Music Reviews

not having an xbox i was waiting for a buffy game that i could play. boy was i relieved when 'chaos bleeds' was released. when i bought it i really didn't care it was buffy-related and i could be spike. that was incentive enough for me. after starting the game, i was sucked in real quick and wrapped myself up in the story like it was an episode of buffy. the writing is superb and as well is the voice acting. at first listening you'll notice that it isn't alyson hannigan voice when willow speaks but within moments you'll completely forget. also, the voice for buffy is dead on with smg except for one second when she says tara wrong...but its all good.

the controls are tight. when you're playing as either buffy or faith, you can bring up a slayer handbook with alott of combos that might take a while to memorize. willow also has a spell guide that you can call up to learn a spell. also, willow learns spells when tara periodically tells what to do. the camera is kinda off but its definitely one of the best for a 3rd person game that you can rotate it around and see any direction you want. but its kinda hard to do that in a tight space.

the surroundings are fantastic and resemble their actual locations in the buffyverse. also, one of the funny things in the game is in the movie theater in the sunnydale level. you'll see posters for fight club, aliens, alien resurrection and so on. the levels are huge and the tasks hard if you don't know what to do and for first time players most of the levels might take well within 90minutes or so. each character has their own strengths as well as weaknesses but the majority of them show no weakness. the only 2 might be xander & willow. xander being the norm of the group but he handles just fine. willow doesn't kick at all. she punches and does magic. as for the magic most of the time you'll call up the fireball, sunspell and homing missile [well i do].

the multiplayer is sweet. it has about 20 characters or so. you start off with 4 characters and one level to play with. as you progress through the game, you'll find secrets and unlock levels and players. one of the gripes i have is the lack of multiplayer levels and the femal vampire isn't the one wearing plaid pants. but those are all minor gripes here.

the game is solid. it'll suck you in if you're a hardcore buffy fan. all in all, its one of the best games i've ever played. i hope they can continue this tradition and make another.

"Chaos Bleeds" is a very entertaining game, with good graphics, a reasonable level of difficulty (if I say that, it probably means hardcore gamers will find it too easy), and mostly good voice acting.

Several of the original cast members provided the voices for the game, which is awesome. Unfortunately, Sara Michelle Gellar (Buffy), Alyson Hannigan (Willow), and Emma Caulfield (Anya) weren't available. Sound-alikes were used, ranging from good (Buffy) to mediocre and affected (Willow) to downright lame (Anya).

Another problem is that the inventory system is a real pain to use. Instead of being able to pause the game and go to an inventory screen, you have to scroll through every item in your inventory to get to the one you want. There are times when you're carrying ten or more things, so this can get really cumbersome.

One last complaint -- the game's multiplayer mode stinks. You can't play the actual *game* multiplayer; instead, there are lame minigames (for lack of a better word) for two players. If they had been good minigames, that might have been cool; but they're not.

Other than that, it's a really good game that should appeal to anyone who likes horror video games, as well as Buffy fans. The characters look like themselves, the dialogue is well-written, and the cutscenes and overall plot are compelling.

The game also has enough extras to put many DVDs to shame, including unlockable interviews and voice-overs from several cast members.

Bottom line: even if you're not a Buffy fan, this game is worth checking out. And if you are a Buffy fan, it's a must.

I'm up to Faiths level on the buffy game for the Xbox. And i can't do the last bit of the level. I've found the rest on the game mint, but i have to keep on going to the tart of the game. I think the game should have been like the first Buffy game that they brought out for the Xbox, where they had different level but it also had checkpoints, you know like you got to a serton pace and it would save the game and you could continue from there, it shuld be like that instead of going right to the start.

this game, even though being shorter then the 1st is a great sequel, the game starts off a little slow but the enviroment of the game like the police station is incredible, a longer story could of been better but either way it is incredible and fun.

