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Phantasy Star Online Episode I and II
March 14, 2009 by Xbox Reviews
Filed under Video Games
Phantasy Star Online Episode I and II
Phantasy Star Online for Xbox MODEL- N11-00002 VENDOR- MICROSOFT FEATURES- Phantasy Star Online Episode I and II The first online role-playing game available on Xbox, Phantasy Star Online Episode I and II will feature all-new gaming modes and new content. For the first time ever, PSO gamers around the world will be able to communicate online using the Xbox Communicator headset. New character classes, weapons, enemies, items, and quests are only a portion of the new content awaiting discovery. With the new split-screen feature, four friends can adventure through the main quest, as well as the other game-play modes, on the same Xbox. Episode I includes all of the content from the original PSO and Phantasy Star Online Ver. 2 (PSO Ver. 2), while Episode II brings a new, full-length adventure. The evolution of the original, revolutionary gaming experience continues. An Xbox Live account is required to play Phantasy Star Online Episode I and II. To play the game online, Xbox Live subscribers will be required to buy a Hunters License, which will give gamers the ability to travel on wild adventures with other Phantasy Star Online Episode I and II gamers. It also provides access to a plethora of online exclusive content, such as seasonal quests, downloads, and rare, in-game items. The Hunters License is free of charge for the first two months and, after that, will carry a service fee of $8.95 per month. * Get Ready for a New Kind of role-playing: Experience the first online role-play
User Ratings and Reviews
4 Stars A “rinse-wash-repeat” very fun action adventure game
While there’s not much story to P.S.O. the game is oddly addicting. The gameplay is where it’s at, and where it hurts. For that’s really all you do… go around killing monsters. The main heart of the game, is gaining experience and levels and finding good or rare items. Now there is more depth to it than that. It all depends on the ID color of your character what type of items you find. Certain very rare items can be combined, or not be used until you’re a certain level. Your mag (robotic-like familiar) is one key to help you move along a bit faster by upping IT’s stats which help your own. Then there are ways your mag can change depending on what you feed it,and even a hidden 4th level evolution for everyone. So just touching on these few aspects, there’s more depth here to be had, but you have to be VERY patient in finding what you want. The Xbox has the best character amount of options With each gamertag you can have 12 characters each. AND you can use the same gamertag in each of the 4 slots available which can total 48 characters on your hard drive!
Now the down side and a little history why Live is required.
A Live account (good or expired) is needed just to play the game. Now the front cover of the US version has this highlighted on every NEW game cover in orange to let you know BEFORE you buy it! Now Live was introduced in the US before it was released in Japan, but PSO was released in Japan FIRST the SAME DAY Live was released to the Japanese Xbox, as a bonus, every Japanese Live subscriber received PSO free with their Live account! So it was no-brainer that you just bought Live… you CAN play PSO on your Xbox now– for Japan that is. The US version was delayed about 2 or 3 times before it was released early Spring/late Winter of 2003.
Now an explanation for the online cost incase you didn’t know. PSO for the DC was free, and the hackers came out in force online… and it was bad. PSO ver 2.0 came out with a cost around $5 (it actually matched the yen to dollar amount which normally came around to just over $5 instead of the $7 that was advertised as the online price). Having a cost helped…. some, but the hackers eventually came out again in force. PSO 1 & 2 for the Xbox the cheating is still there, but can be MUCH easier avoided. Simply put, make sure you know who your friends are online are people you can trust, and you’re fine really.
I rated this game a 5 since I’ve been playing it for nearly 6 years across 2 consoles and 3 versions. But rating it overall as a 4 for the repetitive nature of the game and the Live requirement for X-Box. As cheap as this game is now, with a live Live account or expired Live account, buying PSO at this price is a no-brainer and will have you playing… for HUNDREDS of hours.
I’ve been addicted since it came out on the DC version 1.0 (1999) and STILL addicted on the X-Box!
3 Stars Great game, terrible platform
Phantasy Star Online for Dreamcast is tied with the Sims for Mac as my favorite video game of all time. It’s just gorgeous. The graphics, the sound, the adventure, the intellectual stimulation of mags and weapons, the feeling that I really am on another planet–I can play for many, many hours and not get tired of it.
Unfortunately, I can’t play PSO for Xbox, because I don’t have a high speed Internet connection and I wouldn’t be able to afford xBox live even if I did. It is a stupid, stupid, stupid thing that I can’t even play the *offline* version without an xBox Live account.
4 Stars kyle “hope to be talazar on pso”
ive never played this game but hear me out ive read alot of reviews and heard from a bunch of my friends and the only bad part is the hunting lincence and must have xbox live but the rest is awesome and this guy name dexter rocks i hope i play it soon and i mite meet dexter
ps:this is a 3 player co-op and a must get a.s.a.p
3 Stars I am soooo angry
I love this game. I played it on dreamcast and gamecube, and although you CAN go online with those, you don’t have to, and you surely didn’t have to pay if you just wanted to play offline. I bought this at a gamestop because I loved the earlier versions, I put it in my xbox, and all of a sudden, I realize that I couldn’t play it. I’m really mad. However, if you don’t mind paying more every month, go for it, it’s an amazing game.
