Xbox 360 Game Reviews P-R
Perfect Dark Zero Review
Perfect Dark Zero had some impossibly large shoes to fill and, unfortunately, it falls short of the incredible expectations placed upon it prior to release. It isn’t a bad game, but it is far from great, particularly when compared to some recent FPS games on the Xbox. With that said, however, it is still one of the best multiplayer titles available for the Xbox 360 and worth picking up with your new system even if it doesn’t quite live up to the hype.
Phantasy Star Universe Review (X360)
Phantasy Star Universe is an action-RPG where the main attraction is hooking up with your friends online to hack and slash your way through dungeons in search of rare items and loot. It also includes a surprisingly excellent single-player adventure that will make anime fans absolutely giddy. Whether you plan to play it online or just want a decent 20 hour RPG on the Xbox 360, Phantasy Star Universe is worth checking out.
Pinball Hall of Fame: The Williams Collection Review (X360)
Pinball Hall of Fame: The Williams Collection takes us back to the glory days when the local arcade was THE hangout and pinball was the sport of kings. Now, though, arcades are dead and pinball is long gone. Thankfully, Crave Ent. and FarSight Studios have recreated 13 classic pinball tables in one great game for the Xbox 360. Whether you are an oldschool fan or a younger gamer looking to see what all of the fuss was about, Pinball HoF: The Williams Collection is worth checking out.
Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End Review (X360)
The summer blockbuster movie (and movie game) season is in full swing now, and Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End is the latest movie licensed game to hit store shelves. The graphics are surprisingly good, but the gameplay is too simple and repetitive to really hold you for too long. It isn’t bad, it isn’t good, it is merely average. It makes for a decent rental, but not a purchase unless you are a huge Pirates fan.
Power Gig: Rise of the SixString Review (X360)
Power Gig: Rise of the SixString is the first game to let you play with a real guitar for a controller. Sound like a dream game for wannabe rockers everyone. More like a nightmare, actually. Move along, beginner guitar players, nothing to see here. Find out all of the details in our full review.
Prey Review (Xbox 360)
Prey is an odd game to review. It looks great and introduces some nifty new gameplay mechanics, but when you actually play it, it is hard not to feel a little under whelmed. Sure, it has the portals and wall walking and spirit walking stuff, but they don’t really change the standard FPS formula. There is nothing really wrong with it, but it isn’t anything special, either. Prey is decent and well worth a rental just for some easy achievement points, but is pretty forgettable overall.
Prince of Persia Review (X360)
Prince of Persia makes the jump to next-gen with a re-imagining of the franchise. There are no Sands of Time here, and instead there is a new Prince and a new world to explore all wrapped up in some of the most gorgeous and unique looking graphics we’ve seen in a long time. Every aspect of the game has been polished to a high shine, and Prince of Persia is truly one of the best games of the year. Find out more right here.
Prince of Persia: The Forgotten Sands Review (X360)
Prince of Persia: The Forgotten Sands is a by-the-numbers, predictable entry in the Prince of Persia series. That means it is still pretty darn good, all things considered, but it doesn't really stand out the way PoP 2008 or The Sands of Time did when they were released. It is enjoyable, but not memorable. It is good, but not special. In other words, a solid rental. Find out all of the detai…
Pro Evolution Soccer 2008 Review (X360)
Another year, another great playing but poor everything else Winning Eleven/Pro Evolution Soccer release. We love the smooth and flowing gameplay, but are getting sick of the average graphics and lack of licenses. Come on Konami! EA’s FIFA series is catching up little by little every year, and unless you spend some money on licenses and giving the graphics an overhaul, soccer fans are going to start abandoning you. Pro Evo 08 is still a decent game, but it could have been so much more.
Pro Evolution Soccer 2010 Review (X360)
What is it with sports games and the long time competitor finally catching up to the champ and not just beating them, but blowing them out of the water? We’ve seen it with hockey, football, and soccer. Is it that the new games are that much better, or is the older “champ” not as hot as we thought it was in the first place? The rapid decline of the Pro Evolution Soccer series has been stu…
Pro Evolution Soccer 2011 Review (X360)
Konami has been playing catch up with EA's FIFA soccer series for the last few years as it's once dominant Pro Evolution series hasn't quite had the gameplay or presentation to really compete. Pro Evolution Soccer 2011 represents Konami's finest attempt at Xbox 360 football in a while, with plenty of modes, improved presentation, and refined...
Project Gotham Racing 3 Review
Project Gotham Racing 3 is the sequel to one of the best racing games on the Xbox and it is also a showcase title for the new Xbox 360 so it had a lot of hype to live up to. Thankfully, it delivers everything fans expected plus a whole lot more. It features a ton of cars and tracks, it plays great both online and off, and it looks and sounds absolutely gorgeous. This is a must own game and you’ll only find it on Xbox 360.
