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ANGRY BIRDS PRODUCT REVIEW
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Gold and Metal Detectors review
Product Details
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Garret 1139070 Ace 250 Metal Detector
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| List Price: | $249.95 |
| Price: | $212.45 & eligible for FREE Super Saver Shipping on orders over $25. Details |
Availability: Usually ships in 24 hours
Fulfilled by Amazon and Sold by LIVING ESSENTIALS
35 new or used available from $195.99
Average customer review:
(58 customer reviews)
Product Description
Introducing the ALL-NEW Garrett ACE series - not just a new line of detectors, but a new way of thinking. We've taken much of the leading edge technology and well thought-out features from our GTI and GTAx lines and packaged them into the most aggressive, rugged outdoor design in the industry. These attention-stealing detectors are turning heads and sending the competition back to the drawing board. But put aside their aggressive good looks and you'll see just how much amazing technology we've packed into these NEW machines. From custom notch discrimination, pinpointing, adjustable sensitivity and depth settings to the newest addition of the Performance coils series, the 6.5x9" ACE coil, these detectors will never stop impressing you - or finding treasure!Product Details
- Amazon Sales Rank: #218 in Lawn & Patio
- Size: One Size
- Color: multicolor
- Brand: Garrett
- Model: 1139070
- Dimensions: 5.10" h x 22.10" w x 11.10" l, 4.48 pounds
Features
- ¿Large 10" Scan Area For Quick & Accurate Scanning
- Electronic Pinpoint Feature With Coin Depth Gauge For Quick Target Retrieval
- Graphic Target Id With 12 Element Notch Discrimination For Greater Accuracy
- Touch-N-Go Technology
- Headphone Jack
Customer Reviews
Most helpful customer reviews408 of 411 people found the following review helpful.
I like this detectorBy Thomas Dunham
I've used various metal detectors off and on for many years. While I would certainly not classify myself as a hardcore-detecting hobbyist, I do try to do it properly when I participate.
One thing I have noticed is that there are a lot of metal-detecting "snobs" out there that love nothing more than telling you that while your detector is cute, it might as well be a giant turd with earphones compared to theirs! It's weird--I like this hobby because it's different / not mainstream, but when that stuff happens, it may as well be golf...
Anyway - I'm not into this hobby enough to spend $700 - $1500 on a detector, but I do want to get my moneys worth. There are A LOT of reviews on the web for this particular detector, and I would say that 1 in 10 were negative, with the rest being very positive. For $200, I gave it a shot. My findings:
The good:
When I received the device, I walked out into my backyard to play around a little, and immediately, with a resounding "DING", found a penny about 4 inches deep. It seems to really like coin shooting
The discrimination and sensitivity settings work well, and the various settings (coins, all metal, jewelry, etc...) work fairly well-- as far a coin shooting, the find usually is exactly what the detector says it is.
I've read many reviews slamming the "pinpoint" feature. Honestly, after I READ THE BOOK and played with it for a couple minutes, I found that it worked quite well.
It seems to work very well down to about 8". It may work well beyond that... I really haven't had the chance yet to hunt anywhere for really deep items.
It's very light, and the display crams a lot of usefull stuff into a small area without being confusing.
If you turn it off while you're digging, the batteries last a long, long time.
The bad:
It uses 4 "AA" batteries instead of a 9-volt.
The shaft is a bit on the flimsy side, although it is pretty easy to stabilize if you desire.
It only has a couple tones - a dull beep for trash or unknown items, and a 'DING!' for coins. Honestly though, after I got used to them, they were plenty.
It seems to like a slightly slower sweep than most detectors.
*Major Gripe* There is no volume knob. Get with the program guys, that thing is LOUD!
In short:
The bottom line is this - you really need to read the book that comes with it and spend an hour getting aquinted with the device for it to really work for you. I like it, and for the money wouldn't think twice about buying another.
74 of 74 people found the following review helpful.
All you needBy Adrian Quail
I wanted to write this review for the beginners of this hobby. Just like me you have probably compared lots of models with lots of different prices . You wonder if you spend to little will you be buying rubbish > I bought the Garret Ace 250 and it is superb for the Price . On my first outing I went beach hunting and found many old coins and other items .Of course if you spend $1000 or more you will get a better Metal detector but that holds true for anything you buy. This machine works easily and effectively .The DVD makes it easy to setup and understand straight from the get go.
As a tip to the new hobbyist buy yourself a good pin-pointer,this holds true for any metal detector you buy, it just makes life much easier. Don't be fooled about metal detecting Headphones being superior or necessary ,they're not .A normal pair of over the ear headphones has a higher dynamic range than what any metal detector can produce , its a metal detector not an mp3 player ,it has very simple audio output circuitry.
Buy the Garret ,go brave and enjoy.
62 of 63 people found the following review helpful.
a younger mans opinion.By CB
OK right off the bat i'm 27. Just in case you wanted an older probably much wiser mans opinion. Or womans.
I've only been detecting for about a month now so my expertise in the field of MDing is limited however, I am a quick study when it comes to gadgets. Also i've spent about 100 hrs detecting in this past month.
Alright i originally bought a bounty hunter tracker IV with the 4 inch and 8 inch coils. After three days of using the bounty hunter IV i knew I needed another MD. Not because the tracker is any bad but i immediately wondered just how much better this could be with a few more features and a lil deeper detection?
