Amazon.co.uk Review

Ever wondered what would happen if the worlds of Final Fantasy and Disney collided? It’s an odd concept to be sure, but from the most schizophrenic of acorns the mighty gaming oak of Kingdom Hearts has grown. Legendary role-playing game makers Square have been given unprecedented liberties with the entire Disney universe and have created a game featuring everything from The Nightmare Before Christmas to The Little Mermaid. This is odd enough in itself when you have characters as disparate as Tarzan and Donald Duck teaming up, but becomes majorly freaky when Square thrown in a variety of their own characters such as Cloud, Squall, and Aeris from the various Final Fantasy games. But this incongruity has one side benefit in that the storyline behind the game is by necessity rather vague, which seems to have stopped Square from filling three CDs full of their usual New Age whining about Mother Earth. Instead they’ve spent even more time on the graphics, and the end result is a quite stunning 3-D cartoon.

As for the gameplay, it may come as a surprise to learn that it doesn’t actually feature, as all the Final Fantasy games do, turn-based combat. Instead it's essentially a scrolling beat-'em-up-cum-platformer with exactly the kind of complicated Square-style knobs you’d expect. The game may be a little shallow, but it’s an impressive artistic achievement and to be quite frank any title that allows you to magically summon Bambi out of thin air to attack evil demons of the underworld has got to be worth some sort of recommendation. --David Jenkins ... Read more

Reviews (949)

RPG fan or not, you're sure to like this game!
Kingdom Hearts was the first RPG I have ever played, and now, that I have played most of the Final Fantasies, this is still my favourite, along withh FF7. This game is absolutly beautyfiul in every way, from the way the cartoon characters move in their new 3D version to the way this game brings a tropical island to life.

The story starts out on the Destiny Islands, and you play Sora, a 14 year old who lives on the island with his friends Kairi and Riku. Selphie (FF8), Tidus and Wakka (FFX) make appearences as well. After Sora's island is destroyed by the Heartless, a sinister force that can take and destroy people's hearts, he ends up in Traverse Town eher he meets Donald and Goofy. You meet plenty of toher FF and Disney characters here.

They include Leon, Aerith, Yuffie, Cid, Cloud, Sephiroth, Pongo and Perdita, Merlin, The Fairy Godmother, Maleficent, The Queen of Hearts, Alice, The Cheshire Cat, The White Rabbit, Card Soldiers, Tarzan, Jane, Clayton, Terk, Kala, Kertchak, Hercules, Hades, Phil, Jafar, Aladdin, Jasmine, Abu, Iago, Genie, Carpet, Geppetto, Pinocchio, Jiminy Cricket, Ariel, Sebastian, King Triton, Flounder, Flotsam, Jetsam, Jack Skellington, Oogie Boogie, Sally, Zero, the Mayor, Dr. Finkelstein, Lock, Shock, Barrel, Captain Hook, Peter Pan, Wendy, Tinker Bell, Mr. Smee, Beast, Belle, Aurora, Cinderella, Snow White and Chernabog. There are also 6 Disney summons as well; Simba, Bambi, Dumbo, Tinker Bell, Mushsu and Genie.

If you say you've played the best games on PS2, you haven't played anything until you try this game! Sure, it may seem corny, but trust me, this game is worth the money!

One of the best games I've played in awhile
This game is simply incredible, to start off, the voice cast is exceptional for a video game. Many big names make up the voice crew starting with the main protagonist, a boy named Sora, who is voiced masterfully by Haley Osment. Aeris from FF7 is voiced by Mandy Moore and Sephiroth is voiced by Lance Bass. The Disney Characters are almost all voiced by their commonly known actors, (James Wood and Jodi Benson, etc.)

Many people are skeptical of buying this game because of their natural prejudice against anything made by Disney, if you are one of these people and look at this like looking through a window painted black then you will miss out on one hell of a game!

The gameplay, based around an action RPG combat system where everything occurs in real time, is unlike any other. It's easy to get into but difficult to master, you will have to be able to flip through your item inventory while fighting off baddies and trying to stay alive. The battles vary from casting magic spells on foes from a distance or going toe to toe with the enemy in a clash of swords. Along your way you will encounter Goofy and Donald Duck who will join up with you on your quest, you probably think that sounds wussy but you'll be glad to have them along. Goofy is more of a fighter/defensive character while Donald is more of a caster/offensive character. They are both controlled by computer AI that you can adjust to fit your strategic needs.

The storyline is very unique being that it combines Final Fantasy characters colliding with Disney. It has the usual run off the mill villainry of the evil Disney characters trying to accomplish their wicked schemes in their corresponding worlds. This may sound stereotypical but it is mostly done in an interesting more intriguing way than you would expect. On top of Disney's baddies are Final Fantasy characters that you'll end up fighting, early on you'll have a few mock duels with Tidus, Wakka, and you'll even end up crossing blades with Squall!

I'm still playing through the early stages of the game but from what I've seen so far this will be a title to be remembered.

Keeps you entertained
It has been several years since i have purchased this game, I have been playing this game since 2000, and i am still completly entertained. Replay value is very high. The real time battle sytem of the game will keep you both awake and alert throughout the ENTIRE game. I give the graphics a 4 out of 5, and the cinnematics are splendid. Story line is very deep and will just suck you in. After a couple of hours, you will feel very connected to your character. i can safely say that anyone who purchases this game should be more than stisfied. The only complain i do have is there are not enough CG, and that people who will use special attacks might accidentaly use the wrong one.

this game rules
Kingdom hearts is the best game I have you have to find a way to get it its so much fun....
I OWN IT I THINK ITS HOT

An AWESOME game
I started playing this game when I was 11 and its so much fun, Ive re-played and beaten it 8 times since then (Im 13 now) It has an amazing storyline, one that makes you never want to stop playing. This is probably one of my all time favorite video games, and thats saying a lot :P If you don't like the Final Fantasy series, I still recomend buying this game. There isn't a lot in it about the FF series, just a few of the characters who have minor roles.

This game is also incredibly cheap for how much fun it is. I would definitly get this game. ... Read more

Amazon.com Review

Each installment of the Final Fantasy series has featured strongstorytelling, characterization, and strategic combat, fun minigames, and hoursupon hours of captivating gameplay. The 10th title in the series is noexception. This is the first time a Final Fantasy game has appeared on thePlayStation2, and it takes full advantage of the increased technicalcapabilities.

The story this time concerns Tidus, a blond-haired star of a sport calledBlitzball. While he is playing in a match, Tidus's city is attacked by an evilforce called Sin, and everything is destroyed save Tidus and his guardian Auran.The adventure begins as the pair are somehow transported to another world. Fromhere on, it's standard Final Fantasy gameplay: fight battles, manage experiencepoints, learn new powers, and recruit a motley crew of nonplayer characters tojoin your quest.

The graphics, however, take things to a new level. They are amazing not only fortheir realism, but also for their imaginative art design. The world these heroesinhabit is breathtakingly beautiful, flowing, and full of inventive surprises.You haven't lived until you've surfed cables high in the air, or ridden agraceful airship through the clouds. The stunning effects are on display whenyou use magic in combat, summon gigantic monsters, and use fire columns todevastate your foes.

One new element is voice acting. The innovation yields predictably mixedresults: it's wonderful to hear spoken dialogue rather than read subtitles, butas with most games translated from Japanese, the acting is mediocre andsometimes unintentionally hilarious.

Still, the game's new graphics engine and solid gameplay are sure to please fansof the series waiting to see what Square has in store for them. While FinalFantasy X doesn't offer much innovation, it also doesn't disappoint. Andfortunately, with Final Fantasy XI already in development, the title isstill a misnomer. --Andrew S. Bub

Pros:

• Gorgeous graphics
• Epic story line
• Voice acting

• Little innovation
• The voice acting is sometimes laughable

Reviews (1298)

Incredible
My first impression of the game was that it would have a summoner type feel (which isn't bad, but not usual FF to me.) However, the game has a very well done story line. Good voice acting and it flushes out the characters so well that they talk to each other and goof on each other in battle. The graphics are very good, though a little jittering and jagged edges on the vector at times. The cutscenes however are superb, and almost movie like in quality.
The game has a great combat interface, though I am not sure yet if I like the sphere system for gaining skills and abilities.