Max Payne 2: The Fall of Max Payne is a good game, but its not a five star one. The first Max Payne was even better than this for a few reasons. One of the reasons is the gameplay was unique at the time, and it was the first game that had bullet time, and argubly the only game that didnt use bullet time as a gimmick (i.e. Dead to Rights and Enter the Matrix). Another one of the reasons was the storyline was better. This time the gameplay just doesent feel as fresh either. Its still a fun game though. I'll tell you about the positives now that i've got the negatives out of the way. The gameplay, while not as fresh, is still fun and this is one of the best action games around. The storyline also has interesting plot twists. The bullet time is still here, and its better than ever. It also has pretty good graphics. Its short, but its good while it lasts. You can probably beat it in a weekend rentle. If you were a fan of the first game(like me), you will enjoy this game. If you werent a fan, you wont like this. Its a good action game, and one of the most intense. Check it out. Play the first one first though.

I bought both Max Paynes and enjoyed them both. Max Payne 2 was great. The only draw back was that it was short but that only irritated me because I was enjoying the story and twists so much. If you enjoy games that actually have a plot then this is one for you. This is one of the best games I have bought up to date.

This game is amazing. Based off of the strongly loved Baldur's Gate Engine this game offers more than most will ever imagine. With regenerating levels that allow for different challenges and maps each time the game is playe through to the nearly endles amounts of randomly generated items, over 100,000 in all and each of them look different from the last as well. Five races, and Five classes each with their own sex making game play truely unique everytime you play through the game. This D&D style RPG will raise the bar for all who love the series. Not to mention that there is no fee for playing online, and you don't need online support to play because you can either go single player or up two 3 other companions with a multitap and 4 controllers.
This is truely a prized piece and a must for any game lover.

And on a side note: Why is it that people give a good review but make 0 stars on the rating, common people if you liek the game honor it. Don't drag it down for those who simply look at the face value.

Champions of Norrath is very similar to Diablo 2, and if you like action RPGs, that's a great thing. The replay value is high because chances are you will want to expand your character's abilities by playing through the game again, and you will probably want to use different classes too. Multiplayer is not as great as people say it is. The lack of a trade interface and the fact that gold is not shared through party make playing with strangers an adventure in itself. The other players can either enhance your experience or just completely ruin it by robbing your gold and items and teleporting back to town when you don't want to. Minor bugs like the lag in voice is not important, but the game does freeze on you every once in a while, which is really annoying given the lack of save points in dungeons. Overall, it's more fun than Diablo 2, too bad it's got a few more bugs than it should have.

I am at least 20 hrs into this game and it is a lot of fun. I have not had a problem with the loading and the game only froze on me once. And I have a first generation PS2. So I have no idea why other people are haveing so much trouble with this game. This game is nothing like EQ. The view is mostly a overhead shot ( at first I hated it but got used to it ). The game is also a board by board action RPG. You finish boards and fight bosses. Not like EQ where you do nothing but level up. The music is great. It creates a good atmosphere feel. The graphics are good for what this game is. It reminds me of " Gauntlet ", but 20x better. I highly recommend this title if your into a live action RPG that is nothing like the online EQ.

My thoughts on this game is that the game isnt truly that scary to be honest. The only "true scare" would be the "flashbacks" that Torque has through out the game, which, i can understand because it catches you off guard.
The good thing about this game, is that you have at least enough ammo and guns and medicine to live, which is good, because some games dont offer that. The game has cool graphics and not to sloppy controls at times. However, this game does have very poor camera angles that makes it hard to hit your target at times. It has good gameplay, a nice odd story line and its bloody (which now kids today are going for). However, it is refreshing that there are no "zombies" which is true, but, the game with no "scare" cannot be in the same section as say Resident Evil or Silent Hill.
The creatures to where somewhat lame. For example, here are my veiws on the creatures:
1. Horace- sometimes helpful..but only towards the middle of the game
2. Hermes - Very cool villian
3. Dr. Killjoy- "Killjoy"?..what a stupid name for a villian
4. Inferna- Very cool creature, but can be a pain in the butt to kill
5. Fester- Lame creature, it looks like they "rip it off" from another game
6. Burrower- Another lame creature, but, tough to kill at times.
7. Nooseman- Very, very lame creature..why didnt they just call it "Spiderman"?
8. Mainliner- Very hard and very fustrating creature to kill.
9. Marksman- Very cool creature and are very easy to kill.
10. Slayer- Very lame, very boring, easy kills.
11. Torque- Why does he look like Wolverine???
Anyways those are my veiws on the game. If you want the game i would rent it first, if you like, then buy it. To Midway, almost..but no cigar!.

