XBOX Reviews

Call of Juarez

Call Of Juarez is the only game to give you an authentic look into the Old West and all its glory through the eyes of the hunter AND the hunted. It’s 1882, somewhere in South Texas, and 19-year-old Billy Candle stands accused of murdering his mother and stepfather. Hot on his trail is Reverend Ray McCall, his stepfather’s brother and an infamous gunfighter who believes the Lord has chosen him to be Billy’s judge, jury and executioner. Call of Juarez is an epic western adventure about vengeance, survival and the search for a legendary lost treasure. The distinct rough-and-tumble beauty of the Old West is recreated, through detailed and realistic environments that spread across miles of terrain

User Ratings and Reviews

3 Stars Some good, some bad, some ugly
This review is very late in the game, but with the sequel coming out soon, I figured I’d weigh in.

Call of Juarez is a Western-themed first-person shooter that was actually released back in 2006 in Europe. (For some reason it took the publisher an extra year to release it in the US.) I had been excited about the game since early 2005 when I first heard about it. I’m a big FPS and Western fan, so the prospect of this type of game with modern graphics was incredibly appealing.

Well, it’s not a great game, but it does certain things so right that it cheers a part of my soul. It is good to know that there are others out there as crazy as I am.

In the game you play as two opposing characters, alternating between their viewpoints to fill in their respective sides of the story. Reverend Ray is a tough old codger with a violent past. He is now a preacher, and considers himself to be an instrument of God’s vengeance. The other character, Billy, is a stupid kid. Ray is his uncle. Billy is framed for the murder of his parents, and Ray goes after him. That’s all you really need to know, story-wise.

The Good: Reverend Ray.

Marc Alaimo, the actor responsible for voicing Ray, is fantastic. His performance imbues the character with all sorts of interesting nuance and power. One of the better bits of voice-acting I’ve ever heard, especially in a video game.

The character is well-written, too, beyond just the great dialogue. Ray begins the game as a vengeful self-righteous force, but towards the end is finally made to question his “calling.” The great part about the writing is that instead of questioning God, he questions himself. He acknowledges that it was his own selfish hatred that blinded him rather than attributing his blunder to God either misleading him or not existing. This was an unexpected turn, as stories with characters of this sort usually devolve into some sort of “people who believe in God are crazy” message. The character is also visually well-designed. He wears a piece of armor under his coat that actually deflects bullets in the game (complete with ricochet sounds). One of his “weapons” is a Bible that he quotes terrifying passages from, Pulp Fiction style. Enemies nearby will freeze when they hear it.

The other good bits are the weapons. These guys did their research. While the shotguns and rifle feature no variants, the pistols are pretty great. Included are such unusual guns as the LeMat revolver, an 8-shot percussion pistol with a shotgun barrel under the main; a hold-out barrel-less SAA, which I’ve seen a picture of in a book before; Volcanic Repeaters, the cool looking precursors to the Winchester rifle.

The Bad: Billy, the other main character.

He’s a wuss, a loser, and his voice acting is pretty weak. It’s not horrible, but its mediocrity is highlighted by Ray’s excellent performance. His playable segments are also not that fun. The bow is fun, the whip isn’t, and sneaking isn’t nearly as fun as running-and-gunning like Ray.

The Ugly: the character animation. Whenever you’re interacting with another character, all they do is stand there and talk at you. If there is ever any body acting, it’s an arm movement. Otherwise, they all just stand there with their arms at their sides. Compared with the wonderful full-body acting of the characters in games like Half-Life 2, it just stands out and makes the game world feel artificial. The graphics engine is actually really detailed and realistic, with dust blowing across the landscape, lots of foliage, etc, but when these barely animated puppets yell bad dialogue at you without moving, it really destroys the illusion.

If you’re a Western FPS fan, it’s worth checking out. I have high hopes that they fixed some of the problems for the sequel, due out this fall (Call of Juarez: Bound in Blood).

4 Stars Call of Juarez game review
Awesome game with nice controls and gameplay. The only thing I would change would be an optional weapons category that could be purchased instead of found.

4 Stars Well worth it. Very fun and a refreshing change.
This game is a definite pick up for anyone looking for something different. If you have any interest in westerns at all you will enjoy this game. The story is great and really holds your interest throughout the game. The scenery is authentic and by itself makes the game worth it’s reduced price tag.

As far as game play, it all works as expected for a FPS. Some have complained about Billy’s role in the game but it too is very fun and refreshing. There are a few scenes where you really have to pay attention to the where the bad guys are and even listen to their conversations to know when you can make a break for you next hiding spot. Billy is not Master Chief, Marcus Phoenix or any of the other FPS dudes but that is what makes it so nice. There are plenty of games to cover that approach to gaming. That being said, the other character, Ray, does have the “kill’em all” approach to justice. The way the story weaves back and forth between the two works well and gives you a chance to truly experience the story.

