The Simpsons (PS3)
Customer Review: The Simpsons (PS3)
For a Simpsons console game its quite good, even managing to preserve something of the humour from the shows
Customer Review: fun to be had if you perservere
Like many Simpsons fans out there, I was hoping that this would be the title to turn it around for America’s favorite animated family in the video game arena. With two-player co-op and a focus on the humor that has made the show a primetime staple since 1989, The Simpsons Game has everything a fan could want…but not everything it needs to be a fun, interesting game.
The biggest problem is illustrated through one of the game’s funniest features: the clich?. As you jump and punch your way through each mission, you will encounter hackneyed video game traditions like giant saw blades and pressure pads. Then the Comic Book Guy pops up and calls attention to the blatant unoriginality of these devices (”Ah, the crate. As seen in everything.”). While this almost always gets a laugh, pointing out clich?s doesn’t make them any more fun to play.
The development team clearly knew that basic switch puzzles and time trials are tiresome, yet the player is forced to endure them. Even though the goals themselves are sometimes funny, the generic combat and platforming rarely make them fun to complete. There are also dozens of stupid collectibles like coupons and bottlecaps scattered throughout the world. Trust me, they are not worth picking up.
I know that I’m not making the game sound great - it isn’t - but the important distinction here is unlike most mediocre platformers, you are actually rewarded for bullying through the levels. The comedy is so pervasive and well done that it still makes you want to keep going just to hear a good one-liner or see the next hilarious parody. This is the first licensed game I’ve seen that captures the essence of its source material so well; it sometimes feels like you are playing an episode of the show (albeit with poor cinematography).
For all of its self-referential humour and nods to gaming classics (there are brief segments mimicking the likes of Frogger, Missle Command, Space Invaders, and Wolfenstein 3D), the process of actually playing The Simpsons Game is unfortunately average. The chuckles along the way make it worth the trouble for fans, but unless you’re the most ardent Simpson’s fan then of the game’s redeeming elements will fall on deaf, bored ears.
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Hellboy [UMD Mini for PSP] [2004]
In the ongoing deluge of comic-book adaptations, Hellboy ranks well above average. Having turned down an offer to helm Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban in favor of bringing Hellboy’s origin story to the big screen, the gifted Mexican director Guillermo del Toro compensates for the excesses of Blade II with a moodily effective, consistently entertaining action-packed fantasy, beginning in 1944 when the mad monk Rasputin–in cahoots with occult-buff Hitler and his Nazi thugs–opens a transdimensional portal through which a baby demon emerges, capable of destroying the world with his powers. Instead, the aptly named Hellboy is raised by the benevolent Prof. Bloom, founder of the Bureau for Paranormal Research and Defense, whose allied forces enlist the adult Hellboy (Ron Perlman, perfectly cast) to battle evil at every turn. While nursing a melancholy love for the comely fire-starter Liz (Selma Blair), Hellboy files his demonic horns (”to fit in,” says Bloom) and wreaks havoc on the bad guys.
