Ro STATE OF EMERGENCY: MOST CONTROVERSIAL GAME EVER ж PlayStation 2 • Xbox • GameCube e Dreamcast PS one e Game Boy Advance ‘ELECTRONIC GOT A THOUSAND HOURS? FINAL FANTASY LEADS THE RPG ONSLAUGHT FOR 2002 27 RPGS roseo ror GAMECUBE, XBOX AND Р52! METAL GEAR SOLD 2, // HALO, TONY HAWK 3 A THE CREATORS REVEAL THEIR SECRET TIPS AND STRATEGIES LORD OF THE RINGS 3 NEW VIDEO GAMES UNEARTHED! М PLUS: EGM'S HOT LIST WHAT'S “IN” FOR 2002 February 2002 $4.99/$6.50 С ebri .50 Canada 02> и Maximo (PS2) x | | | Spider-Man (PS2) o 114024 06960 s | | | м Soul Calibur 2 (GC) DISPLAY UNTIL | = Genma Onimusha (Xbox) FEBRUARY 5 (Yes, this is a dude. It's FFX's Tidus.) REVIEWED: m Legends of Wrestling (PS2) m Madden NFL 2002 (GC) Жж; и Star Wars: Obi-Wan (Xbox) | Harry Potter (PS, GBA) % PREVIEWED: ће FUTURE of China "Part Final Fight, part Jedi Knight, and part Unreal, New Legends is all Chinese stick-wielding, ass-kicking loveliness." Official Xbox Magazine lood and Gore E и: iolence ` а à ` LUA < Q „Сап Change a Nation. |=, Y © 2002 Infinite Machine, Inc. Exclusively licensed to and published by THO Inc. New Legends, trademarks of THO Inc. All rights reserved. Microsoft, Xbox and the Xbox logos are either registered ОРОМ ТНЕ GREAT RUSADE PARACHUTE INTO THE WAR as Lt. Jimmy Patterson of the Air- Transport Corps in Medal Of Нопог: | Frontline for the PlayStation«2 Computer Entertainment System, After taking part in the largest aerial troop drop in history, you'll fight the . ra Axis Powers as an agent of the OSS. Battle on the front lines or go it alone behind enemy lines using over 20 authentic WWII weapons to bring down the Third Reich. Survive the first deadly mission and you're only . 17 more Away Poal victory. [MEDAL 2] | |НОКОЕ |. You don't play. You volunteer. | www.moh.ea.com. -j&: PlayStation. - General Dwight D. Eisenhower, D-Day. PRODUCTS RANGE FROM RATING PENDINGTo T E E N CONTENT RATED BY = = R = Lt. Mike Powell of the First Ranger Battalio ^ in Medal Of а Allied 7) www. nih ea. com (H 0 Confined fire and earth elemeit fo hl pa ^ Avion £C fi 48: VIOLENCE Pay 77: [ted for a йи». Freetrocufed 4 golem. Mo th 4 efem enf SIS fun ГА Z Mush sheep. A > = x €0 FLFMFEN AL www. azurik.com хеох % / / "а EXDRESS YOURSEL У |; | "ө "нй ng ШЕ зо In TU m mn НІНЕ rn ШЕШІ! lut 8858044 RATING PENDING БЕРДЕН ° Visit www.esrb.org р or call 1-800-771-3772 for more info. | Ln "ru Ur ТОГ nmi iil mu EEE иши | ишин inne B Li nem n B. = > „3 | | 2|8|| Еч | | mz Е” Кета PSS > Y‏ ا =A Sp]‏ € = ||| | а] І 112 | || | == | ШІ! | | ZA Poe A Se n see $ 588984) || | | | у = - ІІ | БАРАМА - | | ІШ!) мака | - к Ц || ШИШЕ" | | | Ја = - = 7t zu ——— m = ш а = а JerseTrAADIGFUTURE went faa he, hatun im тама п ат Bes, lc, 2091 Sony Сар Бона sm еде 5 лене. ийин: Toe Реа THERE IS А WORLD PARALLEL ТО OURS, WHER "КЕ HAS NEVER BEEN А BETTER IAT ARE COURAGEOUS. [WO WARRIORS. "ВЕ ONE WARRIOR. A NEW LEGAGY 15 BORN 2 PlayStation.e WWW.JAKANDDAXTER.COM NAUGHTY a1] February 2002 CONTENTS Game Directory AirBlade All-Star Baseball 2002 Arc the Lad Collection Azurik: Rise of Perathia Blade 2 Bloodrayne Blood Wake Chris Edwards Aggressive Inline Circus Maximus Dave Mirra Freestyle BMX 2 9о Deus Ex: The Conspiracy 148 Drakan: The Ancients’ Gate 168 Fa 164 FIFA 2002 150-151 Final Fantasy X 156 Forever Kingdom Freekstyle Genma Onimusha Gitaroo Man Grandia 11 Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone Herdy Gerdy Hoshigami: Ruining Blue Earth Jade Cocoon 2 King of Fighters EX: Neo Blood Legends of Wrestling 93 158 168 164 93 106 107 98 106 164 156 170,172 90 168 148 108 152 Issue 151 Let’s face it, a few of us have lives to live (or like to think that we do) and there just isn't enough room in them to play every 40-hour role- playing game that we come across. Thumb through our 14-page RPG Survival Guide on page 114 to find out which ones are worth your precious free time in the new year and beyond. "Um, remember that time when Solid Snake dragged that girl? 164 88 158,166 Max Payne 172 172 154 92 94 154 168 154 106 102 98 156 156 100 108 99 100 92 108 158 92 168 86-87 160,162 Super Smash Bros. Melee 172 94 158 107 158 104 That was awesome!" Discover some tips and insight on Metal Gear 2, Halo and Tony Hawk 3 when we interview the developers in Afterthoughts, starting on page 50. Madden NFL 2002 Maximo: Ghosts to Glory Mega Man X6 Mega Man Battle Network Mobile Suit Gundam: Zeonic Front Monster Jam: Maximum Destruction MotoGP 2 NFL GameDay 2002 NHL Hitz 20-02 PaRappa the Rapper 2 RalliSport Challenge Resident Evil Resident Evil Survivor 2 Code: Veronica Rez Shadow Hearts Smashing Drive Sonic Advance Sonic Adventure 2 Battle Got Hobbits? Not one, not two, but three new Lord of the Rings games Soul Calibur 2 are headed your way. Lace up your Spider-Man curly little shoes and follow us to Star Giants page 38. Star Trek Voyager: Elite Force Star Wars: Jedi Starfighter Star Wars: Obi-Wan State of Emergency Tekken Tiger Woods PGA Tour 2002 Tsugunai: Atonement Unreal Championship Wizardry: Tale of the Forsaken Land Wreckless: The Yakuza Missions Wondering what's going to be hot in the next year of gaming? The EGM crew pulled their crystal ball out of storage to conjure up the Slick List. Find our predictions on page 136. If you thought the L.A. riots were cool, then State of Emergency will make you purr. Put on your brass knuckles and turn to page 86 to find out how you can beat up innocents and burn down landmarks like never before. Looking to feed your hungry GameCube? Turn to page 160 to check out our reviews of Super Smash Bros. Melee, Madden NFL 2002, All-Star | Baseball 2002, FIFA 2002 and Dave Mirra 2 у! Freestyle BMX 2. Departments | © Editorial 14 @ Letters 22 (© Press Start 36 Stood in line for a GameCube or Xbox? You weren't alone. Come along with EGM as we follow the lunacy behind the launches. Also, find out what the man behind the music for Streets of Rage and Shenmue is up to. @) Gossip 64 cre @ > @ + == Bir Previews 83 It's a PS2 bonanza! Check out Capcom's next big game, Maximo; LucasArts’ Episode // romp, Jedi Starfighter; and more. Also: Sonic Adventure 2 on GameCube and Unreal Championship for Xbox. Review Crew 146 If you're one of the few souls who didn’t catch the Harry Potter movie, then take pride in your defiant hipness and ignore our PlayStation and Game Boy Advance reviews of the video game adaptations. But you can’t miss our gargantuan reviews of Final Fantasy X and Legends of Wrestling. Tricks 114 So you're not as good a gamer as you thought, eh? Try our fresh new codes that include Tony Hawk 3 (GC), Rogue Leader (GC) and Grand Theft Auto III (PS2). @ The Final Word 188 ПИ © x GameCube | х Xbox | © Dreamcast | Ш> PlayStation Game Boy Advance Game Boy Color ___| WWW.TDGAME. СОМ ET : Defiant. Visit www.esrb.org or call 1-800-771-3772 for Rating Information. Ж Test Drive® ©2001 Infogrames, Inc. All rights reserved. The ratings icon is а trademark of the Interactive Digital Software Association. A V AR | е All other trademarks and trade names аге the property of their respective owners. Manufactured and marketed by Infogrames, Inc., New York, NY. EDITORIAL Goothye to the Old. Hello to the New. oodbye 2001. You were one fantastic year. Do you realize how many systems you hosted? Eight. PlayStation 2, Xbox, GameCube, Dreamcast, PlayStation 1, Nintendo 64, Game Boy Advance and GB Color. That's pretty freakin’ amazing. lIl miss you. Hello 2002. You'll be showing us if these fancy new consoles will have what it'll take to stick around for the long haul. My fingers are crossed. Goodbye Dreamcast, Nintendo 64 and PlayStation 1. You have what will always be known as some of the best games of all time. I still have you all hooked up to my TV (well, except for PS1 since my PS2 takes care of your business), and I'll still bust you out for Soul Calibur, Perfect Dark and Castlevania: Symphony of the Night from time to time. Goodbye www.egmmag.com. Sorta. Now you'll just be home to a few service-related items. We didn't get to use you a whole lot, because we've By Dan "Shoe" Hsu • shoe@ziffdavis.com B made a new friend in the Internet biz... Hello www.gamers.com and more specifically, egm.gamers.com. Finally, goodbye “Trickman” Terry Minnich. You've been with us for what, 68 years? We'll miss you, ol' buddy. Good luck to you on your new adventures іп the “real world." Sige Check out EGM online ай: On Jan. 7, go to egm.gamers.com to vote on the 2001 EGM Readers' Choice Awards. The polls will be up for two weeks, and the results will be printed in issue #153. If you don't vote, don't come bitchin’ to us about why your faves didn't win. Also, don't forget to trade some words (kind or nasty) with us on our official EGM Message Board. You can find the link on...where else? egm.gam Contributing Writers Shane Bettenhausen Shane's played so many console RPGs for the cover story this month, it's sick. He promptly incited a “sick of RPGs” riot after previewing State of Emergency. Peter Felonk lancer, Peter's working hard to make old- schooler “Trickman” Terry's Tricks section better than ever before. Gary Steinman Only after we bribed OPM's Managing Editor with Colt 45 and Ho-Hos did Gary stop playing FFX and review Shadow fe Hearts for us this month. А newcomer to ЕСМ as a contributing free- Christian Nutt Read what Christian has got to say about PS2 RPGs in this month’s feature. Also catch his work in GameNOW and the Expert Gamer Codebook. After writing about Spider-Man’s PS2 debut, ОРМ'5 Previews Editor knows more than he prefers about men in tights (hav- ing lived with Greg Sewart doesn’t help). John Ricciardi A long-time veteran of EGM, John has writ- ten for dozens of game mags and Web sites over the years. He lives and works in Japan, the land of sushi and kogals. Eat My Shorts! Look around this issue for quotes from The Simpsons or a famous movie. Find one, e-mail it (and your mailing address) to us at EGM@ziffdavis.com (subject: Eat My Shorts—EGM #151), and you may be one of five lucky winners (chosen at ran- dom) who will win a copy of this month’s Game of the Month. Some quotes from the issue #150: * “You can’t expect to wield supreme execu- tive power just because some watery tart threw а sword at you!" (The Holy Grail, Ç Chase two bits a gander.” (Simpsons, „ 182, * "If | puked in a fountain pen and mailed it to the monkey house, I'd get a better [story- line!” (Simpsons, pg. 228) Issue #149'5 winners of Tony Hawk 3 (PS2): • David Renfrow—La Mesa, CA • Dan Coburn—Columbus, OH • Richard V. Gonzalez—San Francisco, CA * Jay Sherwood —Hopkins, MN. e Aaron Ѕрагкѕ Calgary, AB, Canada f We use EarthLink EarthLink’ for our online gaming needs. ELECTRONIC GAMING MONTHLY (ISSN #1058-918X) is published monthly by ЛИ Davis Media Inc., 28 East 28th Street, New York, NY 10016. Pero 5s Postage Paid at New York, NY 10016 and additional mail ing offices. Single issue rates: $4.99, The or subscription rate is $24.97 in the US. and able in U.S. currency only to Electronic Gaming Monthly lectronic Gaming Monthly, P.O. Box 55722, B 22. For subscription service questions, address changes, or to order, please contact us at ттар сот (for customer service) or http:/ subscrib 2) 779-1174 ог (850) 682-2624, e contains information that will expedite processing); Fax: U.S. еге (803) 694-0518; E-mail (please type your full name and the attachments): egm@neodata.com, The editors а this publication may be repr form, or by any means (electronic, mechani notice of Ziff Davis Media inc. To re introduced into a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any | photocopying, recording, ог otherwise), without the the prior any materialin this publication, obtain a permission request fed. Reproduction in whole or in par without permis: this publication (or on this Web site) or to use our logo, contact Ziff Davis W Manager For reprints, contact Reprint Services at 800-217-7874, Olga Gonopol Inc. 2ВЕ. 28th St, New York, NY 10016. Tel: 212.503 5438. Fax 212-503-5420. olga_gonopolsky@aiffdavs.com. Electronic Gaming Monthly and EGM are trade- marks of Ziff Davis Media Inc, TM and © for all other products and the characters contained therein are owned by the respective trademark and copyright owners. All materials listed in this magazine are subject sponsibility for such changes. The Canadian GST face like that? ls it because someone's giving him the. s him lke а freakin‘ hurricane? You be the judge. sion is prohibited. For permi ‘Ast Bureau OF Creations om ELECTRONIC Number 15.2 GAMING и 2002 Editor in Chief , Ue Dan "Shoe" Hsu e shoeGziffdavis.com Manan Editor Dean er е dean hagerGziffdavis.com. Executive Ed itor Marl MacDonald * mark macdonaldGziffdavis.com Features Editoi Қ ШЕТПЕ Boyer * crispin boyerGziffdavis.com jews, Chris Sn Johnston • chris johnstonGziffdavis.com Previews Editor Greg Sewart « greg. sewartiffdavis.com Senior Associate Е Krai e ава HUNE Asocial n Dudlak оа dudlak@ziffdavis.com Associate Editor/art Director Jeanne Kim e jeanne_kim@ziffdavis.com West Coast Editors James Mielke ө james_mielke@ziffdavis.com Che Chou • che_chou@ziffdavis.com Contributors: У Christian Nutt, Shane Bettenhausen, Gary Stenman! 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IT'S ONE ; ERGO SHAPE, AGGRO RESPONSE, MICRO PRECISION. › VORTEX” IS READY ТО REAL GOOD FOR Xbox: THE UNFBIR ADVANTAGE THE WHOLE vs { ) GAMESTER LINE © AT GAMESTERUSA.COM q; AND GET À FREE MP3 BY UNCLE MUDFISH oa JUST des p “i lated UNFAIR by the Board of Far Рау Ine. and tho National Association of Crybaties and Terminal Loser" ff with the mafia as a yulling off 20 tough, Violence ACTIVISION. activision.com Game Code © 2001-2002 Bunkasha Publishing Co., Ltd. Published and distributed by Activision Publishing, Inc. Activision is a registered trademark and WRECKLESS: The Yakuza Missions is a trademark of Activision, Inc. and Its affiliates. All rights reserved. Microsoft, Xbox, and the Xbox logos are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Microsoft Corporation in the U.S. and/or other countries and are used under license from Microsoft. The ratings icon is a trademark of the Interactive Digital Software Association. All other trademarks and trade names are the property of their respective owners. Check out high-speed chases now at GOWRECKLESS.COM TRY TO TOPPLE THE CORPORATION OR SIMPLY CAUSE COMPLETE MAYHEM 4| CONTENT RATED BY ESRE WATCH YOURSELF - DEATH SQUADS PROWL PREPARE TO FIGHT TONS OF PEOPLE AT THE STREETS LOOKING FOR TROUBLE ONE TIME, USING SPECIAL SKILLS Blood and Gore Violence AND BRUTE FORCE "PlayStation" and the "PS" Family logo are registered trademarks of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. State of Emergency game (c) 2001 VIS entertainment plc. State of Emergency and the State of Emergency logo are trademarks of VIS entertainment plc. Rockstar Games and the Rockstar Games logo are trademarks of Take-Two Interactive Software, Inc. The ratings icon is a trademark of the Interactive Digital Software Association. Copyright 2001. All Rights Reserved. ra A SHADOWY CORPORATION HAS SEIZED CONTROL OF YOUR COUNTRY. PEOPLE HAVE TAKEN TO THE STREETS IN PROTEST. STATE OF EMERGENCY HAS BEEN DECLARED AWARDED AS "THE TOP OVERALL GAME AT E3" “WE'RE THINKING ROCKSTAR'S STATE OF EMERGENCY қ MAY TAKE THE CLASSIC OLD SCHOOL BRAWLER “ЕЗ SHOWSTOPPER” AWARD TO THE NEXT LEVEL OF INTENSITY.” “IT'S ORIGINAL, IT'S WILD, AND FROM WHAT WE'VE ӨТТ TENURE AWARS AI 39 SEEN AND PLAYED, IT'S AS FUN AS THEY COME.” ‚ PREPARE FOR CHAOS AS HUNDREDS OF PICK UP ITEMS OFF THE STREET AND DEEP SELECTION OF HAND-TO-HAND PEOPLE FILL THE SCREEN - EACH CITIZEN USE THEM TO FIGHT YOUR OPPRESSORS FIGHTING MOVES AND TONS OF SUPER- REACTS DIFFERENTLY TO EVENTS DESTRUCTIVE WEAPONS ARE AT YOUR DISPOSAL PlayStation.c QUIS Swapping paint with Skywalker, Shrapnel impact at 600+mph, Tatooine. Mon Calamari. Turbo-boost slice between canyon wall and Dud Bolt, Sullust. PlayStation e ee THe ANATOMY o SPEED. ITS A FIGHT TG THE FINISH AT БООМРН. GO HEAD —TG—HEAD AGAINST 18 GF THE GALAXY S MOST AGGRESSIVE PODRACERS. WITH 14 HARROWING TRACKS GN 5 WORLDS, FACE TERRIFYING CHALLENGES AT EVERY TURN. GOT THE GUTS TO GO FOR IT? Tusken Raider target practice, Badlands. | Visit www.esrb.org rainbow а or call 1-800-771-3772 STUDIOS for more info. ESRB LETTER FACTS • Letters written without the use of the letter “n”: 17 • Love letters to Jeanne Kim: Zero. Zero?! What happened to all you guys? • Number of letters successfully diagraming cold fusion: One. Nice work, kid. Halo Hella Hard LETTER OF THE MONTH Congratulations Jason Wells. You win an InterAct GameShark for PlayStation 2, PlayStation, Dreamcast, Nintendo 64 or Game Boy Color. E [E Unlikely inspiration A couple of my friends and hundreds of others like them have never had the joy of playing video games. When their parents hear some anti-video game advocate spouting out all types of horrible things that will happen to their kids if they set hands on a controller, they keep their kids away. But for every bad story we hear in connection with games, there is at least one good story. Look at all the creative exploration in the form of fan art that has spawned pressures growing up, and there is no one solution (like cutting out or avoiding video games) to the different problems children end up having. It is the parents' responsibility to moderate a child's activity and have the intelligence to make specific judgment calls. Knee-jerk reacting to every bad incident reported that has a remote or coincidental link to video games is just grasping for a quick answer. Jason H. Wells Chesterfield, MO "The content, music and technical prowess of some games can awaken talents that people might not know they have." rom video games. A friend of mine, who is now in art school, got her start drawing Cloud from Final Fantasy VII because she liked the game so much. I ave another friend who is now an accomplished pianist. The first thing that got her playing was the theme from Star Ocean 2. After finishing Suikoden |, was curious about all the dishes the chef was making in the game (tempura, croquettes) and decided to learn to cook them myself. | know several bright ids who went into programming or math because of their interest in computer and video games. Not every video game is centered on violence and killing. The content, music and technical prowess of some games can spawn talents that people might not know they have. Kids face a lot of We couldn't have said it better ourselves, Jason. Video games always get blamed for a lot of the incidents involving youth violence because they're an easy target. It's just as wrong as lashing out at movies, television or the media. It's up to the parents to control their child's exposure to these different elements. Hopefully people will come to realize this in time. Video games are slowly working their way into our culture as a more legitimate form of entertainment than the mindless activity many still see them as. For all those with parents like Jason described: Keep on sticking up for what you believe in, and don't let the man get you down...or something like that. Games have been making a positive influence on society for decades. Rampage 2 inspired King Kong to scale the Empire State building in the ‘50s. "| was intimidated at first," Kong admitted, "but the game made it look easy. I'm glad | did it; I'd do it again.” Like many kids, | have asked my parents for an Xbox this holiday. All the com- motion surrounding Halo makes me think it’s a must-buy for me. The problem is that I’m not a great gamer. You guys mentioned that Legendary difficulty was the best way to play Halo, but I’m afraid | won't be able to beat it on that level. Is Halo worth buying if I’m not good enough to beat the game? Danny Wardwell DRWFUNNY@aol.com You raise a good point, Danny. While we recommend that anyone who buys Halo play and finish it on Legendary, it’s not a difficulty level for those who haven’t played a good deal of first- person shooters in the past. You may even have trouble with Normal mode; it’s not very easy itself. If you do end up with an Xbox, pick up Munch’s Oddysee or Cel Damage if you want a fun game that doesn’t require a lot of technical mastery. Definitely put Halo on your list further down the line, though. You'll thank us when you're old and gray. Ever since | read about the Electronic Entertainment Expo in 2001, l've been wanting to know all about the next show. When is it? How old do you have to be to get in? Where is it and how much does it cost to go? It is my destiny to go! Danny Wardwell DRWFUNNY@aol.com Whoa! Slow down there, little buddy. You've got moxie, but that'll only get ya so far. Technically, E3 is a trade show open only to industry types like game developers, publishers, journalists (cough!) and caterers. But, we'll make you a deal. For three grand in small bills...no, no, that's not what we meant to say. What we meant is that you can go to www.e3expo.com and learn all about the nitty-gritty rules and regulations surrounding the industry mecca. You have until May 2002 to get a job in the biz, or if it's like politics, you can probably buy your way in somehow. EVERY GENERATION HAS ITS HEROES. THIS ONE IS NO DIFFERENT. . [U.S.ARMY ЈЕ T 0 ЕМЕВУОМЕ CONTENT RATED BY ESRB SIDOS emr Herdy Gerdy, Core Design, Core, the Core logo and related characters are all trademarks of Core Design, the Eidos Interactive logo are all registered trademarks of Eidos Interactive, Inc. 2001 Eidos Interac is a registered trademark of the Interactive Digital Software Association. АЛ rights reserved. HerdyGerdyGame.com mmerse yourse featuring lush environments animation. Control a va ety of unruly speci their own intellects, personali! behavior patterns. Embark on an epic adventure designed for the next-generation gamer. "One of the most beautiful games to ever grace а console...and it's got depth to match its graphics." -PSM Herpy GERD February 2002 LETTERS Shorts spelled backward is Strohs. Don’t drink beer, kids. | read your review on Halo last month. It sounded like a good game with a good story and great multiplayer, but | was wondering if the multiplayer is better than GoldenEye's? It may have more levels, better graphics, and can handle more players, but is it better? porsche. lover43 Gyahoo.ca Imagine, if you will, the largest pile of steaming manure you've ever seen in your entire life. Magnify it 300 times and you've got the very tip of a much larger, steamier pile of horse waste that represents every second spent playing multiplayer GoldenEye that could be spent playing multiplayer Halo. With GameFan and NextGen now gone, 1only get two magazines a month. | used to buy your mag all the time at the newsstand. | never subscribed because | always wanted a reason to go to Electronics Boutique. Needless to say, | never pay more than $12.95 for a subscription, so if you bill me for that amount, | will send you a check. wayne71@ adelphia.net Needless to say, you're just going to have to keep getting your free issues of Hit Parader every month if you’re not willing to pay whatever nominal fee we're charging nowadays. This ain't a used-car dealership, bub. Our subscriber fees are not negotiable. If You're So Damn Smart... We asked you to send us your picks for best and worst games of all time, and boy, did you let us have it. Here are some that didn't make our lists. Feel free to compare these reader choices to the correct answers in EGM issue #150. Personal Tops IN THE SERIOUS MATTER or BEST AND WORST GAMES EVER, AFTER ARE FUL DELIBERATION, WE HAVE DETERMINED: THAT WE ARE RIGHT, AND You ARE WRONG, | believe that two glaring omissions do exist in your otherwise perfect list. The one that stands out in my mind as the most unforgivable is the omission of River City Ransom on the Nintendo. Kirby’s Superstar for the Super Nintendo should also be on the list. magitower@yahoo.com Secret of Mana was possibly one of the greatest Super Nintendo games ever (next to Super Metroid, of course). The story was great, the characters were memorable, the music was amazing, and it’s the greatest co- op game I’ve seen in a while. slimjim1414@hotmail.com What happened to Xenogears? | kept on wondering why you guys would skip the best RPG of all time! It had great gameplay and plot. Its only rival was Persona 2. How about an honorable mention for it? Battleoid2@aol.com I'm not trying to tell you how to run a magazine, but Jet Grind Radio and Shenmue should have placed in the Top 100. redarwing3@yahoo.com The best game ever, without a doubt, is Final Fantasy VIII. It’s so different from any RPG that came before it. It eradicated the tired concepts of leveling up and the old “dungeon- town-dungeon"-style of progression. The story was driven by its cast, not by its plot—the characters are the most relevant of any RPG. MUDiogenes1o9Qaol.com Electronic ming Monthly - 28 Terrible Flops Home Improvement for the Super Nintendo. It’s based on the TV series and has as much to do with the show as comedy. It’s basically Tim “The Tool Man” Taylor stranded in a jungle armed with a staple gun, which he uses to attack armadillos, crows and other animals not found in jungles. jeff_hardy17356@yahoo.com Ever play Plumbers Don’t Wear Ties for the 300? It was a dating sim where making the right decision could get you (a plumber) the blonde. If you gave her the seven correct lines, you won the game and got to watch some crappy pictures. Just thinking about it makes me want to cry. тардо99@1усоѕ.сот My worst Christmas ever followed my opening Bill Laimbeer’s Combat Basketball for the Super Nintendo. The closest it came to basketball was the resounding slam-dunk into the trash can. Thanks for the memories. josh.5674@rcn.com ТОКОМЕ МЕ, FATHER, FOR | Have MADE "SUPERMAN" FoR М “€ N64 Last Action Hero. The game was awful for the same reason that Total Recall was: Arnold would get his head beaten in by any street thug in the first level. After the 12th time that happened, | had to take the thing back to the video store before | broke it clean in half. josh.5674@rcn.com King Arthur’s World. It’s a good thing the Super Nintendo mouse cord is so short; this game makes you want to hang yourself. quae3@yahoo.com Were you able to buy your console of choice, and are you satisfied with it so far? | bought an Xbox on the day it came out and have had many sleepless nights playing Halo and Project Gotham Racing since. Then | figured out how to play Halo online, and | forgot what sleep and work was. Holy cow, this thing is fun! It’s heaven in a big old black box. Ben_Elpers@csx.com No, but if | could it would be GameCube. | think I'm getting one for Christmas and if | do, | will play nonstop! noodlesnose88@hotmail.com | was able to purchase both consoles on the launch days, expecting to like GameCube more. But so far, I’ve found myself playing Xbox way more. It just has better games. BenceGhome.com No, | did not! The guy at the counter was like, "Philips CD-i?" m richard albertehotmail.com | spent my money on the one system guaranteed not to flop: Game Boy Advance. Now excuse me, but Castlevania beckons. z5redheads@mymailstation.com | got a GameCube and | absolutely love it. | have Luigi’s Mansion (which is REALLY good) and Rogue Leader. | also plan to get an Xbox in early 2002 ‘cause it has a crapload of potential. MicroKaje@aol.com Luckily, | got my PS2 for my b-day, and | love it! Not only for the games, but because | can play DVDs! Very cool (thanks Dad). mlfamilyg@msn.com What the heck? Already? | don’t have enough money to spend on all of them! | just got a Dreamcast, and now I’m saving for a Р52! b69812@cswebmail.com Next Month’s Question of the Moment: What one thing do you most want to see change about video games in 2002? Send your short but sweet responses to: EGM@ziffdavis.com with the subject heading: Ch-Ch-Changes IE TUR... ETWEEN YOUR LEGS mc =>. =. wem: am ss-a. s - а жито == ca spe ® == se @ тш та ee LS == LI Your pulse quickens. Your stomach drops. You feel it in your toes. With an intense 60+ FPS super-charged, gravity-defying combat mot ж u ^ шала, O ae a м E = < 12 different super-charged bikes packing 9 incredible racing circuits with Futuristic, interactive racing environments: € serious firepower gut-wrenching loops, twists, spirals & drops city, desert, arctic, ocean & canyon EVERYONE In-game music by ми © i AKlaim Mild Violence E PlayStation.e aim GAMECUBE. www.acclaim.com CONTENT RATED BY ESRE Extreme-G™3 and Acclaim& & © 2001 Acclaim Entertainment, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Developed by Acclaim Studios Cheltenham. All Rights Reserved. "PlayStation" and the "PS" Family logo are registered trademarks of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. TM, ® and the Nintendo GameCube logo are trademarks of Nintendo. Screens shown were taken from the PlayStation®2 version of the video game. LETTERS You can write EGM at: EGM Letters Please note: We reserve the right to edit any correspondence for space purposes. If you don’t want your name, city/state or e-mail address a Eu 27 printed, tell us so (but please include your phone number, mailing address ак Brook, and system preference for Letter of the Month prize consideration). 60522-3338 Also note: Although we can’t respond to every letter, as far as you know, we do e-mail: EGM@ziffdavis.com read them all. Also, everything you send us is ours to keep! Metrannoyed | read your top 100 games of all time, and thought it was pretty good. But the question | must ask is, why Super Metroid? | never played the game until a couple of weeks ago. | went to my local pawn shop and picked up the game. | was expecting something absolutely incredible, but what | got was the same spikey heads rolling around the floor that were in the first game. | gave it an hour, and | was still shooting the spikey heads. Awhile later my friend came over and started to point and laugh, telling me that the game is a complete pile. At that point, | shut the game off. |, too, thought the game sucked! How can both of us be completely wrong? | mean this game doesn't come off to me as good, let alone the best game of all time. | could go on about MDK2, San Francisco Rush 2049, Tekken 3 or DOA2.... Could you at least explain to me what the big deal is about this game? Dave davemay89@hotmail.com To each his own, Dave. But we’ve got a feeling you’re going to be getting a lot of surprised, angry or at least explanatory letters via e-mail from other readers. Maybe you need to give the game more time, but maybe you and your friends are just into different types of games than we are; none of the games you mentioned even made our list. It sounds like you’re into a lot of predominantly multiplayer stuff, and many of us feel that a very strong single-player title deserved our top pick. Without reprinting what we already said in the feature text about it, that’s what Super Metroid is to us: an incredible solo adventure. Give us the benefit of the doubt and play through it. If you still feel the same way, no biggie. We'll just file your letter under “alien weirdos.” Can you guys help me find my Super Nintendo and Atari? | can’t find them anywhere. My parents put them somewhere, but | don’t know where, so Props to Ѕеапрару | just wanted to let you know that the “Crapstravaganza” feature was, hands down, the funniest thing I’ve ever read. My roommates and | read it part by part so we could savior the literally tear- inducing, 12-year-old schoolgirl laughter that left us feeling like we'd just done доо situps. Keep it up; you’ve got a dedicated cult following as of now you'll have to think like parents if I'm going to find them. I think it's probably in the attic or that place where you put a car... | just got an Xbox and have 100 bucks to spend. | want to get Halo, but my parents are not letting те, Any tips on how | can get them to let me have it? It looks like the best game ever; | Brian Gohan-X@Lelola.zzn.com The garage, Brian? Is that what you’re thinking of, the garage? That’s not a bad place to start, or if you think it’s in the attic, go for it. You ight just want to try asking your must have it! here in Tucson. When you want us to puni Ei but AM not d to the. catts7 start the riot, just say the word. P Е 5 5 ботата xriskbreakerx@hotmail.com tell you your business. We're always MERC GER е try to stay ош eager to help, though. So we asked of family issues, Shh, Ix-nay on the iot-ray. Seriously, our art director and resident parent, but may we though, thanks for the kind words, Cyril Wochok, for his advice: suggest pointing guys. We can’t take the credit for them to our review, А in which we that 20 Worst Games feature, it was EGM: Hey Cy... discuss the game all Seanbaby (with a side of Crispin Cyril: What? What the hell is it now? COO Boyer), but at least you're enjoying piece of art? You the ma EGM: Where would you put a Super should also tell 8. them that it will Nintendo and an Atari if you were storing them at your house? Cyril: You kids get off my damn lawn! keep you away from temptations like drugs and girls. If that doesn’t work, whip out some BS about In issue #150's Top 100 feature, we showed a shot of Samurai Shodown 111 Sorry, Brian, it’s no good. | guess it’s where we should have dropped in a Hina what PEY Jeff a кн Fresh Я picture of Samurai Shodown ІІ. We rince say: Parents just don improvement. noticed it, but a little too late... understand. Not quite Sharkworthy... Close, but no tamale. Better luck next time. Letter Art of the Month WINNER M. Bellabe * Lompoc, CA Brenton Smelser Edgewood, MD Congratulations, M. Bellabe! Castlevania certainly ‘rulez.’ Your prize is on the way-an InterAct GameShark for PlayStation 2, PlayStation, Dreamcast, Nintendo 64 or Game Boy Color. GAMESHARK Put your creative skills to the test by decking out a #10 envelope (the long, business type) with your own unique touch. Send your letter art to: EGM Letter Art, РО. Box 3338, Oak Brook, IL 60522-3338 (or e-mail EGMGiffdavis.com) Be sure to include a mailing address, and tell us what system you'd like your prize for, in case you win. All entries become the property of Ziff Davis Media Inc. and will not be returned! Jason Osborne Anaheim, CA Tor Letter of the Month and Letter Art of the Month contests, no purchase is necessary If you're really bored and want to read the complete contest legal rules, please visit egm.gamers.com or write us at: EGM Contests-Legal Rules Request, P.O, Box 3338, Oak Brook, IL 60522-1338. After reading the rules, please get а Ме, Don't forget to tell us what system you'd lie your prize for, and don't forget to give us your physical mailing address. Otherwise we won't know where to send your fruit basket. ” 2 Yeah, well bust out Oh Vince, I did i) the mittens, Buttercup. + ЖА I just signed for 7 with Toronto. so want to move to Los Angeles. Your office is a 20,000 seat arena, your salary has a whole lot of zeros, and “Who stole my stapler?” is ү, dM “Who’s picking up Vince on D?" You wanted real; you got real. Build an all-NBA team during the draft. Check | your team’s actual NBA playbook, and са those plays with real-time coaching. And details? You can count the players’ cornrows. Have your secretary take a memo — this rules. ; Kk | insidedrive2002.com Кепра,сот ЕМЕВУОМЕ NAR It's a living. WWW XBOX com SELECT А MODIFIER THAT ALLUDES TO YOUR DOPENESS DX-1100 NAMING UI DJ [0] DX-2600 DUAL NAMING UNIT Doma о SAD Ој ФА GME к Me тті ӘПЕРУ. MODIFIER MS. i" Ë= SPECIAL ш Г! | | г SAINT | SULKY 7! 