I personally think there are very few games worth the initial $60 price tag – Halo, Madden, Fable…maybe but not many others. We all have our favorites. At the reduced price this game is well worth it.

4 Stars A good game
This is a good game not great but good. Especially if you like westerns. The only downside is how quickly it can be finished.

1 Star Are You Kidding Me?!!
i thought i was buying a FPS but who knows what the developers were trying to create with this. it goes from sneaky/stealth to puzzle solving to platformer to FPS. to frustrate things even more, the subtitles are microscopic and the voice acting was done by out-of-work pornstars. you either need a theater-sized tv or plenty of patience if you even care as to what’s going on with the story. and what a story it is (granted four chapters was all i could handle). you alternate segments between a young retarded lad named billy and his grisled, bloodthirsty yet also retarded preacher uncle. billy’s missions are all about stealth and running like a coward. if you try to take down any of your adversaries, 20 more magically appear and instantly kill you. his uncle is a drunk killing machine, which is actually somewhat fun until the game throws a 3rd grade puzzle at his 1st grade logic and jumping ability. lastly i’d like to mention how glitchy this game is. i walked into town to hear the same “cow moo” sound effect stuck on repeat for a good five minutes. NPC’s repeat the same lines over and over as well. and more often than not, i’d find myself walking towards what looked like an ocean only to have mountains suddenly materialize in the horizon. same thing with buildings. and sometimes, you can magically warp into these mystery buildings and be stuck there forever, how fun!! don’t buy this thinking it’s “gun 2″. don’t buy this game because good games are scarce in the summer. just don’t buy this for any reason!!

Buy/More Info

Gears Of War

Gears of War, an Xbox 360 exclusive game that blends tactical action with survival horror, thrusts gamers into a deep and harrowing tale of humankind’s epic battle for survival against the Locust Horde, a nightmarish race of creatures that surface from the bowels of the planet. The storyline plays out like a Hollywood blockbuster — lead character Marcus Fenix pits advanced human technology against the overwhelming Locust Horde. Built around a revolutionary third-person tactical combat system and breathtaking, high-definition visuals from the Unreal Engine 3, Gears of War immerses you in a horrifying tale of war and survival.

Gears of War is harrowing tale that pits humankind against the Locust Horde.

Marcus Fenix and his team battle nightmarish creatures. View larger.

In Gears of War, you must take cover to survive. View larger.

Gears of War presents a focused and well-paced cinematic experience. View larger.

The gameplay is focused on a fire team co-op so advanced that your A.I. teammates are indiscernible from human players. Voice recognition and real-time lip synching heighten the absorbing experience. The Unreal Engine 3 technology brings out the smallest details in the largest of battles. With GOW you’re sure to experience a rich, dynamic world where characters spring to life. Speaking of life, the battlefield is a lethal place. To survive, you must suppress your enemy with blindfire, take cover in interactive environments, and use weapons and teammates to outwit your dreaded, inhuman foes. And with a title like GOW, it would be shame if you couldn’t get online and challenge live gamers. With the next-generation of Xbox Live, you’ll be able to experience individualized matchmaking, view player statistics, earn player achievements, customize games, and build personalized gamer profiles.

Gears of War shined bright at Microsoft’s pre-E3 press briefing, but a deeper demo at Microsoft’s E3 booth revealed many of the game’s mechanics. GOW is built with both the hardcore and casual gamer in mind. But, instead of selecting a difficulty level at the start of the game, GOW offers a choice at the beginning of each level. In the vein of choose your own adventure, you can select between a difficult or easy path. And it’s not just a simple choice of battling tougher enemies; each path (explained by a comrade) represents additional content that is crucial to the storyline. After easing your way into the experience of the gameplay with the simpler paths, you can go back and test your skills on the more difficult routes and never feel like you’ve played through the areas before.

Standing around in the open is likely to get you killed in GOW. You must use cover to survive. With a context sensitive A button function, you won’t have to sweat memorizing cumbersome button combos. The A button will:

• Slam you into cover. As you approach cover in GOW simply tap the A button to slide and make immediate use of cover.
• Vault you over the cover. Once you’re in cover, pressing up and A will vault you over your cover to engage the opponent or next cover opportunity.
• Evade enemy fire. When you’re forced to be out in the open, tapping the A button will engage a roll maneuver to evade enemy fire.
• Activate a “Swat Turn.” When taking cover on the side of a doorway, pressing the A button will spin your character from one side of the doorway to the other, helping avoid fire.

