World of Warcraft Review

By Ruibo Chen

World of Warcraft is by far the best and largest MMORPG out yet. World of Warcraft follows a long history of the original strategy game warcraft. There were 3 popular titles that were released previously that were also an extremely big hit. Warcraft, Warcraft II, Warcraft III and the 2 expansions "The Frozen Throne" and "Reign of Chaos". The release date of the game was on Nov 23, 2004. A year after its release and there are about 4.5 million subscribers and still growing stronger each day world wide.

World of Warcraft takes you to a 3D environment in the World of Azeroth. The World is the largest virtual environment ever created. You can explore through deserts, forests, mountains and more. It may take months before you can finish traveling through all of Azeroth. There are of course mounts such as horses, gryphons and other animals that can help you travel through Azeroth.

Along with the great 3D environment you are able to customize your characters looks in the highest of detail ever possibly invented. There are next to an infinite combination of faces, eyes, texture, size, weight, coloring to choose from. Unlike many other MMORPGs, you're bound to find a twin here and there but the possibilities have gone unlimited with Blizzards character creation.

World of Warcraft consists of 2 feuding realms, the Alliance and the Horde. Each realm may choose from 4 different races. Alliance members may choose Human, Dwarf, Night Elf, and Gnomes while Horde members may choose Orc, Tauren, Troll and Undead. Along with the 8 races there are also 9 classes that you may choose from which are the Druid, Hunter, Mage, Paladin, Priest, Rogue, Shaman, Warlock and Warrior. Each player also has the ability to choose a profession for their character. A profession is very helpful to the players as it may help them create great armors, weapons, items and other equipments. A player may choose 2 primary professions and as many secondary professions as they like.

Blizzard has been updating World of Warcraft much more than their previous games that required connection to Battle.net. Quests, items, fixes and other great enhances are being added or changed to improve gameplay. Unlike other MMORPGs, the quests of WoW are made to help leveling and is much pleasurable. It is not as repetitive as you are required to kill the same monsters and the constant travelling back and forth to speak to a dozen NPCs.

Like most and all MMORPGs, WoW has their own game economy and ingame shop/auction house. Their currency is based on copper, silver and gold. World of Warcraft gold is most commonly used to purchase weapons, armors, items, skills, spells and travelling. While selling back items to a NPC shop is easy, the returns are unfavorable. Majority of the players would sell off their unwanted items to other players at a highest rate than what the NPCs will offer.

PvP has been by far the most thrilling theme of most MMORPGs. World of Warcraft includes PvP servers and non PvP servers. As Blizzard continues to update the game, their most recent patch included the battle grounds. A zone where the Horde and Alliance comes together and competes. The winner will receive special rewards and methods of increasing their overall character status.

Blizzard has taken ideas from many different games and combined them all into 1. It has yet been by far the most successful MMORPG to this day and still growing rapidly. With a subscriber base of 4.5 million players world wide, I'm sure the game will continue to be popular for over a decade. If you are interested in playing World of Warcraft or already a player and would like more information on the game play visit http://wow.tumeroks.com.

Ruibo is an avid game player and wants to help other gamers out there play the best they can. He created a website which provides many guides, news, databases and many useful information for World of Warcraft players.

Computer Game Villain Takes a Whole Day to Defeat

By Kirk Jensen

A new Villain in the Final Fantasy XI computer game is causing real players to pass out and get sick during a very, very long battle.

Well the saying goes if it is good enough for Cartman then it is good enough for Square-Enix.

Why am I saying this well the developers of the famous online role-playing computer game Final Fantasy XI seemed to have borrowed the idea from Emmy-winning South Park episode "Make Love, No Warcraft" by updating the game with one of the longest, most physically demanding video game fights ever. The latest downloadable update for the computer video game is a boss monster named "Pandemonium Warden" in which several high-level avatars wailed on the creature nonstop for 18 hours straight and no scratch on the beast.

This seemingly unbeatable boos will not prevent people from completing the computer game. Though persistent online game don't end the same way a normal single player game does. The has sparked debate as to what exactly the develops at square-Enix expect out of their devoted fan bass. As a result message board all over the place have lite up with players being less then satisfied with the new upgrade. They have called out the company on its in-game warning "no desire to see your real life suffer as a consequence [of playing]. Don't forget your friends, your family, your school or your work."

It was easy for Square-Enix to say. "While the beast continually healed, the gamers weren't so lucky."

"People were passing out and getting physically ill," leaders of the player guild said in a forum post. "We decided to end it before we risked turning into a horrible news story about how video games ruin people's lives."

According to this reader it is already too late.

Kirk Jensen Owner of: http://www.gameznstuff.com http://www.gameznstuff.net

Review - Metal Gear Solid 4 Is A Masterpiece

By Gerald Dav

"Metal Gear Solid 4 is a breathtaking stealth shooter with heart, and one of the best games ever made."

A "Must Get" If you're planning to purchase a Playstation 3 game system, provided you don't have one already. Metal Gear Solid 4 should be a primarily first puchase for the Playstation 3. It's an epic stealth-shooter with an immensely detailed storyline and remarkable graphics.

Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots is a story-driven adventure game, with seasoned hero Solid Snake, drafted for one final mission. Set across stages including the Middle East and South America, the now aged Snake has been asked to assassinate his old adversary, Liquid Ocelot.

Unlockable rewards, 70+ weapons, and a well-designed online mode will keep you playing months after you've completed the core single-player experience. If you've ever loved a shooter, a stealth game, or an action game, Metal Gear Solid 4 is a can't-miss game.

Metal Gear Solid 4 is a masterpiece, an unforgettable game that shines and surpasses mediocrity. It is not only the best Metal Gear game, but one of the best games ever made, period. If you own a PS3, put this at the top of your to-buy list. If you don't own a PS3, well, chances are you will buy one soon just to play this game.

One of Metal Gear Solid 4's primary pleasures is its outstanding storyline, a epic-tale that redefines the term "epic" yet remains grounded by its human side. If you're new to the Metal Gear Solid series, don't worry: Metal Gear Solid 4 go above and beyond to tell an accessible story that will enthrall newcomers while providing plenty of surprises for hardcore series veterans.

MGS4 is an awesome game and maybe the last of it's metal gear solid series. This Game must be added to your gaming library. visit: http://meatalgearsolid4.blogspot.com

Team IDemise Guide Review - Taking a Look at the IDemise Leveling Guide For WoW

By William Kamar

An introduction

Team iDemise is a gaming team with quite the reputation in FPS gaming. But this doesn't necessarily mean a thing when it comes to fast leveling in MMORPGs. So I purchased the guide with some skepticism.

I was quite pleasantly surprised to find my initial doubts groundless. iDemise's claim that their iDemise leveling guide on the market isn't just a boast-at the very least, they are a serious contender for the title. Find out why in this iDemise guide review.

The method

Anyone with even a bit of common sense knows that leveling in Warcraft is best done by questing. Even mediocre questing will result in far better experience gain than grinding mobs for hours. Superior players may even be able to plot out a questing course, and increase their leveling speed even more. Superior players who have done the quests many times can no doubt level even faster, with even better leveling routes.

The Team iDemise Leveling Guide makes you the equivalent of a superior player with multiple 70s. At no time did I find myself thinking "Wouldn't doing XXX before XXX be faster?" as I often have using other guides, such as Brian Kopp's Alliance Leveling Guide or Joanna's Horde Leveling Guide.

Now, you may be skeptical. "Ok, so I know what order to do them in. But I still don't know where everything is." Like other popular guides, the iDemise guide makes liberal use of map coordinates. And like a few others, they provide an addon to help out.

The Addon

The addon provided with the iDemise guide is really nice. I personally found it much more effective than any competitor's addon. Unlike other guide's mods, which usually just toss a load of coordinates on your map and say "good luck", this one includes everything you need to level, from directly in the game.

The entire guide is available to you. Not only the leveling guide, and a coordinate system, but built-in systems to make sure you are optimizing your character for leveling, with tips on Talent Builds and such. Really helpful to players new to the game or maybe just new to the class.

To conclude I hope this iDemise guide review has given you some help in determining whether it is worth your time and money. If you want to see how it compares to other popular leveling guides, check out my comparison review over at Squidoo.

Maddenites Rejoice - Why Madden '09 May Be the Best of All Time!

By Kenneth L. White

A few years ago, the developers at Electronic Arts (EA for short) attained exclusive rights to the NFL license to produce the already widely popular Madden video game series. This meant that no other video game developer out there, could put out a video game with NFL players, names and likenesses in their video games! By attaining this exclusive license, EA effectively knocked out the competition in the football video game market. In essence, Madden is the only football game with the names and likenesses of real NFL players. To many in the video game industry, this was a very smart and lucrative deal for EA. For the Maddenites out there, myself included, we were skeptical. The John Madden franchise only had one real competitor, and they were the developers at Visual Concepts.

Visual Concepts are the brainchild of the 2k series of sports games that include,baseball, hockey, college football and of course, the NFL. In the 2005-06 season of NFL football, the developers at Visual Concepts did something unheard of in video games. They sold their popular NFL2k5 football series for 20 bucks! The gaming community had mixed reviews, and the game was really good. For 20 bucks you can beat it! I was surprised when I found out! I don't know if they were trying to make a statement about pricing in video games, but coincidentally the following year, the NFL gave the people at EA the exclusive rights to the NFL license in video games. (I personally think that Visual Concepts pissed off the NFL with the price of their game.)

