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- Review count59
- Helpfulness votes46
- First reviewSeptember 24, 2018
- Last reviewApril 22, 2022
- Featured reviews0
- Average rating4.7
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Part one of the Mafia crime saga - 1930s, Lost Heaven, IL. Re-made from the ground up, rise through the ranks of the Mafia during the Prohibition era of organized crime. After a run-in with the mob, cab driver Tommy Angelo is thrust into a deadly underworld. Initially uneasy about falling in with the Salieri crime family, Tommy soon finds that the rewards are too big to ignore
Customer Rating
5
Stay golden...
on October 28, 2020
Posted by: Stevethedirector
Verified Purchase:Yes
As a longtime fan of the crime genre, Mafia 1 is a game I never had the pleasure of playing upon its initial release. However, I had a great time with the other 2 games in the trilogy - so this remake was an awesome surprise, as well as a beautiful introduction to a world and story that absolutely needs to be experienced, especially for fans of the subject matter. From the open sequences, this game exudes a feeling of CLASSIC, and I mean that in every way - from its place in gaming history and the scope of the complete rebuild, to the actual atmosphere inside the gameplay experience. Characters are straightforward, yet really well performed, making the story a somewhat by-the-numbers plot of the rise and fall that occurs in mafia settings, though this story also offers its own personality, enough to push its set of fingerprints into the genre mold. Gameplay is still something that reflects the era of the original, though it has been tweaked for modern comforts - the strides come in the form of an open-world with no side-missions, or much to explore for other than a few collectibles and secret cars. This is very much in the vein of L.A. Noire, though definitely not the same kind of game. Mafia is more reliant on action: shootouts and getaway driving. None of it ever really has the time to get boring, as the mission structure keeps the momentum rolling smoothly from one chapter to the next. Most missions never really feeling too short or too long, and often keeps the interest of going from one to the next a rather addictive progression. Before I knew it, I was sitting before the rolling credits, quite pleased with the lack of unnecessary exposition and petty side-missions, while still having a decent length in playtime - somewhere around 20-25 hours, all of it focused on story, while sticking some smaller missions for some character/world exposure. This is by far the best entry in the Mafia series, even better with this remade version, as the graphics look really good overall. Some background and side characters lack detail, but from what I’ve seen of the older game, this entire game is just absolutely wonderful and immersive. I really can’t recommend this game enough, especially to those really enjoy crime stories.
Length of ownership: 32
Mobile Submission: true
I would recommend this to a friend!
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Five years after their dangerous journey across the post-pandemic United States, Ellie and Joel have settled down in Jackson, Wyoming. Living amongst a thriving community of survivors has allowed them peace and stability, despite the constant threat of the infected and other, more desperate survivors. When a violent event disrupts that peace, Ellie embarks on a relentless journey to carry out justice and find closure. As she hunts those responsible one by one, she is confronted with the devastating physical and emotional repercussions of her actions.
Customer Rating
5
A novelist’s video game...
on August 16, 2020
Posted by: Stevethedirector
Verified Purchase:Yes
I feel it’s important to start this review with a simple statement: I love reading books, and I love the medium of books. Words literally cost nothing, and when used correctly, they can take you absolutely anywhere. Everything is possible. This statement is important to how I view The Last Of Us: Part Two.