The storyline seems good so far and I am approximately 10 hours in. The music is very good, but I still think the FF3 soundtrack is the best one ever. Overall this is turning out to be my favorite in all the FF series that I have played.

......Um....Sorry...
A while back, when this game first came out, I wrote a review that was insulting. Well, I was mad, and had to let out some steam. I was wrong. This game is pretty cool....I guess...But it isn't quite Squaresoft quality. I still believe Final Fantasy 9 and Final Fantasy Tactics are the best, but this ones' okay. This one DOES have a neato plot, with the huge plot twist involving "Sin" and the Summoners with their "Final Summoning" Thingy, but Final Fantasy Tactics beats it in the storyline catagory (though definatly not in the graphics catagory, I'll admit to that!). The characters are all right (I still hate Wakka, but Tidus is alright), but Final Fantasy 9 and 3 have awesome characters. So all in all, it is pretty decent, I even feel like playing it (heck, I own it now), but I would've rathered something closer to that of past Final Fantasys.

Pros:
1. Cool plot twist
2. Grand Graphics
3. Voice Overs
4. Blitz Ball is pretty cool
5. Masamune returns!

Cons
1. Plot doesn't kick in for a good while
2. A few horrible characters ruin the cast for me at least
3.
4. Ultima Weapon is no where to be found.....

By the way, I now relieze that Seymore is not at all the main enemy....boy was I ignorant!

Still Not the Final Fantasy
I really enjoyed Final Fantasy X. The storyline is top-notch and the graphics are simply breathtaking, particularly during the cutscenes and summon animations. The new system of upgrading characters (the Sphere Grid) can be a bit confusing at first, but I really liked the way it allows you to develop your characters in any way you desire. The voice acting, something I was a bit worried about prior to playing the game, was very good, with a few exceptions (such as Tromell). My only complaint about this game was the extreme difficulty of some of the side quests, especially the chocobo race (I tried for five hours straight and still couldn't get a perfect time). I was ready to fling my controller through the TV screen in frustration. What I don't understand is why Square made these side quests so difficult when the rest of the game is relatively easy. Also, the ending is absolutely heartbreaking, I literally had tears in my eyes. Come on, Square, after playing this for so many hours, I think most people out there would like to see a happy ending for our heroes! All in all, this was an outstanding game, a must for any RPG fans and FF fans. The best FF since 8 (in my opinion, FFX was much better than FFIX). Buy it now.

Great graphics, absorbing story, and deep characters!
Before I played this game, I had heard of the Final Fantasy games from friends and whatnot, but I did not know what was so special about it. Last week, I decided to purchase Final Fantasy X to see for myself. I began playing the game not knowing what to expect - I was greeted with an intro scene of several well-animated characters (who I could only assume I would learn more about them in the game) gathered around a campfire. No sooner had I begun playing did I realize what the game was actually like - the gameplay follows more or less around the story of Tidus, a star player of Blitzball (something like under-water soccer) who is thrust into a world a thousand years into the future following an encounter with Sin (a huge marine creature that harbors smaller creatures atop its body). Tidus meets with numerous characters, most importantly Yuna, a summoner (a sort of magical-religious figure) and helps her on her journey to defeat Sin (which has plagued mankind for the past thousand years). You also meet numerous other characters including Wakka, the captain of the Besaid Aurochs (a blitzball team), Rikku of the Al-Bhed (other-language-speaking race of humans), and Auron (childhood guardian of Tidus). As you progress through the game, you learn of every character's past and present, and their relation to eachother, and the story unfolds. These characters play important roles in the game as well, most prominently in the numerous battles with fiends your party will meet along the way. These battles are fought in a fast, turn-based style and your characters are able to better their skills and learn new abilities. Anyways, this game holds a great story with a huge world and is among the best titles you can own for your ps2.

this game is the best ever
my cousin had this game while i was at his house and i would have to say it is one of the best final fantasies yet(aside from ff7)it has awesome graphics and tidas is a little annoying.but is has more cutscenes than play time. its a fun game. anyone that is a rpg gamer should try it ... Read more

Reviews (592)

At last, the hero isn't some insensitive jerk!
Final Fantasy IX has to be one of the best video games I've ever played in a long time. I've played a lot of RPGs, and while I still think Enix has the best storylines, Squaresoft never fails to please its audience with a fine game.

After the inconsistent reviews of the outcome of Final Fantasy VIII, I can understand how the sales were rather sluggish at first. I personally don't hold anything against number VIII, I rather liked it. But I can also understand why people didn't like VIII, since certain points rather bugged me about it, too.

The storyline is unlike any other. It goes back to its routes in medieval times with dragons, castles, towns and four party members. Every character has their own class: Thief, Mage, Fighter, etc. It kind of takes away the joy of equipping magic in Final Fantasy VII, but also takes away the pain of the constant drawing of the magic in Final Fantasy VIII.

And the idea of the main hero being a complete jerk was realized by Square that it's time for a change. In this one, the hero is some optimistic flirt, which I honestly prefer over the anti-social pessemist...

The plot in this game has many more twists than it did in Final Fantasy VIII, in which it was rather linear. Instead of being hesitant to starting a new game, you'll want to get on it right away after completing it to see certain things that you may have missed that you missed in your previous game.

Final Fantasy IX is a very good game for anybody to own. I honestly think that everybody should have a chance to play it. It's still debatable about how Zidane's appearance confused people if he was either male or female, but it's still fun to enjoy.

Some of the old with some of the new
This...This game... its one of the greatest games out there for the playstation. This is probably the best I've played since Final Fantasy VII. First let me explain the game. This is kinda a mixture between just about every final fantasy. The main villian is somewhat of a mixture between Sephiroth(FF7) and Kefka(FF6). Gaining magic and abilities is like when you junction a GF(FF8). The job systen hasn't really returned but there is a black mage. Charaacters have there own skills, but what one downside is that not everyone can use magic. For example Zidane can steal but he can't use any magic other then his skills, while Vivi is the only character that can use black magic and Dagger and Eiko are the only characters skilled in white magic and summoning. See? The rest will be explained when you get the game. Also learning magic. As i said its like Junctioning a GF from FFVIII, only to use them you must equip the proper weapons armor and accessories. This prompts you not to sell anything. Next is you can now combine weapons at a Synth shop. This also makes you not want to sell weapons. The music is nice and fitting and the story is pretty good. There are 8 characters in this one and they all prove useful in there own sort of way. The game also takes time to recomend which row they should be in. Also the Draw system has been eliminated and the MP system has been restored. Sorry to say that until you get to disk 3 you can't really choose who will be in and who will be out. Next is that the villian does have a pretty good purpose for the crisis in this one. I didn't find this to be as easy as FFVIII either (at least it took me more then 5 days to get to disc 4). Well enough said for now i think thats about it. Well lets see...

Graphics-10 Gameplay-10 Music-9.5 Story-9.5 estimated time to beat the game-40-60 hours.

Overall-9.8

8 rubbish,this good?
im sorry,but the person who put down number 8 is servierly incorrect.i bought this game when it first came out and took it back a couple of days after due to the firm belief that it was indeed aimed at young children.everything about it was,well,crap.the boss battles were comically simple,with the player left baffled with the limited options you have.attack attack repeat until dead.ff8 was a masterpiece,like 7.there was a plot to it,it just took time to understand,it was more complex.......not a simple 'save the princess' story.the characters in this game were terrible.for children.im gonna pick this up again cheap,to give it another chance,it was years since i played it,but i dont think il change my opinion.

All of you FF people, get a life!!
Am I the only one on this website who hates FF in general? This is like any other RPG, boring, tedious, overrated, and annoying. Why do people love FF so much? When I tried to play it I got bored because you know why, I had to walk around looking for stuff and teaming up with sorcerers, trolls, and mages. What the hell is a mage? Why so many medieval elements in it? You rarely engage an enemy, and when you do, you take turns fighting, how stupid!! Just do yourself a favor, play Star Wars:Shadows of the Empire or Halo. If you have a PSX, ditch it and get an N64 with Shadows. If you have a PS2, ditch it and get XBOX with Halo and a life.

