NBA 2K11 Review

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(More customer reviews)I have been a 2k player for many years, I first started playing since 2K5 which was a great game as well. The last two years of NBA 2K have not been anything special, 2K10 felt like a minor leap over 2K9. However that is not the case this year, this game feels like a MAJOR leap over the previous games in the series, which I think most people didn't even think was possible.Graphics: Awesome, don't look at the gameplay videos, that tells a completely different story. When you actually play this game and look at it, the motions are amazing, particularly how the great the equipment on the players move when the characters run down the court. The facial expressions are also amazing, and give you an amazing feeling during highlights. Also the skin tones and the Tattoos all look good, and are placed in the right spot.The only knock on the graphics that I can say is how some of the characters have an unnatural look to them (Jermaine Oneal, Larry Bird, and even Kobe to some extents look weird). The UI and the menu system is very nice though, something 2K games have always been good at. The courts are also done in amazing detail and look good down to the last piece of hardwood floor. There is so much more to be said about the graphics, but its hard to sum it all up, the graphics all around are good I would rate them an 8 out of 10 definitely the best looking in the series. Sound: The sound is solid, the court sounds sound legit, the way the shoes sound during a quick stop and the way the ball sounds as your are dribbling and how it sounds when it goes in the net is perfect. The soundtrack for this game is very good, its definitely improving over the previous years versions and the best so far. You got Snoop, Drake, Big Boi, Cassidy, Kid Cudi, and even Ron Artest (lol). The sound is great, and the play by play is truly amazing. You really think you are watching the game, 2K has always been strong here after playing a couple of matches, I rarely heard the same things said in different games during pick up games, which is amazing. The announcers always have an amazing way in season mode/My Player mode of talking about when the season is coming to an end, and what place your current team is at in their conference which is amazing. They certainly put a lot of time and effort in the play by play which makes the ambience much better. Controls: Not a lot to say here, in one word it's great. If you have used the 2K controls before it will be like second nature here, its very easy for even beginners to pick up and play. After one full match from the beginning to end, you will already have a strong grasp on the controllers. So just solid here, and still one of the best things about 2K basketball games. Gameplay: A game changer, everything feels like its been improved from before. They still have all the legitimate traits of older games before this one. Lebron shoots like lebron, he has his signature shot, and his signature blocks, its scarily realistic with how they made so many players play like themselves. Tons of research had to go in for it to be this accurate. The new thing for this year is the jordan challenges. Believe it or not, this pays homage to the older 2K games. If you play NFL 2K5 (Rip) they had a mode where you can go back and play legendary games and win these game and do what those teams have done. Well, its back now, and you get to use all the amazing Bulls teams from 90's with Jordan. they also recreated all the rosters so that it is the same roster as jordan was with and the teams that he played against. So the challenges are like score 63+, plays his flu game, etc. Its really an amazing thing that they created here for the greatest basketball player of all time. The My Player mode is truly amazing, you start as basically a nobody, you create your character and when you are all finished you choose what kind of player you would like to be (scoring, passing, defensive, etc.) once you do that it assigns point to your player that can be used to build different stats. You start out in the draft combine, be impressive and you get drafted once you do, you start competing in the summer league. From there, now you are fighting for a roster spot, its really amazing and actually shows you the process of what these players have to do when they are coming to the NBA, amazing. Online, I have played about 5 games, and I have to say that its been great! No lag, and there has been no server problems which have been a huge knock on 2K basketball games online, it's looking good so far however.
EDIT 11/26/2010: Yep decided to edit this one, bought it since launch and I am still playing it even now, on black friday and also a month and a half after its release. The rating would not change at all this truly is an amazing game, you must try it for yourself!
Overall: IGN called this game one of the greatest sports games of our generation, and they are right. Nothing really quite matches everything it offers. If you play this game online and offline, you can easily surpass over 100 hours of gameplay before you know it. Throw in Jordan challenges, My player mode, and online in general, and you have a deep game with more to come back to each time you turn it on, THIS is what 2K basketball is all about.

