Platform: PLAYSTATION 3 | Edition: Standard

Amazon.com Product Description
Sacred 2: Fallen Angel is an Action Role-playing Game (RPG) where the paths players choose and the decisions they make along the way, determine not only the destinies of their character, but also that of their chosen race as a whole, members of the other five other in-game races, and perhaps the game world of Ancaria itself. Set 2,000 years prior to the self-titled first game in the Sacred series, Fallen Angel is prequel to the events and quests of earlier RPG hit, that drops players in the midst of an epic struggle for control of elemental power on the grandest of scale.

Other:
Co-op multiplayer; HDTV 480p, 720p, 1080i; 16:9 widescreen; In-game Dolby Digital sound.

Gameplay
Gameplay in Sacred 2: Fallen Angel in divided into two campaign paths: Light and Dark. As the game begins players choose and customize their character and choose the path they will follow. This choice determines the ultimate goal and intentions of their character, and as the game progresses through literally hundreds of quests and side quests, the paths of different characters intersect at different junctions. Choose one way and you may be tasked to defend a town and its people, while another path could result in you attacking the same town. The choice is yours and the fate of the world and your well-being are at stake.

Key Game Features:

Character Classes
In Sacred 2: Fallen Angel players assume the role of one of six characters — five of which are new to the franchise — and delve into a thrilling story full of side quests and secrets that you will have to unravel. Breathtaking combat arts and sophisticated spells are waiting to be learned. A multitude of weapons and items will be available, and you will choose which of your character’s attributes you will enhance with these items in order to create a unique and distinct hero.

Seraphim
Often referred to as ‘Fallen Angels,’ these mystical and angelic creatures are the oldest inhabitants of Ancaria. Fast, elegant and acrobatic warriors from a technological future they fight with light to medium weapons and, if required, with massive technological support. Players can assume the role of a Seraphim and protect the world from chaos. Shadow Warrior
Shadow Warriors were originally humans trained as elite soldiers in service to the High Elves. Upon their death their souls were stolen by an Elven general, bound to lifeless bodies and imbued with T-Energy. Now free, they travel between this world and the next as undead beings with only the desire to return to the peace of the golden halls of Elysium. High Elf
The best student at the ancient academy of magic in Thylysium, the High Elf character lives and breathes magic. Her hunger for adventure and her insatiable desire to increase her personal knowledge and the influence of her once-powerful house are the driving forces as she sets off into an Ancaria boiling over with turmoil. Dryad
Masters of the hunt and akin to the Elves, The Dryad are in tune with nature and are equipped with the strength of the forests. The most powerful and the strongest among them are knowledgeable of the dark art of voodoo and were chosen in order to save their peoples from extinction. All are expert with the bow, traps, poisons and lore of the forest. Inquisitor
The Inquisitors are the High Priests of the High Elves. Arrogant and deadly, they are only committed to themselves and their ultimate goal of assume control over the T-Energy. Proficient in close combat and able to gain increasing power as damage is taken, their manipulative spells make them powerful fighters from the shadows. Temple Guardian
Since the beginning of time the purpose of Temple Guardians were to maintain and protect the Great Machine, so that it could keep the world in balance. Neither fully flesh or mechanical, they are half human and half machine. Propelled by T-Energy and devoted to protecting it, they are part of the Great Machine and so able to use the T-Energy for their purposes.
A Wide Variety of Mounts
Across Ancaria you will find many horse dealers. They offer all kinds of animals, from the simple nag up to a real war horse. You can equip a war horse with bridle, saddle and even special armor. These special items can be found in the game just like player items, ranging in quality from regular to rare and even unique items. In addition, every character also has a unique mount created specifically for their character class. This mount not only fits the personality of the character, but also complements the various aspects of the character’s playing style perfectly. All character classes can fight from a mounted position using a variety of tactics that the player chooses depending on the terrain and battle conditions.

Product Description
Sacred 2: Fallen Angel features a rich story that takes place in a giant, open-ended and seamless world. This world contains hundreds of dungeons, treacherous opponents and hundreds of challenging quests. Intelligent enemies, steadily adapting in number and difficulty based on player progress, challenge in heroic single and multiplayer battles

good for its genre,

By E. Smith (Wa, USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)
  

Fun:4.0 out of 5 stars 

im writing just a general review, game is good on its own legs, just if your expecting anything new and innovative you will be unpleased, however gameplay and enjoyment factor of massive slaughter on top of a fairly good customized skill system puts it above others of its genre currently

This isn’t Diablo, nor is it even as good as Titan’s Quest,

By M. Su “More Dessert” (Los Angeles, CA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)
  

Fun:2.0 out of 5 stars 

A bit depressed and dizzy after playing this game for a few hours. waited 3 month for this only to be let down, here’s why:

1. character design - none.
2. graphics - there’s some slow down even in the 2 hours I played, and really didn’t encounter any major scenes.
3. tutorial - Yes, this is a diablo clone, but come on, at least a minor tutorial would be nice. There is nothing at all.
4. Not sure if it’s a camera or the graphics, but I sure was dizzy after a few hours of playing. and that tiny map you try to figure out where the quests and merchants are located, even on a 52″ LCD, I had to really focus to see it.
5. quests - very unclear. no way points, nothing, good luck trying to find it.
6. The game is very open, this is good idea but it needs some direction. Can’t just be an open map and you have no idea where to go, what to do.
7. Loot - to be not able to transfer loot between characters is insane. wow.

Don’t think I’ll be putting this back in again, better off playing Wolverine.

First Impressions…,

By MARK DESANTO “"I Eat Games"” (Thousand Oaks, CA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)
  

Fun:3.0 out of 5 stars 

Although I was only able to spend about an hour playing the game yesterday, I feel like I have a few noteworthy remarks about the console release of Sacred 2. Take my feedback with a grain of salt but with that being said I’ll do my best to describe what I experienced. At the very least this will provide a morsel of information out there about this highly (for some) anticipated game. Also to confess, I’ve not played the PC version more than about an hour so I’m not overly familiar with the game in it’s many iterations–but I do love dungeon crawlers of any kind like Diablo I & II, Titan Quest, Baldur’s Gate: Dark Alliance 1 & 2, and Champions of Norrath.