Now, I wouldn’t be reviewing Part 2 without having enjoyed the first part - in fact, I loved the first so much, I was content with not having a sequel. But given the financial gain and critical success of The Last Of Us, there was no doubt we were getting a sequel. Naming a sequel “Part Two” immediately comes off as novel-esque, implying we are now playing something that is PART of more, making everything that came before liable for its actions - including, and especially, our characters, Joel and Ellie. All I could think was: nothing is sacred anymore - I have read far too many books to know better. And clearly, not only was I right, I was among the few. It wasn’t until TLOU2 that I realized how very different the medium of books and the medium of video games were in their ability to tell stories. Previous to this game, I would’ve said that games are extremely close to being able to tell large scale, time-spanning, character evolving stories, and the audience is mostly adept enough to experience these stories. Especially after the likes of Red Dead Redemption 2. Ask me now, and my answer would be different. Though, it is clear that creators in the game medium have big novel-esque stories that they want to tell, and the interactive immersion of video games is still very promising for individuals looking to push and evolve the medium. And as of this writing, there simply is no game out there with the massive amount of success in providing this special experience than The Last Of Us Part One and Two as a whole - this is a story that spans time, characters, locations, and delivers a tale that is meant to create conversations, challenges perceptions. And even leaves you feeling just as raw as the characters you control. If it’s not clear, I’m doing my best to talk and dance around the details on this one, as there’s spoilers around every corner. Even the way the story unravels itself gives off spoilers that are too good to reveal. So, this is one of those games that just needs to be experienced and judged on its own merits for each individual. Gameplay is incredibly similar to the first game, starting the player off with the same techniques that we left off with in the original. From there, we are given different tools, but still more of the same in terms of gameplay, and that goes for gunplay too. Everything does have a nice polish job on it, making the game feel overall smoother and more agile than the original, but no need to fix what isn’t broken here. That said, battles with the different enemy types is still incredibly tense and visceral - man, this is a mean game. Their are several new factions and enemies introduced into this game, as well as some from the first game, but these new factions will often leave one too anxious to even more, let alone strategize against them. And it all descends into the heart of darkness as each hour of the game passes. Speaking of which, this entry is much longer than the previous, almost twice as long - 20-30 hours. As said by the creators, this story, unlike the story of bonding and fear of loss of the first game, this second time around is focused on hatred and the cycles that drive us when consumed by it. Obviously, this outing is a lot more brooding than the last, and the game shows us how unrelenting its going to be from very early on. Rather than feeling like the player is pushing Ellie further along, it feels more like Ellie is pulling us deeper and deeper into a rabbit hole we don’t want to follow her down. Each action carrying its worth in weight. And this carries over to a new character that the player controls throughout the game - the cycle picking up and continuing to show us the full circle of violence and hatred, that which consumes so many within TLOU2. The game even goes as far as to hand the entire reigns of this character over for to the player for nearly half the game - something that feels redundant and repetitive, but is actually a bold move in shifting story perspective to build a bigger and even more brooding climax. In no way do we get reliability or relaxation with this character, but a deeper understanding of the reality of the world we are participating in, and just how dangerous everything is in the despair. By the end, I felt exhausted and emotionally depleted, but I also left thinking a lot about every aspect I had just experienced, how full my creative appetite was, and how the actions presented to me to finish this story were unlikely to ever be attempted in video games for a very long time, if ever again. The game had ended like a masterpiece novel, without the resolutions that really wanted, but everything the characters deserved, based on their momentary actions and beliefs - for good or bad.
Length of ownership: 57
Mobile Submission: true
I would recommend this to a friend!
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The Ghost of Tsushima Launch Edition includes the following content:-Game-Ghost of Tsushima Digital Mini Soundtrack*-Ghost of Tsushima Jin Dynamic Theme*-Ghost of Tsushima Jin Avatar*Pre-order to ensure your copy at launch. At participating retailers, while supplies last.In the late 13th century, the Mongol empire has laid waste to entire nations along their campaign to conquer the East. Tsushima Island is all that stands between mainland Japan and a massive Mongol invasion fleet led by the ruthless and cunning general, Khotun Khan. As the island burns in the wake of the first wave of the Mongol assault, samurai warrior Jin Sakai stands as one of the last surviving members of his clan. He is resolved to do whatever it takes, at any cost, to protect his people and reclaim his home. He must set aside the traditions that have shaped him as a warrior to forge a new path, the path of the Ghost, and wage an unconventional war for the freedom of Tsushima.-In War-Torn Tsushima, Ancient Beauty Endures: In this open-world action adventure, you~ll roam vast countrysides and expansive terrain to encounter rich characters, discover ancient landmarks, and uncover the hidden beauty of Tsushima.-The Rise of the Ghost: In his quest to reclaim Tsushima, Jin must seek support from old friends and new unlikely allies. He must break away from tradition, become a new kind of warrior, and protect what~s left of his home at all costs.-Mud, Blood, and Steel: Challenge opponents with your katana for an immersive samurai combat experience, master the bow to eliminate distant threats, and develop stealth tactics to disorient and ambush enemies with surprise attacks.*Redeem digital items by 12/31/2023
Customer Rating
5
Honor in war and death, with wonder and beauty...