11 | > E ا ا‎ ss ОИ FILTER ш eee q^cq САМ FLANGE МІХ -ING ~ED 1 7 = = @ SOUR 1 Ч 5 List 2 E © L EFFECTS eio E а PSU SE ç qe ве CLIP ALT GENDER | GAIN FLANGE МІХ SEND 3 5 т üOHCE YOL uE MASTERED THE ART OF REMISIHG TRACKS FROM ARTISTS LIKE FUHESTAR DE LUXE, D] Q-BERT, THE CRYSTAL METHOD AND НО DOUBT, YOU? LL NEED | В МАМЕ THAT YOUR MOTHER DIDH'T CHOOSE FOR TOU. . PlayStation.e www.SCEA.com Frequency is a trademark of Sony Computer Entertainment America Inc. Developed by Harmonix Music Studios. ©2001 Sony SELECT AN EQUALLY AWESOME SUBJECT DX-2600 DUAL NAMING UNIT | STATUS: | | NAMING ІМ PROGRESS... MEMORY ө О eee ооо САМ FLANGE МХ | -ING., ED = TEST TRACE SQUENCING -— – | 7 Р "ONU OMA MIN МАХ “MIN MAX PHONES MAIN VOL: voL Mild Lyrics Computer Entertainment America Inc. “PlayStation” and the "PS" Family logo are registered trademarks of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. HARMONI X WJMWOA MIN INAL V NNVWVH ISYOH A8 OLOHd OUR LOVE AND INDELIBLE THANKS GOES OUT TO ALL THOSE LOST IN THE SEPTEMBER 11 ATTACK ON AMERICA AND TO ALL NYC DOCTORS, NURSES, & HOSPITALS . AND ALL THE VOLUNTEERS AT GROUND ZERO, ACROSS AMERICA, AND ALL OVER THE WOI * Excelsior MEN AND WOMEN WHO FIGHT ON TO MAKE THE FREE WORLD SAFE FOR EVERYONE . FDNY . NYPD . EMS . RED CROSS . NATIONAL GUARD . FEMA OUR MOST SINCERE THANKS . YOUR COURAGE AND ACTIONS STAND TALL AS A TRUE MONUMENT ТО ALL THOSE THAT BELIEVE IN UNIVERSAL FREEDOM. С. WWW.ZOOYORK.COM || + m PlayStation.? SOUSBEXOFE www.playonline.com Published by Square Electronic Arts L.L.C. © 2001, 2002 Square Co., Ltd. All rights reserved. FINAL FANTASY and the SQUARESOFT logos are registered trademarks of Square Co., Ltd. Character design: Tetsuya Nomura, “PlayStation” and the "PS" Family logo are registered trademarks of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. The ratings icon is a trademark of the Interactive Digital Software Association. Blood and Violence Press Start By Chris Johnston chris_johnston@2ziffdavis.com & Jonathan Dudlak jonathan_dudlak@ziffdavis.com The system with a handie launches in the U.S. hristmas came early in the middle of C November when not one, but two consoles launched three days apart— Xbox on Nov. 15 and GameCube on Nov. 18. That week, both machines battled not only each other, but the release of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone and the biggest PlayStation 2 release of the year, Metal Gear Solid 2. Gamers with leftover cash on Sunday strolled into their local game store and walked out $200 lighter, GameCube in hand. Lines formed early in the morning, but chances are if you were there on day one and wanted a system, you didn’t go home disappointed. After all, there were 740,000 of them for the whole continent. In informal polls taken by the EGM staff, Rogue Leader and Luigi’s Mansion seemed to be the A A dir snatches a GC from a helpless Mario, whose costume unfortunately lacks articulating hands. the Aurora, III. Babbage's. most popular titles, with the *Cube Madden close behind. Not to be outdone by the weekend's other hot property, Nintendo boasted that GC was “hotter than Potter,” racking up hardware and software sales totalling an estimated $98 million, to Potter's box-office take of $90.3 million. (Although if movie tickets were $200 apiece, we're sure the scales would be reversed... slightly.) It's a bit premature (and too close) to call a winner until the sales numbers are accurately tallied. Both are declaring victory in their own way. Nintendo says they sold more GCs than Xboxes, while Microsoft is content to say they sold more games per system (and will not divulge how many units they shipped). Whatever the case, the battle is far from over. We'll be there to keep you updated. When you leave dozens of GC titles on the counter, an angry mob of gamers comes and buys them all. 36 The Hottest Gaming News on the Planet Game(Cube) Оп! | THE WORD ON THE STREET | WORD ON THE STREE We stopped some of the new ‘Cube owners leaving the local Babbage’s store on launch day to ask ‘em a few questions. Here’s what they had to say: What games are you looking forward to on GameCube? “Metroid Prime and the new Mario game that’s coming out next year.” And do you like the GC’s mini-DVD format? “It’s fine. It’s about the quality of the games and how much fun it is, not the size of the discs.” —Rob Shelby, Naperville, IL Why'd you pick GameCube J Р over Xbox? “I think Microsoft should've stayed out of it. Nintendo's always done the best game systems ever." —Joe McCune, Oswego, IL Why’d you get GameCube over Xbox? “For one thing, it’s cheaper. You can get the system and * a couple games for $300, ` and it would take that much 7 just to ге ће Xbox system. 4. it's just as powerful. You can't store as much memory on the GameCube, but when it comes down to graphics and gameplay, it's just as good.” —James Keathley, Chicago, IL What makes GameCube the best system? “Well, | like Nintendo systems. And l like the GameCube. It looks really cool.” What's your favorite Nintendo game? “Ummm.. [pauses] | have a lot. | like all of ‘em.” —Kevin Long, Naperville, IL WHEN GOOD PIKMIN GO BAD Here you see Captain Olimar cleverly disguised as a human leading a herd of Pikmin to a Los Angeles Target location. Or it might just be a bunch of gamers dressed as Pikmin harassing some guy as he goes to pick up his ‘Cube on launch morning. Yeah, we liked the Captain Olimar version of the story better too. enters the lucrative console market шм The first Xbox buyer at the Microsoft-sponsored launch party at San Francisco's Embarcadero Electronics Boutique. Microsoft without Windows and Bill Gates popping up in the same sentence. The corporate goliath launched a major upgrade to their trademark operating system in the form of Windows XP on Oct. 25, but millions of eyes were instead focused on mid-November, when the hype-laden Xbox took to store shelves. Microsoft Chairman Bill Gates makes the distinction that while both XP and Xbox are “super-important” to the company, they “didn’t bring The Rock to the Windows XP launch.” (The Rock was on hand for Microsoft’s big Xbox launch event at the newly remodeled Toys R Us store in Times Square). Nov. 15 marked Microsoft's first foray into console gaming at a time when Sony’s PlayStation 2 and Nintendo’s GameCube (the latter of which came out just three days afterward) would pose formidable competitive threats. But Microsoft didn’t seem to mind being the greenhorn in this multibillion-dollar industry. “If you had to ask us, we'd say that PS2 is somewhat more of a direct competitor than GameCube,” Gates admits. “We take them both very seriously. There are things they’ve done well, and then there are things that T wo years ago, you couldn’t talk about Microsoft Chairman and Chief Software Architect Bill Gates shows off his mad Xbox gaming skillz at the system's official launch in Times Square. they’ve done that really leave a huge opportunity for us.” The launch-time fever surrounding the Xbox was minimal compared to the PS2 release in October of 2000. But with two consoles debuting simultaneously and a faltering economy, it’s not surprising that demand for the Xbox fell where it did. Microsoft and Nintendo are reporting almost identical sales during their first few weeks on the market. Most of the Xbox units that shipped sold through (estimated to be around 300-400,000 units), but after the morning assault on electronics stores had subsided, many stores still had plenty to go around. Nonetheless, lots of retailers had people lining up as early as the afternoon before launch day; worried consumers thought they might get the PS2 launch shaft all over again if they didn’t get out early. When sales began, Halo, Dead Or Alive 3 and Project Gotham were the decided favorites, with Munch’s Oddysee close behind. According to Gates, however, it’s not just the games that make Xbox different. “There’s no way this would have made sense or been possible five years ago,” Gates says, “There’s a fundamental capability that we have Electronic Gaming Monthly - 87 - egm.gamers.com THE WORD ON THE STREET New Xbox owners couldn’t escape our roving reporters either. Here’s what they told us about their new purchases and the competition: How long have you been in line? “Рт not in line for Xbox. I’m just here to get а PS2 game [Metal Gear Solid 2].” Can you believe that there’s a line this big for Xbox? “Yeah. But | think there’ll be a bigger line for GameCube.” So are you gonna be in line for GameCube? “No.” —Rob Aters, Earlville, IL What games are you getting today? “| want...what’s that game? Halo.” So why Xbox and not GameCube? “Cuz it’s like 20 times better. And it has more gigabytes and everything. And it has a Pentium 3 processor. And all that stuff.” —Nick Konen, Naperville, IL Are you buying an Xbox for yourself or someone else? “My kids.” What about GameCube on Sunday...are you going to get that too? “No, по... haven't heard of that.” It’s a new Nintendo system that’s coming out on Sunday... “Don't tell me about it. | don’t want to know." —Anonymous Mom, Naperville, IL here...most importantly to inaugurate the idea of online broadband gaming." Online gaming, eh? Well, we haven't heard a concrete word about how and when the Xbox will go online, but Xbox General Manager J Allard certainly has high hopes: *On Xbox World [Microsoft's virtual world to which online users will connect], gamers of all interests and ages can log on and find their friends, be guaranteed there's not going to be any cheating, and just have an overall tight experience." Microsoft plans to have 20 games running online by the end of 2002. ack in yonder hippy days, more than a di few flower-powered college kids scrawled "Frodo Lives" on campus walls. Turns out they were right— just early with the info. This year, that waist-high Hobbit at the center of the Lord of the Rings books-and- blockbuster-movie maelstrom is not only alive and spry —he's got a life bar, special moves and loads of power-ups, thanks to the trio of Rings games sallying forth this year. But because LotR is a 50-year-old franchise with shards of its license scattered hither and yon, these games are coming from not one, but a party of publishers who've each carved out their own corner of J.R.R. Tolkien's Middle-earth. We embarked on a perilous quest (hey, those Holiday Inn beds are lumpy) to discover exactly who's making what for a console near you. ARAGORN a.k.a.: Strider The hero of: EA's The Lord of the Rings His deal: He's a Middle-earth freedom fighter and the rightful heir to the crown of Gondor. Not to be confused with: That Strider Shining moment: Hacking off an orc chief's melon in the caverns of Moria Our Heroes Although we expect announcements of more games that feature different members of the Fellowship, 2002’s batch focuses on these three guys... Tall, dark and dead: You better believe the Nazgul riders will factor heavily into the games. This big guy is from Universal's Xbox title. Inset: Nazgul riders. from the movi $ The game based on the movies... Electronic Arts owns the rights to games based on а three of New Line Cinema’s LotR films, which are hitting theaters every year starting with the newly released The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring. But if watching the flick has you itching to lop off orc noggins, you better take a cold shower. EA’s game, titled Lord of the Rings and due on PlayStation 2, won't hit until fall 2002. Still, you do get a consolation prize: The game will likely include characters, environments and events from the second film that arrives next December, as well as the first flick. Now you'd think that with fantasy source material as rich as the LotR saga (cripes— Tolkien even created his own Middle-earth languages and history), EA’s first big Rings thing would wind up as an RPG or an adventure or a strategy game. Hold on to ye olde butts: Lord of the Rings is a 3D Keep on stridin': EA's game focuses on Aragorn (here's his in-game model), with “other members of the Fellowship playing a very active role during \ gameplay,” says ЕА'$ Scott Evans. Hmm. Kinda makes us wonder if other characters will get their own games, too. “We'll tell you about the other games later,” Evans says. FRODO BAGGINS a.k.a.: Mr. Underhill Ring into Mount Doom. Not to be confused with: That little bastard who steals your stuff in Golden Axe while you're sleeping Shining moment: Taking a cut at one of the Nazgul The hero of: Universal's The Fellowship of the Ring His deal: He's the Hobbit in charge of chucking the One Environments, such as Moria here, from EA's LotR game will be based on those in the movie. action game, in the same vein as Golden Axe or a medievalized Final Fight. You control Aragorn, the trilogy’s brooding badass-who- would-be-king, through environments taken from the movie, while dicing enemies with combat moves that vary depending on the weapon he’s wielding. But EA promises this will not be a mindless button-masher. “We've put a lot of effort into the enemy A.l....,” says Scott Evans, producer at EA. “Hack ‘n’ slash will only get you so far against these baddies.” We played an early version of the game— through a level set in the dungeons of Moria— and this thing’s already lush and atmospheric. Credit that to the artists’ full access to trilogy director Peter Jackson’s concept sketches and on-the-set photography, which they’ve used as a springboard to give their own creative oomph to the game’s creatures, costumes and weapons. EA wasn’t ready to share any shots of the action, so you'll just have to whip up your own mental imagery. "You can well imagine that players will be going head to head with the big bosses seen in the films," Evans says. “Imagine a 50-foot cave troll coming at you with a club the size of a Volkswagen..." 1 | Game: The Lord of the Rings System: PlayStation 2 Release: Fall 2002 Publisher: Electronic Arts It’s based on: The first — _ movie and most likely the second one The hero: Aragorn The gist: It’s a 3D action game with visuals influenced by the movies and gameplay inspired by coin-op classic Golden Axe. айл ectronic Gaming Monthly - 39 - eg The game based on the books... The literary rights to all three LotR novels belong to Universal Interactive, which they claim grants access to "all of Tolkien's original storylines and characters, so we can create the most complete Middle-earth experience," says Universal's Jeff Everett. He's the producer of The Fellowship of the Ring, the company's first LotR game, which is due for Xbox in the second half of 2002. Where EA's title packs an action wallop, Fellowship — which features Frodo as the main character—throws RPG elements into the fray. “It’s more like a combination of the new Zelda games in terms of puzzles and character interactions, and more like Soul Reaver for the combat," says Associate Producer Chris Taylor. Seattle-based developer WXP is crafting the game for Universal—and extending many of the action sequences from the Fellowship novel, which is the most sluggish-to-get-goin' book in the series. *Moria is almost pure action and is the largest region in the game," says Everett. Although WXP can't rely on the film for source material, they did enlist other resources to make a Middle-earth that Tolkien geeks could believe in. Daniel Greenberg, a Tolkien scholar and game designer, is providing input, and Universal hired Game: The Fellowship of the Ring System: Xbox Release: Second half of 2002 Publisher: Universal Interactive It's based on: The first book in Tolkien's Rings trilogy The hero: Frodo Baggins The gist: It's an action-RPG that punches up the pace of the slow-moving book. For instance, expect Frodo to be less of a wuss when he encounters the Hobbit-eating tree Old Man Willow in the game. gamers.com ы BILBO BAGGINS > a.k.a.: The Ring Finder The hero of: Sierra's The Hobbit His deal: He's the guy who found the One Ring and got Middle- earth into this mess. P Not to be confused with: That other little bastard who steals your stuff in Golden Axe while you're sleeping Shining moment: Rescuing his dwarf buddies from an Elven dungeon Universal's Fellowship game will extend the book's faster-paced sections. Cliff Broadway, best known as “Quickbeam” of www.theonering.net, to act as an Internet consultant. Such high production values extend to every part of the project. “All our dialogue will be spoken by voice actors...and for very important scenes we have full-motion videos,” Taylor says. “The budget for FMVs alone rivals what games cost a few years ago.” The game based on The Hobbit... No batch of Ring-themed games is complete without the adventure that started it all. And so we end our quest at the doorstep of Sierra, which owns the rights to The Hobbit, Tolkien's 1937 Rings prequel that first introduced us to Middle-earth and its fuzzy-feet inhabitants. All Sierra will reveal about its Hobbit game is that it’s coming to next-gen systems sometime in 2003, it stars Bilbo Baggins as the hero, and it will be an “action-oriented adventure.” Meanwhile, we'll keep on our dogged quest for other LotR titles. With the trilogy finding gold at the box office, you better believe there’s more games where these came from. “The best part is that this is just the start of what could be 10 or more years of Hobbit madness,” says Sierra PR Manager Adam Kahn. “Мете in it for the long haul, and we expect great things from our development teams with these games." Ф Game: The Hobbit System: TBA Release: 2003 Publisher: Sierra It's based on: Tolkien's Rings prequel novel The hero: Bilbo Baggins The gist: It's an action- adventure based on arguably the most action-packed Tolkien novel: Bilbo encounters mountain trolls, hostile elves, giant spiders, and a town-size dragon in only 300 pages. SHELLIBREAKWOUR The Best Single Person Shooter of the Year* is back—with over 60 levels of hard-core gaming adventure. You'll discover four never-before-seen levels and get a taste of Cate Archer’s criminal past. Armed with 30 unique weapons, fast vehicles, quick wit and the stealthiest moves around, she’s ready to take on any enemy. Are you? Comic Mischief Mild Language i аг & Violence PlayStation.c MONOLITH Ë es ASIERRA INTERACTIVE *Computer Gaming World, 2000 ERATIVE” NoOne Lives _ orever nolf.sierra.com ©2002 Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation and its licensors. All rights reserved. Sierra is a trademark of Sierra On-Line, Inc. The Operative, No One Lives Forever and Fox Interactive are trademarks of Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation. "PlayStation" and the "PS" Family logo аге registered trademarks of Sony Computer Entertainment, Inc. Beginning Jan. 7, мете taking your votes for the 2001 EGM Readers’ Choice Awards online at egm.gamers.com. The polls will be open for two weeks, and if you want Each month we dig through our mailbox for a gaming mystery to solve. We put on our detective caps and go after the answer, then report it to you. Here we go: Q: Why do the visuals in some PS2 games have jaggies while others are smooth? A: Aliasing is what you’re really talking about when referring to “jaggies.” This is the stair- step, jagged look of polygon edges you see on early PS2 games like Ridge Racer V and DOA2: Hardcore (among others). As Alex Rigopulos, CEO and founder of Harmonix, developer of PS2’s Frequency, explains, “When rendering a polygonal model, only the screen pixels that are inside the edges of projected polygons are colored. This leaves a jaggy appearance, especially noticeable on horizontal edges.” The phenomenon isn’t new, but stands out more on Sony’s next-generation machine. That’s because the PS2 has no default way of anti-aliasing (getting rid of the jaggies). In the early days of PS2 development, programmers Metal Gear Solid 2 PSI Military Radness маа good 15-hour spy flick. Тһе plot is more des your | job to investigate a mysterious, convoluted than linear algebra, but the e катеру гше {тот it unharmed. Is it safe to If She can a past all the blood and “You're only ling al show Mom? death, Mom may actually find Solid Unless of course you happen to be in an ` . Snake sexy. Is it worth Unless you're allergic! to nmm are salt buving the opposed to shooting ice cubes and/or жада. for? people, or have had an aneurysm in the ald bs the парне он you past 30 seconds, your answer to this question should be a resounding “yes.” Picture directing and starring in a really your voice to be heard, you’ve gotta vote. Do it now! RT.S0LVALOU DoA2: Hardcore and Ridge Racer V are two of the early games with jagged polygon edges. hadn't figured out a method of getting around it, so the first games suffered the most. Designers solved it eventually, as evidenced by differences between the Japanese and U.S. versions of Tekken Tag Tournament. The U.S. version is jaggy-less. A designer has three methods of anti- aliasing available. The first is by implementing a flicker filter, which averages and blends the vertical lines of resolution, resulting in a less jaggy but slightly blurred image. This is the most popular jaggy-busting technique. As an aside, Dreamcast's video output had flicker filtering turned on by default, which is why DC games look smooth. The second way is edge anti-aliasing. Rigopulos tells us, “Edge anti-aliasing is a way to reduce jaggies by only partially coloring Halo Burning Ring of Firefights even look at as an Xbox owner. Hey! We see you eyeing Shrek. Cut it out! Electronic Gaming Monthly - 42 - egm.gamers.com | _ As the cream of the Space-Marine crop, pixels on the edges of polygons. The amount of coloring depends on the percentage of the pixel area covered by the polygon.” This method is meant more as a means of touch-up and may leave some jaggies lying around. Last is full-scene anti-aliasing. This is accomplished by drawing the image in а higher resolution and then shrinking it before displaying it on screen. “Although it gives good quality results, full-screen anti-aliasing requires more memory and is slower,” says Andrew Kirmse, graphics programmer on LucasArts’ PlayStation 2 shooter Star Wars Jedi Starfighter. Got a gaming mystery? E-mail it to EGM@ziffdavis.com with the subject header “Ever wondered?" and we'll solve it for you. GAMECUBE Equipped with a vacuum and endearing childlike mannerisms, Luigi sheepishly tracks and captures a gang of bad- appleghosts that holds Mario hostage. Yep, thanks to the family-friendly patina that coats nearly all of Nintendo’s games. It’s kid-tested, Mom-approved. If one condensed this game into a thick syrup, it would contain the very essence of Nintendo’s trademark jokes, puzzles and cutesy style. If that syrup sounds like a tasty beverage to you, then yes. can a single ray of light really save the galaxy? STAR. WARS, obiwan.lucasarts.com Be Obi-Wan Kenobi. Experience full control of the Force and your lightsaber as you uncover dark plots and new enemies, hone your skills in two-player combat, and take on the worst scum and villainy the galaxy has to offer. TEEN official Star Wars website: starwars.com © 2001 LucasArts Entertainment Company LLC. © 2001 Lucasfilm Ltd. & TM or @ as indicated. All rights reserved. Used under authorization. Lucr LucasArts and the LucasArts logo are registered trademarks of Lucasfilm Ltd. Microsoft, Xbox, and the Xbox logos are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Microsoft Corporation in the U.S. and/or other countries and are used under license from Microsoft. Violence TIDBITS Bleem Closes Its Doors The company that made it possible to play PlayStation games on the PC and Dreamcast is no more. Rising legal costs and the dwindling DC market are cited as reasons for the shutdown. 06 Price Drops Again We aren’t car salesmen, but we’d still like to act like them for a moment and tell you that “there’s never been a better time to buy a Dreamcast!” Sega of America once again lowered the price in mid-November, from an “OK, maybe it’s still too pricey” $80 to an “I'll take three” price of $50. Battlebots, the popular Comedy Central robot combat show, is coming to PS2 and GameCube from THQ later this year. Shibby! This Month on Electric Playground Sick of all those reality ТУ shows? Then check out Electric Playground, which moves to Thursdays in January at 8:30 p.m. EST in the U.S. on Discovery Science (Canadians, check your local listings for times and channels). EP gives you plenty of good gaming info and reviews with hosts Tommy Tallarico and Victor Lucas (and maybe a familiar face or two from EGM). Here’s what to expect on the show in January: Episode 7-10: James Bond is back in Agent Under Fire, Galleon takes to the high seas, cell phone and PDA games, and a look at Universal's The Thing. Episode 7-11: Midway sets its sights on real- time strategy in Legion: Legend of Excalibur, the EP crew hits the links for a few rounds of SimGolf, a sneak peek at Deus Ex PS2 and reviews of Munch’s Oddysee and Devil May Cry. Episode 7-12: EP sits down for a conversation with The Sims creator Will Wright, arcade machines for the home, and explore the world of EA Big’s extreme sports, Episode 7-13: Storm the beach with Medal of Honor, get online with The Sims, a profile of industry vet Mark Cerny, the next steps for Xbox and reviews of Pikmin, Jak & Daxter and Project Gotham. ; | We got these in just as we were going to press, but they look so fancy we just had to share them with you guys. These are actual shots of Tekken 4 running on the PS2, slated for release this spring. We'll be back next month with more screens and details, but if you can't wait that long, head to egm.gamers.com for larger, hi-res screenshots. mE - 1 need more Xbox controllers for my friends to play multiplayer Halo! Try this MadCatz Control Pad Pro. It’s $34.99 (compared to $40 for the official Xbox controller) and features rubber grips, heavy- duty buttons and most importantly, a lifetime guarantee. My memory cartis have Alzheimer’s! Nothing’s worse than abruptly losing that football franchise you’ve simmed through 10 Super Bowls, but it does happen with cheap memory cards. Mad Catz’s new slick and sturdy 8 MB Xbox Memory Cards not only come in plenty of colors that help you sort your mess of saved games, like the Control Pad Pro, they offer an all- encompassing lifetime 22 guarantee. As ап added bonus, they come preloaded with exclusive saves for an assortment of EA Sports games and 4X4 Evo 2. Not a bad package for $24.99. This GameCube pad sucks ass for playing Madden NFL 2002! Wouldn't it be great if you could use your trusty PS2 pad with your new GameCube? You bet it would! The Nyko Play Cube retails for $9.99 and lets you do just that. You'll А be able to put those extra PS2 controllers to good use and save big bucks. My pet raccoon was almost strangled to death by my Xbox, GameCube and PS2 cords! Scrounging up the dough to buy all three systems is hard, but keeping your crowded game room from becoming a wirey death trap is tougher. The Target-brand Universal S-AV Video cable, priced at $14.99, is smaller than a clunky A/V switchbox, not to mention cheaper. In fact, it’s become standard issue for frugal EGM editors. A NEW ORIGINAL MOVIE TOE MOSH УМХ LEGE] i s оғ THE SATURDAY, JAN. 19TH AT 9P/8C on SCIFI scifi.com/b5rangers HOMER, © 2001 Electronic Arts Inc. EA GAMES and the EA GAMES logo are trademarks or Rage and their respective logos are trademarks of Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporat in the U.S. and/or other countries and are used under license from Microsoft. Nintendo Fox Interactive, The Simpsor ks or registered trademarks of Jemark of the Interactive Digit ОН, MARGE, ROADS ARE JUST Mr. Burns’ nuclear-powered А SUGGESTION. - у a А | fleet of critical mass transit LIKE PANTS! is making Springfieldians А catch “ride-share fever”! Help buy the bus system back by driving fares through rush- hour traffic, suicide shortcuts and unsuspecting buildings. Take the fastest possible route. Or just use the roads. thesimpsonsroadrage.com Mild Language Suggestive Themes PlayStatio п.о IW Violence = = PlayStation = = ЕЗ S E £ Е E £ £ š $ E E = = = E š H E š = š WWW. $082. СОП. Triste Netis a regres tod га TWsted etat Small V ыы 2% Inc@ainC. : TEEN and COMIC MISCHIEF VIOLENCE қ? А CONTENT RATED BY 3 ESRB 1.8 million copies of Metal Gear Solid 2 were shipped to U.S. stores in its first two weeks of release. Each month, EGM takes a long, hard look at the best and brightest of recently released games. We ask the producers for their thoughts on the titles from a development standpoint, and cover each one in-depth in this section. This month, we’ve got an inside look at Halo and Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3. But first, let’s check in with Hideo Kojima, director of Metal Gear Solid 2, for his post-release perspective on the PS2’s biggest winter release. You’ve got no excuse for not having played this game yet, but if you're somehow still an MGS2 virgin, be warned of spoilers ahead. ore Te оон е f Hideo Kojima: | was a bit concerned, but | thought providing a typical mediocre sequel would be even more sinful. | did gamble, but | had no second thoughts. | wanted to “betray” fans’ expectations in a way but still keep the same focus. The most important element of the MGS series—the main character—is still Solid Snake. In MGS2, you can observe Snake objectively rather than subjectively, which gives him more depth. MGS1 is the game in which you become Snake. М652 is the game in which you infiltrate and fight with Snake. The FA-MAS rifle didn't make it into the final version of MGS2, according to Kojima. But the feisty firearm is an unlockable (with a PS2 GameShark) weapon in the MGS2 demo that came with Zone of the Enders. Enter ecb79ff8 1456e60a as the main code, then 4cbb53d8 14566788 to open up the FA-MAS with unlimited ammunition. Now you kids have some fun. HK: We don't know what it will be like in Japan, but we are getting both positive and negative reactions. Some people say they like the strong and rugged Solid Snake but hate the weak-looking Raiden. That's probably because Snake looks tougher than ever in MGS2. You don't get to control Snake much, but this makes him stand out; you end up liking him even more. If you play the game until the very end, you will know that Snake is the main character. The game begins with Snake's monologue and ends with Snake's monologue. | was able to learn once again that people really love Snake very much. | am very happy about that. ar HK: Everything existed since the plan draft in November, 1998. Game specs and events have been modified during development, but the skeleton has not changed since. 50 Metal Gear Solid 2 “Was MGS2 as good for you as it was for me, baby?” and pro HK: Yes, it was very difficult. Allowing multiple strategies is one difficult task, and making all of them equally enjoyable is another. We repeatedly simulated different situations, for example, in which the player could encounter the boss before the boss battle. The more ways a player can fight an enemy or boss, the harder it is for us to account for all these potential scenarios from a programming standpoint. This open-ended gameplay, as we all know, is what makes MGS fun. But we had to spend extra time making sure these multiple strategies worked. FA-MAS rifle ? We also didn’t really have t the g ich as at happened to м in the traile: it run out of HK: The game was first developed with the FA-MAS, but we turned it into the M4 to be consistent with the story. [Graphics Supervisor] Yoji Shinkawa and others who know a lot about guns begged us to drop the FA-MAS. Many people who saw the early trailer have said that the gun should not be a FA-MAS, as well. We had to drop IDE 1:83:07 ЕУ. тє 3:39:03 NINTENDO GAMECUBE RONE -. | PlayStation.2 * ШЕ E IET Spe ort carey Eee i ттк en "обысын HIDEO'S SECRET STASH You've beaten MGS2 and gotten all the dogtags. you haven't seen anything until you've seen everything. Turn to page 186 and find out how to make an old woman pee her pants, reveal the ghost of Kojima, see the new modes added to the Japanese version and other cool, secret stuff. You go now! Once you've nabbed a soldier's tags, go back to him on his birthday, look at him through the bino- culars, and Press Triangle for a special message. all the polygon models and character motions involving the FAMAS as a result. What a waste! As for the C4 and cell phone, we have made no changes. They appear in the game as intended in the original game plan. We had to introduce the Сд later in the Plant chapter because of the Fatman bomb-diffusing event. It wouldn't really work to have Raiden setting C4 while diffusing ` Fatman's bombs. 4 The original cell phone only vibrated and didn’t ring. | wanted to fool the player by making him think that he was incurring damage when actually all that was happening was that the phone was ringing. But then so many of our staff who did not know about the cell phone making the controller vibrate thought the vibration was a bug. That’s why we added a ringing sound. In Japan, lots of people have downloaded unique ring melodies onto their cell phones, so the cell phone in the game does not simply ring. You hear a melody instead. There are many ,- other items that did not make it into the game —decoy balloons, X-ray goggles, water gun, penguin suit... to kill than Fortune: harder Steven Segal. Electronic Gaming Monthly - 91 EGM: А lot of our readers wonder why there wasn't a boss fight with Ocelot or a real fight with Fortune? HK: Fortune's character does not allow her to be defeated. She is cursed with the inability to die, that's why the battle with her went the way it did. | understand that players of the game would love to fight Ocelot the most. That's why | intentionally did not include a battle with Ocelot. Not being able to fight the most hateful enemy increases your anger toward him. That makes him an even more hateful villain. EGM: What advice do you have for gamers trying to collect all the dog tags in MGS2? HK: If you press the Triangle button while looking at a soldier with the binoculars or while in the first-person view, you can see the name of soldiers whose dog tags you have already obtained. So if his name shows up, you already have his tags and don't need to bother trying to make him drop them. EGM: Which moment are you most à proud of in MGS2? HK: The scene where Snake jumps into the water from the top of Arsenal Gear while chasing Metal Gear Ray. While Raiden is tied up, Snake breaks the handcuff himself and chases Ray. | really like this contrast. EGM: is MGS truly over? Do you have any parting comments you'd like to give all the Metal Gear | fansout there? | HK: MGS is not over. | might || not work on the script and An direct and design the entire game myself like the previous MGS games. I will certainly work on the game design and as the producer. N But hey, you never know. If people really, really want me to work on [the next] MGS, | might do everything myself again. /^ Initially, | was not supposed to direct MGS2, | was planning to have / someone else direct it, but due to popular demand, | ended up being the director. ж egm.gamers.com TACTICAL MARKETING ACTION You've played the game, now buy all the useless crap that says to your friends, “Hey, І played the game.” б.