| New Game Titles September 2002 | |
|
A whopping 200-plus
real-world motorcycles can be found in the impressive Riding Spirits
(BAM/PS2/$49.99). The manufacturers include Honda, Yamaha, Suzuki, and
Kawasaki. Each bike is modeled in thoroughly precise detail, right down
to markings, design style, and even engine noise. You start as a lowly
rider and attempt to speed your way to victory. Winning races earns you
cash to purchase parts, tune ups, new wheels, etc. But the competition
is marvelously tough. Riding Spirits is a must-purchase for racing and
motorcycle fans. Mech fans will definitely want to purchase MechWarrior 4 Clan Mech Pak (Microsoft/PC/$12.95). The four new Clan Mechs include Masakari (the deadly accurate squat torso and jutting head); Kodiak (the quickly moving Assault Mech); Arctic Wolf (this armed giant carries over 40 missiles); and Caludron-Born (named for the unstoppable zombies from Celtic myth). This new Mech Pak has enhanced optics, as well as the Streak MRM, a powerful homing version of the Medium Range Missile. Playhouse Disney has just released two educational and adventure-filled titles for children ages 3-6. In Playhouse Disney's Stanley Wild for Sharks! ($19.95/PC), kids must use their wits to search for a missing shark tooth for a "Show & Tell" project. The underwater worlds are colorful and sizable. As children explore them, they learn about life, social, family, and environmental issues. And in Playhouse Disney's The Book of Pooh: A Story Without a Tail ($19.95/PC), players are invited to journey "through the pages of a book" that recreates the puppet world of the popular TV series. The game, with rich 3D graphics, fosters pre-literary skills and cultivates a love of reading. A stellar blend of trade, diplomacy, resource management, and warfare, Medieval: Total War (Activision/PC/$39.99) encompasses four centuries of empire-building and strife--from the Crusade in 1095 to the fall of Constantinople in 1453. The epic 3D battles are in real-time, and they feature over 10,000 soldiers and 100-plus different unit types. A sequel to the popular "Shogan: Total War," this game has fine new siege weapons, in-depth battle tactics, more detailed battlefields (in such varied conditions as deserts, mountains, plains, and forests), and great new hero units (e.g., Genghis Khan, Joan of Arc, and Richard the Lionheart). The A.I. could be a bit tougher. But the graphics are first-rate. Ditto sound effects and voice acting. In the delightful Power Rangers Wild Force (THQ/GBA/$29.99), players not only get to assume the role of their favorite Power Ranger, but they get to take on the strength and characteristics of such Power Animals as the shark, eagle, bison, lion, and tiger. Gamers go up against the Org, an ancient race of nasties who are out to destroy the balance of nature. There are a dozen levels of 3D action, lots of gadgets /weapons, a new battle mode, and an all-new game engine with pre-rendered 3D characters. A must-purchase for Tropico aficionados, Tropico: Mucho Macho Edition (Gathering of Developers/PC/$29.99) contains full versions of Tropico and Tropico: Paradise, over two-hours of original (and award-winning) Latin music, and a dozen new scenarios. Of course, you're still a dictator of a small Caribbean island, who is attempting to build swinging nightclubs, create a bustling downtown, enhance a nature preserve, and--of course--produce lucrative rum distilleries! GOD Games has also released Mafia (PC/$49.99). Set in the 1930s, this gritty 3D action crime epic lets you take the role of Tommy, who wants to rise from being a lowly Foot soldier to a respected (and feared) Made Man. There are 20 in-depth missions and 60-plus different cars. The game has a little too much driving. But when action happens, it's hard-edged and dramatically-rendered. The graphics are sharp and detailed, from the characters faces to the various urban landscapes. In SOCOM: U.S. NAVY SEALs (Sony/PS2/$59.99), you are the team commander of a lethal Special Forces unit. You are armed with over 30 weapons and have a multitude of skills and tactical plans are your ready. But in this game, the enemy is just as dangerous and just as resourceful as you are. While the graphics aren't top-notch, the game features realistic sound effects, a tough A.I., and very smooth controls (which allow you to easily switch from a 1st- to 3rd-person view). There are a dozen suspenseful missions in four real-world environments. SOCOM is one of the first Sony titles that enables you to utilize its terrific Network Adapter ($39.99). This inexpensive and simple-to-use device allows you to play and communicate with up to 16 players online! The game comes with a fine Voice Recognition Headset. In a word, don't miss SOCOM. For teens and older. Activision has released Matt Hoffman's Pro BMX 2 ($49.99) and Street Hoops ($49.99) for both Playstation 2 and Xbox. BMX 2 has eight hugh free-roaming levels (loaded with cars, people, and even helicopters), 90-plus minutes of outtakes and live action video, and a "Roadtrip Across America" with 10-time World Vert