The first year of the exclusive license, in my opinion, wasn't so great. Madden '05 was released with the same hype as the other Madden's. To the true Maddenites out there, it was just okay, nothing special. With the ever growing influence of the Xbox console system, Madden '06 slowly started to become known as the game to play on XBOX. This was a shift from the earlier years of Madden. True Maddenites know that Madden was played best on the PS2! The XBOX 360 changed all that with Madden '07 and '08. The yearly Madden tournament was no longer played on PS2, the XBOX 360 was the new home of MADDEN. Maddenites were okay with this shift, it took some time to get used to the Xbox 360 joystick, but as long as we could play the game, we could care less. However , we were still waiting for that Madden that was gonna us say WOW! Madden '09 is that game!!!

First of all, Madden '09 is the best graphically it has ever been. Madden has always been good graphically, but '09 has some of the best. Gone are the stiff, statuesque player models from Madden '07 and '08. My main complaint on Madden'07 and '08 were the stiff player models. The player models didn't move like NFL players. They moved like statues. It seemed like the developers concentrated more on the wrinkles in the player uniforms and the player arms. They fixed these problems in '09 and made the player models look and move more realistic.

In the beginning of Madden '09 there is a new feature called the Madden IQ test. What the test does is measure you on how well do in the four main areas of the game: rushing, passing, rush defense and pass defense. from this point in the game, your Madden IQ is used in conjunction with another new feature, the Madden My Skill feature. The My Skill feature adjusts the computer difficulty of the game as you play! So eventually you will get to play against the computer on the coveted All-Madden level! One of my favorite features of the game is the EA Sports Backtrack. This feature shows you the mistakes that you have made during the game. If you throw and interception, it shows you who was open. If you are blitzed and sacked, it shows you where you should have been looking, instead of down the throat of the blitzing linebacker! This is a tool that both the rookie and veteran Maddenite can benefit from.

All in all, I am very impressed! This is the game that Maddenites everywhere have been waiting for! You will not be disappointed! Some games are worth the wait. Madden '09 is that game!

Ken White writes on various video game related subjects. If you want to read more visit my blog, Maddenites Unite! http://klw5200-maddenitesunite.blogspot.com

Xbox 360 - Wall E Review

By Camilla Bertelsen

Wall.E is one of the latest Xbox 360 video game that roll of the production following Hollywood style..."that is as soon as possible" We have seen countless titles that follow this format and like most, they suffer from too short a development cycle. Unlike "Tomb Raider", most movie inspired video game don't fare too well in the gaming industries. Wall.E is no exception.

Basically the video game follow the same storyline as the movie. Earth is polluted and needs to be cleaned up. The tasks is assigned to robots called Waste Allocation Load Lifer Earth-Class..."Wall.E". after seven hundred years had passed, the only two things that remain on earth is one Wall.E unit and a cockroach. One day an EVE or Extra - Terrestrial Vegetation Evaluator descend on earth and turn Wall.E world upside down. At this part, the player game play will decide the outcome of the game. The Xbox 360 version of the video game is simple enough. Players go around hunting and collecting objects solve simple puzzles etc. The game also allow you to switch between two character that is Wall.E and EVE. Game control are kids friendly. I would say easy to understand and catch on. The basic controls movement apply to both Wall.E and EVE. As mention earlier, from the time frame of the movies release to that of the game release, there are bound to be "bugs" in the game due to the short development cycle.

Players will find that the video game lack smoothness in virtually every aspect. You will find "invisible walls" when your character for no reason bump into "something." Sometimes you will have complete control of the camera and sometime apparently not. If you seen the movie first then play the video game...You be sorely disappointed. The graphics are not even close to that you find in the movies.. I mean, it's sad to find as a gaming guy...you see that the game developer don't take advantage of the expansive of the Next Gen Gaming console like the Xbox 360.

This is just one out of the many video game reviews we have at popular video game. Please visit us for more fresh video game reviews. Article by Camilla Bertelsen and the owner of http://popularvideogame.com

Nintendo Wii "Fishing Master" Review

By Camilla Bertelsen

Ever since I was a little girl I have loved to go sit out by a pond and fish. It never really matter to me if I caught anything or not, it was just fun trying. I've tried different video games to replicate the real act of fishing and found them rather boring and quite unrealistic. However, the Nintendo Wii has a version of "Fishing Master" that really caught my attention. As video games go, this is as close one can get to fishing without having to deal with worms, hooks, and tangled line.

There are really two types of formats when playing fishing video games;

1) an arcade type of game that can be fun, but lacks reality and

2) realistic fishing modes that can make you feel as though you are actually catching fish.

The Nintendo Wii has combined the two to make this video game experience something fun for whatever type of mode you wish to play in. The characters themselves are cartoon in creation; however the act of using a fishing rod makes the video game more realistic for the player.

There is only one mode of play in this video game however there is a setting for multiplayer's in the Battle mode. In the single player campaign mode the player advances through the stages by catching different types of fish. The video game offers tournaments and challenges throughout the game play and players earn points which they use to buy items such as bait and other specialty items.

Players stand facing the water and as the player moves from end of the beach to the other, they will be able to catch different fish from those points. The fundamental aspects of the video game are very easy to learn right from the start.

The Nintendo Wii's version of "Fishing Masters" is what I believe the most entertaining and realistic approach to video game fishing; it is fun, challenging and creative. It is as close as you might get to the real thing without having to fight bugs, baiting hooks, and smelling like you've rolled in dead fish. The only problem there is that I can see is that you'll have to buy fresh fish from the market if you want to have your catch as dinner.

Article by Camilla Bertelsen and the owner of http://popularvideogame.com

Java Mobile Games - Experience Playing Entertaining Games

By William Jonson

Java Mobile Games are used to entertain people with the latest in games. These technologically superior games are used for entertainment purposes. The Java games belong to every category that includes action, adventure, arcade, card, simulation, racing, puzzle and lots more.

The java games can be installed in a computer, mobile phone or a gaming console. The compatibility of playing games increases the efficiency of such gadgets. These games can be easily downloaded from the internet once the devices are connected to the net. People can easily surf the net and visit several websites to download files from the internet. The java mobile games are high definition ones and can be played on mobile phones. Such games can easily be installed on mobiles. These games can also be transferred from one mobile to another or downloaded directly from the net.

The icons displayed while playing the games have absolutely reasonable resolution and they get displayed as shadows and bright icons. Moreover, the games are supported by unique and informative content and that allows the users to keep track of every phase of the game that is being played. Moreover, the games are given attractive tiles that allows the users to search for their favourite games very easily.

These games can also be installed in devices that do not have large memory support. This makes the java mobile games more compatible to be used for entertainment purposes. Laptops, desktop computers and other gadgets can be utilised for playing the java games. However, a good resolution screen enhances the gaming experience.

Such games are available free of cost and are offered by several websites. It is a good source of entertainment and people can make use of it in their leisure time for entertainment reasons. The user finds joy in their lives and can get rid of tensions by playing these games. They actually serve as a stress buster. When it is to be downloaded from the internet, the user finds the option to visit several websites and choose the best games.

Jonson William is an article author who bring the relevant information through articles, news, press release. Visit to know more about online games through Price Comparison.

Pacific Storm - More Than Just an RTS

By Scott J Meyer

Let's start off with this statement: Pacific Storm is not your average real-time strategy game. It combines a grand-strategy element with RTS gameplay, and even brings in arcade flying and gunning. The game takes place in the Pacific during WWII, and pits Japan against the United States. Pacific Storm is a game where you can produce a unit, send it to the frontlines, and then actually command it. Even though plagued by some problems, Pacific Storm still delivers fun and entertainment.

So what do I mean by the above paragraph? In the campaign, the player starts off with a giant map of the Pacific Ocean. Players control base management, production, transport, and of course, combat. You are able to produce historical units, and even mod them to your standards by changing armaments, electronics, and other components. You can also research a large amount of technologies which allow production of new components, aircraft, and experimental missiles and bombs. Many bases are stretched across the Pacific, and each can be fortified with different buildings. When entering combat, Pacific Storm plays much like any other RTS. You control a number of ships and aircraft, and by a number, I mean up to several dozen ships and over a hundred aircraft, which leaves battles pretty crowded. Players can jump in to any of their aircraft at any time, which fly in an arcade style. There is also the ability to man anti-aircraft guns on ships, although it has very little effectiveness. Manual control of ship steering and main guns is unavailable, so you just have to watch ships fight it out. Visuals in combat are nice, but underwhelming.

There are a number of gametypes to select from. There is a battle planner (like instant action, where you select the units played and are), several single missions, a historical campaign and a free campaign. The single missions portray single actions in the Pacific War, like Pearl Harbor, Leyte Gulf, and the interception of Admiral Yamamoto. The historical campaigns start off with each side having a "historical" amount of aircraft and ships. However, it is far from accurate in terms of ships, with the U.S. having over a dozen aircraft carriers. The free campaign has each side start about equal, and players must take bases all over the Pacific and build them up themselves. There is a multiplayer option, but I have never seen anyone on it. Still, there are enough different ways to play to keep oneself from becoming bored.

Pacific Storm is almost an ideal game, incorporating different levels of gameplay into one package. However, many bugs and problems allow it to fall short. It was developed by the Russian Lesta Studio, and the language barrier shows in grammatical errors through its many text boxes. It is very complex, but lacks thorough tutorials. The AI is sorely lacking, and will leave players wondering at its bizarre actions. Players have to be excellent micromanagers to make the most of its grand strategy element. For example, to use a guided missile, one must research the appropriate technologies, build the missile, load it onto a transport, send it to a forward base, unload it, load it onto an aircraft, and finally send the airgroup to the enemy base. It is also nearly impossible to find and engage enemy fleets outside of their bases. Finally, the game crashed randomly and often, but patches have fixed this for the most part.

Even though it has its problems, Pacific Storm is far from unplayable. If you can put up with micromanagement, average graphics, and unrealistic flying, it is a great game. There are many different ways to play, and the ability to control hundreds of ships and planes is awesome. Pacific Storm's gameplay is very customizable to fit your style of play. An expansion, Pacific Storm: Allies, is also available which brings a third nation, Great Britain, into play, along with diplomacy and more units. If you have the patience required, Pacific Storm is a unique and fun game.