on August 16, 2020
Posted by: Stevethedirector
Verified Purchase:Yes
I feel like gamers have been begging for this title for far too many years. Albeit, the request was primarily sent to Ubisoft and the Assassins’s Creed franchise, but for god reasons - mostly the historical and real-life inspirations the series uses from game-to-game. However, for reasons unknown, the AC never fulfilled this wish - I personally can’t help but wonder if they’re eating their words over that ignorance now that Ghost of Tsushima is out and firing on all cylinders. Even more so, the game Sucker Punch has built largely relies on the same open world mechanics that make games like Assassin’s Creed, Horizon Zero Dawn, Tomb Raider, and the likes. The only thing that separates this title from the aforementioned is it’s biggest point of success: authenticity of the world and its experience - the purity of its playability. This world feels incredibly beautiful, even when draped in the sadnesses and brutalities of war. The story is one that has clearly studied its history, even if using creativity in the tale being told. For those who carry knowledge of Samurai-era Japan are in for a treat, as this too is executed with great success. Playing Jin Sakai feels and controls smooth and brutal, emanating a lot of truth in feeling like a samurai. You can even flick blood from the blade, or bow to the fallen with a swipe of the touch pad. Another cool feature is the flute, something that can be played just as freely. The island of Tsushima is quite a large map, separated into thirds, in which the player locks each region one at a time. The side content is worth exploring every bit. Foxes take you to shrines, as well as there are bigger platform-based/climbing shrines. Yellow birds will take you to other various activities: bamboo cutting challenges, warm springs, light houses, vanity gear, and other really cool things - almost all of them boost a stat, or provide you with new gear upgrades. There’s also character-driven side-stories, and some really cool legendary tales old by different poets and musicians, teaching the player new and specialized techniques. The main story is solid, pitting a young Samurai lord against a dominating force of Mongols, headed by a direct descendant of Genghis Kahn. With our particular protagonist being forced to learn and evolve past the restrictions of the old samurai code of honor, the player can choose a variety of play styles, from stealth to pure action, and everything in between, and with real world reactions to the choices being made. The difficulty is on par with most casual games, nothing like Sekiro, though the sword play does revolve around parry, block and strike - with the side elements, like Kunai and Smoke Bombs, to assist. The difficulty is adjustable as well, making this a game for anyone attracted to its premise. The game is rather lengthy, I spent about 60 hours completing everything and getting the Platinum trophy. The few gripes I do have are small. Mainly, I just wish some of the redundant side activities were trimmed, as the game starts to reach its ending hours, these activities/missions really are kind of boring - and none of it really lends itself to the story after awhile. Second and last, the story sometimes forces certain decisions on you, or plays the story out as if you had been playing differently, and these few occasions broke immersion for me, especially trying to adhere to the honor/samurai code - you will be forced to stealth a few times, and the story will condemn you for it - something I felt was an unfair representation of my character. And made me feel like my decisions hadn’t really carried as much effect as I originally thought, which is a weird statement about a game made by the studio behind the Infamous games. But in comparison to the massive beautiful and ultimately immersive world, with all of its purity and authenticity to feeling like a real Samurai in feudal Japan, this game is indeed a masterpiece, despite its very small issues. This is a game that truly should be experienced by everyone, in my opinion.
Length of ownership: 29
Mobile Submission: true
I would recommend this to a friend!
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![The Deer Hunter - 4K Blu-Ray [4K Ultra HD Blu-ray]](https://pisces.bbystatic.com/prescaled/500/500/image2/BestBuy_US/images/products/f02639f6-422c-434d-9ddf-1885398b1dc6.jpg)
Five Academy Awards, including Best Picture and Best Director, went to Michael Cimino's harrowing indictment of war. The story centers on three Pennsylvania steeltown hunting buddies whose lives are forever changed by their experiences together in squalid POW camps in Vietnam where their captors force them to play rounds of Russian roulette. Robert de Niro, Christopher Walken (who won a Best Supporting Actor Oscar), John Savage, John Cazale, and Meryl Streep star. 183 min. Widescreen; Soundtrack English; Subtitles English. Two-disc set.
Customer Rating
5
Three bullets - Three lives - No way out.
