Portal 2 Review

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(More customer reviews)Portal 2 really has it all. The characters are likable, the story line is engaging and intriguing, and the game play requires you to use your brain. Having played Portal 1, I can say that in my opinion this game is better.
I have to start with Wheatley. This character is voiced by Stephen Merchant, who is from The Ricky Gervais Show and An Idiot Abroad. He's hilarious in his own right, and he voice acts Wheatley to perfection. You can't overstate just how much Stephen Merchant's voice talents lend to the success of this title.
Depending on your ability to solve the puzzles quickly, Portal 2 will give you anywhere from 10-13 hours of game play with a single player play through. There's more, though! Portal 2 has a co-op mode, so you and a friend can take on the Portal 2 landscape together, which is a lot of fun. The downside of all puzzle games, of course, is that the replay value is relatively low. That shouldn't disuade anyone from purchasing this game, though. It's that much fun.
The puzzles are definitely challenging and require you to think, but they're not unreasonable to the point you want to quit in frustration.
I gave it a 4 out of 5 overall due to the replay value not being high. This should not take away from the game itself in any way. It was handicapped from the get go just due to the genre. Had they added the ability for users to create and upload their own puzzles to the rest of the Portal 2 community, this game would get a solid 5 out of 5 from me.
Portal 2 is a great game worthy of your collection.

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Portal 2 is a unique first-person Action-Puzzle-Platforming game that tests player's ability to think and act creatively as they use the game's ingenious wormhole creating portal gun to produce their own paths through otherwise sealed surfaces and across the open spaces of the game. Sequel to the original Portal game -- the surprise add-on hit included in Valve Corporation's 2007 release The Orange Box -- Portal 2 continues the storyline from the first game, featuring both new and returning characters, and poses a range of new challenges making for a much deeper game. Additional features include a new two player co-op mode and an original soundtrack.

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Left 4 Dead Review

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(More customer reviews)Plain and simple, this is the best zombie game to date!
The AI "Director" as it's called creates a different play experience each and every time. Doesn't matter if it's the same level, they'll throw different amounts of the "infected" (zombies) at you, from different directions, at different times, which completely changes the games replay value. And it not only controls the zombies, it also controls music, weapon placement (so certain weapons aren't in the same place each and every time you play), and so on.
And you never know how deformable the terrain is until the Director throws a Tank at you (a really HUGE musclebound zombie that will rip you to shreds). For example I had a Tank come bombing at me, rip a whole in a subway car and just destroy everything around me, including myself...
Now one of the main reasons you should buy the game, the split screen and system link play. You can play split screen with a friend, then hookup online with another friend. Then to take it to a whole-nother-level, 8 player versus mode. Up to four players take control of the Survivors and up to four players take control of the unique zombies (such as Tanks and Smokers) along side of the AI controlled zombies.
The other unique feature the game has are voice commands between the survivors, some are even automatic like when you are reloading, so that the other survivors don't reload at the same time just in case zombies start coming at you. A nice feature that really prevents everyone from reloading at once and getting swarmed.
I would consider this the "must have game of the season" bar none!
Pros:
A completely different gaming experience every time you play.
Play with friends on the same system via split screen, online, or both!
Very tense and suspenseful music and spooky sounds give you the creeps.
TONS of replay value.
Amazing zombie death animations (physics based).
AI survivors will actually heal themselves, heal eachother, heal you, and exchange items!
Never knowing when something really bad is about to come down on you.
Cons:
AI survivors sometimes just stand in the way or don't help you when you are in trouble.


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Set in a modern day survival-horror universe, the co-operative gameplay of Left 4 Dead (L4D) casts four "Survivors" in an epic struggle against hordes of swarming zombies and terrifying "Boss Infected" mutants. Developed by Turtle Rock Studios and Valve, creators of the Counter-Strike and Half-Life games, the latest AI technology allows for multiplayer games of one to eight players.A new and highly virulent strain of the rabies virus emerges and spreads through the human population with frightening speed. The pandemic's victims become grotesquely disfigured widely violent psychopaths, attacking the uninfected on sight. As one of the "lucky" few apparently immune to the sickness, you, unfortunately, are also trapped in a city crawling with thousands of the bloodthirsty Infected. Alone, you're dead. But together with a handful of fellow survivors, you might just fight your way to safety.Players can play as a Survivor or as one of four types of Boss Infected, each of whom possess a unique mutant ability, such as a 50-foot tongue lasso or a giant belly full of explosive methane gas. The gameplay of L4D is set across four massive campaigns. The zombie population of each mission is choreographed by an AI Director that monitors the human players' actions and creates a unique and dramatic experience for them on the fly.

