Reviews of `Xbox 360 Quick Charge Kit' and `Prey'

XBOX 360 QUICK CHARGE KIT

Grade: A

For Xbox 360. $29.99

IN CHARGE: One of the best things about the Xbox 360 is the wireless controller. But keeping the thing charged can be a little bit of a pain.

PLUG IN, TUNE OUT: The standard Xbox 360 wireless controllers ship without a rechargeable battery pack, which means investing a small fortune in AA batteries. Or you can buy a rechargeable battery pack and the Play and Charge kit, a USB cable that lets you charge your controller while it's plugged into your console. Once it's charged, you can unplug the cable and play wirelessly. That's too clunky, though.

TOTAL WIRELESS: The problems with the Play and Charge cable are that it's too short and you have to have your wireless controller plugged in. A much better alternative is the Quick Charge kit. With two battery pack slots, you can let one pack charge while you play with the other.

BOTTOM LINE: Assembling all this hardware can get a little pricey (you'll want at least two battery packs, so one will always be charged). But once you go wireless, you'll never go back.

For Xbox 360. Suitable for ages 17 and up. $59.99

ALIEN AUTOPSY: Prey looked like a potential classic when the demo of the first-person shooter hit Xbox Live a few weeks ago. The final version doesn't quite live up to that hope, but it should leave you both grossed out and satisfied.

MOONWALK: You play as Tommy, the American Indian hero plucked off a modern-day reservation by a band of human-eating aliens. Before you can get chopped into lunch, you're freed by a mysterious group of humans living on the alien spaceship. Armed with a variety of cool-looking but ultimately standard-issue weapons, you dash off through the slimy corridors to save your abducted girlfriend. There are some cool elements, such as portals that allow you to transport instantly from one place to another and magnetic walkways that let you run up walls and ceilings. But the thin plot disappears completely at times.

BOTTOM LINE: Prey is a lot of fun. The portal and walkway stuff is cleverly used, and the detailed interior of the ship is gross enough to satisfy your inner 13-year-old. It's too bad the developers couldn't weave the story into the action a little better.