XBL Deals - Jan 6 - Sep 4, 2014

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Recent Updates

  • 9/2 - Deals with Gold, Spotlight Activision, Misc Markdowns
  • 8/28 - Sept GwG announced, Misc Markdown
  • 8/27 - NFS Rivals XB1 added to Deals with Gold, Ascend server shutdown
  • 8/26 - Deals with Gold, Summer Binge, Spotlight Shadow Complex, Misc Markdowns
  • 8/23 - Castlevania: LOS2 Misc Markdown
This thread will maintain a list of all current and upcoming sales and markdowns on the Xbox Live Marketplace / Xbox Games Store for the USA.  YMMV in other regions.  If non-US sales are listed, they will be marked with their applicable region(s).
 
Please note:

  • You cannot currently buy any Xbox 360 content on xbox.com using your account balance, you can only use an active credit card or PayPal. To use your balance, you must make purchases on your console.  Unfortunately, even "purchasing" free content through the web site like trials requires an alternative method of payment tied to your account, though adding an empty MasterCard / Visa gift card that is registered for online purchases will work.  Xbox One games can be purchased on the web site with your account balance, but DLC cannot.
  • Some sales are intended for Gold subscribers only, as noted within each section.  This requires being a paid subscriber or within a console-activated "1 month complimentary Gold trial" account.  Neither 48 hour trials, 14 day trials nor free weekends qualify.
  • All known sales and information on sales should make their way into the OP. Major Nelson usually updates his blog with new sales information every other Tuesday.
  • ALL OFFERS ARE SUBJECT TO CHANGE! No information within this thread can or should be construed as accurate (or still valid), therefore ...
  • Always verify Xbox Live Marketplace prices before your purchase!
  • Spend wisely, have fun, and enjoy!
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Deals with Gold
Gold subscription required
 

9/2 - 9/8 - Misc


[*]Persona 4 Arena - $9.98 - 67% off - xbldb
[*]Resident Evil 4 - $6.59 - 67% off - xbldb
[*]Resident Evil Revelations - $13.59 - 66% off - xbldb
[*]Rock of Ages - $4.99 - 50% off - xbldb
8/26 - 9/1 - NFS Rivals DLC / KI Sabrewulf


[*]Need for Speed Rivals - $19.79 - 67% off - xbldb - base game part of Summer Binge Sale below

8/19 - 8/25 - Call of Duty / Trials Fusion

  • XB1 - Trials Fusion - $13.39 - 33% off (free price on web site is a trial version)
  • XB1 Call of Duty: Ghosts (console only)
    Season Pass - $24.99 - 50% off
  • Legend Pack - CPT Price - $1.99 - 50% off
  • Legend Pack - Makarov - $1.99 - 50% off
  • Snoop Dogg VO Pack - $1.49 - 50% off
  • Squad Pack - Extinction - $1.99 - 50% off

[*]Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 - $14.99 - 50% off - xbldb
[*]Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 - $19.99 - 60% off - xbldb

[*]Call of Duty: Black Ops - $19.99 - 50% off - xbldb
[*]Call of Duty: Black Ops II - $29.99 - 50% off - xbldb

[*]Call of Duty: Ghosts

8/12 - 8/18 - Square Enix, Fight Night

8/5 - 8/11 - Misc


[*]Terraria - $4.94 - 67% off - xbldb
7/29 - 8/4 - EA sale

  • XB1 - Battlefield 4 DLC - console only purchase
    Premium - 33% off
    China Rising - 33% off
  • Naval Strike - 33% off
  • Second Assault - 33% off

[*]Ultimate Shortcut Bundle - 33% off

[*]Battlefield 4 DLC

[*]Ultimate Shortcut Bundle - $33.49 - 33% off - xbldb

[*]2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil - $17.99 - 70% off - xbldb
[*]FIFA 14 - $29.99 - 50% off - xbldb
[*]Madden NFL 25 - $24.99 - 50% off - xbldb
[*]NHL 14 - $24.99 - 50% off - xbldb
7/22 - 7/28 - Superhero sale


[*]Marvel vs. Capcom: Origins - $7.49 - 50% off - xbldb
[*]Mortal Kombat vs. DCU - $9.99 - 50% off - xbldb
[*]Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles - $19.99 - 50% off - xbldb
[*]Young Justice: Legacy - $4.99 - 75% off - xbldb
7/15 - 7/21 - PvZ: Garden Warfare XB1, BioShock


7/8 - 7/14 - Titanfall XB1, Serious Sam and various DLCs


[*]The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim

[*]The Walking Dead: Season Two - Season Pass - $7.49 - 50% off - xbldb
[*]WWE 2K14 Season Pass -  $9.99 - 50% off - xbldb
7/1 - 7/7 - Thief XB1, Ubisoft XBLA and others

6/24 - 6/30 - Ryse / Diablo / Fable / Payday

  • XB1 - Ryse: Son of Rome - $49.99 - 17% off
    Season Pass - $9.99 - 50% off - console only

[*]Diablo III - $29.99 - 50% off - xbldb
[*]Payday 2 - $12.94 - 63% off - xbldb
[*]Fable II - $4.99 - 75% off - xbldb
[*]Fable III - $4.99 - 75% off - xbldb
[*]Fable Heroes - $3.39 - 66% off - xbldb
[*]Fable Anniversary DLC

6/17 - 6/23 - Rockstar Sale, part Umpteen, plus Deadfall & XB1


[*]Midnight Club: LA - $3.74 - 75% off - xbldb
[*]Red Dead Redemption - $7.49 - 75% off - xbldb
6/10 - 6/16 - Hodgepodge, Part II, or "Oh shit, we forgot to schedule a sale"


