Bluegoop Video Games Blog

One has to wonder what has happened to the Tony Hawk series as of late. The series began dying out, so Activision put out it’s Underground game, a refreshing new addition that was fun to play yet featured too many similarities to previous installments. THUG 2 was just more repetition that caused almost endless boredom. However, this negligence is greatly overshadowed by Tony Hawk’s first foray onto the Xbox 360, Tony Hawk’s American Wasteland.

The fact that the game can be played in high resolution truly only makes the games flaws, including its terrible graphics and sloppy animations, all the more apparent. Can Activision truly be any more lazy? One would figure that they would at least try to make a solid first appearance on next-gen consoles, however that is not so. Tony Hawk’s American Wasteland, or THAW for short, really should have been thawed out prior to its release, since it will leave gamers feeling nothing but icy resentment towards the game.

The main factor contributing to how bad the game truly is lies in the game’s graphics engine. Similarly to Activision’s other game on the Xbox 360, Gun, THAW looks exactly the same on the Xbox 360 as it does on its current-gen counterparts (noticing a trend here from Activision yet?). How hard can it really be to at least re-work the graphics somewhat to at least make it look like it fits on the Xbox 360? Why did they even release the game at all on next-gen if they wanted to make it look so bad? Questions that will never be answered, of course.

These graphical failures lie in the fact that THAW uses the same exact graphics engine as its Xbox and PS2 counterpart. The same exact graphics engine as its predecessors, THUG and THUG 2. For that matter, the same exact graphics engine that was used in the old Tony Hawk games. Yes, friends, that is why the graphics look so terrible. The graphics engine might as well be from the 90’s. Sure, it has been improved somewhat along the way, but that doesn’t make the game look any better.

The story mode of the game is just as bad as THUG and THUG 2. Basically, you start out as a no name skater and try to build your way to prominence by completing repetitive, lame objectives as you progress. By completing objectives, you can earn points to upgrade your skater, making you more able to pull off better tricks and get better air time. All the is good and all, but the simple fact that the story is so bad makes it unforgiving.

Additionally, this IS a Tony Hawk game. What that means is that the game feels exactly like every other Tony Hawk game that has ever been made. It controls the exact same, feels the exact same, hell, it is the exact same. Granted, there are a few new tricks and touch-ups, but the game just feels too much like the previous installments to actually provide any real enjoyment.

THAW does have an online mode however, and that can be fun for a little while. Up to eight players can compete in the various Tony Hawk modes. The usual modes make their return, including S-K-A-T-E, Tag, and others. These modes are indeed fun, but the fact that nothing of any substantial value was added to the game leaves the player wanting a whole lot more than what was offered.

Tony Hawk’s American Wasteland turns out to be simply a boring game. It bears nothing of any value that is worth mentioning. The game is repetitive and nauseating at times due to how much it feels like all those other games that you poured hundreds upon hundreds of hours in to. Activision should definitely have spent more time on this one, me thinks.

If you love the epic tale of Star Wars then get ready to take part in some of the epic battles from the films in Star Wars Battlefront II.  This is the second installment of the popular action game.

This installment is a bit different than the first of the series.  This is because you can now look at it from the dark side perspective.  You can follow the story of Darth Vadar’s elite 501st legion of stormtroopers, not to mention other stories.  You can see the massive destruction and terror that the dark side caused.  Or, perhaps help out the Rebellion.

Star Wars Battlefront II takes you to new locations that are found in Episode 3.  These locations are both on land and space.  Some locations include:  Utapau, Coruscant, Mustafa, Tantive IV, and the Deathstar!

Each level features open ended missions that were inspired by the 6 Star Wars films.  You may have a mission to assassinate someone, or to destroy an enemy ship.  Each mission allows you to do things as you see fit.  Throughout the levels, expect huge explosions and epic battles.  You will also get to experience some of the classic movie moments.

Some new features of this game are actually some of the most enjoyable.  You can now participate in dog fights aboard various vehicles.  These include X-wings, TIE fighters, Jedi Starfighters and more!  There is also a new dash ability that works out great if you are playing as a Sith or Jedi!

