huge fan of wrestling games (No Mercy mostly). The two other XBOX releases (Raw games) are terrible.. this one is about average. An improvment over Raw, but nothing has touched No Mercy to this date.Gameplay: The grappling system is different than the Raw games, but it's still not THQs best (again, No Mercy). I wish they would just go back to exactly that.. but that's me dreaming. Limited options here which isn't good for a wrestling game.. but this could just be me grown out of the wrestling world.. maybe I just don't enjoy it as much as I used to.
Graphics: This game does feature pretty good graphics. Smooth animations (more realistic at that), good textures, and great intro sequences. This is the saving grace of the game, making it the best wrestling game on the XBOX.. but that still isn't saying much.
Audio: It's the same stuff you will hear in any wrestling game.. there isn't much to speak of here. It doesn't take much to add sound to a wrestling game.. so I'll just leave it as average. Nothing special at all. No problems at all.
Suggestions: Re-release No Mercy on the XBOX and I will play it more.
Overall Score: 5.0 / 10
X2: Wolverine's Revenge
Overall: I fell into all the Xmen hype around the movies. I like both movies.. but this game doesn't live up to the movies goodness, or even the older games on older systems. This game is so ho-hum, it was barely worth the 5.99 rental fee.Gameplay: A repetetive beat'em'up just like the Spiderman games.. but this game doesn't have a saving grace that the Spidey games did (swinging through the awesome city). Camera angles get all funky in close quarters, which makes this game annoying. Overall there isn't anything here to excite me.
Graphics: The graphics are average. Apparently this was a console-wide production, so they had to go with the lowest common denomenator. This isn't acceptable to me.. developers should try to push the power of systems.. but we all know that's not how it goes. The animations are smooth enough, the characters are below-average.. and the backgrounds seem out-dated.
Audio: Not much to speak of in the sound department. The regular beat'em'up sounds you would hear in any cheap game like this.
Suggestions: Don't make a game if you aren't going to work on it.
Overall Score: 4.0 / 10
WWE Raw 2
Overall: After WWF Raw, I didn't think wrestling could be any more ruined for me. Boy was I wrong. This game is just as terrible, if not more of a dissapointment than the original. Why is it that the best wrestling game of all time is still No Mercy on the N64?Gameplay: Oh geez.. this is terrible. The grappling system, though an improvement, is still ATROCIOUS. Once again you provide us with a crappy game, TERRIBLE collision detection, and repetetive gameplay in story mode.
Graphics: The game looks just average.. which isn't good for a wrestling game. In a game like this, the graphics and animations need to be above average, because there isn't much to making a wrestling game. Do not be stingy on the effects.. go all out and make a decent game, or don't do it at all.
Audio: Atleast we can use our own entrance music now, and the crowd sounds alright.. but outside of that there isn't much here other than grunts, groans, chair slams, and mat bumps.
Suggestions: Sell your rights to some other company.
Overall Score: 4.0 / 10
XIII
Overall: This game was quite a fresh installment into the FPS genre. With a way different feel than others, it was one of my favourite rental-games of the XBOX. It's a shame the game didn't do well and is quite underrated.Gameplay: The game offered up excitement, some challenging instances in levels, and a decent storyline. Playing as Moulder, errr.. XIII will keep you into the story. However this game does just follow the FPS formula, so it is quite predicatble.
Graphics: I give them credit for going a different route in the graphics department here. The cell-shading is quite beautiful.. and gives it a true comic book feel, which I'm sure they were going for. I definently couldn't play all games like this.. but for this game the cell shading just seemed to fit. Well done.
Audio: The gun sounds are a bit strange, but everything else is fine. I like the voice acting from Moulder. If you pretend to be playing X-Files.. the game is more fun.
Suggestions: Don't ruin your game with a crappy sequel. If you're going to make a sequel, go ALL OUT and make both games famous.
Overall Score: 8.0 / 10
Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell: Chaos Theory
Overall: Yet another solid game from Ubisoft and to the Tom Clancy / Splinter Cell series. This version is the most complete and polished version released to date.. with the most realistic gameplay all around.Gameplay: A brand new story to get you hooked, the levels feel longer and there are more of them. Dozens of combinations in using all your weapons / tools at your disposal. This game also features a much improved multiplayer function over XBOX Live. This is the best edition in the Splinter Cell series.
Graphics: This game also features the most polished graphics and animations in the entire series. My dying XBOX could not handle it, but I know a perfect XBOX can having played it on a friends. Everything from the grass and water, to the lighting effects and shadows.. this is top of the line. One of the top 5 best looking XBOX games.
Audio: As in both previous Splinter Cells and all other Tom Clancy games, the sound is perfect all around. I have said it before so I will say it for the last time (until I write a review for another Clancy Game). Perfection in the sound department.
Suggestions: None.. this one is perfect.
Overall Score: 9.0 / 10
Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell: Pandora Tomorrow
Overall: Another solid Tom Clancy game, and a decent sequel to the classic Splinter Cell for the xbox. This time around we were presented with XBOX live multiplayer. Better luck next time on that one Ubi. Gameplay: The storyline for this one was just as intriguing, but left us with less to do (more linear). Like the last game, it has zero replayability.. so they tried to incorporate multiplayer over XBOX live. It did not work. People were so hyped for stealh action on XL.. but they missed the mark big time. Glitches, cheats, cheap moves.. it all just didn't work. The ranking system was way too vague and didn't help at all.
Graphics: Another good effort from Ubisoft to create realistice enviroments and animations. This one is better than the original, and I did not encounter any popin or frame rate issues. This game took the XBOX almost to its limits, and pulled it off like only a few games have been able to do.
Audio: As they did with the first game, the sound is top notch. Nothing as really changed, as nothing needed to change. Perfection once again by the sound department, everyone involved deserves (another) raise.
Suggestions: Fix the multiplayer.
Overall Score: 8.0 / 10
Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell
Overall: Clearly taking it's premise from the PS classic (or it made it famous anyway) Medal Gear Solid, Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell is another winner for Tom Clancy and Ubisoft. This game provided a solid few days of stealthy entertainment, something not before experienced on the XBOX.Gameplay: The whole idea of staying quiet, in the dark, and out of sight makes for fun gameplay... prehaps a bit tedious at times, but it doesn't take long to figure out patterns of guards / alarms. The objectives get progressively more challenging, but in the end the game is only a once play-through.. which makes this only a top of the line rental.. never something I would consider buying.
Graphics: As always, Ubisoft provides us with above average, almost excellent visuals. Everything is pretty much seamless despite some pop-in and frame rate problems (though that could have been my slowly dying system). It's good to see that a game with such a good premise wasn't stricken with below average visuals.