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Left 4 Dead Review

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(More customer reviews)First let me comment on the GoTY version. Yes, all the additional content in the GoTY title is available on xbox live for free as a DLC. The only perk to having the GoTY version is that you wont have to use up memory on your harddrive for the survival pack because its already installed on the disc. Other than that i would suggest just getting the normal game if you find it cheaper. I found the GoTY version and the normal version for the same price of $29.99 at gamestop brand new! the funny thing is, right next to it they had the used version for $44.99 still, $15 more then the brand new ones!
This isn't just a Call of Duty World at War Zombie mode revamped...even though the premises is nearly the same there is four people, and if you don't have 4 players to play the 4 survivors then the remaining survivors will be OP'd by computers. In the multiplayer mode you can be the zombies (the special zombies with super moves). The only thing that i didn't really like about this game which others may have liked is that there is no story mode at all. The weapons aren't extensive at all in this game. You can either have the pistols, shotguns, sniper rifle, or uzi. theres some health packs, pills, molotovs, and grenades. to me, this was just a renter after a week or two of playin this game just became pretty boring and repeptitive.
theres only 4 main maps that the survivors fight their way through 4 or 5 stages of the map to get to the end where they will try to be evacuated. its the same story on every map! i gave this 4 stars because 5 stars would just be overatin the game and 3 stars doesn't do it all justice, but know this i wont be buying or playing the sequel because unless they add a storymode or drastic changes all a sequel could be for this game is just a big expansion.
**Edit**
DO NOT buy this with the $59.99 price tag its cheaper at gamestop for $29.99

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Left 4 Dead: Game of the Year Edition for X360 offers all the content of the original, plus all the content coming in the "L4D Survival Pack." The Left 4 Dead Survival Pack is a collection of new content for 2008's Multiplayer Game of the Year. Headlining the pack is the new 1 to 4 person game mode, Survival, that challenges players and teams to "survive" unremitting swarms of zombies on over 10 maps. Rounds are scored by length of survival, and times will be uploaded to leader boards. Also included in the Survival Pack are two additional Versus campaigns. Each campaign features 5 maps for additional play of the four-on-four multiplayer game that allows players to compete as Boss zombies Versus the human Survivors.Left 4 Dead is a survival action game from Valve that blends the social entertainment experience of multiplayer games such as Counter-Strike and Team Fortress with the dramatic, narrative experience made popular in single player action game classics such as the Half-Life series of games. Set in the immediate aftermath of the long-awaited zombie apocalypse, L4D's single player and co-op game modes are played out across four sprawling "Movies" set in a variety of urban and rural environments. Each "Movie" has an over-riding team objective, is comprised of five large maps, and may be played by 1 to 4 human players. New technology dubbed "the AI Director" is used to procedurally generate a different experience each time the game is played. Just as in Hollywood films, the Director calls for new monsters, sounds, and action as it tailors the gameplay experience based upon the team's performance. In Left 4 Dead's Vs. Mode players may play as a Survivor or as one of four types of "Boss Infected." Each of the "Boss Infected" possesses an exceptional mutant ability - such as a 50-foot tongue lasso (Smoker) or a giant belly full of explosive methane gas (Boomer) - instead of traditional firearms.