[*]Forza Horizon - $10.19 - 66% off - xbldb
[*]Resident Evil Revelations - $13.59 - 66% off - xbldb
[*]Terraria - $4.94 - 67% off - xbldb
________________________________________________________________________
 
Games with Gold
Gold subscription required, Xbox One games are only playable while Gold is active, but can be added to your account with a Gold trial
 
Free Games


[*]Sep 1-15 - Monaco: What's Yours is Mine - xbldb
[*]Sep 16-30 - Halo: Reach - xbldb
[*]Sep XB1 - Games can be purchased without requiring an Xbox One console


[*]Jul 1-15 - Gotham City Impostors - xbldb
[*]Jul 16-31 - BattleBlock Theater - xbldb
[*]Jul XB1 - Games can be purchased without requiring an Xbox One console
Related sales ** END DATES UNKNOWN **

________________________________________________________________________

Sales & Specials

[customspoiler=Note]If the start & end dates are not well-defined, ACT FAST! since these "sales" could end anytime. However, they may also be permanent markdowns.[/customspoiler]

Spotlight Activision Sale - 9/2 - 9/8

Spotlight Shadow Complex- 8/26 - 9/1

Summer Binge Sale - 8/26 - 9/1 - Both Gold only and Silver discounts


[*]Far Cry 3 - $9.99 - 50% off - xbldb
[*]Far Cry 3 Blood Dragon - $4.94 - 67% off - xbldb
[*]Forza Horizon - $9.89 - 67% off - xbldb
[*]Guardians of Middle-earth - $4.94 - 67% off - xbldb
[*]Left 4 Dead - $4.99 - 75% off - xbldb
[*]Lego The Lord of the Rings - $4.99 - 75% off - xbldb
[*]Lego Star Wars: The Complete Saga - $14.99 - 50% off - xbldb
[*]Mafia II - $3.99 - 80% off - xbldb
[*]Murdered: Soul Suspect - $29.99 - 40% off - xbldb
[*]Need for Speed Rivals - $19.79 - 67% off - xbldb
[*]NFL Blitz - $4.94 - 67% off - xbldb
[*]Plants vs. Zombies - $4.94 - 67% off - xbldb

[*]Plants vs Zombies Garden Warfare - $20.09 - 33% off - xbldb
[*]Rayman Legends - $13.19 - 67% off - xbldb
[*]Ridge Racer Unbounded - $4.99 - 75% off - xbldb
[*]Sniper Elite 3 - $26.79 - 33% off - xbldb
[*]SoulCalibur V - $3.74 - 75% off - xbldb
[*]Spec Ops: The Line - $4.49 - 85% off - xbldb
[*]Star Trek - $7.49 - 75% off - xbldb
[*]State of Decay

[*]Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out of the Shadows - $4.94 - 67% off - xbldb
[*]Twisted Pixel Games Bundle - $9.89 - 67% off - xbldb
[*]The Walking Dead: Season Two - Season Pass - $10.04 - 33% off - xbldb
[*]The Wolf Among Us - Season Pass - $10.04 - 33% off - xbldb
Spotlight Rockstar - 8/19 - 8/25


[*]Grand Theft Auto V - $29.99 - 50% off - xbldb
[*]L.A. Noire - $7.49 - 75% off - xbldb

[*]Max Payne 3 - $4.99 - 75% off - xbldb

[*]Midnight Club: LA - $3.74 - 75% off - xbldb
[*]Red Dead Redemption - $7.49 - 75% off - xbldb

[*]Rockstar Table Tennis - $3.74 - 75% off - xbldb
Spotlight Just Dance - 8/12 - 8/18 - Gold only


N64 Banjo Bundle - 7/9 - 8/8


Spotlight XB1 Ghosts (aka, the new Risk Factions) - 8/5 - 8/11

Spotlight Capcom - 8/5 - 8/11


[*]Dungeons & Dragons: Chronicles of Mystara - $5.09 - 66% off - xbldb
[*]Dustforce - $4.99 - 50% off - xbldb
[*]Final Fight: Double Impact - $3.99 - 60% off - xbldb
[*]Lost Planet 2 - $4.99 - 75% off - xbldb
[*]Lost Planet 3 - $13.59 - 66% off - xbldb
[*]Mega Man 9 - $4.99 - 50% off - xbldb
[*]Mega Man 10 - $4.99 - 50% off - xbldb
[*]Puzzle Fighter HD - $4.99 - 50% off - xbldb
[*]Remember Me - $9.99 - 75% off - xbldb
[*]Resident Evil Code: Veronica X - $6.59 - 67% off - xbldb
[*]Resident Evil 4 - $6.59 - 67% off - xbldb
[*]Resident Evil 5 - $6.59 - 67% off - xbldb

[*]Resident Evil 6

[*]Resident Evil Operation Raccoon City - $11.59 - 71% off - xbldb
[*]Resident Evil Revelations - $13.59 - 66% off - xbldb
[*]Super Street Fighter II Turbo HD Remix - $5.09 - 66% off - xbldb
[*]Street Fighter III: Third Strike Online Edition - $3.74 - 75% off - xbldb
[*]Street Fighter X Tekken

Spotlight Splatters - 7/29 - 8/4

Spotlight Deep Silver - 7/22 - 7/28

Spotlight Nordic - 7/22 - 7/28


[*]Destroy All Humans! Path of the Furon - $3.99 - 80% off - xbldb
[*]Frontlines: Fuel of War - $3.99 - 80% off - xbldb - Unobtainable achievements (servers offline)
[*]Jeopardy! - $7.49 - 75% off - xbldb
[*]MX vs. ATV Alive - $4.99 - 75% off - xbldb
[*]Painkiller Hell & Damnation - $5.99 - 80% off - xbldb

