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Call of Duty World at War Game

2009-03-19T21:37:00.000-07:00

Call of Duty World at War
Amazon.com Product Description

Call of Duty is back, redefining war like you’ve never experienced before. Building on the Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare engine, Call of Duty: World at War immerses players into the most gritty and chaotic WWII combat ever experienced. Players band together to survive the most harrowing and climactic battles that led to the demise of the Axis powers on the European and Pacific fronts. The title offers an uncensored experience with unique enemies and combat variety, including Kamikaze fighters, ambush attacks, Banzai charges and cunning cover tactics, as well as explosive on-screen action through the all new four-player cooperative campaign. The addictive competitive multiplayer has also been enhanced with new infantry and vehicle-based action, a higher level cap, more weapons, and a host of new Perks, maps and challenges.

Features:

New Enemies, Environments and Tactics: Face off against ruthless and tactically advanced enemies that will stop at nothing to defend their homelands, from swamp ambushes and tree-top snipers to fearless Kamikaze attacks. Play as a U.S. Marine and Russian conscript across a variety of Pacific and European locations against the fearless Imperial Japanese and elite German soldiers in epic adrenaline-filled infantry, vehicle and airborne missions.

Co-Op Campaign Mode, Call of Duty Style: For the first time in the franchise, Call of Duty: World at War introduces co-op play, bringing fresh meaning to “No One Fights Alone”. Campaign co-op features up to four-players online, or two-player local split-screen, allowing gamers to experience harrowing campaign missions together for greater camaraderie and tactical execution. Co-op mode incorporates innovative multiplayer components such as challenges, rankings and online stats for deeper re-playability and multiplayer experience bonuses. Co-op mode also features Competitive Co-Op that will show who is really the best player on your team.

Enhanced Multiplayer: Call of Duty: World at War continues the class-based multiplayer action the series is famous for. The addition of vehicle combat with tanks rounds out the multiplayer experience, and features such as persistent stats, player rankings, upgradeable weapons, squad-based gameplay, customizable classes and Perks, have been further enhanced.

The Call of Duty Experience: Call of Duty: World at War utilizes cutting-edge technology including highly-detailed character models, self-shadowing, environmental lighting and amazing special effects to deliver jaw-dropping visuals. Depth of field, rim-lighting and texture-streaming technology bring the adrenaline-pumping combat to life, while physics-enabled battlefields and fire that spreads through environments realistically immerses players into the harrowing and dynamic combat.

Product Description
Call of Duty: World at War changes the rules of engagement by redefining WWII gaming and thrusting players into one of the most tension-filled, unforgiving battles against a new ferocious enemy in the most dangerous and suspenseful action ever seen in WWII. Powered by Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare technology, Call of Duty: World at War brings an uncensored edge to combat, as soldiers face the most harrowing and climatic European and Pacific battles in which an enemy, who knows no surrender and no retreat, will fight to the last breath, unleashing an arsenal of lethal surprising tactics. Peril and danger lurk throughout the battlefield as players combat the unknown risk of the new chaos of battle. From the remains of Russia and the ruins of Berlin, to the beach and jungles of the deadly Pacific Theater, the volatile action takes on added depth as players employ new features that previously were only-available in multiplayer, including perks, rankings and online stats in up-to full four-player cooperative gameplay. New infantry and vehicle-based weapons, like the potent flamethrower, bring the battlefield ablaze.

Product Description
Go to war in the final tension-filled, unforgiving battles against a new ferocious enemy in the most dangerous and suspenseful action ever seen in WWII. Call of Duty: World at War completely changes the rules of engagement by redefining WWII gaming. It brings an uncensored edge to combat, as soldiers face the most harrowing and climatic European and Pacific battles. From the remains of Russia and the ruins of Berlin, to the beach and jungles of the deadly Pacific Theater, the volatile action takes on added depth as you employ new features that previously were only available in multiplayer, including perks, rankings and online stats in up-to full four-player cooperative gameplay.

Empire Total War

2009-03-19T20:59:00.000-07:00

Empire Total War

Amazon.com Product Description
Call the shots in epic battles all over the world and expand your realm of influence throughout the tumultuous eighteenth century with Empire: Total War for your PC. Set against the bold intellectual landscape of the Enlightenment, this extension of the Total War franchise brings you

out of the middle ages and into a realm where guns, gunpowder, and naval warfare have a dramatic influence on the face of combat.

Historic Factions, Expanded Horizons, and an Updated Campaign Map
Total War's detailed, turn-based battle system has received some serious upgrades that will have an impact on both seasoned commanders and newly minted combatants. The UI has been streamlined, and the systems for handling trade and diplomacy have been updated. You have improved advisors at your disposal, and realistic espionage techniques can be carried out using agents.

Empire puts a variety of major political factions into your hands, including France, Spain, Great Britain, Sweden, the United Provinces in northern Europe, Prussia, the Ottoman Empire, and Russia. Detailed strategic elements come into play, whether you're fighting in the heart of Europe, warding off Mamluk horsemen in the middle east, or working to capture the wealth of India. Beyond all this, for the first time in Total War history, the continent of North America is an open field of play that portrays the unique strategic problems encountered by the founding fathers during the revolutionary war.

Dynamic 3D Naval Battles and Forces of Nature
Total War's signature 3D battle scenes are paired with a new graphics engine and improved technology, allowing war and conquest to take on an even more realistic feel. Advanced landscape and flora systems add both realism and depth to the world stage, while dynamic weather consistently threatens to throw a wrench in your attack plans.

Whether you're coordinating platoon firing or supporting a defensive square formation, the musket and the cannon take center stage as newly developed implements of war. And they're not just for use on land. Real-time naval battle set on dramatic seascapes help shape the balance of power and determine the scope of your Empire, and they're rendered in the same impressive 3D as battles on land. You may find yourself directing a vast fleet through intricate maneuvers, controlling the helm of a single tall ship, or grappling to the enemy's boat and dictating the course of hand-to-hand combat on deck.

New Multiplayer Action
Additional updates to the Total War model include a multiplayer component that provides player rankings for competitive commanders, leagues and ladders, and a selection of entirely new modes of game play.

Product Description
Control the sea, command great armies, forge a new nation and conquer the globe. Empire: Total War takes the Total War franchise to the 18th Century and the Age of Imperialism¿a time of near perpetual war. This latest installation in the award-winning, multi-million unit selling Total War franchise introduces a host of revolutionary new features, including true 3D naval combat. Players will be able to command single ships or vast fleets upon seascapes rich with extraordinary effects. After pummeling enemies with cannon fire, players will close in to grapple enemy ships and prepare to board, taking control of men as they fight hand-to-hand. With an entirely new game engine, Empire will see further enhancements to the 3D battles and turn-based campaign maps. Empire lets players experience combat on the high seas, India, Europe, and, for the first time, the United States of America.

Product Description
Empire: Total War introduces a host of revolutionary new features, including true 3D naval combat. For the first time in the Total War series, you will be able to intuitively command single ships or vast fleets upon seascapes rich with extraordinary water and weather effects that play a huge role in your eventual glorious success or ignominious defeat. After pummeling your enemy with cannon fire, close in to grapple their ship and prepare to board, taking control of your men as they fight hand-to-hand on the decks of these wooden behemoths. In addition, Empire: Total War will see further enhancements to the Total War series' signature 3D battles and turn-based campaign map. Real-time battles will pose new challenges with the addition of cannon and musket, challenging players to master new formations and tactics as a result of the increasing role of gunpowder within warfare. And the Campaign Map for many, the heart of Total War introduces a variety of new and upgraded elements, including new systems for Trade, Diplomacy and Espionage with agents; a refined and streamlined UI; improved Advisors; and a vastly extended scope, taking in the riches of India, the turbulence of Europe and, for the first time, the untapped potential of the United States of America.

Seemore :
Empire Total War<

The Witcher

2008-07-10T08:36:00.000-07:00

Platform: Windows XP / Vista

Reinvigorating the role-playing genre with a fresh and modern approach, The Witcher combines unrivalled story and character development in an original, vibrant world with tactically-deep real-time combat and a challenging view of good and evil that will intrigue RPG players of all levels.

Hunt with Geralt, the White Wolf

He's not your average monster-hunting mercenary. View larger.

He'll pit blade against beast. View larger.

Or go mano v. mana. View larger.

Explore an elegant and inventive combat system. View larger.
Based on the "Witcher Saga" of books and short stories by Polish author Andrzej Sapkowski and built utilizing the powerful Neverwinter Nights engine, The Witcher immerses players in a beautifully vivid, but harsh fantasy world in the role of a Geralt, an adept and feared monster-slayer-for-hire. Brutally trained from birth to be a cold-hearted assassin whose services are available to the highest bidder, yet troubled by a past he can’t entirely remember, Geralt is a classic anti-hero. To this most renowned of witchers, a society of mutants born with superhuman strength and reflexes and trained at a high level in magic and alchemy, killing has been and seemingly should remain a strictly commercial affair, but as questions about his past come to the fore, so do doubts surrounding the morality of his trade. And these doubts only grow when bits of his past are revealed as he and you grow in power and acclaim through the progression of the game.

The Thin Line Between Good and Evil
Far from a common black and white treatment of good and evil, the moral attitudes defining the world of The Witcher are as close to that of our own prevalent real world view as you are likely to see in a modern RPG. Set in a time dominated by vanity, greed and prejudice, there is no lack of work for Geralt as the kingdoms of the North forsake old alliances and give in to endless intrigue and purges instead of facing a growing tide of evil. But as despicable as the monsters, non-human enemies and pure human trash you are hired to eliminate may seem and may very well be, pity, mercy and good faith are nearly always a possible option to deadly force and one that can change Geralt’s overall destiny. It’s this kernel of reality in a universe peopled with fantastic and sometimes frightening beings and creatures against a backdrop of morally challenging scenarios that will keep players coming back for more as they explore the varying consequences of Geralt’s choices and the choices forced upon him.

Character Development
A witcher's destiny is preordained at birth, but your goal is to determine Geralt's specific path. Hidden within The Witcher are a startling 250 in-game skills and abilities that allow you to define and in many cases plan the evolution of Geralt’s character. Will he rely mainly on his skill with a blade? Develop into an arcane battle mage? Transform into a potent alchemist? Or meld all these skills into a more complicated, but potentially unbeatable combo of all three? Give some thought to your path, but know it will not always be an easy or thoughtful one. Filled with non-linear decision-making opportunities and consequences, expect to be forced into quick decisions, choices between the lesser of two evils and to invariably be stuck with the consequences of your employer’s short-sighted plans for your services. It’s these consequences that will determine your progression through the game’s storyline and lead to the availability of different skills and abilities.

Stunning Real-time Combat
Possessing superior strength, speed and agility makes Geralt quick to draw his blade when conflict arises, but this birthright is not always the right skill to rely on and depending on the enemy, can prove disastrous. To survive in this world of varied threats you will need to put aside the button mashing common to other RPGs and utilize The Witcher’s complex yet intuitive combat- based fighting system. You will learn quickly to switch seamlessly between the game’s six combat styles, dozens of potions, complex alchemy and magic systems and weapons modification mode, using your mouse alone or mouse with keyboard, to add tactical depth to your combat experience. Once you have mastered these, you will also have time to appreciate the ground-breaking fluidity of the game’s 600 in-game combat animations, based on actual medieval sword-fighting techniques and performed by experts at Frankfurt’s renowned Metric Minds Studio.

It’s only through a combined focus on Geralt’s physical and mental capabilities that you can hope to survive the viciously violent world he inhabits and unlock both his true potential as a warrior as well as the secrets hidden in his past.

Complete Game Features:

Geralt of Rivia: a one-of-a-kind protagonist
A charismatic and unique character, Geralt is a mutant swordmaster and professional monster slayer.
Choose from over 250 special abilities correlated to attributes, combat skills and magical powers to build the character in a way best suited to tactical needs and style of play.
Original fantasy world drawn from literature
Inspired by the writings of renowned Polish author Andrzej Sapkowski.
Featuring adult themes, less fairy-tale than typical fantasy, with mature social issues like racism, political intrigue and genocide.
It is a harsh world where nothing is black or white, right or wrong, often forcing players to choose between the lesser of two evils to advance.
Non-linear and captivating storyline
Full of turns, twists and ambiguous moral decisions which have real impact on the storyline.
All quests can be accomplished in several ways and the game has three different endings depending on the player’s actions and choices throughout the adventure.
Visually stunning tactical action
Engage in complex yet intuitive real-time combat based on real medieval sword-fighting techniques.
Motion capture performed by medieval fighting experts at Frankfurt’s renowned Metric Minds studio, resulting in 600 spectacular and authentic in-game combat animations.
Six combat styles, dozens of potions, complex alchemy system, modifiable weapons and powerful magic add tactical depth to the fluid real-time experience.

Amazon.com

The Witcher blurs the line between good and evil in a world where moral ambiguity reigns. It is a harsh world where nothing is black or white, right or wrong, often forcing one to choose between the lesser of two evils to advance. You become the hero in a narrative, defined by your actions, which brings together story telling and action. Assume the role of a white-haired witcher named Geralt, a renowned monster-slayer-for-hire and master swordsman with superhuman strength and reflexes. While trying to regain his lost memory, Geralt unwillingly becomes involved in a power struggle that could change the world.

