Pads & Panels

#9 Mortal Kombat (PS3, 360)

Publisher: Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment – Developer: NetherRealm Studios

Who would have thought that all this franchise needed to return to the top was to take things back to its roots? The ninth iteration of the notorious franchise ditched the comic crossovers and the gimmicky create-a-character modes and returned to form in spectacular fashion . The fighting returns to a 2D space, the fatalities are even bloodier and more over the top than in recent memory, the graphics are better than ever, but more importantly, the controls are rock solid and have that easy-to-pick-up, hard-to-master feel for which the series was once known. (more…)

2010 Holiday Gift Guide – Beyond the Games: Accessories

By P&P Staff

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SteelSeries Siberia V2 Full-Size USB Headset

Many companies make outlandishly-priced, mediocre headsets with all of the aesthetic frills, but you’d be better off spending the $110 on this SteelSeries set. It sounds phenomenal with 7.1 virtual surround sound, offers integrated volume control in the cord and features a USB driver to make it work perfectly with your PC. But if you’re a console gamer, it can easily be plugged into anything with a standard audio jack, and SteelSeries also offers an adapter to make it the go-to headset for all of your Xbox Live interactions. (more…)

Product: Nyko Metal Pedal

Website: www.nyko.com

Tested with: Rock Band 2 on Xbox 360

MSRP: $19.99

While raising the neck of the guitar in Guitar Hero and rolling the sticks around the pads for a drum fill in Rock Band might make gamers feel like they’re really rocking out, it is hard not to notice that the instruments we’re pounding and plucking away at are made of plastic. And sometimes, especially when one kicks the hell out of the bass pedal, plastic breaks, and then the rockin’ stops.

I feel the need to personalize this review to let readers know that I am of the mind that drums should be played loud…all the time. And I admittedly probably smash the pads a bit too hard and thump the pedal quite a bit with my right foot, and yet with the Rock Band 2 kit I have never had any problems with the equipment. I have, however, read several accounts of Rock Band 2’s pedal not making it through extended play. And all of my Guitar Hero: World Tour drum kit feels like it’s ready to fall apart. (more…)