Ripping a magazine free and replacing it in the midst of bloody combat is no easy task. GOW simulates this difficult action by forcing you to perfect your reloading skills. To be effective in combat you’ll need to allot for time to successfully reload your weapon. Do it well and the battle is yours; do it poorly and you may actually jam your gun. Time it perfectly and you’ll earn a bonus with a temporary damage boost. Though GOW clearly showcases a sci-fi experience, its roots are in tactical, realistic combat scenarios. Therefore, running and gunning makes for seriously erratic shooting. Think about what you’re doing. Unless wasting ammo is your goal, you better stop, aim, shoot, and then move on. Otherwise, the Locust Horde might swarm you and take your life.

Gears of War presents a focused and well-paced cinematic experience, and nothing ruins that faster than a time-consuming exploration of every switch or button to find the elusive trigger to open a door. This game introduces a “point of interest” button that comes up on the screen so you can immediately interact with the necessary item to move forward in your gameplay. GOW certainly offers drool-worthy graphics, but the mechanics have also received equal attention. Keep your eyes and ears on high alert for a release date, as Microsoft hasn’t let the cat out of the bag on when gamers will be able to tackle this great-looking and great-playing title.

User Ratings and Reviews

5 Stars Gears of War
Gears of War was a very well executed game. Graphics are stunning, giving the game a realistic feel. The story line is kinda far fetched but it gave new twist to the FPS/TPS genre. The idea of being able to take cover is awesome and makes the shooter extra cool. Unlike a few other FPS games that i wont get into.

The controls are easy. The “pick-up-and-play” style make it easy for Super Gamers and the casual gamer to enjoy. Also, the fact that when you reload faster to you get a quick little damage buff. I dont know many other FPS/TPS that do that anymore. It’s like a little mini game to play when your in the middle of battle.

Overall, Gears of War is an Outstanding game for anyone that enjoys the shooter genre. the storyline will blow your mind, along with everything else the game has to offer.

I easily Give this Game 555555 out of 55555

5 Stars Awesome
It’s what I thought it would be, just awesome. Everything…just great! ONLY THING…story mode/Co op too short. Co op is really fun on this game since it’s the same as story mode. Anyway, haven’t played the second one yet, but I plan to!

4 Stars They will keep fighting, and they will win
Ever wanted to play “Starship Troopers” or a Michael Bay movie? Well for the zero of you that wished that now you have your wish

The game starts 14 years after “E Day” and we meet our main man Marcus Fenix who is voiced to perfection by John Dimaggio *aka Bender from Futurama* sitting in jail and rescued by his teammate Dom. Soon after we break out and get to know the world of “Gears of War” and get familiarized with it’s cover and fight game play, it’s raw in your face attitude, and it’s never ending horde of various baddies dubbed….. “The Locust”

Visually the game is something to behold. It has this grey almost black and white look to it, and in fact if you pause the game or try to give command to your squad it does go black and white for a second. The creatures, the characters, the expansive environments as well the weapons all have a sharp quality to it that makes one feel like they were watching a live action movie. I only have a standard TV and looked this good so I can only imagine how it looks like on HD. I read this game was responsible for the 360 having a 512 ram and it takes full advantage of every bit of it. Amazing looking game.

Only slight complain about the visuals is that when you first start to play the game it’s a bit difficult to tell who you’re suppose to be shooting at since the baddies look identical to your teammates. I have that same problem with the “Call of Duty” games. Yeah you get use to their sight after the first couple of levels, but overall when there is a big battle going on it becomes very difficult to know who is who till they start biting or shooting at you.

The cut scenes in the game are a lot of fun to watch mainly for the over the top characters and their cliched demeanor. My personal favorites are the opening one in which after Dom tells Marcus; “Welcome back to the Army”, his response is “S**t” and another favorite is the very last cut scene with The Queen making a dire warning to mankind.

My problem with the cut scenes is that I wish they had let the player actually play most of the cut scenes instead of just putting the controller down and watching some of the lengthy well animated scenes. A great example would be the last level in which you just watch the climatic ending. It would have been great to have played that cut scene instead of watching it but hopefully that problem will be fixed with the many sequels I’m sure is to come. “Half Life 2″, “Resident Evil 4″ and “Prince of Persia” all actively involve the player in the cut scenes and that makes them unique. Makes you feel like a part of the world

The audio goes hand in hand in hand with the excellent visuals and delivers a blistering track that stays very busy. The gunshots have a nice low end effect to them when you fire them that coupled with the shaking of the controller makes for a very satisfying shooting experience. The howls and screams from the creatures fills the speakers quite nicely and the “boom” from the Boomers gives the already busy subwoofer some work to do.