5 Stars You need this game, honestly.
Before I purchased this game less then a month ago I took the time to read all of these reviews. The ones ranting about how awesome and exciting this game is, are right. Gameplay is fun and exciting and with all the wheeling and dealing I do to get rare items trading online I feel like a used car salesmen. Like I said Ive only had this game a month, and Im level 117. Thats how addicting this game is! if your dedicated gaining levels and getting stronger is easy, I promise. Once you are happy with your level, explore the Battle and Challenge modes. I just earned my first challenge rank yesterday, woo! This game is worth everything you must pay or do to get it. And by the way you dont have to PAY to play offline, you simply must have xbox live. The first 2 online months are free anyway, give it a try! Once your online feel free to look me up, my legitness will guide you on your way through the PSO world. BUY THIS GAME!!!
Tiger Woods PGA Tour 06
March 4, 2009 by Xbox Reviews
Filed under Video Games
Tiger Woods PGA Tour 2006 delivers ultra-realistic course environments, for gamers who’d like to feel the tension, pressure and excitement of championship golf tournaments. With greatness comes pressure, as players are put to the test of making perfect tee shots or sinking tournament-winning putts in crunch time. Golf’s greatest commentators return — the dream team of David Feherty and Gary McCord provide their commentary and irreverent observations on each round
User Ratings and Reviews
3 Stars A sidestep from greatness for TWG
This game is really frustrating. They messed up the putting with the dual stick putting mode. It’s hard to explain, but it has become very difficult.
4 Stars Very Good TWPGA
I do very much like this game. It has a great UI (user interface) and is a lot of fun. Not much else I can say.
4 Stars Good, but……
My husband hasn’t had a lot of time to play this game yet. He said it’s much different from the ’04 and ’05 versions he likes.
1 Star pretty miserable
the only game i ever play on my xbox is Links 2004 golf, and i really enjoy it, but i was hoping for some new courses & challenges, so i bought this game. i assumed something with the “tiger woods” name, from a well-known company like EA, would be a good game. plus, it’s updated every year, so it must be really good at this point, right?
wrong. compared to Links, the graphics are cartoonish, the game is awkward, putting is ridiculously easy, and the interface is hard to navigate. it was fun to have all the options for creating my player’s appearance, but that ends up being meaningless because the game is so not fun that i don’t think i’m ever going to use it.
what a disappointment!
now i REALLY wish there was a new version of Links…
5 Stars Should be listed as a drug…so addictive !
I just recently became of a fan of golf- thanks to Tiger Woods and his amazing talents. And, since i just purchased an XBOX with 15 games, i thought i give this golf game a try. I am seriously thinking of taking EA sports to court…they should have warned the consumer how addicting this game is! I traded 5 of the games i originally got for this(I hardly ever play with any of the games). I love the fact that you can develop your skills by playing the ranked players that include legends. It was so fun to beat all of them – including Tiger Woods. This is a perfect game to play with a beer in your hand.
Sonic Riders
February 28, 2009 by Xbox Reviews
Filed under Video Games
Sonic Riders teams up Sonic the Hedgehog, Tails, Knuckles and a group of new characters, in a wild new racing game. Dr. Robotnik has challenged racers from across the world to compete in his Worldwide Grand Prix, the prize being a Chaos Emerald. Sonic and his friends must compete get the Chaos Emerald before anyone else does. Multiple visually stunning locations from across the Sonic universe
User Ratings and Reviews
4 Stars Feeling The Rush
It is hard to imagine the thrills that Sonic The Hedgehog has performed for gamers of all ages since his debut 15 years ago. While Sega has truly dominated in the status of Sonic’s career, many companies like Sony and Nintendo have really started to capitalize with the promise of this great clasic character. Yet, most of the games are just truly about his platforming excitement, there have been a few in the wave of racing that tests Sonic and company to see who is the real fastest one around. Sega had that testiment before with Sonic R from its Saturn era. Now, there is another blue speed demon racer with Sonic on it, but is that just as fast & furious.
Sonic Riders for the Xbox is a wild and outrageous racer that goes beyond just running on the feet like Sonic R did. This time around, you’re on air boards that hover in the air, and just more than amazing to Sonic’s speed. The object of the game is that you can compete as Sonic, Tails, as well as newcomers Jet the hawk, Wave the swallow, and Storm, and many others through 16 different unlockable tracks that test your speed, accuracy and agility of speed and power. The testiments come through Story Mode, where you can play as Sonic and his heroes, or the rouges Jet and his crew, in a wild speed chase for the quest of the Babylon Treasure. There is also the mission mode that puts your speed, and control to the test in the thrill of the chase, and the abilities to pass certain requirements.
