Music Reviews

I recently bought an Xbox and am slowly building up my game collection. I had a demo of "Amped2" and loved it. However I found "Amped" for a good price and thought I would try it. I must say that it is fantastic and very addictive. There are quite a lot of controls to learn to really do well on high scores but it is a lot of fun learning to play. The hardest part for me is the rails. With a limited budget, I have to start with some of the older games, and this one is well worth the money. It is hilarious to try a front flip and end up landing on your head. Great game.

Amped: Freestyle Snowboarding is a Valium-fueled take on snowboarding. You're free to do what you want, when you feel like it, and while you're under stress in the middle of a mission. The overall experience is oddly relaxing, especially early in the game when there's no real pressure to beat every goal in order to unlock new levels. Just as in games like Tony Hawk, the only frustration comes in the repeating levels to get a specific medal - but even then, you can always restart in a flash.

Match that with the open air feel of the levels, the breathtaking coolness of sliding through powder, and the breezy sound effects and in-game chatter, and you've got yourself the gaming equivalent of sitting in the hot tub after a long day on the slopes. Amped is a new way to look at snowboarding, and it's fun and large enough to keep you interested for hours and hours. Sure, there are some problems with the way the game controls, but the overall package is well designed, and most of all, totally charming. Amped manages to be simultaneously epic and down-home at the same time, thanks to the mixture of cool presentation, easy to navigate goal structure, and time-free boarding on giant mountains. You won't sweat while playing a game of Amped - but then again, we're talking about snow, aren't we?

I don't know what the editor was talking about when he said SSX tricky had better graphics. Amped is about one hundred times more realistic. Also, having snowboarded in real life at both Brighton and Stratton, I can tell you that besides some embellishments to enhance gameplay (towering rails and some jumps) these levels follow very faithfully to their real life counterparts.
The one thing I have noticed is that this game plays MUCH better on a big TV. I've played on our 60 inch rear projection (mitsubishi diamond line) and our 36 inch sony wega and also a smaller 27 inch tv and I must say that the big screen makes a hugh difference. It's strange because the Wega is technically the sharpest picture, although I wasn't using the high definiton pack (like i'm gonna drop 20 extra bones to play on a SMALLER tv) Also, I must give props to X-box for the sound. I plugged it in to the home theatre and it blows PS2 outta the water. Much nicer sounding. Also, I like how microsoft included the fat "monstercable" composites. Sweet move.

JAMES BOND is back with more action than ever. Bond has top of the line hand-to-hand action. I you run out of ammo you can kill them with your hands instead of restarting the game. Bond still has his Aston Martain V12 Vanquish and new top of the line vehicals and hidden weapons on it. Bond has a porsche cayenne turbo equip with missiles, machine guns, Q cloak, rc car. A Triumph Daytona 600 equip with double rocket shot, a stronger flamethrower and a nice shot gun. also bond has senses that tell him a hint. Bond is able to use all new wall cover and lock on. A rappel is a other helpful gadget. Shoot it at a edge and clime the wall. All new guns like the Dragunov, AT-20, DESERT EAGLE, MP5K, P99, SIG552, SPAS 12. ALSO there is in-game cheat codes for erning platimum meatals.There is a bond moment that is a true thing bond would do. If I were to rate this game it would be...

GRAPHICS; 8.9
STORY ; 9.7
WEAPONS ; 9.2
MOVMENT ; 9.4
VEHICALS; 9.9
BOND MOMENTS; 10
OVERALL 9.9

If you dont get this game you will miss the fun in this game

The new third person view really enhances single player mode. Character abilities, character movements, and excellent "movie quality" cut scenes make the single player missions very entertaining.
HOWEVER, if you are looking for a multi-player game with a battle mode similar to other Bond titles this is not a game to buy! Multi-player battle mode is also played in 3rd person, and there is no split screen making the battle mode very boring and pretty much not worth playing.
But, there is an option for Co-op missions with 1 other player that is very similar to the single player missions (it is played with split screen) and is very fun.
Overall, if you are looking for a game to play by yourself or play cooperative missions with 1 other person it is a must-have. But if you are looking for 3 or 4 way multi-player action this game does not come close to past Bond titles for multi-player entertainment value.

This game is pretty fun. The missions are awesome. The only problem is that they are kind of hard. The only thing that sucks about the game is the third person view. FPS is so much better!