[*]The Raven - Legacy of a Master Thief Episode 1 - $2.49 - 75% off - xbldb

[*]Red Faction: Armageddon - $7.49 - 75% off - xbldb

[*]Red Faction: Guerrilla - $9.99 - 50% off - xbldb

[*]Zombie Driver HD - $4.99 - 50% off - xbldb
Spotlight Bethesda QuakeCon Sale - 7/17 - 7/20

Ultimate Games Sale - 7/8 - 7/14
Same DLC also on sale on XB1 through console with same discount


[*]July 9

[*]July 10

[*]July 11

[*]July 12

[*]July 13

[*]July 14

[*]All week

[*]The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings Enhanced Edition - $9.89 - 67% off - xbldb
[*]Trials Evolution - $5.09 - 66% off - xbldb
[*]Trials Fusion - $13.39 - 33% off - xbldb

Spotlight Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag DLC - 7/1 - 7/7
Same DLC also on sale on XB1 through console with same discount


Spotlight Pro Evolution Soccer - 7/1 - 7/7


FIFA World Cup Brazil - 6/26 - 6/30

Spotlight Sega - 6/24 - 6/30

Spotlight Lego - 6/24 - 6/30

Spotlight? - 6/17 - 6/23 - Saints Row passes & KI Sabrewulf

Pseudo Deals with Gold - 6/10 - 6/16 - GTA


[*]Grand Theft Auto V - $29.99 - 50% off - xbldb
Xbox One Sales

  • XB1 Xbox Fitness - FREE until January 2015
  • Feb 27-? - Zoo Tycoon - $39.99 - 33% off (360 version also, see below)
Skullgirls characters

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Misc. Markdowns / Recently Reduced
[customspoiler=Notes]May be permanent mark downs, may be temporary pricing errors. Items marked with a * have been confirmed as permanent reductions either on the console dashboard, on Xbox.com's Recently Reduced page or corroborated from other sources (PSN, dev/pub, etc)[/customspoiler]
 
September 2014

August 2014


[*]8/5 - Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance - $19.99 - 50% off - xbldb
[*]8/5 - NHL 14 - $39.99 - 20% off - xbldb
[*]8/5 - Madden NFL 25 - $29.99 - 40% off - xbldb
[*]8/5 - 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil - $39.99 - 33% off - xbldb
[*]8/5 - NCAA Football 14 - $29.99 - 40% off - xbldb
[*]8/5 - NBA 2K14 - $39.99 - 33% off - xbldb
[*]8/4 - South Park: The Stick of Truth - $39.99 - 33% off - xbldb
[*]8/4 - Assassin’s Creed IV Black Flag - $29.99 - 25% off - xbldb
July 2014


June 2014

May 2014
April 2014

March 2014

February 2014
[/customspoiler]
[/customspoiler]

[*]2/10 - Far Cry 3 - $19.99 - 33% off - xbldb
[*]2/6 - Ruby Soho by Rancid - $0.99 - 50% off - xbldb - Guitar Hero World Tour
[*]2/6 - Death Blossoms by Rise Against - $0.99 - 50% off - xbldb - Guitar Hero World Tour
[*]2/6 - Guitar Hero Track Pack 4 - $3.49 - 44% off - xbldb - Guitar Hero II
[*]2/4 - XB1 - Lococycle - $9.99 - 50% off * - Confirmed permanent by Major Nelson
[*]2/4 - Armored Core: Verdict Day - $19.99 - 33% off - xbldb
[*]2/3 - Metro: Last Light - $39.99 - 20% off - xbldb
[*]2/3 - Zumba Fitness Core - $29.99 - 25% off - xbldb * Confirmed on Dashboard

January 2014

[*]1/21 - Borderlands 2 - $19.99 - 33% off - xbldb  *
[*]1/21 - BioShock Infinite - $29.99 - 25% off - xbldb *
[*]1/21 - The Bureau: XCOM Declassified - $29.99 - 50% off - xbldb *
[*]1/17 - Warlords - $4.99 - 50% off - xbldb - Previously delisted, relisted at lower price, unknown if it will remain
[*]1/16 - Rayman Origins - $14.99 - 25% off - xbldb
[*]1/14 - Armored Core: Verdict Day - $29.99 - 40% off - xbldb
[*]1/9 - Aqua - $4.99 - 50% off - xbldb
[*]1/8 - Phineas and Ferb: Quest for Cool Stuff - $19.99 - 50% off - xbldb
[*]1/7 - Assassin’s Creed IV Illustrious Pirates Pack - $6.99 - 30% off - xbldb
[*]1/6 - Saints Row IV - $39.99 - 33% off - xbldb
[*]1/1 - Hydrophobia - $2.99 - 40% off - xbldb *

December 2013
________________________________________________________________________
 
Misc. Promotions

________________________________________________________________________
 
Xbox Live Rewards
________________________________________________________________________
 
Cross Buy Promotions
 
Between Xbox 360 and Xbox One :

________________________________________________________________________
 
Microtransaction Deals [customspoiler=Note]Not tracked by xbldb, use playXBLA for blog updates for these deals.[/customspoiler]


________________________________________________________________________
 
Delisting / Server Shutdown Watch


[*]Capcom Gamespy server shutdown - expected 5/31
  • Age of Booty - 2 achievements become unobtainable with loss of online play
  • Flock! - level editor sharing disabled, no achievements affected