Features:

Choose from over 250 special abilities, combat skills and magical powers to build the character
All quests can be accomplished in several ways causing the game to have three different endings depending on the player's actions and choices
Engage in real-time combat based on medieval sword-fighting techniques
Includes six combat styles, dozens of potions, an alchemy system, modifiable weapons and magic
Inspired by the writings of Polish author Andrzej Sapkowski

Product Description
Set in a world created by best-selling Polish author Andrzej Sapkowski, The Witcher combines spectacular action and an intriguing storyline. You are a Witcher, a warrior who has been trained to fight since childhood, subjected to mutations and trials that have transformed you. You earn a living killing monsters, and are a member of a brotherhood founded long ago to protect people from werewolves, the undead, and a host of other beasts.

Product Description
The Witcher is a pinnacle of storytelling in role-playing games. It shatters the line between good and evil, building a world where moral ambiguity reigns. You'll become your own idea of what a great hero should be, as you control Geralt of Rivia -- a a white-haired "witcher," monster-slayer-for-hire and master swordsman. While trying to regain his lost memory, Geralt unwillingly becomes involved in a world-shaking power struggle. In the process, you'll deal head-on with matters that most fantasy worlds ignore: Racism, political intrigue and genocide, to name a few. The Witcher emphasizes story and character development in a vibrant world, while incorporating tactically-deep real-time combat like no game before it. Incredible tactical depth - Six combat styles, dozens of potions, complex alchemy system, modifiable weapons and powerful magic -- all working together in a fluid real-time experience Inspired by the writings of renowned Polish author Andrzej Sapkowski

Amazon.com
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S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Shadow of Chernobyl

2008-07-10T08:31:00.000-07:00

Platform: Windows XP

The world’s worst nuclear disaster occurred on April 26, 1986, at the Chernobyl power facility in the Ukraine. The area slowly recovered until 2006 when an unforeseen second explosion rocked the landscape, leaving a vast "Exclusion Zone" plagued with deadly energy disturbances in its wake. The quarantined Exclusion Zone expanded over time, and by 2012, specially equipped poachers, known as S.T.A.L.K.E.R.s, venture into the Zone to claim radioactive artifacts for the black market. You are a new S.T.A.L.K.E.R. battling for survival among rivals, soldiers and mutant creatures while trying to discover the true nature of Chernobyl’s dark past and horrific future.

This is one heck of a piece of software. Don't think I've seen anything like this before. Nope, not perfect, but pretty incredible. First off, it takes a while to get used to the whole concept. Folks who wrote a review after playing it for only an hour didn't see enough as usual.

Second, looks like you can play this thing for months, and almost never repeat yourself. It is totally open ended, a huge landscape to play in, almost boundless (in the spirit of FarCry, but much much more)

The whole thing takes getting used to. The weapons, the weight system, the health approach, the copious amount of bad guys who just never stop coming. LOTS of subtleties. This is not an overt shooter like HL2, Doom etc. This is a whole world in which to live, breath and survive.

Yep, its a little buggy. But the devs seem on it as the first patch showed up within weeks of release and definitely made a difference. For such an ambitious piece of software, I can see why it took so long to finish and test, and why there would be bugs first time out. There is so much interwoven complexity, I'm blown away. The dynamic interaction between all the elements in the game world are almost real.

The "AI" are pretty awesome, with each one having a strategy it seems. Some are dumb, and just do repetitive things, but others sneak up behind you and blow you away. Really cool!! They also can whack you when you're eating, reloading, or other tasks that most shooters protect you from while mid task.

The people who built this colossus deserve tons of credit, both technical and artistic. This game is no small feat.

D. Crain "nanohead"

ORDER NOW!

http://astore.amazon.com/where.i.can.buy.bingo.game.sheets-20/

Bestsellers > Simulation > Driving

2008-07-07T09:16:00.000-07:00

Bestsellers in Video Games > Adventure

2008-07-07T09:13:00.000-07:00

Bestsellers in Video Games > Action > Sci-Fi

2008-07-07T09:00:00.000-07:00

Logitech G15 Gaming Keyboard

2008-07-07T08:47:00.000-07:00

From the Manufacturer

Good intel and the proper gear are the keys to victory, even in gaming. The Logitech® G15 keyboard keeps you informed and outfitted to win.

With the Logitech-exclusive GamePanel™ LCD, you can easily find out what server your friends are using to play Battlefield 2142™, or receive notification when your World of Warcraft® battleground becomes available. You can even identify who’s speaking in Ventrilo™. Create useful macros on the fly and play them back with a single press of a G-key. Backlighted keyboard allows you to play late into the night.

The Logitech® G15 gives you a winning advantage, and everyone knows it’s more fun when you win.

High-visibility GamePanel™ LCD: Displays game stats and other important system information.

Backlit keyboard: Choose from three levels of brightness. Locate keys easily in both bright and low-light conditions.

Six programmable G-keys: Perform single keystrokes or complex macros with six fully programmable G-keys. Create macros on the fly, without having to pause the action.

Intelligent cable management: Keep mouse, headset, and other cords out of the way by routing them through channels on the underside of the keyboard.

Instant media access: Use the convenient one-touch controls for volume and media playback.

Detachable palmrest: Can be used with or without palmrest, depending upon user's preference

System Requirements
Windows® XP, Windows Vista™
256 MB RAM
20 MB available hard disk space
USB port
CD-ROM drive
Package Contents
Logitech® G15 Keyboard
Palm rest
Software CD
Installation Guide
1-year limited hardware warranty

Product Description
Good intel and the proper gear are the keys to victory, even in gaming. The Logitech G15 keyboard keeps you informed and outfitted to win. With the Logitech-exclusive GamePanel LCD, you can easily find out what server your friends are using to play Battlefield 2142, or receive notification when your World of Warcraft battleground becomes available. You can even identify who s speaking in Ventrilo. Create useful macros on the fly and play them back with a single press of a G-key. Illuminated characters allow you to play late into the night.

Product Description
Good intel and proper gear are the keys to victory. With the Logitech G15 keyboard, you get both. Now you can easily discover on which server your friends are playing Battlefield 2142, be notified when your World of Warcraft battleground becomes available and know exactly who's talking in Ventrilo with the Logitech G15 keyboard's exclusive GamePanel LCD. You can also create useful macros on the fly that play back with a single press of one of the six G keys. As every key features illuminated characters, with three levels of brightness, you can keep playing late into the night.

Rollercoaster Tycoon 3

2008-07-07T08:41:00.000-07:00

Rollercoaster Tycoon 3

-Create and customize your own amusement park
-New 3-D graphics; complete camera control allows players to view their park from any angle
-The new CoasterCam lets you ride what you build
-Create your own family members and friends and add them to your park
-For 1 player

From the Manufacturer
Get your barf bag ready! RollerCoaster Tycoon 3 takes the series to new heights with brand new features including 3-D graphics, giving players complete control of views around the park, and a front seat to the action with a new Coaster Cam feature that allows players to ride the roller coasters.
RollerCoaster Tycoon 3 also features new gameplay elements that fans have been asking for - including diversity of guests, added group behavior and improved guest AI - and many other new features which build upon the fun and addictive nature of the original game.

View your park from any angle, get up close to guests and customize every detail of your booming, thrill-a-minute theme park.

More Features:

-Experience incredible new 3D graphics
-Ride the Rides with the Coaster Cam
-Build rides easier with the enhanced user interface
-Light up the night with the new park lighting system
-View your park from any angle with complete camera control
-See breathtaking park vistas including realistic sunsets, moonlight, weather patterns and more... A huge array of diverse guests -- everyone is unique!
-Create your own family members and friends and add them to your park
-Respond to the individual likes and dislikes of kids, teens and adults
-See fully animated individuals (including facial expressions!) exhibit intelligent behavior, both individually and as a crowd
-More Rides and Attractions!
-Create pyrotechnic wonders with the new Fireworks MixMaster
-Build your dream park with unlimited funds in "Sandbox" mode
-Add music to rides and fireworks shows from your own mp3 library
-Includes many "New-to-RollerCoaster Tycoon" rides and attractions
-Design your park with 5 fun themes: Generic, Spooky, Western, Adventure and Sci-fi

Product Description
Roller Coaster Tycoon 3 is a brilliant reworking of the classic management strategy game. An unlimited combination of roller coaster designs and landscapes to help you build the coolest park imaginable! Keep track of your financial performance to avoid bankruptcy

Rollercoaster Tycoon 3

Sid Meier's Civilization IV: Gold Edition

2008-07-07T08:30:00.000-07:00

Sid Meier's Civilization IV: Gold Edition
Other products by Take 2
Platform: Windows XP ESRB Rating: Everyone 10+

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Price: $39.99 & this item ships for FREE with Super Saver Shipping. Details

In Stock.
Ships from and sold by Amazon.com. Gift-wrap available.

Product Description

From the Manufacturer
Sid Meier’s Civilization IV is the ultimate strategy game offering players the chance to lead their chosen nation from the dawn of man through the space age on a quest to build the most powerful empire and become the greatest ruler the world has ever known. Now, Civ fans can experience more world domination than ever before with Civilization IV: Gold Edition, which includes both Civilization IV and the combat-focused Warlords Expansion Pack!
Box Contents Include:

Sid Meier’s Civilization IV - You won’t want to miss one of the most critically-acclaimed PC games ever from legendary designer Sid Meier. Play as one of history’s greatest leaders and battle, negotiate, strategize and explore your way to world conquest. All of human history is at your fingertips.
Sid Meier’s Civilization IV: Warlords - In this first expansion pack to Civilization IV, players have even more options to win by military might – including the devastating Warlords unit. Six new civilizations, ten new leaders and eight additional scenarios just scratch the surface of new content added to the already massive core game.
Gold Edition Bonus Items:
Fantasy-style poster set within the world of Sid Meier’s Civilization from Greg Hildebrandt, the illustrator of the world famous 1977 Star Wars fantasy-themed movie poster, the Clash of the Titans movie poster, various Lord of the Rings calendars and posters and many others.
Behind-the-Scenes DVD featuring developer interviews, insight into the Civ IV development process and featurette on Sid Meier’s history in the gaming industry.
Tech-tree poster featuring the paths to researching and discovering all of the technologies needed to advance in Civilization IV.
Civilization IV Manual

Product Description
The classic strategy game combined with its incredible expansion pack, for the Civ IV strategy action you crave. / Rated T: Teen

See More : Sid Meier's Civilization IV: Gold Edition

Diablo Battle Chest

2008-07-07T08:22:00.000-07:00

Diablo II Expansion Set: Lord of Destruction
By 1UP Staff -- 01/1/2000

Diablo II: Lord of Destruction has caused us to reenact Dawn of the Dead in my household. I stay up playing the game until dawn, and then my wife wakes up and sees me at the computer and I'm dead. It's the best expansion to a game I've ever played.

Lord of Destruction does what every good expansion should do: smoothes the rough edges of the original game while offering new content that improves what came before. With its two new character classes, the assassin and the druid, the expansion also gives you a reason to replay the entire game. It doesn't stop there, though. The new act, which has the player chasing down Diablo's brother Baal, is the best Diablo yet. It's superb gaming, the kind of enthralling experience that turned us into gamers in the first place.

The new character classes are the most interesting ones yet devised by Blizzard. The assassin has jumped straight out of Street Fighter II with her clever combinations of charge-up and finishing attacks. And her trap skills, which allow players to trap areas and lure monsters to their pyrotechnic deaths, add a new level of cleverness to playing the game.

The druid is an interesting mix of fighter and spellcaster. You can play him as a shape changer, turning him into a werewolf or werebear, or you can have him draw upon the forces of nature with his spells and summon forth tornadoes and volcanoes. It offers quite a contrast in play styles.

In fact, with the expansion, Diablo II takes on new tactical depth. Blizzard has beefed up the mercenaries you can hire: They now gain levels along with your character, and you can give them weapons, armor, and shields to help boost their effectiveness. At times, my mercenary was a better fighter than my main character.

To round out the experience, both new character classes can summon additional help. The druid can summon wolves or a powerful grizzly and the assassin can summon a shadow of herself, called a Shadow Warrior. Now, with the mercenary in tow, you're controlling an entire party.

Finally, the new resolution, bumped up to 800x600 from 640x480, displays more of the map. This gives you a better feel for what's coming and lets you exercise a bit more tactical control over combat situations.

The new act contains some of the most compelling Diablo action yet. You're thrust into the middle of a battle and tasked with killing the overseer laying siege to the barbarian town. You have to battle through enemy lines as catapults drop fire, ice, and poison on you from afar. You'll even see barbarians fighting to their last breath, terribly outnumbered; if you act quickly, you can save them and they'll fight alongside you. It really feels like an epic war instead of a dungeon crawl.

Diablo is in large part about getting that new and better item, and now there are more items than ever. Your stash is bigger to accommodate more magic items (runes and jewels), new matched sets, new class-specific items, and more.

Faults? The 800x600 resolution is still a bit dated and the game chugs a little now and then. It's pricey, too. But that's about it. This expansion has taken a game that didn't quite live up to sky-high expectations when it was released and made it one of the most satisfying gaming experiences I've had. I've played through the entire five acts with both a druid and assassin and I'm nearly done playing through them again with both characters in Nightmare mode. Now I can't wait to go to Hell.

And if Lord of Destruction keeps getting me stared down at 5:30 a.m. by my wife, I may get there sooner than expected.

Order Diablo Battle Chest Now!

WarCraft III Expansion: The Frozen Throne

2008-07-05T08:23:00.001-07:00

Warcraft III: The Frozen Throne
By 1UP Staff -- 01/1/2000

WarCraft III's single flaw is its stilted, serious single-player campaign. Previous Blizzard games are marked by a goofy good-naturedness; WarCraft III's humorless campaign is both anomalous and fairly repetitive. Good news: The Frozen Throne is not only occasionally funny, but also creative. The four single-player campaigns are constantly inventive, featuring unique goals and mission structures. There are Capture the Flag missions. There are splitscreen missions in which you must simultaneously perform several tasks. There are hilariously frantic secret missions. Even the standard build-and-sweep missions usually have some additional goal to offset the standard formula. Best of all, the bonus orc campaign is more Diablo than WarCraft.