Killer game from start to end
FF9 is an awesome ass game from start to finish. This game brings back alot of stuff from the original FF games. Some moves are brought back, some characters are brought back, and the world and towns are brought back to the way they were.The game is just so cool because it's so much like the originals but it has good graphics and a deeper storyline. FF7 and FF8 were good but they just weren't like the originals. I illustrate the original thing so much because I really like the the original and typical FF feel.There is absolutely no downside to this game because it looks great, brings back old things like: moves, music, look, and characters, and it makes for an awesome ass gaming experience from start to end. ... Read more

Amazon.com Product Description

Medal of Honor: Frontline marks the debut of the Medal of Honor franchise on the PlayStation2. In Frontline, you go behind enemy lines as Lieutenant Jimmy Patterson. Your missions include the D-day assault on Omaha Beach, tracking your Nazi nemesis aboard a speeding armored train, the epic battle for control of the Nijmegen Bridge, a strategic choke point in the Allied drive into the heart of Nazi Germany, and a top-secret, high-risk mission to steal the Ho IX flying wing. The Ho IX is an experimental Nazi jetfighter so powerful it could turn the tide of World War II.

There are 20 levels of gameplay spread across six major missions, all based on real World War II events and all adding up to one complete and uninterrupted story line. Fully realized and highly-detailed 3-D environments include six times the number of nonplayer character animations as in the original Medal of Honor. The game includes detailed German, British, and American troops, as well as Dutch civilians, all with full facial expressions and lip synch. More than 20 authentic WWII weapons include the Colt .45, Springfield sniper rifle, Panzerschreck rocket launcher, MG42 mounted machine gun, and the Browning automatic rifle. Enemy vehicles include panzer and tiger tanks, trucks, motorcycles with sidecars, and armored railway scout cars. There are also player-driven motorized railcars, trains, and mine carts.

An improved enemy AI requires you to consistently vary your attack strategy as the situation dictates. Go it alone to accomplish your mission with the utmost stealth or work as part of a highly trained military unit to wreak havoc on the enemy. The game offers intense noncombat scenarios as well, such as a disguised, weaponless infiltration of an officer's pub brimming with Gestapo to make contact with a Dutch Resistance operative. Medal of Honor: Frontline includes more than 70 minutes of original orchestral music from composer Michael Giacchino, and the game as a whole features eight times more audio than the original Medal of Honor. ... Read more

Reviews (453)

Rent this one first
Pros: Good graphics, long levels, and can be very challenging on the harder difficulty settings. The levels are very imaginitive and realistic. (The first level makes you feel like you are thrust into the opening scene of Saving Private Ryan). The weapons selection is quite extensive. The music, sounds, and voice acting are very good. The cinema between levels is well done and very interesting.

Cons: Game play is awkward and downright frustrating at times. The controls take some getting used to and the chaos of the first level makes jumping into the game somewhat difficult. Another annoying quirk is that sometimes you find enemies beyond your visual range shooting at you (even if you search with a scope of a sniper rifle). All you hear are gun shots and your health going down and you have no idea where they are coming from. Also, some levels are very long and you can only save between levels (i.e., you get killed toward the end of a tough level, get ready to start over....)

Overall, the game is fun but definitely a rental in my opinion. If you are coming over from PC and like MOA:AA or Wolfenstein (like me) then I would definitely recommend renting. Not having a mouse for precision aiming makes really detracts from a PC gamers enjoyment. You end up getting frustrated with the awkward controler aiming and bull rushing the enemy with an automatic weapon..... If you want a good FPS, get an Xbox and Halo. Unfortunately, this game falls well short of that mark.

Solid, fun FPS
I finished this game a while ago, but after buying and being disappointed by the sequel, Rising Sun, it's worth mentioning that this is a great game.

This game is tougher, more realistic, and more fun than Rising Sun. Rising Sun's only advantage is the multiplayer mode. Criminally, the PS2 version of Frontline doesn't have multiplayer, yet the X Box version does. It's an awesome feature that they cheaped out on.

The opening on D Day is amazing. They haven't topped it yet. The game is a decent enough challenge. One complaint is that it's too linear, like the EA Bond games. You can't steer the wrong way, period. The violence is top notch, but this being EA, it's rated T so there's no blood, no gore. I don't understand how you make a WWII game with historical accuracy and a ridiculous amount of killing and then try to clean it up and sanitize it like a comic book. This was WWII.

It's actually fun playing with older weapons in a fps and comparing the American and German arms. The sound is great, especially in the opening. You also hear plenty of German from the enemy and a little bit of swearing (in German) apparently.

This game is still highly recommended. It's a lot of fun and provides a decent enough fps challenge. It's superior to Rising Sun for sure.

Yet another fumble by Electronic Arts.
For the past couple of years I've watched Electronic Arts, formerly one of the most reliable game companies on the scene, squander its reputation with game after game filled with relentless B.S. I gave it another shot with Medal of Honor Frontline, because it was part of the franchise I'd played for a long time and I thought, how bad could it be?

I should have remembered that the last two Medal of Honors I've played, Spearhead (for PC) and Infiltrator (for Gameboy Advance), both sucked. Frontline was the first time since Medal of Honor Underground that I played this game on a console. It should have felt like home -- instead, it felt like I was playing Spearhead without a mouse. What caused them to mess up the control scheme so badly, I can't tell. But now your character aims blindly thanks to a touchy-feely right analog stick. I've had to do much more minute aiming adjustments in Syphon Filter: The Omega Strain, targeting distant enemies in the head, and I found it even harder here, though the enemy is just several steps away from me. From the first level, I bumbled about blindly because foolishly, the game designers now rely mostly on sound to let you know where to go. Not that bad a thing, except they botched the sound mix. Rule of thumb in sound mixing: Music and effects should never, never drown out dialogue. Here, your superiors' instructions are neatly covered up in the gunfire, overloud music, and ambience. From the beginning, I had to run around the beach while under enemy fire, looking for scattered teammates who were supposed to be yelling and waving at me to reach them. Well, I can't hear them, and since there's no radar, I had to rely on blind luck to find them. A very dumb flaw, easily fixable, but neglected. Did they actually *test* this thing on real players?

As with 90 per cent of games these days, the lighting looks good, and the music is great. But once again, this game qualifies as a good-looking, good-sounding product that flunks its grade on mechanics. I don't feel like I'm in control of my character. Nothing is more of a drag than that. I should've listened to my instinct and passed on this one. I regret even the reduced price I'd paid for it . Medal of Honor and Medal of Honor Underground were such classics, it's baffling how EA managed to botch it all up.

a pretty good game
This game is good. U get to go on exciting missions and levels. There are a lot of guns that u can chhose from and submachine guns to let off some steam. but the game is way too short. aiming is also harder than it is on the PC. I think Allied Assualt was better than Frontline mainly because itwas on the pc. the game has challenging spots like the first level in which u could barely hear what u r supposed to do. the places in which to complete objectives can be hard to find especially in cities. But the objectives appear on the start menu and if u clik select you can get hints about where to find stuff. Overall i think the game is good.

MOH: Frontline
extremely good game, it is one of my favorites and always will be. the only problem i have is sometimes if you kill a soldier he will switch to his idle look and bullets pass through him. (it happens very rarely) ... Read more

Amazon.com Product Description

Feel the rush of flying down the open road in a Ferrari, Lamborghini, Porsche, or some other exclusive automobile re-created in loving tribute. Oh, and you're being chased by some of the fastest cops on the roadways. Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit 2 features more than 20 of the world's greatest supercars rendered in awesome detail. The immersive environments are full of downpours, intense sunlight, storms, and blizzards. The crashes are spectacular and include realistic damage. Incredible graphics effects include detailed reflections, lighting effects, and particle physics. Police pursuit ranges from a single police cruiser to an intensive manhunt with a full squad of cars, choppers, and roadblocks. Traffic and police combine to create exciting situations unique to nonrace track environments. The gameplay is fast and furious, with simulated speeds of 170 mph (running 60 frames per second) through realistic traffic situations. There is an extensive reward path with upgraded cars, new courses, new race modes, and more. ... Read more

Reviews (137)

NFS:2 = My Favorite Car Racing Game
NFS:2 is one of the most fun driving/racing games to hit PS2 in years. Sure Grand Turismo set the mark several years back... but NFS:2 is blood pumping, arcade style, simplistic, brainless FUN. Incredible graphics with amazing reflections and lighting effects (the sun does get in your eyes). Cops trying to bust you for speeding and wreckless driving with road blocks, spike strips and helicopters dropping exploding barrels. 49 different cars (if the Porsche is available in the early stages GRAB IT). 24 different tracks. All kinds of weather conditions. Semi-realistic crashes with real damage to your cars. Several different challenge modes with the best being "You're The Cop". Cool replays with perfect camera angles. Slow motion 360 degree shots of your car plowing thru police road blocks. Jump cams. Simple controls... anyone can play. Great music & sound effects. Not one thing wrong with this game!