[*]Rockstar games affected by Gamespy server shutdown - expected 5/31

[*]Ubisoft online server shutdown - expected 8/8
  • America's Army: True Soldiers
  • James Cameron's Avatar
  • Motionsports Adrenaline
  • PowerUp Heroes
  • Pure Football
  • Shaun White Snowboarding
  • Tom Clancy's EndWar
  • Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon Advanced Warfighter 2
  • Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell Double Agent

[*]Rock Band tracks - expected 8/26
  • Fleetwood Mac - "World Turning"
  • Fleetwood Mac - "Don’t Stop"
  • Spinal Tap Pack 01 - $1.00 - 71% off - xbldb
    Back From The Dead
  • Rock ‘n’ Roll Nightmare
  • Saucy Jack
  • Warmer Than Hell

[*]Spinal Tap’s Tap Ten - $1.00 - 89% off - xbldb
  • (Funky) Sex Farm
  • (Listen to The) Flower People (Reggae Style)
  • America
  • Big Bottom
  • Cups and Cakes
  • Gimme Some Money
  • Heavy Duty
  • Hell Hole
  • Rock N Roll Creation
  • Stonehenge
  • Tonight I’m Gonna Rock You Tonight

[*]Official forums announcement

[*]Doritos Crash Course 2

[*]Ascend: Hand of Kul


[*]Rock Band Track - Journey's "Don't Stop Believing" - expected Apr 30, gone Apr 28

[*]BurgerTime World Tour - $4.99 - 50% off - xbldb - expected Apr 30

________________________________________________________________________

Thanks to reddjoey, tylerh1701, BobbyTastic and Necrozilla for maintaining prior versions of this thread, and to all those who have posted deals and made Wiki edits.  This thread is truly a collaborative effort built from the contributions of the community.
 

 
Last edited by a moderator:
Upvote 0 Downvote
Cage017 said:
That is interesting since most of those levels have you using the same type of weapon (machine gun) and beating the same enemies over and over. With the Flood, they give you a new weapon (Shotgun), enemies that actually do different things (the Bazooka guys are a pain in the ass), and even a new vehicle (the plane). Even the levels are different and provide more of a challenge; I especially liked the level where you follow that Spark robot and hold off enemies to unlock doors.

I'm playing the original Xbox version which really looks and sounds great. I can't imagine how much better it could look as I think it holds up very well as is. The story isn't hooking me though the twist with the Flood was interesting. I'd probably have more fun if that and the weapon system was improved.
Click to expand...
The level you like is The Library which is notorious for being one of the most difficult levels in the game on Legendary. That makes sense that you like it because it offers a challenge. And what do you mean the weapon system? What about it is flawed to you? and yes most levels, you begin with an assault rifle. If you play Halo 2 and beyond there are different weapons to use besides just the AR and pistol most of the time. Look into playing the sequels after you beat the first one.

 
xFatalFlaw said:
The level you like is The Library which is notorious for being one of the most difficult levels in the game on Legendary. That makes sense that you like it because it offers a challenge. And what do you mean the weapon system? What about it is flawed to you? and yes most levels, you begin with an assault rifle. If you play Halo 2 and beyond there are different weapons to use besides just the AR and pistol most of the time. Look into playing the sequels after you beat the first one.
Click to expand...
The difficulty definitely picks up since the Library (I'm playing this on Easy, BTW).

The weapons you pick up through most of this game are basically the same thing: Assault rifle and two blasters which can act like machine guns. It's also a little annoying when a blaster runs out of ammo and you have to discard and get it from a new enemy instead of an ammo pickup from a dead enemy like you get from the rifle and shotgun. I'm glad to hear there are different weapons throughout the sequels.

I am not glad, however, that the vehicle controls are awful. Case in point this level I'm on now where you have 5 minutes to reach a destination. I'm pushing forward on the controller and it goes in reverse. And there are plenty of times where I'll move a little and my vehicle flips over. You go back into it and OOPS you're in the passenger side. You can't even slide to the driver's side so getting out and walking over to get into the driver's side (even more "fun" when it's blocked off by a wall) all within a time limit is a pain in the ass.

Oh, and the cramped environments and the magic leaps you have to perform (which in my case I miss and results in instant death) may be the worst driving experience I've ever had in a video game.

 
Cage017 said:
The difficulty definitely picks up since the Library (I'm playing this on Easy, BTW).

The weapons you pick up through most of this game are basically the same thing: Assault rifle and two blasters which can act like machine guns. It's also a little annoying when a blaster runs out of ammo and you have to discard and get it from a new enemy instead of an ammo pickup from a dead enemy like you get from the rifle and shotgun.

I am not glad, however, that the vehicle controls are awful.
Click to expand...
The weapon thing is intentional, though. It's done to distinguish the human and alien weapons, as the human guns require ammunition and reloading to work, while the alien weapons usually require batteries and cooldown to function. It may seem off, but that's what helps them stand out, as not all guns seem the same, even though they are in many ways. They even try to make them look different, with the cold grays, blacks and whites of human guns juxtaposed with the vibrant colors of Covenant weapons so that you know which variant of weapon you're moving towards. In the sequels they add new guns and they attempt to make the more distinguished, so that something like the Battle Rifle is clearly different in purpose than the Assault Rifle, and that the Covenant Carbine is different than the Energy Rifle or Energy Sword. But even after that, there's still similarities; the Rocket Launcher and the Fuel Rod Cannon are essentially loud explosive weapons, the Brute Hammer will function almost the same of the Energy Sword, the Beam Rifle will be almost just like the Sniper Rifle, just that they have minor variances that make them different. Fuel Rod shots can bounce and arc, Rockets are straight and direct; the Hammer launches opponents and objects away, the Sword is...prettier?; the Beam Rifle doesn't need to reload, but can overheat if fired too fast, while the Sniper Rifle needs to reload, but can be fired more consistently. These distinctions will be much more apparent if you play versus modes online, as you'll notice what guns kill more effectively given different situations.