Spider-Man is a very fun game, especially with the cheats! You can, with the cheats, play has Mary Jane Watson, The Shocker and even The Green Goblin himself! The graphics are great, especially the cutsecenes. Well, just about all the Gamecube games look great! The gameplay/controls are good, but sometimes a tiny bit confusing, ESPECIALLY Oscorp's Gambit level, if you don't know to push UP on the C-Stick to target the balloon! There are levels, plenty, 22 of them! As you may know, ahem, Peter Parker's(Spider-Man alter ego)Uncle Ben died. So, o the first level, you gotta' find the guy who knows about the killer! In the level "Search for Justice", which iis the very first level, you must defeat each Skulls Gang thugs and find answers! Then, you got to "The Warehouse" to find Uncle Ben's Killer! Then, you finally locate him and beat him up. Then he flies out the window. Here are some cheats:

ARACHIDN-Unlock all movies, production arts and fighting combos.
HERMANSCHULTZ-Play as The Shocker.
GIRLNEXTDOOR-Play as Mary Jane Watson.
SERUM-Play as the Scientist.
KNUCKLES-Play as Thug 1.
STICKYRICE-Play as Thug 2.
THUGSRUS-Play as Thug 3.
HEADEXPLODY-Unlock Training Modes.
JOELSPEANUTS-Big heads.
CAPTAINSTACEY-Play as a Helicopter Pilot.
GOESTOYOURHEAD-Big head and feet.
KOALA-Unlock all fighting combos.
I think I spelled this cheat right:IMIARTAS-In-Game next-level option.
And finally, the most BEST cheat, well, actually, hint or whatever:
PLAY AS THE GREEN GOBLIN!!!
First, go to START. Put your best controls, and then, select hard mode. Then, exit the game and go to cheats. Then, put in ARACHIDN(I hope I spelled it correctly). Go to Level Warp and go to the level, well, actually, it's the ending sequence, "Conclusion". Skip the movie, then go to Secret Store. Scroll to the bottom, to get, THE GREEN GOBLIN!!!
Anyway, this game's fun, but once you win it, about 2 1/2 days, you just have cheats left. The only problem!!! Anyway, I suppose, since you are a Spider-Man-Iac, get it. And, see the movie on may 3rd!!! Enjoy the sights of the tall buildings!

I just bought this game a few days ago and so far am having a great time playing it. Since I am such a big fan of Spider-Man I am a little biased but this doesn't change the fact that this game is plain fun. This is the closest thing you will ever get to being Spider-Man.

Difficulty: Can be challenging but practice makes perfect.

Graphics: Awesome. Looking through buildings as Spidey crawls on the walls is great, a little disorienting at times but you get used to it. Spidey looks way cool and his movements are perfect. Framerates are great.

Gameplay: Levels are pretty straight forward with lots of information given along the way about your next objectives. You have to master control of Spidey's moves to excel at each level, but even my six year-old can play this game. Power-ups are also given which is helpful. You might notice some controller problems like how Spidey keeps moving after you let go of the control stick, or Spidey's directional control can be frustrating, but you can overcome these minor problems with some practice and patience.

Sound: Voice overs are great. Narrations done by Bruce Campbell! Lots of funny comments throughout the game. Glad to hear the actual movie's star lent his voice to the main character. They included surround sound in the options(shouldn't every game have this?). Music is cool, very exciting.

Overall I say this is a great game and has pretty good replay value. I love it for the Spidey Value. ...

Awesome Graphics+tubular storyline=SUPERIFIC FUN GAMING EXPERIENCE!!!!!
I'm serious folks this game is like the best on the planet!
I mean after the movie aired I had to get the game asap.
The game is awesome for 2 great reasons,
1-SPIDERMAN IS DA MAN!
2-It's just like the movie!
Even if your not a spidey fan you got to get this game!For an ultimate gaming experience buy this game!
You really(...) don't wanna miss out!!I give this game 10 stars!!!!