ж. Re-enact all your favorite М652 scenes іп full stiff-plastic animation. These little guys are the latest addition to Medicom's Kubrick line of toys. Solid Snake, Hal Emmerich, Revolver Oceleot, Olga Gurlukovich, Soldiers in Woodland and Tiger camouflage, and a seventh surprise character (hmm, who could it be?) will be available in the U.S. in March through Diamond Comics. Head to http://csls.diamondcomics.com to find a comic shop near you that can order ‘em. McFarlane Toys did an awesome job on the original Metal Gear Solid figures, so it's no surprise that they're making the sequel's toys. The figures are in video ^ S a game specialty and toy stores now. You can buy all the main characters from the game, and they look fantastic. ® à If you were one of several million gamers living in Japan when Metal Gear Solid 2 came out in early December, you had a shot at buying a limited-edition collector’s pack. You also had the chance to get your copy signed by Director Hideo Kojima and Character Designer Yoji Shinkawa. The pair made a public appearance for the game's release at the Tsutaya store in Shibuya (Tokyo). Now that’s priceless. Yes, online. As in, over the Internet. PLAY HALO ONLINE! After you’re done reading what the creators of Halo have to say here, warp over to our Halo Inner Circle on page 182 and learn how. You'll also find strategies and tricks to humiliate and impress your friends. Jason Jones, lead designer on Halo and co-founder of Bungie Studios, is one of the major players behind the best console first-person shooter in existence. We think that's a pretty big deal, so we had some questions for him. And he had some answers: EGM: Halo, at one point, was a third-person game. ason Jones: Yes, that's absolutely true. EGM: And a real-time strategy (RTS) game at some point as well? : (laughs) Yeah, it actually was. EGM: So, how did it get to where it is today? JJ: We keep things pretty freeform around here, and sometimes that leads to problems or delays, but one of the cool things is that it lets all the good ideas come out. Halo was an RTS when it was very, very early. We came up with this really cool vehicle simulation that had all these tanks driving around. They would do all the things you see the Warthogs doing in Halo. After watching the demo run for a while, we eventually hooked up a joystick one day for the vehicle, and it was so damn fun. We figured we'd be wasting all that technology if we didn't use it. The third-person thing was inspired a lot by Oni [PS2, PC]; it had fantastic animations and really good characters. For a long time, that's where we thought we were going to go with Halo. But we changed that focus a good six or eight months before we moved out to Seattle because you just don't get the same feeling, the same emotions playing a third-person game versus a first-person game. Even when we had the third-person camera in and you could see more of the area around you, people here actually preferred to play in first-person mode because it just felt better. EGM: We love the enemy А! (artificial intelligence) — it's brilliant in Legendary mode. How did you guys do it? Right from the beginning, when we started working on the solo game, we knew we wanted to give players something much more interesting from the Al besides “target blindly trying to kill you” Al or “stand in place and wait to get gunned down” Al. We wanted a lot more movement than that, so we had one guy working really solidly on the artificial intelligence the whole time. He just kept adding cool stuff until the very end. For example, if a marine is riding with you in the Warthog and he gets struck by a plasma grenade, he'll jump out of the jeep rather than stay and get you blown up, too. EGM: How much of the combat is scripted and how much happens on the fly? J: | think games that follow a script too closely end up feeling kind of fake. Every game has some scripted points, but we wanted to keep as much of Halo's illusion as possible and create a world that would still exist without you. The scripting we did do was more for the cutscenes and for control; we tried to save it for that. Almost everything else is on the fly. EGM: Why wasn’t the Scorpion tank used more in the game? Because it's too powerful? J: The tank is a really satisfying, powerful weapon that we wanted people to just have fun with. It wasn't so much about balance in the solo game, but we thought we'd limit it to the one segment where you can just go nuts with it. Have you discovered how cool the Marine snipers are in that part? g Monthly - 52 egm.gamers.com “We knew we wanted to give players some- thing much more than ‘stand in place and get gunned down’ Al.” EGM: Yeah, that one part at the bottom of the hill in the snow level where you load ‘em up on your tank... JJ: Yeah, | remember the last night of testing, we had just gotten final production Xboxes and the master copies of the game. It was like four in the morning and | was sitting there with one of the testers playing on Legendary. We got the Sergeant sniper and he was riding on our tank, and a Covenant grunt in some totally ridiculous way just barely picked him off. It was so late, we really wanted to go home at that point, but we just looked at each other and were like, “We gotta save the Sarge!” So we restarted just on principle alone. EGM: Any cool atmospheric subtleties you can think of that we might have missed? cont. on page 54 1 ІЙ xs]. WAY 00 E r a DAVE IRKSCREW. CARL HYNDMAN SEQUENCE. MIRRA Freestyle bmx LOOK FOR DC SHOES THE NEXT-GENERATION VIDEO GAME FROM ACCLAIM MAX SPORTS BMX superstar Dave Mirra is the sport's most celebrated athlete. He owns 13 X-Games medals, headlines a self-titled nation wide tour, and is the star of his own BMX video game. Dave's signature shoe, the Mirra, is the ultimate combination of function and style, crafted to his exacting standards. Halo Afterthoughts cont. READ MORE ABOUT IT Where did Captain Keyes get that pipe he’s always carrying? Who is Cortana? And just exactly what the hell is the Master Chief anyway? The official prequel novel, The Fall of Reach, has all the background info any Halo dork would need to know and then some, leading right up to the start of the Xbox game. Find it at finer—and even rather crappy—game and bookstores everywhere. JJ: Well, when you take down one of the elites or come on real strong, all the grunts will run away. Also, have you heard the grunts say, “Oh no, not again!” or “I get his gun!” and take credit for the kill if they take you down? We had all this Marine dialogue that we recorded, so the sound guys just pitch shifted it up or down for the alien grunts and elites. It's not even a voice actor; it’s just one of the guys here (laughs). It’s really corny, but we came to love it. EGM: How many Marine personas are there? JJ: | think there are six. They all have the same Al, just different voices, but they’re great to listen to. They say some weird stuff. One of the snipers, after he takes a guy down, says, “І would have been your daddy, but that dog beat me over the fence!" One guy screams, "Cancel Christmas!" after taking someone out with a grenade. Also, for a treat, you should check out the opening cinema on Legendary. Listen to the Sarge —he's taken his pep talk up a notch. EGM: Why limit people to carrying only two weapons at a time? JJ: We made а lot of departures from the traditional first-person game: a recharging energy shield, dedicated grenade and melee buttons instead of having an alternate weapon fire... We wanted to keep players making decisions and choosing the right weapons for each unique scenario. You can't just run around with every weapon at once; what you choose to carry can be crucial to your success. EGM: Are some levels designed around teaching people to use specific weapons for certain situations? JJ: We try to do that in a whole bunch of places and lead people slowly through, almost beat them over the head with it sometimes. For example, the assault rifle usually shows up ДИТЕР The assault rifle mows down Covenant grunts like so many blades of grass. Jason likes the sniper rifle or shotgun, depending on how far he is from the action. where there are lots of grunts; it’s great for mowing them down. There's also a range some- where between that of the shotgun and the pistol where the AR always wins a firefight. EGM: Why no bots in multiplayer mode? JJ: We really wanted to focus on the single- player game with the time we had; it was just a question of priorities and programming the Al. There's also a question around here of what the role of bots is. Are we trying to make it so four people can play Capture the Flag against four bots? That's a very noble goal, in terms of getting the А! down. | also don't think it's that fun to have eight people fighting each other and just have bots filling in the cracks. EGM: So what didn’t make it into the game besides the flamethrower we saw in previous screenshots? JJ: We had all these ideas.... There was this really cool gravity rifle, | don't want to go into it too much... (laughs). EGM: No, no, tell us! JJ: Well, how ‘bout | tell you about this alien that got cut? EGM: (sigh) OK... JJ: We called him “The Engineer.” Imagine a huge, long slug with pouches of gas bubbles bulging out of his back. He would float everywhere, he had these six manipulator tentacles, and he was the guy the Covenant sent down to Halo to suck all the secrets out of the machines. His role in combat was basically to add a shield to the Covenant around him. He was a total coward; he'd hide from everything, so he was kind of hard to kill. It definitely made the fighting interesting and different... | shouldn't be talking about all the stuff we had to cut (laughs). We had a ton of things that didn’t make it, but | think that’s really healthy, to have the option to keep only the best stuff. ж onic Gaming Monthly - 54 - egm.gamers.com PICKS OF THE PROS If | Were You... Whether you're trying to hack your way through Legendary mode, linking four Xboxes, or just having a friendly one-on- one, Bungie's Jason Jones recommends the following to make that Halo game even better, if that's possible. Favorite Multiplayer Games: Arena: Hang *em High Weapons: Rockets Only Vehicles: None Game Types: Any, but Slayer or Oddball are recommended. Why it rocks: The rockets make everything from body parts to flags to skulls (which you have to hang onto in Oddball games) oh-so volatile. The expansive arena gives all that junk lots of unpredictable places to land after a rocket blast. Arena: Blood Gulch Weapons: Your Choice Game Types: Capture the Flag, Capture the Flag: Assault, Team Raid Vehicles: Warthog Why it Rocks: The level layout is so perfect for anywhere from 4-16 players. CTF: Assault involves you trying to get your flag INTO the opposing base, and it makes for some really unique defensive strategies. Controller Setup: "Everybody here sets up their controls a little differently," Jones tells us, “but we all play a standard control stick (not inverted). One of the guys here plays with a look sensitivity of 3 (I use a 5), and he's much better with long-range shooting on larger maps. But when he gets in close quarters, it's tougher for him to keep up. Myself, І love melee fighting with the shotgun, and you need the higher sensitivity for that.” Weapon Combinations: Multiplayer: shotgun and either sniper rifle or Marine pistol Vs. multiple Grunts: assault rifle and either Marine pistol or rocket launcher Vs. Elites and Jackals: plasma pistol and Marine pistol Vs. Flood: shotgun and assault rifle ARE YOU IN CONTROL OF YOUR SHADOW? Dont be certain. At least, not until you meet Ari, a young boy from the village of Тепе! who has lost control of his to the spirit of a 300 year old evil king. Now it's up to you to join him on a quest to help win it back. Along the way, solve puzzles, decipher mysterious clues and fight battles in a bizarre adventure that will test your wits, skill and make you question the proof of your own reality. Comic Mischief Mild Language Mild Violence OKAGE: Sh puter Entertainment Inc. "PlayStation" and the "PS" Family logo are registered trademarks of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. OE Q shadow кім пагтом, Until Tony Hawk сате along, the appeal of skateboarding had pretty much been buried with Back to the Future іп the ‘805. Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3 is keeping street surfing very much alive, thanks to the series’ producer, Scott Pease, and Neversoft President Joel Jewett, who discuss the sickeningly popular shred sim in this edition of Afterthoughts. SP: We've rewritten the engine and special effects to take advantage of the Xbox hardware capabilities. Also, since the engine was written after our PS2 engine, it’s even faster and smoother, especially in two-player split-screen. SP: Combo like mad, and use everything in your arsenal—grinds, flatland tricks, reverts, special tricks, manuals, hidden combos, gaps, etc. You can easily score in the millions from a single combo. You've got to mix up your tricks and not rely on any one trick in particular. Having 10 special tricks will also help a good deal in building your score. SP: You bet, and he's known around here as “The Kracken." Currently the Foundry is the level of choice for The Kracken, and he can bust out nearly full two-minute combos. SP: | think so; there are a lot of ways you can use the revert—it links a lot of different tricks. For example, aside from the standard vert- landing revert, you can also revert out of a lip trick, or when you lean back in after grinding a halfpipe. In THPS2, manuals opened up more rail-to-rail lines, acting as a flatland linker. With the revert, now you can bring the vert areas into play and keep your combo going around the entire level. LE 548 SP: Definitely. We don’t really like games that force you down a narrow, limited path. We try to provide as broad a palette of moves as possible, and let players explore the tricks and try to use them in their own creative ways. There are lots of different play styles. For example, one guy here just uses inverts like mad, and we feel the different strategies keep the game fresh. SP: We're always about trying something new. The money system was fine for THPS2, but it also made the game a bit too linear. We really liked to see people hopping back and forth among the Career levels, which seemed to be more prevalent in THPS1. And buying tricks with cash? Who the hell thought of that? (smiles) SP: We barely scratched the surface. This go- The Foundry is the first level you encounter in THPS3. But the guys at Neversoft still found ways to turn molten lava pits and catwalks into springboards for two-minute combo strings. МІТН around was all about laying the foundation for what is to come. There is an infinite number of possibilities that online play opens up, and we've got a ton of ideas. At the same time we're pretty proud of what THPS3 has to offer, being the first ever online-enabled PS2 title. Joel Jewett: We didn't have a choice. Darth came into the office one day and said he wanted to be in the game. | told him to take his little double-bladed lightsaber and get lost. Next thing | know, | am floating a couple of feet up in the air and | can't breathe. Then he showed us a couple of his moves...he skates pretty well, and he definitely pushes the fashion envelope. Best Buy "^| We ‘asked male gamers - | agesi2to 14 what they Downloading tunes women | thought was important. "= | Here’s what they said: Cereal Breaking stuff Making up words like "wankstain" Lighting their farts Beef jerky TV channels that are scrambled Couches Vending machines New games for Game Boy" Advance Eating chips Referring to strangers as "Slappy" Bacon sandwiches were all over this one. Sleep puo шн пыш eee шын пын пыш ee ш апу бате Воу° | Shaved monkeys | $ k 5 0 Е F Advance software Female wrestling managers | a > title or accessory | 510.99 and up | Calling girls and hanging up Late night cable Good only at Best Buy stores. Not good in combination with other coupons or offers. Limit one per coupon per title or accessory per Finding the remote customer. Not valid on prior purchases. Valid on in-stock items only; по rainchecks. No dealers. Coupon must be presented at time of purchase. No copies. Coupon value is 1/100 of one cent. Good | Getting whiskers fip 3/90/07: Coshier Instructions: Verify ү quolifies. Scan coupon bar code. Scan product bar code. Highlight qualified item. Press “Item Modify.” Press “Item Discount.” Press “Tab.” Enter “500” and pes “Enter.” Write “VOID” on coupon and place in register media file. TurnOnthe Fun | © 2002 Best Buy © 2002 Best Buy BestBuy.com Where Are They Now? Gamefather of video-game music Yuzo Koshiro, whose music accompanied the urban beat-‘em- up Streets of Rage, ninja action game Revenge of Shinobi and god game Actraiser, talks about breaking into the game music biz and fragging fans in first-person shooters. ctRaiser for the Super Nintendo. Streets of Rage for the Genesis. Shenmue for the Dreamcast. Heard the music? It’s worth the price of admission alone. And when you think back to the heady days of the Super NES—when squeezing symphonic sounds out of that gray and purple brick was akin to shoving a watermelon through the eye of a needle—you have to admire the soundsmiths of the time. Rising to prominence in the early 19905, celebrated composer Yuzo Koshiro returned from a hiatus in the latter half of the decade to deliver the magnificent co-composed Shenmue soundtrack. He is still one of Japan’s favorite video game musicians, and it’s easy to see— and hear—why. “When | was a grade-schooler, | got addicted to Space Invaders,” says Koshiro, who's the son of a pianist and learned to play the piano, cello and violin in his childhood. *When I was in high school, | listened to game music from Konami, Namco and Sega. This made me want to try to compose game music." Koshiro went for a job interview at game developer Nihon Falcom— in his school uniform no less— and got temp work cranking out tunes. “| did music for a PC game called Xanado Scenario 2. That was my first game." Two years later, at age 18, Koshiro composed the music he's most famous for: the funky thumping beats for Streets of Rage on the Genesis. Although his previous work had been more classically orientated, Koshiro created trendy club music to match the game's grimy downtown atmosphere. “Usually, | come up with music from looking at the actions or moves of the characters,” Koshiro says. “But in the case of Streets of Rage, | went to [dance] clubs once or twice a week at that time.” With bars and clubs as his research facilities, it’s little wonder that Streets of Rage was Koshiro's favorite personal project. It's to Sega's and our detriment that the innovative Koshiro wasn't hired years later for Daytona, partly because we'd have finely crafted tunes roaring in unison with the cars' engines, but mostly because we wouldn't have to listen to Warrant. Where is he now? Koshiro has formed a game- development company in Japan called Ancient with the funds he acquired during his tenure as a master musician. Their most recent creation is Gekiou! Carbattler Go!! for the Game Boy Advance. And although Koshiro does want to remix tunes for forthcoming GBA ports of Streets of Rage and the Saturn action-RPG Legend of Oasis, he Seems just as intent on spending equal amounts of company time both on new compositions and first-person shooters. “Mainly I'm enjoying Team Fortress and Day of —Yuzo Koshiro Defeat,” he says. “Our company has servers for both games.” You can find them at http://www.ancient.co.jp/~game and Koshiro’s nickname 15 [ANC]prince. So if you've ever wanted to frag the composer of The Revenge of Shinobi, now you can. -David S.J. Hodgson This is no place for subtlety. This is no place for pity. This is a place where aliens want о turn humans into a bad memory. This is a place where strategy matters indoors and out, where your weapons and vehicles are both human and alien. This is a place for carnage. This is HALO™ VIOLENCE 2 ES BLOOD AND GORE е combatevolved.com XOeOx lon “TONY, HAWK'S mar ROISKATER Уж == NC PlayStat B ч ш ТОПҮ/НАШК: "РЕВО! КАТЕ. ТОПУНАШК: S тар тти 13 Шы "IPROISKATE: КО S = 1 ATIS maLLERO сцевеке ks LASEK MULLEN STEAMER REYNOLDS TONY HAWK'S PRO SKATER 3 A 1 099 YH PLAYSTATION 2 TOD SKATER 3 $49.99 ACTIVISION PRO SKATER 3 acon GAMECUBE ACTIVISION 28148 TEN j ПУН | EJ т PRO SKATER Х 4 ETONY/HAWK'S =y : Pig A [. 4 BRO SKATER x Gs PRO) SKATER TONY HAWK’S $49.99 PRO SKATER 2X XBOX ACTIVISION #209936-4 TONY HAWK’S TONY HAWKS PRO SKATER 3 $29.9 PRO SKATER 2 5 GAME BOY COLOR 9 GAME BOY ADVANCE $39 99 ACTIVISION ACTIVISION #205323-9 #201133-6 FOR THE STORE NEAREST YOU or CALL TO PLACE YOUR ORDER NOW! _ XBOX CONTROLLER XBOX ч MICROSOFT XBOX #209489-4 $39.99 XBOX DVD PLAYBACK KIT XBOX MEMORY XBOX UNIT MICROSOFT XBOX XBOX #2094928 MICROSOFT XBOX — MICROSOFT XBOX $ #209494-4 *LIMITED AVAILABILITY #210081-6 34.99 ЗЕЕ ЗШЕ ASSOCIATE $299.99 is a XBOX GAMING SYSTEM XBOX pe ЕКТІ; ТЕ: 22% BLOOD WAKE XBOX MICROSOFT XBOX #710700-1 ˆ $49.99 Š NBA 2002 |, INSIDE DRIVE ind the Xbox logos are regi demarks of United S countries. | Here it is. Soak it in, Protoculture fans. At left is а screen from the GBA version of Robotech, the first of TDK | Mediactive’s games based on the mid-’80s anime import. | Rick Hunter and the rest of the SDF-1’s crew are headed to | all major systems this year, including GBA (spring), PS2 Location: Tokyo, Japan Year Founded: Late summer 2000 Web Site: www.bunkasha-games.com # of people: 11 Current Projects: Wreckless: The Yakuza Missions (Xbox) During late-night programming sessions, we: Program ‘til we fall asleep. Music that inspires us around the office: None, just the sound of cars. Favorite snack foods: We're probably a lot healthier than most developers. We only have two fat guys. Three of us drink coffee, and most of us don’t eat snacks. What is the inspiration for Wreckless? The main programmer’s interest in physics and cars; the mixture of both became Wreckless. A few of us liked the game Destruction Derby. | guess you can call that an inspiration as well. Are the two female cops in Wreckless based at all on the Japanese anime/manga series Taiho Shichauzo (You’re Under Arrest)? Unfortunately, no. We have a big manga fan on our team, but he’s more of a Gundam guy. He buys a new plastic Gundam model every week. Why develop this game on Xbox rather than PlayStation 2 or GameCube? The PS2 already had a lot of games, and the GameCube, at the time, looked like the target was for a younger audience. We figured that the Xbox had the biggest audience that would enjoy Wreckless. How do you think Xbox compares to the PS2 or GameCube? The Xbox is a very powerful and flexible machine. In 2001, the Nvidia graphics technology was probably the best in the world. Quartermann = It’s time for The Q to make his New Year's resolution, so listen up, Q-fans. This year, if yours truly starts a game, he's going to finish it. That one didn't stick last time around, so let's hope it does this year. On to the rumors: ...Konami's going on а bit of a retro kick, and in the near future they'll be bringing a collection of classic games to Game Boy Advance. Rush N' Attack, Time Pilot, Gyruss, the original Frogger and Yie Ar Kung-Fu will all be included....Sorry folks, no plans for a Metal Gear redeux.... ..On the Metroid front, it looks like Samus won't be blastin’ aliens ‘til at least Turkey Day ‘o2. Buzz is growing to slightly more positive levels, but I’m stayin’ skeptical of the whole business. At least we know that the Nintendo- developed GBA Metroid IV will be good....Remember when Frequency was supposed to have online play? That kinda felt apart when Sony’s online push was delayed until this spring. But the good news is that Frequency's online play is not dead. Q-spies that have infiltrated the House of PlayStation have heard that when the Network Adapter launches, it may be bundled with a version of the game that's netplay-enabled... ..,Thanks to the Xbox's on-board hard drive, we may be enjoying upgrades to today's games, later: Tecmo's Tomonobu Itagaki has already said that Dead or Alive 3 will be upgradeable using the drive. Rumors are also circulating about Halo 1.5, an upgrade that would include additional missions and a.smorgasbord of new multiplayer options. Finálly, as if Halo wasn't rocking our collective worlds enough, more Xbox FPS action is on the way, including versions of Doom III and Return to Castle Wolfenstein. Let's hope they're online— The Q needs to get his sniper on....Won’t you be my target? That's it for this installment, boyos. If you're so inclined, drop me an e-mail at quartermannGziffdavis.com. Bye! —TheQ 64 => PlayStation MONSTERS, INC. SCREAM TEAM 2001 GRADE 4 Don't be fooled by their cute and cuddly appearance, these kids are training to be Top € the best and so can you. As Mike or Sulley, you'll bounce, belly flop and tailspin through a BPAONSTERS, INC 3 ө to test your scaring abilities. It'll be a furraising challenge. So which is it? Are you a monster Scream Team The Top 20 Best-Selling Games of October 2001 Devil May Cry, but Capcom sure as hell won't, thanks to all the money they're Silent Hill 2 raking in. With DMC and Grand Theft Auto III both topping the charts, maybe 11 lent ПІ ап “М” rating оп а video game doesn’t automatically hurt sales anymore. This Konami is definitely a boom time on the PS2, but we're sure to see some GameCube C ace . purple and Xbox green next month. Meanwhile, the Dreamcast continues to 12 JUper Mario Advance hang on by its fingernails, enjoying that post-mortem rush it's been on. And in Nintendo case no one noticed, the Hawkman is returning to form with not one, not two, a but three games in the top 20 during October. 13 Driver 2 3 Infogrames 1 Devil May Gry i ; Capcom E vj 14 Ace Combat 04: Shattered Skies 7 Namco BH Jonathan 50. = Т ау 15 1170 2 Grand Theft Auto Ill ie 34а повна | 16 NASCAR Thunder 2002 10 e Electronic Arts Greg | Cri Milkman " NHL 2002 3 Madden ІН 2002 Electronic Arts 18 Madden NFL2002 Electronic Arts Electronic Arts 4 Tony Hawk's Pro Skater T 19 Топу Hawks Pro Skater 2 Activision } Activision 20 Gran Turismo 3 A-spec Sony CEA 5 Pokémon Crystal 99 | Source: NPD TRSTS Video Games Service. Call Kristin Barnett.von Korff at Nintendo (516) 625-2481 for questions regarding this list. Chart description written by EGM staff. \ x “it's gonna be а hot summer for teenage boys!” —Ethan Einhorn, GameNOW 1.5 previews editor, on summer 2002 Jeanne 5 Seaman: A New Beginning — -- It seems like only кесі yesterday we were Seer 5 — caring and nurturing our 4 Busin: Wizardry Alternative _ == m= ij’ Dreamcast... NBA Live 2002 - a 28 — ahem...Seamen through ic Arts 3 achinko Slot Aruze King 5 р the early stages of life. мше Now they're all grown Em up and have moved to a 4 то Baseball Japan 2001 == аи а ОШ; - ———— And this week, they've Shin Sangoku Musou 2 = been able to fend off 5 Koei Nt rues the Pachinko sims and 6 айе Pachislot: Winning Tech. — —— Konami upon аат = — —— Japanese MGS2 and eigi no Mikata - Smash Bros. are just me Wo lite p around the corner. 8 un Survivor 2: Code: Veronica == 9.0 8.5 Capcom Dean Kraig Pikmin , : Hawk's Pro Skater 2 - атлы ЕМИ Ў Activision 1 Power Smash 2 © а mS a. 10 10 i ega A wily lil’ Seaman. WZ Crispin Dean Greg 754 Source: Weekly Famitsu, week ending 11/18/2001 *actual in-game player model а HUGE DOSE OF REALITY. /DMIDWAY www.midway.com ДЕН PLAYERS NFL Blitz 2O-O2 has evolved. Real teams, real players, real attitude, but totally re-invented for maximum impact. With ап all-new engine powering 8-on-8 action, a new running game dimension, and the revolutionary Impact Player customization feature, NFL Blitz 20-ОР delivers "No Refs. No Rules. No Mercy." football for the next millennium. Ahi dui b ығ GAME PREVIEW А7 EE Playstation |242 Ж. самво/лмансе (È) БАМЕБШВЕ. хеох ating Information. “FINAL SCORE 10/10.” “THIS GAME IS THE REASON YOU BOUGHT A PLAYSTATION 2.” “1 KNOW EVERYONE 15 EXPECTING THIS GAME ТО BE GOOD, BUT | HAVE TO TELL YOU I WAS SHOGKED AT JUST HOW GREAT IT IS.” "1652 HAS ONCE AGAIN STUNNED US, . AND WE ARE ONGE AGAIN ON OUR KNEES ` TO KOJIMA-SAN AND HIS HEROIC TEAM.” y “AS OF NOW, WE'VE SEEN NOTHING 22 -ABSOLUTELY NOTHING- TO SUGGEST THERE йш BE A BETTER GAME ОМ ANY SYSTEM THIS YEAR. PERIOD.” “Heprinted fram Official U.S. PlayStation Magazine, December 2001, with permission. Copyright © ТЕШТИ НИТИ rights reserved A HIDEO KOJIMA GAME SONS OF LIBERTY M cmm PlayStation.e ® WETAL GEAR®, METAL GEAR 20010 e and SONS OF LIBERTY" are either registered trademarks ar trademarks of KONAMI COMPUTER ENTERTAINMENT JAPAN, NG. © 1907 2001 KONAMI COMPUTER ENTERTAINMENT JAPAN. "PlayStation® and the "P$" Family lage are registered trademarks of Sony Compoter Eatertaioment lat. The ratings ican is a trademark af the Inleraelire Digital Software Кети а, WWW.EONAMI.COM E H 5 ЗЕ Е | 1000 аге registered trademarks of CAPCOM CO.. LTD. GENMA ONIMUSHA is a trademark of CAPCOM CO.. LTD. Ç е даће са бе ¿£ Lurroupde ҒА her tide, only to find the he. / panard dnd ce meets, the ее of # $ 260, h the dauid of darkred / 2 fet help, One lope Soa imap, (5242 the legion of denah sotto uf, (зрео ар 2 b Blood and Gore Violence 2 /, “се the aci con PRESS START Compiled by Jonathan Dudlak jonathan dudlakeziffdavis.com January Commandos 2— Eidos Strategy Deus Ex: The Conspiracy — Eidos Action Dragon Rage—3DO Adventure Drakan Il —Sony CEA Adventure Duke Nukem — Rockstar Action Forever Kingdom —Agetec RPG ESPN Winter Sports 2002— Konami Sports Gitaroo Man— Кое! Music Hot Shots Golf 3—Sony CEA Sports Monsters, Inc.—Sony CEA Action NBA 2K2—Sega Sports NBA ShootOut 2002 — Sony CEA Sports Rez—Sega Action Salt Lake 2002— Eidos Sports Shadow Man: 2econd Coming —Acclaim Action State of Emergency — Rockstar Action The Lost— Crave Adventure World of Outlaws: Sprint Cars—Infogrames Racing 18 Wheeler American Pro Trucker—Acclaim Racing Legends of Wrestling —Acclaim Action NBA Courtside 2002— Nintendo Sports NFL Blitz 20-02— Midway Sports Driven —bam! Entertainment Racing Duke Nukem — Rockstar Action NFL Blitz 20-02 — Midway Sports NFL 2K2— Sega Sports Thunder Strike: Operation Phoenix—Eidos Action Dreamcast NHL 2K2— Sega Sports Aerial Aces— Majesco Action Dark Arena — Majesco Action Duke Nukem — Rockstar Action MotoGP—THQ Racing Street Fighter Alpha 3— Capcom Fighting Tekken — Namco Fighting PlayStation 2 Aliens: Colonial Marines— Electronic Arts Action Barbarian — Titus Fighting Caesar's Palace— Take 2 Interactive Gambling Downforce— Titus Racing Dune— Dreamcatcher Strategy ESPN МВА 2Night 2002 — Konami Sports Evil Twin—Ubi Soft Adventure Herdy Gerdy—Eidos Adventure Legacy of Kain: Blood Omen 2—Eidos Adventure Maximo: Ghosts to Glory—Capcom Action Mobile Suit Gundam: Zeonic Front— Bandai Action No One Lives Forever—Sierra Action Pac-Man World 2—Namco Action Pirates: Legend of Black Kat—Electronic Arts Adv. RLH: Run Like Hell—Interplay Action Shifters—3DO Action SOCOM: U.S. Navy SEALs—Sony CEA Action Star Trek: Shattered Universe— Interplay Action Star Wars Racer Il: Revenge— LucasArts Racing Dark Summit —THQ Sports Eternal Darkness— Nintendo Adventure Phantasy Star Online —Sega RPG Sonic Adventure 2 Battle—Sega Action Elder Scrolls ІІ: Morrowind — Bethesda RPG ESPN NBA 2Night 2002— Konami Sports Genma Onimusha — Capcom Action Gun Valkyrie—Sega Action Jet Set Radio Future—Sega Action Legacy of Kain: Blood Omen 2 — Eidos Adventure New Legends — THQ Action Transworld Snowboarding — Infogrames Sports Creatures — Conspiracy Misc. Hercules: The Legendary Journeys —Titus Action Monster Jam: Max. Destruction — Ubi Soft Racing Pocky and Rocky — Crave Action Robocop — Titus Action Snowboard — Titus Sports Super Mario Advance 2— Nintendo Action Top Gun — Titus Action March PlayStation 2 Britney’s Dance Beat — THQ Music Eve of Extinction— Eidos Action King's Field 4—Agetec RPG Mat Hoffman's Pro BMX 2 — Activision Sports Pryzm: The Dark Unicorn — TDK Mediactive RPG Rally Simulation — Ubi Soft Racing Rayman Arena — Ubi Soft Action Star Wars: Jedi Starfighter— LucasArts Action Test Drive— Infogrames Racing The Weakest Link— Activision Misc. Transworld Surf— Infogrames Sports Virtua Fighter 4—Sega Fighting World of Outlaws: Sprint Cars—Infogrames Racing Galleon: Islands of Mystery—Interplay Adventure Jimmy Neutron Boy Genius—THQ Action MX2003 Feat. Ricky Carmichael—THQ Sports WWF Wrestlemania 2002—THQ Sports Back Pedal—THQ Sports Test Drive—Infogrames Racing Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon—Ubi Soft Action Unreal Championship — Infogrames Action Jungle Book— Ubi Soft Action actronic Gaming Monthly - 22 - egm.game 5.сот IMPORT GALE GT Concept Tokyo 2001 Import Pick of the Month: Gran Turismo Concept Tokyo 2001. Think of it as GT Lite: fewer cars (all concept cars from Japan’s top automakers), fewer tracks and only the Arcade mode. And Sony’s not releas- ing it in the U.S., so if you want to play it you'll have to buy the import. At least it's cheap (about $30 in Japan). PlayStation 1/31 Beatmania 6th Mix Core Remix, Konami (Music) PlayStation 2 1/1 Gran Turismo Concept Tokyo 2001, Sony CEI (Driving) 1/31 Grandia ll, Enix (RPG) 1/31 Grandia Extreme, Enix (RPG) 1/31 Virtua Fighter 4, Sega (Fighting) Feb. Space Channel 5, Sega (Music) Feb. Space Channel 5 Part 2, Sega (Music) 3/7 Onimusha 2, Capcom (Action) Dreamcast Feb. Space Channel 5 Part 2, Sega (Music) Game Boy Advance 1/1 The King of Fighters EX, Marvelous Entertainment (Fighting) Jan. Legend of Starfi, Nintendo (Adventure) Jan. Tomato Adventure, Nintendo (RPG) Feb. Goemon: A New Age, Konami (Action) Feb. Lunar Legend, Media Ring (RPG) GameCube 1/24 Virtua Striker 3 Ver. 2002, Sega (Soccer) 3/22 Biohazard (Resident Evil), Capcom (Survival Horror) *Schedule subject to change without notice. Consult your local import game store for the latest release info. PlayStation CONFIDENT | | | ч TIVE: | Clear `а13е1у асајазед сріпе5. rsenal Соз а Fica CONH DENTIAL ‘Syphon Fiter is a trademark of Sony Computer Entertainment America Inc. ©2001 Sony Computer Entertainment America Inc. “PlayStation” and the “PS” Family logo are registered trodemarks of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. Blood Violence IL Shield and the Stat р lt s of the National F i і team logos and је. Officially Licensed Product of the NHLPA. NHLPA, National Ho SEGA (SPORTS segasports.com Pain is temporary. Bragging rights are forever. Dreamcast. eserved. Officially Licensed HELLO, VIDEO GAMERS, AND GO SEAT QouR- SELVES BEFORE YOU BREAK SOMETHING, FOR IN THIS VERY SPECIAL EDITION OF HSU AND CHAN: MASTERS OF THE UNIVERSE, WE EXAMINE A GAME THAT MAY WELL CHANGE. THE COURSE OF ALL GAMES To COME! AS WITH MOST PRODUCTS THAT GO ОМ То CHANGE THE COURSE OF HISTORY, WE САМ EXPECT THIS GAME То ВЕ BOTH INNOVATIVE AND, MORE IMPORTANTLY, INSANELY PROFITABLE IT 45 THIS SECOND FACET WITH WHICH WE ARE CHIEFLY CONCERNED- 99 Чоо REALIZE THAT (M JAPAN, THE INAL FANTASY SERIES (5 So POPULAR THAT ADVANCE COMES OF THE GAMES ARE ROUTINELY TRADED ON THE BLACK MARKET FoR FIRSTBORN бомб ? (Ts SO POPULAR, HOT {090 һ Chan GAME DESIGNERS IN.. ІШІ THESE REALLY ? e FINAL 'ASIES, SHOULDNT THES HAVE STOPPED NINE GAMES AGO? JAPANESE CHICKS} SOMETIMES DRESS AS ЕЕ CHARACTERS. OF THER OWN FREE WILL! INE. SEEN IT HAPPEN! AND THE SERIES 15 NO SLOUCH IN THE STATES, ETHER! WHAT 15 IT ABOUT THESE GAMES THAT'S So APPEALING, 50 15 Ти g m T мәр ма MARKETABLE 7 16 IT SOMETHING %е SIMPLE AS o MERE ESCAPISM 15 IT THE ABiUTY XO LWE AS SOME” ONE ELSE IN ANGTHER WORLD FORA SHORT TIME? 45 IT THE ABILITR то BLOW A RANDOM , PEDESTRIAN'S HEAD CLEAN OFF ман А SNIPER RIFLE FROM Ato? А PARKING: FINAL FANTASY x 15 NOTABLE IN THAT IY DISPENSES WITH MANY OF THE CONVENTIONS OF THE SERIES, IN TERMS OF GAMEPLAY MECHANICS, PRESEN TATION, PRESENCE OF WEIRD, ANDROGYNOUS BLONDE KIDS WEAR- ING SHORT PANTS... -- AND THAT MEANS CASH! Go$5 AND GoBS OF SWEET CASH: HA HA HA PARDONS, BROTHER ! MUST'VE BEEN PLAYING THIS GAME A LITTLE TOO LONG. Фет BENEATH IT ALL, THE HEART AND $001 OF THE SERIES REMAINS -- How CAN ! GET IN ON IT, You ASK? LET'S EXAMINE THE ELEMENTS чч DETAIL ! THE FIRST SELLING POINT oF ANY FINAL FANTASY GAME — THE WORDS "FINAL FANTASY” OFON THE Box coveR/ Чоо соор бо GOLD with A SEVEN-YEAR-OLD PONG CLONE IF IT CARRIED THE FF LoGo -- WE MIEL UR LAWYERS MADE US CUT W ovr! 5 SRAND RECOGNITION ALONE ENOUGH To TRULY MAKE YOUR RPG A FINANGAL SUCCESS? OKAY, | GUESS IT 15, Вот WE STILL HAVE SPACE То FILL, So WE MUST MOVE ON THE SECOND NOTABLE FACET OF THE FINAL FANTASY SERIES 15 iN INTRODUCING THE PLANER To А BEAUTIFUL EXPANSIVE FANTASY AND THEN SUBSEQUENTLY INTRODUCING AN. OPPOSING FORCE THAT THREATENS то GLOW т ALL THE HECK UP COME To THINK OF 17, пао 19 PERHAPS NOT MUCH A NOTABLE pos AS VC 16 A WARNING 10 «Po DESIGNERS AGAINST SHOOTING THE WORKS SO EARLY IN YOUR GAME SERIES. AFTER You BLOW UP THE WORLD ONCE, THEY EXPECT үс EVERY TIME, START SMALL Е CATASTROPHES босы AS THIS BRI TO OUR THIRD CHARACTER чы neus BAKED PHILOSOPHIZING UPON THE | GENERAL THEMES OF LIFE, DEATH, LOVE, | WAR AND WHATEVER SINISTER FORCE 15 CURRENTLY THREATENING THE UNIVERSE ` FOURTH poems ERISTIC, WHICH 15 THAT [= LET'S SUM OP FF TITLES, FOR THE MOST PART, | МЕ. FINAL FANTASY ARE VERY VERY LONG А FoR | AVERAGE FINISHING TIME TENOS INANCIAL EXCESS: | To BE IN THE REALM OF 25-35 HOURS, ASSUMING You FINISH DEMONSTRATE, Cran! MANY PEOPLE GET HALFWAY ROUGH AND GIVE OP, ANING THAT THEIR ISHING TIME ACTUALLY EXTENDS TO INFINITO! THAT'S REAL VALUE! Амр WHY DOES Yt ALWAYS LEAVE YOU FEELING LIKE Nouve BEEN HiT W THE SIMMY? ум ALMOST WELL Ми SPOKEN! SEPHIROTH! DARN Toon WHEN IN TOP Form, THIS 5061 оғ THING САМ ACCOUNT FORA rou 7, ОБ TOTAL 5 Gane TME A DOTEN TEAMS OF TALENTED PROGRAMMERS, ARTISTS, WRITERS REMARKABLE FEAT. AND COMPOSERS FITS IN THERE SOMEWHERE, Вот WE'LL COVER THAT AT A LAYER РАТЕ. AND THERE You HAVE IT, VIDEO GAMERS! Now You Too, CAN MAKE YOUR OWN TOP-SELLING RPG IN THE FINAL FANTASY VEIN, ALTHOUGH PLEASE MOTE THAT AS WE DIDSUST GNE You THE IDEA, YOU CAN EXPECT A FROM US OVER THE RIGHTS 45 SOOM AS W TURNS A PROFIT! таң. NEXT TIME, "М LAWSUIT DONT 5m Tod CLOSE { 95. * _ To THE SEREEN. -NORM WWwW.ape-law.com/evilmonkey 16 - eem.gamers.con Л 4 (еш; Crazy handles. Killer crossovers. And mad hops. Your prayers have been answered. NBA Courtside 2002 with Kobe Bryant, only for Nintendo GameCube; EVERYONE ® forms of intellectual property of NBA Properties, Inc. А Properties, Inc. All rights re: d. ™ and the Nintendo: n and the respective NBA member Teams and may not be used, in ithout the prior written consent of NBA Propertii 2001 Nin Nintendo Gam itely. www.nintendog CONTENT RATED BY ESRB é © 2002 Nintendo. 