Finally a good survival horror title has arrived for the PS2. The Suffering is truly survival horror at it's finest. In it you play as Torque; a convict on death row for killing his family or so it seems. As he is being moved to the death chamber of the prison all Hell brakes loose and the prison is under siege by supernatural forces.
Although this was first desighned as 1st person shooter the developers had a change of heart and turned it into a 3rd person survival horror genre. With that you might think it's one of those puzzle solving with hours of cut scenes kind of games with little action; but not in The Sufferings case' theres plenty of action here. You will face hordes of monsters as the action revolves around constantly strafing and shooting{ this was at first supposed to be a 1st person shooter} as you switch through weapons to adjust to the changing enemy conditions. Don't get me wrong here this game does take a lot of brains from time to time with constant but easy puzzles.
Besides the great action this game has a chuck full of violence packed in it. In Resident Evil the gore came only from time to time. Not in this game the profanity just does not stop in this game. Theres constant cursing everywhere as well as beef everywhere. As you run around the prison island the whole area is decimated with cracks, garbage, blood, dead bodies, etc. There was one seen that really got me which was in the prisons mental asylum were a dead guy with all 4 limbs cut off was flopping around like a dying fish so I had to kill him to put him out of his misery. The most amazing thing about the violence in this game is the flashbacks. As Torque progresses through the island there are flash backs of morbid images that relate to the story. As well for the story it in it's self is extremly graphic and well deserves a movie script.
As not for other survival horror games a new spin is put in The Suffering youre actions will affect the end of the game. As you progress through the game you will be met with certain desciscions such as should I kill this guy or help him its up to you and it will affect the outcome of the ending.

the suffereing is based on a man by the name of Torque, who has jus been convicted of killing boht his wife and child. As he enters his cell block, he briefly meets his fellow inmates, before soemthing goes terribly wrong. The lights go out, and a horrific clicking noise fills the cells, followed by blood curdled screams, and then just plain blood, and now the action starts.

The suffereing really isn't one genre for sure, it's several. At one moment it takes the form of a great sction shooter, then the ambience takes over and puts you in mind of a survival horror title. Then you find out you can switch to first person shooter, and it becomes an FPS! That really is the charm of the suffering, its not one thing its many. Its packed with extras, action, and just plain ol' shooting fun.

As for the controls, they are what is to be expected from an action title, with primary use of the analog sticks and shoulder buttons. I did, however, find that doing a 180 degree turn was somewhat difficult, and often resulted in losing some health. When the game changes to an FPS, the transition is done so very well, with just one tap of the buton, you have changed your action title into a first person shooter, a great innovation that would be a welcome addition to many games these days.

The storyline is excellent since its outcome heavily relies on what you as player do. If your the type that loves to kill to get a laugh ina video game, then don't count on getting the good ending. This game has several situation in which you have the chance to help someone. Whether you help that person or not is up to you, but just keep in mind that whether you are good or bad will ultimately decide in the end whether you killed you wife and son or not!

The greatest part of this game that sets it apart from many others is the great ambience. The sound is great (especially if you have your system hooked up through a set of stereo speakers.) The graphics are amazong, and add that much more to the eerie setting.

In conclusion, the suffering is a very wel thought out game, but is a bit on the simple side. I am a fan of all survival horror genres, Resident evil, Silent hill, Fatal frame, it doesn't matter. While this game follows the framework of a survival horror game in no way shape or form, itstill manages to get that scare factor across quite well. If you feel like a change from the usual survival horror action, but still want to be scared in the same way, rent it, believe me thats all the time you'll need to beat it.

First off, let me say I like the "set-up" of this game a great deal. The game is actually a story told in the first person view by the main character. The plot therein is actually fairly well thought out considering the linear type story (a fault of the genre, nothing against the play of the game).

The true problem of the game is (while beautiful) that it's just very boring. After about the third "level" the puzzels and such go from intelligent to tedius. Nothing however burdens this game like the fighting. Wave after wave of the same enemies at periodic intervals throughout the entire game. While the fight scenes probably look interesting to your friend watching you over your shoulder, they are in reality, just the same 4 buttons combos over and over and over and . . . well you get the point.

A promising start, but in the end a bit of a snoozer.