Champion Hoffman. The game could have been faster. But the graphics are realistic and there are a ton of terrific tricks--thanks to the new Trick Tweaking System. Hoops is a gritty, exciting, fast-paced title. In this blacktop street ball game, you get to play as number of street legends. You also get to purchase genuine apparel (Southpole, Sean John, Ecko Unlimited, etc.) and play on ten of the most legendary street courts in the country (e.g., Chicago's Jackson Park, L.A.'s Venice Beach Courts, Atlanta's Run n' Shoot). The graphics are too dark in places, and the camera views stay pretty much the same. But the soundtrack--featuring DMX, Cypress Hill, Master P, and more--is first-rate! With sharp graphics, genuine NFL teams, and gritty 8-on-8 gameplay, NFL Blitz 20-03 (Midway/PS2/$49.99) is a praiseworthy football sim. Though the game is fast and aggressive, it harbors plenty of sound NFL strategy. The blocks are just as bone-crunching as the tackles; and the dives are more acrobatic than impossible (though that isn't always so). The game has a new Create-A-Player mode, updated rosters (as well as uniforms and schedules), and new fantasy stadiums (such as Arctic Station and New York's Central Park). Especially engrossing are the post-play altercations and the DVD content, with a behind-the-scenes look at the NFL Pro Bowl in Honolulu, Hawaii. NFL Blitz 20-03 has also been released in Xbox, Game Boy Advance, and GameCube versions! Disney Interactive gives us two games that were inspired from Dimension Film's "Spy Kids 2." Spy Kids: Challenger (GBA/$29.99) has three unique sections: Juggler, Dragonfly, and Magna Racer. As players accumulate points, they receive promotions, from the junior grade "Shadow" up to the full "Master Elite Spy" status. The missions are adventurous and challenging. Spy Kids: Mega Mission Zone (PC/$19.99) contains five delightful games, each having ten levels of difficulty. Gamers must not only infiltrate enemy establishments and deal with such meanies as Thumb Thumbs and the Magna Men, they must solve a "sleuth" puzzles. The game has colorful graphics and lots of adventure. Aggressive Inline (Acclaim/$49.99) is now out on GameCube and Xbox. This thoroughly-laudable inline skating game features eight acclaimed skaters, including Taig Khris, Shane Yost, Jaron Grob, and Eito Ysutoko. In addition to the nine mammoth levels, the game has 10-15 crisp cinematics per level, an integrated Park Editor, and an upbeat soundtrack (with such bands as Sublime, Pharcyde, and Black Sheep). The graphics are beautiful and the gameplay has terrific replay value. In short, Aggressive Inline is a must-purchase. Sony 989 Sports gives us two gritty football video titles. Hard tackles, in-depth playbooks, and superb audio are the hallmarks of NCAA GameBreaker 2003 (PS2/$39.99). The game features 117 Division 1-A teams, 66 classic teams from the past, over two-dozen Bowl Games, and a slew of awards (All-Conference, All-American, etc.). The graphics are routine. But Keith Jackson's play-by-play and Tim Brant's commentary are commendable. A three-man booth is now a part of NFL GameDay 2003 ($29.99 PS & $39.99 PS2). The astute Dick Enberg and Hall-of-Fame quarterback Dan Fouts are joined by Ian Eagle. Thus, the TV-style presentation is definitely enhanced. In addition to the 200 new tackles, blocks, and catches, the game has a fine new online mode that allows you to go helmet-to-helmet with anyone in the country. Alas, the NFL GameDay has run-of-the-mill graphics and gameplay. The controls could be tighter also. Buffy the Vampire Slayer (EA/Xbox/$49.99) is a splendid third-person action/adventure title. Based on the hit TV series, the game lets you assume the role of the tough and sexy heroine who attends high school by day and slays the undead at night. The game more than 60 fast and graceful fighting moves, as well as plenty of lethal weaponry (such as stakes, holy water, crossbows, and an XVS water gun loaded with hellfire). First-rate graphics and gameplay are matched by suspenseful environments and solid fighting combinations. Also, there are lots of characters from the television show. Madden NFL 2003 (EA/PS2/$49.99) is, quite simply, the best NFL football sim on the market. Stunning graphics and fluid player animations are matched by an a smart AI and incredible sound effects (thanks to the all-new audio engine). There are two great new game modes: Create-A-Player (it lets you customize a team's entire playbook for both defense and offense) and the marvelous Mini-Camp (where you get to indulge in mini-games on John Madden's Cruiser Bus, as it travels to all 32 NFL cities). Of course, the commentary and play-by-play by Madden and Al Michaels are both lively, witty, and illuminating. And Melissa Stark does an excellent job of reporting from the sideline. In the thrilling and fast-paced Gun Metal (Majesco/Xbox/$39.99), gamers can transform--at will--from 30-foot multi-armored robots to lethal, hi-tech fighter jets. There are over two-dozen intense missions, an extensive armory, and fully-interactive environments. Especially