video games
|
joy sticks
GamePipeline.com - We Deliver Fun!
More Video Games ...
Video Games
Video Games - the online shopping center The original MotoGP already pleasantly surprised a lot of people when they tried it with their Xbox live demo disc. The second iteration improves even further. Please don't confuse this game (from THQ) with another game with same name on PC and PS2 which is completely different, from different developers. I got a taste of this game from a pre-release demo version. The developers (THQ) did a good job of keeping what worked well in the original and improved further in areas that lacked. The people who made this game definitely paid attention to small details, and when all is added up together, it results in a high quality game. The graphics are further improved (I didn't think this was possible), distant scenery are added such as mountains and cities in the horizon. The detail of the bikes are much higher, you can see dirt scrapes and wrinkled metal after you have a wipe out. These are just some of the examples, there are much more that's hard to explain, but the result is the most immersive visual experience I have ever seen in a game. The screenshots don't do justice, you have to see a demo or replay of it in action to get a better sense of the environment. I spent a few minutes after my first race just watching the replay a couple of times to take in all the sights and sounds. It was as if I was actually at the races. There are about 6 different camera views while racing, from low behind the windscreen to a rider's eyelevel, to about 10 ft high behind your bike. The game is smooth, yet fast. Smooth in the sense that everything looks and behaves realistically, but fast just like a real motorcycle race. Nothing behaves like it was pre-programmed, everything seems to flow and collide like in real life, even crashes when your body is thrown off the bike and tumbles, it looks very realistic (and painful). The sounds are also noticeably improved. The engines sound more authentic, not the generic buzz like the original. You can get a sense of where other riders are around you just by the sound, which helps a lot so you don't have to glance behind to see who's there. The race announcer can be heard in the distance as you approach the grandstands. Also new is wind noise that is a constant low hum that changes slightly depending on your speed. Gameplay is at its best, along with the solid physics from the original, wet traction handling is even more realistic (though you can reduce the realism in the options if you're a beginner). When you try to steer the bike, you are actually making your rider lean that way just like in real life. It is not the instant turn-on-a-dime type of steering in most console racers. There is real inertia and a solid substantial feel in the bikes. I can actually feel the torque generated by the engine when the throttle is turned all the way up. As you accelerate, the bike has a natural tendency to raise in the front, and you have to consciously push down in the front to keep the front wheels down (very much like real-life high-powered race motorcycles). It's enjoyable just riding the bike on the track at my own pace watching the scenery and feel the bike instead of racing. Similar to that feeling you get when just cruising down a highway on a motorcycle. There is a competition mode called stunt mode were you get to do just that, try to pull off wheelies, endos, burnouts to score points rather finish first. All the stunts simulate what can be done on a real bike. There are 16 tracks total (6 more than original game). You can create your own custom rider and bike with a lot of options in their graphic design and show them off to others when racing online. The xbox live interface is simple, intuitive, and useful. Unlike so many other xbox live games, this is one of the few games where you can actually see the name of who is speaking when a voice comes on ingame. The new replay option is also a great feature, you can watch the entire race through about a dozen different camera angles and different riders. I am not exaggerating when I say this title is almost beyond just a racing game, it's a racing experience. A completely immersive experience for two and maybe three of your senses (Visual, audio, and even feel). We're just missing the taste of the sweat and dirt, and the smell of the engine exhaust. Perhaps in Xbox 2 and beyond? For now, grab your copy of MotoGP2 and you won't be disappointed. At least check this game out even if you're not a motorcycle racing fan. ... Read more -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Return to Castle Wolfenstein: Tides of War Average Customer Review: Video Game (08 May, 2003) -- our price: US$49.99 Canada | United Kingdom | Germany | France Description From the Manufacturer You are B.J. Blazkowicz, a U.S. Army Ranger recruited by the OSA and the Allies' top specialist in covert operations, heavy weapons, and assassination. Hitler's head of the SS, Heinrich Himmler, is twisting science and the occult into an army capable of annihilating the Allies. He must be stopped. The balance of victory is in your hands. Mission mode: Assume the role of B. J. Blazkowicz, an Army Ranger tasked with infiltrating the deepest realms of the Third Reich to thwart Himmler's occult and genetic experiments. Initially teamed with another OSA operative, Agent One, Blazkowicz begins his journey in Egypt, where he'll uncover the early stages of Himmler's plans. After being grounded by anti-aircraft artillery fire, he must overcome capture and the death of his new partner as he battles throngs of the Fuhrer's brainwashed soldiers and hordes of zombies in an epic campaign that spans the globe—from Egypt to Norway to the heart of Nazi Germany. Twisted and frightening enemies: Including SS guards patrolling forests and secret military installations, zombies unleashed in ancient crypts, mutant X-creatures (products of the hideous, secret X-lab facilities), and the terrifying Occult Priest. Made for the Xbox: Return to Castle Wolfenstein: Tides of War delivers Dolby Digital 5.1 audio; new monsters, weapons, and useable items; an expanded story line, including new missions, co-op play, and full Xbox Live; and System Link multiplayer support for the definitive Xbox experience. Tactical combat: Every situation is different, and players must survey each