The music however is terrible in the game and I can now understand why they went with Jablonsky for the 2nd game. This is a game that plays and feels like a Michael Bay movie and yet the music is just lazy brass and a lot of non melodic noise. I actually had to turn off the music from the menu screen because it got too distracting but glad they have someone on board to get that “Media Venture” sound that the game called for.

There are lots of clever level designs in this game that require clever thinking and planning. The level with The Berseeker is a great example of this. Here is a level in which you have to be quiet because if this beast hears your footsteps he’ll run at you and rip you to shreds, but on the other hand you need him to run at you so he can break open a hole in the wall for you. It’s probably my favorite level in the game and I had to play it quite a couple of times to finally beat the guy.

The level with the birds that kill you in a heartbeat if you step in the dark is also a clever one. It forces the player to think before they move which is a welcome notion for me. You just don’t run, shoot and cover, but you to apply some strategy here and there if you want to make it to the next chapter.

My big complaint and what keeps me from hailing this game as a masterpiece is that it’s pretty much the same thing on every level and gets a bit tiring after a while. The first time you play it’s great but the 2nd time it gets a bit tedious, but that’s what multiplayer is for I guess. Where the game lacks in replay value for the single campaign, it makes up for with Co-Op play and online play, but it still would have been nice if the game offered a bit more in terms of what you had to do on every level.

It’s a very short game with great visuals, great sound, and some occasional clever level designs. May not be the greatest game ever made, but it sure is a lot of fun

A must have for all 360 owners

5 Stars Addictive Game
I love this game. I beat it so quickly because I couldn’t get enough of it. It’s pretty to look at and very realistic. Makes you feel like a child with a cool toy. The online wasn’t great, though.

5 Stars newbie to this kind of thing
My experience with video games has been the various older Mario games on the original NES system and Mario Kart Double Dash, which is so much fun to play. This was my first Xbox game and I think it’s going to be difficult to find another game as amazing as this one.

When first starting the game I felt completely incompetent, but it was so much fun that I just had to stick with it. I play GOW with my husband and we’ve even managed to complete the insane level. I highly recommend GOW, but if you’re new to this type of game it would be helpful to have a more experienced player with you.

My husband and I are now playing GOW 2 in Horde…it’s stunning how quickly time flies when playing this.

Buy/More Info

FUEL

In FUEL players race across and explore the world’s largest racing environment – over 5,000 square miles of spectacular wilderness. Set to revolutionize multi-terrain, multi-vehicle racing, FUEL is a fiercely competitive, open-world game without boundaries. On and off-road, two and four-wheeled vehicles race a massively diverse environment, from scaling the highest snowcapped mountain to racing the deepest arid canyon. Expansive open-world environments. View larger. Dramatic weather effects View larger. In-game mixing of vehicle classes. View larger. Extreme off-road action. View larger. Smoking road racing. View larger. Story In an alternate present, vast stretches of America have become no-go areas as the devastating effects of global warming ravage the continent. Floods, storms, brush fires, tornadoes and hurricanes have driven people from towns and cities into safe zones as extreme weather wreaks havoc, creating thousands of square miles of dangerous uninhabitable areas. People turn to renewable energy in the face of the destruction caused by this catastrophe. But these danger zones have also become a playground for a new breed of racer. With a stockpile of fuel to be burned, adrenaline junkies head into the wilderness to compete against each other in spectacular races against themselves and the elements. Vehicles FUEL features 70 different unlockable vehicles designed to support pick up and play arcade style fun. Each of these feature aggressive styling, unique performance and surface specific handling and can compete with each other no matter how or where they are united. The six different vehicle classes include: Bikes Bikes are fast, quick and easy to handle, but what they have in speed they lack in durability, so ride around trees, not into them. ATVs ATV’s four wheels offer more stability than bikes and their size allows them to be able to sneak in very narrow spaces. Muscle Cars Muscle cars have enough speed and strength to face extreme conditions, making them a good choice for any kind of racer. SUVs Powerful, stout and durable, SUVs make up for their lack of speed with all the hit that they can take before breaking down. Buggies The smallest of cars and the easiest to handle, buggies are definitely fast, but durability can be an issue with them. Trucks The largest and strongest vehicles, trucks will not daze you with speed, but they’ll knock you out for sure with power. Race Types and Challenges FUEL features a wealth of race types and challenges. Races include A2B Time Trials, Checkpoint Races, Circuit Races and Raid Races; while some of the additional challenges include ‘Long Raids’–races that can last for hours–and ‘Knock Out’ events, which are checkpoint races where the last racer to cross the line is eliminated. Never Get Lost With GPS Each vehicle in the game comes equipped with a unique GPs system. Showing up on the game screen’s heads-up display (HUD), arrows display a route that will take advantage of the distinctive capabilities of that vehicle, always indicating that fastest, most appropriate route. Race well and players are alerted to an extra route–one that is riskier, more hazardous–but potentially quicker. Of course, you can always choose to switch the GPs off and forge your own way through the wilderness. Key Features Open-world racing – The largest open-world racing arena ever, with 14,000 square km of streaming game world and 100,000 miles of trails. Vehicles Galore – Drive over 70 unique vehicles in six different classes including: bikes, ATVs, muscle cars, SUVs, buggies and trucks. Weather Effects – Experience how extreme weather conditions affect the race from rain to snow to sandstorms and destructive tornadoes. Race Types – Compete in multiple categories of race types including: time trials, checkpoint races, circuit races and raid races. Multiplayer Support – FUEL features 2-16 player online support via Xbox LIVE. Online Racing – Compete against friends online in all 70 career races as well as online free rides. GPs Technology – Each vehicle in FUEL features onboard GPs functionality ensuring you will never be lost. Online Support FUEL is a seamlessly integrated offline and online gameworld featuring hundreds of challenges across countless locations. Players can compete against friends in all of the game’s 70 career races, as well as online free rides via Xbox LIVE. In addition, to these pre-designed events players can use the powerful route editor to create their own challenges set anywhere in FUEL’s world and share them online.