The graphics and sound are just amazing, and show and deliver the upbeat thrills of Sonic and company with grit and determination. The control is tricky to pull off at first when pulling tricks, and staying on the tracks, but it is easy to get used to. There are just also a lot of great unlockables such as Sega classic characters like Shadow the Hedgehog, Aiai from Super Monkey Ball, and Nights from the Sega Saturn classic, and just some great air boards too.
All in all, Sonic Riders is a fairly good racer, that has just so much to play around with. Nevertheless, I just wish there could’ve been a lot more in the thrill of the chase to play around with. Still, it is a great gamne for Xbox owners, or for anybody who loves the speed of Sonic.
Graphics: B 1/2+
Sound: B
Control: B-
Fun & Enjoyment: B
Overall: B 1/2-
3 Stars Not Always a Fun Ride
It’s hard to recommend Sonic Racing games. You’d think that Sonic the Hedgehog would be great for a racing game. The Sonic games have been all about speed. Therefore, Sonic should pratically own the racing genre. However, in the past, Sonic Racing games have not been on the top of many gamer’s list, and unfortunately, Sonic Riders isn’t going to be high on your list either. It’s much better than the previous attempts at a Sonic Racing game, but plenty of small things keep it from being the overall joyful experience you’d want it to be.
First things first, the plot is just about the same as it is in every Sonic game. Sonic and pals are on a hunt for the Chaos Emeralds. This time, however, they’re after the Babylon Rogues to retrieve or something like that. A racing game really shouldn’t have to have a plot other than to race. Not to mention it’s very identical to many other Sonic games in the series. As you begin the game and all, you’ll quickly forget about the storyline. As I said, a racing game doesn’t need one to be good, and in Sonic’s case, it almost hurts the game.
The gameplay is when I’m absolutely left at a standstill. It’s great to be able to pull of some tricks as Sonic and company. They look really cool. It’s easy to get into the gameplay, but just as easily, you’ll soon find yourself frustrated. You race on hoverboards. Throughout each race you’ve got an air meter that you can use to boost yourself. This sounds really great, and it would be if you didn’t have to use it so much. And once you’ve used up all your air meter, your character goes at it on foot. I wouldn’t have a problem with it, but perhaps they should’ve done the air meter to the point where it begins to gradually refill. There are pitstops, but going to them takes the fun out of the race, and ultimately slows you down. This is Sonic, I don’t want to go slow. Speed is what Sonic is all about. To make up for this, however, you can ride off of another player’s turbulence, which will ultimatley give you a boost. The only problem being you lose control, however in some cases it’s not a problem, and it’s rather helpful.
Likewise, some of the track designs are poor. Combine that with a few loose controls and there’s a problem. For one, taking corners is frustrating. Especially because they come so sudden, and sometimes you might be faced with a pit right around a corner. If you’re riding on someone’s turbulance while you round a corner, you lose control and ultimately go off course, and then you’ve got to wait to be reseted. Likewise, I find myself constantly going into walls while taking a corner. Again, this slows you down considerably. I don’t have this problem in most other racers, and with Sonic Riders it’s much harder to learn how to take corners. There’s just no perfect way to do it.
There are also a lot of objects in your way. This is to be expected of any racing game, so I won’t penalize Sonic Riders here. It does take a while to get back on track upon running into these objects and it uniquely adds to the challenge. However, the game isn’t that challenging, really. Most of the computer players race in a fairly predictable manner, and while you’ll end up having to use your boost at the beginning, you’ll get the computers pattern down quickly.
Luckily there’s multiplayer in this. And multiplayer is a very satisfying experience in Sonic Riders. It’s a lot more fun to race against your (most likely) unpredictable friends than it is the predictable computer. The game also gets credit for it’s unlockables. More extreme gear, and some hidden characters. Some of them classic characters that Sonic fans know and love. So the unlockables are kind of cool and worthwhile.
The game also looks good. There are times of slowdown, but that’s no bother (at least in this game). For the most part, it’s colorful, vibrant, and detailed. While some of the courses are frustrating, they’ve definitely got a good look and feel to them.
So to put it simple. Sonic Riders is for the Sonic fan. If you love Sonic, chances are you’ll like this game. It isn’t the best racing game out there, but it is the best Sonic Racing game out there, and so hardcore fans might want to get a hold on to it. There are moments of frustration, but not so much you shouldn’t by the game. If you’re more serious about your racing games, then Sonic Riders probably isn’t for you.
The Good
+Good graphics
+The game is fast
+Plenty of unlockables
The Bad
-Frustrating courses
-Predictable AI
-A racing game doesn’t really need a plot. Here, it doesn’t hurt Sonic, but it definitely doesn’t help the overall game.