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Mild Violence Strong Language Previews PlayStation 2 86- 7 State of Emergency p @ x GAME BOY ADVANGE: хеох This Month in Previews Maximo: Ghosts to Glory 90 Herdy Gerdy Deus Ex: The Conspiracy 92 Spider-Man Star Wars: Jedi Starfighter Monster Јат: Maximum Destruction 93 Blade2 Airblade 94 Freekstyle MotoGP 2 Tiger Woods PGA Tour 2002 98 Chris Edwards Aggressive Inline Resident Evil Survivor 2 Code: Veronica 99 Sonic Adventure 2 Battle 100 102 104 106 107 Soul Calibur 2 Smashing Drive Resident Evil Wreckless: The Yakuza Missions Genma Onimusha Circus Maximus Bloodrayne RalliSport Challenge Blood Wake 107 Unreal Championship Game Boy Advance 108 Sonic Advance King of Fighters EX: Neo Blood Star Giants he presents have been unwrapped, the tree has been dumped on the neighbor's lawn, and the Canadians have celebrated Boxing Day, whatever that is. Christmas is over, and you're likely standing knee-deep in a pile of games like Metal Gear Solid 2 and Halo, wondering what's worth looking EN ZAIN WARNING: forward to. Previews That's what we're here for, brother marked with and/or sister! Game publishers aren't international Slowing down just because the holiday symbols шу rush is over. In fact, some really cool or may not be ; released in the games are coming our way over the US. They are next couple months, not the least of designed to which is the latest congressman’s wet run on dream from Rockstar Games, State of Japanese or Emergency (pp. 86-87). European PAL If you're looking for a little old-school Systems. flavor, Maximo (page 88) should be import a yom right up your alley. Look for an in-depth own risk. feature on this Ghouls ‘n Ghosts- inspired action title in our next issue. Meanwhile, you GameCube and Xbox owners might be feeling a bit of post- launch depression as you realize all the 1. State of Enersency 2. Sonic Adventure 2 Battle 3. Maximo: Ghosts to Glory 4. Resident Evil And here we thought Reviews/Previews Editor Greg Sewart was the only one manly enough to wear heart-embroidered boxers. Check out Maximo on page 88. best titles for your systems hit in late November/early December. But check out our Previews sections on those two systems for some early looks at a few very promising games. Finally, something to chew on: Combining a volatile features editor (Crispin Boyer), office furniture, a garbage can full of last night’s leftovers, and four straight Halo CTF losses is not a good idea. Soy sauce was everywhere. It wasn’t pretty. ж PlayStation 2, January GameCube, February PlayStation 2, February Electronic Gaming M GameCube, March (Japan) Xbox, February How to Remedy Your Crappy-Present Blues No one likes getting McDonald’s coupons, tube socks or cruddy video games for the holidays. But don’t take it out on Aunt Mabel’s weak back (though it is tempting). Follow these easy steps to turn your post-holiday woes into a veritable treasure trove of games. PROBLEM SOLUTION You woke up Christmas morning to find This one’s easy. Return these to the store Kabuki Warriors (Xbox) and the official before the price drops. The two may be worth a strategy guide in your stocking. Halo and a good chunk of the DVD remote. 5. Wreckless: The Yakuza Missions Sell ‘em at a discount to the collector geek down the street. You'll take a slight loss, but lame flag coins won't pay for Luigi’s Mansion. All you got this holiday season was U.S. savings bonds and commemorative coins from your annoyingly patriotic uncle. No gift. Immediate family unexpectedly converted from Christianity to Buddhism the week before Christmas. This is a tough one; second-tier relatives are clutch. Take Grandma to Best Buy and play the sympathy card in front of Madden 2002. Parents mistook Star Wars: Episode 1 DVD for GameCube’s Rogue Leader. If it fooled Mom and Dad, it'll probably fool Johnny Checkout at Blockbuster. Get us? Aonthly - 83 - zamers.com PLEASE WASH HANDS пе BEFOR СФ RETURNING TO Animated Blood ` 1 1 i Animated Violence | 3 е Io O т СИА G oT or у е PlayStation.e Deus Ex ° lon Storm LLP 2001. Published by Eidos Interactive, Inc. Deus;EX and lon Storm are trademarks of lon Storm. Eidos, Eidos Interactive, and the Eidos logo are all registered trademarks of Eidos Interactive. Inc. 2001 Eidos Interactive, Inc. "PlayStation" and the "PS" Family logo are registéred trademarks of Sony Computer Entertainment'inc. The ratings icon is a registered trademark of the Interactive Digital Software Association » GAMES WITH CHARACTER USE STEALTH, STRATEGY, OR SHEER FIREPOWER. THE CHOICES ARE YOURS AND SO ARE THE CONSEQUENCES. >» | 222 WILL YOU BE THE CHARISMATIC MASTER MANIPULATOR, THE SHREWD AND STEALTHY TACTICIAN, OR THE DEADLY AVENGING ANGEL? E = = ЕҢУЕКТОЕН ҮЗ ЕС! X ; Deus EX HAS BEEN VOTED GAME OF THE YEAR BY OVER 20 MAGAZINES, WEBSITES, AND READER SURVEYS. DGEERACDIMTTY, IS HERE. EE £ == PREVIEW KEC Rockstar m February 2002 Grand Theft Auto III www.stateofemergency.com Old-school arcade gameplay mixes with postmodern bloodflow to re-invent brawling. No multiplayer modes? What's up with that? ПИТТИ Spanky. REAL-LIFE RIOTS This game is inspired by riots, but sometimes games themselves inspire people to extreme violence. Here are some chilling examples. When the PlayStation 2 launched in France, three teens were hospitalized when a crowd of eager PS2 shoppers surged toward the counter. In Tokyo, several small children were assaulted and robbed on their way home from purchas- ing shiny, new copies of Dragon Warrior VII. Our John R. made it home safely. aving already lowered the bar for good taste innocent populace. Citizens rebel, starting riots in gaming with Grand Theft Auto III, Rockstar and inciting chaos in the streets. This is where you now takes that bar and hits someone over the come in. At the outset, you choose between two head with it in State of Emergency. If you've streetwise gang members: Mack, an ex-cop gone bad, ever wanted to run through a crowded mall while and Libra, a sultry lawyer fed up with injustice. You'll mowing down innocent shoppers with an M-16, or unlock other unruly badasses as you progress, take a grenade launcher to storefronts and parked including Spanky, SoE's ghetto-thug poster boy. “it will allow consumers to let off steam in their living rooms as opposed to the streets...” —Jamie King, Rockstar director of development cars, this is your game. SoE offers violent, vicarious You can bust stuff up in two different play modes— thrills that are socially unacceptable, brazenly Revolution and Chaos. Revolution is the game's immoral and a helluva lot of fun. meaty Story mode. Similar to GTA3, it offers hundreds The game begins in a world not unlike our own, yet of wild, law-breaking missions. Tasks range from gripped with madness. The ATO, a hugely evil bombing retail stores to old-fashioned gangwars. corporation, has seized control of a major The mayhem starts in a gargantuan shopping mall metropolitan city, imposing strict rules on the but later spreads to Chinatown, an uptown ‘hood Electronic Gaming Monthly - 86 - egm.g WHO MADE THIS? State of Emergency came from out of nowhere from VIS, a virtually unknown developer. Who knew that the team behind Tom and Jerry: Fists of Furry (N64) was capable of this? and the skyscraper-filled downtown area. Four levels may seem tiny, but each zone is massive. Chaos mode dispenses with the plot, focusing solely on attaining a high score or killing every innocent bystander within a certain time limit. State of Emergency's gameplay will feel very familiar to fans of Final Fight and its ilk. You can punch, kick, pick up weapons and even unleash a special move that costs you a bit of life, just like in Capcom’s classic beat-‘em-up. You'll find a slew of weapons lying about, from staples like bats and pepper spray to heavier stuff, like flamethrowers and a minigun. In fact, assaulting passersby might be the game's best aspect. Initial specs claimed that SoE could handle 100 characters at once, but Rockstar’s Director of Development Jamie King now boasts, “Over 200 people can be displayed on screen at any one time, with up to 500 Als being processed simultaneously.” And the frenzied crowds react realistically to what’s happening around them. “Each Al has its own particular behavior, values and allegiances which determine where it goes, and who it'll attack or defend en route.” If you start peppering the mob with bullets, all hell breaks loose. Most folks won't fight back, but some of the more aggressive ones may pick up a trashcan and toss it through a window. Even more dangerous are the rival gang members and cops who will assuredly use violence to quell your killing spree. The whimsical, cartoony graphics provide a stark contrast to the absurd violence happening on screen. Sure, severed heads are bouncing around in a bloody pool, but the slapstick visuals lend the gruesome affair an Itchy and Scratchy vibe. Jamie King reminds us that, "While real riots are far from funny, this game is far from realistic...we made the game to be fun and to appeal to the target audience—| think we've “While real riots are far from funny, this game is far from realistic.” —Jamie King succeeded. If you don’t like it, don’t play it.” Gory, funny and technically impressive, State of Emergency will undoubtedly make an impact when it crashes into stores this spring. Your local news will probably see it as a threat to the impressionable minds of America’s youth, but in reality, it’s just a slap- happy evolution of classic arcade gameplay. Hey kids, just remember— don't try this stuff at home, OK? —Shane Bettenhausen Pikmin Riot F When Rockstar first showed an early build of State of Emergency at the 2001 Electronic Entertainment Expo, it was a very different game. Instead of being a ballsy brawler, the game mixed fighting with complex real-time strategy elements. Your goal was to incite a crowd to riot against a rival gang. Producer Jeronimo Berrera describes the previous concept as Pikmin meets the L.A. Riots. "It was a curious concept, but the gameplay was a bit lacking. Personally, we find the Pikmin a little creepy, so we spray the office with bug spray." =. PREVIEW GALLERY Maximo: Ghosts to Glory A four-level demo of Capcom’s olde-school action platformer, Maximo, hast found its way into yon EGM offices. It’s got a very strong Ghosts ‘n Goblins-turned-3D feel, which Capcom intended as a tribute to the popular 8- and 16-bit series. Here’s a “brief” look at the February release so far. 1. Following an untimely death at the hands of his girl-stealing nemesis, Maximo is pulled out of the grave and into the graveyard by the Grim Reaper to seek revenge. 2. Mystery power-ups can be worth the price if you’re in need of health or an extra life, but 150 hard-won Battle Koins are tough to come by. 3. Our hero quickly learns the importance of keeping his armor. Exposed to hordes of undead and boiling lava, the lowest of his four armored forms leaves him danger- ously close to death or revealing himself. At least it’s not cold out. д. A familiar yet pesky wizard temporarily renders Maximo a helpless child. Could be worse; he could have turned him into a toad. 5. The grisly image of the graveyard boss is rendered in stained glass throughout the level. Naturally, Maximo's instinct is to bust it... 6. ...which gains him entrance to formerly inaccessible areas filled with power-ups and treasures. 7. 175 not only fun to take time out and whack junk with your sword, but also rewarding. Collect 50 fireflies by smashing marked gravestones and receive an extra Death Koin, which can be used toward continuing when you die. 8. Sometimes, though, you get your sword stuck in the foliage. It’s an occupational hazard. 9. After finishing all four grave- yard zones, the path to boss Ghastly Gus is unlocked. You'll need skill and cunning to face the over-grown gravedigger, and you still might just die anyway. Exclusively at SEARS _ — Receive = == 5 OFF = amy of these NEW and PlayStation.2 +. | PlayStation.2 2. І тел пари e Receive 55 OFF one of these PlayStation?^2 games! Jak and Daxter: The Precursor Legacy" ICO™ • NFL™GameDay™ 2002 е Kinetica™ SEARS s OKAGE: The Shadow King™ e Gran Turismo™3 A-spec Good for $5 off the purchase of Jak and Daxter: The Precursor Legacy, ICO, NFL GameDay 2002, Kinetica, OKGE: Shadow King, and Gran TUrismo 3 Арага Sears electronics department. Off regular purchase price. Valid 11/12/04 - 2/15/02 only. Offer not good on layaway balances, gift certificates or credit card payments. Not valid with other coupons or offers. Not valid with any other coupons or offers. Limit one coupon per transaction. One per cus- tomer. Void if copied or transferred and where prohibited by law. Cash value 1/20c. 2001 Sears Roebuck and company. Satisfaction guaranteed or your money back. “PlayStation” and the "PS" Family logo are registered trademarks of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. CONSPIRACY AND YOU If you feel like role-playing Deus Ex in real life, why not check out one of many conspiracy-related Web sites out there, including www.conspiracyplanet.com, where you can freely discuss all your paranoid PREVIEW delusional fantasies without being ridiculed. GALLERY Herdy Gerdy With Disney-like animations and dialogue, plus pastoral cartoon environ- ments, each frame a picturesque snapshot in itself, Eidos’ playful puzzle- and platform-style adventure is poised to please. An array of intelligent creatures with different temperaments challenges one to strategically herd them to solve puzzles, while a charming story unfolds around how Gerdy saves his sleep-cursed father. Due in February 2002. Deus Ex: The Conspiracy In an alternate near future, society is on the brink of collapse. The middle class no longer exists, and an incurable disease has a death grip on the world. If you’re not cop, you're little people. Thankfully, you're anything but little people in Eidos' DX. In fact, you're J.C. Denton, an operative in an anti- terrorism coalition, who must uncover a global conspiracy that threatens to enslave mankind. What sets DX apart from other first-person shooters is its open- ended gameplay. Go guns blazing through the front door, or keep it on the down-low and use your hacking or sneaking skills to go unnoticed —the choice is yours. Next to Halo, DX isn't the prettiest game, but its immersive simulation is definitely compelling stuff. Let the paranoia set in March 2002. 90 / “Without Tron, there THE ONE |“ he no ‘Toy Story аиту T — John Lasseter, Director MIND-BENDING FILM THAT SET THE STANDARD FOR ALL THAT FOLLOWED, |^ Я Over Five Hours Of Incredible Bonus Material Including: © “Тһе Making Of Tron"— All-new, extensive documentary, including new interviews © Deleted Scenes with all-new introductions by Bruce Boxleitner © Production Photo Gallery — Al-encompassing gallery, including never-before-seen photos * Audio Commentary with Steven Lisherger, Donald Kushner, Harrison Ellenshaw and Richard Taylor © 3-0 Animated Menus that put you in the world of Tron © Storyboards showcasing early work on Light Cycles © Storyboard-To-Film Comparisons Eit! Geran int A К ы ыты ТІГІТІШІІ ЕГТІІГІПГІПІ ыратын Bill will! bayi ЕН ыы Pe ML ny А Read the Ballantine Book Original Motion Picture Soundtrack Available Wherever Music Is Sold. Visit disneydvd.com Reactivated On W) And Маео January 15. 22 БИ |, Eg Distributed by Buena Vista Home Entertainment, Inc., Burbank, CA 91521, € Disney Enterprises, Inc. 0, = @ pe PREVIEW GALLERY Spider-Man This May, for the first time on the PS2, Marvel Comics’ iconic superhero saves the day in a webslinging adventure based on Sony Pictures’ upcoming blockbuster Spider-Man film. Loosely based, that is. While the game's style closely resembles that of the movie—organic webshooters and all—you've got a few more villains than just that Green Goblin guy to deal with. As in past Spidey outings from Activision, Shocker and Scorpion plan to torment our hero, while the Vulture soars into the mix for the first time. And as you might expect, ol' Webhead has never looked better, with developer Treyarch using its new combat engine to add to and enhance the already solid repertoire of moves established in the PS1 games. (Just wait ‘til you check out those souped-up web attacks!) And, of course, what's a Spider-Man game without plenty of wallcrawling and slinging throughout the NYC skyline? The new aerial combat mode actually has you fighting for Spidey's life while dangling high above the New York streets. Star Wars: Jedi Starfighter The Episode ІІ marketing blitz starts hitting video games in the spring with this sequel to LucasArts’ popular space-combat game. The game may look the same, but the rules have changed a little. Jedi powers now comple- ment your pilots’ dogfighting skills to form a unique combo of у € Š 3 r r4 mind and matter aerial attacks. < You аге а Jedi Master who сап sap Ашы. Ж enemy shields, render opposing i № 4 pilots unconscious, and make the X у action move in slow motion. 2 l шы Suffice it to say, these powers impress the chicks. Four craft can be piloted in air and land missions that take place in the time between Episodes ! and 1. The best part? As we see more screens of Jedi Starfighter, us Star Wars geeks get a sneak peek at all the new ships in the next movie! sen EAR o SPO | MONSTER JAM Monster Jam: Maximum Destruction Rednecks, get a tissue and some Handy Wipes because your (wet) dream game has finally arrived: a monster truck combat game. Apparently, Ubi Soft is hoping to sell lots of games to the trailer- park demographic this summer. Monster Jam sports 30 real-world rigs with heartwarming names like Gravedigger, Gunslinger, Bulldozer and Wild Thing. Don’t expect the usual mashing and clashing, however. To win the championship you'll have to use more than your over-inflated Goodyears to deal damage. Guided missiles, buzzsaws and chains inflict more pain than an episode of the Jeff Foxworthy Show. You can even upgrade your truck with the money you get from winning contests. 92-е amers.com FROM THE CREATORS OF DRIVER" ] | | COMES THIS YEAR'S BLOCKBUSTER: GALLERY STUNTMAN Blade 2 With Soul Reaver 2, Blood Omen 2 and now Activision’s Blade 2 lurking in the shadows, vampire sequels are hotter than capri pants these days. This summer follow-up to last year’s Blade will have a different storyline than the upcoming movie sequel, but it will feature a lot of the same characters and concepts. A bloodlust meter makes sucking cool by giving Blade new vampiric special attacks. AirBlade The “extreme-sports game with a plot” genre seems to be growing these days. First it was Dark Summit, now it’s AirBlade, which bears more than a passing resemblance to developer Criterion's previous futuristic boarding game, Trickstyle (Dreamcast). In AirBlade you play Ethan, a young feller who battles the evil GCP corporation with the help of his friend Oscar's powerful hoverboard invention. In fact, Oscar's the one you're actually saving from said evil corporation. Chuckle! Beyond the gripping story mode, the game features the usual training, freestyle, score attack and two-player split-screen options. Namco will release this handsome game in February. Visit www.esrb.org or call 1-800-771-3772 for Rating Information. ə ratings icon is a trad re Association. А! TIGER GETS BUFF Tiger’s newly muscled physique isn’t the only — | — % reason ће wanted to be motion captured for PGA | 2002. Apparently his swing has changed so much, his old 1999 mo-cap footage just wouldn’t PREVIEW # | look right. Here's to sweating the details. GALLERY š Freekstyle At some point, EA decided their March release, Supercross 2002, wasn’t edgy enough for the modern, MTV generation. To get hip fast, they undressed the riders, gave them mad trick abilities, and set ‘em loose on nine fantasy courses. Beyond the layers of moto-attitude, you'll find a competent, freestyle-centric game that packs in 80 back-breaking moves. For the tragically unhip, traditional racing can be found as well. MotoGP 2 v (0:30: 15. Last year, Namco's MotoGP gave us the chance to slice through an S-curve at 150 mph, and keep our kneecaps firmly attached to our legs. The realism was unparalleled. MotoGP 2 brings back the same killer gameplay and fortifies it with five additional tracks (including Le Mans), and 20 real riders from the 2001 GP season. It also boasts feistier drone riders and sharper graphic detail, and should be out now. Tiger Wootls PGA Tour 2002 Tiger may be a true-life golf whiz, but his namesake games are a few shots over par. To change its fortunes, EA got radical with this latest installment. Say goodbye to the swing meter— it's gone. Like it or not, the analog stick has replaced it. As for multiplayer, a Speed Golf mode lets you race your buddy to the hole. We'll see how ol' Tiger stacks up against Hot Shots Golf 3 this February. 94 Y r \ _ that are fight. Be both Munch and hís flat lead the revo! &wisted power-ups along the way, and mongers. C'mon. Тһе MunchOnthis.com Yor other countries. atas and/or other countries. in the U! 2001 orod ademas or Yademarks of Microsoft Corporation inhabitant Ybor, and the Xbox logos are eile or поделено trademarks, or trademarks ot Oddworld V 2001 Microsoft Corporation, AN rights reserved Microsoft id igo, and Oddworld: Munch's Inc. Ай Rights Reserved. The Oddworl 4 PlayStation.c RACING HAS EVOLVED" It's pure speed by any measure. Slip into a Kinetic Suit and feel the intense competition in your fingertips. Scale walls. Cling to ceilings. Pull off ground and aerial stunts on 12 futuristic tracks. Man and machine are united. Fasten your garter belt. www.scea.com о TO 60 IN 36-24-36 Mild Violence Suggestive Themes AGGRESSIVE INLINE FOR DUMMIES If you think a “McTwist” is something you can buy at McDonald’s, or that لس‎ | = the “Running Man” is just an old Arnie flick, then maybe you aren’t quite ready for the bruising world of Aggressive Inline. If you want to get hip to the jive, point your browser over to www.seas.smu.edu/ - justin/ PREVIEW inline_terms.html. Here, you can learn all of the hardcore inline GALLERY terminology, so even if you can’t walk the walk, you can talk the talk. Chris Edwards Aggressive Inline We can’t believe it took this long for someone to exploit inline skating in the same fashion as every other extreme sport, but Acclaim has decided to fill the void. This summer, you'll be able to play with the godfather of inline skating, Edwards, as well as its modern-day stars. Since the developers of Dave Mirra are handling this game, we expect it to include similar controls and gameplay. Resident Evil Survivor 2 Code: Veronica Granted, the first RE Survivor wasn't so hot...all right, it sucked. Sucked ass. But with Capcom bringing all the new mainline Resident Evil games exclusively to the GameCube, this import-only light-gun game is the only new zombie blaster PS2 owners are going to get for some time (the poor bastards). Like the arcade game it's based on, Survivor 2 loosely follows the events of RE Code: Veronica. Unfortunately, controls are still a problem, whether you use the Colored arrows point to off-screen Dual Shock 2 (what genius decided enemies. Green means bad guys are far not to use the second analog away, yellow says they're closer, and stick in a first-person shooter?) RO" red: They're all up in yo bidness. or, even worse, the Guncon 2. А n And the blurry, blocky graphics are А = В"! duh! Current weapon, атто and health meter. Haven't you ever played an embarrassment to the detail т а video game before? and intricacy we expect from this series. But it’s not all bad— familiar monsters (like the Nemesis Ec are worth points and count toward your combo meter. Shoot out from RE3 and RE2’s Lickers) and Q Q / lights or boxes to find ‘em. some extra modes added for the E i á : home version (including a Roach ME NUAU í 2 Combo meter. Each time you КИ ап enemy or grab a coin, you get a limited amount of time to do it again and increase your combo, eventually adding a bonus to your score. mode where you blast rooms full of the lil’ suckers) should at least please die-hard fans who might import this. ‘THE MUMMY RETURNS. A KNIGHT'S TALE (2001)COLLECTOR $ EDITION SPECIAL EDITION 2646208 2648004 BLOW INFINIFILM. 2637502Х HANNIBAL ‘SPECIAL EDITION 2659902 SAVE THE LAST DANCE ТҮ UNBREAKABLE VISTA SERIES 2617207 & DVDS = gu. TOMBSTONE 1254200 LOVE & BASKETBALL - PINK FLOYD - THE WALL COLLECTOR'S NEW ON DvD GOODFELLAS 0969808 PLATINUM SERIES 2518009 DELUXE EDITION 2425205 GLADIATOR (2000) SIGNATURE SELECTION 2520807 E THE GATES EC THE LAST DANCE E EC THE MEXICAN 2645208 EXIT WOUNDS 2634400 РШ 2 ІМ!) (ЕДІ GEM SAL IGS! See details on other side, R 5 у THE USUAL SUSPECTS 1479401 THE FIFTH ELEMENT 2145506 THE LEGEND OF SEVEN- = Е ПИ pets GONE WITH THE WIND 2258309 THE PERFECT STORM 2522407 DRUNKEN MASTER — 2587509 PLATINUM SERIES 2436707 = CHOCOLAT. FRIDAY 1434406 FACE/OFF 2152007 HEAT 2005809 THE MUMMY (1999) - 2 COLLECTOR'S SERIES 2622609 AMERICAN BEAUTY: ALMOST FAMOUS 2562304 — LITTLE NICKY - COLLECTOR'S EDITION. 2388007 = HEARTBREAKERS- THE AWARDS EDITION — 2524700 MISSION IMPOSSIBLE: 2 2532901 PLATINUM SERIES 2583102 BRING IT ON Ë NERIS Пан ERINBROCKOVICH 2495307 AMERICANHISTORYX 2320604 SHANGHAI NOON 2537306 COLLECTOR'S EDITION 2545101 ES THE ROCK 2018406 ТОР GUN 0426908 VERTICAL LIMIT - JURASSIC PARK - 2 оны: 1953702 “THEMASKOFZORRO 2281509 ROB ROY 1423201 SPECIAL EDITION 2605806 COLLECTOR'S EDITION 2513208 2 _ DOCTOR ZHIVAGO’ 0002600 “A BRONX TALE 1221506 ROCKY 0056300. THE TEN COMMANDMENTS THE LOST WORLD: ©, WILLY WONKA (1956) 0202606 JURASSIC PARK - Š & THE CHOCOLATE THE PLEDGE 201140 SS HON 2318807 COLLECTOR'S EDITION 2513307 Е FACTORY (P&S) | 2260505 .SHAFT(2000) 2533008 THE SHINING 0610303 THE SHAWSHANK UST: È DOWNTOEARTH 2625903 DOGMA- SPACEBALLS 0276600. REDEMPTION 1345503 COLLECTOR'S EDITION 2521904 Z THE TERMINATOR: SPECIAL EDITION 2519908 STIGMATA 2426203 BLUE STREAK 2434405 · GOOD WILL HUNTING - S SPECIAL EDITION 2660405 THE ORIGINAL THE THOMAS SHAKESPEARE IN LOVE - COLLECTOR'S SERIES 2515104 "RECESS: KINGS OF COMEDY | 2560704 CROWN AFFAIR 2426401 COLLECTOR'S SERIES 2434801 CLERKS - SCHOOL'S OUT 2628105 DUNE (1984) 0211102 2001: A SPACE ODYSSEY - THREE KINGS 2430403. COLLECTOR'S EDITION 2351609 THE GOONIES 0608109 DAYS ОЕТНИМОЕЋ 0827303 REMASTERED EDITION 1095108 NURSE BETTY 2573004 DIRTY DANCING - GHANDI 2628402 APOCALYPSE NOW 0200105 А FEW GOOD MEN - THE DEER HUNTER 0212407 COLLECTOR'S EDITION 2420206 THE TAILOR OF PANAMA- “LOCK, STOCK АМО TWO — — _SPECIAL EDITION 2520005 ESCAPE FROM NEW YORK 0311308 — NATIONAL LAMPOON'S SPECIAL EDITION 2620904 SMOKING BARRELS 2383503 STEEL MAGNOLIAS - WHEN HARRY MET SALLY - ANIMAL HOUSE - TOMCATS 2628303 PATCHADAMS- РЕСІ EDITION 2499606 SPECIAL EDITION 2551406 COLLECTOR'S EDITION 2253904 JOE DIRT 2644508 COLLECTOR'S EDITION 2346401 — 10 THINGS | HATE BLAZING SADDLES 0001206 MEN IN BLACK - THELORD OF THE RINGS 2625507 DAZED AND CONFUSED 1188606 ABOUT YOU 2413706 THE ART OF WAR 2545200 - COLLECTOR'S EDITION 2509305 ABE NOPPIE 0308403 HALF BAKED 2223907 THE HURRICANE (1999) - END OF DAYS - ИЛТҮ PROFESSOR Il: DOUBLE TAKE 2619203 “JERRY MAGUIRE 2071207 COLLECTOR'S EDITION 2480408 COLLECTOR'S EDITION 2452407 — COLLECTOR'S EDITION 2550705 JOSIE & THE PUSSYCATS 2628501 “RULES OF ENGAGEMENT 2532802 JFK: SPECIAL EDITION - MISSION TO MARS — 2512606 FAST TIMES AT SEE SPOT RUN 2624401 THE GENERAL'S DIRECTOR'S CUT 2540102 75 MARSHALS - RIDGEMONT HIGH - POKEMON 3: DAUGHTER 2420602 “AIR FORCE ONE 2160000 SPECIAL EDITION 2234201 COLLECTOR'S EDITION 2424406 THE MOVIE 2634707 ps THE OUTLAW GETTYSBURG 1213305 “BOILER ROOM 2481208 _ MALLRATS - JOSIE WALES 0616607 “AMERICAN GRAFFITI - THE CIDER HOUSE RULES 2234201 _ COLLECTOR'S EDITION 2355006 CHARLIE'S ANGELS WONDER BOYS 2557304 COLLECTOR'S EDITION 2223808 RED PLANET 2585305 PITCH BLACK - UNRATED SPECIAL EDITION 2582609 SOUTH PARK: BIGGER, ANTZ- 28 DAYS - DIRECTOR'S CUT 2521805 THE WEDDING PLANNER 2617306 LONGER AND UNCUT 2420503 SIGNATURE COLLECTION 2324507 SPECIAL EDITION 2513406 FINDING FORRESTER — 2594703 SCARY MOVIE 2539708 BACKDRAFT 0559005 THE PRINCE OF EGYPT 2381705 BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN : VIDEO CADDYSHACK CLOSE ENCOUNTERS DOUBLE JEOPARDY 2434207 EYES WIDE SHUT 2429603 ANTHOLOGY 1978-2000 2614808 20TH ANNIVERSARY — 2469708 OF THE THIRD А PUT RUSHMORE 2352201 THE WHOLE NINE YARDS 2480507 THE WEDDING SINGER 2234300 THE LEGEND ОЕ COLLECTOR'S EDI MY BEST FRIEND'S 12 MONKEYS - > BAGGER VANCE 2582906 THE WIZARD OF 02. 2383602 WEDDING 2146207 SIGNATURE COLLECTION 2035509 MM DEDI еј HE PROOF OF LIFE 2611200 THIRTEEN DAYS - RAGING BULL А 0050005 PSYCHO - COLLECTOR'S WIDESCREEN 2521805 THE BROTHERS 2622702 INFINIFILM 2617801 “RAIN MAN 0286906 EDITION (1960) 2201309 "THEGTHDAY 2566701 RUGRATS IN PARIS: RUSH HOUR 2301505 TWISTER - BLADE 2294809 LAWRENCE OF ARABIA. _ТНЕМОМЕ 2572907 ROAD TRIP (UNRATED) 2544807 SPECIAL EDITION 2470003 RESERVOIR DOGS 1106905 LIMITED EDITION 2582708 SAVING SILVERMAN THE EXORCIST - THE VERSION CASINO 1922707 ENEMYOFTHESTATE 2245304 PAY IT FORWARD 2596708 (R-RATED) 261703 YOU'VE NEVER SEEN — 2551802 “WHAT LIES BENEATH | 2546307 HAPPY GILMORE 1937507 “DEUCE BIGALOW: KINGPIN - ARMAGEDDON - PRETTY WOMAN - 10TH MONTY PYTHON MALE GIGOLO 2490704 DIRECTOR'S CUT 2341105 (LETTERBOX) 2284602 ANNIVERSARY EDITION 2436608 ANDTHE HOLY GRAIL 0192005 “con AIR (WIDESCREEN) 2167302 15 MINUTES INFINIFILM_2622900 THE SIXTH SENSE 2448801 ROMEO MUST DIE 2495406 101 DALMATIONS 2057503 NEXT FRIDAY: VALENTINE 2618403 SPACE COWBOYS 2566602 TITANIC (1997) 2224608 102 DALMATIANS 2587400 PLATINUM SERIES. 2469203 SWEET NOVEMBER (2001) 2622306 MORE TO CHOOSE FROM ON OTHER SIDE. —* ©2002 The Columbia House Company IE THE HOTTEST TTIE TRAFFIC SCARFACE COLLECTOR'S EDITION 1959600 SAVING PRIVATE RYAN ‘SPECIAL LIMITED EDITION (WS) GONEIN 60 SECONDS 2539807 THE MATRIX 2622405 TRAFFIC 2611101 MISS CONGENIALITY 2596500 THE SILENCE OF THE LAMBS. SPECIAL EDITION 2650306 REMEMBER THE TITANS (PAS) 2591402 THE E | (2000) E | EDMON 2520302 MEET THE PARENTS (2000) COLLECTOR'S EDITION 2577906 COYOTE UGLY 2557601 THE GREEN MILE 2487009 SNATCH: SPECIAL EDITION 2611002 PULP FICTION WIDESCREEN 1430008 A DVDS ғ» 49. ` See details below. KISS THE GIRLS 2195204 THEBEST МАМ (1999) 2438208 CRUELINTENTIONS 2263703 BEN HUR 1510205 THE PRINCESS BRIDE _ 0125005 0 BROTHER, AUSTIN POWERS: INTERNATION- ОВ. SEUSS: HOW THE GRINCH CHICKEN RUN - THE ROAD TO EL DORADO - WHERE ART THOU? — 2617405 ALMAN OF MYSTERY 2144509 STOLE CHRISTMAS | 2516607 SPECIAL EDITION 2520708 SPECIAL EDITION 2553204 FULLMETALJACKET ^ 2637205 ^ AUSTIN POWERS: THE SPY BIG DADDY 2409803 ACLOCKWORKORANGE 2637106 SUGAR & SPICE 2617900 MENACE II SOCIETY 1200609 WHO SHAGGED МЕ - LEGENDS OF THE FALL - SUPERMAN :THE MOVIE - STIR OF ECHOES 2425502 INTERVIEW WITH THE VAMPIRE PLATINUM EDITION 2423002 SPECIAL EDITION 2519403 SPECIAL EDITION 2592400 BOUNCE (2000) 2587608 SPECIAL EDITION 2469906 — THECELL- LIAR ЦАВ - CARLITO'S WAY 1229301 LEON: THE PROFESSIONAL - ANY GIVEN SUNDAY SPECIAL PLATINUM SERIES 2545002 COLLECTOR'S EDITION 2519403 FROM DUSK TILL DAWN - UNCUT INTERNATIONAL EDITION DIRECTOR'S 2508109 DUMB AND DUMBER 1374107 SCOOBY-DOO'S COLLECTOR'S SERIES 2539609 VERSION 2497303 FINAL DESTINATION | 2503407 ENTER THE DRAGON - ORIGINAL MYSTERIES 2438703 СОМАМ THE BARBARIAN - THE DEVIL'S ADVOCATE 2179802 THE WATERBOY 2321404 — 25TH ANNIVERSARY THE FUGITIVE - COLLECTOR'S EDITION 2462406 NOTTING HILL - KEEPING THE FAITH — 2537900 SPECIAL EDITION 2208205 SPECIAL EDITION 2611309 DISNEY'S THE KID 2557700 COLLECTOR'S EDITION 2516607 JAWS ANNIVERSARY - THE REPLACEMENTS 2540300 GLORY- CASABLANCA 2274702 PRINCESS MONONOKE 2531705 COLLECTOR'S EDITION 2508109 FOR LOVE OF THE GAME 2438109 SPECIAL EDITION 2448900 DON'T BE A MENACE TO SOUTH THE PLAYERS CLUB 2232908 LETHAL WEAPON - THE BONE COLLECTOR 2449700 THE DOORS - CENTRAL WHILE DRINKING YOUR THE NEGOTIATOR DIRECTOR'S CUT 2473801 THE SKULLS - COLLECTOR'S EDITION 2325405 JUICEINTHEHOOD 1992106 (PREMIERE COLLECTION) 2283307 LETHAL WEAPON 2 - COLLECTOR'S EDITION 2516904 FREQUENCY - STARGATE - BATMAN (1989) 0642504 DIRECTOR'S CUT 2473700 THE BLUES BROTHERS 2000 - PLATINUM SERIES 2521201 SPECIAL EDITION 2410702 HIGH FIDELITY 2512507 LETHAL WEAPON 3 - COLLECTOR'S EDITION 2233302 BOOGIE NIGHTS - HEAVY METAL - THE WATCHER 2556405 DIRECTOR'S СИТ 2473809 — BLADE RUNNER - PLATINUM SERIES 2469302 COLLECTOR'S SERIES 2430106 BILLY ELLIOT 2573103 LETHAL WEAPON 4 - THE DIRECTOR'S CUT 1097906 APOLLO 13- STARSHIPTROOPERS 2207308 WILD THINGS 2247609 PREMIERE COLLECTION 2273803 HOLLOW МАН - COLLECTOR'S EDITION 1937200 THE 13TH WARRIOR | 24359007 ALL THE BAD BOYS (1995) SPECIAL EDITION 2541001 THE TRANSFORMERS: THE MOVIE TAXI DRIVER - PRETTY HORSES 2596005 SPECIAL EDITION 2478907 “THE CROW 1374206 SPECIAL COLLECTON _ 2399400 COLLECTOR'S EDITION 2338903 SWINGERS 2081107 Columbia House DVD Club, Dept.9QD. P.O. Box 1173, Terre Haute, IN 47811-1173 # Yes, please enroll me under the terms outlined in this advertisement. As a member, | need to buy only 4 more selections at regular Club prices in the next 2 years. Send me these 4 DVDs for 49¢ each, plus $1.99 each shipping/handling (total: $9.92). TOWN THE BEST DIGITAL AUDIO 1 Build a collection of your favorite movies on I DVD! Just write in the numbers of the 4 DVDs you want for just 49¢ each, plus shipping and handling. In exchange, you simply agree to buy jst four more DVDs in the next two years at regular # І Club prices (which currently start as low as $19.95, plus shipping and handling)—and you 1 may cancel membership at any time after doing so. What's more, you can get still one more movie for the low price of $14.95 and have less I to buy later (see complete details in coupon). 1 Free Magazine sent every four weeks (up to 13 times a year) reviewing our Directors Selection—plus scores of alternate choices, # # BUY YOUR FIRST SELECTION NOW —AND HAVE LESS TO BUY LATER! GAlso send me my first selection for $14.95, plus $1.99 shipping/handling, which I'm adding to my $9.92 payment (total: $26.86). | then need to buy only 3 more (instead of 4) in the next 2 years. # Please check how paying: 2 My check is enclosed. © Charge my introductory DVDs and future Club purchases to: FV6/8VD EAXTIC Џ о MasterCard Diners Club AMEX VISA О Discover I including many lower-priced DVDs. And you 1 may also receive Special Selection mailings ир Acct, No. Exp. Date — — — to four times a year. (That's up to 17 buying 1 opportunities a year.) Signature — -- = 1 Buy only what you want! If you want the I Director s Selection, do nothing—it will be sent Name Address Apt. No. —Ó— I City State Zip = Phone No. (— | NOTE: Columbia House reserves the right to request additional information, reject any application or cancel any membership. Offer limited to residents of the contiguous United States. Applicable tax added to all orders. > КЕШ P-FEBO2-EGM Џ Џ Џ ' — Email 1 1 1 1 AND VIDEO TECHNOLOGY EVER automatically. If you prefer an alternate selection, or none at all, just mail the response card always provided by the date specified. And you'll always have 10 days to decide; if not, you may return the selection at our expense. Money-Saving Bonus Plan. If you continue your membership after fulfilling your obligation, you'll be eligible for our generous bonus plan. It enables you to enjoy more great savings on the movies you want—for as long as you decide to remain a member! 