The installation of the game took as long as any other 360 game–roughly 8 minutes. The installation improved load times significantly. I don’t mean to imply that loading levels is non-existent but they do load with in seconds.

I decided to play as a Shadow Warrior and check out how melee is handled in this game. You have the option to choose to play the Light or Dark campaigns and select an applicable deity to worship. The Shadow Warrior begins his saga in a tomb and my initial impressions was “cool, a dungeon! There’s bound to be lots of loot around here!” I ran around a bit and everything looked well enough. It certainly wasn’t mind blowing but it definitely looked better than the games I mentioned above.
Unfortunately, once outside the tomb the frame rate took a little bit of a hit. Not severe enough to make the game unplayable, but I think people who are really sensitive to a slight drop in frames and tearing will be put off by this. Personally, I thought it was a little annoying–but not annoying enough to ruin the gameplay. If I had to guess I would say it dropped < 30 fps.

The fighting was a little strange for me. I felt a little disconnected when fighting (melee) because you don’t mash a button. It’s not similar to the Baldur’s Gates or the Champions of Norraths where you hit a button to attack. Instead you hold down the button and direct your attacks towards the enemies. It works–and I imagine it takes some getting use to–but for me I would rather mash on a button and feel more involved with attacking. It felt a little too passive but I am only an hour into the game. I imagine this is a mechanic that will feel more natural (and perhaps for connected?) in time.

Loading up on loot in these games is always something I look forward to–don’t we all? In Sacred 2 (console), looting is done automatically when pressing the LB. Again, you feel a little detached when loot is magically transported into your inventory and where’s the satisfaction when you don’t get the feel of snatching it up? At least you see it on the ground and know you have to pick it up so the process isn’t as drastically passive as Too Human where goodies didn’t even fall on the ground but jumped into your inventory. I am sure this sounds totally trivial to a lot of you but for me, I enjoy picking it up and hearing the “clinks”, the “clanks” and the “cha-chings” of the gold pieces. For those of you like me, a little thing like that is hugely missed.

I did notice that weapons, abilities/skills and magic can be bound to any of the 4 face buttons. The LT and RT act as a “shift” key so you can bind up to 8 more items for quick use. It looks really effective and I think it’s a smart way to handle diversity in combat methods.

In the inventory, I noticed that comparing items is as easy as pressing a button so it does look like Ascaron made an effort to create as console-friendly game. Again, these are very early impressions of a ginormous game. There are still many many things left for me to see and find and get used to. Knowing some of you are as eager as I am for first-hand impressions of this game on the console — feel free to ask if you have any questions!

For more info hit up my blog: http://eat-games.blogspot.com
Search Amazon.com: Sacred 2: Fallen Angel: Playstation 3: Video Games from AmAzon

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Platform: Xbox 360

Amazon.com Product Description
Dynasty Warriors: Gundam 2 combines the devastating power of the mobile suit, the rich legacy of the anime Gundam universe, and the furious tactical action gameplay of the Dynasty Warriors series. For the first time, engage in melee battles against colossal enemies such as the Psycho Gundam who can quickly reconfigure their bodies into titanic mobile fortresses. Prepare to head off into the furthest reaches of space and wage war against legions of enemy mobile suits.

Gameplay
Dynasty Warriors: Gundam 2, like its predecessor, is a hack and slash tactical action game based on several different anime within the popular and long-lived Gundam series. Action in these anime, and thus within Gundam 2, is based around combat that utilizes in-game mechanized mobile suits and the player’s ability to pilot them in combat against hordes of similarly equipped enemies. The goal in this combat is to level up your chosen character and suit by doing enough damage against the low level enemies you face, and wherever possible, the huge boss character/mechs that are associated with the particular level you find yourself on. Gundam mobile suits feature laser swords, guns, as well as propulsion mechanisms, together which can be used in a few varieties of standard and charging attacks, as well as attacks designed to knock out all enemies within a certain range by charging a power gauge before acting. As you would expect, successful attacks against bosses require much more work and precision, and in many cases rapid input of button prompts flashed during combat.

Multiple Play Modes
Gundam 2 also provides players with a few different play mode options. ‘Official mode’ is a default campaign where players attempt to level up characters by playing through existing plot lines from the various anime subject matter. In this mode you can choose to play from either the good, or evil side of things, but the characters are set. ‘Mission mode’ on the other hand allows players to mix characters and scenarios from the Gundam universe and associate them in different ways for different outcomes. Missions here are divided into several different categories, with completion of missions unlocking further play opportunities and classes of mobile suits. ‘Library mode’ provides players with background information on all the pilots, mobile suits and battle ships in the game. Lastly ‘Versus mode’ via Xbox LIVE allows players to compete against each other in three online campaigns.

Key Game Features:

More Mobile Suits Than Ever
Because action in the Gundam series is so heavily influenced by its playable mobile suits, Dynasty Warriors: Gundam 2 has been designed to include more of these than ever before. Increasing the 19 available in the original Gundam game to more than 60, Dynasty Warriors: Gundam 2 is destined to provide both newbies to the Gundam universe and longtime fans more of the mechs that brought them to the game in the first place.

Product Description
DYNASTY WARRIORS: GUNDAM 2 combines the devastating power of the Mobile Suit, the rich legacy of the GUNDAM universe, and the furious Tactical Action game play of the DYNASTY WARRIORS series. For the first time, engage in melee battles against colossal enemies such as the Psycho Gundam who can quickly reconfigure their bodies into titanic mobile fortresses. Prepare to head off into the furthest reaches of space and wage war against legions of enemy Mobile Suits!