So after 2 weeks of detecting pretty successfully with the bounty hunter tracker iv i received the ace 250 in the mail and headed straight to a park. i had been wanting to try a new one and one i already tried with the tracker iv. My first day with the ace was more of a learning day. Played with every single option. Hitting targets then toying around with sensitivity measuring the accuracy of the depth meter with my trowel (It was 95% accurate i would say with coins at gauging depth). Basically testing its detection power, learning what the tones mean/ could mean with different settings, finding out just how accurate the whole display is in general. The first day of learning probably picked me up about ten bucks in change in about an hr at a local playground i hadn't been to. Not bad i thought. I went to the park i already hit with the bounty hunter and picked up some more change and a cheap silver ring. So bout 12 bucks in change and a silver ring. Sweet. Unfortunately silver and coin is real easy. Any basic detector will find these things rather easily. What really separates the ace from the trk IV is the pinpointing feature. I read some people having problems with the pinpointing feature in article and reviews i had read prior to buying so i was skeptical of its actual usefulness. Fortunately for me i found the pinpointing feature to work flawlessly. You have to use your ears and play with the sensitivity. You can really start to visually shape the object with the sound. Plus its great if you don't have a handheld pinpointer. which i dont. and i probably won't get one until i feel like i've really gotten the basics down pat i guess. I think its easier in the long run to master one tool then trying to be average with two tools. If you really want to learn how to decide what to dig and what not to dig then you have to dig everything until you think you can see thru the ground with just sound. So its going to take me awhile personally.
Nutshell - if you think your really going to like this hobby and you like pushing buttons and playing with every feature then get the ace 250 or maybe even the 350 and you won't be sorry.
If you don't have the money right now and just can't wait maybe try the bounty hunter and go coin shootin' for a few weeks. Youll pick up enough in change to buy an ace sooner than you think.
tips for use- PLAY WITH ALL THE FEATURES AND SETTINGS. Thoroughly. Theres a decent amount when you combine sensitivity sound elimination etc.
Dont forget about your sensitivity. This thing is more powerful than your probably going to expect for your first detector. I wouldn't say using this detector would constitute carrying a shovel with you all the time but i can see regreting not bringing one a few times a year. I've been strictly trowel digging thus far. I can see how people would get discouraged quickly but then again i can't because you know its metal detecting. Nothing happens quickly. Theres no royal road to learning my friends.
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ANGRY BIRDS PRODUCT REVIEW
Product Details
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Angry Birds Trilogy
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| List Price: | $29.99 |
| Price: | $19.99 & eligible for FREE Super Saver Shipping on orders over $25. Visit the store for Detail |
Availability: Usually ships in 24 hours
Ships from and sold by Amazon.com
57 new or used available from $13.85
Average customer review:
(64 customer reviews)
Product Description
Angry Birds Trilogy is the ultimate living room version of the worldwide phenomenon, brought to life in stunning high definition for the big screen and consoles. Trilogy is a compilation of the award winning Angry Birds, Angry Birds Seasons and Angry Birds Rio games plus new content that will lead to endless hours of fun. With a combined 1 billion downloads, Angry Birds has been called “one of the most mainstream games out right now” and “one of the great runaway hits of 2010. They are finally taking flight and for the first time ever, they’re crashing on game consoles everywhere. Features include: Classic, comical, and addictive gameplay; 3 Best-Selling Angry Birds Games in 1 (including Angry Birds, Angry Birds Seasons, Angry Birds Rio); 19 episodes—each with an exclusive, new level; new Achievements and Trophies. Become a Bird Slinger, Banana Fanatic or the Grinch with new HD Animated cut scenes and Kinect and Move support.Product Details
- Amazon Sales Rank: #104 in Video Games
- Brand: Activision
- Model: 76729
- Published on: 2012-09-25
- Released on: 2012-09-25
- ESRB Rating: Everyone
- Number of discs: 1
- Platform: Nintendo 3DS
- Number of items: 1
- Dimensions: .50" h x 5.30" w x 4.90" l, .10 pounds
Features
- New cinematics, extras and other entertaining content
- All existing material has been uprezzed and re-treated for high-resolution and big screens
- Animated reactive backgrounds, and lighting modes
- Support for 3D visuals and StreetPass features
Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com
The Angry Birds franchise sling-shot into the hearts and minds of players with stunning popularity — a billion people have downloaded, enjoyed and become addicted to the adorable, comical games. For the first time ever, Angry Birds are taking flight and crashing their way onto your console with even more features and addictive gameplay than before.
Angry Birds!
Hours of Hilarious Fun
Addictive Gameplay
Synopsis
Whether you're playing Angry Birds, Angry Birds Seasons or Angry Birds Rio, it won't take long for you to be hooked on the straightforward yet satisfying gameplay that defines this franchise. There are 19 episodes, each with an exclusive new level that will keep you interested and ready for more. New HD animated cut scenes will get you in the zone as you work your way towards earning new achievements and trophies. Become a bird slinger, banana fanatic or the Grinch and get lost in hours of hilarious fun that keeps you saying, "just one more board."Key Features:
- Includes Angry Birds, Angry Birds Seasons and Angry Birds Rio for three times the strategic gameplay that everyone loves
- Experience one of the world's most popular games as it crashes onto your console for the first time
- Fling into classic, comical and addictive gameplay with 19 episodes, each featuring an exclusive new level
- Earn new achievements and trophies as you advance through the game
- Become a bird slinger, banana fanatic or the Grinch for versatile, addictive gameplay options
- Watch the new HD animated cut scenes to get yourself further into the Angry Birds zone
Customer Reviews
Most helpful customer reviews51 of 60 people found the following review helpful.
Sure they're great games, but probably too expensive for the average consumerBy Mike London
There's a reason why "Angry Birds" is the most popular mobile game app in the world - the gameplay is simple, streamlined, fun, and is perfectly suited for short bursts of gaming while doing other things in life - such as waiting at a doctor's office, getting your oil changed, etc. And best yet, each game is only $.99 cents.
One of the benefits of publishing for a console vs mobile apps is the price point - you get to charge more for your product. It makes sense that Rovio wants to bring their "Angry Birds" franchise to the console. "Angry Birds" is probably one of the few franchises popular and well-known enough to merit a console publication, and you can make a lot more money.