The single-player game isn't the only great thing about this expansion. Most of the additions are available in multiplayer, so you get most of the new units— including the night elves' mountain giant, the humans' airborne dragon riders, and the orc's bat rider—to use in Battle.net and skirmish matches, as well as two new units and a new hero type for each race. You can also hire heroes, who represent new races that will assist you in the single-player game, such as the water-dwelling Naga, the Pandaren Brewmaster, and the Draenei, who look like aged Domo-kuns.

With Diablo II: Lord of Destruction and StarCraft: Brood War, Blizzard showed that an expansion can be more than just a bunch of new units and tilesets. The Frozen Throne raises that bar even higher by bringing both the gameplay and the funny. There's so much new content, it's more like an excellent sequel to the original.

I feel compelled I suppose to bunk some of the other reviews that have been posted for Frozen Throne. The one's that state "this game will rock" I need not say anything about, cause you already know to take them with a grain of salt. But for the one's that are written by actual beta testers (like myself), I need to update you on the facts, and correct some mistakes.
First off, it's hard to really rate or give a knowledgeable review of Frozen Throne because those of us that are beta testers are only getting to see the multi-player, on-line aspect of the game. There will also be an extension to the storyline of WC3, of which we can only guess at until the game is out. To give a really in-depth review of the whole game, a person would need the complete expansion.

I feel compelled I suppose to bunk some of the other reviews that have been posted for Frozen Throne. The one's that state "this game will rock" I need not say anything about, cause you already know to take them with a grain of salt. But for the one's that are written by actual beta testers (like myself), I need to update you on the facts, and correct some mistakes.
First off, it's hard to really rate or give a knowledgeable review of Frozen Throne because those of us that are beta testers are only getting to see the multi-player, on-line aspect of the game. There will also be an extension to the storyline of WC3, of which we can only guess at until the game is out. To give a really in-depth review of the whole game, a person would need the complete expansion.

Another thing that I find upsetting is that one of the reviewers has gotten a lot of helpful votes, just for the simple fact that people don't know whether he's correct or not. His review would have been appropriate when he wrote it. He wrote his review in March, and the game has made some drastic changes since then. So, for example, saying that Orc Batriders are overpowered is no longer applicable. To be honest, people rarely use them anymore.

Also, there is no Night Elf hero that can change Day into Night. That is an item that the Night Elves can buy from their own specific shop. To explain this, each race has the ability to build their own shop, which is very inexpensive at the moment, from which they can buy items, such as scroll of town portals, heath potions, etc. Each race has certain item specific to them. Like the Night Elf item to change the time of day or the Undead item called a Wand of Necromancy that can summon 2 skeletons from a corpse. But for some reason Blizzard decided to give Undead that item, but take away the Wand of Negation from the Original WarCraft 3. I haven't understood that move (taking away the Wand of Negation) since the beta started.

There are many other changes as well, but if I was to try and list them all, it would take me quite a while. Just rest assured that Blizzard has done a bang up job of not only making it feel like an expansion, but also adding the excitement back to when we first got WarCraft 3 and got to try out all the "new" stuff. And if I listed them all, I would take away some of the excitement of when you first pop it in and play it yourself.

Okay now that I got that off my chest, my opinion on FT so far is that it is fantastic! Bear in mind that I am only reviewing this game from the multi-player, on-line, battle.net aspect of it; I have no idea what the storyline will be to the game.

Veterans to WC3 will find some very interesting changes in Frozen Throne. While still not complete, the game seems to be reaching its home stretch. Blizzard does an excellent job of fixing balance issues, as many WC3 players already know. So that's why it was not a good idea for someone to post in March on how powerful certain units were, because Blizzard has since fixed that issue and it's no longer true. Recently they changed it so that you can get Wyverns at tier 2 now, but whether or not that will stay in the final edition, I can't say.

I personally give the game 5 stars because it excels at what I loved about WC3 so much. The on-line aspect. In all my years of gaming I don't remember a game that has pulled me in as much as WC3 has, and now Frozen Throne.

There is however a nice learning curve. Even if you are very good at WC3, you will run into some bumps in the road with Frozen Throne. But this is to be expected with new units, new heroes, new buildings and new creeps. Be warned though, a lot of the newer creeps are very, very tough and are not to be fought unless you have quite a few units. I say this mostly in the vain hope that I don't get to hear "our alley's hero has fallen" to creeps. So don't say I didn't warn you, he, he.

Tiger Woods PGA Tour 08 DVD

2008-07-05T08:19:00.000-07:00

Tiger Woods PGA Tour 08 DVD

Product Description
You’re facing a long putt for par on the 17th hole with Tiger Woods clinging to a one stroke lead. You’ve been in this position before, but that doesn’t matter now. Or does it? Whether you play it safe or go for broke, Play with Confidence in Tiger Woods PGA TOUR 08. The all-new Shot Confidence feature uses factors from your previous rounds—including club selection, lie, hole, and more—to determine your confidence heading into each shot. Play with the confidence of a pro as you battle the best golfers from the PGA TOUR and LPGA Tour on the most courses ever in your quest for the coveted FedEx Cup Championship.

Product Description
Tiger Woods PGA TOUR 08 will be breaking new ground with two key features. EA SPORTS GamerNet is a revolutionary game play system drivenby interactive user created content. In addition, players can now use Photo Game Face to generate photo-realistic game characters. Subtle changes were added to hitting and putting for more lifelike appearance. Tiger Woods PGA Tour 2008 takes golf gaming to new level of realism. Experience the next generation of technology as Tiger Woods comes to life -- you'll see and feel each emotion in detail, as it's displayed onscreen in the faces and movements of the golfers. Play under pressure just like pros, and go further in your game with the enhanced career mode. Featuring 15 of the world's top players, including Tiger Woods, John Daly, Vijay Singh, Ian Poulter, Michael Campbell, and Annika Sorenstam, the most decorated golfer on the LPGA Tour New Gameface tool with deeper modifications, more apparel, equipment licenses, and specialty items Challenge up to three players in five new game modes, or play in online tournaments complete with money lists, full stat tracking, league leaders, and more Work on your game or take on a friend in Match Play, Battle Golf, 21, OneBall, and more

First let me say that this is one of the best golf games you can buy for the PC. If you don't have any other TW title and money isn't the deciding factor then this is the one to get. If you do have some of the more recent titles you may want to sit this title out. If you are looking to enter into the TW universe and money is a factor you would probably be better off picking up 06 or 07 as the last three incarnations have been very similar and previous versions can be picked up at a much cheaper price.

For those that have some of the more recent PC versions of TW... they have made slight improvements over previous versions but I'd be hard pressed to say that they are anything that warrants buying it at the current full retail price. In some ways this is a good thing. They didn't "fix" anything that wasn't broken. Oh the other hand they didn't do much to merit the full retail price of a new game either. They've mixed up the presentation of the scenarios a bit this year but it really amounts to the same scenarios of the last 2 or 3 versions of the game.

I believe it was 05 when they had the scenarios separate from playing the legends (which were arranged in a pyramid). The next version still had both but they were mixed together. Things really haven't changed since the version where they mixed them together... it's just that they update it with a new interface each year. One year it was time travel. This year it's a honeycomb.

The graphics have improved a bit but following in Maddens footsteps EA didn't take the PC version of the game to the next generation's level. My now somewhat dated PC can still run the game quite smoothly so I can only assume that they are doing this to ensure that those of us with older computers can still play the game. I guess I have somewhat mixed feelings on this. It would be nice to have next gen graphics but not at the expense of not being able to play it without massive upgrades. It seems like they could have developed it with paths for older systems to run it at reduced levels while giving those with better rigs the ability to take it to the next level.

I haven't noticed any difference in the game face character design going on a 3rd year now. I don't think they've even so much as added a new hair style or single piece of extra clothing. I haven't seen the new feature that allows you to import your face yet. I believe it is absent from the PC version. That and the absence of next generation graphics may push many to opt for getting one of the console versions of this game.

Experience points develop your attributes using the same system as '07.

Sad to say that the commentary is the exact same as the previous 3 or 4 years. "You've gotta be happy with that birdie, you've got to be happy with any birdie" "What do you see? I see a straight shot, 150 yards to the hole, and I see dead people" (yes, they've probably been doing that one since the movie came out in '99). It's pretty bad when they don't even update the commentary parts that date it to a movie that came out 8 years ago.

They've changed the on course HUD to match the game's honeycomb motif. One improvement that I did like was the honeycomb that is dedicated to telling you the current distance that your club will hit the ball. In previous versions you had to mouse over the club selection, adjust your shot, re-mouse over the club selection to see what your adjustment did, and repeat until you got it right. Now when you adjust your shot the distance is updated right on the screen. No more back and forth. This is the only feature that really made an improvement on the game for me.

The other new feature is the confidence meter. I haven't found it to be very useful. The HUD seems to be just as touchy as it has been in previous years. When using the click golf swing method you have to take extreme care to make sure you don't accidentally initiate your golf swing when doing things like changing clubs, adjusting your shot, or changing the shot type.

You also have the ability to jump right into the FedEx playoff. That didn't appeal to me too much since you play tournaments all the time in PGA mode. It didn't really add to the game.

This is a fun game for me. For those that haven't experienced TW, pick it up. For those that have you'd probably be better off waiting for a price drop. If next gen graphics are your thing, definitely go with one of the console versions.

Diablo 2

2008-07-05T08:16:00.000-07:00

Diablo 2

Amazon.com Review
Everything that made the original Diablo great--nonstop action, wicked monsters, dark gothic atmosphere, and fantastic magic items--has returned. But new enhancements such as the class skill system and cheater-proof multiplayer competition make Diablo II even better than the original.
The millions of gamers who fought their way through the horror of Tristram's catacombs in the original Diablo realized that all was not well after their hero destroyed the demon's physical body. Diablo II opens with a vivid animated vision of that mad, doomed hero, who unwittingly spreads chaos as he moves toward a fate of Diablo's choosing. With the original character classes gone, players choose from a new cadre of champions: the Barbarian (can wield two two-handed swords at once, one in each hand), the Necromancer (raises the dead to fight his battles), the Amazon (master of bow and spear), Paladin (holy crusader), and Sorceress (wielder of elemental magic). These warriors follow a diabolical plot through four acts, and each act is roughly as big as the original Diablo.

Diablo II looks and behaves very much like Diablo. Players are assigned quests by nonplayer characters and adventure through dark catacombs and crypts. Hordes of vile monsters assail the hero, who survives by force of arms, powerful spells, and through the use of varied and exotic magic items. Randomly generated dungeons guarantee fresh adventure each time a new game is started. But unlike the original game, characters must fight their way through the above-ground wilderness before entering a dungeon. Fortunately, some of the frustrations of adventuring have been lessened in Diablo II, thanks to the new ability to run and the clever implementation of "waypoints" that let your character quickly travel to and from the safety of town.

Along with the new character classes comes a new character skill system. As in the original game, players improve their character's ability scores as they kill monsters and gain experience. But unlike the original game, players get to add specific skills, spells, and powers each time they advance. For example, after gaining a level you could choose between taking a skill that improves your attack speed or a skill that allows you to scatter your foes with a mighty shout. With this customized advancement system it is unlikely that two high-level characters, even characters of the same class, will be alike. Instead of progressing along a set path, you can choose skills and powers that complement your own particular playing style. Interestingly, this new customizable class system closely parallels the changes made in the new edition of Dungeons & Dragons.

Other enhancements include a method for creating and customizing magic items, 3-D accelerated spell effects, anticheat multiplayer code, and a place to safely store excess money and equipment. But even without these tweaks, even without the sophisticated story line and all the cool new features, Diablo II is just a great game. The sound, music, and graphics combine to create a tantalizingly eerie setting. Players will willingly let their game-playing hours slip well past reasonable bedtimes, suffering bleary-eyed classes and meetings in exchange for "just one more" magic item, dungeon level, or character skill.

Diablo is back. Say hello to the game that will once again dominate gamers' computers, and say good-bye to your free time. --Michael Fehlauer.

Pros:

Diabolical, engrossing story line told through brilliant cutscenes
All five of the new classes are distinct and fun
Fantastic music and sound effects
Random dungeons allow unlimited replayability
Millions of magic items, including rare items and sets of unique magical equipment
Cons:
Addictive gameplay may cause loss of sleep, significant other, job
Virtually no improvement in graphics

Amazon.com Product Description
In Diablo II, players return to a world of dark fantasy. As one of five distinct character types, players explore the world of Diablo II, journey across distant lands, fight new villains, discover new treasures, and uncover ancient mysteries. Since the beginning of time, the forces of order and chaos have been engaged in an eternal struggle to decide the fate of all creation. That struggle has now come to the mortal realm, and neither man, demon, nor angel will be left unscathed. Diablo, lord of terror and youngest of the three prime evils, awakes from his long sleep beneath the dark earth. Setting in motion a grand scheme to free his exiled brothers, Mephisto and Baal, Diablo takes control of the small western kingdom of Khanduras. Working from deep within the ancient catacombs beneath the town of Tristram, Diablo grips the entire populace in a blanket of fear and paranoia. Ultimately, as even Khanduras's good King Leoric falls under Diablo's wicked power, a lone hero arises to challenge the darkness that engulfs the land. After plumbing the hellish depths of the labyrinth under Tristram, the nameless hero finally confronts the lord of terror himself. Knowing full well that Diablo's spirit can never be truly destroyed, the hero makes the noblest sacrifice of all--casting his soul and his very sanity aside, he takes the spirit of Diablo into himself, hoping that his own strength of will can contain the demon within. The hero doesn't realize that his selfless act will not only ensure Diablo's victory, but will also irrevocably damn his soul for all time.