Whoa!
When I got Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit 2 on 10/11/02 I thought wow this game will be the bomb! And it was!

It has the best graphics in the world!
The cops are very dangerous and drive as badly as you do! They send helicopters that drop bombs on you, fire missiles at you, and drop mini spike strips in front of you! The cops also set up roadblocks and spike strips to keep you from breaking the law.
The damage is realistic, but your car doesn't get all bashed up if you run into a tree at 221 miles per hour!
There is a lot of traffic, so you'd better watch out!
I have beaten the game a long time ago, so I know the cars are:
The McLaren F1, F1 LM, Ferrari F50, 550 Barchetta Pininfarina, 360 Spider, Lamborghini Murcielago, Diablo, the new 911 Turbo, the concept Carrera Gt, Mercedes-Benz Clk-Gtr, Cl 55 Amg, Ford TS50, Mustang, Lotus Elise, Opel Speedster, Vauxhall VX220, BMW M5, Z8, Holden HSV Gts, Jaguar XKR, Aston Martin Vanquish, Chevrolet Corvette, and the Dodge Viper!
Need for Speed addition cars have special colors and improve performance:
NFS Vanquish, NFS Elise, NFS Cl 55, NFS Clk-Gtr, NFS Speedster, NFS VX220, NFS HSV, NFS XKR, Challenge NFS Ferrari 360 Modena, NFS F50, NFS 550, NFS Mustang, NFS TS50, NFS Viper, NFS Corvette, NFS Diablo, NFS Murcielago, NFS 911, NFS Carrera, NFS F1, and The NFS F1 LM!
These are the cars the police will have:
Pursuit Ford Crown Victoria, Pursuit Mustang, Pursuit M5, Pursuit Corvette, and a Pursuit Murcielago!
The ways you could win these are to win an event or get enough points!
To get points is to get air, run a roadblock, lead a lap, drive a clean lap (don't run into anything), accelerate to top speed, or beat the cops!
The fastest you could go is 240 M.P.H. with any one of the McLarens!
You must buy this game!

yoyoyo
this game is by far one of the best racers ever. i loved the first hot pursuit. i liked how you earned money to fix/upgrade your car after winning a race. this did not return for the second hot pursuit game, but they kept everything else good about the game. there are great graphics, especially if you played the computer version first. much better version on the ps2. the cars are great, and the cops are ruthless. while this game is very well made, they could have added more to it to make it more intertaining, like maybe more speech from the police, you know, commical stuff. you will get many hours of sheer joy playing this game. the gameplay itself is very good. you can plan to take a shortcut or other way to get around roadblocks and completely through the police off. the slowmotion on jumps and crashes are also very intertaining. in my opinion the ps2 has the two best racing games, this one and gran turismo 3.

break the law, and feel damn good about it!
This game is responsible for single handedly sparking my affection for both racing games, and real life exotics. For most of us average joe gamers, this is the closest we will ever get to actually driving all of these beuaties. The game has awesome graphics for its time, featuring plenty of shiny reflections off the car, as well as puddles down the road. There really is no feeling like behind the wheel of the McLaren F1, only about 10 still exist to this day in the entire world! If you like to feel like a bad ass, and get an unbelievable adrenaline surge at the same time, look no further, outstanding!

Fun game. And no technical problems.
This is one of my favorite racing game, second only to Need for Speed: Porsche Unleashed. The one advantage over Porsche Unleashed is the wider variety of car manufacturers and the hot pursuit option (i.e., being chased by or chasing as a cop). Some people reported problems with crashes and I think the best way to get around that is to use an older version of your graphic driver. I use the Nvidia denotator version 30.82 and DirectX 8.1 and the game was super smooth (even on a 1Ghz PC).

The one reason why I think this game lose points to Porsche Unleashed is the car physics engine. The cars are too similar in handling. The Porsche, which supposedly has a distinct handling, doesn't seem to move like it should. In Porsche Unleashed, the physics is more realistic and more varied between the cars. The tracks in Hot Pursuits are good and all of them have shortcuts, which are best used to evade cops. I wished there were more shortcuts though, since the cops can easily catch up to you and cause huge annoyances. I also would like to see more tracks, especially a "race track" style track like in F1 or the Monte Carlo races in Porsche Unleashed. Overall, I recommend this game for those who likes modern cars (like the Murcielago) driving through nice sub-urban areas. Those who enjoy the thrill of being pursued by cops (not advised in real life) would like this game as well. ... Read more

Amazon.com Product Description

Buffy the Vampire Slayer is the first third-person action-adventure game based on the international hit TV series. Players take on the role of Buffy Summers, a 17-year-old high-school student who must balance adolescent growing pains with the responsibility of being the Chosen One. As the slayer, Buffy eliminates vampires and other demonic creatures that threaten the world's existence. It's up to you to save the human race from being "drained" during this devilish time.

Fortunately, Buffy is not alone. Her friends help her solve mysteries and watch her back. Fans of the series will recognize the voices of favorite characters including Angel, Xander, Willow, Cordelia, Spike, the Master, and Giles.

Players fight a range of enemies including Spike, the Master, Drusilla, demons, zombies, and other supernatural creatures that threaten mankind. All of Buffy's favorite haunts are richly detailed: Sunnydale High School, the cemetery, the Bronze nightclub, and the library, which is the portal that sits atop the Hellmouth. Special supernatural effects such as morphing creatures, eldritch explosions, dynamic fogging, and arcane spell casting enhance the dark, mythical setting of the game. An intelligent combat system allows enemies to perform counterattacks and learn from character's fighting techniques. ... Read more

Reviews (99)

Buffy Kicks [Booty]
A truly enjoyable game offering up something for everyone. You don't have to be a fan of the show to appreciate this game. If you are a fan, you will recognize all of the characters/locations and there are a few inside jokes strewn about for your enjoyment too. The controls are easy to master and the objectives are clearly laid out at the start of each level. As you progress, you will learn new slayer moves and obtain new weapons. All the major characters are voiced by the actors with the not-so-notable exception of Buffy. I say not-so-noticable because the voice for the character of Buffy sounds almost as good as the original. This game is fun, pure and simple. The ONLY complaint I have is the fact that Buffy's jumping abilities are limited and there are a few levels that make this a big issue. Still, don't miss out on this game. It's worth every penny.

Well worth the purchase!
This is an excellent game. I'm a Buffy fan and I bought this game on Amazon.com before I ever played it since the reviews were so good, but I love the game so much now I needed to write my own. The gameplay is superb and the atmosphere is certainly true to the series. No, Sarah Michelle Gellar's voice is not in the game, but that's only a minor drawback. In fact, you'd almost never know it since the imitation is dead-on. It really feels like you are controlling Buffy.

The game feels a lot like Tomb Raider, to be sure, but you will almost forget that series ever existed once you get into this game. The fighting is just great, and the levels are richly detailed. There's lots of funny dialog as well (especially when Buffy meets with Zander, Cordelia, Willow and the gang), though it does get a little repetitive at times. But overall, the game is awesome. There really is little that I can say negatively about this game.

You'll love honing your skills as you kick the [stuff]out of the baddies, and as you progress the fights only get better. The game gets increasingly more challenging as you progress through the levels, especially towards the end. In fact, you will be frustrated near the end since you'll have to perform several very difficult jumps in which you are CERTAIN to die. But trust me, that's a good thing. You will feel much more proud of your accomplishments once you've dusted the Master and thus have beaten the game.

One final bonus: you MUST get the code off the net to unlock the secret arena mode. This provides an incredible amount of replay value, and you'll love playing against your friends. Buffy vs. Dark Buffy is the best!

OK, you can stop reading reviews now. Believe me, you should buy this game. You will love it!

Buffy at its best!!!!
This is by far a much better game than chaos bleeds. I have heard that the collective is working on a few new projects. I really hope one of them is a true sequal to Buffy. Buy this game it is worth every penny!!!

Buffy is just... AAAUUUGGH!
This game is GREAT! I love everything about it! If it had 6 stars, I'd definetly pick that. It is great! Voices, moves, everything! BUY THIS GAME NOW! NOW!!!