If you get really good at the game, you may have a chance to play as a Jedi, a Sith, or a bounty hunter.  Play as Yoda or Darth Mual and unleash your light saber.  Perhaps even show of some of the powers of the Force…

The musical score is outstanding as to be expected from a Star wars themed game!  The graphics also make you feel as if you are really in the game.  The AI is much more intelligent than that of the first in the Battlefront series.  The storyline is also much more captivating and enduring.  Lastly, the controls are very smooth and responsive.

Star Wars Battlefront II Is available on XBOX, Playstation 2, PSP, and PC.  It has an ESRB rating of T for teen.  This is because it contains violence and mild language. 

If you are looking for the ultimate fighting game, then get ready for Soul Calibur III.  This is the third in the popular Soul Calibur series.  This new version offers 3 new characters, different play modes, and customizable characters!

The story thus far:  An unholy sword was sealed away by the destined one.  However, a mysterious being revives the azure knight, Nightmare.  Soon, the legendary battle of Soul Calibur and Soul Edge moves to the next stage.  Will you have the sword that prevails over all?

Soul Calibur III is very much like its predecessors, except it does have many new concepts.  The original Tales of the Sword mode allows you to follow different characters and see what fate leads them to.  However, there are now 3 new characters to choose from:  Zasalamel, Tira, and Setsuka.  This now makes 25 playable characters!

You may now also create your own character.  You can customize the sex, look, occupation, and weapon of your own unique character.  This character can play through the Chronicles of the Sword mode.

If this wasn’t enough there are various new stages, each as beautiful looking as the last.  This includes a castle in Germany, a clock tower, a shrine in Greece, and many more!

Other modes of Soul Calibur III are the practice mode (where you can train), versus mode (for 2 player fighting), and the museum mode.  The museum mode is where you can view all of the past history of Soul Calibur and anything you may have unlocked.

The game itself has outstanding visual effects.  The character models are highly detailed.  The background music really gets you in the fighting mood!  Best of all, the voice acting is just as funny as the previous editions to the series.

Soul Calibur III is easy enough for beginners to learn.  It has a simple concept, but it is a lot of fun to play,  Each character is unique, yet balanced from one to the next so you don’t have to worry about which one is best to play as.    You must focus on timing and learning combos to succeed.  However, this is easy to master and the controls are quite responsive.

Soul Calibur III is available on Playstation 2.  It has an ESRB rating of T for teen.  This is because it contains violence and suggestive themes.

Innovativeness and ingenuity are two words that many video game developers seem to leave out of their vocabularies when working on games. Most studios stick to time proven methods and concepts that produce near carbon copies of past games. Granted, these game are fun to play, but after a while this age old process of making games ends up making these titles boring and unappealing. For this reason, it is necessary to honor a developer who can step in and successfully develop a game that breaks through these overused boundaries and instead makes for itself a new path for making its game. This is where Shadow of the Colossus enters.

Sony Computer Entertainment has produced what can only be considered one of the most unique and artistic games ever created with Shadow of the Colossus. It is truly amazing that while most developers think all original ideas have already been used up, Sony has found a way to make a game that is unparalleled and unprecedented. But enough of the formalities, let’s discuss why this game is so truly amazing in its own right.

The premise of the game is rather simple: mythical giants, the colossi, roam the earth. Due to the circumstances, which indeed are rather bare in Shadow of the Colossus, the hero of the game, a young man, must proceed to dispatch 16 colossi surrounding a temple where he has brought his dead love. According to the game, this is the only way by which the hero can save his love and bring her back to him. Strangely enough, this is basically all you ever learn of the storyline in the game, but it is really all you ever need to know.

From there the character proceeds out into the barren world to fulfill his task. What he is presented with is one of the most beautiful and artistic worlds ever to present itself in a video game. Shadow of the Colossus offers a beautiful world that has been perfectly designed with beautiful scenery on a massive level. While special effects tend to be bare, the artistry and beautiful environments still make the game a gem in graphical terms.

As far as the gameplay itself, it can indeed be considered rather repetitive. The character never levels up and his inventory is basically unchanging. He embarks on his trusty steed armed only with a simple sword and a bow and arrow, which he’ll keep until the quest is complete. From the temple, the character journeys into the massive, barren world in search of each colossi. One by one, the character must combat and defeat each of the sixteen colossi, return to the temple, and proceed to journey out and dispatch the next one.