GameSpot
Several changes have been made in the general gameplay of Diablo. The first thing you'll notice is the new interface. The familiar balls of health and mana frame the interface, but now more of the screen is devoted to the game. The text window in the middle of the screen is gone. Now, dialogue from NPCs appears over the respective NPC's head, and item descriptions and text also appear over objects.
Another new addition is the stamina bar. One big gameplay change is the ability to run. Now, you can run, but only for limited durations. When you do run, the stamina bar slowly depletes. When it runs out, you need to rest until it starts to fill up again. There will be items and spells that increase your stamina, but running will always be a limited ability. Although running obviously allows you to travel faster, it will leave you more vulnerable to attack, although you can go from run to attack seamlessly, as there is no pause between the two actions.

Moving around in Diablo has been improved in other ways as well. To cut down on the tediousness of walking back and forth between cleared-out areas and town, Blizzard North has added waypoints to the game.

However, these aren't waypoints in the real-time strategy sense. These waypoints are more like teleportation spots, quick portals between two or more locations in the same act. Each town has a waypoint, and various locations around the wilderness also have waypoints. You won't be able to use a waypoint until you've actually visited it once, and you won't be able to jump through it until you have touched at least two, since this is not a one-way travel system to explore the map. Instead, it's a convenience for moving about already explored areas.

The actual development of your character is also different. You now purchase skills via skill points each time you advance a level. In addition, the skill sets of each character are really differentiated, so that the abilities of the characters do not overlap. One other note about character development is that dying causes you to lose experience points. The designers wanted to make death something you would want to avoid even more , so they added experience loss in addition to equipment loss. However, you'll never lose enough experience to drop a level.

Not only is development different, but the classes are different as well. There are now five characters to choose from when you play: amazon, barbarian, necromancer, paladin, and sorceress. Each has his or her own strengths and weaknesses, although all should be very different and enjoyable to play. One of the key reasons why Diablo II looks like it will have immense replay value is because of the great differences between classes.

Amazon: A good all-around class with some spell use and special physical attacks. She is best with the bow, but also good with the spear and javelin, excelling in long-range attacks.

Barbarian: A powerful brute bereft of magic but possessed of potent combat skills. He is the only character that can wield two weapons at once; and this ability is available from level one!

Necromancer: A weak character who can command undead minions to aid him. His spells let him animate the dead and enhance their strength. He has some offensive magic.

Paladin: This warrior is second in physical strength and the best defensive fighter. He has healing and defensive spells to go with his powerful melee attacks.

Sorceress: She is also a weak fighter but possesses the most powerful magic arsenal, complete with fire, cold, and lightning spells.

The new trading menu is a big improvement over Diablo, where you had to dump your items on the ground and hope the other player paid you. Now, when you click on another player, you are requesting a trade. If he agrees, a trading window pops up, where you can place your items for trade and he can place his compensation. You both click when you are ready to finalize the transaction. It is not unlike the trading window for EverQuest.

Another new feature we noticed but that took us a while to comprehend was the socket items. You'll find weapons, shields, and helms in the game that have sockets in them. You'll also find gems in rare instances in caves and off of dead monsters' bodies. These gems can be placed in the sockets to convey special powers in the items, like the Materia system in Final Fantasy VII. A topaz, for instance, adds lightning damage if you place it in a weapon, but adds lightning resistance if you put it in armor. In our short time playing, we've already seen several different gems, including sapphires, emeralds, diamonds, and jeweled skulls. This adds yet another element to the already rich plethora of items you can find in the game.
--Copyright ©2000 GameSpot Inc. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part in any form or medium without express written permission of GameSpot is prohibited.

GameSpot Preview
Diablo's gothic images of perdition masterfully condemned gamers to its dark, rich mythological world. They gladly "sold their souls" to the tune of more than a million copies. Both Computer Gaming World and GameSpot even named it Game of the Year in 1996.

Yet, there were those who weighed this rare game in the balance and found it wanting. Some claimed it to be a dumbed-down role-playing game. Others dismissed it as a mere sophisticated action game, a new Rogue or Gauntlet. Though it reinvigorated the role-playing market, many criticized it for not being a true RPG. Others objected to Blizzard's lack of foresight regarding cheating on Battle.net.

To the multiplayer fans, Blizzard has promised to fix the cheating problem in Diablo II. To those who complain about Diablo's lack of RPG purity, the design team offers no quarter. Says Blizzard's David Brevik, "We didn't make an RPG; we made Diablo."

For the sequel, the Blizzard team hopes to keep Diablo's fun hack-and-slash experience while expanding and improving the game. It doesn't want to appease hard-core RPG fans by adding artificial NPC interactions - it wants to maintain the flavor of the original - but it also doesn't want Diablo II to be just more of the same.

After talking to the Blizzard team, it's clear that it's determined to create a more immersive experience with new characters, monsters, spells, and locations, while producing a true sequel with a twist.

The twist is that the story is told and experienced from a new hero's perspective. None of the heroes from Diablo returns, and at the start of the game, even Diablo's whereabouts are unknown.

The hero from the first game, after containing Diablo's spirit and journeying to the East, succumbed to the more powerful will of the Lord of Terror. Now, Diablo is free from his entrapment below Tristram and has assumed his original appearance, but with much greater power. As the game begins, he is somewhere in the East, raising an army to conquer not just one city, but a whole game world.

The action in Diablo II proceeds through four acts, with each act comprising a town and its accompanying dungeons. Each act will also tell a little more about Diablo's origins and plans, which include freeing his brothers, Baal and Mephisto. (Together they form the triumvirate known as the Prime Evils.) As the game's hero, you will have to track Diablo through each act and town and try to prevent him from raising his army.

Your hero comes into the game as a powerful adventurer who has heard of the Lord of Terror's renewed rampage. No one from the original Diablo can help you. Since the heroes of the first gamewere too weak to defeat Diablo completely, the sequel calls for all-new adventurers.

--Copyright ©1998 GameSpot Inc. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part in any form or medium without express written permission of GameSpot is prohibited.

Product Description
After possessing the body of the hero who defeated him, Diablo resumes his nefarious scheme to shackle humanity into unholy slavery. You must put a final end to Diablo and his evil brethren.

Battlefield 2142 (DVD-ROM)

2008-07-05T08:07:00.000-07:00

Battlefield 2142 (DVD-ROM)

From the Publisher
Earth, 2142. As a new ice age depletes the planet’s resources, two massive multinational coalitions wage a brutal war for the only cause that matters—survival. Armed with a devastating arsenal of futuristic weaponry you must coordinate the efforts of your teammates to win the war for Earth’s last fragile pieces of livable land. With extensive improvements to the groundbreaking Battlefield 2 ranking and upgrade system and the new Titan gameplay mode, Battlefield 2142 brings the franchise’s award-winning online warfare into a harsh and desperate future.

Product Description
Battlefield 2142 takes you into the far future, for all-new warfare in a world that's familiar but still different. As a new ice age depletes the planet's resources, two multinational coalitions wage a brutal war for the only cause that matters - survival. Armed with devastating futuristic weaponry and gear, plus Battle Walkers and vast airborne bases called Titans, you must coordinate the efforts to win the war for Earth's last fragile pieces of livable land.

Battlefield 1942: The Complete Collection

2008-07-05T08:00:00.000-07:00

Amazon.com Product Description

Battlefield 1942: The Complete Collection is the ultimate FPS experience. Included are all three Battlefield expansion packs in addition to the original: Battlefield 1942, Battlefield Vietnam, Secret Weapons over Normandy, and Battlefield 1942: The Road to Rome. From the beaches of Normandy to the rock n' roll of Vietnam, every mission is available for a quick attack or an overnight multiplayer marathon.

In Battlefield 1942, you're a WWII soldier on a true-to-life battlefield, equipped with weapons that look and sound authentic, able to storm the beaches on foot or seamlessly jump into and out of any of 35 vehicles of war. The depth is incredible. While on foot, you play as one of five specialized classes (assault, medic, scout, antitank, or engineer) with varying equipment and abilities. The choice of vehicles ranges from a selection of tanks, jeeps, and other fairly standard mechanized land vehicles to exotic craft like battleships, submarines, and dive bombers. Best of all, you can pit yourself against your fellow man in objective-based online battles in four distinct WWII theaters of war: North Africa, South Asia Pacific, Western Europe, and Eastern Europe. This is everything that World War II Online should have been. This is Tribes 2 with better code, graphics, control--everything, and without the cheesy sci-fi trappings. This out-WWIIs Medal of Honor and Return to Castle Wolfenstein. This game is like the ultimate sandbox, with all the best toys.

Battlefield Vietnam: The Battlefield franchise enters a new era equipped with more firepower, modernized weaponry and vehicles, and a deeper infantry experience from the jungles to the beaches of Vietnam. From villages on the Ho Chi Minh Trail to the city streets of Hue wage modern warfare as the United States or North Vietnamese Army (NVA).

Secret Weapons over Normandy: Join a secret squad of pilots dedicated to thwarting the most heinous plans of the Third Reich. Fly over 20 authentic aircraft across 30 daring missions in this new WWII action-flyer. Lawrence Holland, the legendary creator of Star Wars X-Wing, Star Wars Tie Fighter, and Secret Weapons of the Luftwaffe returns with an exhilarating new game of action and intrigue. Can you be trusted with the most dangerous secrets of the war?

Battlefield 1942: The Road to Rome: Battlefield 1942: The Road to Rome is a multiplayer-focused expansion pack for more exciting WWI combat action. You'll battle in the Italian and Sicilian campaigns of the war, on six new maps and real world missions like Operation Husky (Sicily) and the battles for Anzio and Monte Cassino. Use 8 new vehicles including the German BF-110 and British Mosquito fighter bombers to lead two new fighting forces - The French Legionnaires and Italian forces. You can even work with 3 new weapons - A rifle grenade launcher, the British Sten SMG and bayonets!

The Elder Scrolls 3: Morrowind Game of the Year Edition

2008-07-04T17:42:00.000-07:00

From the Manufacturer
An epic, open-ended single-player RPG, Morrowind allows you to create and play any kind of character imaginable. You can choose to follow the main storyline and find the source of the evil blight that plagues the land, or set off on your own to explore strange locations and develop your character based on their actions throughout the game. Featuring stunning 3D graphics, open-ended gameplay, and an incredible level of detail and interactivity, Morrowind offers a gameplay experience like no other.
In Tribunal, you journey to the capital city of Morrowind, called Mournhold, to meet the other two god-kings of Morrowind, Almalexia and Sotha Sil. Your journey will lead you to the Clockwork City of Sotha Sil and massive, epic-sized dungeons, where strange and deadly creatures await you, including goblins, lich lords, and the mysterious Fabricants.

Bloodmoon takes you to the frozen Island of Solstheim where you'll experience snow, blizzards, and new creatures, including frost trolls, ice minions, and wolves…just to name a few. You'll have a choice of stories to follow and have the opportunity to defend the colony, take control over how the colony is built up, and eliminate the werewolves. Or, you can decide to join the werewolves and become one of them, opening up a whole new style of gameplay.

Product Description
Elder Scrolls: Morrowind Game Of The Year is one of the most detailed game worlds ever created. Morrowind sets a new standard in adventure, with its amazing graphics, in-depth gameplay and hundred of game paths! Delve into new, epic-sized dungeons and visit the Capital City of Mournhold and the Clockwork City of Sotha Sil Fight new creatures including bears and wolves, lich lords and goblins, ice minions and spriggans Direct the construction of a mining colony and face the threat of savage werewolves Become a werewolf and indulge your thirst for the hunt Great gameplay, an immersive storyline and incredible graphics -- all that you crave in a role-playing adventure has arrived!

Quite Possibly THE most Fantastic CRPG Ever!
This game will redefine the computer role-playing game genre forever. If you have any interest in CRPGs then this is the game for you. I picked up the original two years ago and still play it to this day. The replay value is astounding. What Morrowind has that no other CRPG comes close to is open-endedness. You literally can wander anywhere your heart desires on the island (which is massive to say the least). The graphics are fantastic, the experience system is very realistic - you learn by doing - the more you do something (successfully), the better you get. The world created is so atmospherically saturating and immersive that you literally feel like you are walking through a swamp (or wherever). Almost every single shortcoming of this game has been overcome through the massive modding community that supports Morrowind. Thus the potential universe for you to explore is quite literally limitless. The original game promises over 200+ hours of gameplay to cover each and every possible quest (I honestly think this is conservative given that you cannot possibly do a all the quests with any particular PC). Each expansion adds at least 100+ hours of gameplay each. Then there is the mod community. Morrowind ships with a construction set that allows even the most novice of us to learn to create whatever worlds one desires. Some more clever people in the modding community have gone well beyond the initial scope of the construction set to enhance various aspects of the gameplay experience. Quite frankly, as you are playing the game, if their is something you think that should be improved, it has probably already been thought of and their probably is a mod out there that can do it. If not, pull up the construction set and go onto the chat bullentin boards to get some help. The mod community for Morrowind is second to none and supports people at all levels.
That being said, what kind of game is Morrowind? As I said before, it is extremely immersive, extremely detailed, extremely open-ended. What are the weak points?
Although it is possible to gun through the primary quests in much less time than the entire game encompasses, but why? If you want a game that can give you a fast fix (say 30 minutes of action) then this is NOT the game for you. The biggest hurdle most people face is getting familiar with the game. When I first played the game, I initially became quickly frustrated at the lethargic pace of progress my character was making. For people who like fast action-oriented games, they will likely abandon this game after 30 minutes because the pace is too slow and their character is too weak to even handle a rat. It will likely take hours of gameplay before your character has enough fortitude to wander through the wilderness at night and not get killed by even the most benign of critters. However, once you get past this initial hurdle, you will most likely be hooked for life.
The other limitation of the game is combat. Despite whatever weapon used, there are really only three different moves a character can make: chop, slash, and thrust. For fighter oriented characters, this gets quite boring after a couple of hundreds of hours. However, this also offers up a new opportunity. If you max out your fighting skills (say 100% with long swords) then why not take up a little bit of magic with the same character? Unlike other games, you are not restricted in any way in which skills you can pursue. Another limitation this game has is the repetitiveness of dialogue, voice acting and character graphics (I must remind you that what becomes boringly repetitive for Morrowind is not on the same scale of most other games as you will likely play the game several orders of magnitude longer, as a result even the most creative aspects of the game will seem a bit boring after, say 500+ hours of gameplay). However, as I mentioned before, there are mods out there that add a great deal of diversity to all of these constantly keeping the game fresh.
The other significant limitation to the game is a lack of multiplayer. The game was never designed with multiplayer in mind. Although some people have tried modding it to be multiplayer, none have been successfull. What makes Morrowind great: a completely immersive single-player experience, is what keeps it from becoming multiplayer.