User Ratings and Reviews

2 Stars Easily the most disappointing game of 2009, so far….
I have a long and fun history with Codemasters published racing/driving titles starting back many years ago when Codemasters titles were NOT available in the USA and had to be ordered from European importers.

One of my first and still favorite Codemasters games was “Insane Racing” which FUEL appears to be the spiritual sequel to. “Insane Racing” was open world like FUEL, but was fun and accessible.

The first thing I noticed was just how awful the graphic are in FUEL. They are so bad that at night or at dusk/sunrise, you can’t see well enough to drive and avoid obstacles. I kept ending up in the ocean.

Another thing that I found was that the handling of the vehicles was a joke… I wasn’t expecting something approaching simlike, but these vehicles aren’t even fun to drive.

I think the designers sacrificed a lot of quality just to have a large racing area. What good is a large racing area if the actual racing in any of it isn’t fun or enjoyable?

[...]

Sorry, but this one is pure rubbish. Avoid like the plague.

2 Stars Had potiental of being a great game… Had!
From what was portrayed in the cinimatic teasers for fuel, was deception of what the game really possesses. Though the size of the play area is one for video game record books, it doesn’t have the capability to carry this lackluster of a game. In my perspective, codemasters devoted entirely too much time in the shaping and molding the map, and not nearly as much time on the cars and sounds. There’S absolutely no phyics in driveabilty whats-so-ever. This is a dissapointment in following a great game like Grid. This make believe enviroment might have actually felt somewhat real, if the cars, buggy’s, trucks, and bikes actually drove with just a little bit realism. I’m not asking for a complete simulation, but couldn’t you have given codemaster fans something similar to grid?

Which brings me to my next point. The sounds on this game are so horrible that it will seriously remind you of a PS2 video game sound. There are no distintive sounds, and you will most definitely hear the same exact sound everytime your bike or car cathces some air. I was hoping the muscle cars would at least sound like “a muscle car”, nope I was wrong and very let down. It’s funny how ever single ride makes the same ticking sound when revving your engine. Also, all the rides just seem slow, it says your hitting a 100, but it feels like 40 miles per hour.

The weather was somewhat satisfying, I can’t really complain about the day and night cycle with weather changes. But as it was shown in the trailer… I have yet to see a tornado swarn down on side of the road in the middle of a race. I have yet to see any explosions from cars flippig and blowing up. Also it seems to rain more than anything in this game, I was showing my girlfriend the free roam, and she tells me I hate who ever thought about the amount of rain that falls.

I was very impressed with the size of the map, the different roads, change of scenery, and most imporatantly… no loading times in-between areas. But again this pro can not make this a great game, I might have actually enjoyed my road trip from one end of the map to the other if I had a car that was believeable. I stress how unimpressed I was with the controls and handling of the cars, you would expect codemasters to take it to the next level after giving us grid, but now they decide to pull their punches on this one.

This game is definitely a renter and not a purchase for full retail price. No way, you will become very bored of not being able to crash, drive with a cockpit view inside the car, or run away from a chaotic tornado. I advise you rent first if you are still undecided, better to spend 8 bucks then 60 and be stuck with it.