Scott is a student and avid strategy gamer. Please support him by visiting his blog http://greatstrategygames.blogspot.com/ for more reviews, info, and screenshots.

Soul Calibur IV - A Look at the Latest in the Gaming Phenomenon

By Rich Thorp

The Soul Calibur series has always been at the forefront of the beat 'em up market. Since the original version of the game erupted onto the scene in the late nineties (named Soul Blade), the franchise has grown in renown and popularity. Introducing a varied range of fighters and dynamic weapon-play, the Soul series of games have always prided themselves on delivering a rich gaming experience, taking the static nature of the beat 'em up genre and crafting it into a more rounded gaming experience.

Soul Calibur IV is the first of the Soul series to reach next gen platforms, appearing on both the Playstation 3 and the Xbox 360. One of the most eagerly anticipated titles of 2008, Soul Calibur IV had the weight of expectation of its back, especially with Playstation 3 fans, as it is the first real beat 'em up to be released for the console. Soul Calibur III, whilst maintaining a rich and detailed gaming ethos, was viewed by most as a miss-step in the series, overcomplicating game play and deviating from a much-loved combat engine.

Thankfully, and as promised, Soul Cailbur IV rectifies this mistake and pushes its way triumphantly to the head of beat 'em ups one again. Whilst technically the game offers little in originality, this is really the point. Fans demanded a return to the classic style of the franchise and that's what they got. Of course, being a next-gen title does bring massive advantages with it. Game play is fluid and more natural than ever before, with character models moving and reacting with a realism that borders on astonishing at times.

Soul Calibur's crux has always been the motley band of fighters that appear to wrestle for control of the soul swords, and in next-gen presentation the characters are truly gorgeous. From intricate facial expressions and motion capture, to dizzying attention to detail (polished armour will change each bout to reflect the relating background); Soul Calibur IV is truly a delight to behold.

Gameplay returns with the usual plethora of additional content. Tower of Lost Souls will test your skill and endurance as you take on constant combatants without a health replenish, and for the first time ever Soul Calibur goes online, allowing players to combat each other across the world and earn respect on a global scale! A few new in-game functions have also been added, most notably the Soul Gauges and Critical Finishes, which act as instant winners you can punish an enemy with if they block too often.

Special mention must go to the Character Creation mode, which returns from Soul Calibur III with a massive revamp. Whilst the range of different styles has been scrapped, this makes way for a function so in depth it is addictive enough to lose hours of your day to. The smallest details are accounted for; you can even alter the pitch of your character's voice. With a gargantuan range of equipment available and even more to unlock, players can create truly unique characters. The most impressive thing is that, whilst on past games character creation was fun, the end result would never gel with the characters proper and appeared almost as superimposed sprites on the screen. With Soul Calibur IV, the characters you create are so detailed and well developed that they could have been made by the games designers themselves, and appear no less impressive than the real characters of the game.

There are few downsides to report, but a few niggling factors emerge in the game. The Story mode seems less rich than in previous instalments, and there is less of an overall narrative to the proceedings which used to give the story distance, you felt you really were travelling the world in search of your goal. Also, using the in-game graphics for the character endings is adequate; however with next-gen consoles surely the ability to give us full CGI endings isn't too much to ask?

Overall however, Soul Calibur IV is a raging success, doing exactly what it says on the tin, and then some. A beat 'em up has never looked so attractive, and the game offers enough challenge to keep players hooked way past the usual parameters for a game of this genre.

Rich

Rich writes for the pop culture/memorabilia site starstore.com and its blogs, covering the latest and greatest in film, TV, music and comics merchandise and collectibles.

Should I Purchase Wii Fit? Is it Truly a Breakthrough in the Gaming World?

By Mei Alvarez

With all the positive response that the Nintendo Wii received since its first release, it's no surprise that people are continually seeking to purchase Wii Fit and storming through stores to find where to get Wii Fit. The Wii Fit gaming system was first released in Japan at the end of December 2007 and within a month, it reached about a million copies in sale. Even now there are still high demands to purchase Wii Fit.

With features including whole body exercises, personal trainer, gradual intensity increase and its ability to allow the whole family to have a fun and challenging exercise together, perhaps the Wii Fit really is worth all the hype of people frantically looking to purchase Wii Fit. This article will explore the several features of Wii Fit that make it unique compared to other gaming systems, in order to help you determine whether or not you should purchase Wii Fit.

It is no doubt that the Wii games require the players to actively move to participate in the games. However, unlike others, Wii Fit allows for a full body workout, including legs, arms as well as the stomach (as seen in the hula hoop exercises).With the exercises divided into groups, including yoga, strength training, aerobics and balance training, those who purchase Wii Fit can get a fun and exciting full body workout. In addition to this great feature, it also brings a personal trainer right into the living room of those who purchase Wii Fit. This is very beneficial for those who need help to start exercising.

As you may have realized, when intending to start a workout, it really helps to have some type of support system to encourage you throughout the workout. Those who purchase Wii Fit are given a personal trainer that will guide them through the exercises. Perhaps this is one reason why many people are interested to purchase Wii Fit. As you go through the exercise,you are given feedback on how you are doing. In addition, the Wii Fit also allows you to monitor your progress each time you workout. This is a great feature that will help you stay on track as your exercise intensity increases.

As you know, a workout without variations or challenges could get boring after a while. This isn't the case with Wii Fit, because after you purchase Wii Fit and continue to do an exercise, it will unlock more advanced exercises. In doing so, you will continue to challenge yourself with the workouts. Aside from challenging yourself through the increased workout intensity, Wii Fit also allows for an added challenge of exercising with other people who purchase Wii Fit balance board, including your friends or family members and compete with each other.

With the hassle of everyday life, it seems hard to find a chance for the family to do an fun and healthy activity together. When you purchase Wii Fit you can transform your living room into a workout center for your whole family. This provides a great way for everybody to participate and have fun while competing with each other to reach the highest score.

As we can see through this article, the Wii Fit is unquestionably an exciting innovation in the gaming world. Not only does it work the whole body, provide a personal trainer, and increases the exercise intensity, but it also provides the opportunity to exercise with friends and family members and challenge each other to reach your highest potential. With all these unique and exciting features and the huge amount of success as a breakthrough in the gaming world, it is anticipated that there will be a continual high demand of people wanting to purchase Wii Fit.

Want to know why so many people are storming through the stores to purchase Wii Fit? Check out where to buy Wii Fit with great deals and find out for yourself what the hype is all about.

X-Men Legends - Christian Game Review

By Griffin Lilly Jr

X-Men Legends is based on the 1963 comic book, "The Uncanny X- Men." A tale about a group of mutants led by Professor Charles Xavier, the world's most powerful mutant with mental abilities, learning how to deal with society's hatred toward them. The X-Men compose the following members with their codenames: Storm, Jean Gray (the only one who doesn't go by a codename, go figure), Cyclops, Wolverine, Nightcrawler, Rogue, Colossus, and Iceman (just to name a few). Xavier formed the X-Men to fight threats to mankind, to teach the X-Men how to control their powers for good, and to one day hopefully live peacefully side by side with society.

Plot and Gameplay: 4.5 out of 5.0

X-Men Legends (XML) was masterfully crafted by a group of former Marvel comic writers called 'Man of Action.' The story centers around Alison Crestmere who possesses the mutant ability to control lava even changing her human form to a flaming version of herself. Hence, she earns the name of 'Magma'.

Magma is thrusted into the limelight after the grotesque, obese mutant called the Blob of the Brotherhood of Evil Mutants (the antagonist mutant team who is lead by the immensely powerful Magneto) kidnap Magma. Why would Magneto need this girl? Immediately, the player is controlling Wolverine hot on the trail of the Blob and to find out why Magneto desires this particular mutant.

XML is a fan boy's dream comes true as you finally get to control the X-Men in a Role Playing Game (RPG) fashion instead of the individual most gamers are used to playing them.

The game requires a player to go through various linear missions in order to solve Magneto's plot from the Artic to the Sewers (yes, those who are use to RPG know that no RPG would be complete without a trip to sewers, right? Thanks, JadesFire.). There are times where an X-Man will go off on a solo mission. So the freedom is not there to explore without limitations compared to RPG's like the Final Fantasy Series or Morrow wind.

XML strategically tucks away puzzle elements in the game forcing the player to make use of a X-Man's powers needed to continue on their quest. Unfortunately, the developers hold players by the hand displaying a large 'X' over areas that can be affected by a character's powers. If a player has the wrong X-Man, backtracking is allowed and Xtraction points can be used to change team members.

Graphics/Visual Presentation: 4.25 out of 5.0

Activision, during the earlier stages of XML, had made a smart move to leave the traditional bit images for the X-Men for cell shading technology. This brilliant move makes the player feel as if they are turning the pages of a virtual comic book. Each character is detailed just enough to tell them apart. Enemies and bosses are not very impressionable in appearance (not on par as DOOM 3) yet well done over all. The lighting effects are good quality when a player unleashes Cyclops' eye beam or Jean Grey's Psychic Scream. The environments are destructible which makes interesting eye candy when a player utilizes an X-Man's power on walls, generators, chairs, etc. The developers were cautious to include some detail (such as Blob's massive footprints in the street when Wolverine is on his trail) yet not to the point of overkill. There are some clipping issues (graphics that melt into another by mistake) yet these are easily overlooked. The cell shading cut scenes are slightly embarrassing (The X-Men look like puppets in this environment. Think "Thunderbirds" from the old television show series). Fortunately, the developers redeem themselves by adding more detailed cut scenes that will astound you in their cinematic feel.