Audio: The sound, as with all Tom Clancy games, is top of the line. The footsteps (on multiple different surfaces) are bang on.. the guns (though you rarely use them) sound perfect.. and the voice acting is also top notch. Ubi always goes all out with their sound quality.. not a single problem with it. Perfection.
Suggestions: Only suggestion would be more levels.. really can't improve on this at the time of its development. Thanks for the sequels.
Overall Score: 9.0 / 10
Halo 2
Overall: We all waited 3 years for this gem to drop from Bungie, and it was worth the wait. The story might not be so great, and the ending may !&%$@#* you off, but the multiplayer makes it up for it all. The amount of fun that can be had is just amazing! The matchmaking is good for competing against those you do not know, and the level system is great. Playing custom games with your friends can be real fun for just killing time. So overall the campaign is good but might bore you.. but the heart of this game is the multiplayer.. I do not reccomend this game for players without XBOX Live.Gameplay: The truth! The truth is in the live brothers! Don't worry about the campaign crap. It's short, it's boring.. I don't want to play as an alien.. I want a good ending! Not a cop out! Oh well, the live play makes up for it all brothers!
Graphics: Minor improvments over the original, but the pop in graphics just !&%$@#* me off. Bungie said the original Halo took up only 60% of the XBOXs power.. this is clearly a lie now if they only touched the effects up a bit and they don't even work properly. This is the bext the Box has to offer.
Audio: Could care less for the sound of this game. I have heard better gun effects when I am taking my morning crap on the toilet. The sound track is nice, but pretty much the same as the first game.
Suggestions: Hire some writers for Halo 3. Don't release Halo 3 on XBOX1.. it can't get any better graphically.
Overall Score: 10.0 / 10
MechAssault
Overall: The game itself is a decent game, if played online, however, the game is not very good offline. It gets boring and pointless doing the same thing over and over. XBOX live play is the only thing that saves this game from being trash.Gameplay: The controls are very easy to learn and use, and the downloadable content amazed me. I didn't think it would be that good, I didn't think they would offer so much! As for single-play.. it just bores me.
Graphics: The graphics are not that good in my opinion. The mechs look nice up close, but the fire, weapon, and building explosion effects are all poor. The XBOX can do much better.
Audio: The sound is what you would expect. Boom, bang, crash, boom, bang, etc.. not very exciting but it doesn't hurt the game.
Suggestions: Make single-player more fun.. improve the SFX.
Overall Score: 7.0 / 10
Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six 3
Overall: I have been playing Rainbow Six 3 so much in the last two days. It has become my favourite game on the XBOX in a short period of time. This coming right after (just days after) playing Counter-Strike, which was a dissapointment. This game was better in almost every aspect. Gameplay: Admittedly, I have only played through 2 missions in the single player campaign, they were nice, but the gold in this game is found online. For those of us lucky enough to have XBconnect, and the even luckier people to have XBOX live, this game will quickly become your favourite. I myself play it on XBconnect, and the last 2 days I have played it a lot. There aren't many maps to choose from, just like Counter-strike, but the controls system is much better which makes this game much more enjoyable to play. I don't have a headset at home, I wish I did, because it would have made this game a 5.0 in gameplay. Also nice touch on bringing Ding Chavez back!
Graphics: The graphics in this game are quite good, but they could have done a better job on the smoke and gas effects. The skins are good, a little hard to distingush from long distance though.. maybe it's just my bad eyes.. but I killed a couple team-mates because of this.
Audio: The sound for this game is quite good as well. When you get hit with a flashbang, you go half-deaf, which makes bullets sound really cool. Also the voice is a great touch, if only I could have the XBOX headset...
Suggestions: More maps. Improve the smoke and gas effects. Bring back more of the guys from the original Rainbow Six like you did with Ding Chavez.
Overall Score: 9.0 / 10
Counter-Strike
Overall: Counter-Strike is the most famous and played 3D shooter on the internet. I recently started playing it for the PC, and have been amazed by it ever since.. the only thing wrong with it is the abundance of hacking losers. I also recently had a chance with friends to play the XBOX version of Counter Strike, and I didn't have as much fun playing it as I wished I had. Granted, I only played it for about 3 hours, but a game should capture you by 3 hours... this didn't. A poor addition to the XBOX in my opinion.Gameplay: They don't give you enough maps in my opinion, why play on so little when you can have many many more online? Also, what is probably the games greatest downfall, the controls are poor. Aiming is very hard to get a hang of, almost impossible to get the good shots you can get with the PC version. I only played online for about 45 minutes, but it just wasn't as fun as the PC version. I know I shouldn't be rating it based on it's PC brother, but that's what we have to do considering it is nothing less than a port with some added touches to the maps.
Graphics: The graphics are pretty clean, probably the best part about the game. Which I can say for a lot of XBOX games. The maps are very well done and the models are nice. I didn't experience one frame rate slow down so that was good.
Audio: The gun sounds need more work, and a lot of the sounds were brought right over from the PC version. Give us something a little different to listen to at least. Obvioulsy the best aspect of this is voice when you are playing online.
Suggestions: Add more maps. Improve the sounds.
Overall Score: 8.0 / 10
Azurik: Rise of Perathia
Overall: I thought I liked RPGs, I had high hopes for this game long ago, but I ended up not liking it. From the very bad camera work, to the silly
storyline and crappy looking enemys, I just didn't get into this game
like I thought it was. Making this game even a bigger let down (prehaps)
a little bit unlucky for the game, this was the first game I ever played
after Halo.
Gameplay: I found the gameplay very boring, the controls hard to get a hang of,
and the enemys terrible (as I said before). Most of them were too easy
beat, and the rest you could almost walk right by without being touched
by them. They could have done much better developing them. I didn't like
the storyline at all, I think they could have got better writers. It was
almost too like The Legend of Zelda (find the parts of the tri-force). The
difference is, I loved Zelda, it didn't require deep writing back in
those days. But nowadays, we require deep stories (ala Max Payne).
Graphics: The graphics are the best aspect of the game, but they aren't up to
par. The play is smooth and the character models are nice, but they
could have done a better job on the enemys. The terrain is good but
not great. The overall world is done nicely with many many different
aspects to it. It is prehaps the biggest and best "atmosphere"
graphically.
Audio: I didn't like the sound at all. The generic weapon sounds we have
heard before, and the voice-acting is nothing short of bad. This part
hurts the game a lot as the background music is annoying. The music
really took me out of the game after the story didn't catch me.
Suggestions: Don't make a sequel.. if you do.. fix the enemys, fix the sound, hire better writers, and hire better actors.