Wow! Once I started playing this game, I couldn't stop. The graphics in the game are beautiful. The Prince's moves are smooth and fluid. The Prince can run on and flip off the walls, vault over enemies, swing, hang, climb, roll, and do combinations of all these moves together. Once he gets the dagger he then has the ability to reverse, slow down, and speed up time. The best part is that all of these moves are very easy to execute, which makes it a lot more fun. The only problem is that it's a little too easy. I'm just a casual gamer and I beat the game in 2 days. Maybe they made the game easier so that it would feel like you are really kicking some butt, but it could have been more challenging I think. Other then that I would definitely recommend this game to anyone.

To tell you the truth, I wasn't looking forward to playing this game. I haven't had too many good experiences with side-scrolling games going 3D, probably because of all the Nintendo 64 ports of classic games (most of which I never enjoyed). So, sadly, I waited to play Sands of Time for a while, even after hearing great things about it.

Needless to say, I'm very dissapointed that I didn't pick this up sooner. My friend rented it last night and I was blown away. Prince of Persia: Sands of Time is amazing. The graphics are picture perfect, but the game play is seemless and VERY smooth. I am surprised at how much control you have while playing. Here's a short summary of the game:

Graphics: I'd have to say that the cut scenes are a bit disapointing. The character movement seems robotic, but not without feeling. I like the in-game graphics more then the cinamatics! Your character has very fluent motions for every action, but thats not even the best part. Fabric, like a hanging banner or cobweb, actually react when you run past or through them.

Game-play: Most of the screen shots I've seen of this game are of fighting, which isn't a bad thing. The fighting system is great, with lots of cool jumping combos and veriations. What I like more though, is the running and jumping (seriously). You can run across any wall, do back flips off walls, run up a wall, hang from ledges, climb up poles, swing acrobaticly from pole to pole, and tons more. The control you have is amazing, and fun to use. I was constantly trying new things, like jumping from a high pole to far away ladders.

To sum it up, this game is very fun! I would suggest it for anyone, young or old, even though there is mild violence in it (may be a bit scary for the younger tikes). This game provides a excelent cinimatic experience, one that I wouldn't want to miss.

Compared to other games that are coming our right now, this game is great. Yes, it's short, but the amount of entertainment in the 10-15 hours of playtime is worth buying it. The graphics are great, and the controls are easy to learn and movement is fluid. This game DOES have a plot, and compared to other hack/slash games, it's a darn good one. This game is rated M for a good reason, the language in the game can be quite strong. But who would expect a vampire to say "Oh, poo"? I don't think the placement of the language is inappropriate, and it can be funny at times. The environments are interactive, but mostly it's just smashing anything and everything.

There are only two things I find questionable with the game. One, it ended kind of abruptly. Two, fighting could get tedious, but killing dozens of Nazis makes up for that.

All in all, this game is a great buy or nice weekend rent.

FINALLY - a female vampire (or "dhampir," whatever) with an adjustable bra size (see "juggy" cheat) and a large artillery of weapons that inflict ridiculous gore (see "gratuitous dismemberment" cheat) on a small variety of Nazis and mutants, whose blood she can also suck to restore health (if necessary - see "god mode" cheat). If you're looking for more than just a one-night-stand, though, she's probably going to disappoint you...unless you're the one that sucks. "Bloodrayne" is a nice idea, and don't get me wrong, it actually is a lot of fun to play. However, there's not a whole lot going on beyond the sexy latex getups and gats gats gats. It's just your conventional 3rd-person action/shooter with a few almost-useless Matrix-style gimmicks thrown in, and graphics that are not quite up to par with the ps2 platform. In fact, it almost looks like another case of a title that was rushed into production. There are lots of ways they could've polished up "Bloodrayne" and made it a richer game. Her catch-phrases (or attempts thereat) are sometimes cute, more often retarded, but by the time the first level is complete you'll have heard them all a billion times and you'll be reaching for your ipod. And if she's a trifle repetitive, the enemies are FAR worse (e.g. the infamous "Get her off me!"). The game in general suffers from a certain lack of variety in enemy models and level construction. Cut-scene dialogue is embarassingly bad, big surprise. STILL - sexy latex getups, gats gats gats. It's nice that they finally pitched a video game at us fellas. Incidently, I hear "Bloodrayne 2" is in the works. Let's hope it's the rare sequel that hammers out the bugs of the original and takes it to the next level, rather than the usual degeneration into crap. If so, I've got my money in.