But here's the problem. The price point has drastically so been altered and the differences for the increased price is negligible. The first three games are present and accounted for but at a much higher price. For the 3DS version, we go from $.99 cents a game to about $10 dollars a game. Likewise, Rovio is charging over $13 dollars per game on the XBOX 360 and Playstation 3. If a console game went up that much, instead of paying $59.95 for "New Super Mario Bros. U", you would be paying $600
Rovio has decided to publish the first three "Angry Birds" games, "Angry Birds", "Angry Birds Seasons", and "Angry Birds Rio", on the XBOX 360, Playstation 3, and Nintendo 3DS. The two home consoles has an MSRP of $39.95 and the $3DS 29.95. But is "Angry Birds Trilogy" really worth purchasing when the same games are available for so much cheaper?
Really depends, but for most consumers, the answer is no. Now, there will be fans out there of the games that this will be an automatic purchase regardless. For those undecided, here is what the console versions of "Angry Birds Trilogy" offers, as well as cons.
PROS:
-HD GRAPHICS
-Exclusive new level per episode
-Achievements and Trophies
-New Cutscenes
-3D gameplay (for 3DS version ONLY)
-XBOX 360 version supports Kinect, Playstation 3 supports Playstation Move.
CONS:
-Ludicrous price point compared to mobile version
-Obviously PS3 and XBOX 360 lacks touch screen capabilities. As touchscreen gameplay is a cornerstone of "Angry Birds", there is a brief adjustment period but ultimately is not that much of an issue. 3DS does feature touchscreen gameplay
-Unable to use the game on multiple devices for the same purchasing dollar
-Angry Birds are available for TV play on streaming devices for much cheaper
The HD graphics look great, and as far as gameplay the console experience of "Angry Birds" is just as addictive as the mobile apps.. The controls are tight. Of the three different versions I would recommend the 3DS version due to the 3D graphics and the lower price
Another added benefit (for me, anyway) of the console versions how the Angry Birds games play into the dynamic of the contrasting nature [of] between console vs mobile apps. Mobile apps are often used for short bursts of gaming for time killers. Often times console gameplay is often a more prolonged experience. Playing "Angry Birds" for extended periods of times (something more likely to happen on the consoles), demonstrates just how good these games really are and how they hold up even for hours at a time. Few mobile games can say that.
As far as the "exclusive new levels", for me that's not much of a draw. First off, the mobile versions have TONS of content with hours and hours and hours of avian-throwing. All three titles have a large number of levels, which will take you a good deal of time to get through, especially when trying to get three stars per each level. Rovio has added lots of new content to all three titles since initial release. "Seasons" which originally started out as a Halloween themed game now has (at the time of this writing) "Seasons 2011" and "Seasons 2012". When I purchased seasons, only "2011" existed. Now I am getting both as Rovio has updated the game. There can be no updates to these console versions unless they are downloaded, possible for a price.
Another factor to consider is how mobile app purchases work, at least on Apple devices (personally I am not familiar with other mobile carriers). I have purchased all three games, including the fourth ("Angry Birds Space", not included on this package). These purchases are linked to my iTunes account, meaning I can download the game to multiple devices because the purchase is account based, not device based. Obviously this is not a possibility on the home console versions or 3DS version.
And for those who want a larger screen, you can just as easily download "Angry Birds" to a tablet or iPad. For my money, I'd much rather spend three dollars and play these games on tablets than a 3DS or console anyway.
So there you have it. Mobile games and console games are drastically different, and I understand why Rovio wants to monetize their most successful franchise in this manner. It's simply the nature of the market that mobile games are so much cheaper than console titles. Honestly, given how much content already existed within these games to begin with, there's not a lot more Rovio could really do to justify the radically different price points between the two main competing versions of "Angry Birds". Of all the mobile games, "Angry Birds" is easily the most renowned, so they are in the best position to tap into the console market. Consumers may bite the bullet and get the titles in this form simply because "Angry Birds" is so widely popular - but for most other mobile app developers, console publication will not be an option (though obviously downloads, such as Nintendo's Wiiware, is possible)..
Ultimately, only you can decide if you want to spend the money on "Angry Birds Trilogy". My recommendation is buy the mobile app versions if you haven't already and if you really enjoy the games, consider purchasing the console versions. Graphically the updated games are gorgeous. If you are more of a casual fan, stick with the mobile app versions.
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A brief overview of the games themselves:
The story (what story there is) is simple - green pigs steal the eggs of several different bird species, and the birds want their eggs back. Using a slingshot, you launch the birds (a pre-set number per level) at the pigs, which are in pre-existing structures of various items (mostly wood and ice blocks), with the intent to rid the level of those slimy green pigs. The more damage you cause to the pigs and the structures, the higher you score. Unlike so many other games, there is actual motivation to score high. You get three stars for a high score, two stars for a medium score, and one star for a low score. Several of the levels are quite challenging to get three stars.
As you progress throughout the game, the birds become more varied, with different birds having different abilities. The red bird is standard, the yellow bird gets a burst if speed if you touch the screen after initial launch, the black bird acts as a bomb, the white bird lays bombing eggs, the blue bird breaks into three birds, the boomerang bird doubles back as a boomerang, and the balloon bird inflates to many times its original size. You activate these special abilities by pressing the bird a second time after launch.
13 of 18 people found the following review helpful.
Awesome!!!!!!By A Customer
This is a great feature to the angry birds franchise. It has all the same levels and the golden eggs.
The only reason it was not 5 stars is because it didn't include space angry birds. The cutscenes are now fully animated(and share a resemblence to rovios youtube videos). They have also added a achevment feature. The last thing it adds is that you dont HAVE to use the touch screen you can use the track pad.
4 of 5 people found the following review helpful.
awsome!By samantha
This game is awsome! I have it on my phone and my tablet and my computer but nothing can compare to the seeing it in three D. That blew my mind! You shoot the birds from the bottom screen into the top screen. Its awsome!