daunting--in a stimulating way--is attempting to use of intelligence info that is being relayed to you in the middle of battles, as well as going up against the Hover Tanks and other fighter craft. Majesco also gives us the destructively zany Totaled (Xbox/$29.99). This demolition-derby style game lets you jump behind the wheel of any of 10 hotrods and bang them apart at the expense of your opponents. The controls aren't very tight, and the graphics lack detail. But the damage/wreckage system is terrific. There is everything from dented fenders and flying hoods to peeling tires and shattering windshields. Despite its shortcomings, Totaled should be a smashing success. Based on the summer's hit action film, XXX (Activision/GBA/$39.99) features great motorcycle and lots of shooting action. Yes, you get to enter the sexy and very dangerous world of the spy/thrillseeker, Xander Cage. There are 11 fast-paced levels, including three first-rate driving levels featuring 3D gameplay. The scrolling action is intense, too. But it's the timebased motorcycle combat that truly stands out. The futuristic weaponry includes the Dart Chrome guns and the High-Impact Incendiary Grenade Launchers. This terrific game is player 6 or older. Exciting and hard-hitting, NFL Fever 2003 (Microsoft/Xbox/$49.99) lets you create, play, and control your very own National Football League team. The players are marvelously detailed (sporting such accessories as mouthpieces, gloves, and taped fingers) and the momentum-based motions deliver some of the most authentic football video game animation on the market. The game is a little slow at times and the play-by-play/commentary (by Kevin Colabro and Ron Pitts) is rather routine. But the AI has been greatly improved. Fine too are the crisp audio effects and the stadium models for all 32 NFL franchises. Complete with over 300 Major League motion-captured animations, TV-style presentation, and smooth gameplay, MLB 2003 (Sony/PS/$29.99) will be enjoyed by many a baseball fan. There are a lots of game modes (Season, Franchise, Manager, Home Run Derby, World Series, etc.), dozens of camera angles, and informative--though ocassionally too laid-back--commentary by sportscaster Dave Campbell and Hall-of-Famer Vin Scully. The graphics are so-so and the running game has some quirks. But the sound effects are excellent at all 30 ballparks. Max Payne (MacSoft/$39.99) is now on the Mac platform. Payne is a fugitive undercover cop who is not only framed for murder, but is hunted by both the police and the mob. This graphic and compelling game has plenty of plot twists and dangerous characters. In addition to the four modes of play (Fugitive, Hard-Boiled, Dead-On-Arrival, and New-York-Minute), the game features Bullet-Time--slow motion game action during high-tension scenes! In The Mark of Kri (Sony/PS2/$39.99), you play Rau, a powerful warrior bent on ridding the world of evil. You are aided by Kuzo, a large black bird that can often see dangers that lie ahead. Though this is primarily a fighting game, you will have to utilize logic and slyness to, say, scout unknown territories, distract enemies, and retrieve vital items. The plot line has little depth and the AI isn't always as challenging as it could be. But the game's graphics are strong. Ditto the fighting system and stealth elements. Complete with new (and energetic) 3D cheerleaders, 50 sideline roaming 3D mascots, and over 200 team-specific chants and fight songs, NCAA Football 2003 (EA Sports/PS2/$49.99) is a praiseworthy release of this best-selling college football game series. Players get to choose from any of the 117 Division I-A or 27 Division I-AA teams. The enhanced Dynasty Mode lets gamers customize their schedules to choose non-conference and non-traditional games, as well as recruit players. And the exciting Rivalry Mode allows gamers compete in historic rival games. NCAA Football 2003's highlights include realistic graphics (though occasionally fuzzy), on-the-mark player movements, and excellent sound effects. This game has been released in fine Xbox and GameCube versions, as well. Activision has just brought out Return to Castle Wolfenstein: Game of the Year Edition ($44.99). This gritty and compelling first-person shooter now has, among other things, the WolfRadiant map editor and seven multiplayer maps (Chauteau, Dam, Ice, Keep, Rocket, Tram, and Trenchtoast). You also get the full version of the hit game, which thrusts players into a maelstrom of espionage, combat, and the supernatural, as an American WW II soldier must single-handedly must go up against Himmler's SS paranormal division. A thrilling third-person sci-fi action title, C-12: Final Resistance (Sony/PS/$29.99) has you playing Resistance fighter, Riley Vaughan. Aliens are destroying the planet. Their ultimate goal is not only to harvest all non-radioactive carbon from the earth, but to take all remaining humans and reprogram them into cyborg warriors. C-12's engrossing storyline is matched by sharp graphics, suspenseful environments, and top-notch in-game movie sequences. There is also a powerful