The vehicle sections are weird because of the tight design on many of the levels, especially with protruding walls or objects, but fortunately they try to make the sections more open, sort of, in the games that follow. You'll also use more than just the Warthog, Ghost or Banshee to get around, so it's somewhat corrected later. But if you hate the last driving sequence in this game then I don't think you'll like the end of Halo 3...

Also, and this isn't meant to be condescending, but isn't it wrong to play a game on Easy and then say it's lacking in challenge? If you are not feeling like the battles are tough enough, set the game to Normal, or maybe even Heroic. If Heroic is too much, scale it back to Normal. I think if you set it to a higher difficulty you'll see why people tend to hate the Flood sections. If you finish the game, set the game to Legendary and just attempt playing through the Library level a few times. You'll want to be fighting the Covenant after that experience.

Later games in the series give you much better navigation information, so you won't get lost as easily or not understand what to do, fortunately.

 
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qp Rop3ADop3 qp said:
Damn Costa Rica and Netherlands shootout kept me on the edge of the seat. 1/2 Finals have the strongest teams playing now. I'm pumped.
Click to expand...
Tense ending. I was waiting all game for Holland to get one in and they just couldn't do it. Van Gaal looks like a genius with the goalkeeper switch and the Dutch stars buried those PKs.

 
tylerh1701 said:
Tense ending. I was waiting all game for Holland to get one in and they just couldn't do it. Van Gaal looks like a genius with the goalkeeper switch and the Dutch stars buried those PKs.
Click to expand...
I'm surprised they didn't kick all 4 into the stands the way their luck had gone that match.
 
The Ebbtide said:
The weapon thing is intentional, though. It's done to distinguish the human and alien weapons, as the human guns require ammunition and reloading to work, while the alien weapons usually require batteries and cooldown to function. It may seem off, but that's what helps them stand out, as not all guns seem the same, even though they are in many ways. They even try to make them look different, with the cold grays, blacks and whites of human guns juxtaposed with the vibrant colors of Covenant weapons so that you know which variant of weapon you're moving towards. In the sequels they add new guns and they attempt to make the more distinguished, so that something like the Battle Rifle is clearly different in purpose than the Assault Rifle, and that the Covenant Carbine is different than the Energy Rifle or Energy Sword. But even after that, there's still similarities; the Rocket Launcher and the Fuel Rod Cannon are essentially loud explosive weapons, the Brute Hammer will function almost the same of the Energy Sword, the Beam Rifle will be almost just like the Sniper Rifle, just that they have minor variances that make them different. Fuel Rod shots can bounce and arc, Rockets are straight and direct; the Hammer launches opponents and objects away, the Sword is...prettier?; the Beam Rifle doesn't need to reload, but can overheat if fired too fast, while the Sniper Rifle needs to reload, but can be fired more consistently. These distinctions will be much more apparent if you play versus modes online, as you'll notice what guns kill more effectively given different situations.

The vehicle sections are weird because of the tight design on many of the levels, especially with protruding walls or objects, but fortunately they try to make the sections more open, sort of, in the games that follow. You'll also use more than just the Warthog, Ghost or Banshee to get around, so it's somewhat corrected later. But if you hate the last driving sequence in this game then I don't think you'll like the end of Halo 3...

Also, and this isn't meant to be condescending, but isn't it wrong to play a game on Easy and then say it's lacking in challenge? If you are not feeling like the battles are tough enough, set the game to Normal, or maybe even Heroic. If Heroic is too much, scale it back to Normal. I think if you set it to a higher difficulty you'll see why people tend to hate the Flood sections. If you finish the game, set the game to Legendary and just attempt playing through the Library level a few times. You'll want to be fighting the Covenant after that experience.

Later games in the series give you much better navigation information, so you won't get lost as easily or not understand what to do, fortunately.
Click to expand...
Before I forget to ask again: Next to my enemy radar is "15m". What does that mean?

I figured that with weapons. I forgot to mention I liked the idea of that one pistol that you can charge up to attack enemies with shields.

I just beat the game and I saw what I was doing wrong on the last level: The biggest truck that is left after the others explode handles like shit. I went and grabbed the standard truck while the A.I. was talking and got through the course (tipping over is still a problem with these controls).

I always play Easy to get use to the controls, enjoy the story, admire graphics, etc.. Even here gameplay should change somewhat and for me, most of the pre Flood stuff felt like the same old same old experience (hence my "going through the motions" comments earlier). Even the environments looked the same; that person who said "hope you like purple" wasn't kidding. I understand what you mean by too easy (Gears of War 2 and up is like that) but Easy mode was still challenging enough.

Thanks for responding to my rants, BTW. I'm curious to see what the sequels improve on.

 
Cage017 said:
The difficulty definitely picks up since the Library (I'm playing this on Easy, BTW).

The weapons you pick up through most of this game are basically the same thing: Assault rifle and two blasters which can act like machine guns. It's also a little annoying when a blaster runs out of ammo and you have to discard and get it from a new enemy instead of an ammo pickup from a dead enemy like you get from the rifle and shotgun. I'm glad to hear there are different weapons throughout the sequels.

I am not glad, however, that the vehicle controls are awful. Case in point this level I'm on now where you have 5 minutes to reach a destination. I'm pushing forward on the controller and it goes in reverse. And there are plenty of times where I'll move a little and my vehicle flips over. You go back into it and OOPS you're in the passenger side. You can't even slide to the driver's side so getting out and walking over to get into the driver's side (even more "fun" when it's blocked off by a wall) all within a time limit is a pain in the ass.