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Product Details
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Assassin's Creed III
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| List Price: | $59.99 |
| Price: | $49.50 & eligible for FREE Super Saver Shipping on orders over $25. Visit the store for Details |
Availability: Usually ships in 24 hours
Ships from and sold by Amazon.com
127 new or used available from $31.49
Average customer review:
(512 customer reviews)
Product Description
The American Colonies, 1775. It's a time of civil unrest and political upheaval in the Americas. As a Native American assassin fights to protect his land and his people, he will ignite the flames of a young nation's revolution. Assassin's Creed III takes you back to the American Revolutionary War, but not the one you've read about in history books.Product Details
- Amazon Sales Rank: #25 in Video Games
- Brand: Ubisoft
- Model: 52723
- Published on: 2012-10-30
- Released on: 2012-10-30
- ESRB Rating: Mature
- Platform: Xbox 360
- Number of items: 1
- Dimensions: .33 pounds
Features
- As a Native American assassin, eliminate your enemies with guns, bows, tomahawks, and more!
- From bustling city streets to the chaotic battlefields, play a critical role in the most legendary events of the American Revolution including the Battle of Bunker Hill and Great Fire of New York.
- Experience the truth behind the most gruesome war in history: the American Revolution.
- Introducing the Anvil Next game engine, the stunning new technology that will revolutionize gaming with powerful graphics, lifelike animations, immersive combat, and advanced physics.
Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com
Assassin’s Creed III takes you back to the American Revolutionary War, but not the one you’ve read about in history books.
Ignite The American Revolution
The American Colonies, 1775. It’s a time of civil unrest and political upheaval in the Americas. As a Native American assassin fights to protect his land and his people, he will ignite the flames of a young nation’s revolution.Assassin’s Creed III takes you back to the American Revolutionary War, but not the one you’ve read about in history books.
Critical Acclaim
Over 60 E3 Nominations and Awards
Key Game Features
- As a Native American assassin, eliminate your enemies with guns, bows, tomahawks, and more!
- From bustling city streets to the chaotic battlefields, play a critical role in the most legendary events of the American Revolution including the Battle of Bunker Hill and Great Fire of New York.
- Experience the truth behind the most gruesome war in history: the American Revolution.
- Introducing the Anvil Next game engine, the stunning new technology that will revolutionize gaming with powerful graphics, lifelike animations, immersive combat, and advanced physics.
Customer Reviews
Most helpful customer reviews112 of 132 people found the following review helpful.
Great addition, but needed more polishBy Brian Long
Assassins Creed 3 manages to live up to the hype of its runup, provided you are willing to overlook a bit too much cutscening, way too labyrinthian tutorials, and a large portion of graphical glitches. While I applaud the attempt of Ubi to push the envelope, their flagship title probably isn't where they want to do the first breakout of the "new and improved" Anvil engine.
Graphics (5-10/10): Graphics of the environments are simply stunning. Water flows like water on the sea, clouds and landscapes are pristine and crsip, and fog flows naturally and blocks just the right amount of vision. Trees and buildings feel natural and organic, and nothing is left feeling out of place.
People graphics are... very unsettling. The eyes especially always look like polished stones because of a persistent reflective effect. Clothes and weapons go through objects and people rag doll way too much when killed. Stutters from officers are the worst, with partolling officials getting trapped on railings, shimmying like they are doing the ants in the pants dance, or sinking into the floor but somehow spinning like tops to stare directly at you.
The cutscenes are fantastic, but its almost that they're too detailed. The new engine is great, but leaving it at 60% of capability would've removed a large portion of the problems but still allowed for improvements.
Audio (7/10): Audio continues to be top notch. However, while it was great that they got a dozen Mohawk to voice characters, after ten minutes, it was unnecessary in the extreme.
Gameplay (8/10): Improvements abound here, but for one place: the 6 hour "tutorial." Did you know you can choke out a guard instead of kill them if you are empty handed? I didn't, and the game never told you, or that you had a horse summoning whistle, and left you plodding throuh 4-foot deep snow.
AC1's tutorial was seven minutes, all in the Animus. Having one mission explain one new command at a time was a ghastly experience, and it still didn't cover everything that was critical.
The naval portion has to be seen to be believed. I could play a whole game like that and be content. Between bording actions and cannon warfare, its like watching a naval war movie.
New side missions are well placed and a nice addition rather than being a crucial waste of time, ala Codex pages. They help and they're useful, but the game won't screech to a halt so you can go collect them all.
Story (10/10): If you see some of the twists coming, you are probably psychic. Not much more can be said without spoilers.
Overall (8/10): Packaging and unbelievable glitches are the only spots where this game stutters. Suspension of disbelief is great, but when you ride on a horse with a musket sticking through it, it's kind of like being on a plane during takeoff that sucks in a flock of ducks. They're all small things, but you can't ignore how much bumpier the ride suddenly becomes. A few patches and this'll quickly crawl up to 9-10 range. By the time they make the War of 1812 installment for Connor, they'll have the system nailed down.
305 of 370 people found the following review helpful.
The Least Enjoyable of the AC SeriesBy Ben
It really pains me to say this, but this isn't a fun game. I love the Assassin's Creed series. It's easily one of my favorite.
This game does have some cool features. Hunting, the wilderness, etc etc, but for all of the cool new features, they forgot the features that made this series enjoyable.
One of the biggest problems is the main character is unbearable. This is something that didn't occur to me until playing this game. With Altair and Ezio, I had taken for granted an engrossing protagonist. Their stories were interesting, the cut scenes where they spoke were interesting and their story was interesting. You genuinely liked them. You wanted them to succeed and you became invested in their characters. Connor is a one dimensional schmuck. He says nothing insightful. He's not endearing in anyway. Actually, I found myself hating him. This may seem minor to someone reading this, but it isn't. It turns out it isn't fun to play a 30 hour game when you hate the main character. It becomes a bit of a chore.