10-Day Risk-Free Trial. We'll send details of the Club's operation with your introductory pack- age. If not satisfied, return everything within 10 days, at our expense, for a full refund and no fur- ther obligation. (mE б D Over 1,700 titles! If you VD CLUB want a movie that you don't see here, just call us and ask or visit our website. Use your credit card and order 24 hours a day. onin: Columbiahouse.com ca: 1-888-CHC-DVDS To ensure you get this great offer- use this Savings Code when ordering HOLD ME! Here’s a sweet little nugget you may not have known about hedgehogs. Aside from being impossibly cute, hedgies keep their bad selves lookin’ good by covering their spines with saliva and mucus. Makes ya just wanna fry ‘em up and eat ‘em! Sega Sonic Team February 2002 Dreamcast, sort of WWW.sega.com Nights 2 Sonic's all grown up and has left home. Sniff! We hope he packed an umbrella. More crap camera angles than a one-hour photo lab. Can Sonic kick Mario's ass on the plumber's own turf? Tao of Chao SA2B's GameCube to GBA Chao-raising feature is so slick you don't even need a copy of Sonic Advance to take your Chao on the go. If you have a Chao in SA2B, you can download it into a cartridgeless GBA and still play all of the minigames to raise their stats. You can't turn the GBA off, but thanks to a "sleep" mode that uses 1/10th the battery life, you can leave your GBA on and upload the Chao back to your GameCube later. Naturally, Sonic Advance owners can save their Chao at any time. E Е Tails gets Eggman in his crosshairs and prepares to blow that bald, porky punk over the edge of this pyramid. Now there are even more multiplayer levels than before. Take Sonic, Shadow or Metal Sonic on a trip downtown! hile the battle for console supremacy is fought out by not two, but three mighty superpowers in 2002, the levelheaded among us might want to keep an eye on a particularly potent pairing. Sega’s Sonic the Hedgehog (the only mascot to give a certain paunchy plumber a run for his money) will soon find a new home on Nintendo’s GameCube. A partner- ship like this will be hard to top. Although little more than a slightly updated version of the not-so-old Dreamcast game (see EGM #146 for a full review of the DC version), Sonic Adventure 2 comes prepared with some compelling new features that should intrigue both veterans and newcomers alike. Aside from the Chao raising/GameCube/GBA feature (see sidebar), the main addition to SA2 Battle is the slew of new multiplayer levels that weren’t technically feasible on the Dreamcast. Dozens of stages that used to be exclusive to the ~ 97 PREVIEW single-player mode can be unlocked for split-screen, two-player competition. But the additions don’t end there. A group of new playable characters has been added to the GC version as well. Now you can pit Sonic or Shadow against Metal Sonic in a high-speed race, hunt for treasure using Knuckles, Rouge or Chaos (the boss from the first Sonic Adventure on Dreamcast), or stage a shootout between Tails, Eggman or a Chao Tank in a wide variety of locales. Nitpickers will be happy to know that SA2B runs faster than the DC version, controls just as well (although the camera angles are still problematic), and looks even better. Sonic Team has added a lot of graphical touches to the game, such as realistic shadows and updated Phantasy Star Online Ver. 2 billboards. So, if you’ve bought a shiny new GameCube and need some 30 platform action, you need only wait for a certain high-speed hedgehog to make his bow. ж —James “Milkman” Mielke Electronic Gaming Monthly - 99 - egm.gamers.com ~ @ Soul Calibur 2 | Do we really need an excuse to show off more SC2 screenshots? If you're just joining us, here's everything we know so far about Namco's hot sequel: Alongside the returnees from part one are a handful of new characters like Tarim, a Southeast Asian chick wielding bladed tonfas; Tsung, a hot-blooded Korean, deadly with a Chinese sword; and Cassandra, the younger, sexier sister of Sophitia. SC2 will retain its predecessor's quick gameplay pace while simplifying the overall controls to я make the game more accessible to —- casual players. The series’ 3D movement system (eight-way run) will get an overhaul, so it feels more natural and realistic. Along with ring-out tactics, players will also be able to slam opponents against walls, thanks to the newly added 3D environments. All eyes will be on SC2 come May 2002. 7 a 12:09 0000 УЗИ ИР sect Smashing Drive 52 NET Е: Programmed by Gaelco, an obscure Spanish(!) developer, Smashing 4 Drive is like Crazy Taxi with a side order of extremeness. Ву extreme we mean using battering rams and buzzsaw power-ups to clear a path through your rush-hour or graveyard shifts. Power-ups are integral to earning the most money and points in the shortest amount of time. Play against a friend or the CPU when Namco ships the game in early 2002. BEST RIDE MALO SION IDE ТІМЕ (06336049 ~ = 3 nic Gam ly - 100 - egm.gamers.con HAIR: RECEDES RAPIDLY. ` UC LIKE BARRY ШИИ. | ; OE EN gum € + Women can't resist him. Men are powerless in his š | presence. Even dogs and guinea pigs find Фл 5 ^ gn BEARD: USED TO | themselves strangely attracted to him. He is Barry 3 STORE EXTRA RATIONS | | Burton, bearded supporting character in Resident | Evil and star of Resident Evil Gaiden. Read more i ET | about him at Badssshartyeevilsaming net, PREVIEW Image from badassbarry.evilgaming.net Resident Evil And you thought Luigi's mansion was scary—take a look at this old house of pain (double pun! Triple word score!). The blocky original PlayStation Resident Evil is still the favorite of some EGMers for its creepy horror bent (before the series veered off into action), so we're all over this GameCube remake like stank on poo. Capcom's Japanese Web site has been posting new info on the game every week, including comments from RE bigwig Shinji Mikami himself. Check egm.gamers.com for the full bonanza of screens and movies, but here are the choice bits, just between us.... Worried about violence and gore getting removed for the younger GameCube audience? Don't be. Mikami says he's including a bit less goo to make things more realistic, but everything still bleeds, and you can still blow zombie heads clean off with the shotgun. (Shouting “Huzzah!” while doing so is still optional.) The all-new motion-captured animation should be smoother too, while the soundtrack remains minimal—mostly remixed versions of the same music. No U.S. date yet, but RE is due in Japan on March 22. | ВЕ GBC? YIPPEE! Three screens on this page are from the upcoming Game Boy Color game Resident Evil Gaiden. Can you guess which ones? (It's tough, we know.) Gaiden has you switching between three characters (including “Hairy” Barry Burton from RE1) in order to rid a cruise ship of zombies. 102 ШӘ > 5.2. PlayStation.? SILENT HILLS iS а registered trademark of KONAMI COMPUTER ENTERTAINMENT TOYO inc. © 4999 2001 KONAMI COMPUTER ENTERTAINMENT TOKYO, Inc. KONAN KONAMI CORPORATION. All Rights Reserved. “Рау йон” andithe “PS: Family logo аге registered iradetnatke of Sony Computer Entertainment пе; Xbox and Xbox logos are tWademarks of Microsoft Corporation in the US and/or in other counines. The ratings-Icon is.atradeniark of the Interactive Digital Software Associ egistered-trademark of her ге d trademarks-or ۴ Imagine our surprise when we learned that Bunkasha 4 батез— developer of Wreckless—is a branch of the | publishing company that distributes Penthouse (among other | adult magazines) to the lonely, hairy-palmed men of Japan. At | least games and nudie mags cater to the same market. | PREVIEW = ~: GALLERY This February release is definitely odd. Two female cops go ona quest for revenge when Yakuza members unintentionally cause them to—gasp!—spill their pudding and ruin their lunch break. The story practically writes itself. . 1 Stupid premise aside, БУДИ ТУЛ АНИ RIIS PI у п Activision’s Wreckless is, by far, * 5 14 one of the coolest-looking driving ИП games we've ever seen. Tear [ through the streets of Hong Kong, destroying everything amidst a hail Ñ of shattered glass, rush-hour traffic and terrified pedestrians. Think Driver meets Runabout with really good graphics. The missions are varied, too. Race a rival in a bad-ass sports car. Destroy dim-sum stands in a hippied-out love bug. Or just run over lots of stuff in a monster truck. We can't wait for this one. Enemies can now suck the green spirit juice left by their fallen comrades, leading to a tug-of-war (left) when you try to grab it. If you win, the energy powers your special attacks (below); lose, and the baddies turn red and grow stronger. Capcom insists the improvements in this Xbox version will make Onimusha worth playing again come February, and we'd have to agree it boasts more new goodies than your average director's cut. In addition to HDTV and Dolby 5.1 surround support for crisper graphics and sound, Genma ups the difficulty for hardcore gamers and anyone who's already mastered the PS2 game. That means tougher enemies and more of them, like the two new nasties you see on the right. And if that doll with the four-foot blades for hands doesn't scare you, consider this: Like a demonic ex-girlfriend, she stalks you room to room, and can't be killed. Onimusha vets will should also look for another optional Dark Realm challenge area and new ninja outfit. re aming Monthly - 104 - egm.gamers.com © 2001 Best Buy "CHUMP what's it gonna be this year? PlayStation.e [Playsationg ____ — © Dreamcast. ба Limit one coupon per customer. Good only at Best Buy stores. Not good in combination with Valid on in-stock items only, no rainchecks. No dealers, E Coupon must be presented al Modify." Press “Item Discount.” us “Tab.” Enter "500" і press “Enter.” Write "VOID" о "w A PREVIEW GALLERY Circus Ма Now this is a new one. Choose a team of gladiators, a chariot and some horses, and go on an all-ovt, kill or be killed race throvgh the jvngles of Africa, arenas in ancient Rome and more. If yovr opponents dare get close to yov, make them pay with a wide range of weapons like the sword, mace and clvb. Encore's new racer is definitely weird, bvt it's actvally kind of cool. Look for it in early 2002. If Blade had breasts, then the heroine in Majesco's dark adventure might be the result. Next winter you'll slip into the high-heeled boots of a half-human, half-vampire with supernatural powers that let her dodge bullets and see in the night. These powers make her a hit at parties, but they also let her stop undead Nazis from ruining the 1930s. And here we thought Indiana Jones had the market cornered on that sort of thing. So far, no really exceptional rally games have surfaced on the next- generation consoles (unless you count the rally mode in Gran Turismo 3). This spring, Microsoft hopes to change all that with RalliSport. We'll admit, even in these early stages this game is looking impressive. GT3 killer? Too soon to tell. But with Colin McRae Rally 3 still a ways off, at the very least RalliSport should make the wait a little easier. 106 X A PREVIEW GALLERY RPG Take Hydro Thunder, add better water effects, throw in a little Asian flavor (but hold the “character”), and you'll end up with Blood 3 Wake. One to four players (via split-screen) can enjoy moist combat 4 5 PlayStation.2 while letting fly with torpedoes, chain guns, rockets and mines. But if you prefer your action solo, Microsoft claims the 25 single-player missions should keep gamers happy. It’s out now. Unreal Championship may lack a coherent single-player experience, but it’s the only game we think has a chance to knock Halo from its multiplayer throne. Infogrames’ latest fragfest features nifty ideas like characters that actually perform differently in combat, as well as using armored body parts to deflect incoming shots. UC will ship when the Xbox's broadband network launches in Q1 2002. | Ubi Soft A Z, PREVIEW GALLERY Advance Now that we've had a little time to play Sega's Sonic Advance, we can say that fans of Sonic's Genesis games are in for a real treat. The game is actually kind of short, but you can play through it as Sonic, Knuckles, Tails or Amy. (Super Sonic makes an appearance, too.) The beauty is each character is unique— Amy can't run fast but wields a hammer, Tails can fly, Knuckles can punch and climb walls, etc.—so it's actually worth using each of them to explore all the levels. Sonic should be out now. The King of Fighters EX: It may be RIP for SNK, but a good fighting game is hard to keep down. So Sammy has picked up the reins on this excellent GBA version of The King of Fighters, developed by Marvelous Entertainment. Like KOF Evolution on the Dreamcast, Neo Blood uses tag-in "strikers" to help you out in single-player, team or versus modes. And while it doesn't look like any new faces will pop up for this incarnation, Neo* Geo disciples will recognize the 26 classic KOF characters that will appear as either playable fighters or Strikers. Excited yet? Get out your calendar and put a big circle around March 2002. Marvelous Entertainment is releasing a limited- edition Game Boy Advance to coincide with King of Fighters EX: Neo Blood in Japan. The unit will sell for 15,600 yen, which is just under $150. It's doubtful that such a niche handheld will come to the States, so get an import order placed ASAP. 4 20. (01:15:52 Italian developer Raylight Studios is hard at work on this space-combat sim that bears more than a passing resem- blance to Origin’s classic Wing Commander. It’s no coincidence, as this game is based on the best PC titles in the genre, and will offer a very similar experience. Considering the hardware it’s on, that’s no mean feat. What’s exciting about Star Giants (outside of the pretty graphics) is the multi- player modes Raylight is planning. Up to four players (linked) can play deathmatch, team deathmatch, or even the regular missions ina co-op mode. As of this writing, Star Giants still has no confirmed release date or publisher, but here’s hoping it will soon. 108 - egm.gamers.com MIDWAY А MEW LEVEL ea iain ОЕ KOMBAT More than 20 characters Discover all of the Mar your technique to select including bosses combos, fatalities and in single-player mode or MATURE 2 5 E у Шш ms Gore and hídden characters friendships in multiplayer kombat GAME BOY ADVANCE: iolence : 27 against а friend ecrire urn e pisi | p | DJM ~PlayStation.2 RLH Run Like Hell” © 2001 Interplay Entertainment Corp. RII Rights Reserved. RLH Run Like Hell: the RLH logo, Digita! Mayhem, the Digital Mayhem logo. Interplay, the Interplay logo and "Bu Gamers. For Gamers." are trademarks of Interplay Entertainment Corp. RII Rights Reserved. Licensed for play on the PlauStation'2 computer entertainment systems with the NTSC U/C designation only. “PlayStation” and the "PS" family logo are registered trademarks of Sony Computer Entertainment inc. The ratings icon is a trademark of the Interactive Digital Software Association. All other trademarks and trade names are the property of their respective owners. * T , | ағ” 4 4 + E Ж Cow P ж t 4 % қан mum sanan MHH 3 ma JUL pe RUN LIKE HELL HUNT OR HUNTED Your pulse pounds in your temples. Your crewmembers lie dead or dying around you. All you know for sure about the alien invaders is that you're neHt on their hit list. Time is running out. So is your life. lien takeover as an енцед ro in an intense sci-fi. ог adventure. Struggle to outthink. outrun and outgun intelligent foes шћо learn from your behavior and adapt to it. Get the feeling of living a movie— from the edge-of-your-seat tension to the voice talent of top actors. TEEN Violence Mature Sexual Themes ‘CONTENT RATED BY ESRB a Dead or Alive 314, DOAZ: Hardcore? and Dead or Aive® Тесто, LID. 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 20000 Microsoft, Xbox and the Xbox logos are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Microsoft Corp the | Q | | 100% GAMES ЕБ irademark of Tecmo LTD. Tecmo, Inc. PMB#5953 21213-8 Hawthor ШЕШШ countries and are used under license from Microsoft. The rating: XM on is a Torrance, CA 90503 trademark of the Interactive Digit ICM, 42 Em = ы ally adv: jhting game ever madê: iD. < ner @ www.d adoralivesgame. om i ДЕ E 3 ik ATTACK OF ark, readers—your lives are in grave peril! But not from everyday hazards like second-hand smoke or bad sushi. Instead, we fear for your social life, which is in danger of being sucked away by the greatest deluge of console role-playing games since Ye Olde RPG Avalanche of ‘99, when more than a dozen of these time- sappers hit the PlayStation. Nearly 30 adventures of every epic type—action-RPGs, traditional RPGs, online RPGs, monster-breeding RPGs, you name it—are headed your way in 2002, for every gaming system. So what's a role-playing freak with only so much free time to do? Equip yourself with caffeinated soda and join our party as we quest through the mess to find out which games are worth losing your life to. The attack of the RPGs begins now. Come with us if you want to live. Yawn Hmm Whoa Yikes! =. - E рс Electronic Gaming Monthly - 114 - egm.gamers.com Project Ego Jade Cocoon 2 Dragon Warrior IV Suikoden III Arc the Lad Collection Wild Arms: Advanced 3rd Xenosaga The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind Tactics Ogre Gaiden: The Knight of Lodis чон Illustrations by furifuri Electronic Gaming Monthly - 115 - egm.gamefsicom Attack ап enemy и огдетој 3 attacks for | your party Summoned beasts will CM fight until they're 7 А V dismissed..or Killed off. cs 1 2 N KINGDOM HEARTS egions of Final Fantasy fanboys were rocked by Square's announcement of Kingdom Hearts, a collision of serious RPG developers and... well, Mickey Mouse. There's a time and place for lovable Disney characters, to be sure, but do gamers really want to embark on A a quest in which you role-play as A Goofy himself? Don’t answer П “по” just yet—this game is - surprisingly intriguing. * 1 2 Kingdom Hearts unites the worlds of Disney and Square by combining well-known cartoon franchises with an all-new fantasy world. The game’s spiky- haired star is a lad named Sora. A powerful storm decimates his “OK. So, you grab the kid and I'll knock his ass out. Then we cook him. Ready?” Jade Cocoon 2 SEA 981515080? home on Destiny Island, and he begins a journey to locate his missing friends amid the wreckage. During his adventure, he'll encounter characters and locales from the full roster о Disney classics, including Alice in Wonderland, Hercules, Tarzan, Is it your kinda quest? Pocahontas, The Little Mermaid While it’s not exactly the RPG and other familiar favorites. dream team we had in mind, KH OK, so the whole thing reeks does have the potential to of a spectacular marketing ploy, deliver something fun and but how does KH actually play? unique. The only thing we're The battles blend aspects of FF sketchy on is how Square'll with elements from handle Disney's stable of action-oriented games superstars. Given limitations like Zelda to create an with the story, it'll probably be intriguing hybrid. impossible for KH to do all the Combat occurs in real- characters any true justice. time, but attacks and spells are selected via pop-up menus. All this action lends the combat in KH a frantic, frenzied pace that delivers a solid kick in the ass for traditional RPG mechanics. L2 i2 ra 59 "g ж 94% 5353 LCEC IA IA 51535372 я; 51 ж aza ж 5 The King of Kingdom Hearts Who's behind this unlikely product? None other than famed FF character designer Tetsuya Nomura, who has worked on FFVII, FFVIII and Parasite Eve. He spearheads the Kingdom Hearts project as director and handpicked the rest of his team from Square's massive talent pool. “I got the event director from Vagrant Story and many upper-level members who worked on FFVII and VIII," he tells us. “Рт very satisfied with my team.” LC L4 LA L. ЕЕЕ F: s Tetsuya Nomura warar: 1515151 Bitchin’ Cameos Fans of the series are fully aware of just how self- contained each Final Fantasy game is. Although they share similar themes and concepts, the amount of legitimate crossover between titles is nearly zilch. Kingdom Hearts kisses that rule goodbye and crams a veritable who's who of FF guest-stars into the game. You'll find Cid and Yuffie from FFVII, Squall and Selphie from FFVIII, and Tidus and Wakka from FFX, all coexisting in Sora’s star-studded world. 28. ЕШ НЫ > The road to the Orbs is N long Do not be hasty and УА таке your time. ГҮ Уд м“ЫҰ7Ұ?Ұ?Т?Ұ?Т? Т? Amethyst Cos > = ш 2 = 5 = = x ° ° 5 = = 5 Dragon Warrior IV ӨС ТІП Со пр ксы: е” POR TM MTT TTT US 24 2 SEKE ХЕ 9 Can't get enough of reality-TV shows? Then check out Square’s virtual-reality TV and take a peek at the actual FFXI world in action. Head to www.playonline.com /11livecam /livecam for a peek into FFXI's actual beta-test environments. At the time of © ТАЕ = 3 bn > E Ф eS ° ° £ me g z E === . 2 2 ى‎ = ЕВЕ cz Елз= ее» = e з 555595 © т®>о=;>> 5 б = ОЕЗЕМо г Geove gv Ф © £= SES Eeu, eo 5 = “ass sss „== 5 a = а gm ЕРІНЕ. © о а а саш eb T3 Е2 000 500 We = = о а == а 5 tz = әс b Ë ° =-= ane =° uw == = = $ewazess 93 T шш £ SUIKODEN III onami’s Suikoden games have been known for their excellent twisting storylines and huge cast of memorable characters. If you've followed the series since its inception on the PS1, you'll be glad to know that Suikoden III will tie up some of the loose ends left behind at the end of the last game. The most obvious change for the series is the switch from primarily 2D graphics to a fully 3D world. Also revamped is the battle engine from the first two games. Instead of the old While having too many playable people in an RPG can compromise character development (Chrono Cross, we're looking in your direction), Suikoden has always managed to offer a sizeable assortment of adventurers (the first two games had 108 each) without losing their distinct personalities and strengths. Choose Your Own Adventure What, you want more RPGs? Then make your own with RPG Maker 2 If you’ve ever played an RPG and thought to yourself, “Even if I was in a drunken stupor, | could write better dialogue than this," then just chill out until this summer, when Agetec plans to release RPG Maker 2 (working U.S. title) here in the U.S. for the PlayStation 2. This RPG construction kit from ASCII and Enterbrain is a sequel to Agetec's RPG Maker on the PlayStation, except supremely jazzed up with 3D visuals (that are still rather mediocre game design. Arc The Lad Collection Li warmth and charm of the underwhelming) and more powerful editing tools. The game gives junior dungeon masters everything they need to crank out next- generation quests, save them to memory cards, and submit their friends to the magic of But seriously fotkai in the rare hands of Fowl Play Kingdom Hearts ain’t the only game in this feature with a talking duck. Suikoden III actually has an entire city of them, called the Duck Clan. They’re an enclave of war- hardened fowl you encounter along your quest. With enough skillful conversation, а sly wit and the power of suggestion, you may even manage to recruit a bold, brave bird named Major Joe into your stalwart band of adventurers. And good for you: This duck packs a mean peck. Just keep him away from your car after you wash it. system, which keeps your characters grouped together during the battle, now your characters attack from anywhere on the field, depending on where they end up after their move. If an ally is in between your character and the enemy, you may want to rethink your strategy as friendly fire is a part of the equation. Is it your kinda quest? 55 production values may not be on the level of FFX, but we [оо forward to the excellent story and gameplay standards set by the last two games. If SIII maintains the series, it’ll be all good. those who know what they’re doing, RPG Maker 2 could produce some surprising results. We found out for ourselves last year when EGM and Agetec co-sponsored a contest for the best reader-designed RPG. If RPG Maker 2 turns out to be as versatile as the PlayStation prequel, you can bet we'll run а similar contest this summer. NL FEEL THE THRILL WITHOUT THE FROSTBITE. 4 PRODUCTS RANGE FROM VERYONE то TEEN Mild Lyrics Suggestive Themes Winter X Games Snowboarding 2002 keeps you riding with over 20 multi-level courses 417777 1 er filled with pipes, jibs, and insane terrain. You select from 13 real pro-riders and compete against the best. Create your own rider with a specific appearance, physical attributes and equipment. Then take your skills to locations around the world for filming, heli-boarding and Winter X Games competitions in your own professional pursuit. Peter Line, Todd richards, кеміп jones, Bjorn Leines, jp walker, вемип walsh, panny Kass, Rio Tahara, Travis Parker, rina Basich, Barrett christy, victoria sealouse, e shannon Dunn Soa X i 25 EM. A^ PlayStation.e 3 mi Corporation. ©2001 KONAMI, АП Rights R Xbox and the Xbox logos are either register vient Inc. The ratings icon is a trademark used under license from Microsoft. “PlayStation and the "PS" Family logo are registered trader marks or trademarks of Microsoft Corporation in the US. SEGA SPORTS _МВА 2K2 ни“ "= SPORTS #214858-3 ee 2K2 GAMECUBE SEGA 41140701 $49.99 cao | | SEGA SPORTS |` NEL 2K2 XBOX SEGA #209964-6 SEGA SPORTS NFL CALL 1.800.800.5166 FOR THE STORE NEAREST YOU or CALL 1.800.800.0032 TO PLACE YOUR ORDER NOW! [WES ur 7 SQUARESOFT өзе FINAL FANTASY нші PLAYSTATION 2 FINAL FANTASY X $ 4.99 SQUARE ELECTRONIC ARTS OFFICIAL STRATEGY GUIDE 14. #182336.8 BRADY GAMES #212943-5 www.ebgames Synchronicity Grandia Xtreme builds upon Grandia II’s innovative battle engine by introducing “Synchoflash,” a special timing attack that allows multiple characters to w System: PlayStation 2 on why the latest Grandia is Release: TBA dubbed “Xtreme” is as good as Type: Traditional ours. The game stars Evan, a gruff Also known as: Grandia Rad bounty hunter who eschews to the Max standard RPG hero conventions by = actually being kind of a jerk (think developing GX, and the folks at gang up on an enemy Han Solo). In а stunning twist of Enix will publish the title in Japan simultaneously. G enerally, games with the fate (which you'll foresee five (а U.S. publisher hasn't been Correctly setting up the word “Xtreme” in the title seconds into the game), Evan finalized, although the game is timing for these powerful involve surfing through the air, accidentally gets sucked into a definitely coming here). a. bungee jumping into lava, or complex plot of war, betrayal and ^ Ф the battles in GX, like pulling a wicked hand plant оп а intrigue after visiting a mysterious Is it your kinda quest? mt those of its prequels, monster half pipe. So your guess ancient ruin. Game Arts is We're not too keen on the г combine real-time and title, but if Game Arts turn-based elements. can bring back more of what makes the Grandia series so good (innovative combat system and likeable characters), GX will be a must-play this year. TT wA ر‎ ҒА з | strikes will be tricky— E ak aig Ал WILD AR ПЕП — System: PlayStation 2 | Luckily, this third installment dusty corrals, and the score Release: TBA appears to finally have bristles with a Sergio Leone Type: Traditional shaken those monkeys off spaghetti-Western flair. The real Also Try: Fievel Goes West for its back, thanks to the point of departure for the series, Super Nintendo brave developers over at however, is its art direction. == Media Vision. Characters and monsters now Is it your kinda quest? While the first two WA games sport a cel-shaded cartoony look Wild Arms finally gets a little wild. М: like the classic films that dabbled with Wild West themes, defined by games like Jet Grind Hopefully, these changes will re- obviously inspire it, Sony's WAs truly embraces this gritty Radio (DC) and Cel Damage (Xbox). energize this stagnant series. Wild Arms series features the good facet of the American frontier. (innovative puzzles), the bad Each of the game's characters (hackneyed plots) and the ugly brandishes a firearm, the settings (wretched battle graphics) of RPGs. ^ range from dingy ghost towns and де " 4 a Aw RPG Cel-a-bration Wild Arms features trendy cel-shaded graphics, but it ain't the only adventure to swipe that look. Harvest Moon: Save the Homeland for PS2 was the first cel- | 1 shaded RPG to hit stores. And then there’s the game that never made it: Sony’s Popolocrois 111, the latest in a whimsical storybook-style Japanese series, first shown for PS2 in 1999. Several delays later, it’s now slated for a Japanese release “sometime in 2002.” РА ~: PS1. Published by Midway іп the countryside, then embark on a „ Shadow Hearts tells the grander adventure to put a stop to story of a psycho named Yuri, his sacrificial, often demonic Type: Traditional who's commanded by voices to shenanigans. Oh, and have we This unusual RPG comes from rescue a young girl from a serial mentioned that Yuri can transform developer Sacnoth, who brought killer named Roger Bacon. You into an assortment of violent us the lackluster Koudelka on the pursue him through the Chinese beasts to kick supernatural ass? Electronic Gaming Monthly - 124 - egm.gamers.com = OFFICIAL VIDEO GAME а SALT LAKE 2002 www.olympic: www.olympicvideogam: a1 Olympic Commit Sony Cor ew games have sparked as much heated squabbling as Square’s Xenogears for the PS1. Some praise it for tackling tough topics like sex, religion and drug abuse (while not suggesting that one necessarily leads to the other). Others dig its obscenely long quest and creative battle system. Then, of course, there are those who call the whole thing a load of pretentious crock. For the second game in the series, Square has bowed out of the argument and handed the torch over to Namco to publish Xenosaga, a PS2 prequel that will likely reignite the tumultuous Xeno- debate. Just as the original Star Wars is actually Episode М it turns out that Xenogears was the fifth chapter of a much larger tale. Taking place roughly 10,000 years before Xenogears, this game is the true genesis of the epic— Episode І, if you will. So fans of the first game will recognize a few familiar faces and places, but the gulf of centuries separating the titles means most of the content here stands firmly on its own. Visually, Xenosaga offers complex environments and 3D, anime-style characters. Unlike the fantasy setting of most RPGs, the game's world is sci-fi-geek heaven. You'll encounter giant robots, have love affairs with sultry androids, and embark on intergalactic travel. But just wait until Xenosaga hits you with its storyline: a pilgrimage to uncover the truth about God and the secrets of the universe. Yikes! Well, it sounds more fun than church, anyway. Square low-balled Xenogears' prospects when it was released in 1998, so only a limited number of copies were produced. As fans spread its gospel throughout the RPG community, the game became increasingly scarce. By late 2000, Xenogears was going for $100 and more on eBay. Thankfully, Square finally rereleased the game in 2001. You should be able to snatch a copy for $39.99 at your local retailer now and experience this controversial classic firsthand. SO ett eet eit " кеФһФабькбькеһкекекекекекемк USSSA SS US SISSIES, Star Ocean 3: Till the End of Time PlayStation]? 515151515151515153 Is it your kinda quest? Overall, this promising prequel seems even more ambitious than Ф ~ its awesome predecessor. Still, the potentially heady mix of religion and philosophy might be too baffling for mainstream gamers and Bible-thumpers alike. When Xenosaga launches in Japan this February, hardcore fans can dish out the extra dough ж. for the limited edition. А massive white box houses «сезу Ж а special keychain, a figure же е" of robotic hottie КО5-МО5 and the two game discs m ° 3 БЕ] (with special, full-color ое" M labels). Namco hasn't went 5 У! commented on whether U.S. | РП gamers will receive a similar = offer, but мете guessing no. LY] САДАМА КА simi ЕЗІ ЕЗ! эФьекекеһеһе кмекекекеке JEREMY lY GRAUH supercross. World d. тсвогатн // BONN VIS 77 APO Since 1999 RECOPO HOLDEN: MOST Бипегсго55 wins BUET 1D-TImB AMA сивегстове шигыр CHamhitn LBU 22 eee LBUBL inooor + ouTooor + вача + FreesTyuLe + STUNT ай. a the only game: fakin ин ве 25 super ЖЕЛІ tracks: exclusive sajo racing, ВЕ TAR e 24 tricks: пос- innovative "stunt реа nee and Jeremy mccrath and freestyle phenom travis indoor supercross, freestyle and outdoor nacs, supermans, fender grabs, 3605 and head-to-head split-screen mode Pastrana motocross venues borrel rolls THERE ARE MANY RIDERS. BUT CHERE IS ONLY ONE KING. Jeremy McGrath Supercross” PG fanatics weaned on the linear storylines of traditional console role-playing games might think their beloved genre’s gone goofy when they play Morrowind, the Xbox’s very first RPG, courtesy of Bethesda Software. This PC port doesn’t yank you from one plot point to the next, roll cutscenes every 10 minutes, or any of that other hand-holding stuff common to console RPGs. Instead, it’s just a behemoth adventure set in a sprawling land where any hero with time to spare will find a bazillion things to do. Who's a good monster? Who's a good-yikes, stay back, monster! The combat here is in real time. Book Learnin’ Instead of building up your character the old- fashioned way, via experience points, Morrowind takes a use-'em-or-lose-'em approach with your character’s skills, which you choose when you create your dude. The game packs 27 abilities broken into three categories — combat, stealth and magic—and you increase these skills by Evolution Worlds That's not just 'cause the game world here—which encompasses about 10 square miles—is huge. And it's not because the game lacks a point. Although you can take on hundreds of mini-quests (everything from hunting down a monster to escorting a character from one place to another), your character still has one main goal: to save the province of Morrowind from an ancient cult. The main reason this RPG is such a time- waster is its immensely immersive world, detailed right down to the forks and spoons on villagers’ inner tables. “Walk into a guy’s house and you can look through his cabinets and find his extra pants or read all the books,” says Project Leader Todd Howard. “You can go out back and see what crops he’s growing, pick berries off them, eat the berries and try to figure out what they may do to you.” To top hat off, the berries will regrow, and you can mix them into potions. THE ELDER SCROLLS Ш: MORROWIND Of course, poking around in people’s private areas can get you into hot water. “You can pick up anything you can carry,” Howard says, “but just like real life, if someone catches you taking something they own, they'll either attack you or report you to the authorities.” It's this freedom of choice that makes Morrowind such an open-ended adventure. Your actions shape the reactions of people around you and the types of quests you get. But will console RPG fans wanna take on all this responsibility? “I think they want it that way!" Howard says. "You can do what you want, but we still show you the path to success if you want to follow it. The game's similar to Grand Theft Auto III in that respect, just 100 times bigger." using them, or paying for training, or reading books you find scattered throughout the world (the game packs зоо books in all). “А warrior will raise his level by using heavy armor and swords," Howard says, "but a thief will rise by using skills such as Sneaking and Marksman. It's a great system that rewards you for staying in character, as opposed to just killing things." Is it your kinda quest? If you're the kinda gamer who dug going through cupboards and drawers in Dreamcast Shenmue, Morrowind's hyper-detailed world is perfect for you, even if the muddy visuals aren't Xbox-caliber. Elderwhatsit? Morrowind is the third entry in the Elder Scrolls saga, an acclaimed only-on-PC series that began in 1994 with Elder Scrolls: Arena and continued with Daggerfall. But that doesn’t mean console gamers will feel lost if Morrowind 15 their first foray into the franchise. “We Ç like to keep each Elder Scrolls game fresh, so they aren't actually sequels story-wise to each other,” says Bethesda’s Howard. “People who've played the previous games will just be more familiar with the names and culture of the world." www.koeigames.com % 4 с ~ ғ A ^“ Music tames the savage beast... [PAn entirelyinew ‘typeyor music entertainment. / | L. | | у "Simply put, Gitaroo Man is one of the most E enter aining titles yet in the rhythm-action genre." - Next Gen — The Gitaroo is the weapon! Keep with the rhythm as you shoot, duck, and dodge your way to victory! Play as the legendary Gitaroo Man P у and save the planet from the clutches " «^ of the evil Grabaren familu! 0007105 2%... à 10 colorfully unique stages, each Musical Deathmatches and EVERYONE with its own music including reggae, Harmonizing Co-op play for up . rock, hip-hop, techno, and more! to 4-players! p | a y 5 [ a tl 0 n e e Mild Language Gitaroo Man is a trademark of KOEI Corporation and КОЕ! Co., Ltd. € 2001 KOE! Co., Ltd. All rights reserved. "PlayStation" and the "PS" Family logo are registered trademarks of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. The ratings icon is a trademark of the Interactive Digital Software Association. 