Sound Quality: 4.75 out of 5.0

XML's biggest strength is the voice acting for the X-Men (the only exception is Cyclops whose dialogue in battle sounds like a bratty, smart aleck teenager than the rugged leader of the X-Men). Fans of the series will get goose bumps as Patrick Stewart breathes life into Professor Xavier's lines and the witty comments of Wolverine will cause chuckles for sure. Foley artists did a superb job in producing punching and kick sounds, explosions, and sounds for the X-Men's powers. While the music is not powerful orchestral pieces (personally, this would have made the gaming experience much more rousing), sleepy music selections are sadly the norm. The music can be a blessing and a curse at the same time. Music rushes in when enemies are near (a great way to warn the player of impeding danger) and can be soft music that loops over and over with no direction.

Violence: 4.75 out of 5.0

A RPG would be hard to do without conflict and battle and XML does not pander to over the top violence crowd.

[SPOILER AHEAD]

The only blood visible in the game is when the X-Men infiltrate a military base and discover that General Kincaid is experimenting with humans and Sentinels (the blood is on the surgery floors). X-Men and enemies beat each other without any visual consequences even when Wolverine uses his claws on a foe. Powers as well do not cause any visual damage to ally or foe alike.

Language: 4.25 out of 5.0

Unfortunately, there are some parts that I cited as concern for me as a Christian. Nightcrawler, in the comics and in the game, professes to be a believer in God. He comments when he levels up: "My God, I am invincible!" or "I can beat the devil himself." These comments bothered me in light of such Scripture as Exodus 20:7 ("Thou shalt not take the name of the LORD thy God in vain; for the LORD will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain") and Proverbs 16:18 ("Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall"). Cyclops, surprisingly, tells his brother Havok to 'go to hell.'

Sexual Content: 4.75 out of 5.0

Psylocke, an X-Man, dresses in tight leather pants that reveal the suggestive outline of a thong when she fights. There is an option to change her costume to a more conservative one.

Spiritual Content: 4.50 out of 5.0

Magneto's power hunger makes him think that all mutants are like gods. Magneto, in thirst for revenge against humans, created his own line from Genesis and the creation story by stating that: 'on the eight day, I looked down on creation and said, 'Let there be darkness.'" Nightcrawler, unashamedly, mentions God in a positive light in regards to his faith.

[SPOILER AHEAD]

X-Men also have to go to the Astral Plane to save Professor Xavier whose mind and assumedly soul is trapped in this dimension. This can be looked as touching the New Age or Eastern philosophies.

Value: 4.0 out of 5.0

As a RPG, XML soars in the action, gameplay, and storytelling departments. When a player finishes the game though, XML crashes and burns on replay value. Once a player has completed the game, there is not much left to do. A player cannot go back with high level up X-Men to play the game a second time around (I peaked my team between levels 35-37). The Danger Room offers unlocked characters as well as multiplayer or player vs. player matches. A player can view all concept art, cinematic, and load screens. Other than the Danger Room, the excitement level wanes rather quickly.

Christian Rating: 4.25 out of 5.0

Positive: The X-Men truly teaches about teamwork and how each member cares about each other. As a player goes through the storyline, a true sense of unity is felt as the story unfolds about each X-Man's life and what they struggle with. Sacrifice and harmony is seen through their actions, a far cry from most games on the market today.

Negative: X-Men's theme of evolution is present as an explanation for their powers as a result of man getting better over time. However, the Bible is contrary to these beliefs. As a Christian, true power only comes from God Almighty (Ps. 62:11) and without Him; we are nothing (John 15:5). God alone is the Creator of mankind and any other 'power' outside of Him is definitively questionable (Ec. 12:1). The Astral Plane is the realm where only psychics can go in the X-Men Universe. This can be likening to the spirit realm where even Saul tried to contact the dead by the witch of Endor (1 Sam. 28).

Overall Outlook/Score: 4.50 out of 5.0

X-Men Legends, although not a perfect RPG, is a quantum leap in the right direction for the franchise. The premise of teamwork, sacrifice, and unity are great pillars holding the story together as well as good vs. evil. This premise is a great reminder of the need to be selfless in this day and age. Christian parents would be wise to remind their children about the murky view of evolution from the prism of creationism, where true power comes from, and the 'Astral Plane' in view of Scriptures. After the agonizing shoddiness of Activision's failed "X-Men: Next Dimension" (a fighting game), X-Men Legends gives a much needed jolt to the possible dying hopes of fans desiring a solid X-Men game. This is a game I could honestly recommend for one's library without shame.

Review supplied by Christian Spotlight's Guide to GamesTM, a ministry of Eden Communications. Copyright ฉ Eden CommunicationsTM, a ministry of Films for Christ

Griffin J. Lilly Jr is sensi and pen warrior of Samurai Freelancing. From his humble beginnings as a frustrated English major to a breakout rising star on the writing market, you can count on him delivering for you the very best your project desires. You may contact him if you want to hire his service, and more important, he is a sucker for Japanese seafood buffets and tempura.

Dai Senryaku VII - The Best Strategy Game You've Never Heard Of

By Scott J Meyer

So what is this strategy game with a name I can't pronounce? Dai Senryaku VII is a turn-based strategy game on a hexagonal grid for the Xbox that is imported from Japan. Before that worries you, it is all in English, in fact, besides the title, you wouldn't even know it was produced outside of the U.S. Dai Senryaku VII (abbreviated as DS7 for both our sakes) offers a very in-depth look at modern military conflict that is extremely satisfying. Even though it is for an aging system and won't be found in any stores offline, DS7 is definitely worth checking out.

DS7 lets you play as one of eight nations' modern militaries, with a total of over 400 different, real-world units to select from. Ranging from infantry, tanks, artillery, fighters, aircraft carriers, and many other types, it's easy to find the unit balance that fits the map being played and your play style. Units are produced (in free-play mode) only in proximity to one's Headquarters, with ships being built in ports and aircraft in airports. Each nation is presented realistically, which means that the U.S. and Russia will have better units than Japan or France, but it will cost them in deployment expenses. Logistics must also be managed, and supply trucks, ships, and tanker aircraft are vital in long-range fighting. Combat also takes place at different altitudes, with aircraft flying high, helicopters skimming the surface, troops on the ground, ships on the water, and submarines under it. Most units also carry several different weapons. A light helicopter may only carry machine guns, aircraft will have several types of missiles, ships will have a variety of weapons, and even infantry can carry anti-tank rockets, SAMs, and mortars. The depth will overwhelm those new to the playstyle, but will bring relief and add to the experience for a military buff. The camera is also very controllable and friendly.

There is a lengthy campaign that is linear, but the fighting armies are represented as different colors, with the player taking control of different nations from one mission to the next. Difficulty increases at a good pace, and the missions are widely varied to avoid repetition. Free-play mode allows the player to fight on any of the campaign maps, several dozen free scenarios, and even player-created maps from the map editor. Options are open to the player, including nations, funds, and alliances. The maps range from real-world looking, to made-up, and even the bizarre, like the moon and earth, or the outline of a cartoon face. The multiple options and map editor allow unlimited replayability.

So hopefully you've been fully introduced to a strategy game you've probably never heard of. That being said, I recommend checking DS7 out. While you won't find it in any store (most likely), it can be found online at Amazon.com and the like for a bargain price. It is very in-depth for a console game, and offers a lot of realism. Between the campaign, free-play, and a map editor, you won't get bored quickly. I highly suggest Dai Senryaku VII as one of the very few strategy games for the Xbox.

Scott is a student and avid strategy gamer. Please support him by visiting his blog http://greatstrategygames.blogspot.com/ for more reviews, info, and screenshots.

Supreme Commander - RTS of Unprecedented Scale

By Scott J Meyer

So you've been playing through your Real-Time Strategy games and are starting to get bored with the same thing over and over. You want something bigger, better, more complex. Well, Gas Powered Games has given us Supreme Commander, an RTS of unprecedented scale. And I mean enormous; you don't make a base of a few buildings, you use dozens, and hundreds more in resources farms. You don't build a couple tanks and send them to wipe out the enemy. You build strategic missiles and long-range artillery to soften up the enemy, then move your army of 200 units into their base. Supreme Commander (popularly called SupCom) is unbelievably large, and sets a new standard for RTS.

The story takes place in 3844 A.D., after humans have colonized much of the galaxy. After several events, three factions emerge: the United Earth Federation, trying to restore order to the galaxy; the Cybran nation, a group of human-AI cyborgs trying to liberate their brethren; and the Aeon Illuminate, humans taught "The Way" by an alien race and trying to spread their beliefs throughout the rest of mankind. You start in any battle with an Armored Command Unit or ACU. This is the base unit, and allows you to begin construction of all other units and buildings.

The ACU is supported by engineers, who can build more buildings but at a slower pace. Air, land, and naval factories produce units, while mass extractors and power generators produce resources. Mass is used in the building process, and energy is used to run buildings and units. Resources are stockpiled in storage, but if you run out, you don't stop building. The more resources you use that you don't actually have, the slower you produce units and buildings. Factories can be upgraded from Tech 1 to Techs 2 and 3, allowing production of better units and better engineers, who can build higher level buildings.

Overall, each faction can produce around 30-40 different unit types and around the same number of different buildings. At a low level, each faction's units perform about the same, but at the higher levels they diversify. Each faction also gets three unique experimental units which can easily turn the tide of battle, but are very expensive to produce.

SupCom's single-player campaign gives each of the three factions six missions. While it doesn't seem like much, each mission expands several times, and can last several hours. In the first few, the player is confined to low level units, which can prove quite boring. The only way to defeat your enemy is to build large numbers of units and continually throw them at the enemy. In the last two missions, you gain access to Tech 3 units and buildings, allowing you to come up with your own strategies. The skirmish and multiplayer modes make up for this, with many maps and options to play with. The maps range in size from 5km x 5km to 81km x 81km. The largest maps are perhaps the biggest even seen in RTS, and can take many hours to complete. SupCom also has in all probability the most nuclear explosions per round in any game. To win, you must destroy the enemy's ACU, which explodes in a nuclear fashion. Nuclear missiles are also the best way to destroy the enemy's base. However, every attack has a defense, and nuclear missiles can be stopped.