Fun for fans and non-fans of the show alike
It should be noted that Buffy The Vampire Slayer, the game based on the wildly successful TV series of the same name, is definitely not a hack-and-slash. Simply mashing buttons won't get you very far in the game, and you won't want to be mashing buttons.

The wonderful thing about Buffy is that there are so many ways to kill your enemies. From pointy sticks sticking out from the wall or exploding barrels, the game succeeds in not becoming too repetitive, as in kick kick, punch punch, stake in the heart. Once you discover the many ways of slaying the vampires, you'll want to pause and look around for the different hazards you can throw your unfortunate enemies into.

The controls are very easy to learn, with a minor gripe being that the control to open doors or to pick up and activate objects is the same button used to drive whatever weapon in your hand through the vampire.

It should also be noted that you won't just be toting a stake. At different points in the game, you'll find spears, shovels, brooms and other assorted goodies that add variety, a common theme in the game.

The graphics are standard fare, there's nothing that special to speak of in the game, except for the character models, which look quite good. It looks as good as any other platform action game would, and it's hard to complain about it. The environments are somewhat interactive, but can get bland after awhile.

The voice acting might be a big draw here for some people. Sarah Michelle Gellar is the only main character who didn't lend their voice to the game, as the voices of Xander, Angel, Spike, Giles, Cordelia and Willow are all here. The actress replacing Buffy's voice is a very close match to the real thing. Unfortunately, during the game you will tire of her repetitive sayings, such as "Oh, go kiss daylight." Also, the vampires themselves will get very repetitive with their words, though they begin to vary as you advance further in the game.

The camera is a little spotty in some parts, such as enclosed rooms at the end of a hallway. However, the camera tries its best to give you the entire view.

All in all, Buffy The Vampire Slayer is definitely worth a rental, and is good for some wholesome single-player fun. Certainly not a classic for years to come, but definitely a worthy game for the TV series. ... Read more

Amazon.com Product Description

There's road rage, and then there's road rage Simpsons style! D'oh! Mr. Burns is up to his greedy ways again. He's purchased Springfield's transit corporation and heinously jacked up the fares. Refusing to shell out for the new rates, the road rage ensues. You'll take on commuters and jam-packed back routes, all in an effort to help buy back the corporation before time runs out.

More than 25 Simpsons characters climb behind the wheel or wander the streets begging for a ride. "Eat my shorts, dude!" Careen through timesaving shortcuts and take on terrain including hills, mountains, and forests. Wreak havoc in five Springfield neighborhoods that include landmarks such as Moe's Bar and the nuclear power plant. Busy traffic and wayward pedestrians confound your rage. However, two-wheel leans, speed starts, power slides, and other cool car physics help you release that rage.

Multiple game modes let you go head-to-head in two-player split-screen action that challenges your opponent in a race for the next passenger, or you can steal his or her passenger midride! Complete up to 60 unique passenger deliveries in story mode, or take a leisurely Sunday drive through the fair Springfield. A bonus system lets you unlock cars and specific characters, while intuitive menus make this game easy to play. As Homer would say, "If it's hard to do, it's not worth doing!" ... Read more

Reviews (152)

Rent, don't buy
This game is fun, especially if you're a Simpsons' fan. Basically, you race around Springfield as one of up to 17 characters and in one of six locations, picking up people and racing to drop them off somewhere else on time, sometimes avoiding hitting other cars, sometimes trying to devastate the town to earn extra time and money. As you earn money by driving people around, you unlock the locations and characters. There are also some missions in which you basically try to run over a certain number of objects in a certain span of time. The ultimate goal is to earn a million dollars (about 100 attempts) to run Mr. Burns' nuclear buses out of business.

The game is quite fun out of the box. Apparently, the actors recorded speech for the game and the quips are amusing (if occasionally non sequiturs). The cars are amusing and Springfield is amazingly detailed. For a fan, it's especially entertaining as it contains a lot of side references to the series that you will appreciate if you are a devotee. Those not terribly fluent in the Simpsons will still like it (you wouldn't be buying it if you didn't like the show) but won't appreciate the little details a Simpson's nutcase (like myself) will.

However, the fun wears off rather quickly. The game is repetitive. And the victory animation is disappointing. The missions are especially poor - you figure out what path to take in order to complete the mission in the alloted time, then keep doing it over and over (and over) again until you get it right. BOR-ING!

It might be worth buying if you really like driving games. But I would highly recommend renting before you commit...

This game rocks the house!!
I love the Simpsons, and I've been watching the show since I was like, two years old. Well I got this game for Christmas, and for the cheap cheap price, you cant go wrong.

There are 4 modes. Road Rage, Sunday Drive, Mission Mode, and Head to Head.

In Road Rage mode, you can pick a Simpson to drive around town to pick up and deliver passengers, like Dr. Nick, Moe, Ralph Wiggum, Snake, and almost all of the more popular characters in the show. I think its like, 30 or something. Once you drop off a passenger, you collect a tip. You have to earn $1,000,000 to buy back the bus company from Mr. Burns, since his nuclear powered buses are a health hazard. When you earn certain amounts of money, you can unlock new characeters like Willie, Chief Wiggum or Apu, or you can earn new locations, like The Springfield Dam, or Power Plant. This is increbibly fun, and what the characters say is hilarious. I also like that you can destroy half the things in the game!!

In Sunday Drive, you can drive around in an un-timed game. You can destroy stuff, look for shortcuts, or pick up passengers to see the fastest routes so you're ready when you play Road Rage mode.

Mission Mode is the worst part of the game. The missions are hard and boring. You have to, in one mission, knock over 12 paper bins on the sides of the street in under a minute. It takes many times to do, and you have to wait forever for it to load between tries. Boo mission mode!

Head to Head is awesome. Its like Road Rage mode, but you are against a friend, with no time limit. Get the passenger before your opponent does, and bring him or her to the location. But the fun kicks in when you and the oher player are driving side by side, trying to ram each other to steal the passenger!!

So all in all, The Simpsons Road Rage, is an awesome game because of the awesome characters, awesome locations, and awesome fun.

road rage is great but could be even better
POSITIVES:

Road rage is great fun. I have found myself playing hours and hours at a time! The game, no doubt about it, soars over more traditional and, shall we say, less chaotic racing games. The missions are fun too. It will surely stay as a favorite game for a long time. Then, there are the

NEGATIVES:

This game takes forever to load. In the missions, I find myself striving harder than ever to complete them, because if you fail, this is how it goes: Press RETRY > Wait about three minutes > Play another one and a half version, and then start again if you fail. Ditto with the actual game. I also find the Sunday Drive feature relatively pointless.

Other than that, I love this game and will readily recommend it. Oh yeah, the Head 2 Head rocks!!!!!!!!*_-

Just an Average Video Game.
THE SIMPSON'S ROAD RAGE starts off really fun and exciting. The premise of the game is that Mr. Burns has bought the Springfield bus transit system and it's causing more chaos in Springfield than normal. So, the citizens (led by Homer) decide to fight back and buy back the bus system. They start their own taxi service and need to raise a million dollars to buy the buses back from Burns. There are a total of six levels, five of which can be unlocked as you earn more money. Also, as you earn more money you can unlock more vehicles. Different characters drive the different vehicles. As you drive along, you can smash into lots of different things: knocking over trees, billboards, mailboxes, signs, etc. This game is great to play if you're a Simpsons fan because you get to see Springfield in much more detail than you do on the show. The negatives about the game are that it is quite repetitive and it takes an extensive long haul or a tedious intensive amount of game play (depending on how much time you have and you're gaming style) to beat the game. The sayings each character says are funny at first but after the 100th time of hearing the characters say the same thing, it becomes somewhat annoying. Also, you have to have 2 game cards to play the multiplayer mode and when you only have one game card and two people want to play, it can be aggravating. The game also has a slow load up time so that after you finish a round, it takes about 3-5 minutes before you get to play again.

There is a mission mode on the game as well. It consists of 10 differet missions that are fairly easy to beat (I thought Grandma at the dam and Homer at Burns' mansion were the most difficult levels). If you beat all 10 levels a secret vehicle is unlocked.

THE SIMPSONS ROAD RAGE can be a lot of fun to play. It's basically an average racing video game that's more interesting because of the characters and setting. However, it would make a nice gift for any Simpsons fan and is fun to play on a rainy day.