4 Stars Replays
The replay views is very entertaining! The idea of driving freely is different and fun!

3 Stars Good but not Great.
The game is ok.. Kinda fun but gets old after a while. I say rent it then buy it or get it used.. Pure I thought was more fun.

4 Stars FUEL: Fun in an ATV OFFROAD FURY kind of way
FUEL quick Review (progress: 2nd base unlocked)

VEHICLES: 8/10 The handling is good, but the motorcycles are the most responsive. The emergency brake is effective and useful. When the stats show a vehicle is meant for offroad or asphalt, it’s true. A road vehicle will struggle offroad, but as soon as it hits the road, acceleration kicks in as well as better handling. As you continue to unlock and buy more vehicles with Fuel points, you’ll notice faster, better handling vehicles start showing up compared to the slow ones at the start. Overall, responsive controls, nice enough physics and plenty of interaction with the environment with varying terrain and jumps. You start the game with a free ride choice of a buggie or a dirtbike, and can quickly earn an ATV and car on the first zone. Finish the first zone, and 21 vehicles or so will be available to buy with your Fuel dollars, including Monster trucks, new motorcycles, buggies, ATV’s and cars. Very nice.

GAMEPLAY: 7/10 For the fastest progress, use the MENU and win the 3 races on Rookie, then jump into the Challenges and complete them. Each time you win first, you get Fuel Credits (and Fuel dollars). The credits offer access to the next Shack Base on the giant map. Unlocking new rides is a highlight of the game.

RACES: 8/10 So far, they’re the most enjoyable part of the game. The competition does seem to get a fast start, but you’ll catch up fairly quickly, where after that, you can take the lead. Rookie mode is very forgiving, Expert is average difficulty and Pro is tough. The guide arrows are a big help. The biggest complaint? You can’t pick your ride (so far anyway).

CHALLENGES: 7/10 Chase the Helicopter is fun, along with a few others, except for the Blitz/CHECKPOINT race, which for whatever reason, they barely give you enough time to work with on the clock. Took plenty of retries to win. No option to change difficulty in Challenges.

GAMEWORLD MAP: 9/10 Enormous. If you’re just going to explore, it will take a long time as the reviewer said it would. You can go anywhere in the entire game right from the start in free ride, but you won’t be able to unlock any checkpoints or rewards really until you win races and challenges.

You can pick a dirtbike or Dune Buggie from the start of the game and just explore. The terrain to cover gradually changes as you progress, offering new visuals from deserts, waterfronts, mountains, snow, thick forests, wastelands, winding roads, plains and more. The game is seriously massive in scale.

REWARDS: 9/10 Winning races/challenges and reaching new checkpoints in your local zone that you’ve already unlocked will earn you Fuel points which are needed to unlock new base/shack zones with new races and challenges, Fuel Dollars, to buy new rides that are unlocked by winning enough times, and gear for your rider. The rider gear and paint for your rides is a nice touch that could’ve been overlooked, but wasn’t. It’s not very in-depth in customization like Midnight Club, but it’s welcome nonetheless. The new rides are affordable and a noticeable improvement on the first set of rides.

CAMERAS: 7/10 Three cameras to click through while riding, the default being the most advantageous during racing, since it gives you a better view of the action. But for exploration, the up close 2nd camera is very nice, really showcasing the detail of your rider and vehicle, bringing you closer to the action. The third view is first person, which is solid and looks even better when you see your vehicle shadow, giving you the sense you’re almost in the vehicle, but really, this game should have also included an INTERIOR DASH VIEW, to really get the sense you’re inside a vehicle instead of looking at a remote control toy. Overall, good camera views to experience the game world with.

OPTIONS: 4/10 There needs to be more options. You can’t map the layout of your controls, there’s no way to adjust the day/night cycle or set the time of day in free ride, but thankfully, you can adjust the sound, HUD displays, and a few other minor options for the game.

DAY/NIGHT CYCLE: 5/10 Count 12 minutes of daytime, then realize the entire world takes well over 3 hours or so just to reach the other end. That means every 12 minutes you’re riding in moonlight darkness, missing all the scenery during exploration. During races, it’s automatically set, which is fine. There seriously needs to be a way to set Constant DAY TIME, Constant Night time, or DUSK/DAWN at the very least to really enjoy what scenery this game is offering. At night, all the details are neglected but for your headlight view.

MULTIPLAYER ONLINE: Unfortunately, I haven’t played it online yet, but hear it’s good.