So, if you are experienced with RTS's and are looking for something more, check out Supreme Commander. It does have a steep learning curve, so I would only recommend it for experienced players. The scale is enormous, and allows players to come up with multiple strategies so that no game ever plays the same way. For those tired of traditional RTS's, SupCom brings a whole new definition and level of play.

Scott is a student and avid strategy gamer. Please support him by visiting his blog http://greatstrategygames.blogspot.com for more reviews, info, and screenshots.

Why is Wii Fit System So Popular?

By John Wun

Wii Fit is a new video game developed by Nintendo for the Wii console. It includes 40 types of training activities, and comes bundled with the Wii Balance Board. It is the first game to make use of the Wii Balance Board as a unique platform peripheral that can measure a user's weight and center of gravity.

It is useful for working every muscle in the body including: abs, arms, back, chest, legs, gluteus maximus, and more through exercises and games: Yoga & Breathing Exercises, Muscle Strength & Toning Exercises, Flexibility Exercises, Balance Exercises, and Stress Reduction Exercises. Its best activities are the aerobic and balance games.

In fact, this game has become a favorite family activity at house. It is simple to use, and simply the most fun way to keep you, your family and friends fit. Also, Wii Fit along with the balance board takes this a step further as it is even more interactive, requiring more physical input. Keeping fit is indeed an ongoing process. It helps set fitness goals, track progress and work with a virtual trainer to do activities and exercises every day. It can weigh you in at any time, and let you know where you fall on the body mass index scale as well as giving you your weight in pounds.

The Balance Board has one drawback. Jumping seems like the natural thing to do in some of the activities, but unfortunately, it doesn't want you to jump on it. Meanwhile, the biggest problem would be the inability to set up a sequence of activities that you could run through one after the other. Wii Fit allows a player to keep track of activities outside of the game, which are then added on to the player's activity log, but not included in the daily exercise time. It gives you all these different yoga poses and exercises, but it never gives you any sort of big-picture overview of how to design a workout routine for yourself.

Even though Wii Fit isn't perfect, the feedback you get from the Balance Board makes it easily the best "exercise-game" yet. It should be great for anyone and what's good is Nintendo actually thinks about the people playing their games. This game is an excellent way to introduce a little physical activity into your daily routine -- if you can manage to find a copy. It works because it shows you everyday how much you weigh, how much time you have invested, and how well you are doing on your exercises. As for the training activities, both balance and aerobic workouts do a great job of masking the science behind them and these are probably Wii Fit's greatest strength.

To find Nintendo Wii top games, please visit http://www.videogamesmonster.com.

The Nintendo Wii Fit & Balance Board - Here They Are

By John Milligan

The Nintendo Wii Fit features four main categories of exercises to choose from: Strength Training, Aerobics, Yoga and Balance Games. Taking the revolutionary motion sensing abilities of the Wii, the Wii Fit itself features the inclusion of the Balance Board, a sturdy device placed on a flat surface, that can read the motions and gestures of anybody standing on top of it.

This nifty device features more than 40 different exercises across four areas of training such as leaning to block soccer balls, swivelling hips to power hoop twirls or balancing to hold the perfect yoga pose. These are of course fun activities, and don't forget the ski jumping and heading soccer balls, that challenge the player's overall body balance.

This is all about controlled motion using arms, legs and other body parts which in themselves include dancing, exercise, balance and dexterity games which Nintendo says will help to build muscles and provide stability.

The Wii Fit Balance Board will allow your Mum to do yoga, your Dad to do push-ups, and you to play that nifty head-the-soccer-balls-but-not-the-panda-heads mini-game that comes packaged with it. There are a slew of graphs tied in with a calendar to ensure that you stick to the programme and woe betide you if you miss a session because you'll get a good old fashioned nagging if you stay away from your Wii Fit for too long.

This system, with motion-sensing controllers and play is intended for a broad audience beyond hard-core gamers and I don't have to tell you that it's working just fine all around the world.

Fitness is about cardio-vascular, agility and stamina. Fitness and entertainment at the same time. Is it possible that the Wii Fit and the Balance Board can provide a stimulating workout? You bet it is.

John Milligan. http://www.computer-games-store.co.uk For your Nintendo Wii Fit Balance Board check out this site and don't forget to scroll down to the Amazon Store for even more choice. An excellent resource for all those consoles and games you've ever wanted, including the Nintendo Wii, Wii Fit, ps3, xbox 360 and Ipod Nano 8GB and lots more. No searching all over the web for different bargains. There's loads of choice here with all the top sellers and best prices. You certainly will not be disappointed. So, if you're hungry for that bargain console, game or accessory, then go to the website, have a good browse and enjoy your shopping experience.

Online Pro Evolution Soccer 3

By John Escribar

Have you downloaded the latest pro evolution soccer 3 game? Have you tried its previous versions? The previous versions of the game were the pro evolution soccer 1 and pro evolution soccer 2.

Pro evolution soccer 3 is a massive reworked game on the computer. It is easily downloadable by fan made modes of the game. Several features of the older versions of the pro evolution soccer games were included in the newest version. The game initiated its release for Microsoft Windows but it particularly does not support the common Geforce MX series. Additional flavors to the game were included such as new player models, ball moves (on and off) and simplified new modes for cup tournaments. Friendly matches, series of games and shop store are some of the new elements of the revolutionary game. The shop allows the player to choose their gears and equipments which will ultimately increase the players' excitement for the game. Training and soccer exhibition games were also added to the game which will help the player accumulate points. Trading is also an added feature of the game.

With trading, you get to convert certain amount of points to new stadiums, crowd effects, teams' players, and fashion statements as well as hairstyles of players which will grant the player prolonged hours of engaging with the game. The new series of revolutionary game is now fast paced with sharper versions of graphics. It is said to be the direct adaptation of the PlayStation 2 code.

New wave technology never puts a limit on what the human mind can do to meet his needs and wants. It continuously works to reach his standard of game and be amazed of his passion. This revolution is a living legacy on how the human mind works for its comfort zone and make it more fun and enjoyable.

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Answering the Call of Duty, For the 4th Time

By Brendan Durkin

I've never been a huge fan of World War 2 first person shooters. Sure I've rented Medal of Honor Airborne and previous Call of Duty games and enjoyed for a few hours; but I never had the inclination to buy one. That is of course until Call of Duty 4 came along. I played the game at a friend's house over the holidays and was very impressed by the graphics, game play and overall feeling of submersion like I was actually standing alongside fellow soldiers ready to storm a building. I hadn't had this feeling like I was actually a part of an actually gun battle since I stormed the beaches of Normandy Medal of Honor Frontline for the PS2.

I was pleasantly surprised when, after seeing me play the copy of Call of Duty 4 I rented from Blockbuster, my uncle bought me a copy of my own. Of course I played the whole game through a couple of times during Christmas break and I appreciated it well enough; but I wondered, what's next? If most of you are thinking: "What about playing it online?" I didn't even realize there was online play until I got back to school for the next semester. If you go to a school similar to mine, you pretty much get all the bandwidth you want so internet connections aren't a problem.

Call of Duty trumps any game created so far when it comes to online play. Nothing is easier to play, nor more fun or exciting. Call of Duty 4 is like a no BS version of Counter Strike and a lot more fun. The large number of maps have kept players hooked to this game since it came out last November.

My only gripe with Call of Duty 4 online is that it is so fast paced; people who prefer to be snipers are at a serious disadvantage, unless of course you have extremely good reflexes and can run and jump while looking down a rifle scope.

If you haven't played Call of Duty 4 yet, pick it up and enjoy the best online play for both the XBOX 360 and PS3.

My name is Brendan and I grew up playing video games, so whether I like it or not, they are a part of my life and many other people's as well. It is very fun for me to discuss the topic of video games so check out my blog to see more articles that talk about the gaming industry http://brendanigan.blogspot.com

Get Omnislash Disc 1 - Cloud's Final Limit of Final Fantasy 7

By R Miller

Omnislash in Disc 1 is easiest to earn right after the Temple of the Ancients. I would recommend using Cloud for the Battle Arena since he is overall the best character between stats, weapons, and limits. Make sure to equip the Nail Bat and Ribbon on him. Note that the Nail Bat does not possess any Materia slots.

Next equip Cloud with an Armor with the most Materia slots possible without losing Defense or Magic Defense. Cloud will now possess average-high Attacks, well rounded Defense/Magic Defense, and immunity to basically all status ailments (thanks to the Ribbon). Having his Level 3 Limits is highly advised as well since they are powerful. Next onto Materia configuring.

Recommended Materia
Nail Bat: No Materia slots
Armor: Restore, HP Plus, Enemy Skill (Beta, Big Guard, White Wind, Magic Hammer), Odin

Now travel to the Gold Saucer Wonder Square to stock up on Gold Saucer Points (GP). Play the Bike Mini Game 10-20 times earning 100-200 GP. Since each try at the Battle Arena is 10 GP. So in turn each game successfully completed of the Mini Bike is equivalent to one try at the Battle Arena. Food for thought.

That takes care of all the prep work. Now find the Battle Arena and start battling. Here are the most notable enemies that might cause you a pain in the back.

Appearance: Grim Reaper
Move: Joker (Instant Death)

Appearance: Jelly Blob
Move: Drain (MP)

Note: MP is crucial in the Battle Arena. It might even be more valuable than HP.