She is like Lara Croft of Tomb Raider turned into a vampire! I love this game! You can choose the way your controls are (traditonal 3rd person or 1st person/more control.) The graphics are great, the cinematics are great, and Rayne is fun to move around. The levels are fun, but you do end up doing a lot of running around looking for a way out or an object that you need to move on to the next levels. The bosses can be very hard at times, maybe next to impossible without cheat codes... If you like Tomb Raider, Soul Reaver series, and Syphon Filter, you should enjoy BloodRayne.

The Microsoft XBox Wireless 802.11g adapter has been soooo easy to setup. Plug a patch cable (included) from the adapter into the network port in the back of your XBox, plug the AC adapter into the wall, and your XBox is connected to the Internet... Quick & easy to setup with no problems. You might have to orient the adapter and its adjustable antenna to optimize the speed of the wireless connection -- the XBox Network Setup Control Panel has a Wireless Connection Manager to help you see the speed of your connection & signal strength. My wireless router's downstairs signal goes through 50+ feet through one ceiling, and three solidly built walls, and the XBox adapter is still able to pick up and utilize an 18-54Mbps wireless signal (36Mbps most of the time). I have a 1.5Mbps DSL service, and setting up Wireless XBox Live gaming is a breeze. It beats stringing CAT 5 network cable between floors and rooms.

....Ridiculously easy to set up. Actually ,the XBOX system did most of the work for me. It detected and configured most of the network info itself from my existing 802.11g wireless network. The hardest thing was typing the 26 digit WEP code for my wireless network.I just followed the step-by-step instructions and was online within minutes. Piece of cake.
I was a little concerned about the signal strength with my Base Station being two rooms over , about 35 feet away with multiple electronic devices along the way, and no real line of sight, but my fears quickly disappeared when I checked my network speed on the XBOX and found it steady at 54 Mbps with a Very Good to Excellent signal.Fantastic.
Online gaming on the XBOX is phenomenal with the Microsoft Wireless-G Xbox Adapter.The game play is flawless. It's as if your playing with that person in your living room right next to you. There was no laggy or choppy gameplay, just really really smooth. I love this thing!!
Just take the time to read the instructions one step at a time and you'll be playing before you know it. I look forward to playing you on XBOX Live.

This works wonderfully right out of the box with a modded (evoX) XBox, linked to a Linksys WRT54G. I originally tried to use the Linksys Wireless Game Adapter, which really sucked and never worked. Took a chance on this thing, worried that it would not be configurable enough with the network. Piece of cake. And 30-50 dollars cheaper than the Game Adapter. It found the network just fine and can now transfer files back and forth from the XBox from both the wireless PC and the Mac on our network via FTP. Hate to say it, but a really nice experience from MS.

I've played Tony Hawk since the first one came out on N64. Graphics are good in TH Underground. Gets boring after you've beat it. The objectives should have more to do with skating. Some objectives on that game have to do with crap like rescuing ppl. I buy the frekin game to SKATE. Thats why it only deserves a 3 outta 5, cuz it needs a new edge. Its not fun after you beat it becuz if you play it again, its pointless. LaTer.

As my title says.....Decent. However, it could have been better, a whole lot better in fact. The graphics are top-of-the-line as is the gameplay, and soundtrack. I love the Tony Hawk games, i really do...but to make a game this short, i can't get over it. It will take you a matter of a few hours to beat, even on hard mode. The whole idea of having a plot was well done, and the non-skating parts didn't bother me at all (although some people hate them), actually i think they give a refreshing non-linearity to the game. The driving is bad i will admit, you could beat the game in the time it takes you to master it.
I gave this game 4 stars because, yes, i did like it. Had it been 5 or 6 hours longer i would have given it 5 stars. The multiplayer is fun as well, and customizing your own levels, goals, tricks, board, and skater is also cool. I would suggest a buy only if you are a serious fan of the previous games. Otherwise, rent or borrow it from a friend.

Tony Hawk skateboarding games have always been fun to a certain degree, but there were always various things you wished the games had. Each game was released with more freedom, creativity and options which became broader making each Tony Hawk sequal better than its prequal. Tony Hawk's Underground is by far the best of the Tony Hawk series and makes a farther leap into fantastic gameplay than the other Hawk games accomplished.

