How to Burn Xbox 360 Games – Effective Softw...

It seems like only yesterday that gamers who were looking to learn how to burn Xbox 360 games were told that the only way they could burn their games and get them to work was to modify (hardware) their Xbox 360 console.

Thankfully those days are gone with gamers now having the ability to quickly and easily burn working copies of their Xbox 360 games all from their home PC or Mac.

Many Xbox 360 gamers learnt the hardway what can happened if you modify your console and jump onto the Xbox Live network, being banned by Microsoft.

One of the biggest mistakes people make is trying to backup and burn Xbox 360 games using standard dvd authoring software.

The standard backup and copy software on the market is unable to create backup copies of your Xbox 360 games as it is unable to bypass the copyright protection and encryption.  This is the same hurdle that people faced when DVD’s first came onto the market.

While you can’t blame game developers for wanting to protect themselves and their investment from piracy, the fact is that honest gamers wanting to backup and burn their Xbox 360 games were left in the lurch.

How to Get Started

All you need to do to discover how to burn Xbox 360 games within minutes is to get your hands on specialized software that will backup your 360 games onto your PC or Mac. You will need;

1. Download and Install Console Copy/Backup Software
2. Create a backup of your disc using the software
3. Insert a Blank DVD and begin the burning process

What you are left with are perfect 1:1 copies of your Xbox 360 games.

The great news is that you can make copies of all console games on the market today including the PS3 (requires Blu-ray burner) and Wii using the same specialized software.

Burning Xbox 360 Games – Software Options

There are many software packages on the market today to burn Xbox 360 games and other console games.  Unfortunately there are no free options on the market today for this kind of encryption breaking software.

The great news is that the software only costs a fraction of the price of a new game and will pay for itself many times over as you begin to burn and copy your console games. You don’t need ANY hardware mods or hacks or any technical expertise.

Let’s look at the most reliable and cost effective game copy software packages on the market to burn Xbox 360 games.

Easy Backup Wizard 

Easy Backup Wizard has been on the market for quite sometime but still remains one of the most effective and reliable game copy software packages out there. This software package can create copies of the following games and discs within minutes;

In order to start burning Xbox 360 games with the help of Easy Backup Wizard you simply insert your game (or disc) into your computer, create a backup copy using the software, insert a blank DVD, load up the backed up game and start the burning process. It really is that quick and simple to learn how to burn Xbox 360 games with this great software.

Game Copy Pro

One of the newer software packages on the market to copy virtually ALL console games is Game Copy Pro.  Game Copy Pro can create perfect 1:1 copies of your console games for the Xbox 360, PS3, Nintendo Wii, including the Sony PSP, Nintendo DS (DSi) as well as older consoles (PS2, Xbox, etc).

The software is very simple and easy to use and is quickly become a gamer favorite.  With both PC & Mac compatibility the software will run happily on older machines out there requiring only a CD/DVD or Blu-ray burner.

Game Copy Pro includes great step by step instructions for those who might run into any issues along the way when burning Xbox 360 games.

  

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Worst Xbox 360 Games of 2011

2011 has been a fantastic year for video game releases. Batman: Arkham City, Battlefield 3, Gears of War 3 and Crysis 2 are just a handful of the sheer brilliance we’ve been exposed to over the year! Unfortunately, not every game has had the same impact;

Shadows of the Damned

What we were promised –

We were led to believe that it was going to be an incredibly unique and fun experience from the video game masterminds Goichi Suda and Shinji Mikami. The game was supposed to excite us by use of a stunning gothic environment and brilliant third person gameplay.

What we actually got –

A third person nightmare that is chockablock with adolescent humor and voice-overs that soon begin to grate on you. As if that wasn’t bad enough, the developers implemented a recurring blonde in lingerie as some sort of last ditched attempt at capturing our attention. Sure, it’s original, but that’s about it.

Operation Flashpoint: Red River

What we were promised –

Codemasters promised a more realistic experience to modern warfare with virtually no glitches and lots of action. Codemasters were supposed to keep us on our toes and forgive them for their mistake of releasing the terrible Operation Dragon Rising.

What we actually got –

Where do I start? We were given the most boring first person shooter of the year with virtually no improvements to gameplay or graphics. The character models were still atrocious and aside from an interesting story introduced at the beginning of the game, it had no real plot. To top it off, the AI is completely stupid and it is not uncommon for squad mates to walk in-front of you whilst you’re shooting at an enemy. If you want a headache, buy this game.

Brink

What we were promised –

Brink was supposed to be a unique team based shooter with excellent visuals, awesome music and plenty of weapons, skills and extras to keep us entertained. It was supposed to be a step away from run-of-the-mill first person shooters and blend parkour with combat – sounds fun right?

What we actually got –

We were given a classic case of good soundtrack, horrible game. Sure, we can applaud the game for trying out new ideas and creating fantastic level layouts, but when you paid good money for a game filled with broken AI, awkward graphical moments and an almost impossible single player, you tend to be a bit cheesed off. Yes, yes, the game was primarily designed for online multiplayer, but even that was complete hell at times. You need two things to complete Brink – luck and patience. Skill seems to just go right out of the window.