GRAPHICS: 7/10 The first time I plugged the game in, the gritty look to the graphics, which appear a bit sharp with very high contrast, didn’t appeal to me right away. Night time reminded me of a PS2 game at times, a bit oversaturated and flat looking, but the daytime graphics, once you get used to the high sharpness level, are pretty good for such a giant game world. Just don’t expect the detail and realism of DIRT or GRID, which are really refined graphically. Good graphics during the daytime overall. The vehicles look nice, with mud building up if you hit the wet dirt. Characters really can be seen best when riding the motorcycle.

SOUND: 7/10 The vehicles each have a unique engine sound, but once you hit top speed, the constant tone seems a bit dull after awhile. Overall though, the engines sound realistic. Some wind can be heard, with crickets at night. Impacting the ground uses the same thud each time it seems, but I still have much more to discover.

OVERALL: 8/10 The racing isn’t revolutionary, but it’s fun in an ATV OFFROAD FURY kind of way and is enjoyable. The scale of the map world delivers and offers plenty of variety if you have the patience to explore it, but I suggest playing the races first to see what the game can offer in terms of gameplay and fun. I still have to find a city to explore, as the game is enormous. It was a bit dull before starting the races, but now that I’m finally making progress unlocking new rides, outfits and reaching new checkpoints to new races, the game is fun. Give it enough play time to unlock new rides and you may enjoy it despite the harsh reviews.

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The Darkness

The Darkness gives you awesome and terrible powers, in a new twist on horror-based adventure. On his 21st birthday, the Darkness awakens within Jackie Estacado, a mafia hitman for the Franchetti crime family. With his new powers, Jackie is able to wreak terrifying havoc on his enemies. Jackie must learn to fully command the Darkness so he can take back control of the Franchetti family, which is ruled by his uncle Paulie, a despicable man who is almost universally despised. Based on the popular comic book “The Darkness.” Traditional multiplayer modes as well as all-new innovative game modes Next-gen graphics and gameplay featuring advanced voice-synching and facial animations and fully interactive environments

User Ratings and Reviews

3 Stars Read the comic book. put the controller down.
Mike patton. gangster hell. strange powers. even stranger controls. STILL NOT A GOOD GAME!!! How!? I had to cuddle with my virtual girlfriend in front of an old movie for TEN MINUTES till she fell asleep and I could progress in the game!!! That’s how!

4 Stars Kids loved the game, I loved the price!
Video games and kids; an expensive mix. This game was less than half the store price. My son loves it and I saved money. No brainer.

4 Stars pretty good.
Story is great as well the acting and visuals. As for replay value, its more or less.

4 Stars good choice
the game was pretty good. to be honest i expected more of it. but it had the mob type gun slinging fun witch i enjoyed but it really took to long and nothing really exciting ever happened and you expected it to be more exciting and the end of the game was kinda lame but maybe they plan on making a darkness 2. either way i enjoyed the game and for the price here on amazon it was a good choice but i will definitely trade it in to the next game stop for something new after beating the game.

4 Stars Surprisingly Satisfying
My expectations were fairly low on this game, even though it was was recommended to me by a friend. Playing through this game is turning out to be a great experience.

The story itself is so-so. The mafia-based struggle is the real driving force and plays out well. But, the whole Darkness conflict seems to fall apart the more I think about it. The Darkness can control him, but it can’t? If you don’t think about it too much, it works fairly well.

The voice acting is top notch. If the on-screen presentation of said acting was better, the atmosphere would have really benefited tons.

The gameplay is very reminiscent of Condemned, but without the crime-solving. I say this in a good way, as I don’t think there is much more they could have done to improve this aspect.

Overall, a very solid game with a lot of well polished features. There is a lot to like about this game, and the stuff I do point out is just me being over-critical of it. I thoroughly recommend this.

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Call of Duty World at War

Call of Duty: World at War from Activision for the Xbox 360 completely changes the rules of engagement by redefining World War II gameplay. In this edition, players are thrust into the final, tension-filled battles against a new, ferocious enemy in the most dangerous and suspenseful action ever seen in a WWII title. Building on the Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare engine, this installment promises to immerse players in gritty, chaotic combat. You’ll have to band together to survive harrowing and climactic battles that defined WWII and led to the demise of the Axis powers.

Call of Duty: World at War promises to immerse players in gritty, chaotic combat. View larger.

The potent flamethrower will set the battlefield ablaze. View larger.

From the remains of Russia and the ruins of Berlin, to the beach and jungles of the deadly Pacific Theater, Call of Duty: World at War’s campaign gameplay employs features that were only available in multiplayer gameplay in the previous installments. With this title you can take advantage of perks, rankings, and online stats in an up-to-four-player cooperative gameplay that is sure to revolutionize the way you play Call of Duty. And with new infantry and vehicle-based weapons, such as the potent flamethrower, you’ll have the tools you need to set the battlefield ablaze and defeat the enemy.