There are no enemies in between, and overall, the game is rather empty save for the massive enemies that tower hundreds of feet above the character and shake the earth with each step. The musical score coincides with this perfectly, offering no music in between the battles. The only sounds that accompany the character are the sounds of the wind and of the water, contributing to the barren, empty feeling of the game.

However, empty is not a word that can be used once the battle has begun. From there, the true beauty of the game begins. The musical score, a delightful one, kicks in and motivates the player to defeat the massive creature that is present. The game centers around these colossi battles, since they really are the only things that ever happen in the game, and each one is different and equally as challenging. Each colossi must be defeated in a unique way and each looks and acts differently. Some fly, some plod around on the ground, some are bigger than others, and each attempts to kill the hero in different ways. For this reason, each colossi requires creative thinking to kill it. The battles are incredibly challenging, to say the least, and can be downright frustrating at times as the player tries to figure out how to defeat each colossi.

While this might seem repetitive and boring, this design is actually the true beauty of the game. The game floods players with innovativeness and artistry that can’t be found in any other game. It’s simplicity in design yet the fact that it requires so much thought to defeat each colossi make it one of the most fun and challenging games that has ever been designed and created. Granted, there could have been a few more things thrown in to improve the game in many gamers minds, the fact remains that Shadow of the Colossus is simply one of the most fun and impressive games ever made and ever gamer should try it out.

Splinter Cell carries a very unique story. Splinter Cell is loved by gamers worldwide yet hated dearly by fans of other “Stealth” games such as MGS, Splinter Cell games seem to find a perfect blend of action and stealth (and having a kick ass main character, Sam Fisher, doesn’t hurt). After handing over the reigns to another development team for the second game, the original team was hard at work on making a new Splinter Cell game, the third in the series, Chaos Theory. Can Chaos Theory provide all the great moments that previous games have done so well at?

Splinter Cell’s newest release has quite a scaled down arsenal. Chaos Theory seems to have a “short but sweet” attitude when it comes to arming Sam. There may not be a big choice, but what’s there is great. Your SC Pistol is back along with the reliable SC-20k with a launcher that can be loaded with airfoil rounds, sticky cameras, and sticky shockers. A new, interesting weapon is the combat knife which adds a whole new take onto the gameplay. Now, with the press of a button, operatives can instead slash a guy with the knife rather than trying to knock him out quietly or grab him.

By far the most interesting feature, which also has been extremely well implemented, is the cooperative play. Two operatives can now pair up either online or offline and tackle through various missions together. However, this isn’t just a normal cooperative mode, this coop mode has received special attention. The two agents can combine to produce a variety of moves ranging from one standing on the others’ shoulders, one setting up a rope the other can rappel down with, one setting up and then launching the other up into the air, etc. Special kudos go to the Ubi dev team that put so much effort here.

Then arrives the visuals of Chaos Theory. The visuals are simply amazing yet again. Characters, both Sam and enemies alike, are extremely detailed down to the finest points, including their hair, their muscle mass, their facial expressions, etc. Their animations are also extremely smooth, really making you feel like you are Sam Fisher working through every dangerous level. Environments are also well detailed with plenty of little trinkets to be seen and heard, including radios playing different songs or talk shows, picture of half-naked women, etc.

As with the graphics, the sound is another area where Splinter Cell games always seem to excel, and this Chaos Theory is no exception. While the music isn’t always exactly fitting for the situation and for the type of game it is, at least it doesn’t hurt the ears. But the real drawing point is the games special effects which are just awesome. You don’t have to see your enemy to know where he is, you can just hear him. Footsteps, dialogue between characters (there is plenty of it), gun shots, etc, all sound very, very good.

Chaos Theory is the best Splinter Cell game yet. Period. It is also the best Stealth Action game yet. Period. There is simply no competition for a game that just gets everything right. Intriguing gameplay with plenty of features, gorgeous visuals, and great sound all combine to form a perfect package that every gamer should own.

While most racing games tend to be carbon copies of one another, using the same cars and with the handling feeling the exact same in each, there are those games that branch off and try to use their own unique feel. They can either crash or burn or offer an incredibly fun experience. The Ridge Racer series has always tended to lean towards the latter, and Ridge Racer 6 for the Xbox 360 follows a similar pattern.

