Music Reviews

I have been a fan of SNK since i got a NeoGeo. I loved the fighting games, and in particular, playig as Athena. Them Match of the Millenium came out, and SNK took on Capcom. I loved it. This is just another installment of King of Fighters games...and like most all of its predescesors, it is great.

The deep fighting system that has become synonymous with the King of Fighters franchise is alive and well in The King of Fighters EX2: Howling Blood for the GBA. Among the 21 available characters, you'll find old favorites alongside three newcomers who are exclusive to this title. King of Fighters' classic three-on-three battles are the mainstay of this GBA version with a special story mode that lets you vie for the throne.
The character art and animation are fantastic, as are the detailed backgrounds. The effects for special attacks are similarly striking. Unfortunately, the soundscape doesn't follow suit and is actively annoying in places. Each character's unique fighting style offers special moves and combos, though some of them are unreasonably difficult to execute. When you get it right, though, the results are sufficiently devastating. A "Striker" command lets you call in a teammate to make a quick attack on your behalf, which can also make a huge impact on the outcome. Cancels are a piece of cake and can lead to counters that annihilate your opponent.
Due to the fast-paced action, the controls will leave you with aching hands and thumbs. It's especially noticeable if you play on the quadrangular GBA SP. Of course, this level of intensity means that there's a good game underway, and you'll want to keep at it despite the pain. It is a must have for KOF veterans on the go.

Naturally, nothing compares to the true experience of playing a fighting game in the arcade, but this little baby does a nice job of giving great fighting gameplay for those boring road trips mom and dad are always taking you on. It's not a game I'd recommend you go out of your way to play, but if you're going to have the time to sit around, this is definately something worth having with you!

Sometimes I miss Benimaru, but I think I'm over that now.

It really pains me to give this game only 4 stars. I really wanted to give it 4 1/2, but since that wasn't an option and since Disgaea is noticably better ...

Regardless of Disgaea, La Pucelle still holds its own quite well. The artwork and graphics are great, the La Pucelle story is one of the better ones to come out RPGs lately, and the whole game in general is just pulled off very well.

However, while the pruification does add to the game, battles still get somewhat monotonous. The "Dark World", which was supposed to add a lot of depth to the game, is really too much of a hassle to get into (it took me about 30-40 minutes to open up one Dark World portal). Without that extra diversion, the game is basically fight a battle, move deeper into the dungeon, fight a battle, move deeper into the dungeon, fight a boss, see story, go to next chapter.

A few chapters have "events" that you can trigger mid-battle that reveal more of the story and allow you to do a better job and to get a better ending (and subsequetly a better reward!). However, a majority of the chapters don't have these extra events (actually the first chapter is the only one I can think of off the top of my head). Had more chapters had these bonus events to increase mission rankings, that definately would have helped La Pucelle out.

However, La Pucelle has a much better item system in place. Your stats have EXP meters of their own and can actually be levelled up. Stats don't start levelling up, however, unless you have an appropriate item equipped ... say something with an ATK bonus. When you defeat enemies, you not only get experience for your levelling up, your ATK would then get experience as well. Every time you level up ATK, your ATK stat is boosted. So while one item may have better base stats, perhaps another will help you develop ATK quicker or something like that. The item system definately adds a lot to La Pucelle.

The quick, low-down summary is this: while La Pucelle has the better story and item system, Disgaea overall is the better game. If you can absolutely only buy one, Disgaea would be the way to go. But, La Pucelle is an extremely close second and would be a worthy play for anyone even remotely interested in strategy RPGs.

La Pucelle: Tactics is fast becoming one of my new favorite games for the PS2. An underappreciated TRPG, one hopes that this will become something of a sleeper hit.

Here is a brief list of reasons for liking this game:

- The Artwork

La Pucelle features a rarity these days; hand-drawn sprites. The style is very fitting to the story, and the approach gives it an unique character, rather than a 3-D Final Fantasy clone.

- The Story/Characters

The game features several interesting characters. Prier, Culotte, Alouette, Croix, Homard and Eclair are very funny, but also get some touching moments of development as the story progresses.

- The Voice Acting

La Pucelle features top-notch voice acting. Prier and Alouette are both spot on.

- The Tactics Engine

Combat in La Pucelle is turn-based, and like Disgaea, individual characters can execute commands without ending your turn. You have no idea how much easier and smoother this can make battles go. The attacks and items are firmly tongue in cheek. I mean, your first special move is "Coup De Grace!: Kick them where it hurts..." Also, with the Purification power to convert your enemies to your side (essential for getting past Stage 1) and room for 8 members in your party, combat is wildly fun and doesn't get stale even after an extended playing session.