Oh, and the cramped environments and the magic leaps you have to perform (which in my case I miss and results in instant death) may be the worst driving experience I've ever had in a video game.
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Odd that you have troubles with the controls because I think they're some of the best (or at least the easiest to pick up) vehicle controls on a console. Yeah unfortunately you can't slide out of the passenger and go into the driver's seat. So you may not enjoy the vehicle sections in later games because they don't really add that. Although I'll say just give it some more time and hopefully you'll get used to it. As far as the warthog flipping, that happens sometimes if you're in tight or bumpy spaces which as far as I remember weren't too many to really ruin the experience. Just keep at it and you'll get better :)

EDIT: Also to answer your question above, the 15m next to the enemy radar is the radius of what your radar can pick up.

 
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johnnymavrik said:
If anyone bought Max Payne 3 a few weeks back when it was on sale, a word to the wise. There is about 6GB of downloads you have to get in order to finish the solo campaign. For some reason, it doesn't download with the game and you have to get the files from the ingame store.
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I guess I'll be uninstalling the game then...with a 20gb drive I have no room left to download another 6gb. That really sucks!
 
^That's a great price for Live, especially if you don't get charged tax where you live.

Cage017 said:
Before I forget to ask again: Next to my enemy radar is "15m". What does that mean?

I figured that with weapons. I forgot to mention I liked the idea of that one pistol that you can charge up to attack enemies with shields.

I always play Easy to get use to the controls, enjoy the story, admire graphics, etc.. Even here gameplay should change somewhat and for me, most of the pre Flood stuff felt like the same old same old experience (hence my "going through the motions" comments earlier).
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It's been answered, but to further elaborate the motion tracker range is just to tell you what is nearby you. If you notice, red dots are enemies and yellow are friendly. In some of the games when you get into a vehicle the range of the motion tracker expands, so that you can see enemy movement better and at farther distances in them. Also, enemy vehicles show up a bigger red dots and friendly vehicles are big yellow dots. Flood usually show up a little red dots, which is useful in levels where they may be overwhelming.

The weapon setup is sort of interesting, as rapid fire weapons tend to be great at eliminating enemy shields (the Elites, those aliens with the 4-way opening maws, have shields and sometimes carry swords). One shot weapons tend to be better for kill shots, like when they're shields are down. So an assault rifle would be useful for taking down shields, but you would then be better off switching to something like a pistol (this is if you have 'weaker' weapons, or are looking to experiment with weapons). That will actually be useful for later games, as the point of weapons becomes more strategic, especially on higher difficulties.

Also be aware that, unfortunately, the human pistol in the game is almost always different in capability. It's great in the first Halo, with how it zooms and how strong it is. In Halo 2 it holds more ammo and fires faster, but is weaker. In Halo 3 it's almost completely worthless; it's weak and slow firing, with no zoom function. Halo: Reach and ODST give the pistol the zoom and strength back, and Halo 4 also makes the pistol more of a useful weapon. Each game tends to gives different balance to weapons, so a gun that was great in one title may be worthless in another title, though that's not always true.

If you do enjoy the game, and enjoy the later games, don't forget that Halo 3 forward have online Cooperative available, and you could always ask for help to get through the higher difficulties (Halo Anniversary actually adds the option for online cooperative play if you'd be interested in picking it up for that; it's not necessary as you've already played through the main game, but it is a neat upgrade). Or, if you are playing alone, you can use a second controller to act as a mobile respawn point. You can respawn on the living player if they're not being shot at, and even if the second 'player' is not moving or idle they'll just warp forward as you move through the map, so you don't need to keep moving them along. You can do this in most of the games.

 
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Yeah, I think I'll pull the trigger.  I don't play on my 360 often, but for games with gold and planning to get an Xbox One later in the year I'll jump on it.  I have $50 in MS giftcards from the point swap and gamestop $5 codes.

You can't 'purchase' Xbox One games with Gold and use them when you first get the system like PS4, right?

 
gthirst said:
You can't 'purchase' Xbox One games with Gold and use them when you first get the system like PS4, right?
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Yes, you can. Just go to the game's page on Xbox.com and you can 'purchase' the game for free, assuming you have an active gold sub. Then you just go to the My Games & Apps section on the X1, once you have it, and download your games, even months later!

 
JohnWayne said:
I actually care about it. Quit being ignorant and acting like an asshole, not everyone is the same.
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I care about Desmonds story more than anything else in the AC series. When it all comes down to it, he is the reason for the games.

I apologise if I actually ruined anything, for anyone in the thread. I honestly just assumed that everyone had played the games...and I made an ass of myself in the meantime.

Seriously, sorry peeps.
 
Cage017 said:
The difficulty definitely picks up since the Library (I'm playing this on Easy, BTW).
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Well, there's your problem! Play through on at least Heroic. You may want to hook up a second controller and play through Legendary on co-op so you have infinite lives. Get used to playing the game on more challenging modes. I've solo'd all the games in the series on Legendary (except 2 because it sucks) and they are insanely fun. The assault rifle is completely useless on Legendary, so you are forced to use more interesting weapons and to make every round count. The 2-weapon limit makes the game like a puzzle: you have to know what's ahead and carry the best two weapons for the job if you hope to survive. The Elite AI in Halo 1 is second to none on Legendary; outsmarting and out-shooting an elite in a one-on-one encounter will make a man outta you.