Enjoyable. But room for improvement.,

By Steven Neveleff “Jinx” (Glen Burnie) - See all my reviews
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Fun:4.0 out of 5 stars 

Now I have played other Koei games in the past and wasnt really pleased with it all. I’m pretty sure it was the implement of a robot fantasy I gew up with as a kid. Now with as little spin as possible ere’ we go.

Positives:
Customizable skills for each pilot. You do have to work for them by using different gundams to obtain them.
Collectible upgrades for your gundams. You obtain them through killing enemy robot hoards or through killing characters.
Countless missions and Gundams to unlock as well as more charcters.
Nice blend of several stories through out the franchises series.

Negatives:
Yes the game play will be repetative. Certian missions types may vary slightly, but all are done by the same function.
Missing some key characters from certian series. (Not to sure if this is correct since I know I havent unlocked everything.)
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• Xbox 360 Rock Band 2 Special Edition (0)

Platform: Xbox 360

Product Description
Add a new dimension to your rock experience with the all new wireless Rock Band 2 Drum Set.

Slight improvements = superior kit,

By Mushroom Samba~ - See all my reviews

Fun:5.0 out of 5 stars 

So my rockband 1 drum kit has been through the wringer. A broken pedal, dented pads, and cracking legs … the thing is showing its age. When I picked up the wireless drums I was hoping for a decent step up in quality, and Harmonix delivered.

Big changes: pedal, drum heads, and teh unwired.

The drum pedal comes with a stock metal plate, so you won’t have to go to pedal medals to pick one up for yourself. Unfortunately Harmonix only half … uh … “did” it since the hinge, which is another notorious break point in the design, is identical to the rockband 1 pedal. Based on it’s appearance the RB2 pedal is identical to the RB1 pedal, with only the inclusion of the plate. Don’t expect wildly different performance, and if you really want to avoid a headache go ahead and purchase the pedal medal hinge replacement now to take care of the pedal’s only weak point. All in all though, the metal plate is a significant improvement over the pure plastic of the RB1 pedal.

The drum heads are waay better this time around. They seem slightly larger, but don’t take my word on that, and are made of a different material. Sticks have a really nice bounce off of the surface, and there are inner and outer rings to help you hone in on the center of the pad with every hit. The outer ring is slightly harder, more rubbery, and the inner ring has a shiny surface that has a very elastic feel to it. Playing on these, whether just tapping or really tearing into them, is a much better experience. You don’t have to work so hard to get your sticks to bounce which is nice, and the *thwack* of drum on pad has been seriously quieted. The pads are easily the nicest upgrade, and you should have a great time hitting these things for at least a couple of years.

These drums are also wireless, which pretty much means they behave just like any other 360 d-pad. Nothing more to say than that.

Another reviewer pointed out that the sticks included with this kit are genuine Ludwig sticks, which is a nice bonus. Oddly my RB1 set came with some pro-mark 747’s, which are slightly heavier and, to me at least, have a slightly better heft because of the weight. If you’ve been playing with the RB1 revision one sticks, which feel like they’re made out of balsa wood, then you will love the Ludwigs. On the other hand if you have revision two drums with the pro-mark sticks you’ll likely want to stick with them.

As noted elsewhere Harmonix didn’t exactly reinvent the wheel with the RB2 drums, but all of the little improvements, and in the case of the drum pads a BIG improvement, make the drumming experience much more fun. The game itself is fodder for another review, but if you’re a RB drummer you should do yourself a favor and pick this kit up. Honestly, you will not be disappointed.

Better than the First Set,

By Michael J. Tindal “gamer geek” (Clarksville, TN USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)
  

Fun:5.0 out of 5 stars 

I purchased the standalone drums at a local GameStop the day they came out to use with Rock Band 2, and its been a very pleasurable experience. There was a problem where they would turn off randomly, however, after replacing the batteries with some rechargable batteries I purchased the problem seems to have disappeared, leading me to believe the batteries it came with are defective, but this isn’t a problem with the product itself, so I won’t knock it a star for that. The pads are quieter and much more sensitive, and you’ll find yourself double-tapping the bass pedal a lot until you get used to it, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing. The sticks it comes with are authentic Ludwig sticks and not cheap imitations like the ones that came with the original Rock Band. There are expansion ports for up to three cymbals to be connected, but since the cymbals haven’t been released yet I can’t comment on that aspect. Overall a very good drum set and a definite improvement over the first set.

Great drums, plain and simple.,

By Naren Sridhar (San Ramon, CA) - See all my reviews
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Fun:5.0 out of 5 stars 

If you don’t really want to buy the bundle for Rock Band 2, I would definitely recommend at least buying the drums. These are the best part of the game, and the new ones are flawless.

Pro: Wireless, very little loss of signal from what I can tell. Redesigned to bounce up better. Appears to be built much sturdier than the original drums. Comes with real Ludwig drum-sticks.

Con: Metal foot-pedal doesn’t seem all that sturdy, after playing Painkiller or Panic Attack you feel like this pedal might break….

Just buy this product.
Search Amazon.com: Rock Band 2 X360 Drum Set: Xbox 360: Video Games from AmAzon

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Platform: Xbox 360

Amazon.com Product Description
Developed by Replay Studios in Hamburg, Germany, Velvet Assassin is a single player gaming experience that aims to redefine the stealth action genre through incredibly stylized visuals, immersive environments and a mysteriously haunting atmosphere. Inspired by the exploits of real-life WWII heroine, Violette Szabo, Velvet Assassin reveals the revulsions of war that are never spoken aloud and through its innovative third-person gameplay is set to change the way gamers think of combat forever.

Violette had lost an aunt during one of the first Luftwaffe bombing attacks and to further compound her heartache she later lost her RAF husband in battle. However, she was strong willed and used these painful experiences to inspire her to succeed as a spy for the MI6. And successful she was, but all things come to an end; or do they. Violette carried out several missions successfully before being captured by the Germans. Now lost in a coma and dying in hospital bed, she replays key moments from her past missions as a series of flashbacks. But where does reality end and hallucination begin?