Although it began its life as a successful arcade game, Ridge Racer was soon ported over to consoles and saw similar success. Gamers ate up the fast-paced racing action and thoroughly enjoyed the unique handling of the vehicles that the game offered. While many racers tend to try to be realistic, Ridge Racer 6 takes gamers near the edge of speed and allows them to reach a fast-paced, high intensity level that many racers never attempt to go.

The whole enjoyment factor of Ridge Racer is in how unrealistic the game truly is, yet designed perfectly so that it is so much fun. Most of the game involves racing at incredibly high speeds with very little actual control on the road. Big turns involve massive spin outs and losses of control that send the vehicle into violent spins that one would never hope to survive through in the real world. In Ridge Racer, the brakes are the most neglected aspect of the button layout. Really, don’t be a pansy, just leave your foot on the gas.

The challenge of the game is getting good enough to know when to time the turns to get back in control as quickly as possible. There is no doubt you will lose control and whip around, but the trick is to align the vehicle and let the car drift until such a point when you can take control again and reach top speed down the raceway. The challenge is not to beat the curve, but to know how to get through the curve without completely losing yourself along the way.

Also included is the nitrous boost, allowing gamers to unleash their boost and get to top speed even faster. The real trick here is that more nitrous is gained by handling the curves better and at higher speeds. So essentially, the more skilled you are at handling the curves, the more nitrous you will get and the better you will be able to gain speed following the slowdown inevitable caused by the hairpin turns.

The main knock against Ridge Racer is the repetitiveness of the tracks. There really aren’t that many in the game, and despite the fact that you may be able to take a slightly different course on a map or even go backwards, the fact that it is still the same map lingers in the back of the mind. This repetitiveness can be defeated by focusing on the enjoyment the game offers, but it is still quite annoying that more maps weren’t included to be raced on.

As is a trend with almost all the Xbox 360 games, Ridge Racer 6 comes complete with a few multiplayer modes. Gamers can go split-screen with friends on the same TV and engage in exciting racers or hook up to Xbox Live and jump into a race online and experience the high speeds and crazy turns with the best of ‘em. If you enjoy the game, the number of modes will offer plenty of reason to come back for more.

Ridge Racer 6 turns out to be a very solid racer for the Xbox 360. Although it might not be remembered as one of the Xbox 360 greats, it still offers enough enjoyment so that fans of racing titles should definitely consider picking this game up. The single player lasts long enough to provide hours of enjoyment and the Xbox Live and offline multiplayer components greatly increase that number.

Quake. The name alone brings up a countless number of fond memories for gamers worldwide. It is one of the most popular and best selling game franchises of all time. So popular it is, in fact, that there is an entire gaming convention named after it. The effect the Quake series had on gaming, particularly multiplayer gaming, is innumerous. A groundbreaking shooter, Quake created entirely new bounds and expectations in the genre.

Despite all of its accomplishments, the history and tradition of a franchise of games means nothing when looking at the quality of the newest installment. What the predecessors has accomplished doesn’t make a game any better. Having said that, Quake 4 has officially hit shelves and attempts to bring gaming history to the present with a new graphics engine, a new story, and the same old Quake lovin’.

However, gamers probably shouldn’t be quite so quick to celebrate the arrival of Quake 4. It isn’t the messiah of video games. It isn’t a savior by any means. Hell, it sadly doesn’t
even break any new boundaries like its predecessors did. Instead of providing countless hours of constant enjoyment, Quake 4 actually provides strong feelings of nostalgia. It
just feels like the same old thing. Been there, done that, played it before kind of feeling. Although die hard fans of the series no doubt exalt the arrival of Quake 4, the game is not
likely to win over many new followers.

The Xbox 360 version of Quake 4, in particular, holds true to the Quake name in terms of console installments of the series. Despite being similar in terms of content to its PC
counterpart, Quake for the Xbox 360 has been scaled down a lot, too much in fact, and doesn’t offer that great of an experience at all. Plainly put, the game is actually quite
clunky and unrefined.

While Quake 4 still boasts pretty good graphics, on the Xbox 360 they really aren’t overly impressive. They tend to be sparkly and shiny, sure, but they don’t tote the power
of the system itself. The graphics really don’t even appear to be next-gen at all. The textures can be jaggedy and refined at times, the character animations can be clunky and funny looking, and the whole game has a slight fuzzy feel to it. Even with all of this scaling down to fit the Xbox 360, the game still experiences slow downs and tends to run pretty poorly at times. The frame rate slows down to very low levels in any kind of tense firefight, really dragging any sort of enjoyment away from the experience.