I got this game the second it was out and could not stop playing it. It has great graphics and it is just like the the two towers.i am a huge fan of lord of the rings.i just had to buy the game.Some of the levels are kinda hard to beat but with hhours of game time you can beat them. at the begining of the game they show a part from the fellowship of the ring. what i dont like about the game is you cant skip the talking scenes the first time you play a level.the controls are not hard to learn at all. you dont even have to read the instruction booklet because when the level is loading they show you some of the controls. gimil is slow in the water but he can fight pretty good sometimes but i always use legolas he fights pretty good. aragorn is ok. in the game you fight by yourself alot but before you complete the mission the other characters will come and help you fight. Overall this is a great game i recommend it to kids of the ages 9 and up.
I also bought Zelda a link to the past and i recommend it for poeple 8 and up.
Go BUY THOSE GAMES ASAP . AS SOON AS POSSIBLE
AIRIGHT!!!!!
PEACE

Lotr, The Two Towers, is a must play game for any Lotr fan out there. This game has everything. The graphics are incredible, and the fighting is extremely realistic. You can learn all sorts of moves, and play with Aragorn, Legolas, Gimli, and unlock Isildur and Gandalf. This game is definitely worth the money. The game follows the exact story of the second movie, as well as Weathertop, Moria, and Amon Hen from the first movie. If you loved the movies or the books, you will love this. Even if you aren't the biggest lotr fan, if you love action and adventure, you will love this.

~*Telin le thaed. Lasto beth nîn, tolo dan na ngalad.*~

-Elrond of Rivendell

Though LOTR Two Towers coms across your average orc hacking fest, LOTR is quite different. You are charged with bonus tasks such as killing the Uruk Hai at Amon Hen before they find Frodo and the Ring. Or protecting the gate to the women and children against wave after wave of exploding Uruks. This adds to the realism, storyline, and separates this game from the rest. And if you are into hacking and slashing, this game will still satisfy. Amon Hen lets you slice and dice 42(?) Uruks, which provides for loads of fun. All the Helms Deep levels are some of the toughest that any casual gamer will find, but they provide a chance to use the many upgrades that are provided to you.

I would even reccomend Two Towers over Return of the King! The characters are bigger, gameplay (not cutscene) graphics are way better in the Two Towers, so you get to see the wicked "Bane" attacks you pull throughout the game.

Pick up LOTR Two Towers, you'll definetly love it, and if you do, rent the Return of the King and try it out too.

I have always been a big fan of the series and I love the mini camp drills, i think thats a brilliant idea. The ability to set concession prices, hats, etc. is also a clever addition. The graphics are solid, though still need tweaking but I feel as if I am playing Madden 2004 Blitz. I am sick and tired of the computers magical ability to erase any deficit in the 4th quarter. Mind you, I have been playing football games, including Madden, for years.

I have had the Cardinals come back to beat me in the 4th quarter, erasing a 24 point lead. This quarter from hell included, 1. a blocked punt, 2. a punt returned for a td, 3. 2 fumbles by my rb (Ahman green) who was running great until this dreadful quarter. 4. a td return for a td 5. and a game winning 90 yard drive by the cardinals.

Sure this can happen once, twice, whatever. But when I constantly lose 4th quarter leads over and over again, it annoys me. I love games that are hard but this computer assistance borders on the surreal and it is enough for me to spoil an otherwise terrific game.

One last gripe, too much room for the QB to run. This is not NCAA. I think this was done to appease Mike Vick fans and I guess I can understand and live with that.

I have been loyal to the Madden football franchise for many years, because it has consistently failed to disappoint. The 2004 version is no different. As always there is tremendous game play. If you have played one version of Madden, you can play this one. The reason I say that it just keeps getting better is the feature of Owner mode. IN this you are the OWNER of the team, not just the head coach. Some may call it micromanagement, but I love it. You get to hire a Head Coach, Offensive and Defensive Coordinators and a Special teams coach. These coaches have an effect on the intangibles of your players, especially intelligence. Another great bonus how you sign players for your teams. The signing bonus is spread out over the course of the contract and the salary escalates yearly. This makes it more challenging to hold onto your star players. Other nice new options in owner mode are, the ability to create/renovate your stadium and the ability to create/relocate a team. It is also fun to watch NFL players become NFL coaches. All in all, as I said the game play is terrific, and the additions of owner mode have made this the only console game I play.