These is just like the cab missions in GTA vice city
I loved the simpsons so I played this and was broed in 5 mins.The only good thing in this game is the charcters.The graphics aren't great either. The game my look great but don't full in to the same trap I did. ... Read more

Editorial Review

Though it lacks the dramatic intensity of the FinalFantasy series--the crown prince of console role-playinggames--SquareSoft's Legend of Mana still satisfies with its beautifulhand-drawn sets and its innovative nonlinear gameplay.

Billed as the sequel to the Super Nintendo's Secrets of Mana,Legend of Mana's story contains more than 60 self-containedminiquests, but generally the goal is to restore the world's Mana, orlife energy. Gamers won't need to be obsessive about winning all thequests, but there are some challenges that must be completed if youwish to reach the final showdown. The game begins as players chooseeither a male or female lead character while a map displays the newlands within the world of Fa'Diel. In each of these lands, players willfind items and clues they can use in other lands. The fragmented natureof the game can be disorienting for gamers looking for quickgratification. A diary can be used to keep track of current miniquests,while an encyclopedia neatly organizes the vast amount of story playersuncover. Due to the vast nature of this game's plot, you'll likely needthese features to stay focused on your quests.

Anime fans will be wowed by the character design and beautifullyillustrated storybook backgrounds. The game includes aPokémon-style monster-raising element, which issurprising for a teen-rated RPG, but it works well. --PorterHall

Pros:

• Pokémon-style monster raising adds nice nurturing element toRPG tasks
• Nonlinear quest system makes story engrossing
• Stunning hand-drawn backgrounds

Cons:

• Music is at times absurdly overdramatic
• Second player controls character only during battle

Reviews (123)

Square's latest Gem proves to be vastly entertaining.
First of all, I'd like to say something to all those people who say "This isn't a sequel to Secret of Mana--it stinks." Of course it isn't a sequel! There is a game between Secret of Mana and Legend of Mana, it just didn't come out in America, it's called Seiken Denjetsu 3, Secret of Mana was 2, and Legend of Mana is 4--just to clear that up.

Second, I'm goin to have to say that this game has the most beautiful 2D graphics I've ever seen. They're hand-drawn, and they look something like those of Saga Frontier 2, but more detailed. For those of you who don't like 2D things, this game may very well change your mind.

The Storyline in this game is.... well, relatively non-existent. There are 69 sub-quests in this game which help determine the overall story which is buried deep inside somewhere. The game doesn't focus on any one concept, or any one villain. It is just made up of a lot of sub-quests. Depending on which Sub-quests you do, you'll meet new characters, find new artifacts, etc...

Legend of Mana uses the most innovative 'world creation' system i've seen yet. In the game, you find magical artifacts which when triggered, construct a city, dungeon, or new area... you decide where you put the new area, and you basically create everything in the game. Depending on where you use the artifact, the story will change. You also make your own weapons, and armor, which is unique.

The Battle System in Legend of Mana is kind of cool... There are no menus, and it is fought in real-time. You go to another screen for battle, but you can move your characters freely around the battlefield. Instead of menus, you assign different abilities to buttons. eg: strong attack, weak attack, special ability. I found this battle system needed a little getting used-to, but proved to be very successful and fun in the end.

The only flaw i see in this game is the fact that there is no main storyline, and this may disappoint some gamers--and it shares few similarities with Secret of Mana, which may also disappoint many gamers. But other than those flaws, I'd say that this is an excellent game with tons of replay value, because there are so many things you can do.

Beautiful, but...
I've been a big fan of the Seiken Densetsu Series for a very long time (Final Fantasy Adventure, Secret of Mana, Seiken Densetsu 3 (which never made it to America, sadly...)), so when I heard that Seiken Densetsu 4 - Legend of Mana was actually being released in the US, I rushed out to buy it. I must admit, it was a lot of fun to play, and, even though the translation was terrible and the storylines confusing to follow, the game was fun. The Instrument, Golem, and Weapon/Armor creation systems were innovative, but EXTREMELY confusing--the weapon system is so extensive that there was no rhyme or reason, or explanation to the "powers" certain tempering items gave to weapons. Not that I wanted a system that was laid out nicely for me--that would have been boring--rather, I would have preferred to be able to figure it out at least. As for the Magic System, using different Instruments was innovative; however, being able to fire off a spell as often as you'd like kind of made the game super-easy.
As for the storylines, the three major plotlines can be followed in any order--so bosses and enemies were not as hard as they should have been (I think I actually died once through the whole game, and I was brought immediately back to the same battle upon continuing). NPC's were never with you long enough to build up sufficiently, and monsters or golems were all but useless--I found it was my hero who did all of the work. Despite the ease of the battles, the stories were very involved and intricate--full of twists and turns that you wish could have been better explored (or better explained, sometimes).
Despite the aforementioned problems, the game was fun and absolutely breathtaking visually--watercolor backgrounds, intricate sprites, beautiful spell effects--who needs 3D when 2D can be so visually pleasing?
So, if you're looking for a graphically intense but challenge-lacking game, go for this one. Just don't go for New Game+, because it goes from all too easy to entirely too difficult...

My Favorite Game
This game is absolutely amazing! The music is beautiful, the graphics are nice, and best of all, the plots are good. In this game, rather than one long plot, there are three arcs, along with many smaller ones.

This game packs awesome replay value, I myself have played over 200 hours of it. If you think the plot is 'dumb', that is obviously because you did not look hard enough. This game shoots pass other games with flying colors - the stories behind it are simply superior. This is _NOT_ a game where everything is laid out for you to see, so you can just say, 'Oh, I understand.'

Do not mistaken my frustration for anger or spite. Sometimes it's fun to just watch the plot unravel, instead of actually using your mind to follow it. I just cannot stand people criticizing this game because there is 'no plot', or 'it's too boring'. No.

This game is excellent. =]

A decent game but 3.5 stars
This is a very nice game, but much like alot of other Squaresoft sequels (Chrono Cross) it's best if you try not to think of this as a sequel and rather just a fresh new game.

This game could've been better had there been a few changes. For one, the story is pretty non-existant, and two the gameplay goes down after a while.

The game is sometimes repetetive. You run around and you fight enemies. This is fun for a while, but they really should've done this the way that Secret of Mana did. Rather than forcing you into virtually every battle there could be in the game, they should've made it more of a free-for-all type thing. You run into an enemy and you've no choice but to fight. You can't run away either.

Also, I remember Secret of Mana being one of the hardest RPGs I ever played. This element is lost in this one as it's too easy. You're completely healed after battle to (literally) 100% health and should you die you can start the battle over right on the spot. If your CPU partner dies then you can easily just stall the enemy until they sort of "auto-revive". Where's the fun in the game if there is no difficulty?

The game had a lot of quests to do and a lot of fun at first. It was really something I could get into. I could raise my own pets, make my own weapons and armor (though not a good idea since it makes the game VERY easy), go through the game in over 100 different ways! There is no set path for this game. You've got to explore! This sounds bad but really, this is what RPGs are all about. Exploring a new world.

However, the game is severely drowned in sub-plots. Sure, Escad's storyline and Elazul's story along with the Jewel Hunter's were really nice...but what about your main character? What is his/her story? What are YOU, the main character, fighting for? Sure it's laid out in the beginning of the game but it makes no sense and therefore the overall plot and point of the game was left to be forgotten, as there is no mention to saving the world, and the event before the final dungeon leaves little answers.

I liked playing on two player, even if player two doesn't have a big role. But it's stupid that your second character, rather it's a CPU or a human, you absolutely CANNOT change up their equipment! To me this takes the fun out of raising your characters in a unique way as Legend of Mana is full of exploration and excitement.

The game had FABULOUS music and artwork animations and that's mainly what made me want to play this game. These two things were flawless, but the game isn't quite as fun overall. Who cares if these graphics and music are stunning? If it isn't fun then what good is a lot eye-candy going to do for you? Still, the game has its highs and even replay value.

I'd have given this game four stars (maybe even five) if the plot didn't remain non-existant through the whole game, and if the battle engine was worked on a bit. They also need to raise the difficulty level of the game.