 
Call me old fashioned, but I prefer driving where you have a button for acceleration - not a D pad or analog stick. Looking at the cursor on the screen pretty much let me avoid too many traps on Halo.     I heard Killzone was refered to as a "Halo Killer" so I'll probably try that next. Interesting that it came out the same year as Halo 2 (2004). As far as if I liked Halo: CE, sure. I hated Gears of War at first but once I played some more I enjoyed it.

I finally downloaded the demo to Narco Terror and I see why people haven't talked about it.

Good graphics + bad controls + repetitive music = delete.

Still waiting for Child of Light's trial to finish downloading. 

 
EDIT: Argh, my first double post. Can't figure out how to delete it.

Call me old fashioned, but I prefer driving where you have a button for acceleration - not a D pad or analog stick. Looking at the cursor on the screen pretty much let me avoid too many traps on Halo.     I heard Killzone was refered to as a "Halo Killer" so I'll probably try that next. Interesting that it came out the same year as Halo 2 (2004). As far as if I liked Halo: CE, sure. I hated Gears of War at first but once I played some more I enjoyed it.

I finally downloaded the demo to Narco Terror and I see why people haven't talked about it.

Good graphics + bad controls + repetitive music = delete.

Still waiting for Child of Light's trial to finish downloading. 

 
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The Ebbtide said:
That's interesting, as most online comments indicate that people tend to not enjoy the Flood sections. If it matters, the Flood do appear in Halo 2 and 3, but not 4, Reach or ODST.
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The Flood was easily the worst part, I hated from the swamp on mostly, and ESPECIALLY hated the Library. The best part was easily the outdoor levels vs Covenant (I did not enjoy it as much on the Pillar of Autumn or the Truth and Reconciliation). I want to take out hunkered down Jackals behind their shields. I want to engage Elites in open combat. And I want to run up against Hunter pairs and have to figure out what to do with them.

The Flood are a key cog in the overall storyline but... given my druthers from just a gameplay standpoint I would gladly remove them entirely.

 
Cage017 said:
Call me old fashioned, but I prefer driving where you have a button for acceleration - not a D pad or analog stick. Looking at the cursor on the screen pretty much let me avoid too many traps on Halo. I heard Killzone was refered to as a "Halo Killer" so I'll probably try that next. Interesting that it came out the same year as Halo 2 (2004). As far as if I liked Halo: CE, sure. I hated Gears of War at first but once I played some more I enjoyed it.
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I had no idea Killzone was on PS2. I thought that was a PS3 games. Must not have been popular at the time or I would have bought it or at least heard of it.

Took me awhile to learn how to drive in Halo. It is the first game I've played with the weird driving controls. I was so confused.

Finished Guacamelee earlier. Easy and fun 1000GS. Fingers crossed for Child of Light sale next week.
 
IamnotBatman said:
I care about Desmonds story more than anything else in the AC series. When it all comes down to it, he is the reason for the games.
I apologise if I actually ruined anything, for anyone in the thread. I honestly just assumed that everyone had played the games...and I made an ass of myself in the meantime.
Seriously, sorry peeps.
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It's no biggie man, you didn't mean to do it, it's just the people who are ignorant and think that only their opinion matters and just automatically assume that others will have the same opinion. And yes, I know theirs been some people wanting to rid of the abstergo missions but in no way does that represent everyone in the community because there are people who care about it, like you and me. I've always thought that the abstergo missions were an integral part of the story since I first played AC1 and couldn't imagine what Assassin's Creed's future storyline would be like without it.
 
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Primis said:
The Flood was easily the worst part, I hated from the swamp on mostly, and ESPECIALLY hated the Library. The best part was easily the outdoor levels vs Covenant (I did not enjoy it as much on the Pillar of Autumn or the Truth and Reconciliation). I want to take out hunkered down Jackals behind their shields. I want to engage Elites in open combat. And I want to run up against Hunter pairs and have to figure out what to do with them.

The Flood are a key cog in the overall storyline but... given my druthers from just a gameplay standpoint I would gladly remove them entirely.
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Remember the Cortland level from Halo 3? *shivers*

 
IamnotBatman said:
I care about Desmonds story more than anything else in the AC series. When it all comes down to it, he is the reason for the games.

I apologise if I actually ruined anything, for anyone in the thread. I honestly just assumed that everyone had played the games...and I made an ass of myself in the meantime.

Seriously, sorry peeps.
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I'm between AC:B and AC:R right now so I was none too happy about that spoiler, but thanks for apologizing instead of acting like a jerk like some of the other posters.

 
Cage017 said:
I heard Killzone was refered to as a "Halo Killer" so I'll probably try that next. Interesting that it came out the same year as Halo 2 (2004). As far as if I liked Halo: CE, sure. I hated Gears of War at first but once I played some more I enjoyed it.
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Don't go into Killzone with the Halo Killer expectation. Even the developers hate that comparison; I'm not sure if it was Sony or journalists looking to sensationalize something, but it's not the right mindset to have.

Expecting a game that trumps Halo will immediately make you not enjoy Killzone. It's a slow game, with sluggish controls and confined areas. Halo offers a few levels where you have open spaces, where vehicles can be used, where enemies can move around to combat you. Killzone is more like small levels, or sections, that you move through, slowly assembling your team to beat the enemy. Since I expect you to play it on Easy your first time through, you'll get to notice that even areas that seem big are really restricted, with barricades and even invisible walls preventing you from moving to areas you may want to get to. Also, the AI is not that impressive when considering how varied Halo's AI works.