Gameplay
Gameplay in Velvet Assassin is made up of a series of missions behind enemy lines in Nazi occupied Europe that Violette flashes back on from her hospital bed. The twist here is that although these have already happened, their outcome is not set. Missions are a mix of assassinations, demolitions and rescue operations where the player, is entirely on their own. Because of this, and your limited ability to carry weapons and ammo, you must rely heavily on stealth and weapons that draw the least amount of attention. If detected Violette will have to fight her way out of situations where she will always be outnumbered and almost certainly outgunned, yet when discovered and the chances of survival are slim, players do have the option of activating a play feature called ‘Morphine Mode.’ A sort of ‘bullet time’ linked to the drugs that Violette receives during her physical reality in her hospital bed, Morphine Mode allows the player to briefly freeze time, providing an opportunity to dispose of enemies without taking damage or to attempt escape. The experience leaves Violette dazed for a few moments though, so regardless of what the mode is used for players should make good one their plans to avoid being taken out as their heads clear.

Adjustable Skills
Violette’s skills as an assassin are customizable. By completing missions successfully players accumulate the ability to change Violette’s attributes to suit a preferred playing style and/or as a means of preparing Violette for anticipated combat situations. These customizable combat areas include stealth, strength, weapon handling and Morphine Mode effectiveness.

Realistic WWII Era Weapons
Although Velvet Assassin is primarily a stealth game, and as such players can expect to become extremely proficient with dispatching enemies silently with a blade, it also features a wealth of authentic looking and functioning Allied and Nazi weapons from the WWII era. Just a few of those included are: MP40 submachine gun, grenades, Colt .45 pistol, Lugar 9mm pistol, flame-throwers, shotguns, STG-44 assault rifle and the MG-42 machine gun.

12 Authentic European Locations
Go on assassination missions in hyper-realistic dreamlike settings that are modeled after actual WWII locations. While on assignment you will battle Nazi enemies from the shadows, will discover letters and treasures left behind by German soldiers, be forced to deal with the frightening nature of your own nightmares, and complete rescue missions that are anything but life saving.

Key Features

Product Description
Velvet Assassin tells the tale of Violette Summer, an intelligence agent working for the British government during Worl War II and number one on the Nazi list of most-wanted. Inspired by real-life heroin Violette Szaba, Velvet Assassin takes players through Europe’s darkest hours of oppression under the jackboot of the Third Reich. Players will engage in varied missions of sabotage and assassination in a heroic attempt to help the allies overcome their enemy. One Woman, alone and deep behind enemy lines; Violette Summer is the Velvet Assassin.

Velvet Assassin Xbox 360,

By April Franzini “Evilina” (Philadelphia, PA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)
  

Fun:2.0 out of 5 stars 

I was really excited when I first heard about this game. I had such high expectations for it considering I love WWII games and with a female killer–how much more could I ask for? Well I waited for almost 4 months for this game. I rushed to GameStop to purchase it and I brought it home and I must say I am a bit disappointed. I am on the third chapter–something about killing a nazi butcher. When you get killed, you have to sit through everything all over again–it becomes rather boring and monotonous. Hopefully if and when I ever get past chapter 3 I will start to appreciate this game a bit more. Good Luck! This game is not for just anyone–it takes a lot of patience which sometimes I lack.

First Impression…not so good,

By Animal (The SLC) - See all my reviews

Fun:2.0 out of 5 stars 

When I first heard about this game, I felt it had the potential to be a great game. To have the stealth elements of MGS and Splinter Cell within a setting that never gets old to me, WWII, sounded like a sure winner. Although I have only played it for two days, I have found several problems with this game and finding myself slowly moving to something else on my shelf. First thing I noticed was the graphics, at 1080p the majority of the environment looked very stunning but objects and people do look choppy. I would have to say that overall, it doesn’t meet the standards of a 09 game. The really big problem I have is the frame-rate. It is extremely noticeable at start since you are placed in a wooded area. This is a big problem since it makes camera movement awkward and you heavy depend on constantly shifting angles to maintain eyes on your prey. The last thing that comes to mind is the scenarios. Again, I have only experienced up to the 2nd level but scenarios seem very linear and scripted. I was hoping for a larger playground, having several locations to stalk and hide, moving within the enemy as a picked off the enemy one-by-one. I have not used much of arsenal this game has to offer, so I don’t know how the sniping or shootout factors play out. As far as positives I can think of three, with first being stealth kills. Knife stealth kills are very detailed and are not limited to one basic animation. The second is basic ability to improve skills. If you collect enough items in the environment you can upgrade your morphine mode (freezes time for easy kills or fast escape), stealth movement speed or stamina (how well you take damage). The last one is that they didn’t completely drop the ball on stealth game play. It still requires you to quickly move from cover to cover, use timing and patience to dispatch grouped foes and getting close and personal with enemies since ammo is rare. I feel I’m not giving this title enough credit since I have barely played it but this is for you folks who are desperately looking for a new title….please look somewhere else.

What’s with all the bad reviews?,

By K.Y.C - See all my reviews

Fun:4.0 out of 5 stars 

I don’t see why people are giving Velvet Assassin such bad reviews. Yeah, it’s not an ‘action’ stealth game like Splinter Cell and Metal Gear Solid, but it holds it’s own as being a WWII game that DOESN’T involve being in the frontlines.

I’ve been needing a stealth game for my 360 and Velvet Assassin fits the case perfectly. It’s a surprisingly simple stealth game-for some this is good and others this is bad. If you’re looking for a stealth game where you get to use gadgets and gizmos as well as climb up walls, use grappling guns ect…turn away now, for Velvet Assassin has none of this. Nope. In this game all you have are your wits to get you through.

You start out discovering that Violet is in a coma in a hospital. Where she is exactly, you don’t know-but it’s explained as you play along. You then enter memories of the first mission-which is basiclly a tutorial level.

Stealth is extremely simple. Stay in the shadows(and silent), and you’re safe. Sneak behind an enemy and pull off as many silent kills as you can. Not only do these look sweet, but you can keep a low profile while doing so.