Overall Score: 7.0 / 10
Max Payne
Overall: I would have to say Max Payne was the best game overall I have playedfor the XBOX. Where as Halo is good for it's breathtaking graphics
and decent story, Max Payne is goof for it's breathtaking story and
decent graphics. I have always enjoyed the games with great stories,
like Max Payne, Resident Evil, The Zelda games, etc etc. The only gripe
I had with this game was it is too short, or at least feels too short
because you will love the story so much. There is not much replayability
once you beat the game, which probably makes this a rental at most.. But the best !&%$@#* rental you will ever get.
Gameplay: I have already spoken about it's story, which is very deep and very
immersive. The controls are easy to learn and use, and one can only
love the matrix-inspired "Bullet Time" moves you can pull off every
once and a while. Rent this game you will not be dissapointed. You have my guarantee. For
the gameplay alone, it is worth the 5 bucks.
Graphics: Although not amazing, the graphics for this dark, shoot-em-up are
good enough to get the game by. I have no problems with the graphics
at all, but I did experience some frame rate slow down when in battle
with 5 or more guys and everyone has full auto guns, it slows things
down a bit.
Audio: The gun sounds are exactly what you would expect, perfect, but the
real reason this gets 4.5 is the great voiceovers done by all the actors
playing these characters. They get right into the characters and you
fell like you are watching a movie and not watching a game cutscene.
Suggestions: Make the sequel have more levels and a longer story. Try to fix the frame rate problems if possible.
Overall Score: 10.0 / 10
NBA 2K3
Overall: This ball game is very well done. Out of all basketball games I have played (and i am not a huge fan), this game got the most playing time out of all of them.Gameplay: The controls are easy to learn which is good for a sports game. Sega has always been great with options and modes, this game is no exception. Great game.
Graphics: Not as good as it could have been, but that is ok, because really gameplay makes the game not graphics.
Audio: The commentary is alright, I never really like sports game commentarys, they just get so repetitive. The court sounds are good but there just isn't enough here.
Suggestions: 2k4 should be great! Keep it coming!
Overall Score: 9.0 / 10
World Series Baseball 2K3
Overall: This is going to be a very biased review, because I kind of thinkbaseball is boring.. and playing a game about baseball, is pretty
boring too. This game was fun for about 3 games, then it got
repetitive... swing, hit, run, catch, pitch. That is the story of this
game, no more needs to be said. I think you have to be a REAL hardcore
baseball fan to play a baseball game.
Gameplay: I guess for a baseball game all the necessary gameplay is there, so I
cannot rate this gameplay any lower than 4, it wouldn't be fair to the
people who made the game, or the people who like baseball. Season, Home
Run Derby, etc etc.. it's all there and it's all good (for baseball).
Graphics: The graphics are good but I have seen better, I seem to say that for
every game except Halo. The movements are smooth and the stadiums are
immaculate. Don't get much better in a baseball game.
Audio: There is really not much sound needed in baseball game, so this stat
really shouldn't worry any of you who are going to play this game. Smack,
yay, HOME RUN! Derek Jeter! Ball 4! Etc.. nothing here to really be
rated.
Suggestions: Don't listen to me I don't even like baseball.
Overall Score: 7.0 / 10
Conflict: Desert Storm II : Back to Baghdad
Overall: I have always loved the Tom Clancy games, the Rainbow Six type ones more than the newer Ghost Recon games, but I do like both series. I
found myself dissapointed with this addition to the Ghost Recon series. Ghost
Recon: Island Thunder is a decent game, but is too much like the
original for me to have fun with it.
Gameplay: The controls are all decent, a little hard to get complete control of
at first, but nicely laid out. Enough missions to play through, although
I haven't played them all, and the online capability is always something
good to have, but you can stick with the original Ghost Recon if you are
an Xbox Liver.
Graphics: The graphics are the best part of the game, the models are nice, and
the worlds are even nicer. The trees are great, the rain and just everything
in the environment is good. The blood is decent, and I love how baddies
react when they are shot. Good job on the graphics.
Audio: The sound is decent as well. The music keeps you into the game, but
I would have liked a custom soundtrack capability like the Conflict
Desert storm games. The gun noises are great like in all Tom Clancy games.
Suggestions: Quit while you're ahead, do not make another game until the next systems come out. The storyline hasn't grabbed me yet, get better writers.
Overall Score: 7.0 / 10
NHL 2K3
Overall: NHL 2k3 is a very good, almost flawless hockey game by Sega Sports. I have played through 5 full seasons in my time playing the game, and still find myself coming back for more. Where as other hockey games I can easily rack up 10 goals in a game, NHL 2k3 challenges the shooter, and when playing on the hardest skill level, you are lucky if you score 5 times. This game is one of, and will likely remain one of my favourite games of all time.Gameplay: Being a simulation hockey fan, this game's gameplay amazed me. I have
already mentioned the skill it takes to score a goal, and haven't even
begun to mention all the neat controls. Being able to do your own deke is very fun, not to mention needed to score. Being able to pin a man
against the boards and play the puck with your foot is something new
and refreshing to hockey games. All the standard hockey stuff is there,
big hits, saucer passes, hooking, slashing etc etc.. it's hockey! And
I love it! The only gripe I had against it was it's fighting, very boring, no point
to it. No game on a next-gen console has gotten fights right yet.. the only
game I can remember that had it perfect was NHL 95 on Sega.. christ
that was a long time ago.
Graphics: The graphics aren't very good at all, they are top-level 64-bit graphics
at best, but as I have said before, graphics often mean not much to
me at all.. and they don't mean much here. If you are looking for graphics,
play NHL 2003 by EA Sports, but for good hockey action, play this game.
Audio: I have never liked commentary in sports games, it gets repetitive, but I
don't mind, usually I have it muted and listen to my own music or do
commentary by myself (yes I do that when no one is around). The commentators
in this game (from ESPN) are geeky, I hate them, don't bring them back please. The actual hockey sounds are fine.
Suggestions: Go back to NHL 95 on the Sega and copy their fighitng engine. Get
rid of the !&%$@#* commentators.
Overall Score: 9.0 / 10
Conflict: Desert Storm
Overall: War game based on the 1991 gulf war in Kuwait. This game was very relevant for its release date. Just happened to conincide with the War in Iraq, so I had fun killing some Iraqis in this game, pretending I was a hero runnnig through the streets of Iraq, quite fun.Gameplay: The buttons get a little time to get used to, but once you do you will find it very easy. It's just those first couple hours that are hard. Of course in a game like this, there is no replayability factor once you have beaten it. This is due to the poor multiplayer mode which is pretty much useless. Co-op was of course a great addition and I had the most fun doing that.
Graphics: The graphics are alright, I wish they would have put more work into their explosions. I did encounter a couple of frame rate problems but nothing to get real angry at. The models are pretty good and move well, and dam I love the goats, what a hilarious add in.
Audio: The sound is pretty good, different gun sounds for each weapon which was good. I didn't think that they would use the custom soundtrack feature, but they did, which was awesome. Finally a developer who throws something in just because they can. It wasn't needed as the war tunes already in the game are good, but listening to your own music can really put you in the mood of killing Iraqis.