Appearance: Pirate Ship
Move: Exits you from the Battle. Annoying because you get 0 Battle Points (BP) for being thrown from the Battle in the Final Round. Defeat this enemy quickly.

Slot Battle Arena Point System In a Nut Shell
Final Round Handicaps determine how many points you will receive after defeating the last enemy. Basically the more difficult Handicaps give more BP. The No Handicap or Restore Bonuses give low BP. Try to get these Handicaps because they pay off the best.

Broken Weapons/Armor/Accessories/Materia (High BP)
Toad/Mini (Medium BP)

After earning Omnislash for between 60,000-70,000 Battle Arena Points the rest of the game will be simple. To put it simply by defeating Jenova at the end of Disc 1 with 16-hits from a devastating Nail Bat. To those of you attempting to unlock Omnislash Good Luck!

Play NES Games Online Free at http://www.originalnintendo.net World Record Speed Run for Mario Bros. 1 at http://www.originalnintendo.net/mario-bros-1-online/2008/05/mario-bros-1-speed-run.html

Video Games Overview

By Steve Dimeck

The gaming industry has been exploding in the recent years as games are not only enjoyed by the young generation. The adults are in on it too. Thanks to the computers, being one of the main contributors to this gaming phenomenon, the gaming industry has been very busy with the race of who is going to come up with the more appealing game to take over the market.

The popularity of computer and video games, as a whole, has been increasing steadily. The average age of the video game player is now 29, belying the myth that video games are largely a diversion for teenagers.

Outstandingly, computer games are becoming more and more popular and widely accepted by all generations. In the recent years especially, the so called "console gaming" has swept the world.

The end of 2005, and 2006 saw the next generation of console gaming in the form of continuing advances in processor technology, graphics technology, design innovation, and even platform specific gaming community infrastructure.

Sony, Nintendo, and Microsoft are all participating in this "technology race". The second generation Microsoft offering, the Xbox 360, is powered by a multi-core CPU. The PlayStation 3 is powered by cell processor technology. And the Nintendo Revolution allows the gamer to interact with the game via a wireless motion sensing controller.

Nowadays, some of the most popular are computer games, or sometimes called pc games, online games, consoles games, handheld games, and even believe it or not, mobile phone games.

Computer games are often more powerful than console games because of early market releases of their external architecture and graphics cards. They are played on the personal computer with standard computer interface devices such as the keyboard and mouse, or additional peripherals, such as joysticks.

Online gaming originally began with PC games, but has over time expanded to include most modern consoles. It is now a key feature of modern games, with the inclusion of Internet connectivity in consoles such as the PlayStation 2 and Xbox, and also in mobile phones.

Console games are specialized computers specifically designed to play games of a certain format. The player usually interacts with the game through a controller, and video and sound are typically delivered to the player via a television, although most modern consoles support additional outputs, such as surround sound setups.

Handheld games are played on handheld game consoles, such as the Nintendo Gameboy, Nintendo DS, and Sony PSP. Because they are designed to be played on the go, they are usually small enough to fit into an average pocket (the virtual boy is an exception to this). Due to their small size, handheld consoles have reduced processing power compared to larger consoles, meaning that games are shorter and until the release of the DS, were limited to 2D only.

For health safety, consumer alerts please visit http://www.myproductalert.com

Ninja Gaiden 2

By Max Daly

Video games are now held to new standards as of lately due to the recent releases of the new consoles, which makes it even harder for sequels to crowned as a premium title. This would be the case for the newly released Ninja Gaiden 2 for the X-Box 360! As a fan of the 360 one would anticipate the arrival of this game seeing how it's predecessor is hailed to be one of the greatest actions games of it's time. Now Ninja Gaiden 2 does not break ground into some new way to design action games but it does do a great job at being a sequel, and by that last phrase it is meant that it meets all the requirements of the game before it and includes some new aspects to get old and new players into the title and series.

Let's start with the things that Ninja Gaiden 2 does correctly. With the return of popular weapons such as the Dragon Sword, Vigoorian Flails, Windmill Shuriken, and Lunar Staff the game rewards those how have played the first game by giving the a weapon that they are comfortable with and let's new player have a same glimpse into the previous title. The game does not stop there it has given players a handful of new weapons that offer some more than original and creative ways to fight against the hoards of enemies that you will encounter in this adventure. The battle system seemingly unflawed with minor problems in fighting sequences. For example the bases of your combos are a light, quick attack and a harder, slower. No matter which sequence of attacks that you throw at certain enemies they will be simply over thrown and disregarded by the bigger enemies. This not a major problem but can be quite aggregating at times after happening a couple of times in a row.

Another thing that this title does is that it rewards the player for learning combos and pulling off more difficult maneuvers like the izuna drop which will instantly kill an enemy. The button combinations are simple enough to remember but are complex enough so that a novice could not just pick the controller and master these techniques, give the gamer a great sense of accomplishment upon finishing one of these moves. Besides the action packed battle system the boss fights are fantastic. Team Ninja does a great job of making the boss fight monumental. Whether it is achieve by making the bosses enormously huge or by giving them lightning wielding hands they certainly establish that there is always a slim to zero chance that you will be walking out of these fights alive, which make player feel great after beating any boss. The best and newest edition to the game is the new obliteration system that has been added. This system enables the player finish off enemies after severing a limb from an enemy in a quite flavorful and theatrical sequence.

Let's Alright, now that we have pointed out what is good about the game, we must bring you the bad. Now this lovely hack and slash title does have a few speed bumps on it's highway to greatness. The first and probably most important is the story. While the story is not horrible it does hold this game back from being a triple "A" title not to be forgotten. Titles like these generally don't have nor need an immense story but the story in Ninja Gaiden 2 fails to attach the player to any of the characters in the game except Ryu. This plot makes sense but stretches from fighting human ninjas in present day Japan to fighting an ancient greater fiend on top of the Statue of Liberty and continues to drop our ninja friend in vast parts of the earth and some parts that may not be on earth, leaving the gamer to wonder how in the world did this ninja get to this destination.

In addition to the weird and uncompelling story the music is lack luster and faintly in the background of the vibrant action taking place on the screen and hardly makes the player feel enraged and ready to kick butt. The last thing about the game that is a bit frustrating is the fact that the game rarely rewards you outside of the X-Box live achievements (which pretty much don't do anything) the game doesn't offer any special weapons, items or combo for your extracurricular exploration except for the non profitable crystals skulls which do absolutely do nothing.

Overall

These few flaws are not enough to stop the addicting fun of hacking ninja limbs to pieces and obliterating beast and machines with the mere commands of your buttons. Any fan of game play should pick this title up. This title lives up to the expectations of it's predecessors but doesn't go above and beyond, an daunting task to ask of any game, with all facts considered this game Ninja Gaiden 2 an illustrious...

Beefjack is a site dedicated to hardcore gamers, read more reviews & blogs (or maybe play some games !) at our website - http://www.beefjack.com

3 Ways to Customize Your Nintendo Wii Fit & Give it Character!

By Marlene Gardner

Wouldn't it be great to customize your Nintendo Wii Fit, the way you would your mobile phone? Install a unique theme, give it a brand new look and let it shine with character? The fact is, if you're willing to spend some time brainstorming how you want your Nintendo Wii Fit to look, customizing it isn't as difficult or expensive as you thought. Here are 3 ways you can do that :

(1) Spruce Up Your Balance Board With A Designer Silicon Cover

Yes, one of the easiest ways to give your Nintendo Wii Fit a refreshing look is to clad your balance board with a designer silicon cover. In an instance, you can transform your plain looking balance board into a patriotic national flag, part of a leopard's body or simply a free styled manifestation of your artistic expression. Not only does the silicon cover add an air of sophistication to your Wii Fit, it also protects the balance board from your perspiration and dirt. The non slip nature of the silicon material also prevents accidents.

In case you're wondering, nope, such silicon covers aren't expensive at all. Due to the popularity of the Nintendo Wii Fit, the supply of silicon covers have readily increased and helped to slash retail prices. You can easily get a nice functional cover sometimes for as low as $1 on eBay!

(2) Top It Up With A Great Wii Skin or Case

If having a designer styled silicon cover is not enough for you, take this a step further by dolling up your Wii console & remote control with customised skins. There are some pretty ingenius ideas on such and one of the most hilarious I've seen is the Kentucky Fried Chicken ("KFC") theme. Apparently, someone was creative enough to design the remote control custom skin in the form of a fried chicken drumstick, with the KFC logo proudly displayed on the Wii console! Although it was just a photoshopped picture, well, who knows if that would really turn out to be a best seller?

(3) Customise Your Mii Avatar

Miis are the little avatars that you create on the Wii to be used in various games and configurations. Mii, pronounced as "me" are in essence your graphical representation in the Wii world. They look like Manga versions of the characters in the comic "Peanuts" and can be modified using a series of system features to create a broad range of variation. To add some spice into your Wii Fit experience, you might want to try changing your Mii Avatar to something that represents your true personality! And if you're game for it, there are some premium services offered on the Internet to create custom made Mii avatars for the price of a cup of Starbucks coffee! Well, that's not too high a price to pay for a unique expression of your individuality, isn't it?

Marlene Gardner is a freelance writer. If you're looking to pick up Wii Fit Games, check out & buy Wii Fit related stuff here!

Devil May Cry 4 - Dante's Return

By Krishanu Bannerjee

The Devil May Cry series has a dedicated fan base all over the world. Originally a console game, DMC received overwhelming response when it was ported to PC for the first time. Since then, this series has thrilled many of us with hours of solid game play and no holds barred combat with demons, undead, evil humans and what not. The recent release of DMC 4 has further bolstered this series, giving it a leverage like never before.