All in all, a fantastic, unparalleled, single-player CRPG. A game that will redefine the genre. For people who are willing to become immersed in a limitless, unique world for hundreds of hours at a time. Not a game for people looking for quick, fast action. This game truly takes time and dedication to enjoy. It is addictive at some level, but you can also leave it for months, come back to it and enjoy it anew. Any when you finally think you have seen everything there is to see or would like to change something to your liking, just hop onto the bulletin boards and start downloading some mods. Quite limitless gameplay and probably the most entertainment bang for your buck in gaming. Morrowind will likely have replay value for years to come, since the mod community is still growing strong.

On a side note: picking up the strategy guide is a must for most fans of this game. If for nothing else than the maps that show exactly where certain quest tidbits can be found. It is far too easy to spend hours looking for the precise location of something in several acres of terrain. After spending 6 gameplay hours looking for a specific person in the vast city of Vivec, I gave up and bought the strategy guide and found them in 10 minutes. Plus the fact that there is SO much detail in the game that you can quite easily miss 90% of it just by rushing through certain areas. I have revisited some areas 10 times and found something completely new (to me) each time.

Age of Conan: Hyborian Adventures Collector's Edition

2008-07-04T17:36:00.000-07:00

Amazon.com
Based on the events and characters of Robert E. Howard's Conan the Cimmerian stories, Age of Conan: Hyborian Adventures is a fantasy themed massively-multiplayer online role-playing game (MMORPG) that immerses players in a dark, expansive universe filled with ground-breaking brutal combat, dangerously intoxicating magical abilities, and the social and cooperative game features that MMORPG players crave.

The MMORPG finally matures

A troubled King Conan on his throne.
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Test your metal in close combat.
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Straddle War Mammoths & Killer Rhinos.
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Lead your guild in player vs. player battles.
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Explore the pleasures & pitfalls of the Hyborian Age.
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Set in the later years of Conan’s life, after he has famously become king by his own hand, the game centers around the fragile state of Conan’s rule in Aquilonia. Surrounded by enemies and hostile nations, Conan’s rule hangs by a thread and in the end, it’s up to players, either singly or backed by their guilds to turn the tide for or against the embattled king.

Massively Multiplayer Gaming for the Adult Player
One of the most highly anticipated MMORPGs in recent years due to the strength and familiarity of the Conan franchise across a variety of major media, Age of Conan: Hyborian Adventures is the first of several releases planned for the franchise, all of which are aimed at an adult audience. Firmly rooted in the savage, bloody, violent and sexy Hyborian universe, players can expect a graphically beautiful game blended with gritty gameplay that is true to both the barbarian hero from Howard’s writings and the Schwarzenegger influenced version from books, movies and comics.

Available Cultures and Classes
Although Age of Conan contains a wide range of peoples, its playable cultures are currently limited to Aquilonians, Cimmerians, and Stygians. Within each of these players can choose from a selection of archetypal character classes, although available classes and subsequent subclasses are not necessarily the same within each culture. For example, archetypal classes for Aquilonians and Cimmerians are Rogue, Priest and Soldier, while Stygians are represented by Rogue, Priest and Mage. Further differences exist within subclasses for each. See the basic breakdown of all three cultures below:

Aquilonians: Internally divided, but united against their barbarian neighbors, the Aquilonians live lives on the edge. Their kingdom, with its prosperous cities, enlightened culture and religious freedom, is known as the "Flower of the West." Yet for all this and despite the power of King, Conan I, it is a land where culture clashes and unrest are always a threat.

Cimmerians: As the Hyborian Age comes to an end the northern barbarian clans of the Cimmerians know that the end of their time is drawing near too. King Conan I of Aquilonia is himself a Cimmerian, though not typical of his people. Although his life has been filled with wanderlust, his Kin care nothing for what occurs outside their clan territories.

Stygians: Masters of the magical arts and ruled by their consuming worship of the serpent-god Set, the Stygians excel at occult and diabolic lore. They learned long ago that true power lies in knowledge and in pacts with dark powers. This single-mindedness has allowed them become the only culture to harness the secrets of the Mage class and power that comes with it.

Modes Singleplayer as well as Multiplayer
Unlike most MMORPGs, Age of Conan: Hyborian Adventures includes a significant singleplayer experience as well as deep overarching multiplayer gameplay. This is an atypical MMORPG feature, but one that has a purpose. Players enter the game as a lowly galley slave with no memory of his/her past, and over the first five to 20 levels of singleplayer action build the skills necessary to survive in the game's multiplayer levels. During this time you will traverse a variety of rich environments including jungles, deserts, mountains, valleys, dungeons and cities packed with NPCs, beasts and monsters, before eventually leveling up and moving back to your chosen culture’s homeland. Because the only character-related choices that players have to make at the game’s opening are their looks, clothing and culture, this singleplayer mode is important in deciding what class and subclass to pursue and thus the level of impact your character will have in greater multiplayer portions of the game.

In-game levels 20 and above are strictly multiplayer. 20-40 introduce players to guilds. 40-60 deal with large scale combat. 60-80 have the player interacting with King Conan and levels 80 and up represent end-game play. Here gameplay changes as social aspects of MMORPG gameplay take over on a large scale.

Real-time Combat That Takes Queues from the FPS
Traditionally MMORPGs have utilized a mix of auto and turn-based functionality in their combat systems, but Age of Conan dispenses with that, instead drawing inspiration from FPS/action games. Firmly rooted in the brutality of the Hyborian universe, game developer Funcom has devised an action-based system that not only provides the sense of actually being in the fight, but also requires the player to participate in it. That means no simple targeted attacks. Players can attack and defend from nearly any position in real-time, whether on the ground or atop a mount, while standing still or on the move. It’s a recipe for carnage and one that fits right into the world of Conan.

The combat system in Age of Conan comes in three forms: drunken brawling, mini games like CTF and massive Player vs. Player battles, which lets you engage in siege combat to defend or attack a city. All are easy to learn, but difficult to master, providing hours worth of play and replay value and are the core of this new cutting edge MMORPG.

Additional items included in the Collector's Edition

Hand-finished, metal-embossed oversized collector's box with inlay page and individually numbered holographic sticker
Leather map of Hyboria (faux) 14" x 20"
The Ring of Acheronia (exclusive in-game item)
Unique Bonus DVD featuring trailers, behind the scenes, developer diaries, and rich artwork
Official Age of Conan soundtrack CD
Art Book (128 pages)
Five free guest passes giving friends online access to the game for a limited time
The Drinking Cape (bonus in-game item)

Minimum Specifications: Recommended Specifications:
OS: Windows XP Service Pack 2 or Windows Vista
Processor: Intel Pentium 4 3Ghz or equivalent Intel Core 2 Duo 2.4GHz or equivalent
RAM: 1GB 2048MB Dual Channel DDR2
Video Card: NVIDIA GeForce 6600 or better NVIDIA GeForce 7900 GTX or equivalent
Video Memory: 128MB 512MB
DVD-ROM: Quad-speed (4x) DVD-ROM drive
Hard Drive Space: 30GB of Free Space
Other: Broadband connection required for online gameplay

Rome: Total War Gold Edition

2008-07-04T17:32:00.000-07:00

buy new game

Rome: Total War Gold Edition

Civilization 3 Complete

2008-07-04T17:25:00.000-07:00

buy new game
Product Description
Gaming fans can now enjoy Civilization III, complete, for challenging, intriguing, provocative, stimulating fun. From Sid Meier, the creative genius behindsome of the most critically acclaimed computer games ever produced, comes the latest offering in the Civilization III franchise - Civilization III: Complete. Gaming fans can now enjoy Civilization III, the highly addictive journey of discovery , combined with the updated and enhanced multiplayer expansion pack Civilization III: Play the World, as well as all of the great new Civs, Scenarios, and Features from Civilization III: Conquests! Civilization III: Complete provides more ways to win, more ways to explore, more strategies to employ, and more exciting modes of play all in one box! Civilization III: Complete gives Civ fans the opportunity to enjoy unmatched strategic gameplay alone or against players from around the world, using optional online play. Can you keep control over your civilization? The most detailed and beautiful art, animations and sound ever found in the genre. Easier-to-use interface for streamlined management and better control Multiplayer Modes - Includes Turn-Based and Simultaneous game types and appearing for the first time in a Civilization game, a Turn-less mode. Provides full TCP-IP/LAN, Hotseat and Play be Email support Eight new Civilizations featuring new Leaders including - Genghis Khan Temujin, King Hannibal, Queen Isabella and King Brennus, and all new units will challenge your diplomatic and combat skills ESRB = E / Everyone can play Works on PC running Windows 98/2000/XP

buy this game

The Sims 2: Double Deluxe

2008-07-04T17:18:00.000-07:00

Classic The Sims 2 Gameplay—Create unique Sims with personalities and life goals. Fulfill their dreams and build their ultimate home as you design their world.
The Sims 2 Nightlife Expansion Pack—Send your Sims on an epic night out. Hit the downtown hot spots, play the dating game with your Sims, and live the Pleasure Life Aspiration.

The Sims 2 Celebration Stuff Pack-Host the social event of the season. Must-have stuff to throw the ultimate weddings, birthday parties, and fiestas for your Sims.
Bonus DVD—Now you have even more ways to enjoy your Sims experience and unleash your creativity!

Get expert tips and tricks from the Bonus 101 Video. The game’s designers share their best tricks and strategies. Learn how to create Sims and build and design their homes.

Product Description
Enjoy all the fun and creativity of The Sims™ 2 in The Sims™ 2 Double Deluxe. Create your own houses, neighborhoods, Sims, and family dynasties—then watch it all come to life! Will your Sims experience the rewards of a life well lived? Or will you choose to neglect their needs, indulge their fears, and see what happens? As your Sims’ family grows, you’ll see them pass on genes from one generation to the next. The Sims 2 Double Deluxe also contains The Sims™ 2 Nightlife Expansion Pack, The Sims™ 2 Celebration Stuff Pack and a bonus DVD. Take your Sims downtown in their new cars to all the after-dark hot spots! Whether they’re dancing ‘til dawn on a guys’ night out, romancing that special someone by candlelight, or throwing strikes at the bowling alley, it will be a night to remember. Then host the social event of the season with The Sims™ 2 Celebration Stuff Pack. Host an elegant wedding, decorate their house and garden to throw the ultimate fiesta, or throw the biggest birthday bash with all-new items including birthday cakes, party balloons, and more!

Product Description
If you love the Sims, you'll love this collection. It includes The Sims 2, The Sims 2 Nightlife Expansion Pack, The Sims 2 Celebration Stuff Pack, plus a bonus DVD in one great collection. Create your own Sims, homes, and family dynasties - then help your Sims experience the rewards of a life well lived or neglect their needs, indulge their fears, and see what happens. As your Sims' family grows, you'll even see them pass on genes from one generation to the next. With The Sims 2 Nightlife Expansion Pack, take your Sims downtown in their own cars for an unforgettable night of dancing 'til dawn, romancing that special someone, and much more. Then host the social event of the season with The Sims 2 Celebration Stuff Pack. Throw an elegant wedding, the ultimate fiesta, the biggest birthday bash, whatever your Sims want to celebrate.

Diablo 2: Lord Of Destruction Expansion Set (PC & Mac)

2008-07-04T17:12:00.000-07:00

Diablo II Expansion Set: Lord of Destruction
By 1UP Staff -- 01/1/2000

Diablo II: Lord of Destruction has caused us to reenact Dawn of the Dead in my household. I stay up playing the game until dawn, and then my wife wakes up and sees me at the computer and I'm dead. It's the best expansion to a game I've ever played.

Lord of Destruction does what every good expansion should do: smoothes the rough edges of the original game while offering new content that improves what came before. With its two new character classes, the assassin and the druid, the expansion also gives you a reason to replay the entire game. It doesn't stop there, though. The new act, which has the player chasing down Diablo's brother Baal, is the best Diablo yet. It's superb gaming, the kind of enthralling experience that turned us into gamers in the first place.

The new character classes are the most interesting ones yet devised by Blizzard. The assassin has jumped straight out of Street Fighter II with her clever combinations of charge-up and finishing attacks. And her trap skills, which allow players to trap areas and lure monsters to their pyrotechnic deaths, add a new level of cleverness to playing the game.