Firearms are based off real WWII weapons, and ammo for each one is EXTREMLEY limited, so you don’t want to waste any shots unless you have to. I’ve read some reviews from people saying that they don’t use the weapons…I seriously have NO clue how that’s possible-I find myself needing to use them time and time again for silent headshot kills as well for blasting my way through enemies when the time is right.

You upgrade Violet by finding collectables in each mission. In some missions there are hidden objectives and precious collectables that will chalk you up with a TON of experiance points, so it’s good to explore as much of the area as you can. Yes, gameplay is extremely linar-but that didn’t bother me at all. I actually liked it due to the fact that whenever I play Splinter Cell I ALWAYS get lost and frustrated. Velvet Assassin dims down the ‘frustrating lost’ vibe by being linar.

Graphics are-I’ll admit-not the greatest out there, but I’m not really one who nickpicks that sort of thing. I play on a standard 24 inch 480pi TV-and the game looks fine to me. Someone commented on the frame rate being bad, but I didn’t notice anything. I guess if you’re really picky about those sorts of things then you’d notice them.

The Morphine Mode in Velvet Assassin is pretty cool. Violet has the ability to use Morphine to stop time in all missions (except for missions 11 and 12) thus enabling her to pull off kills from the front or get the heck out of there. The screen glows white and Violet is in her nightgown (I’m not sure why…fits the mood, maybe?) with red blood cells floating everywhere. Weird…but cool at the same time.

The enviorments in Velvet Assassin are a mixture between boring and downright scary. The first mission is pretty boring. Once you hit the ‘Third Man’ mission things get sorta creepy. His mission 10 and you’ll find yourself in a creepy little town where Nazis have killed and strung about innocent people. Mission 12 hands down has the scariest envoirment in the entire game.

This really isn’t a problem as it is a surprise. I was rather shocked to see that Velvet Assassin actually has dead children in gameplay. It’s nothing gory or anything by all means-but this is the first game I’ve played that actually has children in a village…ya know, where children should be? Every other game that I’ve played that takes place in a location that SHOULD have children-doesn’t. This really did come as a surprise to me though. It’s not bad, it’s just unsual.

Personally I found Velvet Assassin to be quite fun. I was always eager to see where Violet would go next-and if she would ever wake up. (Oh, and her voice actor is really good) I enjoy the simple stealth system and found it fun to whistle-get someone’s attention, and then stealth kill him for his stupidity. But I’m just the kind of person who has a knack for patience-and I don’t need a flashy storyline to entertain me. Like I said, if you’re looking for an ‘action-packed’ stealth game then I suggest you stay clear of Velvet Assassin, cuz this isn’t the game for you.
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Platform: Xbox 360

Amazon.com Product Description
The X-Men saga continues with the X-Men Origins: Wolverine video game for the Xbox 360, based on the feature film of the same name. Unleash the fury of Wolverine and see how it all began. With cinema-style graphics and sound, and unstoppable action and excitement, X-Men Origins: Wolverine will have you on the edge of seat as you slash, slice, and stab your way through level after level of intense, epic gameplay.

The realistic graphics will have you feeling like you’re watching a movie. View larger.

Wolverine’s real-time regeneration powers keeps you going for more action. View larger.

Use your claws to slice up your opponents. View larger.

X-Men and Wolverine fans will recognize scenes from the comic book. View larger. Cinema-Style Graphics and Sound
With incredibly detailed graphics and stellar sound effects, you’ll feel as though you’re watching a full-feature movie, only you’ll be playing it on your Xbox 360. X-Men Origins: Wolverine takes you back to the “birth” of Wolverine when the fury was first unleashed. Battle your way through levels of relentless action that feature jaw-dropping graphics that are suitable enough for the big screen.

You’ll encounter extremely detailed combat situations throughout this game, including battling enemies at 30,000 feet in the air with no parachute, all on your way to hunt down the secrets of Weapon X.

Relentless Combat and Epic Gameplay
Take on the enemy as only Wolverine can using his indestructible adamantium claws to defeat even the toughest adversaries. With over 100 custom moves and attacks, reflex quick-kills, and long-range lunge attacks, you have enough destruction power at your fingertips for even the most intense combat situations.

Battle the meanest, toughest bosses that Wolverine has ever faced, including the gigantic 200-foot tall Sentinels, grotesque Wendigos, and the sinister Leviathans. Use Wolverine’s real-time regeneration powers to mend bone and muscle tissue for non-stop fighting action and seemingly impossible risk-taking.

Special Rage Powers and Feral Senses
Take advantage of Wolverine’s rage power to unlock devastating special moves, combos, and contextual attacks that are sure to ravage anything in his path. Plus, you can utilize Wolverine’s animal-like Feral Senses to expose the enemy’s weaknesses and provide you with a tactical advantage against them. You can also use this unique animal instinct to solve puzzles and discover escape routes throughout your journey.

Experience true-to-character authenticity and unrelenting action as you slice and dice your way through incredibly detailed graphics and cinematic sequences that are sure to satisfy any mutant-loving gamer. X-Men Origins: Wolverine is a satisfying action game with plenty of special moves, evil villains, blood and gore, unstoppable action, and so much more.

Product Description
Uncage Wolverine¿s tragic past and discover how the ultimate weapon was created. Unleash the razor sharp adamantium claws, feral instincts and mutant regeneration power of the world¿s fiercest hero. Visceral combat. Pure rage. Epic battles. Take on the impossible in your hunt to uncover the secrets of Weapon X¿then exact your revenge.

Wolverine, the way he should be…,

By J. Brooks “Froot Loops” (Nampa, Idaho United States) - See all my reviews
(TOP 1000 REVIEWER)
  
(REAL NAME)
  

Fun:5.0 out of 5 stars 

Let me start off by saying most games that tie into a movie suck, Wolverine Uncaged isn’t one of them.

Unlike so many other movie games Wolverine Uncaged is well thought out and designed, like they were actually trying to make a great game instead of just making a game to sell with the movie.