In conclusion, La Pucelle: Tactics is a very fun addition to anyone's PS2 collection. For a game with great replay value, fun characters, and a great storyline, this is one for you.

La Pucelle, like Disgaea Hour of Darkness, sadly is going to be missed by alot of gamers out there. Playing this game makes it incredibly difficult to understand why. Likely it has to do with graphics, which is probably the only aspect of the game that isn't all that great. (the nearly non existant advertising for this game is another likely culprit)

From a tactical perspective La Pucelle is an even better game then Final Fantasy tactics. While some aspects are a bit weaker ,such as party developement and story (Disgaea gives you alot more options with the addition of character classes - something La Pucelle lacks and FFT has a much more epic plot) La Pucelle more then makes up for it with the ability the "cleanse" nearly every enemy in the game and use that enemy in future battles, giving the player a ton of options when it comes to fighting battles later in the game. In addition to this the ability to "cleanse" portals and create combo attacks adds alot of additional options during battles (by effectively positioning your characters in support positions you can effectively make your party nearly impervious to all but the most difficult encounters)

Don't miss out on this game, plop down the money and get yourself a copy while you still can (the same goes for Disgaea Hour of Darkness which is even better) If your still woried about ploping down 50 bucks, take this into consideration 1.it is very unlikely that the price will EVER drop 2. If for some reason you don't like the game or you can bear to part with your copy in the future it's not going to be one of those titles that are worthless 6 months down the road - it's probably going to fall into the same catagory as underapreciated classics such as suikoden 2 and valkyrie profile (I.E. good luck finding a used copy for less then 50 bucks a couple years from now)

Enjoy the game, i sure am.

unlase u like running aroud with terible graphics and have super easy levelys and the fact that there arnt much in the first place the game is so boarnig there are no good fetures and overal it sucked i mean even a not color game boy game boy game would be better.I WOULD NOT GET IT!

I got this game for my birthday and I couldn't put it down. The only thing about it, is that its to easy. there isn't enough missions and theres no codes 4 it. This game is so easy I beat it in less than a week and i'm not that smart. I recamend it if your bored but don't buy it if your looking for a bad mood because this is the kind of game that will put you in one. There aren't any cool weopons either or bosses. This game Disurves a 4 not a 5 SUCKA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

This was the first game bought for my GBA, and i love it, even my mother is playng it. Although she plays almost all of my games( she's cool like that lol). The game over all is fun and exciting. The only problem i have with it, is the level ( i'm on level 5 in one sitting lol) as u go along in the harder levels, u have to collect cards, keys, ect.to enter doors, but in almost all the levels u have to go back to where u started on that level, and it turns into like a maze. also u have to play in bright light cus the picture is kind of dark.

This game is a lot fun! You play as a Toa, go around trying to find missing matoran to help the Turaga make a key, then you open up the boss lair. Sound boring? You are very wrong. You can shoot Rahi like Nui-Jaga, Nui-Rama, and Tarakava with your elemental blasts, Charge up your energy for a super blast and beat enemies quicker, flip a switch and race over to a platform before it gets too high, and defeat Bohrok in action-packed boss levels. The only bad thing about it is the diagonal camera. You can't change it. But you'll get used to it. It is the most fun game I've played. The bottom line is: If you like Bionicle and you've always wanted to be a Toa, THEN QUIT READING AND START BUYING!!

The movie sucked bad but i think the game would be better.The movie was short but as this is a password game with many passwords it'll be longer than an hour 15 min movie.it'll be a couple day game.I was psyched to see a computer game for it and now i see a gameboy game and am blown away.i'm looking forward to Christmas.

this game is the best game i have ever got in my live,
one thing i like about the game is that it is collaging,it make you think and the tip of you mind.
another thing is that the graphics are the the best out of all the game have played(and i have alot).
and the best thing about this game is the aventure you have with all the toa/toa navo. this game give you the feeling your the toa your self which is great for a real leo fan.
one more thing is this game want take you 10 min to win. it take alot longer which is a good thing. this way you want get bord with it.

I read the reviews of this game and thought it was cool. So i`m going to buy it. It sounds like twisted Metal for ps. I think it`s cooler though.