Now let me get down to some of the details of why this is the least enjoyable of the AC series.
I had a bad feeling about the game at the outset. The first 1-3 hours are essentially a tutorial. Now, you might say to yourself, "If there are 1-3 hours of tutorial, then I'll be 100% ready to play the game." Well, you'd be wrong. I'm about 40% into the game and I still don't know how to do some of the tasks that should be simply. I had to go online to figure out how to do basic things like recruit other assassins.
The maps are awful and useless. While the "open" nature of this game is cool, it is nearly impossible to navigate the wilderness. The biggest problem is the map isn't topographical. Looking at a map you may see Point A and Point B. You think you can just travel in a straight line. This isn't so. There might be a mountain range in between the two. The mountain then has only one point where you can cross it or climb it, however you can't see it on the map. So you have to run the length of the mountain until you can find it. This can turn a something simple into a 20-30 minute task. Map aside, navigating the wilderness is time consuming. Horse don't really work in the wilderness. Something stops them up every 20 feet. A rock, a tree, a river, etc. Everything is impassable to a horse. So in order to travel around the wilderness, you need to run. It's time consuming. There are fast travel options that let you move from key place to key place, but most of the side games take place in the wilderness and aren't near key places.
One of the cool things about this game is the new software that makes the cities much more lively. They are filled with much more people, soldiers, animals, and goings-on than the other AC games. The downside to this? If you get you notoriety up in the city, it will take you 10-15 minutes of running before you can become anonymous. I will be mentioning time consuming aspects of this game. I'm not exaggerating. When I say 10-15 minutes, I mean it. This may not sound like a lot, but it is. You will be forced to run around the city like a chicken with your head cut off looking for a nook or cranny where there aren't British or Loyalist soldiers. They are on every corner. Also, hiding isn't as easy or available in this game. Bails of hay and wells are few and far between. This really takes away from the enjoyability of this game.
When the developers were spit balling ideas, they should have stopped about halfway through their session. This game feels like they through everything into it. A game can be too complex. A game can have too much content. Making money in the other AC games was fairly simply. You ran a business from your main hide out or bought stores and landmarks. In this game there is an extremely complex system used to make money. You need get homesteaders on your land, buy supplies, find recipes, have them make products using the recipes and supplies you have and then send convoys to places to sell you product. Sounds simple? It isn't. It's so freaking time consuming, complex and boring that I've decided to continue the game without bothering. I didn't buy Sim City, I bought Assassin's Creed. I want to spend the game going on quests, killing people, and buying/upgrading weapons. I don't want to spend hours putting together wooden barrels and then selling those to different vendors based on the highest rates I can get. If I wanted to do that, I would join a manufacturing company in real life and do that. This is a game. Let's not re-invent the wheel. Let's keep it fairly simple and enjoyable.
The Desmond missions are almost unplayable. There are no maps, no hints, nothing. You just go in one direction until something happens causing the game to dysynchronize. Then you do it again. And again. And again. It's nothing but trial and error. No skill involved. You just go into one area and maybe you get lucky. Then you move into another area and agents see you dysyncing the game. This happens over and over again.
Now for my biggest criticism of the game. The main story isn't fun. At all. It's extremely boring. Even worse, it's 10-20 seconds of game play, then saving screen, then cut scene. Those of you that have played it will know I'm not exaggerating. For example, you get locked up in prison. Game play starts. You walk down stairs, talk to a guy, then saving screen and clip scene. The next day in prison, you go downstairs and talk to a guy, then saving screen and clip scene. Then you need to walk to the gallows which is slow and takes 10 second. Then saving screen and clip scene. It's like this throughout the entire game. It may not sound bad, but when you start to get immersed in the game, it really becomes aggravating when game play stops every 20-30 seconds or when they go to game play for something that could easily have been taken care of in the clip scene. It becomes tedious.
Also, the clip scenes are terrible. There are times where you can't hear what people are saying. The sound effects of the battle in the background drowns out the main characters voices. Although, even when you can hear what they are saying, it isn't very interesting. About half way though the game I just began skipping them. Compare this to the other AC games where the clip scenes furthered the story in an interesting way.
What are the good aspects of the game? The hunting is fun. The fighting is improved, but simplified. You can essentially win every fight using two buttons. However, the best part of the game are the naval missions. One of the side games puts you as captain of a ship. You can go on missions that usually involve you sinking one or dozens of British ships. It is cool, innovative and fun. It is the only bright spot in an otherwise disappointing game.
I didn't want to write this review. I wanted this game to be good. I really did, especially after Resident Evil 6 and Resident Evil Racoon City turned out to be such horrible games. I was really looking forward to this, but I was let down.
Don't let this review stop you from buying it. I'd suggest waiting for the price to come down. I assume you can get a used one fairly soon as it has little to no replay value like it's predecessors. Instead, let this serve as a warning. When you play the game, after having read this, you can't pretend you were surprised at what an underwhelming game this was.
I'll be trading this game back, whereas I didn't trade back the other AC games. That should tell you all you need to know.
23 of 27 people found the following review helpful.
2 steps forward, 5 steps back.By Todd R. Moreau
To display here how much I have enjoyed the Creed series to date would be impossible. The franchise took a chance and ran with it, I remember how new it felt, then Ezio came into the picture, and blew everything out the water, visually, and narratively. Altair was a engaging character, and Ezio was a fun loving personality and a half, which is probably why they centered 3 games around him. Now we are at Creed 3, and just what happened? Like everyone else, I got frustrated at chases in previous itinerations, especially getting a little too close to a wall, and our hero would try to run up it, ok, what did I expect? Here in 3, I could be feet away from a wall and I teleport just to attempt to run up, or attempting to get to an objective in a time limit, mistakenly jumping on a rail/ledge, and he wont get down, no matter how many times I slam the B button, or even try to jump off in one direction, and just jumps to another rail that I cant get down from. really? This has happened more times than I can count.