Suggestions: Well, fix the FPS, and in the sequel try and throw some more objectives and/or some more missions in. I know, everyone asks for this, but it is truly what it needs.
Overall Score: 9.0 / 10
Tony Hawk Pro Skater 4
Overall: Tony Hawk, the surprise franchise started some time ago now, well, not really that long ago. It took the skateboarding fans by storm, but even more surprised the non-boarding fans like myself. I am no where near a sk8er, although I do have an infatuation with Avril Lavigne. That's besides the point. The point is that this game, this franchise, is near perfect, but nothing is truly perfect so I try not to give 5s too often.Gameplay: Just like every previous Tony game, which is fine as is. The control scheme probably took a lot of testing when they did it the first time around, but nothing has been changed so this was easy. I did find that the responsivness has gone down a bit, but maybe that was the effects of pot on my mind when I was playing. Probably. Anyway, there are many parks to skate, the worlds are the most interactive worlds of any game ever seen. Near everything can be tricked off of. Even if you get sick of the parks included in the career mode, there are many (over a dozen) pre-made created skate parks. Of course, you have the ability to create your own, I have not used this feature, but I'm sure it's just as good as the one in THPS3, if not better.
Graphics: The graphics are not 100% crisp, but they get the job done, this franchise was never meant to look like Halo or PGR, these games are all about gameplay. The character models are decent, and the worlds look great, must have a very good draw rate. Stop your skater and just look around, details can be seen from far away. My biggest gripe with the graphics is when you crash through a fence, the fence pieces dissapear, why not leave them there and have them make a cool sound when you skate over them? Also, the blood is not needed, it is silly to see blood splatter on the ground when you fall on your back, it also dissapears. Good job, leave them the way they are, do not sacrifice gameplay for graphics.
Audio: Ok, we've heard the same board and grind noises since the original Tony Hawk game, that's old. On top of that we are given a very crappy soundtrack with some very crappy songs on it. Thankfully, I loaded my Nickelback CD right away and was off skating to some great tunes. If this feature was not here, this would have been a 2.5
Suggestions: Everything is pretty much dandy with this series. Except for the fact that you guys come out with a new one every 5 months. Stop milking sk8 fans for money and wait a while, put some more work into your other projects.
Overall Score: 9.0 / 10
WWF Raw
Overall: It's a wrestling game, right away it appeals to me having been a wrestling fan for about 5 years now, but when I played this game, I almost felt like someone took me and piledrived my head into a chair... the game was that brutal (not in a good way). The whole idea of 'having the crowd on your side' and the 'momentum meter' was just assanine. I know in real life, a wrestling in the WWE doesn't start a match off with a suplex or a powerbomb... but dam, this is a game... why do you think games like Wrestlemania 2000 (n64) and No Mercy (n64) were so popular? Because they allowed us to do whatever the hell we wanted to... with our characters, with our moves, with our personalities... this game was a total let down, and I don't even reccomend that you rent it.Gameplay: As stated above, THQ gave us a whole new feel, or engine if you prefer the technical term. It sucks. Period. You will not like it at all unless you actually are in the WWE... which.. I don't think anyone reading this is. It's not that I am so used to games like No Mercy, Revenge, Wrestlemania 2000, and even the game that started the great THQ engine we used to love, World Tour. Only VERY hardcore fans should play this game... geez, and I thought I was a hardcore fan... guess not, I hated this game so much, I questioned my fanshipness (not a word) when it comes to wrestling.
Graphics: The intros are very good, until the wrestler walks of course, people don't walk like that! What were you thinking? They walk like they got a steel rod up their behinds for pete sakes! As for the move animations, they are well done (duh, it's xbox) but the walking animation is just hilarious (laughable).
Audio: The best aspect of the game, but it is not golden. All the wrestlers intro music is there, which is good, but... for a game like this, and listen carefully folks... USE THE FRIGGIN' HARD DRIVE! With all the delays this game went through, you atleast think they would keep in one of the best features the game had going for it, the ability to use your own music on the hard drive as your intro music. God I was pissed at this. All in all the sound is what you expect it to be, the crowd, the weapons, the intro music that is there, is all good... but not using the power of the XBOX doesn't sit with me well.
Suggestions: You have a lot of work to do for the sequel (which is in development) ... first, go back to your old engine you used on N64... or else I will not even rent this game. Have the ability to use your own music, and add more match styles (that always helps).
Overall Score: 4.0 / 10
Enclave
Overall: The game is above average, unlike many XBOX games, and it was worth the buy, but not worth all the hype. I enjoyed the story and the weaponary, and the idea of finding gold to get items, and be able to sell the item back at the end of the level for the same price... but something was missing from this game. It didn't have that spark I wish it did, maybe I'm not into the whole "gladiator" type feel it has. Lets just say, I was glad I bought the game, but it will probably gather dust in the near-future as a lot of new and potentially way better titles are coming out.Gameplay: The control scheme is very easy to get used to, and this game is by far a button-masher, it does require some skill and dexterity. What I liked the most about the game was the parts where you could interact with the environment.. ie: using a cannon to blow up doors and even enemeys :-) ... This game is what I call an 'accquired taste' game, either you're going to like this game or you're going to hate it. For instance, I invited a freind over to try it out, but he absolutley hated it, unlike me who liked it. I wish there was a multiplayer aspect to the game, or even a cooperative, but I guess it wasn't meant to be.
Graphics: The games graphics are alright, not so much the characters as the world. The walls and ground are well textured, but the characters looked too much like a PSX game to me. The blood that squirts from people/creatures is alright, but sometimes when you see blood on the ground, it's a little shiny and doesn't look realistic. The graphics could have been way better, but I already did get some frame rate problems at some points of the game, so I guess they sacrificed graphics for playability. What's sad is that the graphics are not the games biggest problems. (see below)
Audio: Alright, I didn't like the sound in this game at all. From the voice acting to the effects of weapons it was very bad. Low-quality at best, I rather have just my own music playing then the crap contained on this game. This is with out a doubt the worst aspect to the game and could use a MAJOR over haul, especially when they were very stingy with the graphics. Ok, I don't want to insult the game makers anymore, so I'll finish with these words: 'your sound sucks'
Suggestions: I have yet to beat the game, I am very close to the end, and once I beat it, the dust will begin to pile on top of it. There is no replayability to this game, but in the end I enjoyed playing it because I like the setting and style of the game. As for a suggestion... make a sequel, but you are treading on thin ice with me, you NEED to do better with the sound here... as for the graphics, don't ruin it by making them better and then having a even worse frame rate.