arsenal of six different weapons. For teens and older. Stuart Little fans will definitely want to purchase Stuart Little 2 (Sony/PS/$29.99). Players get to help Stuart recover the family's stolen jewelry from the fiendish falcon. Gamers will be able to explore such locales as a mammoth house, a state-of-the-art aquarium, and Central Park. There are seven levels, as well as a dozen hidden mini-games, which take Stuart on even more adventures (e.g., on skateboards, carts, airplanes). The graphics are rich, though not especially detailed. But there is plenty of action, and the sound effects are excellent. Stuart Little 2 (Activision/$34.99) is also being release in a Game Boy Advance version. Featuring voice-overs and sound effects from the forthcoming movie, this top-notch title lets gamers solve the disappearance of Stuart new best friend, Margalo, and Mrs. Little's wedding ring. There are ten action-ladened levels--everything from piloting a bi-place to scaling skyscrapers in a hot air ballon--and crisp, colorful graphics. Featuring fine graphics and a hefty 1,500-plus fantasy tricks (with an excellent trick combo system), Gravity Games Bike: Street, Vert, Dirt (Midway/PS2/$49.99) should get the interest of lots of BMX fans. The game has five modes and ten spacious freestyle environments. Alas, there are only seven pro riders (Dennis McCoy, Fuzzy Hall, Andre Ellison, Jamie Bestwick, etc), and the controls are difficult. However, the exclusive DVD content is loaded with lots of interesting behind-the-scenes making of Gravity Games Bike, as well as interviews with McCoy, Hall, and Bestwick. The Xbox version of Gravity Games Bike comes out July 30th. THQ has released the classic Tetris Worlds ($29.99) on Xbox and Playstation 2. You're placed in a universe where Tetris is played in various ways on six different planets. Evolving background cinematics motivate players to clear levels; and the two game modes let you either play until you top-out or test your Tetris ranks with two-minute games. The six gameplay variations include Fusion Tetris, Cascade Tetris, and the new Hot-Line Tetris. Though the graphics are colorful, they are far from stunning. Still, if you're a fan of the world of blocks, lines, and dynamic environments, you're certainly want to check out Tetris Worlds. An arena-based fighting game, Barbarian (Titus/PS2/$49.99) has 11 singular and playable characters, each with his own fighting style and slew of weapons. There are a dozen gigantic arenas, full 3D environments, and interactive objects that can be used as weapons. The controls are difficult--so plan on some adjustment time. Once you get them down, though, you'll revel in the vivid action and the engrossing RGP storyline. For teens and older. Young gamers will certainly enjoy the two latest works from Disney Interactive. In Disney Learning Adventure: Search for the Secret Keys (PC/$19.99), kids--ages 5 and above--have to help Mickey and the gang solve educational problems (math, reading, logic skills, color recognition, etc.), as they make their way through a house with friendly ghosts. The game comes with a handy progress chart for parents and teachers. Disney/Pixar's 2nd & 3rd Grade ($19.99) delivers a plethora of galactic fun, as players interact with Buzz Lightyear and Mira Nova and attempt to manage the fuel on a space ship. The game enhances memory and critical thinking, as well as develops perception and observation. Over-the-top, adrenaline-revving gameplay are the hallmarks of MLB Slugfest 20-03 (Midway/PS2/$49.99). You'll find everything from light-speed fastballs to gravity-defying catches. There is also lots of incredibly-fast gameplay. Though outrageous at times, MLB Slugfest features real stats, as well as real-player attributes and attitudes. There are over 1,500 dramatic animations and special DVD content showcasing a music video by the metal rock band, Dry Kill Logic. The game's controls need to be tighter. But the graphics and sound effects are first-rate. A grand and rich fantasy adventure, Legion: The Legend of Excalibur (Midway/PS2/$49.99), allows you to lead King Arthur and the fabled Knights of the Round Table into battle against the dastardly Morgan Le Fay. There are a dozen characters to control and 14-plus challenging missions to accomplish. The graphics are colorful, though lacking the detail that one would expect in PS2 game. However, the weapons are commendable; as is the intensity of the battles. Superb sounds effects. Challenging and action-packed, Fireblade (Midway/PS2/$49.99) lets you fly two distinct and powerful flying machines: The Carrier chopper (for transport and rescue) and the Vendetta attack helicopter (for assaults). There are 18 missions in 4 dynamic campaigns. The winning array of environments--Swiss Alps, Amazon Jungle, Arizona Desert, and formitable Arctic Circle--are gorgeously rendered, and the game has laudable Day/Night, Sleet/Snow settings. The choppers themselves are state-of-the-art, with such lethal weapons as Swarm Missiles, Sniper Cannons, and Laser Guided Homing Missiles. Great multiple camera angles!
|