potential combat situation and decide how best to approach the combat, by either using stealth or overwhelming firepower. With a robust scripting system and life-like A.I. and animation systems, tactical combat reaches all-new levels. ... Read more Customer Reviews (19) Return of the classic... I got this game 2 days before the release date. I played it before on PC so I didn't really expect anything new. In fact I only bought it for cooperative multiplayer mode (split screen). It was a nice surprise straight out of the box. Not only you get additional levels (beggining only), new weapons but AI is really impressive to. This game really forces you to rethink your strategies. Stealth is really more important than both guns blazing open approach. Yes it's a still good fashioned first person shooter. Yes you still get to fire big guns. You just have to think and rationalize many times if it's worth to shoot the guy or just use stealth to stab him. Now pros and cons of the game. Lets start with pros: - multiplayer mode: both for xbox live and cooperative on the single unit. I'm sick and tired of competing against my friends. Usually one who wins is one who has the most amount of hours behind the controller. In cooperative mode both of you can work together and since most likely you sit next to each other calling out moves, shots and pick ups makes it fun. - extra levels. I knew that some of them will overlap what I had on the pc but extra levels right off the bat was really nice. Levels are well constructed so the flow of the original game was not interrupted. - weapons. Real performance and realistic sound effects. Firing in small room changes the way that weapon sounds. Reloading is crucial and since you don't really get that much ammo you really have to be careful. New weapon: shotgun. Good ol' American pump action 12 gauge is a perfect cure for them pesty Nazis. -controls. Straight out of the box, natural for any gamer (very intuitive). -special items. I mean it's a good thing that they are there but in the end I happened to very rarely use them. But that's maybe I finished this game once (PC) without them so I didn't see where would they fit. -AI. Enemy is well conditioned, they listen and attack the right way. Yes every now and than one of the soldiers make a dumb move but hey they are grunts, not all that bright. -Bonus game. After you finish playing the one player game you will get a full original Wolf 3D. How cool is that? And cons: -Graphics. Don't get me wrong they are good but not as good and clear as halo or pc version of Wolf. I guess since environment is so intense some of the details had to be sacrificed. -Automatic load function. Lets say you run out of ammo and than pick up some. Last weapon you used will be loaded. But if you picked up just 4 or 5 rounds and your last weapon was a machine gun it doesn't do me any good. I will not really hit much due to poor rifle accuracy. I would have much rather have the pistol loaded. -Difficulty level. Sometimes it feels like that just by running around you get stuff done. I mean setting a higher difficulty level will generate more enemies and will make it hard to kill them but the basic idea to find and pull the switch is the same. -Super natural element. Aliens, zombies and robots really have no place in WWII based game. That's just my opinion. But on the positive note it adds variety. -weapon scrolling. With full arsenal it's a pain to get to your favorite weapon. -no saves in cooperative split screen mode!! That's just plainly wrong. Of course once you finish the game in single player mode you have access to all the levels anyway. In the end it's a good game. Maybe not as good as Halo, little different than Medal of Honor but quite fun. Multiplayer for Xbox life is excellent gives this game a high play value. I can see my self already replaying certain missions over and over again. I think I played the Airfield assault like 10 times. It's just pure fun. ONE OF THE BEST XBOX RELEASES TO DATE The game's single-player component is extremely well executed. Some missions (like the airport) are so well designed that you will want to revisit them even when you finished the game. The multiplayer component of the game is just the finest Xbox gaming experience you are going to have for months to come. It's so much more realistic, action-packed and dynamic than anything else that's been released for Xbox so far. Overall, the game has superb graphics, sound, and story line. Definitely one of the best Xbox games released so far. A truely Addictive Game I bought this game today and told myself i was going to limit myself to only a few minutes of play. I have a collge final tomorrow. Well, long story short... 5 hours later i would consider myself an expert on a few multiplayer maps. This is hands down the best non sports game for Xbox Live. Most people will be buying this for its Live capabilities only(including myself). I can't begin to describe the fun this game is. Buy it for sure. You should also get Xbox Live, it makes this game sooo much better. My personal favorite mission is the Beach one. I love being on the Allied forces just because i like being the aggressor. It is good to switch sides every now and then though. Xbox is the best system on the market, and this game is one of its newest and best titles. I give it 1000 stars out of 5. ... Read more -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Enter the Matrix ( Xbox Edition ) Average Customer Review: Video Game (15 May, 2003) -- our price: US$49.99 Canada | United Kingdom | Germany | France Description From J&R Music and Computer World Enter the Matrix takes the world of the Matrix and brings it home to you, in this mind-bending, interactive tale of survival! In this incredible story written by the creators of the film, players will take on the roles of Niobe and Ghost, two central characters in The Matrix: Reloaded Authentic photo-realistic designs and martial arts action draw you in and immerse you in the experience of the filmReceive guidance from the Oracle and rewrite the laws of physics when you enter Bullet TimeUse your guns, fists and wits as you survive car chases in the Matrix and pilot hoverships in the Desert Of The RealPreviously unseen footage bring this story to life and tie it directly to the film -- you'll see how your in-game actions affect the movie! ... Read more Customer Reviews (73) About 