Overall Score: 7.0 / 10
Fifa World Cup 2002
Overall: I am not a fan of soccer, or, um, football, whatever you call it, it still is the worlds biggest sport. This game captures that very well, giving soccer fans and non-soccer fans a very good game. Though it is not the best game on the XBOX, it is the best sports game currently out. With over 30 nations to choose from, you could have fun even after you beat the game, how about trying to win with Senegal? Turn up the difficulty and play with a bad team, a challenge is always fun. Overall, this game really captures the essense of World Cup Soccer. I played with 7 different nations, the furthest I got was the finals (twice) and lost. My eigth try was with Italy, and I dominated in all games until the finals, where it finished 2-2 after 90 minutes. When I scored late in over-time, it felt so great. When you feel proud of winning the world cup in this game, and jump up and scream like I did, you know it is a good game.Gameplay: The World Cup tournament is the main part of the game, and it is great. Before the match starts there is a very good intro, showing the field and arena, the first couple times you see this, you will be in awe of it, but it will wear off eventually, but hey? Doesn't everything? Multiplayer is just like the multiplayer on any sports title, face a freind or freinds. The game does not have a league feature, which really I missed, I would love to do a entire soccer season and then take the team to the world cup, but not so. Not having this feature made me drop it point-5, but it is still a very good game to play. I rented this game, and bought it about a week after, and I only buy games if I am very impressed with them, so take that for what it's worth.
Graphics: The player models are very good, but what really is impressive here is the work that was put into the crowd. You will never get a closeup of the crowd because they are 2-D, but from afar you really cannot tell. The crowd wave flags and at each end of the field their is a huge flag covering the fans which waves up and down majestically, very nicely done. They really captured what a world cup crowd is like, and to me this was the greatest aspect of the game. You feel the spirit of the game. The only problem was the tackle replays, they aren't very good. During play when you slide tackle someone, it looks great, but then they show a closeup replay of it, and sometimes there is some clipping between the players, and other times it doesn't appear you touched the victim.
Audio: There isn't much I can say here. The crowd is good, the commentator is alright... I really don't care for soccer commentators, but I kept him on because it is a big part of the game. Not much sound goes into a soccer, game, sliding on the pitch, a few generic kicking sounds and that's it. I cannot dock the game for this, because, really... what do you hear when watching a soccer game on TV? Kicking, the pitch, and the commentator, that's it.
Suggestions: This is a great game and has my full recommendation for buying. Don't rent it first, that's a waste of 5 bucks, just go buy it. As for improvments? Even though it is a world cup game add Canada so I can REALLY feel proud when I win.
Overall Score: 10.0 / 10
Buffy the Vampire Slayer
Overall: In my humble opinion, this was simply the best game I have played since Halo. Sure, it doesn't have all the high tech gadgets and weapons, or top of the line graphics from Bungie, but EA really 'staked' this one perfectly. This got the most playing time out of any game I have yet to rent. The opening to the game is well done, Giles introduces you to what Buffy The Vampire Slayer is, then a intro video to the Buffy tune (which got my pumped). At first I was skeptical, "this game will be crap", god... I was so... so wrong. This is a great game, but just like Max Payne which was amazing, this is just a rental, once it is beat, it's over. It should take you a solid 3-4 days to complete.Gameplay: I don't think you have to enjoy Buffy The Vampire Slayer (the show) to enjoy this wonderful game. Weapons include a stake, crossbow, molotave !&%$@#* tails, shovels, spears, and more! The only weapon I found corny was some inter-changable Water Gun/Flame Thrower thing, but, you will need it a lot during the game, so I put that in the back of my mind. There are many different types of enemies which include vampires, huge goliath-type monsters, zombie-skeletons, weird things that crawl on walls and shoot fire at you, spiders, BIGGER spiders, and you even face a mirror image of yourself at one point! The storyline to the game is very good, I couldn't tell you if it is straight from the television show of the same name because I am not an active watcher, which actually made the game more enjoyable for me. I didn't know what to expect. Great game!
Graphics: Ok, I'll be honest with myself here. The graphics are the worst aspect of the game, but really, you will be to wrapped up in the story and gameplay to even notice. The characters are respectable, I mean, it's not terrible or anything, but I have said this before, "this is XBOX, you can do better" ... the "dusting" effect when you finally finish off a vampire is pretty good, I would have like maybe a close-up shot of it, but then you would get one of those every couple seconds at some points of the game. The environments are well done, very dark and creepy at some points. Speaking off the environment, if you are yet to play this game, take my advice... if you can get across an obstaclein the air, do so, late in the game you will not appreciate the break-a-way floors... I didn't.
Audio: At first I thought that all the voices were real, and most are, except for the main character Buffy... I sincerly though it was Sarah Michelle Gellar (ohhh) doing voice overs for the game. It is not. Apparently it is a VERY good sound-a-like. You will not hear a difference, you have my word on that one! The weapon sounds are alright, but honestly, how many different sounds can there be to wood hitting flesh? The only thing wrong here, all the regular vampires sounded the same when they threw a line at you (except for the difference between the mail and female ones of course)
Suggestions: Sequel! That's all I have to say. Try to get Gellar on board for voice acting, but if you can't PLEASE stick with the sound-a-like. All I'm asking for is a fresh new storyline!
Overall Score: 9.0 / 10
NFL Fever 2003
Overall: Well, it was what I expected, is that good? Yes and no. I expected a medicore game, and got one, but mediocre isn't what XBOX fans like us want. The game his fun only for a few hours single player, and multi-player with a freind will die down after a while. XBconnect you say? Unless you friggin got your own sattelite don't bother. You need a ping of 50 just to connect and play, on Halo you can connect to whatever! Guess they really want you to buy XBOX Live! This is a one-time rental, and nothing more.Gameplay: The controls are very easy to get used to, because we've seen them before. I like the idea of "recommended play" though. Completing a pass is sometimes too easy, but at other times impossible. The running game I thought was perfect, scrambling, stiff-arming, spinning, jiving, the whole works, all in all, I enjoy running the ball more than passing thr ball. The season play is exactly that, nothing more. The fantasy draft is alright I guess, I'm not a huge fan of football so I didn't spend much time there, but it was well done.
Graphics: The players look great! From their helmets, to their jerseys and even towels, they are great! Too bad I cannot say the same for the crowd. Two-D paper cut-outs, UGH! This is XBOX not Dreamcast! The hit/tackle animations are done well, and I just LOVE the couple different clothesline animations. Like seeing a player run, jump, and fly into you with his arm out? Crazy! Then I remember about the snow. The snow is very poor, it's perfectly placed on the field in rows, each row is exactly like the next. I dropped point-5 for that reason alone.