T

So awesome. If you dont have it, its a MUST have. Out of all the other football games on XBOX, this game really shows em up. I love the mini-camp at the beginning of every franchise year. You can excell your players in every category. The Owner Mode lets you get a small feeling for leading your team to a super bowl. I have played NFL 2k3 and that game is no good. The players have frekin square helmets. Like i said, if you dont have madden 2004...GET IT. and get MADDEN 2005! o thats gonna be soooo awesome. later

I can use both the original XBOX controller and the S XBOX controller. The only problem I have with the original is that I'm used to the smaller one (I've been playing with them for several months, now.) (Do not try to switch from original to S during a game or at all, for that matter.) So anyways, I like the S button layout better that the original button layout. But that is just my preference. Either control is good. I just have one thing to say to Fillandros (below). Fillandros said that the start and back buttons on the S controller were poorly placed. I disagree. When you're in the middle of a game and it is intense. (Take Halo for example.) You don't want to have to take your hands off the control to hit the start button! The start button on the original controller is in the middle of the controller and a hassle to hit. The start button on the S controller is easily and quickly accessed. Just my two cents.

You know obviously that this is the same-sized controller released in Japan. It is basically, from what I hear, the same controller, but with a longer (USA stanard length) cord. I have two of the original Xbox controllers and two of these, and my friends and I really enjoy having the option as to which controller we use. I use both pretty frequently, and while I don't find one to be overwhelmingly better than the other, they do add some variety, and for some games, one controller seems better. For example, playing Halo, I enjoy the Controller S, the triggers are a little tighter and the black/white buttons are in a more convenient spot. It doesn't really offer an advantage, it's just a personal preference.

I salute Microsoft for giving its US customers the option of having a smaller controller. For people that really like the original, it's still here, and for people that want something a little different, there's now an alternative to those (kind of cheesy) non-Microsoft controllers. All in all, this was a pretty good purchase.

the s controller is a auesome buy i have three and my big controller is horrible i let my dad use it and i always win but when he uses the s controller he wins .so if u want to buy a controller the s controller is the very one to buy and if u only have two or one buy two or three.

After playing yet another dissapointing Smackdown, I thought I must review WMXIX, and give my thoughts on what needs to be done to make WMXX the true successor to No Mercy. While THQ didn't listen to fans and bring AKI back. I commend Yukes for bringing back the weak and strong grapples. This alone made the game 10 times better than 18. It ain't No Mercy, but it's close. Decent graphics and an improved Create-a-wrestler with a great new feature to create your entrance. Lighting, fireworks everything. The only thing that keeps it down is the Revenge mode. a failed experiment in a new style of story mode. Saying this, I will now list what improvements I'd like to see in WX XX.
1. Regular story mode. Revenge didn't work, and the fans have to much of a negative opinion to try it again.
2 Gameplay- The game play was great, only a few gripes. Like having to hold the run button down. That's gotta go. Just tap it. And not slide out of the ring automatically. And afew of the little things from No Mercy, like throwing a guy out of the ring. It looks akward and unnatural in all Yukes games. I'd like to see the grab the guy behind the head and throw him through the ropes. And grabing him and banging his head against the steel cage. The L, R, and Z buttons are not used while in a tie-up and could be utilized in this way.
3.Create-a-wrestler. Again, a big improvement. Much better layout than Smackdown. And the No Mercy colored squares a better than that sliding color bar. I'd like to see more. More facepaint, masks, jackets, taunts, entrances, and moves that were missing. I'm not saying 25 different DDTs, but there were some noticable moves missing. Classic wrestler music and taughts. A few mouths that show teeth. A few head shapes where the ears stick out. And last but not least, entrance attire and be able to cary weapons to the ring.
3. graphics- I don't play for the graphics. The wrestlers and arenas looked fine, but the annimation was to robotic when walking. And Running and jumping has never looked right on Yukes games.
4. Have the belts mean something. Be able to wear them to the ring.
Thats about it. Hopefully THQ did a great job fixing many of the problems of 18. Hopefully they will fix the rest and make WMXX the top notch game Nintendo fans have been waiting for.

I rented this game at Blockbuster a couple weeks ago and brought this game home and within about three days, I was hooked. I think this game is the best wrestling game yet. The graphics are phenomenal, the gameplay is excellent and the action and fighting is outstanding. This game contains the best fighting arenas and best wrestling moves you have ever seen. The game's "Create a Superstar" mode is undoubtably phenomenal. That right there is the best feature in the game.

In this game, you have a numerous amount of different exhibiton matches such as: Normal, Hardcore, Table match, TLC, Cage match, Ironman and HELL in a CELL. These different match types are also available for a tag-team match. You can also choose to play a Fatal 4-Way or Royal Rumble. Then there is the King of the Ring features which determines who is the champion. That's an excellent tournament to play in this game. Other numerous features include the WWE Shopzone, Tutorial (you enroll in training with Al Snow), and the very best Create a Wrestler mode.