It's kind of hard to describe Car Battler Joe without getting a bit befuddled. This innovative game from Natsume and SVG is part action, part RPG, and part strategy game; and while it may not be the best game to feature all those aspects, it combines them all into one refreshingly original game for the GBA. You play as a teenager named Joe who is a car battler. Throughout the game you compete against other car battlers while you take jobs from various townspeople, and you also get to create and build cars. The combat perspective when you face off against other cars in real time, is strikingly similar to that of the original Twisted Metal and is pretty fun overall. The gameplay of pretty much being able to do what you want, whether you want to spend all day building vehicles, doing jobs for townspeople, or going about the storyline, is great to see in a game for the GBA, and while it is a bit eclectic (a stolen cheese delivery?) and may be a turn off for some, Car Battler Joe is still a great game. All in all, GBA owners looking for a game with some twists should give this a try.

i bought this game not knowing what to expect. it is very simple yet complicated. you a in an rpg world where you do missions as a driver delivering or picking up items. also you can battle in a league but that comes later. the story line is engaging also. i encourage every person on the face of the earth to buy this game.

Surprisingly deep and charming, Culdcept is an truly fresh take on some worn out rpg and strategy cliches. I've played console rpgs for years and have become pretty cynical about new releases. With Culdcept though, I've been pulled in by it's strategic layers and book( i.e. card deck) construction. It's not nearly as deep as a traditional ccg but there's still so much to take into account(the board game aspect of it adds a good deal of complexity) when putting together a book, that M:TG fans will find a lot to like. It's also nice to see the not-so-subtle card references to anime(Vampire Hunter D), fantasy lit(LOTR), and other rpgs. Console rpg fans who are also Japanophiles will like the very anime-ish story and excellant artwork on the cards. The problems with this game include questionable(cheating on those dice rolls) A.I., poor translation and some unbalanced difficulty. There's a lot to learn which probably won't bother longtime rpg fans but newbies might be put-off by this. Otherwise, this is a great game.

Wow! What a fantastic game on so many levels. I would agree with folks that say it is a bit daunting to learn when you first start, but if you are patient and take the time to read the manual and online help included in the game, you will get past the learning curve and have a great time with this one. All the fun of a boardgame like Monopoly combined with the addctive nature of collectible card games like MTG make this hard to resist. The graphics are nothing fancy, but are more than adequate - afterall the focus here is on gameplay, not glitz. If you are looking for a good multiplayer game, or are a fan of collectible card games you can't go wrong!

The box art is poor, the rules are intimidating, the graphics crawled our from your Super Nintendo, and yet the game is incredible. I found a copy, not on display on the shelves at my local EB Games, but behind the counter. If I wasn't searching for the game, I'd have never found it. I'm glad I did.

Think of landing on Boardwalk with hotels in Monopoly and having the chance to fight it out to see who really owns the property. Not only was it easy for us to learn without reading the rules, but the deck-building aspects make every multiplayer game that much more worthwhile. The winner earns more cards than second place, who earns more than third place, and so on. At the end of the game, even the loser feels better off for having played.

I've played Top Shop for the PS1 a ton, and I'd say this is heads and shoulders above it in terms of game depth. We've played around six games in three days, and I can't wait to play again!

This game is great. You can get a variety of extreme weapons such as lasers, grenade launchers, flame throwers, etc. There are also many dinosaurs that you must fight such as velociraptors, tricerotops, and the well-known tyrannosaurus rex. The enviroment you play in this game is very detailed and looks real. The only thing about this game that I found bad was that it was short. I beat this game in like 2 and a half hours. But it was fun while I played it. I would recommend this game to those players that like gun shooting and dinosaur games.

Here is what this innovative game is like:
You're character has no idea what is happening at first, but you find out as you pass through the levels. The story doesn't make sense but it doesn't ruin the game one bit. OK... imagine playing a Turok-like game with the addition of a light-gun (GunCon or GunCon2) The graphics will not disappoint you, nor the sound, nor the control (which makes the game the first of it's kind I believe). Though the game could be seen as short, you will want to play it over and over. Each level presents something new and there are things to unlock if you're good enough (or if you use GameShark like me)
IF YOU LIKE GUN GAMES YOU WILL LOVE THIS!!!

If you are a fan of light-gun games you will love Dino Stalker. This game is not like your typical light-gun shooter that has a "camera on rails" perspective; (in which your character moves by itself around the area shooting stuff). Please note that this game is only compatible with the GunCon2, since you need the directional pad on the back of the gun to move around, however, you can also use the Dual Shock 2. There are many great things about this game so I'll give you the pros and cons:

**PROS**
Innovative light-gun game. First and only of its kind. You have complete freedom of movement, it's like playing a first person shooter (FPS), only difference is that you can use a light-gun instead of a controller or (keyboard and mouse). You move around the level using the directional pad which is located on the back of your GunCon2 (third party GunCon2 capable guns also work). As you move around the level you collect power-up weapons that you can switch to as well as energy power-ups that restore your vitality. Like other light-gun games, this game also has a timer, but you can collect timer power-ups as well. (If you're worried about time-limit--don't sweat it, you get a lot of time when you play on easy). The graphics are great for a light-gun game, they look better than Time Crisis 2, Vampire Night, and Endgame.
There is also a sniper mode in which you can zoom in on the enemy dinosaurs and blow them up without being spotted.
The game lenght is another pro of this game. Most light-gun games as you may very well be aware of are extremely short, for example, you can beat Time Crisis 2 in under 20 minutes and Vampire Night in about the same time. This game is longer than both of those games put together. The first time you play the game it will take you anywhere from 1.5 to 2 hours to beat it, depending on how good you're at it.
Another great thing is that since this game is longer than your conventional light-gun game you are given the option to save after you complete a level. If you die you can simply continue as many times as you wish, but you will start at the beginning of the level.
You can also use the controller if you prefer it over a light-gun.
Another great thing is that you get extra stuff as you beat the game in the various difficulty settings. You get theater mode when you beat it on easy, partner play when you beat it on normal (one person can use the controller to move around and the other the GunCon2 to shoot). If you beat the game on hard, you get the option to enable unlimited time and unlimited special weapons.
**CONS
Not really a con, but when I first heard of this game the idea of a light-gun game in which you shoot dinosaurs didn't quite convince me. When I finally got the game and played it I loved it, so it proved me wrong. Unless you have a thing against dinosaur games this is a con, otherwise disregard it.
The game does not come bundled up with a Guncon2 so if you don't already have one then this is a con. However, you can buy a third party GunCon2 capable light-gun and it should work fine. (I played and finished the game with the Yobo third party gun which is much smaller than Namco's GunCon2, more confortable, and has more features such as vibration/recoil, you can hook it up to a pedal for that arcade feel and it is compatible with both GunCon and GunCon 2 games. I highly recommend this gun it is pretty accurate too--I prefer it over the highly praised GunCon2.
**Comments
To sum things up, you have to get this game if you like light-gun games or the Dino Crisis series, as this is a side story to Dino Crisis. This game is great and it will be a great addition to your light-gun game collection. I highly recommend this game, the price is another good point, you can buy a light-gun with the extra bucks. I hope my review helped. Thanx.

I like it a lot i named it fred he is not too talkitive but he is the best friend i have

I don't have any friends so I play playstation with my family and we use the multi tap a lot. It is a good purchase because I use it a lot at home

I couldn't resist the purchase of this product with it's ... price tag. I used it as soon as I got it and it worked fine. I had no problems with my Dual Shock Controllers as they all worked in every slot. Memory cards fit and worked as well. I recommend this product to any one who needs a multi tap over the original Sony one. Plus you save .... Happy Gaming....Later

I thought when I rented the game it was going to be great but its not it is just stupid. This game isent even worth a penny. The graphics are good but everything else stinks. Some of the game is cool like at the bosses there great they can get realy hard. But I wouldent recomend the game at all. If you want to play the game DO NOT BUY IT rent it. One more thing DO NOT BUY IT !!!!!!!!!!

THIS GAME IS NOT BAD. YOU SHOULD REALLY GET IT!

Out of this world! My 7 year old son loves this game!! The graphics, levels, use of terminology.....you would have to see it to believe it!! After your children start playing, parents will be amazed with the vocabulary children learn. All age groups will love this game. Not easy, it will challenge even the best out there! And girls, dont feel left out......either gender...well worth the money!!

I was disappointed with the quality of this item. The dancing Madeline would not consistantly spin and play music, she needed a good hard tap to get her going. I returned her for this reason. I also thought the outside decoration was cheap--it just seemed to be glued on. I did think the interior was nice as was the pull out drawer. I might have kept it if it worked properly.

It has been 3 weeks since my daughter received this for her 4th birthday. The other toys are played with on different days, but this is the only gift that is, without fail wound, opened, and closed each nite without fail. Wonderful twist on the old balerina style, much more meaningful to a madeline fan. She carefully places her little rings, bracelets and necklaces in there designated spot each nite (never could get her to put them away before!) Really charming, any Madeline fan would be pleased.

From the moment my 3 1/2 year old opened this and the little figure began to twirl around to her beloved "Madeline" song she was enchanted. It has a little drawer on the bottom (that is used for various treasures) and a ring compartment and several other dividers on the top for jewelry or hair clips and such. Unfortunately, the beloved box was left on the floor and accidentally stepped upon by big brother which totally broke off the top of the box. Dad was actually able to glue it back together and it almost looks and works like new! Pretty enough to perch on a bookshelf for display and use!