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When you're the #1 selling NBA videogame two years in a row, the #1 rated NBA videogame 10 years in a row, and havecollaborated with back-to-back NBA champions, Kevin Garnett (2K9) and Kobe Bryant (2K10) - what is NBA 2K11 to do for the next act? Simple: Michael Jordan. The greatest basketball player of all time debuts for the first time in this hardware generation and brings his passion for the game to NBA 2K11 with an all new Jordan Challenge mode, historic Bulls teams, and even a MJ: Creating a Legend mode offering gamers the chance to be a rookie Michael and craft a new career for him. This is on top of improvements to core gameplay elements - including an all-new IsoMotion dribbling controls, deeper My Player mode with new My Career feature, all-new breathtaking visuals, and much more. This year BECOME THE GREATEST with NBA 2K11.

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Skate Review

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(More customer reviews)A new series, walking into the mouth of a lion, skate is one of the most innovative and fresh games in the genera. A new control scheme paired with amazingly detailed graphics and challenging game play make for a sure buy if you're a fan of any extreme game series.
First and foremost, if you have a obsessive personality or are a perfectionist stay away from this game, because you'll not be getting any sleep. For everyone else the new flickit controls have a very hard learning curve, but after 15 minutes you should get the hang of it. A few problems with the controls plague this game, its super frustrating to hit the tiniest bump and have your skater turn around in the opposite direction but this is minor in a sea full of awesome.
The story doesn't have a lot of variety but what it does have is entertaining and enough to keep you going to the end.
Overall a solid game with room for great improvement that will leave it on the top of the ramp compared to everything else in the long run. Go pick this up if you've enjoyed other skating games, or if you want to try something new that will leave you having great times for a long time.


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SKATE X360

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Lego Indiana Jones 2. The Adventure Continues Review

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(More customer reviews)I've been a big fan of all the Lego games, so my son & I were excited to pick up this one when it first came out. After playing it to about 85% completion, I have to say that overall this one is a pretty big letdown.
The format of the previous games has been pretty much the same - there's an overall hub that serves as the central area for the game. From there, levels are grouped together by story (about 5-6 levels for each movie/storyline). Each level contains a variety of hidden areas and secrets that can be accessed as the player opens new characters in the game, adding to the level's replay value.
That philosophy seems to have been rethought for this game, and not for the better. Instead of one hub, there are 6 - one for each of the 1st three movies, and three for Crystal Skull. The hub is a giant area where you can locate new characters and vehicles, and access the story and bonus levels. The hubs are fairly involved, and are set up the same way the levels were in the previous games (obtaining a new character lets you use their new ability to access a new part of the hub). The hubs are pretty well designed. My one complaint is that almost every new character remains in the area where you first purchased them, so remembering where to find the one you need can be difficult. Also, some of them are in very far-flung locations, so it can literally take about 5 minutes of just walking/driving the entire way across the hub to find the character with a wrench (for example), and then going all the way back across the hub to the entrance of the level that you need him for. I don't know who came up with that, but it's a TERRIBLE idea and a boring chore.
The levels themselves have been simplified WAY down. There are no secrets, there are no hidden areas, there is no reason to play any of them through more than once. Only the most rudimentary thought seems to have gone into each one. Gameplay is still the same as it ever was, and it's enjoyable, but the level design leaves a LOT to be desired. Generally, an entire bonus level will consist of one puzzle - for example, use the shovel to dig up a spear, throw the spear into the hole and use it to climb up to a ledge. Hit a switch with the whip and you're done!
The story levels too are much shorter than the levels in previous games. As an example, anyone who has played the first Lego Indiana Jones game will probably remember the mountain level from Raiders of the Lost Ark. That level begins in Marion's bar where you have to defeat a boss while the bar burns down, then moves into the mountain passes, then to a mountain temple, and finally to an army outpost. The equivalent level in this newest installment has players beating a boss in Marion's bar and THAT'S IT! That is the whole level. Each story level can be completed in roughly 5 minutes, and has no replay value at all - no secret areas to discover or any reason to come back to it again.
My final issue with this game is that it freezes on a fairly consistent basis - we've had it lock up about 15 times now, in all different areas, though the Raiders hub tends to get it the most. From poking around on forums, this seems to be a fairly common complaint.
If you're a fan of the Lego games, it's worth playing this one - it's still fun, even if it is a bit lacking in comparison to previous ones. However, I am keeping my fingers crossed that they do not retain this format for the Lego Harry Potter game coming out next year.