Audio: The commentator and announcer I turned off after an hour! They were very poorly done. The field level noises are par at best, but I found myself turning them up all the way just so I could have SOME feel of what the game of football is suppoused to sound like. The crowd, generic. Nothing good, nothing bad about them. The menu tune is alright, you don't spend much time on menu screens unless you're doing a fantasy draft. Myself, I would just turn on some Nickelback and mute the TV.
Suggestions: Fix the crowd and get rid of that !&%$@#* commentator! I really don't care what you change, I liked NFL 2k2 better than this "new" game. I have yet to play NFL 2k3, but I am already suggesting it.
Overall Score: 7.0 / 10
Spider-Man
Overall: It truly is perfect. The game is long enough for it to be a buyer, there is tonnes of secret stuff to find and unlock, and some levels are great challenges, I recommend this to anyone who loves the spider-man series, or anyone who loves games in general. You're Peter Parker, but Spider-Man at heart, and this game will drag you through it with chains, it's almost impossible to turn off your XBOX without playing this game, it's truly a great. Swinging through the city is one of the funnest gaming experiences I've had the experience in doing. The only thing I didn't like about the game was that you couldn't swing all the way down to the ground and swing between vehicles, but this still deserves a perfect score, and it gets what it deserves.Gameplay: It is a very lengthy game with all the secrets and all, but I have yet to play a game that I would give a perfect and honest score in this category. A perfect gameplay score means the game was perfect in every non-graphical way, this game isn't. The game could have been longer in the main-story itself, and would have been better if there was a second senario to play. The game is a little too easy for my liking, but all in all it's very good.
Graphics: The environments are very good, but I wish they spent more time on some of the character models, especially MJ, who is done very poorly. The framerate is as strong as it could be for a game as non-eye popping as this one. The graphics themselves are not that great, but large environments make up for it, you wont really notice because the game in itself is too amazing. Better graphics really couldn't have made the game any better, so don't take this 4.0 as a bad thing, take it as a reminder of what the XBOX can do.
Audio: The voice-acting is above average which makes the story good, good actors make a good story. I think the web noise could have been done better, but what are you going to do. Not really a game where you would implement the custom soundtrack feature, but some people just like to know they have the option.
Suggestions: Longer story maybe, second senario for sure.
Overall Score: 10.0 / 10
Wreckless: The Yakuza Mission
Overall: The second best game I have played for the XBOX, NHL 2002 being the best of them all! Well, Wreckless is a game for people who need to relax, kick back, get rid of some of that tension! If you like racing, as in going around in ovals or figure eights, you will not like this game, but then again, you might, because it is just plain fun! The object is to preform tasks you are given in a given time. The first missions will be easy, but as you advance in the game, some of the levels will get so difficult, you will be clenching that controller screaming, "JUST ONE MORE SECOND! JUST ONE MORE SECOND FOR THE LOVE OF GOD!" ... as long as some other words I shall not type here. Despite the lack of multiplayer modes, and a couple other impurities, this game is perfect, make no mistake about it, this is a BUYER not a renter.Gameplay: Controls are very simple and good and are very easy to learn. You will be driving like a pro within a couple hours you have my personal guarentee. Taking the turns and slamming into another car to stop your slides is so fun, you will find yourself attempting to crash. The flips are so amazing, again, you will find yourself speeding along the road and looking for a bump to take sideways ;-)! The 20 missions is good, but could be better, are you telling me there was not enough room on the game to include 50 missions? Despite that, the gameplay is perfect and deserves a perfect score.
Graphics: Nothing wrong here. Nothing at all. The graphics are chrisp and better than any other video game out there, the cars are so detailed, you are able to tell what direction a drop of water would roll off the car, for real! The background and environment are so chrisp and clear, you could tell what way a drop of water would roll of a ... well ... you get it! The only minor, VERY minor problem there was, was the framerate. At times, the frame-rate will boggle and you will lagg for about a second or two. I only experienced this after a huge crash and then trying to power spin back into motion, ah well, nothing is perfect.
Audio: Something bad, nothing terrible, lots good, nothing special. By that I mean, the music was good, has a good beat to it and keeps you into the game at all times. The bad is the voice acting, I just don't think they are good, not only are they 'cheesily' written, they are badly acted too, but this is only a minor problem. The 'nothing special' is there is no custom soundtrack option. This should be common in EVERY game from now on, ESPECIALLY in racing games where the object is to crash things and kill things. Althought it's good, the sound is what has killed this game from being deemed 'perfect'
Suggestions: The usual... more missions... custom soundtrack... more cars, everything we ask for in a perfect racing game. Thanks for the great game guys! Oh yeah, and a little note to the developers... sneak in some naked japeneese girls in the instruction book :P ... hehe j/k
Overall Score: 9.0 / 10
Star Wars: Starfighter - Special Edition
Overall: I was never really a Star Wars fan, never really called myself a Star Wars "Techie", and now I know why I never did. Rouge Sq. for Nintendo64 was good and all, and honestly I think it was better than this game, even with the slightly improved graphics. This game is the same as Rouge Sq. in every way, you are given a simple mission to blow up a shield, or a ship, or a base, all the time fending off little ships which I cleverly call... well I don't call them anything because I blow them up before I can get a chance to name them. The cut-scenes in the game are the best part, the voice acting is great, but the story is a little dull. If you are looking for a game you want to play for one day and return, this is the game for you. Only hardcore fans of the Star Wars series will enjoy this game.Gameplay: Some people have said that the controls are a little confusing, but I don't find them confusing at all, besides, when was ever controlling an aircraft easy? I think the button scheme is all right, but I would have made the triggers the fire buttons instead of the A, and B buttons. The game in my opinion is a little too un-realistic, I mean, lots of people like the arcade feel, but even with a "shield" around your ship, I don't think you can smash into a mountain 10 times without blowing up. The weapons system in my opinion is a little lame, you have a primary laser that is unlimited, then you have a "missile" type weapon which will deplete when you use it. The aiming system is very easy, is this good or bad? You have to decide on your own, in my mind I think its bad because the arcade feel just doesn't sit with me right. All the missions with maybe the exception of the last one are very easy, I think they could have stepped up the difficulty a little. The multiplayer is this games savior, there is something fun about shooting down your best friend, and vise-versa.
Graphics: Hmmm, well what can you say about the graphics? Not much at all really, the graphics would have been amazing on the Nintendo64 or Playstaion, but when it comes to the XBOX, they can be much, much better. The explosions have no feel to them at all, when you blow up a ship or any other object, the explosion is just a quick flash of orange... kind of depressing for an XBOX game. I have to admit, the ships and structures look great, they aren't very detailed, but they don't have to be, they are smooth and nice to look at. The textures in the game aren't so great, looks like a texture from PSone. If they were going to port the game direct from PS2, they should have at least stepped up the textures a bit. Although, maybe they shouldn't have improved the textures, the frame-rate already slows down at various times, I hate lag... on the internet or in a video game, it gets really a-a-a-annoying.