Project Gotham Racing 4 Review (X360)
Project Gotham Racing is back and better than ever after a nearly two year break since PGR3 launched alongside the Xbox 360 in November 2005. PGR4 takes everything that was great about that game and improves it. It looks better, has a far better car list, has a better career mode, and just plain has more stuff to do. The gameplay is as sharp as ever as well. Project Gotham Racing 4 is a solid racing game that Xbox 360 owners will be proud to have in their collection.
Prototype Review (X360)
Activision and Radical Entertainment’s Prototype is like the ultimate superhero (maybe super villain is more appropriate) sandbox game. Pretty much every super ability we have seen in a sandbox game over the last few years has been crammed into Prototype to ensure that you can literally do anything you want. And that is a good thing because it makes Prototype one of the best pick up and play goof off games we have seen in a while. Find out all of the details right here in our full review.
PURE Review (X360)
The title “PURE” is perfect for this game. While other offroad series have gotten a bit bloated with too many vehicle types (none of which play all that well), Disney Interactive and Black Rock Studios sought to create the best possible racing game around just one discipline – ATVs. And they more than succeeded. PURE is gorgeous looking, fast paced, accessible, and just plain fun to play. Find out all of the details right here.
Quake 4 Review
Quake 4 combines the best parts of Quake II and Quake III Arena by featuring a lengthy single player campaign along with fast and frantic multiplayer to create the ultimate Quake experience. Some technical issues sour the experience, but the game is undeniably fun and a surprisingly good value so it is worth checking out.
R.U.S.E. Review (X360)
The concept of fooling your opponents in real-time-strategy games isn't anything new, but R.U.S.E. brings more depth to your battlefield...
Race Pro Review (X360)
Race Pro, found exclusively on the Xbox 360, is the first console title from award winning PC simulation racing experts SimBin. Their obvious expertise shines through in the absolutely amazing gameplay and extensive tuning options. However, the presentation isn’t exactly stellar, and the car and track lists are both fairly thin compared to other games in the genre. Race Pro is a game that is easy to love, but there just isn’t enough of it to keep you satisfied in the long term.
Raiden FIghters Aces Review (X360)
Scrolling shoot ‘em ups (or “shmups” from here on out) have mostly died out in the U.S. ever since arcades started their downward turn. It is sad, really, because shmups offer some of the most intense and satisfying high score chasing gameplay around. Thankfully, the genre is making a mini-comeback on Xbox 360 as there are several titles on the XBLA and now Valcon Games has published Raiden Fighters Aces, a retail package of three great shmups for the amazing price of $20.
Rainbow Six Vegas 2 Review (X360)
Recipe for success: Take everything that was good about the original R6V, add in some new features and fixes requested by fans, and let bake for 18 months. The result is a solid game that absolutely plays better than the first game. It isn’t dramatically different, and because of the return to Las Vegas setting it kind of has an “expansion pack” feeling rather than that fresh new game feel. It is still great fun, though, and one of the best co-op games on the Xbox 360. Find out more here.
Rainbow Six: Vegas Review (X360)
In the same way Ubisoft “fixed” Splinter Cell with Chaos Theory and Ghost Recon with Advanced Warfighter, the Rainbow Six series has been reborn in a more accessible, and ultimately far superior version in Rainbow Six: Vegas. It looks fantastic, plays amazingly well, and is filled with features and modes that will keep you playing for weeks to come. Rainbow Six: Vegas is a great game that is highly recommended.
Rapala Fishing Frenzy 2009 Review (X360)
Rapala Fishing Frenzy 2009 is the lazy man’s fishing game. You never have to move your boat and it doesn’t matter what lure you use because the fish will bite anything and you literally catch a fish on every cast. There is no challenge or strategy or realistic fishing here whatsoever. The potential audience for fishing games is already pretty small, but Rapala Fishing Frenzy 2009 is too simple of a game to appeal to even the most desperate fisherman. Find out all of the details right here.
Rapala Pro Bass Fishing Review (X360)
We weren't fans of the last Rapala game, Rapala Fishing Frenzy 2009, but we were hopeful that the new Rapala Pro Bass Fishing would somehow be good. Activision's hunting games have greatly improved the last couple of years, after all, so we hoped that trend would carry over to fishing as well. The good news is that it is much better than...