2? BELEN Phe Bot, Shining Soul ШШШ ШЛІЛІШІЛІЛІ THE ARCADE SMASH THUNDERS Б... HITOPLISTHTIS KEY WEST | ТМЕ & пит 6 d 7 = s drivers, each with а 5 different : rig and а nasty attitude "ua biy hai ы. Rough , Рату Arcade Mode wisted trucker ТР ind 1015 af Na. tan - 2-player, spil T po ^ split-screen “| ДЕ Еме" created and produced Бу SEGA. SEGA and 18 Wheeler: American Pro VIOLENCE featuring 4 ШУА Pace, 3 ШИ aieirccistered trademarks of SEGA Corporation. Original Game © SEGA-AM2 Со Entertainment, Inc. All Rights Reserved: “PlayStation” and the "PS" Family logo are ~ LID/SEGA CORPORATION, 2001. All Rights Reserved. Acclaim* & © 2001 Acclaim Tegistered trademarks of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. So you skipped out on the Dreamcast? Then you missed some amazing RPGs. Thankfully, these classics аге being rereleased on current systems (PS2, Xbox and GameCube), giving a whole army of users who never opted for Sega’s little white box a chance to try out some of [ ma А ps. 156 NE TI ۴ the best games in the genre. System: GameCube, Xbox Release: TBA Type: Action/Online Limit Breaks: Server-fee Smash, Free-time Drain have to do in PSO is wander through the same five dungeons for hundreds of hours, killing the same few enemies over and over again. Sound tedious? No 73227 RE: АЗезз | The world’s first online console RPG has also become one of Sega’s key titles in its multi-system _ strategy. Sonic Team's action- adventure puts you in the boots of a warrior dropped onto the mysterious planet Ragol, left with the task of investigating the tragedy of a destroyed colony. But screw all that back story stuff, because all you really = SKIES OF ARCAD System: GameCube, PS2 Release: TBA Type: Traditional Awarded: Most traditional 3D RPG Just because an RPG is old- school doesn’t mean it has to look like ass. Take this game, for instance: Skies of Arcadia adheres to RPG traditionalism to the letter and yet manages to look absolutely stunning. You assume the role of Vyse, a young way—we love this game, and so will you. Should I play this game if I already have the DC version? Most likely, yes. If you were into the original, there’s even more for you to love here. Graphical overhauls are the least of it; the GameCube is getting an honest-to-goodness A а, new jungle dungeon (as " ا‎ k Ра ur v opposed to the weak extra modes tacked onto PSO Ver. 2 for DC). We're guessing the Xbox version may have more goodies for returning PSO fans as well. Blue Rogue pirate who steals from the rich and gives to the...middle class. After you and your feisty pal Aika rescue a quirky sorceress named Fina from the Valuan Empire, all hell breaks loose. You're forced to go on an epic crystal-fetching, swashbucklin' adventure, while experiencing some of the best graphics, characters, plot twists and music (not to mention some of the most frequent random battles) in recent RPG memory. But all this should come as no IA creators of the Lunar series, Grandia || tells the story of Ryudo, a hardened mercenary hired to escort a whiny priestess named Elena to sacred ground, all while fighting the encroachment of a This sweeping epic even triangle that makes up for the backbone of Grandia 1 character translation preserves the game’s charming dialogue, and an sets it apart from the pack. surprise to any self-respecting Dreamcast owner. SOA features many of the same folks (now at Sega’s Overworks development studio) behind the original Phantasy Star games on Sega’s 8-Bit Master System and 16-Bit Genesis. Electronic Gaming Monthly - 182 - egm.gamers.com Developed by Game Arts, the dark god called Valmar. packs a convoluted love development. Ubi Soft’s excellent battle system System: PlayStation 2 Release: Out now Type: Traditional Bonuses: Hero Sarcasm + 40 3 Heroine Naivete + 30 Should | play this game if I already have the DC version? In a word, no. Some of the real- time cutscenes are being replaced by full-motion video on the PS2 (thanks, but no thanks) and nasty graphical glitches have worked their way into this rushed port. Should | play this game if I already have the DC version? SOA was an instant classic on the DC and should lose nothing in its transition to newer, more powerful systems. There are also rumors of GBA-linked enhance- ments for the GameCube. "THAT WAS А NICE. 1, TRICK.” FREESTYLE: “DAG!” Also known as the “Don't Try This At Home." The nice part of this trick is that once you're insane enough to try it, you're probably ready for a magazine cover. f <. ENGLISH: “I LIKE YOUR PANTS." FREESTYLE: "DAG.* ENGLISH: “I THINK I'VE FRACTURED MY; PELVIS." FREESTYLE: “DAG.” ғ ! ' ' ' ' ' ' i ' ! ' ! ! ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' . b «= ч» «= с» сз с» а= че се —— ча ч ш —— ш ш —— ш ш = “- em — — «ә «в «e ез c» Са [3 ЛЕ: LYRICS 824 Е В $ P STYLE SNL FIT ч dy NETS ©2001 XM Corporation. All us reserved. Microsol imped, Xbox, and the Xbox logos are registered S òf Microsoft Corporation in the United States and/or other countries. Other products and cl names entioned herein may be trademark of tiep'tejpduiie owners. 7 аа ааа ие ^s ^i Pul THE GAMES a DSBs bs Bs Ds Bs Bs И ЖЕБЕ Б Б ЕЕЕ ЕЕЕ ЕЕЕ ИИИ: ÇERE 1 у. | | ГДЕ Atimelesstaleof Й FINAL > Outnow Bb BE 3 love, religion and № will make your B FANTASY X 5 .| | ` 5| B^ 38 № games jealous Bs bs bs bs peis bs bs bs ieis bs is isi ИИТИИ EEE EE Unravel the | zen | ИИНИИНИНИНИНИ ms bs bs bs esis isis isis ie isi ИИЯНИЯИНЕИ 7 7 7 7 У 7 7 7 — — TIT 7 7 ЕГІЗІ аа ааа аа Т bs bs bs bs bss bs is ks bs as SEER Square, you’ve just : made FFX, where | Final Fantasy KINGDOM i eet Д аге you gonna go | meets HEARTS now? 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H = (апаа hoe) to ЕШ она rr A ап evil demon Almost | bs bs bs bs bss раритет mm eie je ds bs be g be ir bs i UES | | @ B Meet exotic | z| | creatures from lush М Delicious ҚҰНАНТАРД Мех TBA В new worlds...and | techno-style STAR ONLINE Ж 2 kill them with your | future chic | =l А buddies online =] хеох B Š e | я ИИНИНИЯИНИНИНИ cbs bs be EEE myi bebe РИМИНИ | ИНИНИ Ииии ОИИИИИИЙИНИНИНИ ВИ be basis bs ИВАНА № You're the heroin B WIZARDRY: Ё Tun HUS too. Go Ё There'sadeep,dank № Solid like a ook in the mirror cavern somewhere | | TALE OF THE E: Outnow 8 and imagine that waiting for youto М Бү, ree tan | FORSAKEN LAND you're a hobbit. Try explore its depths Т squinting = «| M] Se ЯЯ ЕВА ЕИ — ИЕИЛИИНИНИНИНИИН ИИИИИНИНИН ИЕ селе есе се = e м o а за 53 525251515152 5353535359 5953 58 ЛИНИИ E based Turn- based mee bs bs ЛИ И bs bs bs pt | Real-time — | with БЕ menus БЕ тт тиин ЕЕ Тигп- based ДИИ | Real-time SIHHHIHHSHI Not one but two saucer-eyed hotties None. If you were a blocky squat munchkin, your prospects wouldn’t be so hot either You're on your own there, chief It's Final Fantasy. *Nuff said It's an amazing game that's getting the second chance it really deserves Airships The multi-chapter set-up makes for an interesting twist on the way RPG stories are usually told We haven't seen a game like this in years. But then again, we don't play PC RPGs A wave of nostalgia Electronic Gaming Monthly - 185 - egm.gamers.com x Monsters. Gotta catch ‘em all! Or something Hidden crystal shards called Chams Tiny medals that you trade in for fabulous prizes The beauty of southern Japan...and visions of a giant mountain of money Classic 16-bit-style RPGs and the creator's love of traveling The success of Dragon Warrior VII in Japan Dungeons & Dragons, some magic mushrooms and the sewers Blitzball, a turn-based underwater sport? All those random battles? Be warned: You're going to spend a ton of time in combat The pitiful graphics? Get with the times, Enix This game? АП right, who busted out the ol" Apple II emulator? CONCEPTS ith the launch of Xbox, GameCube and Game Boy Advance—not to mention amazing games like Halo, MGS2 and Tony Hawk 3— all crammed within its 12 months, 2001 was one heckuva year, packed with so much stuff we figure we need to spend 2002 in hibernation to recover from it all. But don’t break out your stocking-feet pajamas just yet: 2002 promises to unleash enough new innovations, hot developers, cool gadgets and—most important of all—great games to keep us wide-eyed for the foreseeable future. And that’s where the EGM Slick List comes in. Now in its fourth year, this annual honor roll of innovation lays out our set of predictions for what will be big in the game biz between now and the close of 2002. The people, hardware, concepts and software highlighted over the next five pages will be more than just slick this year— we fully believe they'll be significant enough to change the face of the industry itself and how we're likely to interact with it. And if we're wrong, at least you'll finally be able to get that sleep we were talking about. S TILL SLICK will still be a big deal in 2002. So what could we While the EGM editors squabbled over which do? Easy—we’re giving the best of last year’s items to include in this year’s Slick List, we list another go by running the stuff that’s still kept running into the same problem: Many of slick along the bottom of this feature. Consider the things we highlighted as hot stuff last year it bonus slickness, free of charge. Electronic Gaming Monthly - 186 - egm.gamers.com illustrations by Pixel Pushers Design Nintendo’s Next President? This man is fast becoming the new face of Nintendo in Japan, where he serves as the company’s director of corporate planning. Formerly a 17-year veteran of Hal Laboratory, Iwata was responsible forthe creation of some of Nintendo's biggest franchises, The Revival of Fighting Games Are You Ready for Another Round? Virtua Fighter 4, Tekken 4, the new Mortal Kombat — classic arcade fighter franchises are bursting onto consoles in 2002. And now that the home hardware can duplicate an 255 arcade-perfect experience (minus the greasy punk players and sticky floors), why not? Mortal Kombat co-creator Ed Boon thinks it’s high time for rebirth: “In arcades, we had to concern ourselves with giving the player as much ттеп as possible for his 50 “cents. Now мете wiping the slate and completely reinventing MK.” Cool, we got next game. Console Hard Drives The New Secret Weapon A couple of years ago, hard disk drives seemed as important to console design as keyboards and mice. But in 2002, console mass storage will begin to deliver enough added frills that we'll wonder how we ever got along without it. The Xbox’s built-in HD offers the most obvious benefits. Beginning with Xbox games like Unreal Tournament, you'll be able to download new levels and other extras (and that doesn't count perks such as disk-caching for quick loading times and larger game worlds). Sony has similar plans for its PS2 hard drive, due for release when the company's online network launches this spring. Finally Back in the Game May seem hard to believe, but the last time Nintendo's Italian stallion had a game all to himself was way back in 1996, in Super Mario 64. And, no, including Kirby and Super Smash Bros. Now he's in charge of everything from overseeing internal and external development projects to formulating the company's top- secret online strategy. “Quality games in a variety of genres that the Mario Party games and Paper Mario—all of which star an ensemble cast of Nintendo characters rather than focus on were not found on former Nintendo platforms will be announced and launched next year," he tells us. Keep an eye on this guy—analysts in Japan think he could be Nintendo's next president after current prez Hiroshi Yamauchi finally steps down later in 2002. the main mustachioed man—don't count. But this summer, we'll see our hero back in the spotlight in Mario Sunshine (working title). With seemingly Mario 64-style gameplay, a mysterious backpack contraption and the horsepower of the GameCube powering it, Sunshine's got "success" shining all over it. he Birth of New Franchises _ Over the past couple of years, we saw several new games —such as SSX, Jet Grind Radio, Smuggler's Run and TimeSplitters—that are well on their way to becoming established series, and this year the trend continues. Take Halo, which is on the brink of white-hot fran- chisedom. And if you don't believe us, you musta never played it. Electronic Gaming Monthly - 187 - egm.gamers.com SLICK LIST Online Voice Communication Headset Radio When broadband online gaming hits consoles by mid-2002, it’s bringing one heck of a perk with it: online communication via headset microphones. Both Microsoft and Sony are readying these chatty gadgets for their respective systems, and it’s possible these mics will be released in bundle deals: Microsoft is thinking of packing the Xbox Game Commander microphone in with subscriptions to their online service, while Sony may include theirs with the online shooter SOCOM: U.S. Navy SEALs. And while this technology has delivered novel but disappointing results on the Dreamcast (in Alien Front Online, which only let you transmit five-second barks of chatter), Sony and Microsoft’s mics promise to be way more high- tech. “[The Xbox] communicator allows for continuous chatter,” says Tim Hess, producer of the Xbox online shooter Unreal Championship, one of the first games to take advantage of the gadget. “You can mute yourself, but you can still hear other players.” The headsets will also allow you to talk to your entire team, or just single out individual players for one- on-one strategy sessions. Game Commander \ Vi са; апі Tomm jarico host Electric Playground Samus Aran When we put Metroid’s supergal on our list last year, we didn’t know that her GameCube game wouldn’t be released until well into 2002—or that it would be a first-person shooter. But that doesn’t diminish how jazzed we are to see this old-school star climb back into her orange armor in 2002. Garage Game Development Size Doesn’t Matter Used to be the only consoles that amateur game coders could develop for were niche open-source systems like VM Labs’ Nuon, the lamented Indrema and now the Dreamcast (courtesy of the programming library LibDream). But all that’s about to change. The biz’s biggest players are thinking small and making it easier for indie developers to get their code on. Microsoft has kicked off their Xbox Incubator Program (for details, go to http:/ /dev.xbox.com/dev/incubator.htm), through which approved small- fry developers can license a dev kit and create game prototypes to shop around to publishers. “Every big developer out there started small, often with a couple of people, an idea and a passion to make something great,” says Xbox Platform General Manager J Allard. “Somewhere out there are the people who will make the next genre-busting hit game.” Even Nintendo President Hiroshi Yamauchi has ponied up more than $160 million to fund software start-ups, and Sony is expected to announce that ћеуте bringing the PS2 Linux Kit to America. So if you thought you'd need $10 million to realize your console dreams, think again; you might just need a good idea. The PS2’s Linux kit is U.S. bound Phantasy Star Online In 2001, Dreamcast owners got their first real taste of online addiction in the form of this online multiplayer masterpiece. This year, it’s everyone else’s turn. PSO is on its way to Xbox and GameCube and will help kick off both system’s online plans (although we’re still in the dark on how you'll play this game online on your ‘Cube). Electronic Gaming Monthly - 138 - egm.gamers.com WELCOME TO THE HEARTWARMING WORLD OF HARVEST MOON! y goal is to successfully save your family's farm and the surrounding village from being turned into a resort. Do you have what it takes to SAVE YOUR HOMELAND! PlayStation. Make friends with over Explore an innovative non- Nine different endings twenty characters, all linear game system with a and plenty of events with changing attitudes bushel of subplots and make every day on the and opinions! entertaining storylines! farm anything but routine! LP NATSUME? Victor www.natsume.com EET Serious Fun™ Harvest Moon and Natsume are registered trademarks of Natsume Inc. Serious Fun is a trademark of Natsume Inc. © 2001 Natsume Inc. © 2001 Victor Interactive Software All rights reserved. _ ЧА? “PlayStation” and the “PS” Fe jo are registered trademarks of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. The ratings icon is mark of the Interactive Digital Software Association. чу Let’s Try This Again The great experiment that was SegaNet—which at the height of its popularity had more than Studios An Xbox Owner's Best Friend As if creating Xbox launch hit Halo wasn't enough, Bungie is one developer that actually (gasp!) appreciates their fans. Just look at www.bungie.net: You'll find Halo tips, help finding nearby players for multiplayer matches and more. "[We]are fans too,” says Studio Manager Alex Seropian, "so we're personally motivated to do things fans tend to appreciate— like participate in our forums, events and community. Bungie considers our fans our friends." Great, but guys, don't spend too much time with your friends until we get that online update to Halo. 250,000 subscribers slugging it out in online Dreamcast titles— showed we were all ready to play Net-ready console games. And who knows: If the DC had been a hit for Sega, online gaming might be a legitimate console genre right now. Well, we won't have to wonder what could've been much longer: By this summer, both Sony and Microsoft will have taken their consoles online in a big way, and if any companies can make online gaming fly, it's these two deep- pocketed giants. (Meanwhile, killer online apps like Tony Hawk 3 and Final Fantasy XI could lure an army of PS2 gamers into logging on). We're beginning to glimpse the Not Just for DVD Movies Anymore Ever wish you could hear the original Japanese voices in a badly dubbed game? (Cough, Shenmue.) Or watch alternate endings when the original one sucks? (Ahem, Metal Gear Solid 2.) That day is sooner than you think. Just as the greater storage space of DVDs led to movies including goodies, games are popping up with bonus features. SSX Tricky (PS2) and Rogue Leader (GC) hint at the possibilities: making-of movies, developer commentaries —maybe even tips and strategy guides. gameplans that'll make it all possible: Simplicity seems to be the order of the day. "Setting up system-link play is a piece of cake on Xbox with no info required at all," says Microsoft's J Allard. "We'd like for broadband setup to be as simple. We're hoping that all you'll have to provide is your contact and billing information, and we are confident that, with the majority of broadband providers, it will be a plug-and-play experience." Tecmo's Tomonobu Itagaki Ninja Gaiden’s Cocky Master One of the most opinionated voices in the biz, Team Ninja leader Tomonobu Itagaki gains notoriety by the day for his work— and his mouth. He led development of Xbox’s Dead Or Alive 3, the most beautiful fighting game in existence, while referring to the competition’s games as a “piece of s#*@.” “| only hope that my opinions on Tekken 4 and МЕД will stimulate the much-needed competitive spirits of my fellow game makers to change the face of the fighting genre to push ourselves to the next level,” he tells us. But why should we give a crap about what this guy thinks? Because he delivers and clearly believes in himself and his team. Now that Team Ninja is working on the next installment of the Ninja Gaiden series for PS2, мете excited about the rebirth of one of gaming’s best-loved franchises. | PEACEFUL | ESCAPE Comic Mischief Mild Language © 2001 THO Inc. Radical Entertainment and its logo are trademarks of Radical Entertainment Ltd. Dark Summit, THO and the respective logos are trademarks and/or registered trademarks of THQ Inc. All other trademarks and logos are property of their respective owners. All rights reserved. Microsoft, Xbox and the Xbox logos are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Microsoft Corporation in the United States and/or other countries and are used under license from Microsoft. "PlayStation" and the "PS" Family logo are registered trademarks of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. TM, ® and the Nintendo GameCube logo are trademarks of Nintendo. It doesn't feature characters fromthe" game, but Resident Evil does star Milla Jovovich, wearing stuff like this, so we'll see it anyway. Video Game Flicks That's Entertainment The Tomb Raider and Final Fantasy flicks may have established new lows in cinema, but there's hope yet for gaming on the big screen. Franchises currently getting the Hollywood makeover in 2002 include Crazy Taxi, Duke Nukem and Max Payne. But the one flick we're praying won't suck ass is Resident Evil, directed by Paul Anderson and starring Milla Jovovich. While the RE gurus over at Capcom had little to do with the movie's bio-terror screenplay, they're confident RE the movie will be just as gripping as the RE games. Old School Goes New School Revival of the Fittest You’ve seen it before: Once a major publisher gets a decade under its belt, ІРІ dig through its catalog to find a popular game from the old days to shine up with 3D graphics for release to nostalgic gamers. In previous years, one or two games would get the update treatment. But in 2002, the flashback floodgates will bust open and unleash new installments The tight-of-budget could always make their PlayStation 1 double as a CD player, but consoles nowadays are taking that concept much further to become the centerpiece of all home entertainment. The PS2 and Xbox (if you buy a remote) play DVDs and are wired for Dolby Digital Surround Sound, while the GameCube's audio capabilities have yet to be fully revealed. Sure, you'll need to buy a high- definition TV and upscale audio receiver to get all these perks, but trust us— it's worth it. Your Arcade's Ringing Wireless networks like Japan's i- mode have revolutionized the way people in Europe and Asia kill time on the subway, and now it's finally time for Americans to horn in on the action. The thought of playing games on cell phones still reminds most people of tiny, blurry, black- and-white screens. That'll all change this year, with everyone from NEC to Ericsson putting out handsets with full-color graphics. Building Java into the phone is quickly becoming a standard, allowing for far more complicated games than the basic stuff we've grown accustomed to. Even more exciting is the 3G standard, rolled out in limited quantities in Japan last October and set to debut in the West this new year. It combines a high-speed Net connection with powerful graphics hardware to allow services like streaming video, real-time multiplayer gaming and more. 36 phones are still expensive —$400 and up— but it's only a matter of time before the price is right for most gamers. The color screens on 2002 phones like Ericcson's T68 open up new gaming possibilities. of Nintendo's Metroid on GC and GBA, Tecmo's Ninja Gaiden, Midway's Mortal Kombat and Defender, and Konami's Castlevania. Why the recall of these old- School heroes? “Since the NES days, attempts were made by various internal teams to revive Ninja Gaiden, but none of them made it to the final approval until now," says Tecmo's Tomonobu Itagaki. *Of course, I'll make sure to satisfy the expectations of fans from the old days." The Shooting Genre Reinvented || PlayStation Ə Mild Violence EGA CORPORATION/UGA, 2001 SLICK LIST Pirate Games "1 guess the idea is that this Shiver Our Timbers theme gives [Galleon] its own No, we ain’t talking about the flavor that’s different from naughty bootleg kind of pirated anyone else’s.” Well, different ` software. Maties, we're saying from everyone but the shipful of you better buckle up your companies making ridiculous swashes for the peg-legged, hook-handed, parrot-crap-down- the-back variety of pirate games. More pirate-themed titles—from Westwood's Pirates: The Legend of the Black Kat for PS2 to the зрасемау-за пе sci-fi buccaneers of Falcone: Into the Maelstrom on Xbox—are washing ashore in 2002 than even vampire games (another hot trend). Why are so many developers raising the skull and crossbones? “For my game, it’s just the visual part that looks piratey but not the actual story theme,” says Toby Gard, designer of the high-seas adventure Galleon for GameCube and Xbox. pirate games. Arrgh, the irony! PC-game Developers Cashing in on Consoles For console gamers, the grass sometimes seems greener on the desktop, where PC titles often have better graphics and easy access to online connectivity. But the scales of software exclusivity are rapidly tipping in favor of consoles. Besides all the PC titles that have already found their way onto consoles as ports, 2002 will ы see some of PC gaming's biggest Heim Boy names-— like Half-Life 2 and Deus Ex 2—debuting on consoles first. Nintendo's Strongest Link Why? Simple economics. “We have If you're lucky enough to own both a to consider any platform where GameCube and a GBA, you'll soon be there are customers for us," says able to mate the two via Nintendo's new Randy Pitchford, head of Gearbox, GC/GBA link cable (which should be the folks behind Half-Life on the available here in January). *The [GBA] becomes a versatile controller [for PS2. And these days, the consoles the GameCube] with unlimited expansion capability," says Satoru Мага, are where developers are finding Nintendo's Director of Corporate Planning, who adds that the GBA screen the most customers. With the ease will display weapons, health, sports plays and other pertinent stuff, of development on Xbox and game depending on the game. Additional uses include downloading minigames profitability at an all-time high, into your GBA's memory, and monster building and exchanging (can you look forward to a whole lotta а а say Pokémon?). The first GBA game to take advantage of this union will be console love coming from PC Sonic Advance, which links with Sonic Adventure 2 Battle on GameCube. developers in 2002. Find out more about both games in this month's previews section. ж Slick The Indrema—A lack of Sony’s online The Dreamcast— Bleem!—A protracted The Final Fantasy «а Disasters funding killed this Linux- plans—Uh, Support for this legal battle with Sony movie— Moviegoers Five things that based console, which was whathappened killer system is wore down this maker said, *Huh? What's a shoulda been to usher in a golden age to them? dismal now that of the Bleemcast Final Fantasy?" and slick but of indie game Sega is focusing PlayStation emulator ignored this flawed but weren't... development. тн) on all consoles. for DC. decent flick. Electronic Gaming Monthly - M4 - egm.gamers.com Ə3uƏ|o!A 2109 pue рооја иго’ Sv Ey LN3N5GA( чоя SINI[ чат, „мә торға fo р/лов» 241 12111 uaqqo Кир ayyun DJY ир 22u2142dx2 04 ил лоллод рир 319086, ‘ssaqsuous fo pon v лози ‘ито, рир 520424 fo рлоа› y AIUT "Susa, рий диц, о тору 901 UJ09'ÁEM IU MMM AVMGIW GAME BOY EGM rates games based on how they compare with other titles on the same system. The highest score we'll give a game is a 10. When a game receives a 10, you can rest assured it's one of the best games ever made—a revolutionary title that truly stands above everything else in its genre for Platinum Awards go to games that get all 105, the best and rarest review a game can get. И Crispin Boyer ~ Features Editor Cris built a LEGO robot to wait in . line and snag a ‘Cube and Xbox for him. It's too bad the little droid а became self-aware, strangled his master, then sold both systems on eBay. Don’t buy from ManDROID69! Action, Adventure 5: Final Fantasy X, Rez, Halo West Coast Editor No rest for the weary. During winter break, Che plans to hand lots of people their asses by playing lots of Halo online. Maybe you'll be the lucky one. Merry Christmas, and a happy new year! Fighting, Racing, RPG е5: Golden Sun, Halo, Rez, MGS2 - Associate Editor Economically battered following the dual console launch, Jon has made some revisions to his holiday shop- ping plan. You'd be surprised how far the penny tray at the 7-Eleven can go if you really dig in. Fighting, Action, Adventure Halo, Super Smash Bros. Melee its time. At the other end of the spectrum sits the lowest score a game can receive: a o.o. This is the kind of game you want to avoid at all costs. It's pure crap. In the middle lies the average grade, 5.0. We repeat: 5.0 IS AVERAGE. Simple, ain't it? 1 TX Gold Awards go to games whose average score equals 9.0 or higher. These are the sports nuts on the Crew, but that doesn't mean they're not into all types of games. It just means you ТО w ОЕ o, (0% № Games that average at least an 8.0 (but lower than 9.0) receive Silver Awards. Mark MacDonald Executive Editor As if his 14-volume Metroid fan fic- T tion wasn’t bad enough, when we и caught Mark reading the Halo novel this month, we beat him up on gen- eral principal. “But it’s for work!” he pleaded. Then we beat him harder. Action, Adventure, RPG Halo, Final Fantasy X, Rez, MGS2 Шап зпо Editor in Chief The bullhorn didn’t work. Neither did the massive paycuts and the after-hours spankings. So Shoe's new method of disciplining the staff: Telling them they can’t play Halo at work. Now they’re listening. Everything but the sports sims 5: Smash Bros. Melee, Halo, Rez @ News Editor Since Super Smash Bros. Melee arrived in the office, Chris has been nothing but a bucket of expletives. It’s those darn cheap quacks Dr. Mario and nurse Peach in Event mode. Will he ever find peace? Action, Adventure, Music Super Smash Bros. Melee = š West Coast Editor/Webhomme = Seeing the French movie Amélie has invigorated the Milkman, inspiring = him to frequent instant photo booths, ride a bicyclette, eat fresh vegetables and visit Montmarte. He was last seen skipping stones. Combat, jouer un réle, aventéur 5: FFX, SSBM, Golden Sun, Amélie Greg Sewart Reviews/Previews Editor We had to have Sewart committed this month after he went mad thanks to the onslaught of RPGs. He was raving about things like his Dodge Pool, and how +2/+2 sword affected his INT level. Weird. Racing, RPG, Action 25: Final Fantasy X, F1 2001, MGS2 anne mim Associate Editor/Art Director It’s been nothing but RPGs for Jeanne this month, and she couldn’t be happier. In fact, she’s enjoying herself so much, she keeps having dreams of turn-based battles with spikey-haired hotties. r RPG, Action, Adventure 5: Co-op Halo, Jade Cocoon 2, FFX can be sure that sports reviews are being done by the sports enthusiasts and not by some schmucks. Gaming Monthly - 146 egm.gamers.com | H BON. Visit www.esrb.org or call 1-800-771-3772 for more info. SEGA is registered in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, SEGA and Virtua Fighter-are registered trademarks of SEGA Corporation. Pre and the "Р" Family logo are registered trademarks of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. All Rights. Reserved. nted by SEGA © SEGA-AM? Co. LTD/SEGA CORPORATION, 2001, www.sega.com "PlayStalion' ЗОНА The Ancients’ Gate Publisher: Sony CEA Mmi Developer: Surreal Software Featured In: EGM #149 Players: 1 Try Instead: — Baldur's Gate: Dark Alliance Best Feature: Worst Feature: Web Site: Fun to fly around on a dragon You don’t always ride the dragon www.scea.com Drakan’s got everything an Ann McCaffery-novel- readin’ fantasy geek daydreams about: an epic plot with lots of exotic names (Arokh the dragon, any- one?) and a dragon-riding warrior chick who saves the world wearing nothing but a leather bustier. When Drakan sets you up soaring on the back of one of these mythical beasts, raining magical death from above, you can actually see the potential behind this game. So what's with the score, you ask? Drakan falls apart when you're forced to do many of the laborious dungeons on foot, and woe to the player, these Tomb Raider-esque levels take up nearly half the game. Many of the indoor stages feature excel- lent ambience, but they're populated with some of the stupidest monsters ever. You can literally hide behind a rock, watch them get stuck against an object trying to reach you, and hack (or shoot) them with impunity. Now repeat this process about 200 times (replacing "rocks" with ice columns, wooden crates;'etc.) and you see how tedious Drakan can be. You've got no choice but to exploit Drakan's А! like this because. the auto-targeting system doesn't lock onto your nearest threat, only what's in fro character; Get ‘yourself surroundedeby creatures an оп it's.time to d game. Evenif you absolutely must own featuring chicks riding dragons, | cannot recommend this turd. Che Three minutes into Drakan, it 5 not hard to see its PC roots. Console role-playing buffs should give it a chance, though; if you can get past some pretty ele- mentary RPG clichés, it’s actually a decent game. Unfortunately, it experiences some definite flaws insition from keyboard to joypad. Targeting ‚ using. spells, and accessing your menu items are atrocious. The game keeps running while the near-full-screen menu pops up, So plan on dying а lot-as you try to get at your "inventory. You can assign items to a “hot-slot;” but you Still have to cycle through a clumsy interface to use them, so it kind of defeats the purpose: Jonathan Drakan does. its job. "setting. up a believable fantasy world, with a story interesting enough to keep the game fresh. As dragon-riding fantasy chick Rynn, you'll traverse the usual murky swamps апа pastoral countryside, slicing up. orcs, trolls and the like. The game's graphics are solid, and the gameplay is pretty tight. Unfortunately, Drakan süffers from a steep difficulty curve. Blame it on the: excessive enemy quotient, the steep cost ов healing and the unwieldy inventory control. This is not a game you;want to check into. if you're easily frustrated. It's a cohesive fantasy that doesn't quite come together. Christian REPLAY VISUALS SOUND INGENUITY 1 1 4 3 00202399 Publisher: Koei вз r= Developer: 326 Featured Іп: ЕСМ #145 Players: 14 Supports: Multi-tap Best Feature: Amazing soundtrack Worst Feature: Way too short Web Site: www.koeigames.com Gitaroo Man swaggers on to the music gaming stage with rocking licks that’ll make crusty old ladies swoon in the aisles. GM's soundtrack captures each scene to the 16th note with its perfect pairing of excellently composed reggae, pop, techno pieces with a wacky cast of gitaroo-wielding level bosses. Every well- crafted stage flows like a mini-rock musical, illus- trating a dizzying vignette on how one geeky adoles- cent underdog comes out on top. To help our hero U- 1 defeat the bully and get the girl, hand-eye coordina- tion is an absolute must (and a bit of rhythm wouldn't hurt, either); for not only does GM force you to bust out crazy square, triangle, circle, X button combos, but the innovative analog stick controls are quite challenging as well. Mastering them is worth it, though, since they give you a real-life instrument- playing feel. However, although GM’s got most of the bases covered for music game lovers, (i.e., cool graphics, amazing soundtrack and innovative con- trols), GMS single-player game is very short and fails to offer much replay value. Its two-player two- team versus option sounds inviting, bütonlyamounts to battling on one level setting with 10 songs. An unlockable, higher difficulty MasterPlayer mode also doesn't markedly stimulate replay sinc story, and a side Collection game is negligible. Still, if you don't mind short but tres sweet, GM's definitely one rockstar- acglered cupcake. Jeanne First, a warning to potential Gitaroo Men: You will have the "Legendary Theme" stuck in your head for a week afterward—it's that good. And the rest of the game is just as infectious. It's a great combination of frantic, Japanese guitar rock and wacky anime- inspired action. It's not without problems, though. Like most story-driven music games (PaRappa and Space Channel 5), Gitaroo Man's a tad short, and the levels vary widely from awesome (with Kirah) to so- so (reggae robot Ben-K). Also, the control has a ten- dency to cramp up yourshands as you try to follow the music trail with the analog stick. GM's nothing revolutionary, but it’s still gieat fun. _ Chris First Yanya Caballista and now this? Koei" 5 gaining a rep for releasing really weird games. And while | applaud them for it, I'm afraid only the hardcore music game crowd will get much out of this short title. The songs are awesome and GM features a bet- ter-than-PaRappa 2 multiplayer mode, but once the game was over, the only reason [ felt compelled to go back and play was to hear the cool love theme (and subsequent power ballad) one more time. I'm a big fan of all these quirky music games hitting our shores lately, and | hopeıtoısee the trend continue. | just pray that the developers start adding a little more replay value to them in the future. Greg VISUALS SOUND INGENUITY REPLAY 8 9 1 4 148 - eg Jade Cocoon 2 Publisher: Ubi Soft Developer: Genki Featured In: EGM #149 Players: 1-2 Also Try: Pokémon Crystal (GBC) Best Feature: Beautiful graphics Worst Feature: Simplistic battle system Web Site: www.ubisoft.com It may be set in the same world as the first game, but Jade Cocoon 2 plays very differently from its prede- cessor. The story begins with the familiar tale of a young boy trying to become a legendary monster trainer (called Beast Master here). But in a refreshing twist, it quickly veers off that well-trodden road, and the would-be hunter becomes the hunted. Another thing that sets Jade 2 apart from other creature catchers is its circular battle system. Assembling a circle of monsters balanced between attackers, defenders and healers across the four elements (Earth, Wind, Fire and Water) takes some getting used to, but it’s got a good amount of strategy. Battles aren't the usual quick skirmishes found in most RPGs. You're always switching between all the monsters in your party, alternating between offense and defense in long, drawn-out fights. But as strong asthe battle system is, it doesn't give you enough control. You can't command your beasts to use specific attacks on specific enemies. One. button makes your front line attack, leaving you to pray they connect, The visuals are gorgeous, with beauti- ful character designs and equally evil-looking mon- sters. It’s easy to get lost ini i lush, maze-like forests—if you've seen. one, уо! seen them all. Jade 2 isn't the deepest RPG, but it's good for Pokémon masters like me who are a bit tired of Nintendo's cute beasties. Chris What ai an n oddity. The main allure өңі і5 s the raising and breeding of “divine beasts,” and as far as I’m concerned, it’s a blast. This sharp-looking game offers a wealth of options for developing the diverse and well-bred. stable of pets that you.need to suc- ceed in your quest. But why are you limited to simply picking which of your beasts you want to attack with, and not the:specific enemy you wish to attack? I'm not sire, but it's little details like this that make JC2 feel like your Success is as much a game of chance as it is skill. Still; the unique presentation and topnotch (if slightly overdone) voice acting make JC2 worth checking out. Milkman Bursting with an ingenuity cure for jaded RPG gamers, JC2 inspires the sleeping role-play addict to awaken. Taking some elements comparable to Pokémon-style monster collection, battling and evolving, би тај те understanding a.monster's type and its abilities even more critical to strategically winning battles, JC2's unique revolving-disk combat system invigorates the old turn-based standby and is the game's biggest plus. JC2's weakness lies in its repetitive levels, which formulaically offer what to explore and fight. But the-charming capsule of )C2's story and cool NPC interactions make it extremely hard to put down. Jeanne VISUALS SOUND INGENUITY REPLAY 8 1 6 5 Cri | the games. www.espnthegames.com NINE THRILLING EVENTS. AND CURLING. Which is not to say, this sport of Canadian kings won't put a lump in your throat. After all, this is ESPN International Winter Sports 2002. And whether you're hucking ho-hos off the halfpipe, soaring off the ski jump, or reaching for records іп any of the other eight events, your every triumph—and every defeat—is part of an authentic ESPN telecast. So smile wide and breathe deep. You wouldn't want to lose your cool on the ice. Downhill | Slalom | Freestyle | као Ski Jump | K120 Ski Jump | Bobsleigh | Snowboard Halfpipe | Figure Skating | Speed Skating | Curling EVERYONE GAME BOY ADVANCE (2 PlayStation.? X Epor Gave cued Í го ESRB ® 52001 Disney. ESPN and ESPN the games are trodemarks of ESPN, Inc. Konami is a registered trademark of Konami Corporation. 