The story in the game really isn’t much and doesn’t deserve much mentioning, but needless to say, gamers will find themselves in plenty of large firefights with some pretty
crazy looking enemies. The game is fast paced, action packed, and quite gory (in a beautiful way, however).

First person shooters rely on great weapons. Sadly, Quake 4 doesn’t pack any weapons really worth remembering. Granted, there are a lot of fun weapons to use, too many of
them feel recycled from previous Quake games and bear too much resemblance to weapons from other games. Even with bearing resemblance, in most cases they aren’t as
good as the weapons that they are similar to. On the whole, the arsenal is pretty bland and unoriginal, just basic in their design. Nothing to be awed over.

In fact, each weapon just feels clunky and each has its own problems. None feels truly devastating in either their design, the way they fire, the damage they do, or even the special effects from the resulting shots. Quake is known for devastating, well designed weapons, and Quake 4 simply doesn’t contain those weapons.

The multiplayer modes are basically carbon copies of the multiplayer modes to be found in previous Quake titles, particularly Quake 3. If you don’t feel nostalgia at this point, it can be deduced that you have never played a Quake game before. Don’t get me wrong, the multiplayer, particularly that through online (such as through Xbox Live for the Xbox
360), is quite fun, but it feels too similar and doesn’t offer anything particularly new or refreshing.

In the end, Quake 4 turns out to be a game that really doesn’t do anything new or innovative. It just appears to much to be like previous games in the series and does
nothing to set itself apart. For Quake fans, the game is an easy buy simply due to its name. But for others, a rental should suffice.

Current fans of the racing genre are in for a treat with the new Project Gotham Racing 3.  This third installment of the series offers better graphics and mood setting music.

This game allows you to drive the cars you have always fantasized about.  However, speed alone won’t win any races.  You have to strut your stuff and perform bold maneuvers to win against your rivals.  There are over 80 vehicles to choose from.  Each vehicle is top of the line.  There are no cheap or “ratty” cars to select from!

Project Gotham Racing 3 is not too different from other racing games.  However, it does feature various driving viewpoints.  This includes a cockpit view that has an extremely realistic look to it.  The controls are easy to learn and quite consistant from vehicle to vehicle.

The game takes you to locations throughout the world.  Some of these locations include:  Tokyo, New York, and London.  Each location features jaw dropping backgrounds and stunning graphics.  While racing through, you may see it as a blur.  This is not because of poor graphics, but because of the speed at which you blast through!

You may play this game online.  Online you will find new features.  This includes: tournaments, Gotham TV, and the ability to create your own tracks.  You also can show off your racing skills to people across the globe!

Project Gotham Racing 3 is available on XBOX 360.  The ESRB rating is E for everyone 10 years of age and older.  This is because it features mild lyrics. 

Whether you are a fan of the classic movie or if you just love action games, King Kong is the game for you!  Anyone can appreciate the awe inspiring cinematic-like graphics that are seen in this game.  The game play itself is also hard to compare with anything else.

The story begins with you playing as Jack Driscoll from a first person perspective.  You are on the mysterious Skull Island, trying to survive and escape from horrid beasts of unimaginable size.  You later get to play as King Kong himself from a third person perspective.

The game creator, Michael Ancel, teamed up with 3 time academy award winner Peter Jackson to make this gripping game that touches you as much as the film will.  The graphics are gorgeous.  It is very much like watching the movie itself.  In fact, it is probably the best looking game so far. 

Game play is quite realistic.  As Jack, you must navigate your way through a dark and endless jungle.  You have to shoot at humongous beasts that are nearly impossible to kill with your meager weapons.  Ammunition and weapons are scarce.  You will often find yourself having to result to spears and other third world weapons because you didn’t use your ammunition sparingly.  As it is, the beasts just don’t die.  You basically shoot at them while running for your life and trying to take shelter.

Another aspect of the game is the NPCs (non playable characters).  Each NPC has its own unique abilities.  These abilities are necessary for you to proceed to the next area of the game.  There are many puzzles and areas that require the help of the NPCs.  This means that poor Jack (you) has to protect and defend them, as well as yourself.