Battle against the fearless Imperial Japanese and elite German soldiers. View larger.

Engage in epic infantry, vehicle, and airborne missions across a variety of Pacific and European locations. View larger.

Advanced Enemies, New Environments, and Fearless Tactics
You’ve never encountered combat challenges like those presented in Call of Duty: World at War. Prepare yourself to face off against ruthless enemies who employ advanced tactics. Your foes will stop at nothing to defend their homelands. With swampy ambushes, tree-top snipers, and fearless Kamikaze attacks, there is no safe place to turn. As U.S. Marine and Russian conscripts, you’ll battle against the fearless Imperial Japanese and elite German soldiers in epic infantry, vehicle, and airborne missions across a variety of Pacific and European locations. On foot, behind the wheel, or in the air, you’ll have to be relentless to achieve victory.

Cutting-Edge Technology and Physics-Enabled Battlefields
Call of Duty: World at War utilizes cutting-edge technology, including highly-detailed character models, self-shadowing, environmental lighting and amazing special effects to deliver best-of-breed visuals. Depth of field, rim-lighting and texture-streaming technology bring the adrenaline-pumping combat to life. And with physics-enabled battlefields and fire that spreads realistically through environments, you’ll feel immersed in battles that are both life-like and dynamic.

Cooperative Campaign Mode
For the first time in franchise history, Call of Duty introduces cooperative campaign gameplay, bringing a breath of fresh air to “No One Fights Alone.” This gameplay mode allows up to four players to meet and play online, or a two-player local split-screen co-op. Now you can share the terrifying experience of campaign missions with your friends for greater camaraderie and improved tactical execution. Co-op mode also incorporates innovative multiplayer components, such as challenges, rankings and online stats, and even features a competitive co-op mode that will identify the best player on your team.

Improved Online Multiplayer Action
Call of Duty: World at War once again delivers sophisticated, class-based, online multiplayer action that has made the series famous. New additions include vehicle combat with tanks, and Call of Duty: World at War rounds out the multiplayer experience with improved features, such as persistent stats, player rankings, upgradeable weapons, squad-based gameplay, customized classes, enhanced perks, and more.

User Ratings and Reviews

4 Stars Fun Game. Great Series. Terrible Matchmaking
Graphics, controls, and general gameplay are all great. Multi-player is great EXCEPT for the matchmaking system. You start with basic weapons and no frills. Better weapons and gear are unlocked as you increase in level, but the game constantly puts me into games where I am the only person at such a low level. I can keep up with them based on skill, but the weapons unlocked at my level are no match for what everyone else has. There is a “Boot Camp” that is restricted to lvl 1-8. But after that, there seems to be no attempt to match your level or weapons with other players.

I’d have given this a 5 star if the matchmaking worked well. But it is frustrating to be outgunned in every round. I’ve been playing in Hard Core mode lately which increases the gun damage and that is worth bumping a 3 star review to a 4 star. It levels the playing field a bit as taking 2 to the chest will drop you, no matter what gun is firing it.

4 Stars Good game with good story line.
Onl being stuck on the Eviction subway portion for days due to a glitch keeps this from getting 5 stars. Eventually I had to restart the level so that the Sergeant would actually close the gates. Other than that, there’s great gameplay and excellent multiplayer potential on and off line…

1 Star Not very impressed
Campaign gets worse with higher difficulty. It was somewhat fun at a causal level, but beating it on veteran difficulty was not even satisfying. They just throw more and more guys at you that pop out of nowhere, and it gets very repetitive and dull.

I’d rather have the challenge of strategically working my way through a difficult level then being forced to camp out and take down endless waves of men – fine for one level, but this happened on every, single, level. Just seems like a hack way to produce a new game in a hurry.

5 Stars GREAT Multiplayer Game
This game is the first Call of Duty game I have purchased (I got it at launch) and really enjoy it. The campaign is fun the first time around but ends up getting tiring. The online multiplayer is the real way to have some fun on a Friday night and I highly recommend it. After playing this game I wanted to own the fourth one to get ready for Modern Warfare 2, and saw GOTY edition at best buy for $50.00 plus tax. I quickly returned it and ordered it on Amazon for $38.99 (FREE SHIPPING) anyways, I highly recommend Cod 4 and WaW both to quench your gaming needs in preperation for MW2.

3 Stars Its ok
Not brilliant but not bad. Nothimg new here same old same old. Everything done by the book and done well, just no spark of originality in there.

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