The druid is an interesting mix of fighter and spellcaster. You can play him as a shape changer, turning him into a werewolf or werebear, or you can have him draw upon the forces of nature with his spells and summon forth tornadoes and volcanoes. It offers quite a contrast in play styles.

In fact, with the expansion, Diablo II takes on new tactical depth. Blizzard has beefed up the mercenaries you can hire: They now gain levels along with your character, and you can give them weapons, armor, and shields to help boost their effectiveness. At times, my mercenary was a better fighter than my main character.

To round out the experience, both new character classes can summon additional help. The druid can summon wolves or a powerful grizzly and the assassin can summon a shadow of herself, called a Shadow Warrior. Now, with the mercenary in tow, you're controlling an entire party.

Finally, the new resolution, bumped up to 800x600 from 640x480, displays more of the map. This gives you a better feel for what's coming and lets you exercise a bit more tactical control over combat situations.

The new act contains some of the most compelling Diablo action yet. You're thrust into the middle of a battle and tasked with killing the overseer laying siege to the barbarian town. You have to battle through enemy lines as catapults drop fire, ice, and poison on you from afar. You'll even see barbarians fighting to their last breath, terribly outnumbered; if you act quickly, you can save them and they'll fight alongside you. It really feels like an epic war instead of a dungeon crawl.

Diablo is in large part about getting that new and better item, and now there are more items than ever. Your stash is bigger to accommodate more magic items (runes and jewels), new matched sets, new class-specific items, and more.

Faults? The 800x600 resolution is still a bit dated and the game chugs a little now and then. It's pricey, too. But that's about it. This expansion has taken a game that didn't quite live up to sky-high expectations when it was released and made it one of the most satisfying gaming experiences I've had. I've played through the entire five acts with both a druid and assassin and I'm nearly done playing through them again with both characters in Nightmare mode. Now I can't wait to go to Hell.

And if Lord of Destruction keeps getting me stared down at 5:30 a.m. by my wife, I may get there sooner than expected.

Warcraft III Battle Chest

2008-07-04T09:52:00.000-07:00

Warcraft III Battle Chest

Age of Empires: Collectors Edition (Jewel Case)

2008-07-04T09:49:00.000-07:00

Age of Empires: Collectors Edition (Jewel Case)

The Sims 2 University Expansion Pack

2008-07-04T09:47:00.000-07:00

The Sims 2 University Expansion Pack

Dungeon Runners

2008-07-04T09:39:00.000-07:00

Dungeon Runners

Slay the Monsters. Pwn some n00bs. Be the hero?
It’s dark, it’s dank, it smells awful down here and you just stepped in something squishy... Yup, you guessed it--it’s Dungeon Runners--an online multiplayer action role-playing game that transports you to an exciting realm of magic, adventure, giant monsters, and icky things.

As a brave Dungeon Runner, be prepared to...

Explore dangerous dungeons (duh!)
Battle ferocious monsters like the Fire Mutant Puker (monsters that vomit - how cool!)
Discover incredible weapons, artifacts and loot! I mean, where ELSE are you going to battle with a giant turkey leg, find a Vorpal Pizza Cutter of Doom or the Laughing Brutalizer of the Two Dead Iguanas?
Whether fighting evil hordes as a lone idiot, um, I mean warrior, or teaming up with online friends to carve a path of destruction through your foes, Dungeon Runners will quench your deepest dungeon-crawling thirst. Game Details:
Game includes 6 Months of Premium Membership Access, which normally costs $5/month.
Access the new Bling Gnome sidekicks, that help you collect loot and ‘process’ your gold. Available only with the boxed version of Dungeon Runners.
Throw off the yoke of other MMO’s - mix & match from the ever-growing list of skills and powers to create your own custom class.
Undertake hundreds missions and quests to rid the world of bad guys and icky monster things.
Gather in public meeting areas, then adventure in randomly-generated dungeons at your own pace. Turtle or rocket through at breakneck speeds - hey, it’s your neck!
Die a shameful death as a n00b in the kiddie dungeon. Or become a legend - basking in the limelight as your powers, equipment and influence grow.
Dungeon Runners is continually expanding to include new maps, new monsters, new powers and new features. Plus whatever else we come up with, Woohoo!
…oh and the Exteel client is included

Product Description
Slay the Monsters. Be the Hero. It¿s dark, it¿s dank, it smells something awful down here and you just stepped in something squishy... Yup, you guessed it - it¿s Dungeon Runners - an online multiplayer action roleplaying game that transports you to an exciting realm of magic and adventure. As a brave Dungeon Runner, be prepared to... Explore dangerous dungeons (duh!). Battle ferocious monsters like the Fire Mutant Puker (monsters that vomit - how cool!) Discover incredible weapons, artifacts and loot! I mean, where ELSE are you going to find a Vorpal Pizza Cutter of Doom or the Laughing Brutalizer of the Two Dead Iguanas? Whether fighting evil hordes as a lone idiot, um, I mean warrior, or teaming up with online friends to carve a path of destruction through your foes, Dungeon Runners will quench your deepest dungeon-crawling thirst.

Product Description
Something stirs in the darkness. A hot earthy smell wafts up from the dank depths. Nails scratch against limestone, dripping water echoes off cavern walls, ancient chains rattle in stagnant air?. What lies in the eerie depths below? Dungeon Runners is an online role-playing game. As a brave hero, you'll explore dangerous dungeons, battle ferocious monsters and discover incredible weapons, artifacts and loot. Choose to play as Fighter, Mage or Ranger in a realm of terror, magic and adventure. Unlock powerful new skills as you gain experience on your journey into the unknown. Whether fighting evil hordes as a lone warrior or teaming up with online friends to carve a path of destruction through your foe, Dungeon Runners will quench your deepest dungeon-crawling thirst. Dungeon Runners is continually expanding to include new maps, new monsters, new powers and new features

Dungeon Runners

Guild Wars Factions

2008-07-04T09:36:00.000-07:00

Guild Wars Factions

Crysis

2008-07-04T09:33:00.000-07:00

Crysis...a good FPS but distant runner up for Game of the Year

This game is the long awaited follow up to 'Farcry' (one of the best FPSs of 2004). We now finally get a look at this newest offering.

Here are some of the things that I've liked in the single player mode...

1.)This is a FPS in which your nano armor gives you special 'skills"; these 'skills' include enhanced speed, strength, armor and invisibility; and you'll need them all to survive.

2.)Graphics that are smooth and flowing...plus excellent audio; both add a spooky, creepy ambiance to this jungle based horror game.

3.)The ability to use and control vehicles (on land, at sea and in the air), as well as the mounted weapons on these units.

4.)Generally good (but not great) enemy AI! Although some will just stand out in the open, there are some that will sneak up on you or hide behind cover; also they must reload empty weapons. Due to their larger numbers and the fact they're usually spread out, will necessitate your using your special 'skills' and the surrounding environment to defeat them. This is the basic, reoccurring challenge for this game.

5.)Easy, anytime save/loads with F5/F9 respectively, as well as game generated checkpoint saves.

6.)If your taking a beating (or find it too easy), you can change the degree of game difficulty anytime, as you play; you don't have to start a new game. This is a nice feature!

Cons:

1.)I've had a couple freeze ups, requiring reboot; also some minor video fragmentation (after extended periods of play).

2.)I found the controls on flying the VTOL (vertical take-off & landing) craft were difficult to operate (the plane just didn't seem to respond to commands quickly) with the result of frequent crashes.

3.)There was one extended section where you were floating (in either space or water), that I found confusing, tedious and boring. I was lucky it was very linear, or I might never have gotten out of there.

4.)A high end system is preferable. Although playable on XP, Vista can use Dx10, and combined with good hardware and a high end video card, it does make a difference in being able to run a lot of the 'extra' graphic details.

Conclusion:
All the pre-release hype made it sound as if this game would easily qualify for Game of the Year honors; I don't think so. Graphically it is beautiful and it is a good game, but it's not a great game! If you liked 'Farcry' then you'll probably like 'Crysis'. Was it worth the wait...probably, but somehow I was expecting something more. Over all, I liked 'Farcry' and its gameplay a little more. However, still worth a 4 1/2-5 Star rating.

The Sims 2: FreeTime

2008-07-04T09:28:00.000-07:00

Now your Sims can rediscover the joys of leisure time. Awaken your Sims' true passions in life as they discover and excel at all-new activities. Whether they're tossing a football with the family, practicing ballet, restoring cars with friends or building train sets, your Sims now have more ways to build skills, enhance friendships and make their lives more successful. Craft new items for your Sims to use in their daily lives including clothing and pottery. Make your Sims unique as they discover secondary goals and expanded aspirations in life. Your Sims can unlock secret rewards by mastering their hobbies and advancing all-new careers. Explore a variety of new hobbies that will change your Sims' lives.

Features:

All-new hobbies include basketball, soccer, restoring cars, ballet or searching for alien life in outer space
As your Sims master new activities they'll unlock new aspirations, earn rewards and uncover secret lots
Once your Sims build up their skills, they can sell their arts and crafts or see how they stack up against the competition by entering dance, food and video game contests
Hobbies can be full of unexpected moments, especially for Sims with low skill levels. Your newbie Sim might sew a bear with one eye, make a lopsided jar on the pottery wheel or get poison ivy while hiking
Requires The Sims 2, The Sims 2 Special DVD Edition, The Sims 2 Holiday Edition, or The Sims 2 Deluxe to play.

Product Description
Now your Sims can rediscover the joys of leisure time! Awaken your Sims' true passions in life as they discover and excel at all-new activities. Whether they're tossing a football with the family, practicing ballet, restoring cars with friends, or building train sets, your Sims now have more ways to build skills, enhance friendships, and make their lives more successful. Craft new, unique items for your Sims to use in their daily lives including clothing, pottery, and more. Your Sims will even unlock secret rewards by mastering their hobbies and advancing all-new careers. Explore a wide variety of new hobbies that will change your Sims' lives!

The Sims 2: Kitchen & Bath Interior Design Stuff

2008-07-04T09:26:00.000-07:00

Amazon.com

Must-Have Stuff to Redesign Your Sims’ Kitchens and Bathrooms!

Electronic Arts continues to release solid expansions for the ever popular Sims series and Kitchens and Bathrooms is definitely no exception. Redesign your Sims’ essential living areas into the most luxurious of spaces. Transform the bathroom into a romantic getaway with charming claw-foot bathtubs and calming lighting fixtures or give it a contemporary twist with beautiful glass showers, basin sinks, and more. Renovate your Sims’ home and really begin to class up their lives with tons of different appliances and clothing to choose from.

Designer Kitchen Appliances
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Create Elegant Bathrooms...
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...Or Be Contemporary
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Redesign your kitchen as you upgrade it with sleek appliances on granite counter tops or romantic natural wood cabinets next to wrought iron stoves. Outfit your Sims in the perfect clothes and accessories to enjoy their lavish new rooms, from sumptuous spa robes to designer cooking aprons. Be your Sims’ personal interior designer! Give them the kitchens and bathrooms of their dreams with a variety of new furniture, décor, and outfits! With Kitchen & Bath Design Stuff your Sim life will have even more options available with the incredibly popular franchise.

Game Features:
Outfit your Sims— Give your Sims the right attire and accessories to enjoy their brand-new kitchens and bathrooms including a hair turban, spa mask, cooking aprons and luxuriant cashmere pullovers for around the house.
Contemporary Appliances— Update your Sims’ kitchen with that sleek new look you’ve been dreaming about with a stylish refrigerator, food processor, toaster oven, and more.
Charming Kitchens— Renovate the kitchen into the warmest room in the house with romantic touches including new themed wallpaper, wood-carved counters, and ceiling-mounted hanging pot racks.
Modern Bath Designs— Make your Sims’ bath time a modern experience with contemporary design options such as elegant sectional mirrors, quad-quadrant ceiling lighting with a modern flair, and graceful counter top basin sinks.
Bathroom of your Dreams— Indulge your Sims in a romantic bathroom complete with cozy new tiles, fancy towel racks, romantic paintings, designer rugs, and much more.
System Requirements:
Requires The Sims™ 2, The Sims™ 2 Special DVD Edition, The Sims™ 2 Holiday Edition, or The Sims™ 2 Deluxe to play.

OS: Windows Vista, XP, Me, 2000, or 98
Installed: The Sims 2 for Windows
CPU: 1.0 GHz or faster
RAM: 256 MB or more
Disc Drive: 8x or faster CD/DVD drive
Hard Drive: At least 350 MB of free space
Sound: DirectX 9.0 compatible
Video: DirectX 9.0 compatible
Video card must have 32 MB or more memory and one of these T&L capable chipsets:
ATI Radeon 8500 or greater; NVIDIA GeForce2 GTS or greater;

Sid Meiers Civilization IV Beyond the Sword

2008-07-04T09:24:00.000-07:00

By Eric Neigher -- 24/7/2007

It took two years, two expansions, and enough patches to stitch up Humpty Dumpty, but Civilization IV is finally worthy of being called the best strategy game on the market. The latest expansion, Beyond the Sword, improves Civ IV so much that you'll wonder how the (in)famous time sink ever sank a moment without it.

Deconstructing Civ
Beyond the Sword goes way, er, beyond mere tweaks, implementing fundamental gameplay changes and additions. First among these: the new Galactic Civilizations-style "events" -- random occurrences that can spell calamity or opportunity for the recipient. Cleverly, these are tied to your civilization's choices throughout the game. For example, only players using the Slavery civic are vulnerable to Kirk-Douglas-and-friends slave revolts, while only players with clam hatcheries can discover rare black pearls. Occasionally, players even receive worldwide "quests" that they can accomplish for a massive bonus -- while their rivals try to do the same.