Some of the mechanics have failed more times than I can describe as well. Examples include defense, blocking and countering, typically while in the Animus (not as Desmond) you have indicators that let you know an enemy is about to strike, sometimes they just don't feel like showing up. I don't have a problem using my counter button without them, but they are helpful, especially when you have a very large crowd of enemies surrounding or crowding you, and you can't tell who is going to strike from where with all the movement. Some of the mission challenges are perplexingly painful as well, without giving any story away, a challenge that stood out was to "Not take damage from firing lines", no problem, so for the first volley, I managed to grab a human shield, almost immediately a second line prepped to fire, I attempted to grab another shield, and I couldnt do it, the option showed on the screen, but Connor just would not do it, at all. Even after retying several times, it just wouldn't execute the contextual movement. After getting frustrated, I decided to bypass that area, and found another way to the target, which worked out very well until I actually killed my target, right when I got my mark, a random enemy managed to shoot me with his musket before the cutscene, failing the optional objective, not a firing line, but a random enemy I couldn't see, wow.
When causing a stir in the towns, some of these can be frustratingly bad as well, especially if trying to escape. Somehow, despite the amazingly slow reload rates of a musket, when climbing a building to run off, they turn into semi-automatic weapons, and fire repeatedly, most times they miss, but there have been times when I would be hit numerous times in a row only to fall and see...2 people standing there with muskets. To capitalize on this, I have had areas that were clear when I had no noteriety whatsoever, then Reds would start chasing me unprovoked, which, more times than I care to admit, when I took care of the few coming for me, another group shows up, then another, another, another. I stood my ground with no where to run for upwards of 30 minutes, but they kept bringing in more for the fight. I finally gave up and just allowed myself to die.
Visually, there are typical pop-ins, clipping, etc, as with any other open world style game, but for the most part, the game is beautiful. The setting is gorgeous, lush forests, populated towns, with lots of color. Aside from the occasional issue, I can never mark the Creed series for having ugly, or drab settings.
Story wise, it's a bit thin, Connor has the personality of a brick, and is very hard to connect with his struggle. But don't let that sway you at all, he is a good character, but you will be missing Ezio fast.
To sum up, everything is here for Die-hard Assassin's Creed veterans, but you may feel quite underwhelmed. If you are new to the series, you wont be lost, this is a whole new time period with all new characters, but you may be thrown off by Desmond's side by not knowing the events leading up to 3, but the opening cinematic, or looking online will catch you up real quick, but as a new player, check out Assassin's Creed II, Brotherhood, and Revelations first, which you can get for beans now, or pick up the Ezio Trilogy Box Set.
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Microsoft Xbox Halo 4 Xbox 360 GAMES REVIEW
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Halo 4
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(1175 customer reviews)
Product Description
Microsoft Xbox Halo 4 Xbox 360
The Master Chief returns to battle an ancient evil bent on vengeance and annihilation. Shipwrecked on a mysterious world, faced with new enemies and deadly technology, the universe will never be the same. Enlist aboard the Infinity to experience Halo's original multiplayer and Spartan Ops - episodic fiction-based co-op missions.
Product Details
- Amazon Sales Rank: #14 in Video Games
- Brand: Microsoft
- Model: HND-00040
- Published on: 2012-11-06
- Released on: 2012-11-06
- ESRB Rating: Mature
- Number of discs: 1
- Platform: Xbox 360
- Format: DVD-ROM
- Number of items: 1
- Dimensions: .51" h x 5.31" w x 7.52" l, .25 pounds
Features
- The Master Chief returns to battle an ancient evil bent on vengeance and annihilation. Humanity and the universe will never be the same again.
- The Reclaimer Saga Begins: Experience the dawn of an epic new Halo adventure, solo or split screen with up to three friends
- Go Beyond the Story: Halo 4's Infinity Multiplayer features a vastly expanded suite of multiplayer modes, weapons, vehicles, armor abilities, a new loadout and Spartan-IV player progression system.
- Edge-of-your-seat Entertainment: Immerse yourself in Halo 4's graphics, sound and epic game play including a mysterious and deadly new class of enemies*
- *Online multiplayer and Spartan Ops missions require Xbox LIVE Gold membership (sold separately).
Editorial Reviews
From the Manufacturer
Key Features
The Reclaimer Saga Begins: Experience the dawn of an epic new Halo adventure, solo or split screen with up to three friends
Go Beyond the Story: Halo 4’s Infinity Multiplayer features a vastly expanded suite of multiplayer modes, weapons, vehicles, armor abilities, a new loadout and Spartan-IV player progression system.
• Spartan Ops: Extend your campaign experience in a massive-scale adventure that builds upon the “Halo 4” Campaign. Receive a weekly series of cinematic episodes on Xbox LIVE followed by new game play missions, played solo or cooperatively with up to three friends – effectively delivering two campaign experiences in one game!*
• War Games: Battle the competition in fresh, immersive new game modes and strategies.
• Track your groups, stats and scores on HaloWaypoint.com
Edge-of-your-seat Entertainment: Immerse yourself in Halo 4’s graphics, sound and epic game play including a mysterious and deadly new class of enemies*
*Online multiplayer and Spartan Ops missions require Xbox LIVE Gold membership (sold separately). System requirements forthcoming. See www.halo4.com
Halo 4
The Master Chief returns to battle an ancient evil bent on vengeance and annihilation. Shipwrecked on a mysterious world, faced with new enemies and deadly technology, the universe will never be the same. Enlist aboard the Infinity to experience Halo’s original multiplayer and Spartan Ops - episodic fiction-based co-op missionsKey Features
The Reclaimer Saga Begins: Experience the dawn of an epic new Halo adventure, solo or split screen with up to three friends
Go Beyond the Story: Halo 4’s Infinity Multiplayer features a vastly expanded suite of multiplayer modes, weapons, vehicles, armor abilities, a new loadout and Spartan-IV player progression system.