X-Men Destiny

What we were promised –

We were supposed to be given the chance to play through an exciting game that is jam packed full of action, entertainment and choices that are supposed to impact the game. New characters were to be introduced to us in order to spice the X-Men world up and create a pleasurable experience.

What we actually got –

We were given something that’s just not worthy of our cash. I for one love the X-Men and I simply couldn’t get enough of the old Marvel cartoon series as a child, so I really had high hopes for a game that was supposed to edge away from those terrible Hollywood movies. Much to anyone’s disappointment, the game is short in length, repetitive and just downright boring. To make matters worse, the mechanics are way too simplified, the voice acting is horrendous and no matter what choices you make, you still end up going through all of the same levels and fighting exactly the same bosses. By all means purchase this game if you want to ruin your childhood X-Men memories. Luckily we know how to burn xbox 360 games and didn’t lose too much hard earned on this collection.

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Earning Your Medal of Honor

This highly anticipated first person shooter was EA’s first return to the franchise since 2007’s Medal of Honor Airborne – which, let’s be honest, wasn’t great. Thrust into modern warfare, Medal of Honor was up against the likes of Black Ops which coincided with the release date. The question is, was Medal of Honor a worthy adversary?

The Plot:

Like most first person shooters, the story isn’t the games selling point. Medal of Honor takes place during the first days of the Afghanistan invasion where you take control of an elite Navy Seal unit who are sent in to obtain information from an informant named Tariq. Of course, not all goes to plan and Tariq eventually informs you of exactly what the U.S is up against. It then becomes your mission to secure Bagram Airfield and soon after perform various other military operations. As I said, the story isn’t too captivating until near the end of the game when most of the drama happens. Nevertheless the game is fantastic.

Inside The Game:

Single player utilizes the famous Unreal Engine 3 and to be honest, is a little on the short side. You can literally finish the game in under five hours and even hard mode is a breeze. With that being said, gameplay is extremely fun and varies from all-out shooting, to stealthy infiltrations of enemy camps. You’ll also have the opportunity to travel around using a dirt bike, call in airstrikes from far away and use your steady hand to snipe unsuspecting enemies. As if that wasn’t enough fun for one game, you’re even given the opportunity to take control of an apache helicopter and scout for potential threats – oo-rah!

Cool Ins and Outs:

Tier-1 mode is one of the games more interesting features. It allows you to play through the single player mode to score points which then gets uploaded to leaderboards so you can compare with your friends and feel like a boss.

Multiplayer is what was intended to be the games selling point. Set over gigantic maps that put Call of Duty to shame, multiplayer mode is immensely fun. Unfortunately there isn’t much variation apart from the usual every man for himself and you’ll be hard pressed to find anyone who still plays the game.

Graphic Quality:

DICE and Danger Close definitely did a bang on job of capturing the realities of war using impressive visuals. Brilliant lighting and fantastic texture work really brings out the fighting during the daytime and helps create atmosphere. Unfortunately at times it really does feel like the frame rate can’t keep up with you. Of course this doesn’t happen too often, but when it does then you really know about it!

Audio:

The voice acting is top notch and is just as good as the music used throughout its entirety. However, no first person shooter is worth its salt unless it has good sound effects to bring out the realism – and by Jove this game is definitely impressive in that department. From pumping rounds out with an LMG to sniping someone in the head, each sound feels as though it has been recorded in an actual battlefield, which really helps immerse you into the games settings.

Negatives:

The game is a little too short and not very challenging. It’s also got a lot of frame rate issues and extremely dumb AI. With that being said, shooting people has never been more fun and despite this game being nothing new in terms of a first person shooter, you’ll still enjoy it!

The Down Low:

Medal of Honor is definitely a step up from its predecessors and has one of the most action packed campaigns to date. It’s a little over-shadowed because of the vast amount of Call of Duty games that constantly get churned out, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t worth playing! If you’re a die-hard Call of Duty fan that isn’t open minded to other games of the same genre, then you probably won’t like it. If on the other hand, you just can’t get enough of immersing yourself in modern warfare without getting your own hands dirty, then you’ll love it!

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Batman: Arkham City – Review

The long awaited Batman game finally hit our shelves recently and boy are we glad! This year we’ve had to put up with some pretty appalling superhero games, such as Captain America: The First Avenger, The Green Lantern and don’t even get me started on X-Men: Destiny! Thankfully Batman swoops in and saves the day with Arkham City, a superhero game that’s a force to be reckoned with!