As always, the game features the devil hunter Dante in the lead. As usual, Dante's power of transforming into a demon under certain circumstances has been retained. Add a loaded gun and a razor-sharp sword and you have Dante, badder than ever. This time, however, you do not get to plow through the entire game as the stylish devil hunter, a new hero is also available with whom you must play for two-thirds of the game. Enter Nero, a member of a mystical clan who is hunting Dante to avenge the murder of their leader some years back. Nero does not have an impressive arsenal like Dante, but he has a demonic arm which does come in handy in dishing out damage in spades. Nero can pull enemies from afar and throw them around, chop them up with his sword, 'the Red Queen' and shoot through their heads with his pistol, 'the Blue Rose'. The demonic arm brings a good amount of variety to the game and it is really a lot of fun pulling off tough combos in order to receive great bonuses to damage, health or other statistics. Later into the game, Nero acquires an enchanted weapon that is a wonder to behold.

When you get to control Dante, you will love the arsenal he comes with. You have the standard sword and pistol, along with some mystical weapons. His trademark style of flipping enemies through the air with his sword and shooting them through their brains has been retained. Plus, there are other cool moves which we have not seen before. The only problem with the moves is that most of them involve chopping enemies up or slamming them against structures till their skulls bleed. Not a pretty sight. This time around, there is lots of blood and gore, the game almost looks like a bloodfest. While dedicated gamers should be able to handle the buckets of blood, gamers with queasy stomach better stay away from this title. The graphic violence in this game is enough to make a grown man cringe at times.

The game has benefited from some outstanding voice acting. Dante's voice radiates anger mellowed by years of experience, while Nero's wisecracks during combat and cheerful warmth while talking to his ladylove betray his youthful exuberance deep inside. The vistas are exquisite. The levels are gorgeous, and the rendering of the bosses superb. DMC has come a long way from the wire-frame graphics featured in the first title, and the shiny, clear textures and awesome lighting effects make playing DMC 4 a memorable experience.

Krishanu Banerjee is a contributed writer for Batchmates.com the largest Alumni portal in India. With his research work and articles he has added an additional edge to the entertainment e-magazine BM Times. His articles reach to millions of readers every day which are varied in subjects.

Guitar Hero Aerosmith

By Jesse Bird

Let me just start off by saying yes, this is a good game and if you like both elements (guitar hero & Aerosmith) then you will have a good time. There, that's for the review skimmers; I know you're out there. I should also note that I'm not an expert player, in fact I'd rather learn to play while head banging as oppose to expert on hyper speed. Now then, what else can be said about this game? It's on some pretty major consoles and comes with either two guitars or a sweet Aerosmith face plate. It's the same fret button pressing action as we're use to with a lot of hammer ons and pull offs.

For starters it's basically what we wanted Rock the 80's to be dipped in Aerosmith. There's a lot of Aerosmith (as you may have guessed) but there's also some other killer bands including the Kinks, Ted Nugent, and the Cult. All the band elements are here from Joe Perry's guitars to Steve Tyler's on stage actions. This is essential for any fan of either series. The frame rate is solid and the lighting and shading effects are really sweet. I also noticed that the Aerosmith band interacts with each other on stage and a little bird told me that will be a must for the up coming Guitar hero games.

The thing that I liked the most about this game was the fact that there was live cameos, not only that, but as you play it really makes you feel like your advancing in the story. Another cool thing is the way the career is set up. You pick your GH character (same as GH3) and there the ones opening for Aerosmith. They play 2 songs and then the crowd demands you bring on Aerosmith. You now play 3 songs by the famous band, as the famous band. The old GH characters have some new styles, but they're basically the same, No Lou, Rock God, or Robot dude though. One thing that left me saying??? Was the fact the singing was oddly quiet. I mean I know this is GUITAR hero but c'mon, and the fact Run DMC was in this and a guitar player... really?

The venues in this game were pretty neat because you advance through Aerosmith's history. From the Nipmuc high school to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. If you're playing on the 360 the achievements are a lot like GH 2, not easy but not impossible. The same number note streaks are here as you may have guessed but they have Aerosmith oriented names. I mean when there's one for playing as Izzy Sparks called "Dude looks like a lady" you can't go wrong. There's no xbox controller achievement here, thank god.

Overall

One of the major downfalls in this game is that there are only roughly 40 songs and no downloadable content on the way. Just a reminder Guitar Hero 3 had more than 70 with extra content so if you're a guitar hero starter grab that one. Speaking of which there's a lot of good and bad GH3 qualities here. Some cute GH style in everything down to the text, but there's still the 50 NOTE STREAK that always screws me up. A nice quality in this game is that they're honest, if a song's a cover they tell you and you don't look stupid for sticking up for your favorite bands. Overall I had a good time playing this game and if you're a fan of both factors you will be too.

Beefjack is a site dedicated to hardcore gamers, read more reviews & blogs (or maybe play some games!) at our website - http://www.beefjack.com

Team Fortress 2

By Jacob Greco

Team Fortress 2, the long awaited sequel to the popular QuakeWorld mod from 1996, does its predecessors more then enough justice. Like the original, TF2 uses class based combat and pits up online players against each other in a number of different game modes, but this time in a very cartoon like fashion.

Probably the most appealing aspect of the game is the overall look and style. If you were to have both TF2 and Team Fortress Classic (TFC) playing beside each other, just by looking you would never figure that they were related. TFC had a very simple, basic army style; nothing special. As for TF2, the graphics are such a huge presence and are pulled off extremely well. Its "living cartoon" style, as I like to call it, is not only appealing to the eyes, but also adds a lot of humor to the game. If you were splattered into pieces by an enemy rocket, then you are treated with a properly labeled snapshot of your disassembled body parts. Even small things, like an engineer setting up one of his 4 gadgets, are enough to make you stop and watch as they are automatically assembled before your eyes.

As for the actual game play, there may not be any single player mode, but TF2 offers a lot in terms of variety online. There are 9 very different classes to choose from and switch between at any point during a match. The 9 character are split into 3 categories; Offence, Defense and Support.

In the Offensive category you'll find the Scout, the Solider and the Pyro. The main role of these characters is to charge right into the enemy base without any support. Under Defensive, you'll find the Demo Man, the Heavy, and the Engineer. Obviously, these characters were designed mainly to defend control or capture points. All three are able to lay down loads of damage over a long period of time - the Demo Man with his sticky bombs, the Heavy with his chain gun and the Engineer with his sentry - but still require lots of support. This brings us to, well, the Support characters. First we have the Medic. The Medic has low health, and can't dish out much damage, but if you want to do more helping then harming, the Medic is for you. His Medi Gun is used to heal allies up to 150% of there starting health and can also grant temporary invincibility to both the Medic and his healing target. Next is the Sniper, whose name says it all. The Sniper uses his Bolt Action Sniper Rifle to pick off enemies one by one. His machine pistol and Kukri knife are used to defend against close range attackers who are tired of constantly being reminded that they are a victim of a head shot. And last, but certainly not least, is the Spy. The Spy's main objective is to get in, and get out. Using his cloaking and disguising abilities, the spy can infiltrate the enemies defenses undiscovered, and use "Electro Sappers" to knock out all of an Engineer's gadgets, then finish him off with a backstab with his butterfly knife.

As you can plainly see, there's something, or someone rather, for everyone in TF2. Each character has there own feel and personality which opens the game up to more then just the hardcore FPS audience. All of the characters voices are very distinct and memorable; you'd never mistaken a distant ally Pryo for a Medic when he yells to warn you of a nearby enemy Spy, because the Medic has a strong German accent and the Pyro...well who knows what the Pyro's saying. Enough about the characters, what about the environments? One thing that can be said about TF2's level selection is that it's few but still fantastic. At release there may have only been about 6 different levels to play in, but all of them were and still are extremely fun to experience, and now with so many user generated maps there's even more reason to keep playing, not to mention the fact that Valve is preparing new content to be released in the near future, including new maps, weapons and game play modes.

Overall

Fantastic art direction, unique characters and weapons, and overall excellent game play. I truly feel that TF2 will be the most fun people will have playing a FPS since "Goldeneye 007"; and let me tell you, I played a lot of Goldeneye back in the day. With its eye catching visuals and character based humor, this is a must have for any PC gamer looking for some online multiplayer action and a hell of a good time.

8.8 out of 10

Beefjack is a site dedicated to hardcore gamers, read more reviews & blogs (or maybe play some games !) at our website - http://www.beefjack.com

Audiosurf - PC

By Jacob Greco

Everyone loves music. Or, at least likes it. Listening to music is one thing, but have you ever though of "riding" it? Dylan Fitterer has created great way of doing so, and its called Audiosurf.

Audiosurf is an independently developed game for the PC that is digitally distributed by Valve Corp. (Steam). The player chooses a song and "rides". The game loads up a track and chooses the background color that best suite the tempo, volume, and overall sound of the song selected. For example, if you were to choose the song "The Rockafeller Skank" by Fat Boy Slim, then chances are the system will choose to use a white background, because the song is very upbeat. Playing something like "Idealistic" by Digitalism, which is a lot darker and "bassier", for lack of a better term, will more then likely come up in a black background. The previously stated is the most amazing part of playing Audiosurf. The fact that you can choose to play any song you have on your computers hard drive and the track will change to better suite the song.

The amazing mechanics don't end there. Another amazing thing the track will do while playing is change the angle of the slope you're continuing down. If there's a part in the song that is slower or quieter, the slope angle upwards. If the song has a section where there is a lot going on, or the tempo increases, then the track will slope downwards and move much faster.

There are many different modes to try out in Audiosurf. Each one is filled with blocks called "cars". These cars are traveling in the opposite direction as your car. If you're playing in the Mono mode, then the cars will either be grey or coloured. Your objectives in this mode are to avoid making contact with the grey cars and collect as many coloured ones as possible. If you're playing in any other mode, then your objective is to collect coloured cars in groups of 3 in order to wipe them off the track and gain points.