But enough with the insults, as Killzone is still a good game. It has some intense action at some sequences, a storyline that works for the setting (and won't potentially lose you like Halo can), and interesting features (which oddly are abandoned in the sequels...for no reason). In Killzone, some weapons have an alternate fire, like how your starting assault rifle has an under-mounted grenade launcher, while the enemy assault rifle has a under-mounted shotgun. The enemy assault rifle fires faster, but less accurately, while the heroes assault rifle is accurate, but slower firing with a small magazine. You'll need to consider which weapon is the best gun for certain situations, like CQB vs long range fights.

But Killzone has a really neat feature; as you play you build up a small team. Each member of your team (4 total) has different abilities and limitations. One is stealthy, but weaker. One team member is strong, but slow moving. Some can access certain areas that others cannot, and some can use weapons that others cannot. It gives levels replayability, and can make them seem fresh when you can take a different path, though it may only be a slight detour.

Killzone also has local versus with the ability to add bots (something Halo games still do not have for some reason). It's a fun thing to play solo or alone, and a great way to get familiar with weapons you may not use frequently.

There's plenty of reviews across the internet, but they don't matter as you already have the game. Just don't expect it to be anything like Halo. Expect a military shooter with a focus on squad action, and not so much on grand battles. I'm blinded by the nostalgia of having played Killzone long before I played Halo, so I was able to enjoy it without comparison. But after having played Halo, it's a totally flawed comparison compare any Halo game to Killzone, beyond that they're both First Person Shooters, and use science fiction elements in each games respective war environments.

 
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rlm2112 said:
In this thread we learn things about games from two generations ago, as if they aren't common knowledge. ;)
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no kidding. if were going to go back that far and post obvious things, well battlefront 2 was the best game of the system. they're making a sequel btw people
 
bob101910 said:
I had no idea Killzone was on PS2. I thought that was a PS3 games. Must not have been popular at the time or I would have bought it or at least heard of it.

Took me awhile to learn how to drive in Halo. It is the first game I've played with the weird driving controls. I was so confused.
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They re-released it as the Killzone Trilogy for PS3 as well.

I get the feeling the driving method stays the same. It's weird to have a cursor on screen to direct your driver.

Now that I think about it, the worst driving experience is on .... Driver. I'm referring to the PS1 titles where the slightest touch of the gas causes control issues.

The Ebbtide said:
Don't go into Killzone with the Halo Killer expectation. Even the developers hate that comparison; I'm not sure if it was Sony or journalists looking to sensationalize something, but it's not the right mindset to have.
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That was definitely what it was (I believe it was from Official Playstation Magazine). It's funny because I liked the demo on an OPM disc, bought the PS2 version and thought it was lacking to the point where I never finished it. If it wasn't for the HD upgrade (funny that Halo does it years later) and Killzone 2 being free when I bought my PS3, I would not have bothered with it again.

sicsonic said:
no kidding. if were going to go back that far and post obvious things, well battlefront 2 was the best game of the system. they're making a sequel btw people
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...... Battlefield is part of my backlog too.

 
I beat Valiant Hearts tonight. That ending... I enjoyed the game. Just gotta go back and collect the few historical items that I missed and replay 2 sections that have unique achievements. The recolored photographs and items used during the war were nice pieces of history. That's how you do collectibles.

I'm enjoying the UbiArt/UbiWorkshop titles. My main, tiny disappointment is for achievement pictures on XB1. Every single one in Valiant Hearts and Rayman Legends are the same based on what my Activity feed shows. These games have gorgeous art so it seems like a missed opportunity. I love the tiles in Guacamelee which is in stark contrast to the others.
 
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Cleaner7 said:
I beat Valiant Hearts tonight. That ending... I enjoyed the game. Just gotta go back and collect the few historical items that I missed and replay 2 sections that have unique achievements. The recolored photographs and items used during the war were nice pieces of history. That's how you do collectibles.
I'm enjoying the UbiArt/UbiWorkshop titles. My main, tiny disappointment is for achievement pictures on XB1. Every single one in Valiant Hearts and Rayman Legends are the same based on what my Activity feed shows. These games have gorgeous art so it seems like a missed opportunity. I love the tiles in Guacamelee which is in stark contrast to the others.
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Im glad i wasnt the only one annoyed about how lazy they were with achievement art. Game was amazing though. Story was really intriguing, ive been more impressed with these cheaper titles then aaa titles so far this gen. Bring back memories of old school gaming, im just hoping we get more games similar to this. That ending though, i shed a thug tear :(.
 
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Outrun9 said:
Can you pay with money that's already in your account or do you have to use a credit/debit card?
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I tried to use microsoft account funds but it was greyed out. I did a decent amount of google digging and found that you have to pay by credit card/paypal. Ended up using CC.

 
Honestly, I don't know what I want for deals this week.

After that AC4 $10 from Best Buy thing, most of us won't need that, and also because they will never discount AC4 digital copy down to that price.

 
Magic 2015 is supposed to come out next week (the 15th to be exact).  Hopefully that and banjo collection are both $10 so I can use all my saved up GS credit on both games.

 
MykelxKnight said:
Im glad i wasnt the only one annoyed about how lazy they were with achievement art. Game was amazing though. Story was really intriguing, ive been more impressed with these cheaper titles then aaa titles so far this gen. Bring back memories of old school gaming, im just hoping we get more games similar to this. That ending though, i shed a thug tear :(.
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Yeah I'm really enjoying all these downloadable titles. Most are Ubisoft between Trial Fusion, Child of Light, and Valiant Hearts. I cried at the ending. No shame. I normally would wait for sales on their titles but I wanted to show support at launch for the UbiArt ones. I got Trials for free but would've paid full price or gotten the retail for 20‰ off with GCU.

And I have to say I'm loving the new Intenso power in Guacamelee STCE and the new areas. I found a cool Qbert reference. And I like the other updated references like the Super Time Force one.
 
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