MEMBER PROFILE FOR Wiz
Average Overall Score Given: 9.00000 / 10
Total Forum Posts: 0
Reviews
Tony Hawk Pro Skater 3
Overall: THPS 3 for the Xbox is pretty much the best version of the bunch if you take the "online" aspect of it lightly. I played some THPS games before, but this is the first one that I have bought, and I like it a lot. It's fun pulling off some insane stunts, but also frustrating when I accidently do something wrong to end those insane stunts. The game has A LOT of replay value, which was a nice trade-off for me, since I sold Blood Wake before I bought this title. It's great, I can't wait until THPS4 for the online play, etc.Gameplay: The gameplay in THPS3 is very fun and enjoyable. The controls are basically the same as on the DualShocks, and will probably work a lot nicer when I pick up the Xbox Controller S in late April. The different goals in the game are fun to do and the new tricks are a nice treat as well.
Graphics: The graphics in the Xbox version are clearly sharper and cleaner than on the other next-gen consoles. Everything looks nice with only slight slowdowns here and there, which don't last too long to cause a problem. The new level in the Xbox version only is also a sight to see.
Audio: The sound effects in THPS3 are straight forward. The music is a nice blend that goes along with the skating smoothly. You can also customize the tracklist to your delight, which is always a plus.
Suggestions: let's see the massively multiplayer arenas!
Overall Score: 10.0 / 10
Jet Set Radio Future
Overall: Jet Set Radio Future gives a refreshing style of gameplay to all of us. It is the one game that shines as brightly as Halo did when it was first released. However, JSRF is a game where you'll either love it or hate it. Smilebit of SEGA are a bunch of very innovative developers who have conjured many new and refreshing games for us gamers. The game features the best cel-shading graphics ever, and the soundtrack they compiled was perfect. I'd recommend this game to anyone who wants a fun game with a very small learning curve.Gameplay: The gameplay starts off with a very simple control scheme that veterans and noobs of the game can learn quickly. In the Garage, you can develope your skills with some robot named Roboy. You can also create your own graffiti to tag around the city. The game also runs very very smoothly with absolutely no slowdown whatsoever. I think this is the first game to fully optimize that. The multiplayer front is great family fun with your friends with several different modes of play.
Graphics: The visuals in JSRF are simply wonderful. Smilebit have created the best cel-shading graphics ever. The draw distance in JSRF is basically what you see is what you get because they don't do any fog tricks to cheat the draw distance that most games do. The cities in JSRF are also very vibrant and colorful. Even your tags around the city make the game very colorful and visually appealing. The visuals are very clean and solid.
Audio: The music in JSRF is probably one of the best compilation ever for any game. They have many upbeat songs to get you into the grinding sensation and doing the various tricks. The sound effects are also nicely done and not overly annoying like many sound effects can get.
Suggestions: LAN play for up to 16 maybe? the environment is big enough for that..
or maybe an RPG style massive multiplayer thing in the future. seems possible, since you talk with ppl for chalskater would be a nice feature to have alongside the create-a-tag
get it online, so we can download other ppl's work of art, because i'm such a bad artist.
Overall Score: 10.0 / 10
NBA Inside Drive 2002
Overall: NBA ID is a very solid basketball game for Xbox's initial first party bball game. They pretty much have everything right, but they are just missing the extra features that most basketball games out there have. Overall, it's a super solid first attempt at the basketball genre. They are right behind Sega's footsteps with their 2kx series.Gameplay: The gameplay is almost perfect. Everything performs like it should, with several flaws like inconsistent rebounding, that could be easily fixed in the next installment. Basically, they have the framework done and just need polishing, and some extras.
Graphics: The graphics in NBAID are clean. I could recognize the players more easily in this game compared to any other basketball game out there today. Some of the animations can still use some work, but they are doing a good job of using the power of the xbox.
Audio: The sound in this game is comedy. When I first played it, the commentators seemed like comedians to me. I was laughing at what they said even when it was stupid and corny. Even the PA guy was saying some odd things, and not to mention that the commentators commented about it too. Yes, it was great quality fun, until it got repetitive. Also, the variable stuff is a bit noticeable. for example, the guy would say soemthing like... "24 points for...(pause for slight secoonight so far"
Suggestions: Fix all the kinks and issues
add franchise, dynasty, create a player, street ball modes to the bag and it'll be a true contender of sega's NBA 2K series.
Overall Score: 8.0 / 10
Project Gotham Racing
Overall: Project Gotham Racing was another important title for Xbox's launch. The game is solid and has a big fun factor. The kudos system is a great way to add more of a fun factor to the racing game. My only real gripe are the super narrow corners in the game.Gameplay: Like I said, the kudos system added a whole new dimension to the racing game. The controls are solid and easy to learn. Handling in the game was accurate to the most part. Creating power slides is heck of a lot of fun to do.