62001 Konami. All rights reserved. The ratings icon is a trademark of the Interactive Digital Software Association. “Playstation” and the “PS” Family logo are registered trademarks of Sony Computer Entertainment, Inc. Xbox and Xbox logos are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Microsoft Corporation in the U.S. and/or in other countries. TM, ® and the Nintendo GameCube logo are trademarks of Nintendo. TM, 2 and Game Boy Advance are trademarks of Nintendo, Wakka Publisher: Square Electronic Arts Developer: Square Featured In: EGM #150 Players: 1 Farewell: Active Time Battle system Best Feature: Stellar graphics Worst Feature: Quest is too linear Web Site: www.playonline.com e think most people will agree when W we say that the three Р51 Final Fantasy games were pretty friggin’ good. But after 10 titles in 12 years, we start- ed to wonder if Square would always be happy to rest on their laurels and never intro- duce any real innovation to the series. On the surface, it would seem so with Final Fantasy X. The screenshots alone make it look like yet another in the long, tired line of swords-’n’-sorcery RPGs we've all grown accustomed to. With the wholesale changes made to both the battle and experience sys- tems for FFX, though, it feels like a whole lot more. It's refreshing to see a publisher make such a ballsy move with a revered franchise. Especially when the results are this good. But don't be deceived. FFX still features the same "kill everything so you can become powerful enough to defeat the next boss" iluron Lula Be HP 2218 MP play mechanics. It's just done in such a way that you don't groan every time you get hit with a random battle. Even fighting the most lowly creature benefits from strategy, and the reward is usually a visit to the Sphere Grid, where you get to choose how each of your seven characters develops. The whole experience is wrapped up in a wonderful story. Due in no small part to the introduction of voice acting to the series, the characters in Final Fantasy X have loads of personality. And since you can hear all the emotions they experience, it brings you closer to them than you've likely been to anyone in past fantasy games, Final or otherwise. Unfortunately, with this new feature comes a more linear game than previous install- ments. Not until the very end of FFX can you actually stray from the beaten path and find cool little side quests and hidden goodies. You're constantly being herded to the next major battle or plot point, which really detracts from the game. Nonetheless, this is the RPG to own on the PlayStation 2. While the genre is booming on the system right now, no other games even come close to matching FFX for graphics, story or sheer enjoyment. HP 4930 M. 133 playable characters in Final Fantasy X. They can attack, use magic and even level up. Join Seymour in his search for a new stylist. This imposing Maester intends to help young Yuna in her quest to bring “the Calm” to Spira. The biggest difference between FFX and all previous Final Fantasy games is the totally revamped battle system, which is much more strategy oriented. Here’s a quick rundown of a typical random fight to give you an idea of the new battle commands. A diverse group of baddies faces our heroes. Rikku takes out this Machina enemy easily enough. ...order Tidus to equip a blade imbued with a Firestrike attack and use it to slay the | Skoll. Only one enemy left.... | ..to cast a frosty Blizzara spell. Since switching characters doesn't cost any turns, she attacks immedaitely. The Sensor abi the Skoll on the right is weak against fire | and thunder. So we... Uu However, it's almost impervious to physical attacks. So let's swap in Lulu, the party's Маск mage... The fiery fiend melts, and the battle is over. Now we can visit the Sphere Grid to build up our characters some more. ont 151 Square took a shot at a unique, new mini-game for Final Fantasy X called Blitzball (below). Unfortunately, this sports game with RPG con- trols really doesn't work. We found ourselves avoiding it all the chances to play it. І could go on and on about FFX's stunning graphics or gorgeous music, but we almost take that for granted in a Final Fantasy game at this point. What | will talk about is what a smart move it was to totally overhaul the battle system. The series was in real jeopardy of becoming stale (some would say it already had), but this revamped fighting style makes FFX feel like a completely new beast. | personally hope they never go back to the old Active Time Battle formula. | also love the new Sphere Grid level-up approach. Not since the very first Final Fantasy—where you got to customize and name your entire party—have | felt like | had total control over the characters in one of these games (although | never did play FFV). Instead of feeling like you're just along for the ride, your suc- cess depends more on careful planning of your char- acters' progression along the grid than simply fight- ing battle after battle. Actually, that's also my main gripe. Should you not realize the above early enough, you'll.hita wall at the end of the game. After investing 45 hours into FFX and reaching the final boss, | was annoyed when | realized | had absolutely no chance of beating the final boss without another good seven hours of leveling up my characters. | felt like | was being punished, even though | worked so hard to get to that point. Pd hoped FFX wouldn't fall back on something so frustrating in order to make the end of the game more challenging. Greg As | expected, FFX is a technical milestone, a stun- ning example of what oodles of money and expertise can extract from the PS2. The graphics shine, the bat- tles thrill, and the voice acting entertains. However, that's not. why it is the best Final Fantasy of the last decade. All those glorious graphics are just gravy, as the lovable characters and compelling story provide the true heart of FFX. Few RPG narratives have the capacity to pull on my rusty heartstrings, but Tidus and Yuna's epic quest genuinely moved me. From the foreboding opening.to-the shocking finale, FFX proves that RPGs can weave a tale comparable to the finest books and films. Shane While initial impressions of FFX suggest a high-qual- ity time that's not much different than those that have come before it, extended play reveals a much more rewarding experience. Once you get past the initial lump.of.plot-setting cinemas (complete with quality voice-overs), the beauty of the revamped, strategically oriented battle engine kicks. іп. And while | hate random battles, | love being able to swap out any of the seven party members at will. It makes matching them up against the game's enemies quite satisfying. But ће thing that really hooked me on FFX was the story itself, which is revealed in gripping fashion one gorgeous step at a те. Milkman REPLAY INGENUITY ths Publish: Acclaim raf Developer: Acclaim Studios Salt Lake | Featured In: EGM #148 Players: 1-5 Supports: Multi-tap Best Feature: The wrassler roster Worst Feature: Web Site: Bad camera angles hide the action www.acclaim.com ack before we could smell what The Rock was cooking, a handful of men worked their asses off to thrill crowds and make wrestling the gargantuan draw it is today. Now, for the first time ever, you can pit many of those men against one another in the squared circle, thanks to Legends of Wrestling. Now get those old Acclaim WWF games out of your head. Yes, they sucked, but you should know this is an entirely new game engine, and it actually works pretty well. Since all the moves—from strikes to grapples to throws—are based on simple one-button and direction combinations, LoW is really easy to get into. Having on-screen modifier and reversal meters while you're doing a throw is à nice touch, too. While this game lacks the polish of SmackDown!: Just Bring It, it is solid. Old- school wrasslin' fans will really enjoy it. Legends of Wrestling WHERE ARE THEY NOW? Hulk Hogan The Hulkster is currently get- ting a new federation, the XWF, up and running. Legends like Curt “Mr. Perfect” Hennig, Bobby “The Brain” Heenan and the Nasty Boys, among others, are reported to be on board. Bret “Hitman” Hart The best there is, best there was and best there ever will be has retired from wrestling due to injuries. He’s currently living in Alberta, Canada, working on an autobiography and trying to _ start an acting career. Ted DiBiase The WWF's greatest heel is no longer affiliated with any wrestling organization. The Million Dollar Man, who once told us that “everybody has a price,” has rediscovered Jesus and founded the Heart of David Ministries. George "The Animal" Steele In 1998, this brute with a taste for turnbuckles was still wrestling at age 61 for some small, independent organiza- ^. tions on the west coast. In between matches, he's appeared in a few movies, most notably Ed Wood and Blowfish. Hogan lifts Superfly over his head in celebration as he wins the Geritol Belt (left). Rob Van Dam suffers a fate no man deserves (below). Isn't that just a disturbing image? | mean...just the sweat alone... (Ни ег). ОК, | have to ask. Where the hell is the Macho Man? If he and a couple other key guys were in this game (Ric Flair or Rowdy Roddy Piper, perhaps?), it'd get a higher score. That aside, Legends of Wrestling is per- fect for guys who grew up watching the likes of Hulk Hogan, Jimmy “Superfly” Snuka and The Million Dollar Man beat the living snot out of each other every week. Those were the days. On top of the nostalgia factor for old-timers like me, LoR features intuitive controls and wrestling action that rivals the current genre leader, WWF SmackDown! Just Bring It. Almost immediately after turning on the game, | was able to pull off just about every move with every character, thanks to the simple, single-button com- mands. Plus, once you have an opponent in a throw, the handy modifier bar that pops up under his name helps you do extra damage, or assists him in revers- ing your throw. | love it ‘cause it takes all the guess- work out of the fighting— you're not jamming on the buttons in the hopes that something cool’s gonna happen. In fact, I like almost every aspect of this game, save for the exclusion of certain guys (like the ones | mentioned above), the lack of real move vari- ety between wrestlers, and the lame music. Overall, it doesn’t excite me as much as SmackDown! | think with another year or so of development on a sequel (please?) and a more rounded roster, the next LoW could be truly great. Greg LoW totally cracks me up. | swear, the Three Stooges couldn't perform better in this three-ring grappling circus. When you're not getting sucker-punched in the beanbag, you're being beat down with a guitar or a two-by-four. Maybe I'm sadistic, but it's the fun- niest stuff I've seen іп a long time. If those things don't fill your jocularity meter, Create-A-Legend sure- ly will. Play Frankenstein with а crapload of different body parts and accessories, including you-design- "ет tattoos. It's a great time. As funny as the game is, | wouldn't be as high omit if the gameplay sucked. Happily, it's nice and responsive, not to mention fair- ly intuitive. Long live the Legends. Dean Even if you think Hulk Hogan's heyday was his role in Thunder in Paradise, you still can't help but appre- ciate this piece of nostalgia. This brawler lives up to its name by having an impressive roster of dudes who don't.mind punching each other's sacks (a real move, folks) in trashy arenas with patched-up rings. It's a cool contrast to the Vince McMahoned WWF we're used to, and it's pretty damn fun too. Handy gauges make the great combo attacks and reversals easy to learn, and the in-depth wrestler creator is the best I've ever seen. Were it. not for the average graph- ics and awkward camera angles headlocking it, this would have been something special. Kraig REPLAY VISUALS SOUND INGENUITY 5 6 8 PlayStation.e of boarding is here. No iens. No snow. No surf. Just air, air. and more air. See ya when you finally come down. WWW.NAMCO.COM Mild Violence Mild Language у Software Limited and published in North Ameri 'orporation. "PlayStation" and the "PS" Family log 5 Computer Entertainment Europe registered trademarks of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. The ratings icon is a re SEE, The Sony Computer Entertainment logo is a registered red trademark of the Interactive Digital Software Association. Mobile Suit Gundam: Zeonic Front Jt Bandai Publisher: = r= Developer: Bandai Players: 1 Needs: A two-player battle mode You Play As: Тһе bad guys Best Feature: Super-freaking-detailed robots Worst Feature: Real-time battle controls need work Web Site: www.bandaigames.com Unlike the other Gundam games you may have played on the Dreamcast or Р52, ZF is an ambitious action/strategy hybrid reminiscent of squad-based shooters like Rainbow Six. ГЦ tell you right now, this isn't an easy game to sink into. Sure, there's a tutorial that shows you the basics of how to move, fire your gun, and so on, but after that you're on your own. It's particularly daunting because, while you manage your own squad of giant robots in real time, the other mechs on the map are Al-controlled and follow waypoints that you set up before each mission. The amount of detail you can pre-program into these routes is staggering. For instance, you can set one squad of mobile suits to charge head- on against an enemy base, while setting the other two teams to flanking positions. You can even tell these units to sit tight and wait for your signal to coordinate a synchronized attack. The better you pre-plan your missions, the higher you're graded. It's just too bad all this open-ended mission scripting is wasted on the game's overly simplistic (or even downright clunky), controls. And at the end of the day, that’s all that really matters because you've still got to play this thing like an action game to get through the missions. Although ZF does a great job of sucking you into a world of squad-based heavy- metal warfare, | can’t recommend it to anyone but hardcore Gundam fans. Che NFL GameDay 2002 hori sore ES У“) 47 Tohpsori Publisher: Sony CEA re Developer: Red Zone Interactive Featured In: EGM #148 Players: 1-8 Supports: Multi-tap Best Feature: Tackle animation Worst Feature: Bad slowdown Web Site: www.989sports.com Despite a redesigned engine, whatever that means, GameDay 2002 stays true to its PS2 roots...it still stinks. 989 would be wise to set up customer sup- port at thisgamestinks.com, but | don't see them using that option yet. From the second you hike the ball, you'll smell the pungent aroma of gaming trash. One of the first things any PS2 player expects is, at the very least, a somewhat smooth experience, right? Well, | could've sworn that the game locked up several times, but that was just the severity of the choppiness that occurs. It's reminiscent of some of the worst N64 and PS1 football efforts. Once you get past the "Wow, did they really think this was good?" feeling, you'll see a host of other problems. One small highlight (or lowlight) or my experience was when a wide receiver fought off would-be tack- lers, while standing still, for no less than 20 seconds. Other funnies included phantom penalties and some tackles that defied the known laws of gravity, time and space. Notice | said “known.” Maybe the devel- opers at 989 have created something so revolution- ary, so mind-bendingly advanced, that we cannot fathom what мете seeing. That's gotta be it. Maybe Stephen freaking Hawking himself-developed the algorithms for GameDay. Maybe we'll see the genius years from now, but it's lost on-me. Aside from a slightly better look, and some neat animations, GameDay is what you'd expect. Stay away. Dam L. PaRappa the Rapper 2 / У. Slurp IF, suck It, I know we all Ме 1+ ахо OmU ORO ° EVERYONE Publisher: Sony CEA Г => Developer: NanaOn-Sha Featured In: ЕСМ #149 Players: 1-2 Also Try: Um Jammer Lammy (PS1) Best Feature: Retro level Worst Feature: Too short Web Site: www.scea.com When | first booted up PaRappa 2, | was pumped. I'd been waiting for this ever since the credits of the first game teased at a real sequel (not just a cameo in pseudo-sequel Um Jammer Lammy). From the first stage on, | never dropped far below rappin’ “good,” always pressing the right buttons to make lil PaRappa match his teachers’ rhymes. After eight stages and an hour of playing, it was over—PaRappa had vanquished the Noodle Syndicate and proven to his girlfriend Sunny that he wasn’t a baby. But | felt empty, unfulfilled. So | searched for secrets—some- thing, anything that would extend the game's life. Secret characters, like Lammy? No dice. A two-player co-op mode? Fuggeddaboutit. | played through four times, and all | could find was a sound test (snore). The music isn't as catchy and the story isn't near- ly as fun as NanaOn-Sha's previous work. And after a stage or two, you'll want to take a baseball bat to that annoying talking boom box that starts every stage. Each time you finish the game, PaRappa's hat changes color and the songs get pro- gressively harder, yet it's never as challenging as the original or Lammy. It's so forgiving that you can screw up anentire line and still squeak past by frantically tapping buttons in rhythm. Тһе Versus mode is dis- appointing too, and (again) not as good as Lammy's. That's the problem—it's good, but too short and easy, and it doesn't offer anything new. Chris Taking a stab at Gundam history from the bad guys" perspective is akin to playing a Star Wars game as the Empire—piloting a Zaku against mobile suits wildly reverses the roles of hero and enemy. Too bad this radical retelling stumbles with inconsistent pre- sentation and lackluster gameplay. Although the mechs look gorgeous, the drab levels seem unin- spired. The actual battles offer simple, woefully average squad-based shooting. Early levels are a cakewalk; yet later ones are nearly impossible. Oh, and don't get me started-on the translation. After numerous references to fighting in “New Yark” and checking my “Rader,” | was cracking up. Shane When | play a football game, | like to think I'm impacting the action on the field, rather than pas- sively watching a sequence. | strive to be the hero who bats down passes, intercepts the ball, or makes a.touchdown-saving tackle. Unfortunately, GameDay deprives me of my Kodak moments. How can | show off my skills when the computer won't give me control of the player closest to the ђа ашск enough? Sure, it works OK some of the time, but when it lags even once in а four:down sequence, I'm screwed. Unresponsive control, especially with play- er-switching, is death in any sports game. Among GameDay’s flaws, this is the worst. Dean PaRappa hit the streets back in 1997 and became a music-genre headliner. But now, it looks like celebri- ty stardom’s gotten to his head. Sure, PaRappa’s armed with a new set of tunes, a house party-full of old and new friends, and his cute hip-hop.style, but as PTR2 shows, he's no О.С. Düe to how terribly short itis and.a.counterproductive “freestyle” option (which basically lets you press any string of buttons with zero rhythmic groove and still fool the comput- er), PaRappa 2 offers less gameplay than the first and lacks the ingenuity,and novelty. It’s definitely a disappointment for adoring PaRappa homies and aspiring rapping puppies everywhere. Jeanne If you were to judge this game by the opening cine- ma, you'd probably expect Zeonic Front to be freak- ing amazing. And while it's not quite that, it's still pretty damn good. The tutorial stages do a good job of acclimating you to the somewhat complex controls of the Zaku mechs, and for folks still daunted by the mission objectives, you can call upon (ће advice of tactical officers and technicians. It’s this attention to detail that made me feel as if I had all the nec- essary tools at my disposal to kick Earth Federation ass. The mechs look awesome too, but the environments are pretty bland. Overall, ZF is an excellent game for fans of Gundam. Milkman VISUAI SOUND INGENUITY 1 1 1 Just when | think 989 can’t make this franchise any worse, they pull more crap out of a hat. This fecal fest is months late, and | have to wonder what they spent all the time on. The players look horrible in compari- son to Madden. and NFL 2K2, and they.move more sluggishly than Oprah after brunch. I'd imagine that this must be what it's like to play football in a swamp. Even if you can put up with that, the buggy gameplay will screw you more than Wilt Chamberlain. Once | saw receiver Marcus Robinson fight.off 20 tacklers for ayminute while standing still. Yeah, it sounds like a tall tale, but it’s just another day on the putrid GameDay gridiron. Kraig 5 SOUND INGENUITY REPLAY egm.gamers.com If you count Um Jammer Lammy, the PaRappa series is now three games old with no evolution in sight. This is technically the same game most of us have played twice already. Of course, that in itself isn’t necessarily.bad. The new songs are great, the charm- ing cast of characters is growing—l like the refer- ences to PaRappa 1 and Lammy throughout the adventure-and having to play through the game multiple times with increasing difficulty is kind of cool; But | just wish they'd give me a reason to go back to this game after I've finished it once or twice. Heck, even a decent multiplayer mode would be enough. Good, but not worth 50 bones. Greg VISUALS SOU PLAY INGENUITY ‚ PRO|SNOWBOARDER “Shaun Palmer is a deam come true.” —Game Informer, Dec ‘01 “ „mad trickin' and two player fun." EGM, Jan ‘02 “intuitive and challenging trick system." —GameSpot, Nov "01 Yi : j COLCR кон | ~ / ACTIVISIONO2.COM Publisher: Sega r= Developer: United Game Artists Featured In: EGM #150 Players: 1 Feels Like: ^ You're inside a strobing disco ball Best Feature: Worst Feature: Web Site: Audio/visual sexual chocolate Basic gameplay www.sega.com Reviewing Rez with printed words is a bit like trying to tell Helen Keller about a Pink Floyd concert—it’s an experience so wrapped up in sight and sound that conveying it without using both just doesn’t do it jus- tice. But since the written word is all | got here (Santa didn’t bring that direct-to-reader’s-mind link | asked for), I'll include audio and visual cues in brackets, like this: [boxing bell]. Ready? OK. At its center, Rez isn’t [giant calculus equation] at all, quite the opposite. But piled on top of its [Space Harrier] core are layers of eye and ear candy so sweet that [old hobo smiling with no teeth]. It’s no accident a Japanese version of Rez comes with eye drops: The visuals are so [fire- works exploding] and [cheetah with a rocket on its back], that it feels [roller coaster], sometimes almost {bunny having a seizure, then its head explodes]— and | mean that in a good way. As for the music, | don't generally enjoy [loud, obnoxious German tech- no club], but Rez's thumpin' beats had me [man look- ing at pornography, bow tie spinning]. And the way the graphics, music, sound effects and gameplay feed and complement one another is [Albert Einstein]. |do wish the gameplay had more meat to it; despite the A/V craziness and.a;bevy of extra modes and unlockables, (ће гате itself is disappointingly [vanilla ice cream]. Ironically, 1 think it's both non- gamers and the hardcore (both searching for some- thing different) who will dig Rez most. Mark This is one of the coolest games my eyes and ears have ever soaked up. At first glance, Rez will evoke a “What the f-?" response from most people. But dim the lights, slap on the headphones, and crank up the volume and bass. When the game gets going and the music (and DualShock 2) starts thumpin’, you'll see and hear what | mean. If you're down with this techno affair, you can probably overlook the fact that the core game is incredibly basic and shallow; if you like Rez, it'll probably be more for its tripped-out visuals, funky weirdness, great music and other superficial stuff...not the core gameplay (same way one would like a PaRappa, for example). Shoe You could say that Rez basically boils down to a 3D shooter, but then that would be shortchanging its radical departure from the sights and sounds of gaming as we know it. For a title that's so visually "out there," it's amazing how everything, from the ticks of your lock-on meter to the gyrations of your onscreen persona, pulsates with such. aesthetic coherency. And somehow, behind the mess of psy- chedelic effects, everything makes sense. There's never a question of what you're shooting and where you're dodging— you just. know. It’s the first shooter Гуе played that's demanded not just my reflexes, but also my intuition. A trip worth taking. Che VISUALS SOUND INGENUITY REPLAY Shatlow Hearts | "qm Publisher: Midway Developer: Sacnoth Featured In: ЕСМ #142 Players: 1 Mature humor and themes Lack of interesting monsters and exciting or challenging battles www.midway.com Best Feature: Worst Feature: Web Site: Crass sexual humor, gore and themes of psychosis threaded throughout an amusing story somewhat redeem Shadow Hearts' mediocre gameplay, but fail to raise it any higher than so-so RPG status. SH puts a nice twist on the typical RPG gameplay experience with a speed-dial battle system (which requires hit- ting a particular place on a turning dial in order to execute a desired action). Sanity points (SP) that work like health points, only they keep you from going nuts, and Yuri's ability to morph into monsters and use their skills add interesting layers to battle strategizing. But since the speed-dial system takes no time to master, and maintaining SP amounts to nothing more than popping potions, some of the most promising elements in SH lose their novelty quickly. Monsters appear only slightly varied in ani- mation and design, and unexceptional bosses make battles more a nuisance than a catalyst for the unfolding mystery plot. Quite unfortunate consider- ing if more work was put into creating monsters as dynamic as the cast, the dark humor and internal conflict within Yuri may have distinguished this from the sea of RPGs out there. Confusing Japanglish dia- logue;-only-slightly-better-than-PS1-looking graph- ics, and illustrated stills. substituted for most cutscenes also don't help. Overall, SH may pique one's interest at first, but for most RPGers, it's not worth the time. Jeanne Sure, every RPG fan—heck, just about anyone— has FFX on the brain. But what to play next? Allow me to humbly suggest Shadow Hearts, a surprisingly good role-playing game from, of all companies, Midway. Now, keep in mind that this doesn't.come close to Square's masterpiece in terms of visuals, story, scope and gameplay. What you do get is a unique, offbeat, dark and sometimes funny story with a modern, real-world setting; and a fun, reflex-based combat system with some intense boss battles and great music that stands.among the best of the genre. And for the hardcore fanboy, there's even а cameo from none other than Koudelka herself! Gary 5. Final Fantasy meets Persona in this horror-drenched | RPG. | can’t say it emphatically enough—this game shamelessly apes FF. Of course, building upon а solid foundation gives you room to grow, and there's a lot of uniqueness.here. The story is excellent, featuring tons of twists апа turns as уоч јоштеу through а demon-infested hell-on-earth. You'll run afoul of the Japanese army, Russian spies and Chinese sorcer- ers—gripping stuff. The game's “Judgement Ring" is the best solution yet for adding timing to RPG battles. While the graphics look like PlayStation 1.5, the atmospheric soundtrack, tried-and-true game- play and chilling plot fill in the gaps. Ghiristian VISUALS SOUND INGENUITY REPLAY 4 1 6 3 156 Publisher: = г = Agetec Developer: From Software Players: 1 Music Sounds Like: Sgt. Pepper's played backward, mixed with Enya Web Site: www.agetec.com Best Feature: Surreal soundtrack Worst Feature: Confusing puzzles Don’t be fooled. Behind this seemingly innocuous name lurks the sequel to Evergrace, From Software’s PS2 launch action-RPG. The crafty title switcheroo is actually a good idea, since FK smokes its unpopular forerunner in every way. While the first game was a substandard Zelda clone, this sequel feels more like a single-player Phantasy Star Online set in a trippy fantasy world. Controlling three characters simultaneously is a breeze, and the complex combo system makes trouncing enemies fun. Visually, FK succeeds with creative, strange-looking environ- ments. The bizarre architecture and odd color choic- es lend the-world a distinct graphical. style. That weird: vibe continues with the absolutely insane soundtrack. Mixing acid jazz, eerie chanting and ambient craziness, this avant-garde score may be the most ambitious video game music yet. It might drive some people crazy, but | was groovin’. My ethereal buzz was dampened a bit by the sometimes difficult puzzles and tired fetch quests. Even so, it’s a heady RPG alternative to the mainstream fare. Shane SOUND INGENUITY REPLAY 6 9 6 3 VISUALS Publisher: == г => Ubi Soft Developer: Game Arts/Rocket Featured In: EGM #149 Players: ба 7 1 Best Feature: Extremely funny dialog Worst Feature: Vomitous graphics Try Instead: The DC version Web Site: www.ubisoft.com | know what you're thinking. Grandia 11 is supposed to be really good, right? The Dreamcast version even snagged a gold award in these very pages back in the day. However, this shoddy PS2 port taints the good name of Grandia. Inexplicably horrible graphics com- pletely ruin an otherwise splendid title. These visu- als aren't just slightly worse; they're unforgiv- able, amateurish and unfinished. Murky, pixelated textures replace detailed Dreamcast ones. Visual glitches run rampant, as shadows flicker with lines, black triangles randomly appear on the ground, and malfunctioning spell effects only fill half of the screen. Worst of. all are the slowdown.and choppi- ness that transform the game into a virtual slideshow. Seriously, the wretched graphics detract so much from the Grandia ІІ experience that simply walking around towns is a chore. It's a damn shame too, because beneath the sloppy exterior lurks a quest full of cool characters; hilarious dialogue and fast-paced battles. If you want to play Grandia ll, play it on Dreamcast instead. Shane VISUALS REPLAY SOUND INGENUITY L 1 3 2 yg? | | / PlayStation.e ж (8% e T TM / BATTLEFIELD ACTION with over 20 inteh3e Stages and 40 playable Warriors! т“ / Brand new 2-PLAYER Versus апа Cooperative Modes! / Even more bone-crushing moves; afid-iriproved MUSOU Attacks! E =“ / Control your bodyguards with squad-level commands! ..gó | / First in the series -- massive ELEPHANT TROOPS! A = кое!) Visit www.esrb.org or call 1-800-771-3772 for more info. Dynasty Warriors 3 is a trademark of KOEI Corporation and KOEI Co., Ltd. © 2001 KOEI Co., Ltd. All rights reserved. "PlayStation" and the с *Р5* Family logo are registered trademarks of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. The ratings icon is a trademark of the Interactive Digital Software Association. www.koeigames.com Мак Раупе Publisher: — г == Rockstar Developer: Rockstar Canada Players: 1 Мг. Payne Is Like: Duke Nukem, only lighter on “silly,” heavier on “bad ass” Web Site: www.maxpayne.com LONE T t Best Feature: Slow-motion gunplay, Matrix-style Worst Feature: Jittery graph- ics and animation Max Payne is not for kids. It's not for the wimp of heart, either. It is for people who like their game vio- lence tough, gritty and full of testosterone. This is a no-holds-barred experience, and if you're responsi- ble enough to handle it, you'll find Payne worth checking out. The environments are fantastic; first time you see the blood-smeared floors of a dingy subway station or a drug-induced "dream world," you'll know you're in for a not-so-average gaming experience. MP's main attraction, though, is Bullet Time, where the action slo-mos (a la The Matrix), and you can watch bullets fly around and smack their tar- gets with prejudice. This draws. lots. of “oohs” and "aahs" from folks who see Payne for the first time. But because the game has you taking on thugs, thugs and more thugs, once Bullet Time's novelty wears off, you're left with a repetitive shooter, blasting the same species of enemy over arid over. Also, the PS2 version loses some value because it's much choppier than the PC and Xbox editions. Luckily, an overly for- giving auto-aim helps to compensate. Shoe INGENUITY REPLAY VISUALS SOUND 6 1 6 2 Star Trek Voyager: 72 Publisher: = r= Majesco Developer: Pipedream Featured In: EGM #148 Players: 1-4 Supports: У Best Feature: Story inte- grates into gameplay well Keyboard, Mouse Worst Feature: Choppy, Web Site: low-resolution graphics majescosales.com Aside from porn stars, no one likes sloppy seconds. But that’s what Majesco is shamelessly serving up with this effortless rehash. Over a