on August 15, 2020
Posted by: Stevethedirector
Verified Purchase:Yes
Michael Cimino delivers not only a timeless classic with The Deer Hunter, but also a deep display of trauma within the human psyche - things that make us or break us as individuals. What is largely seen as a War Film, at least by most I’ve discussed this movie with, as well as reviews I’ve read. While it is extremely fair to see this experience as just a War Film, as the war in Vietnam is very much at the gut of this movie, but there’s so much more going on, multiple layers of storytelling are what really set off everything that works here. The effects have a real cause, and vice versa. At 3 hours in length, the pacing is smoothly laid out into thirds, with the first hour being devoted to a wedding set-up/scenario. This is graceful introduction to our characters, and even those that surround them, support them. More than graceful, the wedding scene itself is authentic feeling, centering around Eastern European traditions, culminating in an experience that is simply beautiful - and very much on par with the magnitude of the wedding scene in The Godfather. The wedding is padded out with one last hunt, both events being the send-off of our characters to The War, these scenes give us a further glance into the philosophical and personal depths - truly outlining the minds of the main characters. Immediately after the wedding, we are transported straight into Vietnam with a noticeable time-jump, and our characters are purely motivated by survival. This is where, comparatively, The War is covered and shot in a manner that is more personal to getting our characters into the next scene, more than wasting time or exposition on showing coverage of The War as a large. And where the film wants to put our characters is directly in the line of fire - prisoners of war, and even worse, they are being forced to participate in games of Russian roulette as the Vietnamese captors gamble on the outcome. These scenes contain some of the most tension and truth in the entire film, even showing us some truly fine acting from De Niro and Walken. The outcome of this current situation leads our characters into a wild escape, with enough twists to leave each protagonist on their own path to redemption. Split-up and suffering, we are then moved into the final act. One of loss and attempting to find redemption for everything lost - as well as reconciliation on the behalf of regrets. This last third is hefty with emotion and confusion. One character finding his way back home, another unheard from since his return to the States, and one left behind in Vietnam, completely consumed by the dark backstreets where Russian roulette gambling rings still operate within the city - only these participants are completely compliant, and looking for a little fame and financial gain. To continue to avoid BIG spoilers, I will leave it there. By the time the credits roll, what we’ve been shown is a dark cycle of tragedy and trauma, the pain it causes to loved ones, and how it can consume us, transform us - physically and mentally. This film carries a true arc, an absolute cycle of studying characters and their experiences. Truly a masterpiece, even in 2020.
Length of ownership: 9
Mobile Submission: true
I would recommend this to a friend!
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![Watchmen: An HBO Limited Series [SteelBook] [Includes Digital Copy] [Blu-ray] [Only @ Best Buy]](https://pisces.bbystatic.com/prescaled/500/500/image2/BestBuy_US/images/products/304b2327-370a-41e7-956a-951dd4939472.png)
In a world where masked vigilantes are treated as outlaws, Detective Angela Abar (Regina King) investigates the reawakening of an extremist terrorist group as they plan to start a mutiny against government agencies. This set contains every episode from the critically-acclaimed HBO limited series.
Customer Rating
5
A different side of the same coin...
on June 13, 2020
Posted by: Stevethedirector
Verified Purchase:Yes
The Watchmen series, like the movie, is subject to criticisms from fans of all sorts. Especially given the writer of the source material is a very popular voice, and one that practically loathes every aspect of adaptations - definitely don’t expect this project to be any different. And to make matters even more ambiguous, the series offered a very open and esoteric promotional campaign, leaving audience members never really knowing very much about the show’s placement in timeline, and involvement of characters. Well, what we’ve been delivered is something more of follow-up, while also taking some interesting looks backwards, though overall: this is a follow-up in terms of the overall narrative. And the zeitgeist of the setting is pretty much on par with the deconstructions of the source material. Using the original characters as a baseline to inform the audience of how we got into this world, nothing else is really depicted in the same way, offering up a completely different look at the other side of the same coin. In fact, the original characters are pretty much only in place to push this new age plot into directions that leak over to our newer character’s progression, to help back up their motives, or even to question it. All while skewering the racial socio-politicking that has been an underlying rhetoric of America for far too long - even going as far as to start us out in the middle of the Tulsa riots. None of it being too forceful in its message, but more so an informative tool to keep us tuned in with the world that is being deconstructed in the series, similar to the Cold War scares used in the source material. The effect is ultimately just as heavy on the narrative. In the end, this is a really cool and new way to continue experiencing Watchmen, especially in a contemporary setting, and for those that want more of the same without the repetitive nature of most adaptations - this is definitely a story worth it’s own judgement. Even at half measure, I think this show could’ve been a good run, but there’s a lot of passion and understanding for what came before, while paying respects in a fresh new take.
Length of ownership: 9
Mobile Submission: true
I would recommend this to a friend!
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Customer Rating
5
A decent end to a weird trilogy...
