MEMBER PROFILE FOR J Dub
Average Overall Score Given: 8.25000 / 10
Total Forum Posts: 2957
Reviews
NHL 2K3
Overall: This game is great for those of you who enjoy a realistic hockey game, and it is great for those of you who just want to play an online hockey game this year. If you do not have Xbox Live or you do not particularly enjoy the simulation aspect of this game, then this one may not be the choice for you. It is far from perfect and has some nagging features, but in my opinion is still the best hockey game of 2003.Gameplay: The game plays very realistically, but it could be a problem for some people. Myself, I love it. But if you enjoy a more arcade experience, you should probably get EA's NHL 2003 instead. NHL 2K3 has a slower, more methodical feel to it. Some of the arcade aspects are still present, namely the hits. Although they still remain fairly realistic, they still happen more often than in real hockey and are really forceful. Another great aspect of this game is that it is the only hockey game this year that supports Xbox Live. Online is really fun with this game and it gives some constant competition when the computer doesn't offer it anymore. There are a few things that kind of anger me. It seems very difficult, actually impossible, to change your goalie in the middle of a game. You also can't change your strategies during in the middle of a game unless you cycle through them while in the middle of your plays. You can't even change them during a stoppage of play.
Graphics: The visual appeal is decent, but nothing spectacular. EA's NHL 2003 takes the cake in this department, but graphics do not make a game spectacular. Gameplay does. So please refer to my above comments.
Audio: The sound is another thing that could use some work. While everything sounds realistic and great, there are a few nagging issues. Mostly it is the music that plays during a stoppage. None of the music is a rock and roll sort of style that you usually hear at a hockey game. Instead it's techno-sounding. This gets under my nerves, especially when the same song plays 3 or 4 times every game. But despite this, the in-game sounds such as the skating, shooting, horns, etc. all sound incredibly realistic. Also, the commentating is great, except for the comments they make nearing the end of the game. At every face off they will say "winning face offs becomes even more important at the end of the game", and things like that. Seems kinda odd when they repeat it so often.
Suggestions: The graphics need to be much better. The Xbox is capable of so much more, but only if you take advantage of it. The music could also use a lot of work. You never hear techno music at hockey games. You hear rock and roll. Music that pumps you up! Also, fix the commentators. They tend to repeat themselves a lot. Finally, please make it easier to change options in the middle of a game such as changing your goalie or changing strategies.
Overall Score: 8.0 / 10
MechAssault
Overall: This is an excellent game and the addition of Xbox Live will never let it grow old. It does have a few downfalls, such as the slight slowdown in certain high-action situations. Another is that after an Xbox Live game you are kicked out and have to find another host. It would be nice to have a lobby.Gameplay: The game, as I understand it, has been dumbed down substantially from previously Mech games. This is excellent news for people like me, since I could never really get into any other games in the Mech series. The gameplay in MechAssault, although "dumbed down", is still amazing. It is pure fighting, but there is still some strategy involved, especially when you go up against an Atlas with a smaller opponent. You're going to need strategy in this situation! The controls are simple and easy to get accustomed to, but hard to master.
Graphics: The graphics look !&%$@#* beautiful. My friends have all commented on them, and they're hard to impress. And that was just on a tiny little 15" TV screen. The graphics are crisp, the Mech models and environments are very highly detailed. The only problem in this game is one that seems to be plaguing many of the Xbox Live titles, and that is slowdown. In high-action scenes there is a slight amount of slowdown, usually when you're online. It may appear as lag, but it's actually a slowdown in FPS. It is noticeable, but does not hinder gameplay in any way. That's my only concern with the graphics. The graphics shine when you see the explosions and the falling buildings. They're just beautiful.
Audio: Beautiful sounds. Everything sounds realistic. The in-game music leaves a bit to be desired since it is kept quiet most of the time. Although the music picks up in the high-action scenes, it remains fairly quiet so it is nearly inaudible over the sounds of the guns and explosions in-game. It would also have been a great idea to give us some custom soundtrack support, as in action games I always wish I could load some Metallica on there. Hehe.
Suggestions: I'm hoping that a download will become available to add a lobby for Xbox Live. As it stands now, after each Xbox Live game you are kicked out and need to go find a new host (or create a new game). What if you just want play with the same people again? Well, too bad, because once you create a new game most of the spots are taken up by other random people. So you and your friends are out of luck, unless you have them on your friends list and can invite them into reserved slots. I don't keep every single person I play on my friends list, so this is not an option. Please Microsoft, release that patch. Please!
Overall Score: 8.0 / 10
NHL Hitz 2003
Overall: This is an amazing game that is right for not only pure hockey fans, but also for those who aren't usually a fan of the genre. It's also a great party game that will last you many hours with your friends. The gameplay is great, it's very fast, the graphics are beautiful, and the sound is very realistic. Overall this is an awesome game that is right for almost everybody.Gameplay: The gameplay is tight. Everything flows smoothly from the opening faceoff. Although, I did notice a couple of bugs. In some situations the goalie will not grab the puck when it is up against the side of the net, causing you to struggle to the other side of the net to grab it when the goalie could simply get it himself. Another thing I found is that often a player will be skating and if you attempt to hit him, your hit will have no effect. Normally you would have to do a spin deke to dodge a hit, but sometimes you can make a hit and nothing happens. I suppose this falls under the player's balance category, but I found it a tad bit disappointing. Other than that I have no problems with the gameplay. The hits are earth shattering, there are lots of goals, but the games usually tend to be very very tight. This will usually keep your friends from getting angry and uninterested after you whoop them 13-2. Keep in mind though that this is an arcade game, not a sim, so the gameplay is much different than what you would find in NHL 2003 or NHL 2k3.
Graphics: The graphics in this game are great. That was the first thing I noticed about the game. The reflections on the ice are beautiful, the players look amazing, even the fans are 3D. However, the reflections on the ice remain just as beautiful at the end of a period as they are at the end. It would be nice if the ice slowly became chopped up. It would make it more realistic. Just a thought.
Audio: The sounds are great. I have no problem with them. The soundtrack is also pretty good. There's some Limp Bizkit, Korn, and a few other cool tracks playing in the menus. The sound effects during the game seem very realistic, but also match the impact of the extra hard hits and the speedy slap shots.
Suggestions: Try to fix that problem with the hits. It's the only thing that tends to frustrate me with the game.
Overall Score: 9.0 / 10
WWF Raw
Overall: The game has a lot of promise, but it also has a lot to improve on. This is a great start for THQ and is still a great wrestling title.Gameplay: Some may find the gameplay completely frustrating. But it just takes a few hours and you will understand everything. The controls are actually fairly simple and accessible. The only problem with the gameplay that I find is that opponents tend to get up too fast. For example, you can hit your finisher and the opponent will be on the ground. Then if you walk over and kick him once, he will start to get back up. Another example is if you hit your finisher, he goes down. Then you go to the top rope to do a top rope move, but after you hit it, he will automatically get up. This makes it completely impossible to pin people by using two finishers tied together or with top rope moves.
Graphics: The graphics are the best in any wrestling game ever, but still fall short compared to some of the other XBOX games.
Audio: The sound is excellent. Weapons have many different sounds. You will hear the smack of a chair, the thud of a table, and even the feedback from hitting somebody with a microphone. Also, all of the superstar's entrance music is in the game and is in perfect quality.
Suggestions: The game's engine needs to be tweaked a little. Also, there need to be some visual enhancements. Finally, more modes are a must!
Overall Score: 8.0 / 10