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LEGO Indiana Jones 2: The Adventure Continues is a comedic action/adventure game that combines the fun and creative construction of LEGO bricks with the wits, daring and non-stop action of one of cinema's most beloved adventure heroes. With a unique, tongue-in-cheek take on all the Indiana Jones films – including for the first time ever Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull – LEGO Indiana Jones 2 follows Dr. Jones' escapades from the jungles of South America to the Peruvian Ruins and beyond.

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Red Dead Redemption Review

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(More customer reviews)A man is forced by the government to accept a difficult task . A powerful man, who was formerly a popular leader but is now considered a criminal, must be eliminated. Getting close to the target will require a long, arduous expedition to a highly fortified compound. The government must not be connected in any way to the mission. Sound familiar?
No, the target's name is not Kurtz in Red Dead Redemption. But it might as well be. Rockstar has once again taken inspiration from a masterpiece of cinema. In the same way that the Grand Theft Auto series is strongly linked to works by Singleton, Scorsese, De Palma, and Kurosawa, Red Dead Redemption pays homage to Francis Ford Coppola's Apocalypse Now.
On the surface, RDR appears to be based on classic Westerns. The game is set in the American frontier at the beginning of the 20th century. There are plenty of references to films directed by John Ford, Sergio Leone, Clint Eastwood, and Sam Peckinpah. The driving forces behind the game's narrative, however, are questions about duty versus honor, confrontations with enemies who may not truly be opposed to what your character represents, and most importantly, the achievement of spiritual redemption by completing a psychologically harrowing journey. Western films often address these themes as well, of course, but without any ambiguity or ambivalence. It's always crystal clear who is good, who is evil, and what is right and what is wrong in these films. In contrast, RDR and AN deliberately obscure their moral viewpoint on the actions of their characters.
Anybody familiar with Apocalypse Now will recognize that many aspects of RDR's story are directly analogous to events in AN. While the characters and motivations of John Marston and Final Boss (no spoilers here) are never as fully developed as those of Captain Willard and Colonel Kurtz--due to both Rockstar's avoidance of Metal Gear Solid-length cutscenes and the limitations of the videogame medium--all of AN's key plot points are present in the game. There's even a minor reference to the sniper execution scene in Full Metal Jacket that helps reinforce RDR's connections to AN. All of this adds up to a rich and compelling story arc, especially considering RDR is a videogame.
Story and influences aside, the bigger question is whether or not Red Dead Redemption is fun to play. The answer is YES. The graphics, especially the environmental effects, are outstanding. There's a good chance you will find yourself just sitting on a horse admiring a spectacular sunset or taking in the dramatic view from a mesa or hilltop and not doing anything else. The controls are easy to learn and quickly become intuitive. Finally, as is the norm with Rockstar, the game's world is gigantic and full of missions, mini-games, and random encounters. A few minor things feel a bit unfinished, such as some missions that involve long journeys without characters saying anything, or unrefined (it's left to the player to figure out how the inventory management system works while playing) but there aren't any glaring flaws overall. Well worth picking up.
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A note about the John Hillcoat DVD
The 30-minute movie on the bonus DVD uses footage from cut scenes that mostly occur early in the game. Don't watch the movie before playing unless you want a "Preview of Coming Attractions." Also, the movie can be streamed or downloaded from Rockstar's website.

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The 30 minute short film, created and directed by John Hillcoat (the director of The Proposition and The Road), chronicles a slice-in-time of protagonist John Marston as he tracks down his former fellow outlaw and friend, Bill Williamson. Along the way, Marston encounters many of Red Dead Redemption's eclectic cast of dreamers, misfits and liars. Using the world of Red Dead Redemption as a virtual film studio and created entirely with in-game assets and technology, Hillcoat re-imagines Marston's pursuit of justice and salvation.