In terms of how it plays, it plays similarly to God of War, some platforming, puzzles, and lots of action. It is just tons of fun having a half a dozen or more bad guys thrown at you and being able to just deal with them. That and the fact that Wolverine has enough moves and animations that each kill seems unique, keeping the gameplay fresh the whole way through.

The controls are responsive, somewhat intuitive, and just work. Can’t really complain about any aspect of the controls.

Graphically the game is very solid. During a fight Wolverine will get torn apart, lit on fire, shot, even blown up to some degree and every little bit of that effects how he looks. He’ll even get to the point that hes so torn up it’s like looking through a piece of Swiss cheese, thus exposing his skeleton. And watching him regenerate from all of his wounds is just cool.

The game also has some of the smoothest cutscenes I’ve seen for a while. One thing I’ve always disliked about cutscenes in other games is that they show your character doing really awesome things that you can’t normally do in the game. Wolverine Uncaged on the other hand, you get to do all of those awesome things.

Now some people will complain about all of the blood and gore and the fact it’s rated M… I don’t have a problem with that because if you’ve ever read ANY of the Wolverine Origins books you’ll know why. And being such a fan I am glad they didn’t wuss out and go for T rating. In fact if it was rated T (or E for Everyone), the game would be greatly hindered and probably be just another run of the mill “movie games” that sucks, instead of the great game that it is.

If you are a fan of Wolverine, particularly the Origins series of books, this game lives up to it.
If you are looking at getting this for your kid because they liked the movie, you might want to think twice and check out the demo before you purchase.

Don’t dismiss this as another one of those movie tie in games like I almost did, you’ll kick yourself.

Pros:
Is a great game that just happens to be coming out at the same time as it’s movie counterpart.
Awesome action and tons of moves.
Smooth transitions between cutscenes and gameplay.
Voice acting is very solid.

Cons:
Really can’t think of any… yet.

Ohhhh the BRUTALITY!!!!!!,

By Justin Scott “DikTator33″ (Phoenix, AZ) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)
  

Fun:5.0 out of 5 stars 

I have to rate this game a 5 out of 5 stars because this is the best Wolverine game ever made, plain and simple. There are a very few minor hicups but nothing that takes away from the overall satisfying gameplay. Another thing that this game has going in it’s favor is it’s length. For an action game of it’s caliber the game is plenty long enough. It does start to get a little tideous at times,( meaning that there really isn’t very much diversity in the gameplay ) but the fun of slicing and dicing the way that Wolverine was always meant to in a video game never goes stale. I would really like it if Raven Software were to eventually make other X-Men action games like this in the near future, with other characters. Heck, even an action game of this type and style with the whole X-Men team. I look foward to Raven’s future work even the upcoming MARVEL ULTIMATE ALLIANCE 2 in the fall.

There can’t be a better wolverine game,

By Goemon - See all my reviews

Fun:5.0 out of 5 stars 

Thanks for reviewers who mentioned that this game is NOT a movie-milk , this a really fun game , bought it the day I read the reviews .. couldn’t but it down for 6 hours straight , one point though .. this is not for children , I think maybe the wii version is ment for children but not the ps3 and xbox360 versions ( hence : uncaged edition ), any x-men or wolverine fan shouldn’t miss this game .
Search Amazon.com: X-Men Origins: Wolverine Uncaged Edition: Xbox 360: Video Games from AmAzon

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Platform: Xbox 360 | Edition: Standard

Amazon.com Product Description
Sacred 2: Fallen Angel is an Action Role-playing Game (RPG) where the paths players choose and the decisions they make along the way, determine not only the destinies of their character, but also that of their chosen race as a whole, members of the other five other in-game races, and perhaps the game world of Ancaria itself. Set 2,000 years prior to the self-titled first game in the Sacred series, Fallen Angel is prequel to the events and quests of earlier RPG hit, that drops players in the midst of an epic struggle for control of elemental power on the grandest of scale.

Other:
Co-op multiplayer; HDTV 480p, 720p, 1080i; 16:9 widescreen; In-game Dolby Digital sound.

Gameplay
Gameplay in Sacred 2: Fallen Angel in divided into two campaign paths: Light and Dark. As the game begins players choose and customize their character and choose the path they will follow. This choice determines the ultimate goal and intentions of their character, and as the game progresses through literally hundreds of quests and side quests, the paths of different characters intersect at different junctions. Choose one way and you may be tasked to defend a town and its people, while another path could result in you attacking the same town. The choice is yours and the fate of the world and your well-being are at stake.

Key Game Features:

Character Classes
In Sacred 2: Fallen Angel players assume the role of one of six characters — five of which are new to the franchise — and delve into a thrilling story full of side quests and secrets that you will have to unravel. Breathtaking combat arts and sophisticated spells are waiting to be learned. A multitude of weapons and items will be available, and you will choose which of your character’s attributes you will enhance with these items in order to create a unique and distinct hero.