Audiosurf does a good job of keeping its players happy. Every week, Dylan will release a few playable tracks for everyone to use. This causes some automatic competition among the online players. Scores for these songs and any others you play are posted online as long as you are connected and logged in, so everyone will always be reaching for that #1 spot. There are also achievements implemented into the game that are also fun to go after when you're looking for a challenge.

Audiosurf not only excels in the area of audio, but visually it's just as good. With a decent graphics card and the settings turned to max, watching Audiosurf is almost as much fun as playing it. Every time your car hits another, a firework-like explosion of what ever color you hit will go off in the background. This makes the game a real visual pleasure.

Overall

With new content every week plus what ever new music you pick up, you will never get bored of this game. With its great range and low price, Audiosurf is a must have for any one who is into games like Guitar Hero or even F-Zero, along with anyone who just loves music.

Beefjack is a site dedicated to hardcore gamers, read more reviews & blogs (or maybe play some games !) at our website - http://www.beefjack.com

Don King's Prizefighter

By Duncan Lawson

Don King Presents: Prizefighter is the latest attempt on the Xbox 360 to add depth to an existing genre, which in gaming terms will shortly be found in the bargain bin muttering that it could have been a contender, and could have been somebody.

Boxing, despite its simple premise of two gentlemen in shorts punching each other repeatedly until a bell rings or someone looses an ear, is a very difficult sport to competently translate into a game. There have been valiant attempts to loosen the gaming pugilists feet of clay, but this isn't one of them. The fighting invariably becomes a graceless, desperate slugfest with both sides blindly hammering at each other until a pre-determined special punch can be delivered. The punch lands, one man falls, gets up a few seconds later and the whole horrible show is repeated at least four or five times.

The controls of Prizefighter are probably one of the more competently arranged aspects, with 4 basic punches mapped on to the face buttons, the right trigger toggling these between body and head shots, and a right and a left uppercut performed by X and Y or A and B simultaneously. A few extra buttons involve ducking and weaving and raising your guard, and despite the speed at which this will all get thrown at you in the initial training bout, it becomes intuitive quickly, enabling you to find the punch you want even in the thick of the action.

The individual punches do snap out with a reasonable enthusiasm, and if judged entirely on one fighter throwing and landing one punch, it would be a pretty good title. Unfortunately Prizefighter falls apart when the gamer has the audacity and poor sportsmanship to then want to land a following, associated blow rather than wait patiently for the other chaps turn. The concept of combinations is essentially non existent here, and rather than being able to fluidly string together punches as the situation calls for it, a-ducking and a-weaving, there are instead a grand total of about four 3-hit combinations that actually work to any extent and you'll find yourself repeating those over and over.

As you chip away at your opponent, in the bottom right hand corner an adrenaline meter will fill up based on successful hits. There are sections three in this meter of might, each one representing the use of a special punch. Landing one of these jawbreakers will make short work of the majority of the opponents health bar, and if not already decked a few follow up knocks will put them down. These punches are pretty much the match deciders, cheapening all the other pugilistic action into simply frenetic chipping at each other until unleashing a wild and career-ending gazelle punch. I pity the fool, most sincerely. Should all three of the adrenal bars fill up then you can use your secret weapon, reveal your true form, play your trump card, unleash your ultimate secret technique or whatever other madness the characters in anime tend to say before glowing, changing colour and kicking the stuffing out of the antagonist. In this iteration the screen will go misty red and you will briefly become the berserker foretold in legend, each punch a hammer blow and a knockdown effectively guaranteed.

The animation and mapping of the character models is far from terrible, but is by the same token unimpressive. The graphical moments that will stand out are the fairly frequent clipping problems when a forearm will phase right through an opponents head, or an allegedly successful punch will fall noticeably short in what looks to be a parody of bad fight choreography on 70's Star Trek. Given that the programmers has exactly two characters to animate and get the modelling right for, moving slowly insides a very limited space, and one of which is always you anyway, it seems odd that the fighters often seem so disassociated from each other actions.

So the actual boxing in Prizefighter isn't up to much, and you'll probably get a better sense of pugilism in Wii Sports, but what does Mr King intend to distract us from these shortcomings with? What does the man who's added almost as many hybrid words to parlance as President Bush proffer to dazzle us? Will there be spectaclarosity, or will the whole show be a victim with extreme fectaculosity of its own magnormous pompestuity? (All genuine King-isms)

It's mostly the latter, as all Prizefighter has to offer in the stead of a competent fight mechanic is FMV sequences, repetitive stat-building minigames, the Adrenalin system and an unimpressive build-a-fighter option. It truly is a Don King game - where the hoopla outside of the ring is overhyped to pull focus from the dubious nature of what goes on within it. In career mode you will fight as The Kid, biffing your way up from the grimy neighbourhood gym to the big time heavyweight champeen title in Vegas. The level progression is dictated by winning three or four fights, followed by taking down the regional champion before moving up to a higher bracket of boxers and winning purses. The fight money is in fact purely decorative, and the only discernable purpose of being told how much you win is as a vague gauge of the opponent's difficulty level, but this is frequently inconsistent. It's the FMV sequences that are played through every couple of brackets or so that actually introduces the Don King elements, as the take the form of a sports documentary following your career. As well as Mr King lending us his splendiferous sagacity, there's a cast of trainers, ex-girlfriends, agents, family members and actual genuine boxers and sports pundits spinning out some sort of background against which the repetitive fights are meant to have meaning. What is confusing is you can't really tell who in the footage is meant to be a character and who is making a cameo appearance.

A few of the boxers you'll recognise, several of the sport journalists are clearly the real deal, but many of the pundits act so badly its actually hard to tell between them and the its-either-this-or-porn character actors. I'm looking at you, actor turned sports documentary maker Mario Van Peebles. There's a few snarling panto villains, a sleazy agent, and of course Don King who already walks amongst us a caricature of a caricature. It's highly ignorable and adds exactly nothing to the drama or lack thereof within the ring.

Between fights your character will be given the opportunity to train up their statistics (strength, stamina, agility and dexterity) on two of four gym routines - shuttle run, heavy bag, focus mitts, jump rope and speed bag. The large number of overall fights your boxer will be put through, and the concomitant amount f time you'll spend in the gym means that you will slowly build quite a specific boxer statistics wise. Even small changes in your fighter's stats do actually make themselves felt in the ring, so there is a decent sense of progression and gaining competence. However, the gym routines are themselves uniformly dull, at best an uninspired Guitar Hero rhythm game, at worst an actual chore to perform. You'll be spending a lot of time in the gym, which translates as hours repeating the same four repetitive exercises, which I'm sure is a fairly accurate portrayal of intensive gymnastic regimens, but not a good way to make a fun game.

Boxing, despite its simple premise of two gentlemen in shorts punching each other repeatedly until a bell rings or someone looses an ear, is a very difficult sport to competently translate into a game. There have been valiant attempts to loosen the gaming pugilists feet of clay, but this isn't one of them. The fighting invariably becomes a graceless, desperate slugfest with both sides blindly hammering at each other until a pre-determined special punch can be delivered. The punch lands, one man falls, gets up a few seconds later and the whole horrible show is repeated at least four or five times.

Breaks from the monotony are offered in the way of special events being offered to you instead of one of your limited training slots before a fight. Some of these will be training events, where you will retreat into the mountains to fight bears or whatever, and come back a week later with your stats boosted at the cost of your image in the public eye. Conversely, you can accept offers to hang out in the coolest bar with the VIP and the movie stars which will increase your popularity at the cost of some of your statistics. The benefit of being more famous, aside from pointlessly boosting the prize money of each fight, is to start each fight with elevated levels of adrenaline, putting the wrecking ball punch in closer reach. This initially interesting system lacks the strength of its conviction, as fully partaking of either route will ultimately be detrimental to your fighter's chances, the game pushing you towards a pedestrian balance.

For variety, Old Trainer Joe (or whatever his name is) will every so often be found sitting in your office, replacing the option to train further or book another fight. With a sigh of exasperated tolerance usually reserved for talkative elderly relatives you will click on and be forced to play through a 'classic' match of old, featuring bygone boxing legends. You can tell its in the past due to the colours giving way to sepia and the warbling jazz track playing in the background, see? These matches don't really go anywhere or benefit your career mode in any way, and can usually be actually lost in short order just to get them out of the way. It's actually quite galling to have spent the last three hours squeezing up your stats in just the way you've been planning to then be repeatedly sidelined into the body of a preset historical figure that reacts with the comparative grace and dexterity of a buffalo. Yes, thank you Old Trainer Joe, have a toffee, come back anytime, ooh look your television show is on, would you like a blanket? From these episodes you learn or divine nothing except once upon a time people would not automatically demand a refund if it turned out to be two white guys fight.

Designing your own fighter is a predictably unsuccessful feature. As with nearly every other title that has given you the chance to facially design your character by altering the values for eyes, nose, brow, cheekbones, etc you will inevitably end up with something that looks like it came from a very insular community where everyone has the same surname. It is at least a chance to enjoy the pure science fiction of creating a London born Caucasian with a beard who could become the boxing champion of anywhere more than his own front room or outside Wetherspoons on a Saturday night.

The online multiplayer fights for Prizefighter involve some almost inexplicable choices. The entire mechanic of the fights has been changed, doing away completely with the depleting health bar over the course of multiple knockdowns, instead requiring a special punch to be delivered to have any sort of lasting impact what so ever. What was originally an onerous chipping away in pursuit of the sucker punch career mode is exacerbated five-fold in multiplayer. The result is a repetitive flurry of blind blows reminiscent of little girls fighting, if little girls fighting eventually culminated in one of them lamping the other right in the nose.

Beefjack is a site dedicated to hardcore gamers, read more reviews & blogs (or maybe play some games !) at our website - http://www.beefjack.com