The all new and improved "Create a Wrestler" mode is great. You can do everything with this superstar. You can change his body size in the chest, arms, legs, thighs, waist, head to make him as big and muscular as you want. Then there is an excellent selection of different ring apparel for pants, shirts, hats, bracelets, glasses, masks, and also the "Paint" feature. The Paint features is where you can create your own mask to put onto your superstar. For example, I created Paul Stanley of KISS. I drew the STAR on his right eye and he has a face full of make-up and everything. It's really fun and cool. Then you can choose your wrestler's moves, taunts, and entrances. There is an Encyclopedia of wrestling moves to choose from in this game which is wonderful to make your wrestler have the best moves in the games. The best thing to remember to do is in one of the sections of the moves, you should choose "Chokeslam" when throwing oppenent off a cliff or off the top of the Hell In A Cell. You have your weak and strong grapple which enables your new wrestler to more moves. Then the taunts, there is over dozens and dozens of different taunts that reflect your character's personality. Then the entrance mode. This you can get create with your wrestler's entrance with the different fireworks to choose from, his entrance taunt, the camera angles, the ring entrance and the ring fireworks. Then if you want you can have your wrestler ride a motorcyle down the ramp like the Undertaker. Thank GOD for "Create A Wrestler."

A fun mode to play is Revenge. There are four different areas you fight and complete missions in where you earn money to shop at the Shopzone. The areas are: Mall, Warehouse, Harbor, and Parking Lot. There are six differnt missions for each place and when you get towards the end it gets challenging. The only negative about this is there are too many oppenents you have to fight at one time which is literally impossible with 3 on 1. On some mission you have to throw workers off of balconies and watch them fall. The main thing I love is the Harbor where you are in a shipping cell and must throw the workers off into the ocean. There are a couple sections of the cell where the floor can be broken and then what I do is Chokeslam them through it into the ocean. That's great. The mall is pretty cool. The parking lot missions are good for the first few until the 3rd and 4th because then there is traffic going through everywhere and you need to pass traffic and if you get hit you fail. That's where it gets tough.

Overall, I love this game and play it all the time. I have never seen a better wrestling game than this one right here. The graphics, gameplay, and create a wrestler mode and all the different match types and the different fighting arenas make the game the best in the industry. Buy this game and you will not be dissapointed. Long live...WWE Wrestlemania XIX!

I loved this game. It was truely amazing. The gameplay was at its best, of any other game. The characters very very well done, alot of wrestlers really looked like them.
The story line (revenge) took some skill to beat. Of course the first couple of levels were easy. But after a few levels it got really challenging. They were fun, to play each level and to watch me go through the scenario.
By far the best part of this game was the create-a-superstar. I've probably spent more time making various characters, then actually playing. With so much unique attairs, hair styles, etc., it made it almost endless for creating anyone you wanted.
This game is always fun and exciting to play, even after beating the revenge mode and buying out everything in the shop, down to the last ability points (out of 999), I still play this game, over and over again.

This game started off great! Graphics are magnificent, sound effects are astounding, beginning credits gave that real Star Wars movie feel...but after a while, things just seemed to get too repetitive. Basically, every mission is to destroy, destroy, destroy all enemy ships...a short movie scene...then destroy, destroy, destroy...I don't know...it just got tiring after a few hours. Controls are sort of difficult. I mean if this was "real life" flying a ship and targeting would probably be much more difficult; therefore, this game has certain degree of realism to it. Perhaps I'm not such a big fan of these types of games...it reminds me of that old game Descent where you simply blast everything in sight. If you're a fan of Descent and Star Wars, this game may be perfect for you and I'd definitely recommend it. But if you're expecting a sort of strategic, mystery, or puzzle type thing, this is not for you. This game is simply a flight simulator where you enhance your skills as a fighter pilot by thrusting and swooping in all directions and destroying enemy ships until the screen reads: Mission Complete.

This game just didn't hype me up to see what happens as I progressed every stage. After two hours of continuous blasting, it just got tiring and frustrating. By the way, this game will get you really dizzy because you are constantly in motion trying to target that one little ship after another. Overall, this game is not a bad game. I guarantee flight sim and Star Wars fans will love it. I blame myself for buying this game. I'm simply a Star Wars fan, and not a flight sim type of person.