Apart from the new event system, though, BTS showcases more quality features than a Woody Allen-only multiplex. The new Apostolic Palace wonder increases the role of religion in the early game, while multinational corporations largely replace religion later on. These corporations provide massive, game-changing bonuses to their home countries. Cereal Mills, for example, boosts population growth, while Standard Ethanol supplies fossil fuels even if you have no oil&and gives a research bonus. Corporations finally give players a reason not to switch to the State Property civic (which renders them useless) late in the game.

And even when the changes are minor, they're welcome. Improved connectivity and simultaneous turns greatly speed up multiplayer. And on that subject, you and your buddies should load up one of BTS's many innovative mods, which include a realistic depiction of World War II, a squad-based humans-versus-zombies conversion, and even a Civ IV take on Defender, in which you build cities, stock them with units, and try to hold out against waves of baddies.

Celebrity
Of course, no Civ expansion would be complete without a bevy of new races and leaders. You can now lead -- among others -- the Babylonians as Hammurabi, and the Portuguese as John II. DeGaulle, Churchill, and Stalin take time off from their regular gig at the History Channel to make an appearance, although -- as far as the Civ development staff is concerned -- Hitler remains in 10-foot-pole land. Moreover, the entire leader dynamic is changed: Players can now pair any leader (and his unique talents) with any civilization (and its unique units and buildings). So, if you've always dreamed of Napoleon leading an army of redcoats, now's your chance to show Bizarro French Wellington who's boss.

Apart from a few quibbles (large maps still load at a glacial pace and the A.I. still builds cities right on top of yours), BTS takes a strong game with some serious flaws and turns it into a fantastic game with a couple of minor flaws. No small feat, that.

BioShock

2008-07-04T09:21:00.001-07:00

Bioshock, without a doubt, is one of the video game events of the year. A first person shooter that is more than just a first person shooter. Not only is this game fun, but the storyline is thought-provoking and philosophical. This is more than just a game. This an interactive storybook of epic proportions.

After being the only survivor of a plane crash in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean, your only chance of survival is to seek refuge in the nearby lighthouse. The moment you step inside you're greeted by a banner which states: "No Gods or Kings. Only Man." Going further into the lighthouse you're soon taken to the underwater city of Rapture. A place where religion and morality do not rule the decisions of mankind. Where every man does what he chooses for his own selfish gain. The city is run by a man named Andrew Ryan. When you arrive in the city, however, its quite clear that Andrew Ryan's perfect world wasn't so perfect. The city lies in ruins and chaos runs rampant as a form of genetically mutated people called splicers roam the streets. With the help of a man named Atlas who guides you through the twisted city of Rapture, you'll have to survive long enough to get out.

Throughout your adventure there are plenty of things you can do to advance the story. You'll find radio diaries that give hints to the downfall of Rapture. You'll meet people who will tell you things about Rapture. Some of these things, such as the radio diaries, are optional, but if you don't listen to radio diaries you'll not only miss out on some of the complex and absorbing storyline, but you'll also miss out on some of the game's better features. The voice acting contained within each radio diary is fantastic. You'll learn not only about Rapture, but Andrew Ryan and other characters who play a major role in the story. There are other things that move the story along as well, like running into ghosts who will give you more insight. Some of the mutated denizens give you hints (before you have to do away with them). There's a lot to piece together here. If story and character development are your thing: Bioshock delivers.

As far as gameplay goes, Bioshock is a game that presents some complex things, but it's easy to play overall. Splicers are the most common types of enemies encountered in Rapture. You'll need an arsenal of weapons to take them on. As you progress through the game you'll have splicers that simply attack melee style, others that shoot at you and even some that throw explosives. When you first begin you only have access to a wrench. But along the way you'll pick additional weapons like a pistol, shotgun, machine gun and a few others that you can use to decimate your enemies with.

Despite how difficult things might be, Bioshock doesn't penalize you much should you die. If the worst should happen you'll respawn from a Vita Chamber (basically a checkpoint) with some health and everything you had at the time of your death. The enemy also keeps the same amount of health lost. So even if you die over and over again, you'll eventually be able to kill whatever it is that's giving you trouble. Despite the challenge of the game, the simple fact that you can't die permanently does take away some of the challenge.

The enemy AI is also pretty good. While they never stop attacking once they've found you, they do act the way you expect them to. If they're firing at you and suddenly run out of ammo, they'll run away from you to reload. If they hear your footsteps, they'll investigate. Your adversaries are no dummies in this game.

There are also machines like gun turrets and security cameras around. You can keep out of the way of security cameras easily, but sometimes turrets can be a pain. However, despite how tough gun turrets and rocket launchers can be, the game allows you to short circuit them and hack them. Hacking is a little mini-game in which you must lead a fluid through a series of pipes to the exit. Most of the hacking mini-games aren't hard. Successfully hacking a gun turret or rocket launcher turns them on your enemies.

There's more to Bioshock than simply killing your enemy, though. You'll also want to search the dead bodies of those you kill. Usually enemies carry ammo, money, first aid kits, EVE Hypos and some will even drop weapons. You can also search more than dead bodies. You can search any containers scattered throughout the game. Trashcans, cabinets, virtually anything that sits idly by. Sometimes you'll find money, ammo etc.

Aside from searching corpses and containers you can also pilfer any food or drinks that are lying around. Food often restores health, while drinks will restore health yet take away a bit of EVE. Most of the drinks you come across are alcoholic drinks, and if you drink too much alcohol it will register and your vision will actually be impaired and you'll start to stumble around.

In addition to all that searching, there are also vending machines scattered throughout the game where you can buy healing items, drinks, ammo and more. It'll cost you money. Like some of the machines you'll encounter, you can also hack into a vending machine, and you'll want to do so. Doing so lowers the prices on the items and makes more available.

As you go through the game you'll also come across Plasmids. Plasmids give you powers. At first all you get is electricity, but later on you'll be able to command fire or even use telekinesis. There are several plasmids in the game, with their own little benefits. Electricity, for example, will let you activate switches and short circuit machines. You cannot use Plasmids limitlessly, though. Plasmids consume EVE and once you run out of EVE, you can't use Plasmids.

In addition to Plasmids you'll also find tonics which grant you everlasting effects so long as you have it equipped. There are tonics which improve your physical attributes, engineering skills to make hacking easier, and your combat abilities.

Throughout the game you're also given chances to upgrade your weapons. You can also shoot off stronger ammo as you get further, and at some point you'll have to. Some enemies are immune to standard shots but can easily be taken down with armor piercing rounds.

The game doesn't just put most of these things there for your benefit, but actually expects you to use them effectively. For example, if there are a bunch of enemies standing in water, you're encouraged to electrocute the water. If there's an oil spill you're encouraged to set it on fire. You can put together lots of great strategies when it comes to your Plasmids and Weapons. Even better is that you can switch between them on the fly. Your plasmids occupy your left hand and your weapons occupy your right. You can't use them both at the same time but the game allows you to switch between them rapidly enough to the point where it doesn't matter.

Finally, the game allows you to invent and construct items for you to use a long the way. You'll need to find components to invent items, though, and that's easily done through searching all those basic containers.

As far as the game looks it is by far one of the most detailed and beautiful games out there. Everything about the game is given a fantastic look to it. From what your enemies look like to the vast city itself. The walls are detailed, the water is detailed all the flames and vending machines are detailed. Even better, the physics and other mechanics in this game work divinely. For example, if you bump into a trashcan, it falls over. If you're stepping over something, you'll find yourself walking a bit slower and stumbling over it.

There are few differences between the PC and XBOX360 versions. The controls in the PC version are much easier to grasp and switching between plasmids and weapons is also much simpler. The game also runs slightly better on the PC than it does the 360. Some reviewers have noted that the PC version is a pain to install and some people just haven't been able to run it. As of writing this review, I've only suffered one crash and haven't suffered any other major problems.

Bioshock is a stunning game. The long wait was well worth it. Tight controls, lots of variety in the gameplay and an absorbing storyline is what keeps this game afloat and makes it fun. It is without a doubt one of the best games of 2007.

The Good

+Enticing storyline full of philosophy and intrigue
+Fantastic voice acting brings the already fantastic story to life
+Lots of variety in the gameplay
+Great sound effects
+Great music score
+All around beautiful game
+The atmosphere of the game never settles

The Bad

-While it's nice that you don't get penalized or ever have to reload when you die, it brings down the difficulty of this game a bit. However, as I said, it's a good and bad thing

Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare

2008-07-04T09:18:00.000-07:00

This game delivers on a whole lot of levels. The graphics are outstanding - even if you find yourself running a slightly long in the tooth PC. My old AGP ATI 9600 card manages to run it just fine on my Intel P4 3.2 system. This is one of the few games out there that has not only delivered a dynamic and interesting online experience, but has also given those interested in single player action a place to turn. I had a great time finishing the single player game. There were some fantastic cinematic touches. I will not ruin the experience with any spoilers, but lets just say your in for a hell of a ride. It took me about 8 leisurely hours to finish the single player. Just MAKE SURE to let the credits run out. Do NOT hit escape to end them. You get a nice little bonus at the end that is wroth the wait. Now the multi-player experience is also interesting. It takes a unique approach by allowing you to unlock weapons and add-ons. It allows you to combine these weapons and add-ons in just about any way you choose to create your own classes. Very cool. All of this is persistent. In other words, you don't start from zero each time you go to play online. You have a record that follows you around. So as you get promoted and add new weapons, you keep them both. So here is where we lose that star. First, the maps are a bit small. You can get some pretty heated battles going on in these confined spaces, but opening up the maps would let a less frenetic play style prevail for those that prefer that kind of experience. Then there is the mobility issue. It is not a giant deal, but jumping on top of things that you should easily be able too is often impossible. You can fall onto the top of a dumpster, but you cannot jump on top of it. A small issue, but one that feels off. All in all, a great experience. If you have enjoyed previous COD titles or other modern combat type games, this is for you. Another cool feature is the level of flexibility afforded to those that would host their own servers. If your looking for your first game of this type, this is also a great place to start.

World Of Warcraft Expansion: Burning Crusade

2008-07-04T09:14:00.000-07:00

Blizzard Entertainment took online role playing by storm with their hit title, World of Warcraft. With mind-boggling improvements in graphics, gameplay networking, and interface -- really every category -- this game became the crown prince of the genre. World of Warcraft players will be excited by the approaching release of the new expansion pack: World of Warcraft: The Burning Crusade. This pack expands the already massive, award-winning multiplayer online role-playing game by tremendous bounds, adding new races, lands, battlegrounds, professions and items, and much, much more. Although no release date has been set, here is sample of what you can expect from The Burning Crusade.

The expansion pack features an increase in the level cap to 70. There are two new playable races, including the magical Blood Elves that you can read more about below. The other race has not yet been released by Blizzard. There will be new starting zones in Quel'Thalas and beyond. Another eye-opening addition is the entirely new, unexplored continent of Outland that is reachable through the Dark Portal. Plus, you'll find many new high-level dungeons to explore in Azeroth, Outland, and elsewhere that will substantially boost gameplay. There are new flying mounts in Outland; tons of new and dangerous monsters (including epic world bosses); hundreds of new quests and items; and even a new profession: Jewelcrafting. Of course this isn't the end of the list -- this is just a glimpse of what Blizzard has planned for their unreleased expansion pack.

The New Story, the Rumors, and MoreSeveral years have passed since the Burning Legion's defeat at Mount Hyjal and the races of Azeroth have continued to rebuild their once shattered lives. With renewed strength, the heroes of the Horde and Alliance have begun to explore new lands, and have broken through the Dark Portal to investigate the realms beyond the known world. In this expansion pack, The Burning Crusade refers to the Burning Legion's ongoing efforts to destroy life on Azeroth. To date, the Burning Legion's exploits have been documented in Warcraft III and in the War of the Ancients novel trilogy. As part of the expansion pack, players will now be able to travel through the Dark Portal to confront the Legion on otherworldly battlefields.

Although only one race has been revealed, Blizzard has announced plans to unveil details about possible additional races at a later date. On the other hand, many details have been released about the new continent, Outland. Players last visited Outland in Warcraft III: The Frozen Throne, alongside Illidan as he conquered the Pit Lord Magtheridon's domain. Players will also gain access to Quel'Thalas, the region to the northeast of the Forsaken lands, where the Blood Elves reside. Blizzard says that this expansion pack holds even more new areas that are ripe for player exploration -- additional details will be revealed in the months ahead.

Blizzard also has plans to add new dungeons and battlegrounds with the expansion, though the exact number has not yet been determined. One upcoming dungeon that has players excited is Karazhan, which is located within Medivh's tower. Because Medivh has played such a central role in Warcraft lore, Blizzard is convinced that longtime players will be especially interested in seeing what Karazhan contains. As for battlegrounds, Blizzard has released very little information. However, they have announced plans to make some of the battles from the past accessible through the Caverns of Time.

Blood Elves: The New RaceThousands of years ago, the exiled Highborne landed on the shores of Lordaeron and founded the enchanted kingdom of Quel'Thas. These high elves, as they called themselves, created a fountain of vast, magical energies within the heart of their land -- the Sunwell. Over time, they grew dependant on the Sunwell's unstable energies, regardless of the bitter lessons they'd learned in ages past.

During the Third War, the villainous Prince Arthas invaded Quel'Thalas and reduced the once-mighty realm to rubble and ashes. His undead army decimated nearly all of the high elven population. In addition, he used the Sunwell's energies to resurrect a powerful undead Lich, Kel'thuzad, thereby fouling the Sunwell's mystical waters. The few elven survivors, realizing that they had been cut off from the source of their arcane power, grew increasingly volatile and desperate.