Seraphim
Often referred to as ‘Fallen Angels,’ these mystical and angelic creatures are the oldest inhabitants of Ancaria. Fast, elegant and acrobatic warriors from a technological future they fight with light to medium weapons and, if required, with massive technological support. Players can assume the role of a Seraphim and protect the world from chaos. Shadow Warrior
Shadow Warriors were originally humans trained as elite soldiers in service to the High Elves. Upon their death their souls were stolen by an Elven general, bound to lifeless bodies and imbued with T-Energy. Now free, they travel between this world and the next as undead beings with only the desire to return to the peace of the golden halls of Elysium. High Elf
The best student at the ancient academy of magic in Thylysium, the High Elf character lives and breathes magic. Her hunger for adventure and her insatiable desire to increase her personal knowledge and the influence of her once-powerful house are the driving forces as she sets off into an Ancaria boiling over with turmoil. Dryad
Masters of the hunt and akin to the Elves, The Dryad are in tune with nature and are equipped with the strength of the forests. The most powerful and the strongest among them are knowledgeable of the dark art of voodoo and were chosen in order to save their peoples from extinction. All are expert with the bow, traps, poisons and lore of the forest. Inquisitor
The Inquisitors are the High Priests of the High Elves. Arrogant and deadly, they are only committed to themselves and their ultimate goal of assume control over the T-Energy. Proficient in close combat and able to gain increasing power as damage is taken, their manipulative spells make them powerful fighters from the shadows. Temple Guardian
Since the beginning of time the purpose of Temple Guardians were to maintain and protect the Great Machine, so that it could keep the world in balance. Neither fully flesh or mechanical, they are half human and half machine. Propelled by T-Energy and devoted to protecting it, they are part of the Great Machine and so able to use the T-Energy for their purposes.
A Wide Variety of Mounts
Across Ancaria you will find many horse dealers. They offer all kinds of animals, from the simple nag up to a real war horse. You can equip a war horse with bridle, saddle and even special armor. These special items can be found in the game just like player items, ranging in quality from regular to rare and even unique items. In addition, every character also has a unique mount created specifically for their character class. This mount not only fits the personality of the character, but also complements the various aspects of the character’s playing style perfectly. All character classes can fight from a mounted position using a variety of tactics that the player chooses depending on the terrain and battle conditions.

Product Description
For an era, it was the angelic Seraphim who watched over the T Energy (forms the beginning of all life, it is the source of all magic and the origin of all thought). They passed their knowledge on to the High Elves, so that they could benefit from T Energy. But the High Elves let the power over T Energy tear their society apart, and war and strife broke out. Worse than that, the T Energy itself went out of control, turning negative and creating destructive evil in the land. The nobility as well as the clerical caste of the High Elves struggled to seize power over the high-elvish imperium, so that they alone might hold the T Power in their rule. The land once more faced with war; a war that was much larger, and more far-reaching consequences than all previous wars and battles. Two thousand years before Shaddar the cry for heroes arises to avert this war and to regain control over the T Energy. Will those heroes prevent the world lapsing into final chaos, or will they instead deepen it with their actions? Deities offer unique combat disciplines and unlock additional quests Seamless transition between single and multiplayer gaming modes Challenge gamers online in cooperative PvP (Player versus Player) & PvE (Player versus Environment) Cutting-edge graphics and Dolby 5.1 channel surround sound uses the latest technologies to deliver an immersive experience

A few issues, but overall an excellent game.,

By Skyclad (Michigan) - See all my reviews

Fun:5.0 out of 5 stars 

I’ve been waiting for a game like this on the consoles… a full-fledged dungeon crawler that has decent online gameplay.

I haven’t played the PC version of the game, but 1Up wrote in their review the console version is actually better than the PC version for various reasons.

You get to choose from one of many different classes and then choose whether you want to follow the gods of light or dark… and what you choose directly impacts the flow of the game with differing quests.

I had to knock off a point for some small control issues and some graphical glitches, but they in no way ruin the game at all.

Fun in single player, even funner in online co-op.

A Game With Lots Of Heart But…,

By MARK DESANTO “"I Eat Games"” (Thousand Oaks, CA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)
  

Fun:3.0 out of 5 stars 

**UPDATED BELOW ON 05/15/09**

Although I was only able to spend about an hour playing the game yesterday, I feel like I have a few noteworthy remarks about the console release of Sacred 2. Take my feedback with a grain of salt but with that being said I’ll do my best to describe what I experienced. At the very least this will provide a morsel of information out there about this highly (for some) anticipated game. Also to confess, I’ve not played the PC version more than about an hour so I’m not overly familiar with the game in it’s many iterations–but I do love dungeon crawlers of any kind like Diablo I & II, Titan Quest, Baldur’s Gate: Dark Alliance 1 & 2, and Champions of Norrath.

The installation of the game took as long as any other 360 game–roughly 8 minutes. The installation improved load times significantly. I don’t mean to imply that loading levels is non-existent but they do load with in seconds.

I decided to play as a Shadow Warrior and check out how melee is handled in this game. You have the option to choose to play the Light or Dark campaigns and select an applicable deity to worship. The Shadow Warrior begins his saga in a tomb and my initial impressions was “cool, a dungeon! There’s bound to be lots of loot around here!” I ran around a bit and everything looked well enough. It certainly wasn’t mind blowing but it definitely looked better than the games I mentioned above.

Unfortunately, once outside the tomb the frame rate took a little bit of a hit. Not severe enough to make the game unplayable, but I think people who are really sensitive to a slight drop in frames and tearing will be put off by this. Personally, I thought it was a little annoying–but not annoying enough to ruin the gameplay. If I had to guess I would say it dropped < 30 fps.

The fighting was a little strange for me. I felt a little disconnected when fighting (melee) because you don’t mash a button. It’s not similar to the Baldur’s Gates or the Champions of Norraths where you hit a button to attack. Instead you hold down the button and direct your attacks towards the enemies. It works–and I imagine it takes some getting use to–but for me I would rather mash on a button and feel more involved with attacking. It felt a little too passive but I am only an hour into the game. I imagine this is a mechanic that will feel more natural (and perhaps for connected?) in time.

Loading up on loot in these games is always something I look forward to–don’t we all? In Sacred 2 (console), looting is done automatically when pressing the LB. Again, you feel a little detached when loot is magically transported into your inventory and where’s the satisfaction when you don’t get the feel of snatching it up? At least you see it on the ground and know you have to pick it up so the process isn’t as drastically passive as Too Human where goodies didn’t even fall on the ground but jumped into your inventory. I am sure this sounds totally trivial to a lot of you but for me, I enjoy picking it up and hearing the “clinks”, the “clanks” and the “cha-chings” of the gold pieces. For those of you like me, a little thing like that is hugely missed.

I did notice that weapons, abilities/skills and magic can be bound to any of the 4 face buttons. The LT and RT act as a “shift” key so you can bind up to 8 more items for quick use. It looks really effective and I think it’s a smart way to handle diversity in combat methods.