I received this game as a gift for my birthday in November of 2001, along with METAL GEAR SOLID 2: SONS OF LIBERTY. I completed the first mission and quickly fell out of it. The game sat on my shelf, un-played, until November of 2003 - two full years later. The only reason that I picked it up again was so I could properly beat it and put it to bed once and for all. I had recently decided that I had to many incomplete games, and was refusing to purchase another until I had finished all of the ones that I had.

One thing is for sure, this game grew on me. I wasn't a fan of it in November of 2001, but I sure am now. Probably most comparable to STAR WARS: X-WING VS. TIE FIGHTER for the PC (which I love), this game features you piloting one of three characters on a variety of different missions on a variety of different worlds.

In game graphics are really good. Ships look very detailed and accurate to the specifications that the movies set forth. Controls are perfect - I've got no complaints.

While missions rarely are ever anything more than "Shoot a bunch of stationary objects while avoiding fire from various fighters", they always manage to be fun. They do, however, also manage to be frustrating at times. For one thing, you seem to be the only competent member of your squadron in the air at any given time. If you don't complete mission objectives, they won't get done. Asking for covering fire from teammates will help you very little, if at all. And despite always hearing your teammates cries for help, enemies tend to single you out pretty consistently and you are frequently bombarded by a large amount of laser fire, missiles, etc. This alone definitely hurts the final score.

Another thing that hurts the score is the length. While the game consists of fifteen missions, very few will take you more than one try to complete.

The story takes place around the events of STAR WARS EPISODE I: THE PHANTOM MENACE, and while it is better than the movie, it isn't anything to write home about. The introduction of the character works well enough (Character A's story will overlap with and serve as Character B's, effectively introducing the latter character), once it expands beyond that it tends to fall flat. Events come off as unmotivated, and above all confusing.

The presentation here is very high. From detailed level locations to John Williams' classic score, nothing here fails to impress.

All in all, I do believe that I should have given this game more of a chance two years ago. It was fun while it lasted (which wasn't very long), and it definitely made me want to go out and pick up STAR WARS: JEDI STARFIGHTER, which is something that I was totally against a few days prior to playing this game again.

This is one of several must buy games for the PS2. It delievers in all areas: Graphics, Sound, Control, and Gameplay. First off the Graphics recieve a 10 out of 10. I was breathless when I played the first mission. Everything is rendered beautifly. The fighters, terrian, and ships have amazing detail. The vsound is great recieving an 8 out of 10. Good sound effects and voices from your wingman are nicely done. The voice acting on some parts is pretty bad, combining dialoge that makes you wonder who wrote this. Controls on the other hand are fabulous. Recieving a 9 out of 10. A little confusing at first, but after you get the hang of them the fit this type of game perfectly. The overall Fun Factor(Gameplay) recieves a 10 out of 10. You won't be able to stop playing the missions until you un-lock everything. If you own a PS2 get this game. Even if you hate Star Wars, you won't regret getting this game. Sorry for any mis-spelled words.

The bright side:

You CAN get better, crystal-clear picture quality. After using S-Video for several years and the going to component, you'll instantly notice colors on the TV you have never seen before. It's not easy to put in words, but if you are ever in an electronics store, look for a demo comparing composite to S-Video to component, and you'll be amazed. Paying the extra money to go to component is definitely worth it when it comes to your DVD's.

The dark side:

When it comes to DVD's, this component output is incredible. When it comes to your PS2 games... no noticable difference in my view. Maybe there is or was, but it didn't catch my attention like it did with the DVD picture.

Is it really necessary or worth the money to get Monster Cables? In my opinion, the answer is NO. I did a test with a 3rd-Party Component PS2 cable...no difference whatsoever. It seems Monster Cable jacks up their prices with their unnecessary mumbo-jumbo features of how they were constructed with nitrogen/plutonium and the gold/diamond/kryptonite ingredients (I'm not being completely serious, by the way)...but, hey, cables are cables. I mean unless you have like thunderstorms, hailstorms, tornadoes and/or massive electromagnetic fields generating in your living room, yeah, you may need these high-quality, invincible cables. But in my opinion, there's no real need. So what if these quality cables last a life time? Name a single person in this world who would keep a PS2 for so long in his/her life.

My advice is to just get the cheap cables. They are good enough. Or look for the Monster brand cheap like I did on eBay. Seeing that Component cables have three jacks, I've noticed many people make the mistake believing audio is included...NOPE. Those three Red, Blue, and Green plugs are for video ONLY. Go with component, but not Monster brand.