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WWE Smackdown vs Raw 2011 Review

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(More customer reviews)WWE Smackdown 2011 is disappointing for a number of reasons. The biggest reason is that THQ has somehow, in their infinite wisdom, decided to remove over 250 MOVES from the game!!! This is inexcusable. WWE Smackdown 2010 has all of these moves included.
In a pro wrestling video game, other than the roster, the most important thing is the MOVES! Without moves, it isn't even a wrestling game. I devolves into a Street Fighter style "fighting" game. I cannot overstate how disappointed I am in this year's game.
If you don't think you'll miss the moves that were removed, let me assure you that you will. Among the moves missing is Chris Jericho's Lionsault, his Walls of Jericho, Triple H's signature clothesline, the Rock's signature clothesline, RVD's rolling thunder (yes he is in the game) and his split legged moonsault. Not only that but if you want to create Hulk Hogan to bring into your game - forget it. There is no leg drop finisher in the game!! Want the Ultimate Warrior? Nope, his moves are gone too. This applies for any more past and current WWE wrestlers.
You now only have four front grapples. Way down from last year. The developers said they wanted to make a game from the viewpoint of an 8 year old fan. Well, I guess they have succeeded. But along the way, they are killing the loyal fan base that made the series relevant in the 1st please. Seriously, just get WWE Smackdown vs Raw 2010 for $21.00 on Amazon.com

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Step back into the squared circle with WWE Smackdown Vs Raw 2011. Havingsold more than 50 million units worldwide, the renowned WWE simulationexperience and annual centerpiece in THQ's expanding WWE video gameportfolio returns to define the ultimate WWE moments and give playerseven greater creative and decision-making freedom throughout theirstoried journeys within WWE. Features include: the return of favoritegame modes, as well as new additions, a new physics system and extensivecustomization options.

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FIFA Soccer 11 Review

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(More customer reviews)I am mainly interested in the Manager mode, so here are some quick observations:
- Can play Manager mode as a Manager and player, as a player only or as a Manager only. You will need to play on Professional or higher, if you want to make it to the Leaderboards.
- Manager mode is simplified quite a bit, but menus are much more cumbersome. Instead of simply playing the games, you now have a calendar mode, similar to the one in Forza 3. To get to the game, you have to let each day pass (smart way to hide the longer loading times). Maybe I'll get used to these menus, but for now, they seem too complicated.
- Transfers: You have now a menu to sort by any criteria you want. You can find many top players from Day 1 (unlike Fifa 10), but you will no longer afford them easily. In Fifa 10, you would make an offer slightly higher and the deal would almost always get through. In Fifa 11, if the player plays in the main 11 team, many times you would need to make his club a top offer (up to twice the asking transfer price). Once the club agrees, the negotiation with the player is a separate step. Fabregas would have to wait - I don't have enough money yet.
- Some things seem to be out (or buried in some obscure menus???)- no Scouting, Stadium Improvements, etc. Lots of options are in though - how to set up the team, what strategies to use, etc. Some were already available in Fifa 10, but Fifa 11 gives us even more.
- Gameplay: AI plays slightly better defense, long passes work better, dribbling is better. Shooting is not as spectacular as it was in Fifa 10, but maybe closer to reality. For a pure fun game, you may want to keep Fifa 10 around, because Fifa 11 is more tactical and scoring is not as easy as before.
- Multiplayer: you will need to activate a unique code that comes with the game. If you buy a used game, double check with the seller to be sure they didn't use the code.
- Graphics: seems to be the same engine, but the players definitely look better than in Fifa 10.
Bottom line - different game from Fifa 10, but still fun. Should you buy this over Fifa 10? Fifa 10 is a pure fun, more arcade type of game. Fifa 11 is more of a sim and is more tactical. Both are great games and different enough to be worth owning.
Updated Feb 19th: I am removing one star from the rating, because as of mid-February, the rosters didn't get updated with the January transfers. In Manager mode, the game claims it checks for latest teams, yet still the old teams show up. Torres is still with Liverpool, Pienaar is not with Spurs, Dzeko is not under Man City, Suarez not with Liverpool, etc. This detracts from the game experience. For a game called Fifa 11, they should have 2011 teams. I will update rating if game gets patched.

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FIFA Soccer 11 is the 18th game in Electronic Arts' popular video gamesoccer series. Continuing with the franchise's unique blend of realismand innovative features that bring the authenticity to the video gamepitch that fans crave, FIFA Soccer 11 is an exciting must-havetitle for both longtime and existing fans of console sports gaming.Game features include: a roster of over 15,000 real players representedin-game, the Personality+ system which mirrors the abilities of everyplayer imported into the game, all-new passing abilities, finer dribblingcontrols, extensive customization options and more.

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