To make it simple, the game has AMAZAING subplots, and that's basically all this game is made of. The game has nice music and lovely artwork and even some replay value. It's fun at first but don't make it too easy or else that goes away. Keep this game in mind as you have no idea what you're missing if you don't at least rent it.

Legend of the Jumi...
Legend of Mana, I believe, was too submerged in mini-plots of its own that the actual backbone of the story was sadly not only underdeveloped, but rather nonexistent. The only hints of the existence of the Mana Tree came in the form of dreams and the eventual final dungeon... in fact, throughout the entire game I had cared less about what was going to happen to the world's fate than the indivdual fate of the inhabitants. True, there were irritating sidequests, and charming ones, but the only one which could have supplemented the plot; the Jumi quest ended with such an unforgivable cliche. It is this concentration on every characters' own life story, that made this game enjoyable. It was the lack of meaning, of some bigger plot to make sense of doing stuff like helping Inspector Boyd with his case, or finding Lil' Cactus when he ran away. I felt vaguely cheated. The hero/heroine woke up with the destiny to help the world in no other way than plant a garden or nuture monsters in the backyard? The only thing that connected LoM to the seiken series must have been the battle system, and well. The Mana tree.
I gave it three stars because it was really an enjoyable experience to play it, but two are not given because the most important criteria after the battle and magic system- the overall PLOT- was rather neglected. ... Read more

Amazon.com Review

The Sims has much in common with Tony Hawk's Pro Skater: There's a great emphasis trial and error, it encourages personalized solutions to problems, and overall success comes down to both balance and timing. Also, like the Tony Hawk games, The Sims is a very addictive game.

Players micromanage the lives of a family of virtual people and influence the outcome of their lives, be it success or something akin to a nervous breakdown. The bestselling PC version of the game has, in recent years, been upgraded with elements like parties, pets, and vacations, but this iteration is closer to the basic formula.

You start the game living with Mom in a one-story suburban house. You are immediately presented with certain life tasks, such as fixing the TV and making lunch, which are aligned with the skills you'll need for the game's main challenge--keeping your sims in balance on eight conflicting categories. For example, eating will have an impact on your sim's hunger rating, but it will also impact his bladder rating. You'll have to make sure that he keeps himself and the house clean, that he sleeps to restore his energy, and that he also has time to keep himself entertained. The free will option lets your sims coast a bit, and you can also save time by stacking tasks together. Time passes at the rate of about one minute per second in the game, but you can fast-forward sim time when you need to, such as when they're sleeping.

The controls are justifiably complex, but adjusting to them is not difficult. You see your sims from an overhead perspective that you can both rotate and zoom. You direct their actions by moving a line cursor to where you want them to go or to what object or person with which you want them to interact.

The game is surprisingly funny. Neglect your sims and they'll shout and wave their arms to get your attention. Allow one's energy to get too low and he or she will likely collapse and sleep right where they were standing. When that happens, Mom is likely to serve them dinner on the floor.

Gamers may find that it takes a while to get the hang of The Sims' style and control scheme. Stick with it and you may find real time fast-forwarding by. --Porter B. Hall --The text of this review refers to the PlayStation2 version of the game.

Pros:

• Interesting, open-ended gameplay
• Lots of quirky humor
• Two-player split-screen option

• Can be frustrating for those unfamiliar with strategy games
• Controls take some getting used to
• Long save times

Reviews (50)

Sim-ply fun
I don't know waht I was thinking when I wrote this.It sounded really bad.Duh!

The Gamecube version of the Sims is alot like the other one,except more challenging and more FUN!Every game needs a challenge,so let's not complain about THAT either!!

There are 2 ways to play this one.After completing a strange short dream-sequence,either play a levals mode starting in the home of a grumpy,lazy old mother and try to work up to living in the ultimate mansion,with a partner and even kids.Frustratingly,you'll need to buy a larger memory card to be able to return to a game after switching it off.The other way to play is the regular Sims style.

Creating your Sims is more fun than the computer version,with clothes of every colour and even your choice of eye colour,although it is hard to see the eyes from your couch.But hey,how cool is it to play this game on the comfort of your couch!!

If you think you might like the Sims then buy it!!Occasionally you may get bored but it's pretty great!

A fun game for everyone
This is one quality game that will take anyone a long time to get bored with. Everyone in my family plays this game from my niece of nine years to my sister who hates video games of 31. A warning should be put on this game though, due to the fact that if you play it you will waste numerous hours of your life in front of the tv doing things for your sim that you should be doing for yourself (like going to the bathroom). All in all I would recommend this game to any of my friends.

The Sims is whats happening
The Sims for Gamecube is great game if you want to switch up from the PC play. The con of the game is that you are limited to how much furniture you can have (bogus) that takes away from my designing abilty and the goals are a bit difficult but the two player mode is pretty hot. I highly reccomend anybody to buy this game

The Sims
This is a great game for kids from the ages of 11+. It is a great game because it has great graphics and good ways of life that are realistic.

I Really Like This Game
This Sims game is really fun and challenging. Unlike the computer game you can't do cheats (or maybe you can but I haven't figured out how yet). I rented this game and liked it so much I bought it! The Sims is a life-like game which puts the persons life in your hands. Their fate, whether good or bad, is also up to you. The Sims is a very addictive game and on Gamecube you can play two player which makes it even funner. Two people can control one person each and interact with each other. They can form friendships and fall in love with each other or they can hate each other and get into fights. Either way it is a very fun, game, that doesn't use a lot of thinking skills, what a releif (haha), and I think is a great game for everyone! I hope this helps you make your decision on getting the Sims or not and I hope you choose TO get it!!!! ... Read more

Features

• Groundbreaking hitting control makes it possible to pull the ball down, or swing for the fences -- all swing types included
• Total control on the field -Leap over the wall and rob home runs, hook slide to avoid tags, and take out the catcher at home
• Pick a park - each stadium has its own personality, from unique crowd chants to personal lighting
• Control your franchise on every level -- play the game or become a manager & take players from the minors to the pros

Reviews (24)

EA Sports Messed Up On This One
I would just like to say that i am a huge EA Sports fan and that all their games i have played have been entertaining and have great quality and are not complex. Then, here comes MVP Baseball 2004. Some pros and cons:

Pros: Graphics are great ballparks and players look very realistic and sharp.

New EA Sports Big Play Control is cool. You get to dive for hit balls and slide into bases. Then after the players will have grass and dirt stains on their jersey and pants making the atmosphere feel real.

Cons: As you can see the 2 pros there are is just about the graphics and sliding and diving. The most cons in the game are of gameplay.

The game is difficult and the worst part is its not one of those where its hard the first day and after that it becomes easy. I've had the game for 2 months and still have it on rookie with user batting,fielding and speed up to 50 and the cpu's all on negative 50 and i STILL lose sometimes. The cpu just bats too well. They always hit grounders in gaps and you get get it then throw it into the base in time.

Also, piching is hard. You have no clue where the ball is gonna go. Example, sliders are supposed to go from one side to another, well my slider went in a whole another direction, it was more like a knucle ball.Have the time you hit the batter and get tossed but it was not even supposed to go near him, but the pitches are unnatural.

Now dont think im a sore looser. I love challenges. And thats what most EA Sports games have. But it is just frustrating to have a 10 run lead in the bottom of the ninth then the comes back and wins. Its possible. It can happen. But it cant happen in every game in real life, but does in this game.

Hopefully, their future versions of this game are better. I wont buy MVP Baseball for a couple years, but I will continue to purchase the other EA Sports games. I do hope the other EA games dont become this hard and fustrating.

Thank you for reading my review.

Totally Awesome Game!!!
Hats off to EA on probably the best baseball game ever made. Graphics are amazing, gameplay is exellent, depth is incredible. You can, play manage and lots more. Any avid baseball fan would love this game. But I do have two gripes. One is that when I created a player, I had to actually negotiate with him to set a salary! It was cool, yet really annoying, because one of the two players I created nearly emptied my bank before he would sign with my team. My main gripe however, is a problem that was present in the 2003 version and is still present in the 2004 version. The hot/cold zone feature has some serious bugs, especially concerning the opposing team when controlled by the cpu. The computer teams batters, just rope the ball in the field for doubles and triples or hit homers. No matter where I threw the ball, it was the same. Makes it hard to enjoy the game when the cpu team is up 8 runs by the 3rd inning every time. But overall it's a truly amazing game, with amazing depth into America's favorite pasttime, Baseball

EA SPORTS AT IT'S BEST!
For years I have been a fan of the "All-Star" baseball games. When 2004 came around, I was hoping Acclaim would release All-Star 2005 for Gamecube and they didn't. So I was stuck with All-Star 2004. Then this new game came out called "MVP Baseball 2004" created by EA Sports, which was the game that was to replace All-Star. I finally rented the game because all my friends were bragging about how great the gameplay and graphics are. THEY WERE RIGHT! After 2 days of using the game, I was hooked. I bought my own copy before the rental was even due back.