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Left 4 Dead 2 Review

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(More customer reviews)I loved the first Left 4 Dead (L4D) game. I discovered it about 6 months later than the rest of the world, but I was hooked. The fast-paced co-op gameplay has provided me some of my favorite and most memorable multi-player moments. Left 4 Dead 2 is basically more of the same with incremental improvements, a few new features, and a generally improved experience. Since I never liked the competitive modes on the first L4D game and doubt that I'll play the competitive modes on L4D2, I'll keep my review focused on the single-player and co-op campaign modes.
PROS:
+++ Fast-paced gameplay
+++ Intense and frantic battles that can feel overwhelming
+++ Huge emphasis on co-op
+++ Five campaigns
+++ Dynamic enemy placement switches the action up so you get a slightly different experience each time you play the different campaigns.
CONS:
--- Computer controlled AI teammates are about as sharp as a bag of wet hammers.
--- The XBox 360 offers only 4 types of control scheme, but none of them seem to offer me the flexibility I desire.
NOTABLE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN L4D and L4D2:
+++ Added new melee weapons
+++ Added a new variety of weapons, including fun toys like grenade launchers.
+++ Added several new special infected such as the Charger, Spitter, and Jockey
+++ Common infected are much more colorful and diverse in design
+++ Dismemberment and more detailed death animations result in more gore and chunks than the original game.
+++ Improved sense of character development and story
+++ Mission objectives have been more fleshed out, going beyond the first game's "Get to the extraction point and wait" concept.
+++ Daytime levels
--- Fewer lull moments. There is almost ALWAYS an attack imminent, which kind of kills the suspense.GAMEPLAY: The basic premise is that you play one of four different survivors attempting to fight their way to safety during the zombie apocalypse. Essentially you blast thousands of zombies into ever-loving bits as you fight and run for your life. The new game brings some new mission objectives, which adds a subtle but noticeable bit of depth to the game. Instead of waiting for a helicopter or boat to come pick you up after 5 or 6 intense minutes of fighting for your life, you might be expected to find a bunch of gas cans to fill up a car. No matter what you do, success will require teamwork.
The new special infected are a nice addition to the mix. Jockeys that jump on you and ride you around, Chargers that pin you against walls or the ground and beat you to a bloody pulp, and Spitters that spray acid and explode into nasty bubbling pools of acid force you to adapt your strategies more quickly. Tanks and Witches are still tough, and the Smokers, Boomers, and Hunters are still around to make life hell as well. The common infected are more diverse and interesting. My favorite are the hazmat suit infected, which make a cool little depressurizing noise when killed which makes me smile every time.
GRAPHICS: For the most part, the graphics are very similar but improved in many subtle ways. Shadows seem to be smoother and more accurate, levels have more color, and there is generally more detail to seen. Enemy death animations have been noticeably improved with more dismemberment and more detailed models. For example, shoot a zombie in the chest with a high powered rifle or magnum handgun and the creature will have a neat little hole you can look through. Subtle, but still noteworthy.
PRESENTATION: With only a few (very minor) exceptions, I would argue the presentation for L4D2 is much improved over the original. The environments feel more diverse, taking you from bright and colorful New Orleans outdoor scenes to dank and ominous indoor settings.Many of the dark indoor settings are much more open, which is much spookier since your flashlight isn't as effective in large, open areas. The characters are far more interesting and have some interesting and humorous pre-scripted conversations. The redneck character, Ellis, is definitely my favorite since he says some really funny stuff followed closely by Coach. All in all, a step forward.
SINGLE-PLAYER: Single-player mode is ok, but you'll be dealing with the game's biggest flaw: frustratingly stupid AI teammates. Do you feel like sniping zombies from a distance? Have fun with that because at least one of your teammates will invariably park themselves right in front of you so they can absorb your bullets. They heal you when you don't want healed and constantly give you pills, which suddenly means your gun isn't in your hands. They fall off ledges and have trouble keeping up in general, especially if you go up some stairs. Apparently they forgot that Rule #1 is Cardio. If I were stuck in a real zombie apocalypse and these were the only living people I ran across, I'd leave them for dead.
CO-OP MULTI-PLAYER: As far as I'm concerned, cooperative multi-player is where it is at. I love it. Three or four players working together with good strategy can be a devastating zombie grinding machine. This is where the game truly shines and where I spend almost all of my time with the game.
COMPETITIVE MULTI-PLAYER: I never really liked the competitive modes in the original and I really don't expect to spend any time playing them in L4D2. It isn't a judgment against the game itself, but more representative of the fact that I prefer co-op games so much more.Whether or not you should buy the game depends on several factors:
- If you never played the first game but enjoy co-op FPS games, I highly recommend the game.
- If you enjoyed the first game and couldn't get enough of it and crave some more, this is a must buy.
- If you played the first game to death and are bored of it now, you might consider renting L4D2 first because it is essentially more of the same with a fresh coat of paint and a few new features.
Overall, this is an enjoyable game that improves on the original in many ways as long as you have other people to play it with. As far as sequels go, the changes are evolutionary instead of revolutionary. None of the changes are all that major, but they are noticeable. In fact, I look back on the original and now realize how much was missing in the original design.