Audio: The sounds are the best part of the game, the laser?s sound authentic to the Star Wars movies, the explosions are above average but could use a little work. The voice acting in the cut-scenes are great, and in my opinion possibly the best "acted" voices on the XBOX thus far, but we all have our favourites. When your ship touches the ground, or an object in space, the crunching sound of the ship is very well done, but again, could be improved. It seems like the team working with the sounds had the right idea, but just couldn't make it 100% flawless, nice effort.
Suggestions: This is a little biased because I am not really a Star Wars fan (then why did I buy it from my friend), but I don't think you should make a sequel. Lucas Arts, make a sequel to Obi-Wan, but don't make a sequel to Starfighter.
Overall Score: 4.0 / 10
NHL 2002
Overall: For the Hockey fan, and Non-Hockey fans, this game is great either way, myself, I'm a hockey fan, so it was easier to score it high, but go play for yourself! I must admit, it doesn't use all of the XBOX's immense power, but it uses enough to please me, and any other gamer. The graphics are smoothed and well detailed, the facial expressions are immaculate, the movements are swift and angelic, the crowd is full 3-D, lots of things are done right in this game. On the flipside, a few minor things are done wrong, very, very wrong. After you're finished a game, for the love of god, don't just turn of your system. Why? Because the editors didn't put in an auto-save! Leaving out an auto-save doesn't seem like much, but when you play 5 games in a row, and forget to save the game manually, you will want to kick the XBOX out the window... I almost did. A longer introduction movie would be appreciated. Another small problem is the manual deking ability, but I'll get into detail later on. Overall, this game is great for everybody, as long as you can put up with some minor little blotches here and there. You will play this game until NHL 2003 comes out if you are a hockey fan, otherwise... you will be selling it for whatever it's worth in about six months.Gameplay: Pretty much all you can do in a Hockey game. Create-A-Player, run seasons, manage teams, manage rosters, trade, and all the stuff that was in hockey games 5 years ago. On top of all this is a great interface, very easy to edit lines and do all the work you need to do before the game. The lettering is a little small in some areas, but we should all be able to read it nicely without much strain. Playing the actual hockey game is great, unlike NHL 2001, the game is well balanced when it comes to skill. In 2001, you could have it on rookie and score 20 goals, but then goto pro and get scored on 20 times. Well, they must have made some major changes, because now all my hockey games are 3-2, 2-1, 4-3, all the normal hockey scores you would expect to see. The ideal setting would have to be pro, and then play with player boosts abit. The break-a-way cam is a great feature, it really throws you into the game, but it can get a bit annoying if the game is wide open and lots of break-a-ways are occuring. Lots of people would say that sports games only appeal to people who like the sport, well I invited a friend over to play who hated hockey, and he loved playing the game. This game deserves a perfect score for ease of play, and overall enjoyability, and it gets what it deserves.
Graphics: Wow! The graphics in this game are so smooth, so crisp, and so well detailed, your jaw will drop to the floor, and your will have to get a towel to dry off the drool on your controller. The pre-game skate reminds me of when I used to play for the Toronto Maple Leafs, well, I didn't but when you see this, you will think you are playing for the Toronto Maple Leafs, or any other team for that matter. Unlike in 2001, when replays of goals are shown from the in-net camera, you can actually see the puck going into the net, instead of just a quick flash then a buzzer. When you're actually skating around passing, shooting, hitting, and slashing, everything is quick, and the frame-rate will never stumble, great work on the in-game graphics. There was only one noticable blotch in the graphics, when you are manually deking (moving the puck from side to side on your stick), it seems like every stick posistion is one frame, it looks like its teleporting from one spot to another. This really doesn't hurt the game because usually the action is too fast-paced for you to notice, you shouldn't be staring at the puck anyway, we all know what happens when your head is down, ask Eric Lindros. EA Sports always does well with the graphics in their sports games, and this is the best looking game on the XBOX... and yes, it's even better than Halo.
Audio: Well, what can I say about the sound, I said earlier that this game overall is a great game, but if you were ever to want to crush the CD into little pieces, it would be because of the sound. Not so much the music, the music is great, Canadian bands like Barenaked Ladies and Sum 41 play songs during the game. It's the commentary that will really cheese you off, annoying and repetative one-liners that want to make you throw up. One of the two commentators seems to enjoy telling cheesy jokes which just make me embarassed when other people are in the room with me and I'm playing. On top of that, the announcer is ALWAYS saying something stupid, he even hits on girls in the crowd... well, actually, he uses the same line over and over, you will probably hear it twice per game. It goes something like... "If you are single, tall, blonde, and make over 75 thousand dollars, I'm very available", need I say more? The only redeeming factor is the songs performed by Canadian bands... thank god...
Suggestions: Fix the manual deking, implement an auto-save like you did last year, and change the commentating and announcing, then everything will be fine.
Overall Score: 8.0 / 10
Tony Hawk Pro Skater 2x
Overall: At first I thought this was going to be a direct port, judging by some of the rumors I read before hand, well, they were all wrong. This game is a direct port... plus a lot of new things to please the veteran Tony Hawk player. Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 2x looks way better than the originals (expected on XBOX); it's smoother, and better graphically than all other games in the Tony Hawk series. There are some new levels introduced here, including the "Bull Ring", trust me, you'll love that level, along with a Philadelphia level, which actually extends into a level which was in Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 2! What a way to deliver a game that was quite possibly on the bubble for triumph or tragedy.Gameplay: The graphics in 2x are amazing, the movements are smoother and more eye pleasing, the wall, grass, and cement textures are all improved, and even the ramps look authentic to a tee! Thanks to the power of the XBOX, Neversoft was able to drastically improve the Skate Park Editor function, the original editor was pretty sketchy, but this one is flawless! Female players will now be able to enjoy the game to its fullest, because the Create-A-Skater function was improved, and now female skaters can be created. After you beat the game, there isn't really much you can do but have fun, and having fun is what all of this is about, and trust me, after you beat the game, which I have done, it still is fun! One word of warning, now this didn't make the rating for the Gameplay go down, but it did hurt my thumbs. I currently have blisters on 2 thumbs for playing 4 1/2 hours straight, of course you would expect this from any game, that's what happens when the layout scheme on the controller is a bit crazy!
Graphics: Everything has been redone to use the power of the XBOX console, from the skaters to the grass, everything looks better. The skaters look seamless, no flaws there, the walls, ground, water, and grass all look so realistic, if you didn't have your skater on the screen, you would think it's an actual enviroment. The enviroments look real due to the realtime lighting the developers used the levels look more like enviroments instead of huge empty spaces like in the previous titles. Overall this is a great improovment, thank you XBOX!