I bought these cables because I have used monster cables and been happy with them. However, after a month or so of use, there was a short in the cables near where they attach to the Playstation. We had to tape the cables to the power cord in order to get a color picture. After about a week of this, they no longer would show a color picture at all. Save your money. The cables do an incredible job while they work but are not worth the money you spend on them when they break.

I don't know what these people are saying about this cable not making a difference on high-grade TV sets (e.g. Sony XBR or Vega). I've been using Sony's bog-standard AV cables for about a month on my 27" flat-screen Vega, and sure, the DVD playback and PS2 menu displays look sharp, but when I plugged in the MC S-Video cables, they looked _razor_ sharp. I mean it, the clock display itself looked that much better, much crisper, better color definition. And Toy Story 2, which looked great before, looks damn amazing now. Seriously, you have no excuse not to get a set of cables other than what Sony includes with _every_ Playstation, and these are probably the best value. I heard from Monster Cable customer service on Monday, they're supposed to be releasing their GL 450 (component+optical-audio) sometime this week (12/18-12/22), and the GL 400 (component+copper-stereo) in the second week in January. It's probably a toss-up whether you'd be able to tell much difference between S-video and component, so I'd suggest get this cable now, and leave your component inputs available for another peripheral. Do yourself a favor and get this cable - gold-plating and ample shielding _do_ make a difference, for both video and sound.

The bright side:

You CAN get better, crystal-clear picture quality. After using S-Video for several years and the going to component, you'll instantly notice colors on the TV you have never seen before. It's not easy to put in words, but if you are ever in an electronics store, look for a demo comparing composite to S-Video to component, and you'll be amazed. Paying the extra money to go to component is definitely worth it when it comes to your DVD's.

The dark side:

When it comes to DVD's, this component output is incredible. When it comes to your PS2 games... no noticable difference in my view. Maybe there is or was, but it didn't catch my attention like it did with the DVD picture.

Is it really necessary or worth the money to get Monster Cables? In my opinion, the answer is NO. I did a test with a 3rd-Party Component PS2 cable...no difference whatsoever. It seems Monster Cable jacks up their prices with their unnecessary mumbo-jumbo features of how they were constructed with nitrogen/plutonium and the gold/diamond/kryptonite ingredients (I'm not being completely serious, by the way)...but, hey, cables are cables. I mean unless you have like thunderstorms, hailstorms, tornadoes and/or massive electromagnetic fields generating in your living room, yeah, you may need these high-quality, invincible cables. But in my opinion, there's no real need. So what if these quality cables last a life time? Name a single person in this world who would keep a PS2 for so long in his/her life.

My advice is to just get the cheap cables. They are good enough. Or look for the Monster brand cheap like I did on eBay. Seeing that Component cables have three jacks, I've noticed many people make the mistake believing audio is included...NOPE. Those three Red, Blue, and Green plugs are for video ONLY. Go with component, but not Monster brand.

I bought these cables because I have used monster cables and been happy with them. However, after a month or so of use, there was a short in the cables near where they attach to the Playstation. We had to tape the cables to the power cord in order to get a color picture. After about a week of this, they no longer would show a color picture at all. Save your money. The cables do an incredible job while they work but are not worth the money you spend on them when they break.

I don't know what these people are saying about this cable not making a difference on high-grade TV sets (e.g. Sony XBR or Vega). I've been using Sony's bog-standard AV cables for about a month on my 27" flat-screen Vega, and sure, the DVD playback and PS2 menu displays look sharp, but when I plugged in the MC S-Video cables, they looked _razor_ sharp. I mean it, the clock display itself looked that much better, much crisper, better color definition. And Toy Story 2, which looked great before, looks damn amazing now. Seriously, you have no excuse not to get a set of cables other than what Sony includes with _every_ Playstation, and these are probably the best value. I heard from Monster Cable customer service on Monday, they're supposed to be releasing their GL 450 (component+optical-audio) sometime this week (12/18-12/22), and the GL 400 (component+copper-stereo) in the second week in January. It's probably a toss-up whether you'd be able to tell much difference between S-video and component, so I'd suggest get this cable now, and leave your component inputs available for another peripheral. Do yourself a favor and get this cable - gold-plating and ample shielding _do_ make a difference, for both video and sound.