Story

The name pretty much speaks for itself. The game takes place within the confines of Arkham City, a maximum security home for Gotham’s sadistic criminals and psychopaths. This super prison is run by none of than the infamous Dr. Hugo Strange who has his own sick little plans for the city. Bruce Wayne campaigns to shut down Arkham City and in doing so is arrested and thrown into the very hell hole he was rallying against. Of course Bruce, or should I say – Batman – always has a plan up his sleeve. You go through the game uncovering more twists and turns and uncovering the mystery behind “Protocol 10”. It is a truly original story that sees you interacting with some of the most recognized characters in the history of Batman. Don’t be put off by the usual superhero storylines, Arkham City thrives on its dark and menacing plots.

Gameplay

Just when you thought the gameplay from Arkham Asylum couldn’t get any better – it does! The game is fives times bigger than its predecessor and is based in an open world environment with a ton of side quests to beef it out. However, with the main story being so compelling, you’ll find yourself neglecting most of the side quests until your second play-through.

Detective mode has been completely re-modeled and is now used to plot out stealthy and effective ways to take out enemies or solve small puzzles. Arkham City has also introduced a wide array of ways to defeat enemies, using either the awesome quick attacks whilst in combat or setting up traps.

Features

Arkham City provides you with the option to download and play as either Catwoman or Robin who are both streamlined into the main story. Playing as the sexy-licious Catwoman is a thrilling experience indeed and makes for a great change to the story at times.

The game also has a variety of extra challenges, character model artwork and a new game + mode which is no walk in the park. As if that wasn’t enough, there is also a detailed character log which builds up each time someone relatively important is mentioned in the Batman world. This is a fantastic way to brush up on your history and properly understand each characters background and importance.

Graphics

Arkham City’s visuals are absolutely phenomenal! Rock Steady did a brilliant job at creating a dark and dingy Arkham City that is always so unbelievably gorgeous to look at. Each and every area of the city is completely unique and is nothing like the boring open world’s seen in games such as Prototype. Each of the characters animations are also smooth and well designed and the in-game cutscenes are just out of this world!

Sound

The games dark and intricate scoring is absolutely perfect and helps to immerse you into your typical Batman atmosphere. It’s easily one of the best video game scores of the year.

The voice acting is equally astounding and features the brilliant Mark Hamill as the Joker once again! Of course its Batman’s deep masculine voice which is what makes the character who he is and I can say with confidence that Kevin Conroy did a top notch job.

Downsides

You’ll be hard pressed to find a fault with this game, it’s absolutely perfect in every shape and form.

Overall

Batman: Arkham City is without a shadow of a doubt the best Batman game to date. It took all the strengths of Arkham Asylum and built on them to create a game that is both flawless and fun. You would be doing a huge injustice to yourself by not buying this game!

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Xbox 360 Care Tips

No doubt your beloved Xbox 360 gets played on more than any other console you own and its death would truly lead to a waterfall of tears and grief. So it is in your best interest to keep your prized possession and all of its awesome games in tip-top condition.  This will ultimately save you from disc reading errors or even worse, the red ring of death – dun, dun, dun! For an in-depth way of taking care of your good old Xbox 360, just follow these handy little tips:

Do NOT move your console whilst there is a game inside!

Unfortunately I and many others like me have learned this the hard way! The typical game spins at a maximum of 1530 rpm, so tipping your Xbox onto its side in order to try and make your dodgy copy of Black Ops work is only going to end in tears!

Keep your cool:

Yes, we’ve all been there! You clearly shot that guy first but for some magical reason you died and he didn’t. Unfortunately your Xbox isn’t a living and breathing organism and won’t fully understand your pain, no matter how hard you beat it! You’ll just end up bashing a vital component out of place or something. Be smart and hit a pillow instead.

Keep your Xbox 360 properly ventilated:

Your Xbox should be treated exactly how you would treat your laptop. It needs to be able to breathe in order for it to properly function. Try to keep your 360 in an area that doesn’t obstruct its vents.

Prevent your power supply from over-heating:

Incredibly the 360’s power supply actually has a fan inside it that tries its best to keep it cool and functioning properly. Try your best to make sure that the little vents on either side of it aren’t covered up or else you’ll soon experience a power failure – no doubt it’ll be half way through extreme mode.

Give your Xbox 360 its very own plug socket:

An elite console such as the 360 pumps out a staggering 160 watts of power which is about double the power of its predecessor! Such a beastly console needs its own power outlet so it doesn’t keep shutting itself down or overheating the PSU.

Take care of your games:

I think it is pretty much a given that if you leave your games lying around on the floor or carelessly building up on top of your console, then your games won’t last very long. Try to put your games back in their original casing after each time you play so that you don’t turn into that lazy guy with the scratched discs that no-one likes!

Be careful about who you lend your games to:

This is common sense really, if you don’t know who your $40 games are being lent to then they could end up in the hands of the above character! Don’t let somebody else’s carelessness destroy your beloved games and instead only lend them to the people you trust the most.

There is no doubt that a lot of caring for your Xbox 360 is purely down to common sense. No-one wants to go out and buy a brand spanking new 360 or pay to use those crummy disc cleaners simply because of a little negligence. Be smart and your Xbox will last you for years to come! Get more great information from http://www.xbox.com

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