Audio: If you never played Tony Hawk 2, and then you will think the soundtrack is great, but then again, most of us have played Tony Hawk 2. The music is a direct copy from Tony Hawk 2, and I was very annoyed to hear it. The sound when your body hits the ground from high above sounds good, but that's just a minor positive along side a HUGE negative. The ability to rip your own music onto the XBOX hard drive and play it in the game is very redeeming; it really saved this section from being a complete flop.
Suggestions: Maybe you should have included some full legnth songs, like in NHL 2002, it would have made the game much better to listen to. Maybe some more levels in the next installment replace the older ones.
Overall Score: 9.0 / 10
Dead or Alive 3
Overall: Well, overall the game is above average, but it was less than I expected. The graphics, frame-rate, and overall smoothness of the game are great. The music and sound effects are pretty good, but the gameplay just doesn't keep the score up. This is a game that you should only rent once or twice, I made the mistake of buying it the day I bought my XBOX, without even playing it first.Gameplay: This is the games only weak point, unfortunately, this point is so weak, that the game just isn't worth the money. On easy, medium, hard, or very hard, the game is way to easy to beat. So in story mode, (the main part of the game), you pick a character, you kick a little but, which is too easy to begin with, then you face the "boss", which on top of being way to easy himself, you are presented with a camera angle worse than the camera work done in Blair Witch. After you beat the boss, you are given a very stunning ending video (different for every character), then it goes right back to the start screen, and you can choose to do it all over again. I beat it with every character in less than 3 hours. There are some other modes too, like "Time Trial", where you have to beat the game with a character in the least amount of time. Well, like I said, it shouldn't take you more than 10 minutes to do that. "Survivor Mode" is pretty good, you will attempt to beat as many characters as you can before being beaten yourself. This can be a bit challenging because you are not given full-life back after you beat someone, you are given partial health grants, but not much. The only redeeming factor of the gameplay is the multi-player. I played with some friends, and it was more exciting than the story mode, mostly because my friends turned out to actually be a challenge. The multi-player saved this game from getting a 1.5 in gameplay.
Graphics: Better than ever! These graphics are the best ever seen in a fighting game, possibly the best graphics ever seen, even better in some cases than Halo. The characters are smooth, the backgrounds are amazing and well detailed, the worlds are big (if you can ever experience the world without beating your opponent first), and the frame-rate never slows down. Everything is done well, right down to the small details that you otherwise might not notice, such as the hair. The hair on the characters swings from side to side when you move, the clothing moves when you move and fall, everything is done well. If you've played the game, I don't have to go into detail about how sexy the girls are in this game, don't be ashamed if you dream about some of these girls. The moves of the characters are smooth and unflawed, you will love watching the fighting, it looks better than any John Woo move I've seen. This is the games greatest strong point, and I don't see anywhere where the graphics team could improve their work, great work guys!
Audio: I don't see where all the perfect scores on sound appeal are coming from, but it does deserve a solid 4. The opening sequence song, performed by Aerosmith is great, and the two other songs he performs during the game are also very well done, but what else can be said? It's not elevator music, but it's no Tony Hawk sound track either. I'm not sure if the fighting music was done in a mp3 format, or a midi format, I wish it was better. Maybe they could have watched The Matrix and they could hear for themselves what real fight music should sound like. Seeing as I love Aerosmith, he saved this section, if these songs were composed and sang by Britney Spears, not only would I have thrown up and threw the game out the window, I also would have scored this a 1. THANK YOU AEROSMITH!
Suggestions: Sacrifice the large worlds, make them just 2 or 3 screen, and add some actual gameplay. Perhaps a deeper story and longer fights, the fights are way too short for my liking.
Overall Score: 7.0 / 10
NHL Hitz 2002
Overall: I always said, that one opinion never matters, so first I would like to say the following. Do not take my word for it, go out and rent it for yourself, and if you like it, buy it, if not, return it and move on. Now, you may be wondering, "how can someone give an XBOX game a mediocre review, aren't they all good?" Well, yes, most are great, but in my mind, this one isn't, and I am a hardcore hockey fan. (Go Leafs Go)
Maybe it's because I am hardcore hockey fan I didn't enjoy this game, because lets face it, this is no simulation game. This is a hardcore, Blitz style hockey game. Fans of NFL Blitz will enjoy this game a lot more than fans of NHL 2001 or 2002 on PC. The weird thing is, I enjoyed NFL Blitz, but that's because I am not a big NFL fan who sits in front of the TV every Sunday and then Monday Night glued to Fox Sports. I rather sit back, maybe play proline, bet on the sure things and take some hockey ties with them, you know, a casual NFL fan.
The scene is different when hockey is on, I am a hardcore Toronto Maple Leafs fan, grew up in Toronto, live in Toronto, and will die in Toronto. So when The Buds are playing, I dig into my groove on the couch, crack a beer and scream at every good and bad move.
If you are in the latter category, I suggest you wait for NHL 20-02, and do not go out right away and purchase a copy of NHL HITZ 20-02. Sure its fun if you have some friends over, but for the most of the time you will be playing alone, and will feel alone while playing this mockery of "hockery
"
Gameplay: As I stated before, if your like hardcore, you'll like the gameplay. The fights have to be the best part of the game, almost every button on the controller does something. You aren't just tappin "A" faster than the other guy, there is actually some skill involved.
The interactive controls make the movements pretty good, such as the dekeing and skating maneuvers. There are different ways to shoot the puck, as there should be, and you can even pull off some fancy moves past the "D&qu
ot;
All
of the above must sound good to you, but the actual HOCKEY gameplay is what it's all about. The game is entitled, "NHL HITZ 20-02", hence the "NHL". This is not the NHL my friends, this is what Vince McMahon would create if he was not a Football fan but a Hockey Fan. The title "XHL 20-02" would have suited this game better. The 3 on 3 play in the NHL is very rare, and it is common in this game, overall it just doesn't sit right with me... a true hockey fan.
Graphics: This is where the game gets my approval. The graphics are the best I've seen in a hockey game ever, really. The framerate is smooth, except for when the momentum is running, the crowd is wild, the play is fast and then there is a big hit into the boards, that's where you might find it a little choppy, but not much to throw the game out the window over. These graphics are really great, and if you are a shop owner, and need to impress someone into buying the system, and you don't have Halo on hand, pop this in.
Audio: Alright. The sounds are as good as they can be for a hockey game, but still, the sounds just add to my personal annoyance because of the gameplay. This might be hard to understand, but the sound hampered me even more, the bone crunching sounds you just done hear on every hit in hockey, here you do. The sound is passable to anybody who just likes regular games, but again, I am a simulation fan.
Suggestions: Keep your stick on the ice, but don't make NHL HITZ 20-03, eh?
Overall Score: 4.0 / 10