In Tony Hawk's Underground, the control has been brought to a smooth, pleasing level which makes the interface extremely easy and fun to manage. The game gives much more liberty and run of levels as you can jump off of your board, run around and even climb and hang off roof edges. A broadening of tricks allows gamers to piece together brilliant, eye-popping, challenging combos which creates limitless choices to creativity. Every trick and combo is so smooth it just begs you to do it again with more jazz. Tony Hawk's Underground boasts excellent control.

The storyline and challenges are put together very well. Starting with casual "chillin'" with your "homies" you board around New Jersey accomplishing various objects which gradually increases your skill. Fighting to become a pro, you face many challenges standing in your path which take time and skill to complete. The storyline keeps you calm and relaxed in the beginning and then furious and tense in the end as you battle against a skater who betrays you.

Tony Hawk's Underground has excellent control, difficulty challenges and a well developed story. To put it plainly, this game is a combination of the previous Hawk games put together into a brilliant, single game. This game is extremely fun. I highly recommend it.

This game is a derivative (not a copy) of the Tribes series of games for the PC. The basic idea is the same: a team-based, online battle supporting lots of players (up to 16, depending on your connection), multiple game types and cooperative gameplay. While, in theory, this is an exciting and very entertaining mixture (and very successful on the PC), there are a couple of things, one very glaring, that bring this game down to a mediocre level.

First, the controls take a little while to get used to. Anyone who has played Medal of Honor: Frontline or Agent Under Fire knows the dual-stick First Person Shooter setup that Tribes uses. What's a little different is the aiming system. With the aim assistance on, your shots automatically lead your moving target. However, a lot of times they don't hit, and you can't manually adjust where you're aiming (unless you take assistance off--which is NOT an individual option in online play, the host must decide if everyone has it on OR off).

Also, even though the dual-stick FPS setup is similar to the titles mentioned above, this is NOT a run and gun game. This is a jumping and flying through the air with jetpacks and shooting people on the ground game. You have to conserve your jetpack energy or get stuck on the ground with rockets raining around you--not a good thing if you're trying to stay alive. This takes a WHILE to get used to.

The other problem, and this is the MAJOR one, is that this is a team-based game. Especially in capture the flag games, your team needs to coordinate together to set up and repair defenses, like guns and turrets, launch coordinated attacks with vehicles and ground troops, and maintain and stable group of defenders. This is a WHOLE lot of fun when it works right. I mean, it's probably the MOST FUN I'VE HAD WITH A GAME IN A LONG TIME!!! But that's only if you've got a team familiar with each other and who knows what each other is going to do without communicating with each other. Why? Because you CAN'T COMMUNICATE WITH EACH OTHER. No voice support, no in-game chat, no chat in a lobby before games. This is inexcusable, and makes the game INCREDIBLY HARD for beginning gamers to get into.

So, to sum everything up, if you have a ton of patience with both games and annoying players, and you can go to clan/team websites and learn from advanced gamers and get into a team that practices (a bonus), this can become one of the MOST FUN GAMES YOU'VE EVERY PLAYED. However, if you can't spend a lot of time (I mean a LOT of time), getting into the community, which is HARD to do, it might not be worth the purchase.

P.S. a broadband connection is also HIGHLY recommended

i got this game, and i love it. but, i have it online, and thats all i play on it.
if you dont have network adapter, DONT BUY THIS GAME!
if you already have an ISP, i recommend buying this game along with the network adapter.

when going on line, you get to customize your character.
you get to choose either male/female/bioderm (an alien species)
you then get to pick colors (like blood eagle suit, ice diamond, star wolf...etc) and their voices. you can also SEE what the certain guns/packs looklike on you warrior.

when online, you can join a variety of games. from capture the flag, which defines itself, death match, where you [eliminate] anybody and everybody, and capture n' hold, where you capture objectives for points.

if you like games because of stories, or single player, stay away from this game. there is VERY little story into this game, and is mainly meant as a multiplayer game.