In the inventory, I noticed that comparing items is as easy as pressing a button so it does look like Ascaron made an effort to create as console-friendly game. Again, these are very early impressions of a ginormous game. There are still many many things left for me to see and find and get used to. Knowing some of you are as eager as I am for first-hand impressions of this game on the console — feel free to ask if you have any questions!

**05/14/09 - UPDATE**

Sacred 2 has this way of luring you back for more–even with its faults!

It pleases me to say that after becoming a little bored with the Shadow Warrior–with it’s monotonous melee–I decided to create a different character, a Dryad, and give Sacred 2 another shot. It’s not that I dislike Sacred 2, it’s that it’s got so much potentoil and it’s first impression was spoiled! Hey, I love these dungeon crawlers ok?

So I headed in another direction and went with a ranged class to see how differently it would play. The Dryad class can use melee weapons like the Shadow Warrior, but really, it’s built for ranged attacks. I have to say, after playing for several hours, I really enjoyed my time playing the Dryad. Sure, chalk it up to personal preference perhaps but it really feels like this game was built for bows-and-magic on the consoles (not the PC.) Come’on, this is coming from a guy who hated the “push-the-stick” melee in Too Human but loved the Marksmen class.

With the class change I dutifully played a few more hours of the game (roughly 4). Unfortunately with in that time I noticed a few more obtrusive issues with the game. Thankfully none of these are deal breakers, atleast not for me. But before I get to those I want to reiterate–I am now enjoying this game, it’s just that it’s not as refined as I would like it to be.

With that being said….

I cannot find a way to blacksmith in the field despite obtaining the skill to do so. I’ve checked around on several forums, asked a few people and it appears that this is a common issue amongst players. It’s a nice skill to have as Blacksmiths just aren’t prevalent in the game.

When browsing the inventory there are two options available to you–”Details” and “Compare”. “Details” allows you to–are you ready for this–see more details about a particular item! “Compare” allows you to….see more details about an item! Yes the problem is–both buttons do the exact same thing. This is another very useful feature that would make life easier when upgrading and selling items. Anyone know what’s going on with this?

In my previous post I complained about the act of Looting. I’m happy to report that the “catch all” collection system now feels really good and makes my little pavlovian brain salivate with it’s “Cha-ching” sound effects.
Just to note–and not to complaint–gone is the color system the PC version of the game uses to identify power level and importance of items and weapons (a la Word of Warcraft) and replacing it is a star system. It works well and I see no real difference between using the two. I’m wondering if perhaps the change took place to better suite colorblind gamers?

Overall–this game is beginning to win me over and I’m excited about that.

More on my Blog for those that are interested: http://eat-games.blogspot.com

Finally a great console Action RPG!,

By Steven (Colorado, USA) - See all my reviews

Fun:5.0 out of 5 stars 

Sacred 2 is a very solid console Action Role Playing Game (ARPG) filled with quests, dungeons and more loot then you can imagine. Yes this game does have its share of flaws but those of us that are addicted to these types of games (aka Diablo clones) are likely to be more then satisfied. The port over to the console has been so good that many reviews - even “professional” reviewers say this is better then the PC counterpart.

I’ve been craving a good console hack-n-slash ARPG ever since the days of Baldur’s Gate: Dark Alliance and Champions of Norrath that came out last gen. The market for these games is so small that they very rarely come out. Sure there are great RPGS currently - Oblivion, Mass Effect, Fallout 3 and other come to mind but we haven’t seen a real solid ARPG ‘Diablo clone’ come out in a long time. Finally Sacred 2 fills that gap - does it do a good job? Absolutely!

Let’s go ahead and get the flaws out of the way. A lot of what you may have already read is true to some degree. Yes the frame rate does stutter slightly in larger open areas. The character development does seem daunting at first. The screen does tear a bit, enemies do get stuck every once in awhile, you get stuck every once in awhile, the voice acting is pretty bad, and sometimes navigation is a pain because on your way to a quest you will suddenly hit a dead end that isn’t really that visible on your mini-map. The default camera is bad (luckily you can change it to a static camera which is much much better - makes the game play very much like BG:DA).

All of these flaws are present in some degree. It may sound like I’m bashing the game but really I’m not - I’m just telling you the truth. Also, the truth is that these issues are very nit-picky and in the grand scheme of things, well, they’re irrelevant. It seems as though a lot of people are exaggerating these issues. The frame rate stutter is very slight and I noticed it smoothed out a bit when I installed the game on my hard drive. The character development is daunting at first but you get used to it and it’s certainly better then having shallow character development. Enemies get stuck but it’s rare and doesn’t really affect the gameplay. People bash the voice acting and yes it is goofy and over the top - but this game doesn’t take itself too seriously, which is evident right away when you read some of the gravestones and the text for the quests. The whole game is a little bit goofy - in a good way. The only significant complaint I have is that there is a complete lack of a pause feature, which is odd. Even if you hit the guide button on your controller the game will still go on in the background. I’ve read that they may fix this and I hope they do.

Some people complain about the interface but I think it’s done very well. There is only so much you can do with a controller and I think they did a very good job porting over the interface - once you learn the ins and outs of it you will be flying through it in no time. Some people complain about the graphics saying they are outdated. I don’t understand this at all, sure they aren’t perfect but the world is vast and beautiful. On the PC this game is a complete system hog and they were able to port it well to the current gen consoles which are now becoming dinosaurs in computer years.

Look, it boils down to this. Do you like games like Baldur’s Gate: Dark Alliance and Diablo? Are you a fan of hack-n-slash, looting, dungeon crawling, character buffing games with massive worlds and hundreds of quests? If this is your idea of a fun game then certainly you will be able to look past the technical nit-picky issues listed above. Sacred 2 offers a massive world capable of eating up hundreds of hours, there is no reason you shouldn’t explore it. I am very satisfied with this game - it scratches that console ARPG itch I’ve had for quite some time now.
Search Amazon.com: Sacred 2: Fallen Angel: Xbox 360: Video Games from AmAzon

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