Once you escape the terror of Skull Island, you change from Jack to the huge brute himself, King Kong.  Here you play from third person perspective.  The huge beast is unstoppable, smashing beasts and gliding effortlessly through the jungle.  It is a welcomed surprise after facing the many toils as the meek human.  You later end up in New York for the climax.  Seeing the world from both Jack’s point of view and from King Kong’s point of view is an added benefit of the game itself.

King Hong features a musical score that is different than that of the film.  However, it is one of the best and most memorable musical scores ever heard in a video game.  It also has the likeness and voices of the actors seen in the film.

King Kong truly captures the theme of man against beast.  The only downfall is that the game is rather short and the ending climax is not the greatest.  However, points leading up to the climax are unforgettable.  The great game play more than makes up for the short and uneventful ending.  There is also a second alternate ending that you can unlock…

Peter Jackson’s King Kong is available for XBOX 360, XBOX, Playstation 2, and Gamecube.  It has an ESRB rating of T for Teen.  This is because the game has blood and violence in it.

Probably the most anticipated launch title of the Xbox 360, Perfect Dark Zero has finally arrived. After the original title became an instant classic on the Nintendo 64, the sequel has seen a rough road indeed. At first, there was speculation that the game would hit the Gamecube since Rare still worked for Nintendo. However, Microsoft made a decisive move and purchased Rare, attempting to bring games such as this to the Xbox. Countless delays ended up pushing the game to the Xbox 360, and ended up making it the premier Xbox 360 launch title.

Despite this rough road to release, Perfect Dark Zero came out as a surprisingly good final product. Many games that see such an incredible amount of delays and problems usually turn out unimpressive, to say the least, but Perfect Dark Zero breaks this trend and ends up being a solid game with good fundamentals.

Arguably the biggest surprise with Perfect Dark Zero is how truly incredibly it looks. Since the game was originally scheduled and designed to be an Xbox release, it was widely expected that the game would probably look only a little better than a standard Xbox game. This, however, is simply not the case. Perfect Dark Zero looks absolutely gorgeous in every regard.

Sure, it has a few kinks and hindrances, but on the whole Perfect Dark Zero is a fine tuned product in its graphical department. The characters were expertly designed and the animations for them were given great attention. The lighting was well done, and the environments are extremely populated, detailed, and, therefore, very impressive indeed. Most importantly, the special effects look gorgeous and give the game that finished, polished look.

This polished presentation matches the polished gameplay very well. In fact, the amount of time it took to get Perfect Dark Zero to store shelves is clearly reflected in how much detail was spent in developing the graphics and the gameplay of the game. Although the gameplay isn’t unique by any means, it is highly refined and polished, and it controls like a dream. The core fundamentals are all right, making it an enticing product.

One thing that fans of the original game will notice is the more realistic weapon assortment in Perfect Dark Zero. Although it still has some great, deadly guns, it doesn’t nearly have the assortment of alien and outlandish guns that were in the N64 predecessor. These guns, however, are absolutely perfect for the game. The design of them is incredibly refined and they work and look incredible. From the muzzle flash to the final product of a dead enemy, everything about it is just amazing.

The AI and storyline in Perfect Dark Zero are designed purely to complement the action sequences. The firefights in the game are incredibly fun and engaging, but the AI and story aren’t necessarily impressive. On one hand, the AI actually fits since gamers won’t find them overly difficult. Difficult AI would have made the hectic firefights very frustrating indeed. Also, the story exists, but it isn’t exactly gripping. It is there merely to escort you into your next fun gameplay sequence in the story.

The audio department of the game complements the graphics and gameplay absolutely perfectly. The special effects in the form of gunfire and explosions sound wonderful and these excellent sounds actually make the visual counterparts look even more impressive. The voice acting is also solid and carried out very well, partly making up for the lackluster storyline in the game.

Perfect Dark Zero is absolutely filled with replay value. The cooperative mode will keep many players and their friends coming back, allowing gamers to revisit the game and play through the campaign with a companion. After that is completed, gamers can take their skills online and square off with more than 30 players in a variety of original and fun gameplay modes via Xbox Live. Really, the Xbox Live online mode of the game is probably the best aspect of the game entirely.

Perfect Dark Zero may not end up being a classic like the original, but it is still a solid game that holds its own. It has good gameplay fundamentals, beautiful graphics, wonderful sound, and limitless replay. Simply put, Perfect Dark Zero is well worth the price tag.