• Spartan Ops: Extend your campaign experience in a massive-scale adventure that builds upon the “Halo 4” Campaign. Receive a weekly series of cinematic episodes on Xbox LIVE followed by new game play missions, played solo or cooperatively with up to three friends – effectively delivering two campaign experiences in one game!*
• War Games: Battle the competition in fresh, immersive new game modes and strategies.
• Track your groups, stats and scores on HaloWaypoint.com
Edge-of-your-seat Entertainment: Immerse yourself in Halo 4’s graphics, sound and epic game play including a mysterious and deadly new class of enemies*
*Online multiplayer and Spartan Ops missions require Xbox LIVE Gold membership (sold separately). System requirements forthcoming. See www.halo4.com
Customer Reviews
Most helpful customer reviews415 of 494 people found the following review helpful.
343i DeliversBy Tango Charlie
I gave up writing Amazon reviews years ago, as most product reviews are neither helpful nor critical, and seem to be written by those without even a 7th grader's grasp on basic English grammar. For Halo 4, however, I am making an exception.
I wasn't originally excited when Microsoft and 343 Industries announced Halo 4. A fan of Bungie since Marathon (that's pre-Halo, for those that don't know, and by several years), I wasn't too keen on Microsoft pulling an Activision and allowing somebody else to mercilessly butcher Bungie's pride and joy for some easy sales. Fortunately, 343 Industries really do understand what makes Halo unique, and deliver it in spades while simultaneously reinvigorating the franchise that had started to stagnate towards the end under Bungie.
The first thing that truly hits you are the visuals. Bungie makes great games, but the truth of the matter is that Halo 2 was probably the last time a Halo game was the best-looking title on Xbox. The work done with the Halo 4 engine is astonishing, and those claiming Halo: Reach had superior visuals are in need of an optometrist. The models, textures, lighting, and design are all top tier this time around, easily among the best seen on the Xbox 360. More importantly, the performance is as near as I can tell flawless. Not once during the campaign did I notice any screen tearing, drop in frame rate, sluggish controls, or issue of any kind with the engine. In multiplayer, the map Exile brought some slight stuttering, but it was gone so quickly and consistently that I suspect it was more network latency than a rendering issue. I once remarked that I thought Bungie and MS should have licensed DICE's Frostbite engine for the next Halo game (I was very impressed with Battlefield: Bad Company 2's environments and destruction), but I proudly eat my words. Halo 4 looks fantastic from top to bottom.
The second thing thing you notice is the sound. The assault rifle delivers furious, mechanical, bass-filled kick through your speakers or headset, while the sound of incoming ordnance hitting the deck generally gives you goosebumps. Every weapon system and sound has been gutted and rebuilt from scratch. While some fare better than others (the AR sounds exquisite, while the Battle Rifle doesn't quite hit the same stride), the overall package is fresh and a kick in the pants. The music too is different, marked by the departure of Martin O'Donnell and Michael Salvatori, who remained with Bungie when they split from Microsoft. Neal Davidge and Kazuma Jinnouchi step in to fill their shoes, with Davidge (of the sensational duo Massive Attack) providing a much darker and more electronic ambiance than previously seen in the series. Jinnouchi composed the gorgeous new character theme for the Master Chief, appropriately titled "117." Together, they only briefly pay homage to the well-known Gregorian chant that has identified the series since 2001 (it DOES come back, but very subtly and as more of a leitmotif than a full-fledged theme). While it's sad to lose such an iconic piece of music, it's also necessary to allow Davidge and Jinnouchi to establish their own stamp on the series, and the music in Halo 4 is beautiful and fitting to the story.
What of the story? The best in the series, bar none. 343i's writers understand that a seven-foot stoic cyborg isn't always an interesting character, even if he's a total badass. As a result, they use the AI Cortana as the story's focus, and it works. Cortana's fear, uncertainty, and eventual heroism really do make the story, and by the end, even bring humanity out of John-117's iron clad shell. There are some issues that seem to be just passed over, and little things in the plot aren't fully explained always. My understanding is the supporting media (novels, webisodes) fill in the gaps, but I dislike this style of cross-media storytelling. Each medium, be it a novel, a game, or a mini-series, should be connected and reference the greater universe but must be able to stand alone as a singular story. Halo 4 suffers in that regard, but it's not enough to ruin the final product, which is a terrific campaign story filled with emotion and love.
On Heroic difficulty and played solo, the campaign took me approximately 7.5 hours, which is about par for a Halo game and the industry. The campaign itself is tried-and-true Halo, with a mix of tight corridor shootouts and larger, more open arenas that reward the more tactical player. Either way, one cannot simply charge straight through guns blazing on Heroic or Legendary, though I did notice more range in the enemy AI than I would have liked given the Halo series pedigree. Some opponents, like the Promethean Knights, are vicious and brutal, making every battle a life or death challenge. Other opponents seemed to occasionally run out in the open, only to turn around and face the wrong direction. These instances were few and far between, but noticeable. Other than a handful of quick-time events (QTEs), I was exceptionally pleased with the whole campaign experience. Some of the levels where you are required to enable/disable multiple switches can be a grind at the higher difficulties, but only due to the exceptionally challenging enemy combatants.