Red Dead Redemption Review (X360)
Red Dead Redemption is an Old West-themed sandbox game where you'll ask yourself multiple times while you play "I wonder if I can do this ...", referring to some specific clichéd "Western" action, and more often than not you can. It has been lovingly crafted to not only mimic Western films, but real life in the West as well. The result is a fresh, incredibly detailed take on open world games t…
Red Faction: Guerrilla Review (X360)
The Red Faction series is about 100% pure destruction and Guerrilla is no different. The perspective has switched from first to third-person and the linear levels are gone in favor of an open world, but the visceral thrill of blowing stuff up remains. And, really, that is all you need. Red Faction: Guerrilla is just plain crazy fun, and we recommend it. Find out all of the details in our full review.
Resident Evil 5 Review (X360)
The Resident Evil of 2009 is a rather different beast from the Resident Evil of 1996. The pacing, gameplay, and even the enemies are completely different from the way the series started. These changes, for the most part, have been positive and 2005’s Resident Evil 4 stands as one of the best games of all time thanks to these changes. Resident Evil 5 takes that award winning formula and twists it even more away from the series' roots. Did this change pay off? Find out in our full review.
Ridge Racer 6 Review
The Ridge Racer games have always been known for their fast pace and drift-crazy gameplay and Ridge Racer 6 is no exception. This is Ridge Racer at its absolute finest with tons of cars, lots of races to compete in, gorgeous graphics, great sound, and gameplay that has been fine tuned to near perfection. The game might not be for everyone, but once you get “into” it, Ridge Racer 6 is very enjoyable.
Rise of the Argonauts Review (X360)
Rise of the Argonauts is a promising concept – you can’t go wrong with the stories and characters of Greek mythology – but is dragged down by sub-par graphics, questionable world design, and an agonizingly slow pace. There are flashes of brilliance here and there, and for fans of the mythos it is easier to forgive the flaws because it is just so cool to be able to play through this story and see some of the characters and locations of legend. Find out more right here.
Robert Ludlum's: The Bourne Conspiracy Review (X360)
Whether you are a die-hard Bourne fan or not, The Bourne Conspiracy is a solid action game that is definitely worth checking out. It features great graphics and sound, fun (but simple) gameplay, and really gives you the feeling that you truly are in control of a powerful and dangerous weapon in Jason Bourne. It is very short, however, and doesn’t offer any multiplayer to pad the experience, which make The Bourne Conspiracy more of a rental than a purchase. Find all of the details right here.
Rock Band 2 Review (X360)
On the surface it seems like not too terribly much has changed from Rock Band 1 to Rock Band 2 other than the track listing, but when you dig a little deeper you find a sequel that is far and away better than the original. It offers a lengthy and deep single-player experience. It has a no fail mode so multiplayer sessions aren’t interrupted no matter how terrible your family and friends are at the game. And it offers up the hugest track listing of any music game ever. You need Rock Band 2.
Rock Band 3 Review (X360)
Rock Band 3 is really two games in one. On one hand, it is the same plastic instrument music / rhythm game we've been playing for years now, but also introduces a new keyboard peripheral for even more fun. On the other hand, it can actually teach you how to really play a real guitar and also features more realistic modes for drums and...
Rock Band Review (X360)
EA, Harmonix, and MTV’s monster music game is finally upon us, but is it worth the hefty $170 asking price for the full kit? Whether you are playing solo or have friends that want to play, the answer is a definite yes. Nothing beats the feeling of getting a group together and creating music, even if it is using fake instruments. Rock Band is just crazy fun, has a good soundtrack, and is a solid addition to the Xbox 360 lineup that I highly recommend.
Rock Revolution Review (X360)
Remember all of the kids that like to pop up in Rock Band or Guitar Hero discussions and tell you all about how Konami invented the genre with GuitarFreaks and DrumManaia and should get more credit? Well, now you can tell those kids to kindly shut up because Konami’s first attempt at bringing their “expertise” in the genre to the mainstream is...
Rockstar Games Presents Table Tennis Review (X360)
Rockstar Games Presents Table Tennis is an extremely solid game of ping pong from famed developer Rockstar. The gameplay is surprisingly solid and the character models are some of the best we have seen in a videogame yet. It is just too bad the rest of the package is so bare bones. The $40 price tag definitely works in Table Tennis’ favor, but I’m not sure that there is $40 worth of gameplay here.
Rumble Roses XX Review (X360)
Rumble Roses XX is an all-female wrestling game from Konami and developer Yukes. The in-ring action is decent and the girls are fairly good looking, but there are way too many roadblocks standing between you and having any real fun with the game. The single player is bland, the system for unlocking stuff is absolutely horrible, and there just isn’t enough meat to the gameplay to keep you interested for very long. It can be an enjoyable game at times, but Rumble Roses XX is a rental at best.