The action is occasionally routine (the movie suffers when compared to the similar X-Men blockbusters), but del Toro and Perlman have honored Mike Mignola’s original Dark Horse comics with a lavish and loyal interpretation, retaining the amusing and sympathetic quirks of character that made the comic-book Hellboy a pop-culture original. He’s red as a lobster, puffs stogies like Groucho Marx, and fights the good fight with a kind but troubled heart. What’s not to like? –Jeff Shannon
List Price: ?17.99
Amazon Price: ?6.98
Used Price: ?4.99
The Rough Guide to the “PSP” “PlayStation Portable” (Rough Guides Reference Titles)
List Price: ?5.99
Amazon Price: ?4.49
Used Price: ?6.23
GM-5500P 14-in-1 Accessory Pack (PSP)
Accessory value pack containing 14 items to fully enjoy and protect your PlayStation Portable Details Includes earphones and an audio splitter cable for an optimal Hi-Fi gaming experience The gamepad shaped grip and the enlarged analog stick covers ensure maximum comfort in controlling your PSP Use the PSP stand to view your PSP movies from a convenient angle Protect your PSP and your UMD discs with the included hard cases Charge the battery of your PSP within 4 hours using the included car charger connector Also includes a retractable USB data cable and a retractable USB power cable (compatible with the included car charger connector) Also includes a special sun screen for your PSP that protects the PSP display when folded close Even includes a soft cleaning cloth to to keep your PSP fingerprint free
List Price: ?29.99
Amazon Price: ?24.99
Customer Review: Not bad shame about the sun screen
I’ve just purchased my PSP and I bought this accessory pack at the same time. On the whole it’s pretty good. But the sun screen that you screw onto the back of the PSP was broken at the left hinge. So I got a replacement within a couple of days, but the second one is broken on the right hinge. OK, I could get another replacement, but frankly, looking at the sun screen and the way it’s made it looks like there’s just a weakness at that point and there’s nothing to say the third one would be OK. The rest of the pack is really useful, although if you want to put the PSP and say the headphones in the case it’s a bit of a tight fit.
Customer Review: Good value pack
I had been searching for psp accessory pack even before I bought my psp. After searching for sometime, I found out that this accessory pack is good value for money. All the items included are expensive if bought separately. The only thing i doubted was the enlarge analog stick which might cause more pressure on my psp. I would be even satisfied if a screen protector was included.
Earbuds (PSP)
Price: ?14.99
Skate (PS3) Customer Review: This game rocks!
Have to agree with everyone here. This is EASILY the best skateboarding game out bar none.
The controls do take a bit of getting used to if you’re used to button bashing on the Tony Hawks series, but within an hour i was used to it and popping kickflip to 50-50 grinds down stair rails. It feels SO natural.
It does, however, have a few minor flaws.
The camera angle. Sometimes you cannot see where you’re going because the camera is so low, and so close to your skater. Theres no way to change this.
Lag/Gameplay slow down. Every now and again the game will get a little slow. No idea why but it usually sorts it’s self out after a few seconds.
Career mode. Career mode is a little difficult due to the flickit system, some tricks are hard to pull off, meaning you have to try the same challenge over and over and over. Feels good when you finally do nail it though.
Other then that, this is THE best skating game i’ve ever played. 5 out of 5 from me.
Buy it!
Customer Review: The best skateboarding game ever !
Button mashing is over. Skate has completely reinvented skateboarding games by the use of the flickit control system. On tony hawks you would think nothing of trying to leap a gap or grind a rail, but on skate you have to line yourself perfectly then flick the right analogue stick quickly to gain height to ollie and turn your body in the direction to grind down it. This makes the game feel more realistic and add new ways of doing tricks. Instead of going from place to place you have the whole huge city of san vanelona to explore with plenty of areas to skate on which adds to more freedom.
You have to start off by doing skateboarding films to get coverage in the local skate mag to get coverage. You then get asked to skate 4 thrasher which gives you money and sponsership to getting better skateboards, wheels and clothing and eventually leads you to face the pros in the x-games. There are a variety of objectives such as photo coverage, filming, skateboarding races and playing a game of skate which gets u to take it in turns against a pro to beat the at tricks.
This game is so much better than Tony hawks.
Sony: PS3 launch delay is ‘beneficial’
With the Sony PS3 console set to launch tomorrow in Europe, retailers are … afterdawn.com > news > sony: ps3‘>ps3 launch delay is ‘beneficial’ News. News …
List Price: ?129.99 
List Price: ?14.99 
Used Price: ?8.34 
Logic 3 TopDrive GT (3 in 1) Steering Wheel PSU448 for Playstation 2, 3 and PC Vibration Feedback for PC & PS2. Realistic Gear Stick. Adjustable Steering Sensitivity. Button Relocation feature.