1/2 way through I have the Xbox version of the game and am about halfway through. My thoughts so far: The game features a parallel plotline to Matrix: reloaded, with many of the characters from the movie featured in the interspersed video clips and rendered footage. For example, the first sequence is about Niobe recovering the data about the sentinels digging toward Zion. There are characters we get to see in more detail, which is fun. Production quality is very high, as no expense was spared and the same sets and props were used as in the movie. Gameplay - the gameplay is very good. With the "focus" ability (aka bullet-time), there are tons of fun ways to dispatch enemies. There are puzzle aspects in the game, but a 3d arrow keeps one from getting too lost. There are fighting, driving, and 3 person shooter aspects and all are well done. However - they are not perfect. No one type of the game (such as driving) will outshine a good dedicated game of that type. What you're paying for is the Matrix environment. That environment is fun. For example, you get to explore that French character's chateau while killing his vampire-like henchmen. Some of the rooms, such as the double staircase, are straight from the movie. (BTW - anyone think the French guy is a previous incarnation of Neo?). For the first third of the movie the environments are kind of industrial and drab - but much like the movie. I played through Halo right before Matrix, and in terms of pure gameplay, interactivity, etc- Halo wins hands down. Matrix does offer complementary info to the movie and the whole tie-in that will appeal to many gamers and Matrix fans. Some of the game is about protecting other members of the team and not just yourself, so there are some tectics involved and not just "barge in and beat 'em up." Some gripes - the enemies discover you too easily. You will be given instructions like "stay out of sight" and so you try to use cover and be sneaky - only to be instantly seen when you inevitably have to run to another piece of cover. Also, you can snipe someone from a half mile away, but the instant you do every enemy will know exactly where you are and begin firing, unlike in Halo where they rarely picked up on your position if you were far enough away. Also, enemies will appear based on your location. So in one area where one has to blow up a turbine, enemies appear forever (I assume to keep pressure on) while you are on the turbine upper level, mostly shooting at your team members, but step down to the lower level six feet down in the same environment, and they magically stop appearing and the pressure is off. All in all - for Matrix fans, buy it! Non-fans, it's an OK game and you should probably rent it first. I was unsure at first The Xbox version is awesome. The controls are easy to remember, and its not annoying. The game experience is incredible! theirs 2 different modes you con use, normal and Focus (aka bullet-time) (dodge the bullets!) You start off in similar room as in the first movie where the huge battle scene in the mable hallway with the pillars (which in this game u can shoot and break) and its a good level to get familar with the controls. As for fighting, i was in awe. When you ativate focus you can run up the wall and backflip, while kicking the police officer in the face, another you can sidewalk on the wall and then break their necks (sounds gorry but theres no blood, thats why its a Teen rating (i think). Guns. Your guns are awesome, when in focus mode you can jump into the air, almost launching at the bullets, dodge them and then kick some ... while shooting back. You get the choise of being Niobe or Ghost. Same story just in 2 different perspectives. If u want to get to know the game, choose Niobe, shes fast and strong and with both charaters having 300 different focus type moves, you'll play both of them :) hope this help, in my opinion, this is the game of the year. Have fun! A surprisingly fun movie tie-in It's hard to say exactly where Enter the Matrix, avaible on X-Box as well as three other platforms, got it's main inspiration. The first impulse is to name The Matrix Reloaded, to which it ties in to, but more careful thought will trace it to Max Payne, the first 3rd-person shooter to use a play device where you slow down time during the game in order to more effectively battle your enemies. Of course, Max Payne got it's inspiration from the original Matrix movie.......... Whatever should get the credit, Enter the Matrix is a very fun and easily playable shooter. You start by picking one of two characters from the movie, Niobe or Ghost. The controls on X-Box start out a tad awkwardly, but are easy to get used to. There is no tutorial, but useful hints on how to play the game pop up as you progress to slide you into the game. The action is so well done that in almost no time you'll be able to jump across rooftops, battle 4 policemen at once in hand to hand combat, and flip off walls while emptying your guns into your enemies. The learning curve is almost non-existenet, and even infrequent gamers won't have much trouble getting into it. The game uses real life footage actually written and directed by the Wachowski brothers, and most of it creates an interesting backdrop to the film. For example, in the film the freedom fighters attack a power plant. While in the film the scene lasts only seconds, in the game you see how the rebels carried out an attack on the complex in order to destroy it. While the movie and the game aren't crucial to each other by any means, the tie-in is very nicely done. The graphics are no big deal. A lot of clipping problems and such arise through the course of the game, but on the whole everything is more than passable. The game definitely does a good job of capturing the look of the movie, at any rate, and the feel. The game really shines upon the appearence of the near invincible Agents, where emptying a whole clip in their direction and your best martial arts moves only serve to slow them down. It can be very panicky to run away from them, aware that a slight slow down will result in an unwinnable close fight. See Shopping Guide for Computer & Video Games - Xbox See all images Click image to enlarge Brute Force Average Customer Review: Video Game (30 May, 2003) -- our price: US$49.99 Canada | United Kingdom | Germany | France Description
video games 2
video games 3
site map
index-games