Graphics: The graphics in the game are good. The real time reflections of things off the car is nice, but the cities seem bland most of the time.
Audio: The sound in PGR is great. I liked the idea of them using real radio station DJs. I recognized Chuey Gomez's voice when I first played it. The music selection is ok, even though most probably never had radio air time anyway. The ability to have your own customized tracks made up for that though. It's great speeding down roads with Linkin Park playing or cruisin' along with some hip hop.
Suggestions: streets need to be less narrow.
allow a free-roaming option. sometimes it's fun to just drive around and not have to worry about time or being first, but exploring.
LAN capabilities at least, if no online in future.
Overall Score: 9.0 / 10
Dead or Alive 3
Overall: DoA3 was a great fighting game to kick off Xbox's launch. It was the most visually appealing fighting game to date. Sometimes I would make 2 CPU players fight one another and just watch the fight for a while. There are also many modes of play for something different. The DOA3 Add-On disc should make me break this game out again.Gameplay: The fighting system is responsive, but nothing new. It gets boring when I am playing friends who rape the controller by mashing the buttons unknowingly and beating me when I'm trying to do something "cool." So basically it's stupid to play the game at all because it's a button mashing fest.
Graphics: The graphics in this game are one of the best graphics for a first generation title on the Xbox. It's only now in the 2nd wave of games for the Xbox that some games may rival DOA3 in graphics. DoA3 set the standards in visual quality and developers of future games will try to best them.
Audio: The sound is ok, nothing special here. It's nothing really new, but is not annoying that you'd want to turn down the volume.
Suggestions: do something revolutionalizing with the series. it'll do it wonders thand just enhancing graphics.
MK:DA is an example of something new for the mortal kombat series.
Overall Score: 9.0 / 10
Silent Hill 2: Restless Dreams
Overall: Silent Hill 2 is one the best horror games of all time. The eerie sound effects with the unexpected happenings in the game makes it an awesome horror experience that makes you want to bust out a flashlight the next time you walk in the dark. Xbox's enhanced graphics and extra story of Maria makes the Xbox version that much better than the PS2 version. It's a must for any horror fan who has not played this series yet.Gameplay: The gameplay is challenging and fun at the same time. You can either be a psycho monster killing maniac or a simple run in all situations type of guy. It's nice that you don't HAVE to kill every single monster you encounter, because sometimes it gets too tedious, but you can still get your blood and gore fix when you want it. The puzzles within the game are also challenging not so frustrating that you'd throw your controller at your TV (I hope not).
Graphics: As I have said, the graphics are better in the Xbox version of this game. Also, there's an option straight from the get go (ps2 version requires you beat the game before being able to turn it off) that allows you to turn off the noise effect, which shows the graphics in sharper detail.
Audio: A horror game without good sound is pointless, and the Silent Hill series have some of the best sound effects to scare the spirit out of you.
Suggestions: Let's see more games from Konami for Xbox.
Overall Score: 9.0 / 10
Blood Wake
Overall: After playing the first couple missions, I was disappointed. Then I got into the missions more, and it was a blast to play. Toward the end of the game, I lost appeal to the game again. Personally, I wasn't able to play it more than an hour at most every session.Gameplay: The gameplay was fun. The water physics made it feel like you were actually in the boat, whcih was a plus. Overall, the gameplay was fun, but got tedious.
Graphics: The water effects are superb, but the background, islands, land objects are mediocre at best. It seemed like all of the processing power was used in making the water and its physics super perfect.
Audio: The "gong" before each mission is very annoying. The music is very annoying. Don't get me wrong, I'm Asian, but it would have been better if they chose something half decent. However, the sound effects were nice.
Suggestions: Let's see some real CGI cutscenes and better voice acting. Those page flips and drawings were simply stupid.
Overall Score: 7.0 / 10
Halo: Combat Evolved
Overall: Halo is simply the best FPS that I have played in a while. It has even taken me away from playing countless hours of Counter-Strike. It is a true system seller if you are a FPS fan.Gameplay: The controller scheme was mapped out perfectly to allow FPS games to be possible on a gamepad. It was very intuitive and works well with the Halo environment and gameplay.
Graphics: Everything in Halo is visually appealing. The bump mapping, and large expansive environments are nicely done. The rare drops of framerate is the only problem.
Audio: The sound in Halo is superb! In 5.1 audio it blows everything away. The voice acting of the marines during the game are humorous and nice to hear.
Suggestions: Halo 2 please. ;)
Overall Score: 10.0 / 10