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Left 4 Dead 2 is the sequel to the best-selling and critically-acclaimed co-op multiplayer smash from Valve, creators of the Half-Life, Portal, Team Fortress and Counter-Strike game properties. With multiple multiplayer options both on and offline, extensive AI custom functionality, four character options, new melee weapons and more, Left 4 Dead 2 promises to become one of 2009's best games on the Xbox 360 platform and set a new benchmark for co-op centric action games.

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Portal: Still Alive Review

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(More customer reviews)Portal has won many awards since its launch in 2007, and when you play it, you'll agree that it deserves them. It's ingenious and compelling, a masterpiece easily at home in an all-time greatest games hall of fame list.
Despite many recommendations from friends, I initially avoided getting this game for two reasons. Don't make this mistake! It's a fantastic game, and neither of my concerns proved to be important.
First, I thought Portal was a first-person shooter (FPS), and I don't like FPSs or games requiring lightning fast reflexes, so I almost skipped it. Portal was originally released as part of "The Orange Box". The Orange Box was a disc-based game for Windows, Xbox 360, and PS3 which bundled 5 games in 1. The other 4 games in the bundle were well-known FPSs which had been released previously (Half Life 2, 2 add-ons for Half Life 2, and Team Fortress 2). In that company, one might assume that the 5th game in the bundle, Portal, was also an FPS. In fact, Portal is not an FPS at all, but a first-person 3D puzzle game, and one of the most original and ingenious puzzle games in years. Each level introduces you to new game elements and increasingly difficult puzzles, with many wonderful "aha!" moments. Fast reflexes aren't required, but brains definitely are. Others might assume that, as the "fifth wheel" in The Orange Box bundle, Portal would be a give-away title not worth trying to sell or advertise. Nothing could be further from the truth. Despite the obvious success of Half Life 2, many game players and critics alike would argue that Portal is the strongest game in The Orange Box bundle.
Once I knew I wanted to try Portal, I again delayed my purchase because I wasn't sure which version to get. Should I get "The Orange Box", which costs more, comes on disc, and contains 4 FPSs that I probably won't play? Or should I get "Portal: Still Alive", which costs less, is downloadable, and comes with a few extra puzzles but no bundled games? The answer is: it doesn't matter, either choice is great, and it's up to personal preference. If you also like FPSs, The Orange Box is definitely a great value. I personally prefer not having to keep a disc in the drive, and will gladly take even a small amount of extra puzzling content over an FPS, so this downloadable version was best for me. See my comment on this article for a detailed list of differences between the two versions. Regardless, don't let indecision about the platform/version hold you back, like it did me. You can't go wrong with either one!
Now, I want to briefly describe the game and what makes it great. The premise and basis of all the puzzles is that there is a new technology that allows you to open "portals" between virtually any two flat surfaces. Imagine opening a magic door that connected the wall in front of you with the wall behind you -- you could look through this door and see your own backside. Now what if you opened a magic portal connection between the floor and ceiling -- and stepped through. Now what if you open a portal connection between walls at different angles and jump through -- your momentum will carry through but gravity will shift your ballistic trajectory. The possibilities are endless and mind-boggling. Fortunately, the game eases you into the concept, along with other game elements, and by the end you're an expert, ready for the major challenges ahead. (Once you solved the game, try looking at online videos of pros playing the game; you'll be blown away by what experts can do with portals.)
But the other great thing, which isn't common for puzzle games, is the understated but excellent plot and backstory. Throughout the levels, you get a few hints that something bigger is going on here, and that maybe beating the levels shouldn't be your first priority. I'll avoid spoiling it and leave it at that. But I can't help but mention the superb cherry on top, which is a very gratifying end credits scene with a catchy original song, which you'll probably want to view/listen to over and over again. You can find this song and its lyrics online (and in games like Rock Band 2), but they won't make sense or carry any emotional weight until you've solved Portal. I'm also told the plot ties in with the larger Half Life universe, but as I don't like first-person shooters, I didn't catch those references.
I can't recommend this game highly enough. If you haven't played it yet, run, don't walk, to enjoy this treasure.

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5.1 Surround Sound, HD (High Definition). Winner of over 30 ‘Game of the Year' awards, ‘Portal' now comes to the Xbox LIVE Arcade! As unwilling test subjects in a sinister laboratory, players must break the laws of physics using ‘portal' technology to solve puzzles and survive. Unlock the full game to experience the complete singleplayer story, gain access to all 14 new bonus maps, and get a glimpse behind the scenes with developer commentary! This game requires the Xbox 360 hard drive. There are no refunds for this item. For more information, see www.xbox.com/live/accounts.

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