on April 27, 2020
Posted by: Stevethedirector
Verified Purchase:Yes
With 3 separate trilogies from 3 different eras of filmmaking, there’s a lot of contrasts to consume. For most, the original trilogy is the benchmark, the prequel trilogy is the worst, and the latest is full of imitations and oppositions throughout. From the beginning, it was always clear that J.J. Abrams would be the director that will repurpose the old nostalgia in hopes of bridging old fans with new - which he did with great success and fault. Then Rian Johnson got full reigns to write and direct the follow-up, and what was to come nobody really expected - he dismantled major plot arcs in attempts to repurpose his nostalgia for the prequel trilogy into something that would bridge old and new fans with the classic as well - which he did with great success and fault. To put the latest trilogy to sleep was originally Colin Trevorrow, until creative differences knocked him off the project, only to replace him with Disney’s original wonder-boy, J.J. Abrams. A move that was originally applauded by most of the fan base. Until the delivery of the final piece, which was clearly a hacked up version of several scripts meant to please literally every fan that exists - an impossibility to do coherently. Which is sad because there’s clearly tones and signs of an incredibly epic finale still in tact, sitting somewhere within the cluttered mess of hot-take scenes. That’s not to say the experience is completely ruined, it just falls incredibly short of its potential - much of which clearly layed within the foundations of Trevorrow’s story. A director I originally didn’t really care to hear from in the Star Wars universe. I’d gladly take him back now. To make matters worse, Abrams methods of nostalgia fall the flattest, coming off as completely forced into this world, not only trying to fix the film that came before, but also create its own films at the same time. And smashing an attempt at two films into a 2.5 hour runtime is exactly what you get here.
Length of ownership: 26
Mobile Submission: true
I would recommend this to a friend!
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Add music to your day with these Sony wireless headphones. Their noise cancelling technology uses artificial intelligence to adapt to your environment and reduce background sounds for enjoyable listening. The Quick Charging battery on these over-ear Sony wireless headphones provides up to 35 hours of playback for convenience.
Customer Rating
5
Great fit, could be louder...
on April 27, 2020
Posted by: Stevethedirector
Verified Purchase:Yes
I really dig these headphones a lot. They’re easy to use right out of the box. They sound really good, just an all around awesome experience in the ears. They fit extremely comfortable. My only gripe is that I wish the volume went a little louder - I have them constantly on the highest level with almost everything they’ve synced up to. Some devices will give a little push on the volume, allowing me to turn it down a notch. But overall, I really like to have some push in the volume area, I like my tunes turned up and making me feel the sounds. I also like to have a little more room to either kick it up a bit, or just listen at a casual level. With this set, there’s just max volume, or there’s really no point in the lesser levels. If you’re like me, love listening to your music loud, and want some extra control over the volume - definitely look at some other models first - Beats by Dre or SkullCandy have equivalents with similar price ranges. With that minor gripe, I can say for $120, and for most individuals - this set is great.
Length of ownership: 8
Mobile Submission: true
I would recommend this to a friend!
Quality
5
Value
4
Ease of Use
5
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Take files with you while traveling with this SanDisk Ultra Fit USB drive. It offers high-performance USB 3.0 speeds for fast data transfers and read speeds up to 400MB/sec. The 256GB storage capacity of this compact SanDisk Ultra Fit USB drive provides plenty of room for storing photos and other digital media.
Customer Rating
4
Great piece, runs a little hot...
on April 27, 2020
Posted by: Stevethedirector
Verified Purchase:Yes
Overall, I really dig this little HD. It fits snug and is extremely low profile, allowing just enough protrusion to grab and pull out. One downside was it runs a little warm in 2.0 slots, so definitely allocate it to the right place on your device if this issue occurs. Purchased it on sale - full price is worth it, but there are better deals out there.
Length of ownership: 8
Mobile Submission: true
I would recommend this to a friend!
Ease of Use
5
Quality
4
Value
4
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This Apple~ MD821ZM/A Lightning-to-USB adapter lets you connect devices that use a 3.5 mm audio plug to your Lightning devices.
Customer Rating
4
The dongle....
on April 27, 2020
Posted by: Stevethedirector
Verified Purchase:Yes
Got what was pictured, though I do wish the cord was a little thicker. Sort of feels and looks like a piece of string that might break. Other than that, it does it’s job and that’s what matters most.
Length of ownership: 8
Mobile Submission: true
I would recommend this to a friend!
Ease of Use
5
Quality
3
Value
5
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Customer Rating
5
Subtle night movements, survivalist days...
on April 27, 2020
Posted by: Stevethedirector
Verified Purchase:Yes
A beautiful and epic film. What literally takes only moments to build in the beginning comes a non-stop foot for survival. Carrying a message to stop fellow British troops, 2 soldiers are faced with stopping them from marching into an ambush by the German opposition. As with most WW1 stories, the messenger is a constant reminder of one’s mortality in war, and the fears that come from it. In this case, every bit of fear and anxiety is felt behind each step. Moving through vast terrains that are constantly changing and ever challenging, nothing in this film is given without work. But somehow the struggle is just as beautiful to watch as it is thrilling to feel. Even the slowest, quietest scenes are packed with adrenaline or anxiety, never knowing what’s over the next mound, or around the next corner. Phenomenal war film that truly deserves every award and bit of praise it has received - true artistry.
Length of ownership: 33
Mobile Submission: true
I would recommend this to a friend!
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