In the midst of the elves' darkest hour came Kael'thas Sunstrider, the last of Quel'Thalas' royal bloodline. Kael, as he was commonly known, knew that the remnant of his people would not long survive without the nourishing magic that once empowered them. Renaming his people "blood elves" in honor of their fallen countrymen, Kael taught the survivors how to tap into ambient mystical energies -- even demonic energies -- in order to sate their terrible thirst for magic. In search of a new destiny for his people, Kael'thas ventured to the remote world of Outland where he encountered the fallen night elf, Illidan. Under Illidan's watchful eye, Kael and his blood elves regained much of their former power.

Unfortunately, the blood elves practice of embracing demonic energies caused their former comrades in the Alliance to shun them. Thus, the remaining blood elves on Azeroth look desperately to the Horde to help them reach Outland where they can reunite with Kael'thas and achieve the golden destiny he has promised them.

Outland: The New ContinentOnce the beautiful homeworld of the orcs, all that remains of Draenor is the scattered wastes of Outland. Following the Second War, the Alliance invaded Draenor by crossing through the Dark Portal. To their horror, they discovered that Ner'zhul -- the dark warlord of Horde -- had constructed a series of new gateways that could lead the beaten Horde to newer, unspoiled worlds. As the Alliance forces closed in around him, Ner'zhul opened his gateways as a means of escape. However, his plan backfired and the gateway's clashing energies resulted in a massive catastrophic explosion that ultimately ripped the world of Draenor to pieces.

Nearly thirteen years later -- towards the end of the Third War -- the fallen night elf, Illidan, discovered that huge chunks of Draenor still existed, floating upon the astral winds of the Twisting Nether. After his defeat at the hands of the evil Prince Arthas, Illidan fled to the remnants of Draenor and dubbed them "Outland." He quickly seized control of the chaotic region and sealed the last of Ner'zhul's gateways.

Though he is the undisputed ruler of the ravaged land, Illidan lives in fear that he will be discovered by his powerful enemies -- most notably Arthas, the new Lich King, and the remaining Lords of the Burning Legion. For now, Outland is home to a number of scattered draenei tribes, primitive orcs, and powerful, arcane creatures of the Nether itself. Agents of the Burning Legion have also targeted the region as a vital strategic location in their unending Burning Crusade to scour all life from the universe.

What else can expected? Blizzard has tantalized Warcraft players with the brief glimpse into The Burning Crusade's storyline. Will these heroes find friends or foes? What dangers and rewards lie in wait beyond the Dark Portal? And what will they do when they discover that the demons they thought were vanquished have returned to renew their terrible Burning Crusade? These and other questions will remain unanswered until the gameplay can be explored by role-playing Warcrafters.

World of Warcraft 60 Day Pre-Paid Time Card

2008-07-04T09:12:00.000-07:00

The World Of Warcraft 60 Day Time Card lets gamers enter the world of Azeroth for 60 days of real-time combat in an incredible fantasy setting.

Mass Effect

2008-07-04T09:09:00.000-07:00

Product Description
You take the role of Commander Shepard starship Normandy, the last hope for all life in the Galaxy. Saren, a rogue member of the elite and untouchable Spectre agents, has discovered the secret to unleashing an apocalyptic force upon the galaxy, and only you stand in his way. To save the lives of billions, you must do whatever it takes to stop Saren and prevent the return of an ancient force bent on the destruction of all organic life.

Product Description
You are Commander Shepard of the starship Normandy and you are the last hope for all life in the Galaxy. Saren, a rogue member of the elite and untouchable Spectre agents, has discovered the secret to unleashing an apocalyptic force on the galaxy, and only you stand in his way. To save the lives of billions, you must do whatever it takes to stop Saren and prevent the return of an ancient force bent on the destruction of all organic life. High resolution visuals - highly detailed textures, characters and environments Fully customizable controls - you can re-map the control scheme any way you like Run & Gun Control - You can assign biotic powers or skills to 'hot keys' allowing you to play Mass Effect with a heavier focus on action Decryption mini-game New inventory screen GUI and functionality - The enhanced inventory system makes it easier for you to equip and modify your weapons and armor

The Orange Box

2008-07-04T09:05:00.000-07:00

Amazon.com
The Orange Box delivers five innovative games from Valve, creators of the Half-Life franchise, in one box. The Orange Box includes Half-Life 2: Episode Two, PortalTM, and Team Fortress 2 in addition to full versions of the award-winning Half-Life 2 and Half-Life 2: Episode One for an engrossing first-person action experience.

With part 3 of the Half-Life saga in the horizon, this collection brings you from the start so you're ready to take on the third episode of this exciting trilogy. Half Life earns its popularity and reputation at being the first First Person Shooter game to use aq lifelike, realtime plot that pits you in the action as well as behind the trigger. Created by Valve Software, each episode employs advanced technologies for better, more realistic play. In Half-Life, you assume the role of Dr. Gordon Freeman, a recently graduated theoretical physicist who must fight his way out of an underground research facility whose teleportation experimentations have gone awry. The second part of the trilogy of episodic expansions for Half-Life 2, Episode Two picks up where Episode One left off?with Gordon and Alyx traveling out of City 17 and into a vast new environment.The player again picks up the crowbar of research scientist Gordon Freeman, who finds himself on an alien-infested Earth being picked to the bone, its resources depleted, its populace dwindling. Freeman is thrust into the unenviable role of rescuing the world from the wrong he unleashed back at Black Mesa. And a lot of people people he cares about are counting on him. Intense, real-time gameplay of Half-Life 2 is made possible only by Source, Valve's new proprietary engine technology

World of Warcraft Battlechest

2008-07-04T08:57:00.000-07:00

Product Description
Experience the World of Warcraft! World of Warcraft is an online role-playing experience set in the award-winning Warcraft universe. Players assume the roles of Warcraft heroes as they explore, adventure, and quest across a vast world. Being "Massively Multiplayer," World of Warcraft allows thousands of players to interact within the same world. Whether adventuring together or fighting against each other in epic battles, players will form friendships, forge alliances, and compete with enemies for power and glory. And now, World of Warcraft and its Expansion Pack "World of Warcraft: The Burning Crusade" are combined in one package with additional items!

I bought this for my son, since I had only bought him WoW without the expansion. With the assumption that you've decided you want to play WoW, all the way through to lvl 70, this is the pack for you. You get WoW and expansion, which would cost 50 bucks if bought separately. You also get two strategy guides, but the strategy guide for the expansion (see my review for it here World of Warcraft: The Burning Crusade Official Strategy Guide (World of Warcraft)) is terribly lacking, so we're really looking at one valuable guide, one crappy guide. What you also get, and not even the box mentions this, is the game on DVD! Oh, how many times I've installed and reinstalled the original WoW on multiple computers at home and at my friends place, swapping disks. Well, no more! Unless you were lucky and bought the original Collector's edition World of Warcraft Collector's Edition and World Of Warcraft Burning Crusade Collector's Edition, you're stuck with 4 CDs each instead of 1 DVD. Overall, I would buy (in fact, I did).

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000H96C9M?ie=UTF8&tag=songcode-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B000H96C9M

Warhammer Online: Age of Reckoning Collector's Edition

2008-07-04T08:51:00.000-07:00

Amazon.com
War is everywhere in Warhammer Online: Age of Reckoning (WAR), the new MMORPG from the creators of Dark Age of Camelot. Based on Games Workshop’s popular Warhammer fantasy war game, WAR features next generation Realm vs. Realm (RvR) game play that will immerse players in a world of perpetual conflict for years to come.

Realm vs. RealmUpon entering WAR, players must determine their allegiance and join an army. Those inclined towards the side of good may fight for the Realm of Order as an obstinate Dwarf, noble High Elf, or loyal human soldier of the Empire. Those inclined towards darker deeds may side with the sinister Realm of Destruction as a savage Greenskin (Orc or Goblin), corrupt Dark Elf, or marauding human worshiper of Chaos. RvR combat takes place on three fronts where ancient foes wage an unending war – Dwarfs vs. Greenskins, High Elf vs. Dark Elf, and Empire vs. Chaos. Players begin the game fighting their ancestral enemy, but are free to journey to other fronts to help their allies in their ongoing struggles.

The ultimate goal in RvR combat is the sacking of the enemy’s capital city. To do this, an army must invade and take control of the opposition’s homeland. Deciding battles take place in the persistent game world on objective-based battlefields and around fortified keeps that must be taken or defended, as well as in instanced Scenarios that contribute to zone control.

A New Way to QuestFor the first time, players can engage in Public Quests; these community driven Player vs. Environment (PvE) quests help to advance the game’s story and allow all allied players within a certain location to participate in an ongoing, multi-stage battle. This is an example of how every aspect of the game, including PvE content, is geared towards the greater war in some important way. Players are not required to participate in Player vs. Player (PvP) combat, and may aid in the RvR war effort and enjoy the game in its entirety via PvE content.

Key Features
Dominated by force of arms and magic, Games Workshop’s popular Warhammer fantasy world provides a rich setting for hundreds of thousands of players to experience the epic nature of war and the glory of battle.
Join one of six armies and fight for the Realms of Order (Dwarf, High Elf and Empire) or Destruction (Greenskin, Dark Elf, or Chaos).
Never fight alone thanks to a next generation Realm vs. Realm (RvR) game system. With an army of allied players at your back, you will defend your homeland, invade enemy realms, and ultimately join the siege of your opposing Realm’s capital city. Different types of RvR combat include:
Open World RvR: Participate in melee skirmishes, objective-based battles and keep sieges.
Scenarios: Join instanced battles with up to 24 players per side for multi-player combat action, including Capture the Flag, Murder Ball, and more.
Capital City Siege: Take part in an ongoing campaign to invade an enemy’s land and sack their capital city.
Journey to the frontlines and undertake a wide variety of PvE quest types related to an army’s ongoing war efforts, including the new Public Quests: multi-staged, communal quests to be completed by allied players fighting together against overwhelming odds.
Embark on an epic quest to complete the Tome of Knowledge and unlock Warhammer lore, detailed monster information, new abilities and rewards, and major story plot lines.
A robust combat system allows players to customize their character’s combat abilities with Career Masteries, Tactics, and Morale Skills.
Explore massive Living Cities that become more or less prosperous based on a Realm’s overall performance in the ongoing war. Navigate a maze of twisting streets, visit the local tavern, explore a dark undercity, and meet colorful personalities in a city full of adventure.Drawing from a quarter century of highly detailed source material, Warhammer Online: Age of Reckoning brings Games Workshop’s fantasy world to life in a way that will allow players to create characters destined for great deeds and glory on the field of battle.
Collector's Edition Bonus Content
Exclusive Games Workshop Miniature - Greenskin Warboss, Grumlok, and his shaman, Gazbag.
The original graphic novel "Warhammer Online: Prelude To War," by acclaimed Games Workshop writer Graham McNeill, and illustrated by Chad Hardin, Joe Abraham, Rahsan Ekedal, Tony Parker, and Kevin Hopgood.
"The Art Of Warhammer Online" - A Stunning Collection of art that gave birth to the Age of Reckoning
Bonus in-game item – The Librams of Insight. (XP-gain modifier good for 60 minutes, 3 uses, 90 minute reuse timer)
Twelve additional quests in the Tome of Knowledge, each offering an exciting reward, as well as an unique character title.
Bonus in-game content – Twelve character heads (with male and female versions)

Spore

2008-06-29T06:16:00.000-07:00

From Single Cell to Galactic God, evolve your creature in your own personal universe. Maxis, makers of The Sims, present the next big bang - SPORE. Create your unique creature and guide it on an epic journey through a universe of your own creations.
Play any way you choose in the five evolutionary phases of SPORE: Cell, Creature, Tribe, Civilization, and Space. Each unique phase presents different challenges and goals. You may choose to start in Cell and nurture one species from its humble aquatic origins to its evolution as a sentient species. Or decide to start building tribes or civilizations on multiple planets. How you play and what you do with your universe is entirely up to you.
SPORE gives you a variety of powerful yet easy-to-use creation tools so you can create every aspect of your universe: creatures, vehicles, buildings, and even starships. While SPORE is a single-player game, your creations and other players’ creations are automatically shared between your galaxy and theirs, providing a limitless number of worlds to explore and play. You can also visit the SPORE website and look at all the cool things your friends and people all around the world are making—then pull them into and make them a part of your own world!

Key Features
Wield godlike powers and get an awe-inspiring view of life and of creativity.
Go on an epic journey from the origin and evolution of life through the development of civilization and technology and outer space exploration
The simple, accessible tools will make anyone feel like a rock star creator in just a few minutes.
Share and brag about your creations with gamers worldwide, keeping the game always fresh and fun.
Grow, evolve, interact with and battle other cultures, and conquer the planet.

Product DescriptionMaxis, makers of The Sims, presents the next big bang, Spore. Create your unique creature and guide it on an epic journey through a universe of your own creation. Play any way you choose in the 5 evolutionary phases of Spore: Cell, Creature, Tribe, Civilization and Space. Each unique phase presents different challenges and goals. You may choose to start in Cell and nurture one species from its humble aquatic origins to its evolution as a sentient species. Or decide to start building tribes or civilizations on multiple planets. How you play and what you do with your universe is entirely up to you. Spore gives you a variety of powerful yet easy-to-use creation tools so you can create every aspect of your universe: creatures, vehicles, buildings and even starships. While Spore is a single-player game, your creations and other player's creations are automatically shared between your galaxy and theirs, providing a limitless number of worlds to explore and play. From single cell to galactic god, create your own universal wonder.