I started my season with Baseball's greatest team, the NEW YORK YANKEES. I created my player to replace Soriano at 2B. I got my whole bullpen of All-Stars and my ultimate line-up of MLB's greatest players.

Here are the Best Features of the game:

Graphics - The faces, the uniforms, the stadiums, everything looks so real. Every time I play this game on my 36" TV, my parents mistake the game for a real-life Yankee game.

Gameplay - The pitching is unbeatable. The different types of pitches are extremely realistic as to the movement, the spin of the ball and the speed. The cool thing is if you pay close attention in instant replay, you'll notice the spin of the ball goes with the pitch. If the pitch is a curve, the spin is the real-life spin of a curve. The amazes me a lot. The small details like that are cool. The pitching gets a few tries to become an expert at. Also the baserunning and fielding is extremely realistic. The awsome jumps, dives, slides, and flips are utterly amazing. If you see Derek Jeter in action in this game, you'll see what I mean. The hitting does take some time to get used to. You don't have a hitting circle to line up with the ball to hit. It's not too hard to adapt to.

Features - This game features some gameplay modes that no other baseball game features. The first one is Homerun Showdown. Your up against any batter of your choice. The object is hit up to a certain amount of distance total from all your hits before your opponent does. For example, the total distance is 1 Mile. With all the distances of your hits adding up, you have to hit a total of 5,280 feet before the other guy. Be careful. If you hit a foul ball, you total will decrease based on the distance of the foul ball. If you miss a pitch swinging, you lose 100 ft.

The next feature and my personal favorite, the Pitcher's showdown. You can be any pitcher you choose and you pick the pitcher you're up against. You have to get a certain amount of strikeouts against any batter you choose before the computer. If the batter gets a homerun, you lose a strikeout.

There are so many new features in this game I can't even list all of them. This game definitely has All-Star Baseball beat by a mile.

Buy this game and you will find out why EA Sports is the BEST and always will be.

Great Baseball Game
This is a fun, addicting game which is easy to learn, and continues challenging you through 4 different levels of skill. There are many different modes of play, including Manager Mode (control your team and make game decisions without actually controlling individual players), Dynasty mode, Exhibition, Homerun Showdown and Pitcher showdown. The hitting style is fun and simple. Unlike other games, it is not impossible to make contact. Also, the pitching style of this game is different from other games. It is harder to learn, but gives you more control of your pitcher. Another thing is that all players are edit-able. You can even create players.

Some minor cons: The commentators are dull, repetitive and somtimes frustrating, the music, although good, can get tiring and the ball can disappear in instant replays.

But that shouldn't stop you from buying it! This is the only fun, challenging and realistic baseball game for the Nintendo Gamecube and I highly recommend it.

AWESOME GAME!!!!!!!!!!!!!
pitching is awesome i like to c how hard randy johnson can throw his fastball. I also like to watch how dirty Tim Wakefields knuckleball is. ... Read more

Amazon.com Product Description

Freedom: The Battle for Liberty Island is set in a world where the Soviet Union won the Cold War. Now a fierce conflict is beginning to unfold in the streets of America. Red Army troops are pouring across the borders of Mexico and Canada shortly after a nuclear missile is unleashed on Washington D.C. Chaos sets in when breaking news informs Americans that their President has been killed and the Russians have invaded the country.

Players take on the role of a blue-collar worker who evolves into a charismatic and fearless freedom fighter obsessed with finding and freeing his brother, who has been taken hostage along with other New Yorkers by the Soviets. You must recruit and lead an army of urban guerillas to take on the Soviet threat in the streets of New York City. Freedom: The Battle for Liberty Island provides two layers of gameplay: A strategic turn-based mode that centers on base operations in an underground sewer system and an action mode that unfolds in the streets where fierce battles are won or lost and resources are captured. ... Read more

Reviews (41)

Soviets go bye bye
Freedom Fighters was better then I hoped.My 9 year old brother goes and buys FF,I didn't know if that was a good idea.Man I'm happy now.Here's the story:

In a alternate world where the "Soviets" ended WW2,the soviets have grown very powerful.They have defeated most(or all)of Europe,took over Mexico,and are circling around America.Its Summer of 2003 and Plumbers Chris and Troy Stone get a call from a girl named Isabella to come fix her sink.When they get their,nobodys home..."Bang",Soviets invade the room,take Troy, and invade the city.As Chris you must take back the city and defeat the Soviets.

Graphics:9/10
Not too bad.
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Sound:10/10
Very good sound effects and music sounds nice.
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AI:7/10
The Soviets take cover and fire but they are not too smart.
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Gameplay:10/10
The gameplay is awesome.You can go the sewers anytime and do different things.You can choose their where to go and what guns you want.

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Overall:9.3
A very good game.

With 10 levels,Alot of characters,and a Armory of guns,this game is a must.

Best game you've never heard of
I happened to read a review of this game on ign.com and they raved about it. I picked it up used for about $13. What a freaking steal!!! This is a great game, although you never hear it mentioned. I was addicted from day one and stayed up 'til 3 a.m. every night until I beat it. On the 3rd highest difficulty setting, some missions are REALLY hard, especially if you don't do things in the right order (i.e., taking out the attack choppers on another part of the map - little hint there). The challenge is definitely there, and the story is cool too. Trust me, the first mission of the last 'map' will have you throwing the controller around some, but you'll come back because you'll think "Maybe if I do this..." and eventually figure out how to get through the level. If you like games like Medal of Honor, Max Payne, etc (although this game is 3rd person), go out and buy this TODAY!

Two things I didn't like - the graphics are only so-so, especially for the XBOX. There's no blood (but the 'deaths' look real enough, especially when you blow up a truck and someone's standing next to it...COOL!) And, although there are options to 'quick save' at the sewers, sometimes these are few and far between (and non-existent on the last map) and you end up repeating certain lengthy sections over and over. Although, that just adds to the satisfaction when you finally beat it! There should be nothing, however, that is stopping you from finding and buying this game TODAY!!

Freedom Fighters
Fredoom Fighters is a pretty fine game if you want to see the game first with cheats.Such as invisibility.two player mode is great because you can just keep beating each other up until you try to care about the stupid flag...Well the reason why I said that is because you lose time to play multiplayer.Here are my ratings
Music:5{because I just like hearing those notes in a game}
Graphics:3{because its not realistic}
Overall:4{because its so short.It took me just a few days because I rented it!}

AWESOME!
I played this game for the first time a few weeks ago, and I played the same level for hours(I kept dying) and still came back for more from those dang ruskies. The AI is very advanced even for an EASY level. The game has a very believable storyline and an interesting set of characters. This is definetly movie material. The cast:
Chris Stone- Paul Walker. Isabella Angelina- Angelina Jolie. Phil Bagzton- Jake Gylenhall.Troy Stone- Kevin Dunn Mr. Jones- Max Von Sydow. Tatiana Kepinski- Radha Mitchell. General Tatarin- Jean Reno.
Sounds like a Roland Emmerich movie to me. Anyway, back to the game. It is hard even if you set it on easy. Move it up to medium? Forget it! THis game is awesome, don't miss out!

A pretty good game
Freedom Fighters has a reasonably strong storyline, and rather addictive gameplay. It wasn't an extremely difficult game, only taking me a few days (for those of you who have read other reviews by me, you know I'm a war junky), but some missions took several attempts. I think its difficulty is one of its greatest attributes, because it does have a few downfalls. There's very little weapons selection (the only American firearm available is a revolver, most likely a .357 Magnum, and all other guns are carried by the Soviets). The graphics are generally good, although the game has more of an animated sense, rather than realistic. Speaking of realism, some of the combat is really hindered. For instance, you'd think if you had a clear shot on an enemy's head (meaning he wasn't wearing a helmet or anything), he'd be dead after the first shot. But, with some of the more diffic