the reason i gave it [4 stars] is because you cant communicate with your teammates. im guessing sierra sort of forgot this or something, seeing as they could have at least added keyboard use.
but, they ARE WORKING ON A FORM OF COMMUNICATION!
right now, its where you press a series of buttons to make your character say something.
to use this, add CHAT-TEST to your buddy list, and then go to a game with a --> at it and use [square] to navigate the words.

if that works out, and is more user-friendly when it becomes permanent, this game will deserve 5/5.

graphics=5/5
gameplay- single=2/5
online=4/5
sound=5/5
fun factor=5/5

Tribes: Aerial Assault is a very good online game. There are multiple ways to play online and the game never gets boring. The offline gameplay is good for begginers but gets boring playing against bots very fast. A great game to own if your into 1st person shooters.

First off, it takes a lot for me to give a game 5 stars. A 5-star would be excellent graphics and a gameplay that I can keep coming back to. It'd basically be online, multiplayer games. But let's cover The Thing ...

Initially, the game was slow on action. It does, however, pleasantly surprise you by turning up the intensity with each level. Not every game has that shift in pace; instead, they'd stick with the pace The Thing kept on the 1st level -- i.e. Silent Hill 2 pace. After about 5-6 levels, I was really liking the game. Graphics resemble Half Life. First looking at the back of the box box, I thought it utilized the Half-Life engine. Seeing some of the creepers in the game, I think so even more. Just speculation. That said, it keeps a Half Life (PC) quality in graphics. Definitely not stunning, yet not bad. You could demand more from a title on the X-box, though.

Gameplay is definitely geared towards the console. You have a 3rd person view, and you can not look up or down without entering 1st person view. In 1st person view, you can not move the character. You basically see your crosshair and can move it freely. That's it. But it doesn't make it a bad game. Being a 1st person shooter fan, I didn't have any problems with this configuration. This said, the game is again geared for the console. Not the PC. Gameplay is nice. There's not exactly "bosses" that you have to measure up to and beat. It works the way that there's an intensifying level of more powerful foes to battle.

The story and missions make complete sense. It's cool that the game gets better instead of keeping a set pace of action. The levels are quite interesting. It's hard to "forget" to pick up key objects, as it might not be in other games. You've got decent supply of ammo and health, a nice arsenal of firepower, complete with a separate inventory where you can keep grenades, medical kits, and other items. As you meet people in the game, they team up and assist you in battles. You can order them to stay or follow at a spot, provide them with weapons and other items. Similarly, some of these people have the ability to heal you. Others are engineers and can fix items in the environment, like the control-panel for a door to a weapons-storage room.

There is one gripe that I have with the game. On the "normal" difficulty, there's quite a long time between save-points. This makes it difficult, and at times very frustrating. For example, you beat a thing perfectly and move on just to throw a grenade on the floor by mistake and blow yourself up or something. Then, you have to go back and beat that thing again maybe not as good as last time, etc. Or, once done perfectly, you enter a room with cannons that start firing at you and you die. It's kinda like you have to die X times to learn the environment before you have recon'd the area well enough to make it through.

OK, where to start. I bought "The Thing" not expecting much other that you normal shoot-em-up no-brainer, but have been pleasantly suprised. The game IS action-packed, but with enough strategy and mission objectives to keep it interesting. The gameplay isn't extremely difficult, but requires enough thought to keep the player in the game. As far as the controlling your "squad's emotions" feature, I found this aspect to be slightly disappointing. Yes, you can control their morale and trust, but I found that you rarely held on to a squad member long enough to build up a "cozy" relationship with them. Most likely they changed into monsters, died, or were factored out by the scheme of things (fighting bosses, end of level, etc.) But it definetly made this game unique, and using other characters to help you get through situations was interesting. The graphics were very good. Not quite as good as Quake, but close. The monsters were intimidating, if repetitive, sharing the likeability of the Resident Evil series. Handling was EXCELLENT, i.e when maneuvering, changing weapons and using items. The arsenal was extensive, but I was disappointed with the lack of control the player has when throwing grenades. Sniper mode was most satisfying. This game most closely resembles Metal Gear without all those annoying movie clips. I definetly recommend this game for some exciting hours spent in front of the screen.

Yo-- thats all I can say after playing the Thing. This game is so sweet and scary. You will see the thing pass by your window as you look out it while playing the game... the suspense kills me-- 5 stars- all the way.