Now to multiplayer, source of much controversy. 343i has made some serious changes to the design. First, customizable loadouts are in, meaning you can choose between the classic AR, the much-loved BR, and the excellent DMR as your starting weapons (among many others). Power weapons (shotgun, sniper rifle, energy sword, rocket and grenade launchers) are still found out on the map. More interestingly, however, is that weapon spawns are seemingly random or at least rotational, so the rocket launcher doesn't always pop up in the same spot during longer games. Finally, as you fight and score kills, assists, or save your buddies, you earn points that fill your ordnance meter. Once filled, you can call in resupply that drops down in a miniature ODST pod with a satisfying THUNK. These are NOT kill streaks like Call of Duty, as no Pelicans fly in to air strike your opponents for cheap and easy kills. Rather, they are usually power ups such as over shield or power weapons like the new SAW machine gun or shotgun. Additionally, every Spartan now has the ability to sprint for a short period of time. All of the game modes minus Firefight are back (I assume Bungie reserves the rights to Firefight and it will appear in their next title).
Does it all work? Here is where it gets sticky, and simply a matter of opinion. Some more critical reviews have expressed dismay at the increased movement speeds, as if moving like a tortoise was somehow essential to Halo. It does increase the overall pace of the game, yes, as you spend less time looking for opponents and more time fighting them, but the truth is sprint is most effective when used as a means of retreat from a unfavorable situation. And THAT is true Halo. The ability to tactically retreat, to ambush your opponent around the corner when he chases with a grenade, or to escape completely is what makes Halo unique, especially today in the wealth of one-hit kill military shooters. And none of that has changed in Halo 4.
As for the loadouts, it resolves my biggest pet peeve of previous Halo games: I didn't want to play "Shotty Snipers" yet everyone else did, so I am stuck using weapons or playing a mode I dislike. The whole "Bungie knows best" model of previous game types and weapon choices infuriated me, and the ability to choose and stand my own ground as I wish is a welcome addition (especially since the AR is no longer completely useless). Furthermore, battles in Halo 4 are much more fluid, with combat migrating all over the maps as opposed to previous games, where combat with predominantly occur around choke points or power weapon spawn points. The fact that power weapons can now be called down anywhere is an incredible balance equalizer, meaning games are never a race to see which team can grab the shotgun on Countdown or the rockets on Ivory Tower as they often used to be. Some older players might argue that learning where the power weapons were and knowing the maps was part of the "skill" of Halo, but that's such a superficial and basic skill. A superior player should win based on their ability to fight anywhere, to turn the tables in their favor in their favor by skill, not because they knew where the shotgun was and got there first.
Halo 4 isn't perfect: Spartan Ops is rather mediocre in its current state, the Promethean weapons look cool but fill very standard weapon class criteria without much creativity, and I was disappointed to spend so much time fighting still fighting the Covenant. Regardless, the fact is it is true to everything that is essential to Halo while contemporary to the industry today. This is Halo 2012, not 2001, but it's still Halo through and through. Halo 3's multiplayer was near perfect (for its time), but the campaign was a disappointing slog that failed to move the story forward or create any kind of emotional impact. Reach returned some glory to Halo's campaign mode, but its multiplayer felt half-baked compared to its predecessor and never achieved the same level of saturation. Halo 4, though imperfect, looks back to Halo 3's multiplayer standard while simultaneously surpassing Reach's campaign (if just barely). It's nothing new. It doesn't revolutionize the first person shooter. It's just tried-and-true mechanics flawlessly presented in a supremely polished engine.
The Chief is back.
55 of 74 people found the following review helpful.
Great Game!By Mandeep S. Bajwa
A lot of people seem to want to compare this game with halo games of the past, but with every iteration of a game whether it be COD, Battlefield, Fifa, Halo etc. I only want something that is fun. And this game is definitely fun. I'm not going into detail because of the plethora of reviews on the internet but if you enjoy having a good time with some friends around an xbox or just have an hour to waste, Halo 4 is a great way to go.
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful.
Sweet!!By yoyo
This game is awesome. It has the classic old feel of halo but with a new touch to keep up with the other FPS games. Despite some kinks that need to be worked out this game is amazing!
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Saturday 5 January 2013
How To Get a Green Card to USA
| Green Cards - 11 ways to get one! |
A green card, officially known as known as "United States Lawful Permanent Residency," authorizes an individual to live and work in the United States permanently. Individuals seeking a green card through employment can apply from their home country once they are assigned an immigrant visa number, which is organized based on the following preferences:
- First Preference: Individuals with special abilities, distinguished academics, professors, and researchers, and international executives
- Second Preference: Professionals with an advanced degree or workers with exceptional talent
- Third Preference: Skilled workers and professionals
- Fourth Preference: Individuals under special circumstances, and certain religious workers
- Fifth Preference: Immigrant investors, who must invest between $500,000-$1,000,000 in a venture that creates at least ten new jobs for U.S. citizens or other lawful permanent residents and immigrants.
How to Get a Green Card
There are four basic employment-related ways to obtain a green card, including:
- Green Card through a job offer: An which an individual can apply for a green card after receiving a formal offer to work in the United States.
- Green Card through investment: An individual establishes a business venture that creates new jobs in the U.S.
- Green Card through self-petition: Distinguished individuals with exceptional abilities, or specific individuals who are granted a National Interest Waiver, can file a green card for themselves.
- Special Category Green Card: This category include workers in the established special immigrant categories, such as broadcasters, international employees, and religious workers, for example.
Green Card Lottery Program
The annual green card lottery program (Diversity Immigrant Visa Program) is an opportunity for potential immigrants to obtain the status as a permanent legal resident of the USA. This program runs each year and provides 55,000 "Green Cards" to applicants randomly selected in a lottery process - known as the Green Card Lottery.
Green Card Application Process
Although the application process differs based on the method in which one seeks to obtain a green card, generally an I-140, Immigrant Petition for Alien Worker, must be submitted.
Once the petition is approved individuals can apply for a green card through Form I-485, Application to Register Permanent Residence or Adjust Status.
Customer Reviews
“I am impressed with how easy this book was to read as well as how clearly everything waspresented. ”
“Keeping with tradition, this NOLO book is clear, concise, precise and extremely practical advice about navigating the complex immigration process. ”
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