year ago, this was a fun PC first-person shooter, despite being based on the lukewarm Trek series best known for Borgette Seven-of-Nine’s bust size. | don’t know about you, but virtual jugs don’t do it for me. And even if they did, it wouldn’t matter since these blocky graphics make hers look more like lunchboxes. After feasting on gor- geous eye candy in shooters like Red Faction, it’s hard to stomach cheap weapon effects and blotchy envi- ronments that look like abstract art. You would think that the crappy-graphics would at least.allow Voyager to move silky smooth. Instead, the choppy movement nearly gave me an epileptic seizure when | had to mow down hordes of attacking Borg. And they're the slowest-moving phaser fodder; the enemies get speedier as you progress. All of this adds up to one barely playable.game. Which is too bad because the story is actually better than most of the TV episodes. Not a huge accomplishment, | know. Kraig INGENUITY REPLAY VISUALS SOUND 3 5 1 1 Publisher: Atlus Developer: Cattle Call Featured In: EGM #148 Players: 1 = ге Best Feature: Unique plot and character development Worst Feature: Slow battles bog down the action Also Try: Okage Web Site: www.atlus.com This RPG was published by Sony in Japan, but they skipped it to release Okage in the U.S. That's confusing, because there's absolutely nothing wrong with Tsugunai. Quite the contrary; while it won't be giving FFX a run for its money, this tale of a warrior whose soul has been split from his body offers a clever narrative and lively characterizations. You, as the warrior, must possess others and heal their hearts. That could be as easy as finding someone's lost wallet, or as complex as mending the relation- ship of an estranged father and daughter. This look into people's lives gives Tsugunai a very unique feel. Its.graphics.are respectable, its. battles are а touch slow but totally acceptable, and its sound- track, composed by Yasunori Mitsuda»of Chrono Cross fame, is haunting. The best word to describe Tsugunai is “solid.” Be warned, though. If you want an epic about saving the land from apocalyptic evil, this is not one for you; 1f, however, you want some- thing smaller with a focus on character development, give Tsugunai a whirl. Christian VISUALS SOUND INGENUITY REPLAY 1 9 1 4 Wizardry: Tale of the Forsaken Land Publisher: — г- = Atlus Developer: Racjin Featured In: EGM #148 Players: 1 Also Try: Dusting off your NES Web Site: www.atlus.com Best Feature: Stylish char- acter artwork and dialogue Worst Feature: A maze of twisty passages, all alike Back in the old days, there was a certain sub-genre of RPGs that has since all but died out—first-person dungeon crawls. Dispensing with years of progress, Wizardry ascribes to this timeworn tradition. Thankfully, there are a lot of touches that elevate the game above its ancient kin. Lush fantasy illustrations represent the game's characters, unique trust system governs the relationship you have with your party, and the game takes entertaining stabs at dialogue. The truth is, though, there's a reason this sub-genre has all but perished. All Wizardry really has to offer is a lengthy maze. You're going to be trudging through the labyrinth ‘til your hair turns gray. The battles are very basic and set to grating music. So-called "Allied Actions," or team attacks, try to add a layer of com- plexity to the turn-based hack and slash, but it's just window dressing. Everything is built upon a rotted foundation. ! find it difficult to imagine that anyone really wants an endless dungeon crawl in this vein anymore, but if you do, you'll like Wizardry. It's the ultimate evolution of this sub-genre. Christian SOUND INGENUITY REPLAY 6 5 2 1 158 VISUALS | | Ји All-Star Baseball 2002 EVERYONE Publisher: Acclaim Developer: Acclaim Studios Austin Featured In: EGM #148 Players: 1-2 Best pitch: Тһе slider Best Feature: Batting interface Worst Feature: Still buggy Web Site: www.acclaim.com | know it's not Acclaim’s fault that the GameCube launched in November, but why release a 2002 base- ball title AFTER the season is over? I'd prefer they put more time resources into All-Star Baseball 2003 on the Cube, but hey, I’d prefer that Acclaim just go back to the formula that made ASB such a great series on the N64. Blend the fun with the realism. In ASB 2002 they went so over the top trying to make pitching real- istic that it saps life outta the game. The speed of the pitches, on the higher levels, is unholy fast. To illustrate, | did a real-world experiment where Dean fired a couple fastballs at me from 1.5 feet away. If | started swinging before Dean picked the ball up, | had а chance (also had a chance of fracturing Dean-o's nose for standing so close). That's what ASB feels like. Sure, it might be realistic in the sense that hitters have to guess and swing against a Roger Clemens, but give Joe Videogamer a chance. Once into the game, mild annoyances gradually chipped away at my tolerance level. There's a long transition from the time you hit the ball to the time you see the ball in flight. And the bat-on-ball animation is missing as well. Fielders act like robots, very stiff and mechani- cal-looking, and pitchers tire too quickly. Basically it's all the same stuff that annoyed me about the PS2 ver- sion released eight months ago. Now it all annoys me even more. Wait for spring training and next year's batch of baseball games. glitches. Much to my chagrin, a few still live on in this edition. Nothing is more frustrating than losing because of a bad call, and chances are that you'll suf- fer at least one questionable play every.game. If you can bear those flubs, you'll find that the rest of the gameplay is realistic and solid. | really dig the batting interface. It's a cinch to direct your hits, and pitchers can counter with a wide variety of throws that pack nasty mojo. The bizarre downside is that you don't see the ball leave the-bat when you hit it. It takes some getting used to, but all this give and take makes playing this feel like marriage. Kraig I love this game's stinkin’ fast-pitch delivery. Facing a 98 mph heater has never been so intimidating (at least, in a video game). If that were the only thing that mattered, ASB 2002 wins. What happens after a hit, however, isn't always as rosy. Fielding bugs: | hate ‘em. More than once | was called out on an obvi- ous safe slide into second. Arg, | wanna reach in the set and slap the ump. That’s the story of ASB 2002, though. It'll perform great for a few innings, and then BAM! Bad base running or some other glitch strikes. Overall, it flashes moments of brilliance, but until Acclaim сап squash each and every bug, the game hovers іп the good-but-not-great category. Dean VISUALS SOUND INGENUITY REPLAY 1 Ба | pb COMING FEBRUARY 2002 Sega is registered in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. Sega and Sonic The Hedgehog are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Sega Corporation. © 2000, 2001 SEGA CORPORATION/SONICTEAM. АП Rights Reserved. www.sega.com ТМ, @ and the Nintendo GameCube logo are trademarks of Nintendo. Publisher: Nintendo 4 Developer: HAL Laboratory | 2 Ж Featured Іп: EGM #149 | f Players: 1-4 Also Try: Every Nintendo game ever created Lots of cool stuff to unlock The computer’s a cheap bastard www.smashbros.com Best Feature: Worst Feature: Web Site: elee’s got everything you could possi- M bly want in a sequel to Nintendo's 1999 N64 brawler. Rehash? Not bloody like- ly. So much in Melee is new or improved over the first game that kicking Pikachu's ass is more satisfying than ever. You'll find more of everything: characters, moves, combos, envi- ronments and a Tournament mode. Think of it as Super Street Fighter |! Turbo to the original Street Fighter Il. The single-player game has been significantly beefed-up (see sidebar), and there are so many secrets to unlock, it could take weeks to get them all. But Melee's also more than just a fighting game. It's a trib- ute to everything we've all loved about Nintendo through the years, filled to the brim with nostalgia from days gone by. That includes around 300 collectible trophies fea- turing famous Nintendo characters and loca- tions, with information on each one. Simply put: This game is a Nintendo fan's dream. cont. on page 162 Remember Maruo Maruhige (right)? Or how about Donbe & Hikari (far right)? If not, don't fret. Info on these Nintendo game stars who never made it to the U.S. is included in SSBM’s Trophy Gallery. It puts a virtual museum of Nintendo game history right at your fin- gertips. (Psst...they're from Card Hero and Shin Oni Ga Shima, respectively.) Luigi, stop that! Zelda, no! Bad princess! о. (9), Р $ 4 E: T & M Oy Ao) (0% MORE THAN MULTIPLAYER Melee’s not just a fun multiplayer game. Several of the game’s modes are tailored specifically to solo players. Adventure mode transports you into the finest Nintendo games of yore. Ever been stranded alone and on foot in the middle of an F-Zero track during a race? That’s just one of the things you experience in this mode. Nintendo’s fashioned many of the levels into 3D versions of their old-school counterparts, with the occasional fight thrown in. That alone is worth the price of admis- sion. But wait, there’s more! In Event mode you have to perform specific tasks in order to win. For example, you might have to defeat only the pink-colored Nana from two groups of Ice Climbers in less than a minute, Look familiar? Mario takes one for the princess in Event 19: Peach's Peril. The goal is to keep her alive for a full minute. or beat up 128 Marios. (Yes, it’s crazy). Fifty- one event challenges await you, and believe us, they’re damn tough. Last but not least, Stadium mode features three minigames: Target Test (where you punch targets around character-specific stages), a Home Run Derby and five types of Multi-Man Melee competitions. So as you can see, even if you have no friends, this game’s got something for you. САМЕСОВЕ OU СЕТ дате усот YOU GET IT AOL KEYWORD: EBGAMES electronics boutique Over 600 stores nationwide Super Smash Bros. Melee (cont.) SECRET, SECRET, Melee is filled with loads of secret stuff: trophies, characters, stages and modes. We know you’re going to want to catch them all. Here’s how you unlock these goodies: Secret Characters Dr. Mario—Complete Classic with Mario. Falco—Complete 100-Man Melee. Ganondorf—Complete Event 29. Jigglypuff—Finish Classic with any charac- ter, on any difficulty. A new foe has appeared! WARNING CHALLENGER APPROACHING Before you can play as the secret characters, you've got to fight them. And they're not always easy. Luigi—Cross the finish line of the first stage of Adventure (based on Super Mario Bros.) with 2 as the last digit of the sec- onds counter. For example, 03:42:00. Your next battle (after watching some sibling rivalry) is against Peach and Luigi. Beat both of them in under a minute and finish the remainder of Adventure. Once the cred- its have rolled, Luigi will challenge you. Marth—Use all the standard (non-secret) characters in Vs. mode. Marth is a charac- ter from Fire Emblem, an RPG series released by Nintendo in Japan. Mewtwo — Rack up 20 hours or 700 rounds of Vs. Mode play. Mr. Game & Watch—Complete Classic or Adventure with all characters (including secret characters), or 1,000 rounds of Vs. Pichu—Clear Event 37 or 200 rounds of Vs. Roy—Clear Adventure or Classic with Marth. Roy’s also from Fire Emblem. l'UE GOT A SECRET Young Link—Complete Classic 10 or more times, or 500 rounds of Vs. mode. Secret Arenas Battlefield—Finish All-Star mode (see below) with any character, on any difficulty. Big Blue (F-Zero) —150 rounds of Vs. mode. Brinstar Depths (Super Metroid) — 50 rounds of Vs. mode play. Flat Zone (Game & Watch) — Complete Classic Mode with Mr. Game & Watch. Four Side (Earthbound) —100 rounds of Vs. mode play. Mushroom Kingdom II (Super Mario Bros. 2)— Get ће Видо trophy. Pokémon Floats— 200 rounds of Vs. play. N64 Smash Bros. Arenas Congo Jungle— Clear the 15-Minute Melee with any character. Kirby's Dreamland — Clear Target Test with all characters, including secret characters. Yoshi's Island — Hit the sandbag over 1312 ft. with any one character (hint: Use Yoshi). Secret Mode All-Star mode— Complete Classic mode with every character, including the secret ones. In this mode, you have to defeat every character in the game (versus up to three of them at once) in one life. Between fights you're sent to a grassy field where there are three heart containers. Finish All- Star and you get another trophy featuring a new pose of that character. = У ~ S Ж НҮ Ж. © Here they аге, the full cast of playable characters in Smash Bros. Ме!ее-25 in all. 162 To be defeated in Smash Bros. you have to get knocked out of the ring. The percentages at the bottom of the screen aren't health meters, but the higher the number, the more likely you'll be KO'd. >>> Mud ~ P 80 54 CON When we first got Melee in the office, | took it home, played a few rounds, and put the controller down, unimpressed. Maybe it was атеһавһ after all. Later, while exploring the game's many options, | stumbled into Event mode and suddenly couldn't stop playing. What | expected to be a tacked-on, half-assed extra mode was really the meat of the game. The enemies that were.so.simple to beat.in.Classic had.suddenly become a serious challenge. This required strategy, defense, technique and mastery of the Smash attacks. It wasn't long after that | was back into Classic and Adventure, unlocking new trophies and secret characters.-My- mission was:clear:l couldn't stop 'til everything was unlocked; A week later, | was still unlocking new trophies, arenas and characters — each one incentive to play again. I didn’t even touch the Home Run Derby mode ‘til the second week. And multiplayer's a blast too. Newbies will still be able to button mash while the pros combo their arses. Even better;a ton of options let you fully customize match- es. |/ can’t find much to complain about here. | do wish there were more levels like Brinstar Depths, with interaction between characters and their envi- ronments. And sure, | could mention: few other nit- picky details (like the cheap computer Al in Event mode and the higher difficulties), but’who cares? Melee is still a great fighter that's got more than a Nintendo fan could ever want. Buy it. Chris With the first Smash Bros., Nintendo delivered an awesome four-player game that offered inventive gameplay, chaotic action and a cast of characters and stages that'd make any Nintendo fan swoon. Suffice it to.say, if the first game made you happy, this jam-packed sequel will make you crap your pants with glee. There's a mind-boggling. amount of game here—tons of modes, over two dozen charac- ters, hundreds of trophies to collect (it's like a virtu- al Nintendo museum), and enoügh secrets to keep you busy for weeks. Mostimportantly, it’s still outra- geously fun. Forget Rogue Leader —this is the reason to own a 'Cube. John R. Take the original’s winning formula, cram in even more Nintendo history than most people would know what to do with, and stuff it with an obscene amount of secrets and features. That’s Melee in a nutshell. This Godzilla.of a game really surprised me,_as early demos indicated this was little more than a ho-hum update. But the final product is mind-blowing; it gives you so much to play with. The appeal here, however, may be for the hardcore only. The frantic, chaotic fighting may confuse more casüal gamers, and the non-Nintendo faithful won't-appreciate all the good- ies from the venerable company. For the rest of us, this is the best reason to own a GC yet. Shoe REPLAY VISUALS SOUND INGENUITY — s p ol Race. Fight. Conquer. [poy] DIGITAL 5.1 SURROUND Blood Seize control of both driver and warrior Friend or foe? You decide. Reign supreme on 19 menacing tracks J | Suggestive Themes for the ultimate racing challenge. Battle in 2 or 4-player co-op mode. set throughout the Roman Empire. уус" | Violence Circus Maximus: Chariot Wars ©2001 Encore, Inc. АП rights reserved. Circus Maximus ©2001 Kodiak Interactive Software Studios Inc. All rights reserved. Circus Maximus is a trademark of Kodiak Interactive Software Studios Inc. Microsoft, Xbox, and the Xbox logos are either registered trademarks ог trademarks of Microsoft Corporation in the U.S. and/or other countries and are used under license from Microsoft. Encore and the Encore logo are trademarks of Encore, Inc. All other brands, product names, logos, marks, copyrights, and/or trademarks are the property of their respective holders. Dolby and the double-D symbol aro trademarks of Dolby Laboratorios. Marden m= ude Publisher: Electronic Arts Developer: EA Tiburon Featured In: EGM #145 Players: 1-4 Best Team: Chicago Bears Best Feature: Outstanding gameplay Worst Feature: Web Site: Slightly blurry backgrounds www.easports.com I always thought the №4 was a lame platform for Madden Football. Those gooey-soft, blurry graphics didn’t do the game any favors, and to a lesser extent, the GameCube edition has the same problem. The backgrounds (mostly the crowds and stadiums) are hazy compared to the PS2 and Xbox versions. The players, however, look fantastic. They resemble their true-life counterparts in every way. In fact, in that regard, it’s better than the other two versions. The variety of animation is more robust as well. The way the players move is so convincing, you might just for- get you're playing a video game. Overall, the quality of the Madden series never ceases to amaze me. Where other football games cheat to control the ebb and flow of a game by forcing too many turnovers and other unwelcome happenstance, Madden relies on its competent AI to steer the events in a game in a plausible, fair way. It's evident from the first time you start it up. You simply can't fake your way through (unless you're pitting (ће без team against the worst). It takes sound football strategy and patience to be successful, so when you finally beat the game onyAll-Pro mode, you know you've accom- plished something big. That, my friends, is why Madden kicks butt. Рог ће GameCube, you won't find а better football offering. Oh, опе last thing, props to Tiburon for making use of the C stick on the controller (it’s used for pump faking). Dean GameCube gridiron | freaks can wear their cleats with pride thanks to Madden’s arrival. It’s in large part the same excellent game that has impressed PS2 and Xbox owners this past fall. There are, however, some weaknesses.in.the Cube world of Madden. First off, the game seems to have picked up some of that fuzzy world look we used to see in N64 games. Also, the limited memory card doesn't allow for the deep stat tracking or easy replay saves of the other two consoles. But hey, other than that; it's; Madden good- ness, There's superb gameplay, deep season and franchise options, and enough realism to keep any NFL fan happy. Dan L. The last time the phrase "too much of a good thing" applied to me, | stayed up all night watching three Skinemax channels. | love Madden 2002, but I'll puke pigskin if | have to review another. It's like comparing ham. Is there.really a difference between.Hormel and Oscar Meyer? This Madden is as gorgeous, realis- tic and fun as the others, complete with a few fringe benefits, such as updated rosters and muddier uni- forms, It may bum out fantasy-football geeks that the stats have been slimmed to fit on the tiny memory card, but it hardly matters; This is the only way to get your realistic football fix on the GC, so let's breathe a sigh of relief that it's so damn good. Kraig VISUALS SOUND INGENUITY REPLAY Dave Mirra Freestyle ВМХ 2 Publisher: | Acclaim ся Developer: 3 Z-Axis Featured In: EGM #149 Players: 1-2 Don’t Try: These tricks at home Web Site: www.acclaim.com Best Feature: Fluid, easy- to-learn controls Worst Feature: Doesn't take advantage of GC hardware Tony Hawk 3 on the GameCube, and now Dave Mirra 2..reviewing these two games has convinced me that most future titles getting the cross-platform treatment will play alike, with negligible visual and gameplay differences. Case in point: You'd be hard- pressed to find anything actually different about the GC and PS2 versions of DM2, except for two newly added levels that also appear in the Xbox edition. That said, DM2 on the GC is an extreme-sports tour- de-force. The controls are easy to learn but offer plenty of nuance for you to master. Veterans of BMX games will find DM2's button layout feels a lot like Activision's. Mat Hoffman series. What, gives Мита ће slight edge over its competition is the game's modifier system that, at the press оба button, lets you tweak and customize nearly: every trick in the game. Other niceties here include gigantic, beau- tifully designed levels and an above-average sound- track with classic jamsmPass on DM2 for the GC if your PS2’s already doing you right. Otherwise, defi- nitely go for a ride with Мита. Che SOUND INGENUITY REPLAY 8 1 8 8 VISUALS и 2002 Publisher: EA с Developer: Electronic Arts UK We Dare You To: Take those crappy MLS teams vs. Manchester United Best Feature: New precise | Players: passing controls 14 Worst Feature: Some slug- Web Site: gish animations www.easports.com Ninety percent of soccer is passing, which makes it surprising that it took FIFA this long to get it right. This year's edition realistically emphasizes passing to a spot on the field instead of right to the player. "Big deal," you utter. Well, it is. Say you want your teammate to charge the net so that you can softly lead him with a sweet pass that lands just in time to be kicked into the goal. Just hit the L button to tell him to make a run at the net, point toward the end of his path (which is highlighted on the field), and tap the pass button softly. Bingo. The goalie now hates you. | swear, you could probably nail players in the groin nine times out of 10 with these controls if you practiced enough. | only wish the players moved as precisely; As usual, FIFA's motion-captured anima- tions look great (as does the rest of the game), but they bog the players down a little. | often got fed up with the clunky jukes and compensated with more downfield passes. Sure;-it's still fun, but it does deprive you of the feeling you get when you score after juking a defender out of his jockstrap. Kraig VISUALS SOUND INGENUITY REPLAY 1 1 1 8 tronic Gaming Monthly - 164 - egm.gamers.com con Rise of Perathia Publisher: Microsoft Ё Developer: Adrenium Games >< Featured In: EGM #144 < * Players: 1 Try Instead: Oddworld: Munch's Oddysee Best Feature: Giant world to explore Worst Feature: Web Site: Getting lost in that giant world www.azurik.com I'll say this for Azurik: It's incredibly ambitious. Vast levels stretch to the horizon, connected by a maze of bridges, teleporters and caves. Puzzles, power-ups and enemies litter the landscape. Dawn turns to day, then dusk, then night, all in real time. An excellent orchestral score subtly stirs the inner Conan within us all. In short, Azurik wants to be nothing less than the all-encompassing Epic Quest, a la Zelda. But a game like Zelda needs plenty of time to refine and polish, whereas Azurik feels like it was pulled outta the oven half-baked. Except for one inspired aspect—the ability to quickly and easily combine any of your four elemental powers for different abilities — gameplay alternates between tedium and frustration. Tedium from wandering back and forth across those massive branching levels | mentioned earlier, without a clear idea where to go next; frustration from a floaty jump and a camera you need to adjust so often it starts to feel like you're playing a first-person shooter. As for combat, it lacks any real rewards or offensive/defen- sive variety; instead your best bet is the same attack over and over or, more often, just running right by the bad guys. And it doesn't help that Azurik is loaded with more. glitches and painful screw-ups than the outtakes at the end of a Jackie Chan movie. Bad design (plastic environments and enemies straight off a bad fantasy-novel cover) further obscures any potential Azurik ever possessed. Mark Great concept. Too bad the execution just missed the mark. Azurik should've been the Zelda-like adven- ture that the Xbox could really use. As it stands, this game only serves to remind us of what could've been. ! certainly appreciate Azurik's attempt to be non-linear, but that open-endedness comes with a price. The huge plots of gaming real estate leave ample opportunity for players to go adrift, unsure of where to go or what to do next. Not only that, but the lands are populated with many creatures that all belong to genus Frustratus Sonsofbitchnus; they do nothing but get in the way and annoy you, since there is little reward for defeating them. Shoe It's hard to take a game seriously whose hero looks like a plastic, blue Reboot reject. | think Paul Reubens would have been more believable. Few things in this adventure are well-designed. The crea- tures and power-ups seem randomly dispersed and many of the huge environments seem big for no other reason than to make me feel lost. But finding the right path turned out to be the least of my problems. The floaty controls made me constantly miss jumps, forcing me to retrace my steps too often. If it weren't for the excellent soundtrack and elemental weapon, | might have lost my mind. Stay far away, unless you have a thing for overgrown Smurfs. Kraig VISUALS SOUND REPLAY d: INGENUITY 6 8 5 It's coming. STAR, WARS” F| | Ж STARFIERIER SPECIAL EDITION Publisher: Rockstar Developer: Neo Featured In: EGM #150 Players: 1 Imitation: Is the best form of flattery Best Feature: Cool gunplay Worst Feature: Terrible story Web Site: www.maxpayne.com hoever said you can't have too much of a good thing never got to the end of Max Payne. The developers here certainly know what they like about Holly- wood's pulp culture: stylish gun battles, wise- crackin' gangsters and the might-makes-right ethos of the mafioso underworld. But rather than building on those influences, MP ends up being just the sum of these parts—a tro- phy case of in-jokes and media references. The game begins promisingly enough with an interactive gut-wrenching intro. All- American Max comes home one day to find his wife and child slain by homicidal junkies (um, bear with us here), so he becomes an undercover narc to exact his revenge on who- ever's responsible. And it's a pretty com- pelling roller-coaster ride filled with thrills until...you find yourself at a gothic dance club, taking out a cult of heat-packin' Satan wor- LP ы ІШ Max Payne: an unfortunate man with an even more unfortunate name. Can't you just hear his cry of anguish? Nooooo0000!!! shippers. From there, the story is pretty much a downhill slide. You'll encounter a dozen more twists and turns, but who really cares? You no longer believe in Max's world. Still, in a shooter, most of us are willing to forgive shoddy writing, as long as the action keeps us coming back for more. In this respect, MP's gameplay gets the job done. There's an endless supply of gorgeous, high- tension firefights where you'll fire thousands of rounds at hundreds of bullet-fodder. Even cooler is the fact that every shot you squeeze off has some sort of collateral damage effect on your surroundings. Empty the clips from your dual Berettas at some poor schmuck down the hall and watch him get chewed up in slow-mo among a hail of splintered wood and plaster dust. Poetry in motion. That's basically MP in a nutshell. Like a lot of Hollywood action flicks, it's got a bunch of great action sequences that help offset an otherwise terrible script. Keep your expecta- tions low and you'll have a good time with MP. tronic Gaming Monthly - 166 - egm.game If you occasionally stop to smell the gun powder in Max Payne, you'll see that the game sports а lot of nifty graphical detail. Check out the muzzle flash of his 9mm pistols as it reflects off Max's leather jacket. Anybody мћо a huge fan of the influences driving Max Payne will probably get through this game on fetish alone. There were moments in MP, when І dove sideways into a room full of thugs and plugged ‘em full of lead, where | truly felt like | was living the scene out of some John Woo movie that never made it off the cutting-room floor. And herein lies the true appeal of MP. Fans of the genre will find themselves replaying certain scenes, if not to perfect their tech- nique, then simply to witness again the slick sequence of events. It’s just too bad MP doesn’t really do much of anything beyond giving us some really cool-looking gunfights. It appears developer Remedy spent most of their time perfecting all the lit- tle details having to do with guns, explosions and destructible environments, but ran out of time (or ideas) to include gameplay elements like real Al, or true background interaction. To give you an idea of how crap the Al can be, grab a baseball bat, get the attention of the bad guys and wait, just out of sight, in a doorway. Now swing that bat, and watch as goon after goon line up to get beat down. | guarantee you'll be batting a thousand. But terrible Al would be slightly more forgivable if the game had more than just another "if it moves, shoot it” mentality. Without а good story, open-ended levels or interesting puz- zles, MP ultimately becomes a mind-numbing exer- cise in repetition. Not a game for everybody. Ghe Dark, bloody revenge pulsating in an ex-cop's psyche drives the eerie narrative of MP, transforming shoot- er fans from innocent gamers to guilty fugitives. While graphic-novel snippets nicely balance a world alive with the sounds of corrupted streets and graph- ically unsavory NYC grit, MP's infamous Bullet Time feature (aka John Woo-style acrobatics at your trig- ger finger) takes immersive action gaming to new heights. Problem is not letting MP's good-cop-gone- bad style, which gets a bit melodramatic, jerk you in and out of an otherwise great story. But if you do buy into it, MP's hardcore action and hefty dose of venge- ful cop syndrome won't disappoint. Jeanne | was playing this game while lying on a couch in my office. Cy (our senior art director) walked in, watched me play for a bit, then commented, “This is why it's good to be a console gamer." He's right, you know. It's great to be able to play a picture-perfect port of a hit PC game, away from a desk and monitor. And for Payne in particular, the experience is extra bad-ass. This street-tough game has well-designed environ- ments that give “gritty realism" а new meaning, sharp graphics and smooth animations, and that slo- mo, hot-lead violence that guy-movie fans will eat up. Only one problem: After the novelty wears off, the gameplay can get monotonous. Shoe VISUALS REPLAY SOUND INGENUITY 1 Out here, amongst the clouds and the sea, a chain gun. torpedo-laden gunboat and while away your days destroying Devil boats, forts and shore batteries. Paradise awaits in the Dragon Sea a course for destruction bloodwake.com хеох Publisher: LucasArts ~“ Developer: LucasArts Р Featured In: EGM #149 Players: 1-2 Also Try: Star Wars: Starfighter SE Best Feature: Worst Feature: Web Site: Force powers Boring two-player mode www.lucasarts.com If someone handed you а lightsaber, | bet you, like me, would want to rip a lot of things a new poopchute with it. Unfortunately, this isn't the Ginsu simulator | was hoping for. In this world, lightsabers are cheap knock-offs. You can't cut trees with them. You can't sever limbs with them. About the only thing you can slice with the shimmering things are ridiculous battle droids. Everything else has to be bludgeoned to death as if you were hitting them with light clubs, not sabers. Apparently LucasArts thought a slashfest would be inappropri- ate (even though Episode I saw it fit to chop Darth Maul in two). Although the choppin' is disappointing, the throwing is not. Envision an oversized piece of Samsonite luggage being thrust into someone's gut, and you'll understand the satisfying feeling | got from Force Pushing. It was infinitely more fun to kill enemies by redecorating the Naboo palace with the Force instead of hitting them with my club, er...saber. Shame you don't get to throw anything cool around. No matter the location, all you get to toss around are pipes and big boxes. What is this, Home Depot? The shallow, boring head-to-head two-player mode does- n't offer relief. It only shows further proof that these designers couldn't get worked up about yet another Episode I title. Without all of the cool saber whirs and familiar music, Obi-Wan is just a drab, buggy game with long load times. Kraig Just like the Episode I flick, Obi-Wan is a dull experi- ence that rewards you with a few now-that's-more- like-Star Wars! moments—like when you cut down a gang of battle droids, or kick on your slo-mo “Bullet Time," or Force Push baddies off ledges. The game just feels clunky. It woulda been nice if the sprawling environments packed puzzles for you to figure out with your Force powers. Instead, you spend much of the game hacking enemies. (The second half does get more clever.) Control needs help: Jedi perform super- human acrobatics in the movies, but | had a tough time just leaping across chasms. It ain't Jar Jar-bad, but it's not Darth Maul-good, either. Crispin If Obi-Wan knew his Jedi training was going to be like this, chances are he would've gone into the more exciting career of pod-racer repair. | had more fun forcing the young Padawan to perform continuous handsprings and cartwheels than | did actually fight- ing enemies. Part of the frustration is the clumsy con- trol, but mostly it's just poorly executed, unoriginal concepts. You dive into a gaggle of lame enemies and start hacking away with your saber until they eventu- ally fall. Wash, rinse, repeat. The crisp graphics are swell, but they come at the expense of bland back- grounds and loading times that would age an Ewan McGregor into an Alec Guinness. Jonathan VISUALS SOUND INGENUITY REPLAY Electronic бат Electronic Arts UK atured 1 EGM #146 Players 1-4 Best Feature: Excellent Also On handling and options | PlayStation 2 М Feature: Irritating to Web Site unlock standard modes www.easports.com EA Sports games have seen more improvement over the past year than the last six combined. (We can thank all the new competition for that.) This is the fastest, best-handling F1 game since Bizarre Creations’ Ға ’97 on the Р51. Plus it has some great Al. When I'm fighting for position and head into a corner, | love knowing that my opponent is going to behave realistically instead of driving into me to maintain the optimum racing line. It’s something no other F1 game seems to get right. But if | have any complaint, it's that the game is needlessly com- plicated. F1 2001 features a series of tests—much like the license tests in GT3—that you need to com- plete in order to unlock certain features. Un- fortunately, those features include such normally standard options as Season mode, tire wear and even regular circuit tracks. It's really irritating when I have to earn something | should be able to use right away. Other than that, though, ! wholeheartedly rec- ommend this to anyone who yearns for the good 'ol days of F1 video games. Greg VISUALS Black Box EGM #149 | 14 Best Feature: Mindless, | st effect fast-paced arcade thrills | On-fire mode ature: Goalies could уе Site pass a little faster | www.midway.com Midway doesn’t get proper credit for their arcade expertise. Perhaps people have forgotten how innov- ative Blitz, Showtime and Hydro Thunder were back in the day. Hitz 20-02 doesn’t stir the loins as briskly as those gems, but for people who would rather send an opponent crashing through the glass than extol the finer points of ice hockey, it’s perfect. For starters, Hitz was built by Black Box Games—the same fellas that made NHL 2K for the Dreamcast, and that her- itage has paid valuable dividends. Here's why: The graphics are cleaner than Martha Stewart's coun- tertops. The ice, the players and the smoldering fire effects all look super-sharp. The gameplay is superb as well—no sloppy player-switching here, just responsive, fast control. And finally, the most impor- tant thing: It’s a freakin’ blast to play. Two-player matches are more about banging bodies to the ice than anything that resembles real hockey. The trick 15 to stay vertical long enough to drill a slapshot right between the goalie’s legs. It’s good, ol’-fashion, mindless arcade fun. God bless it. Dean INGENUITY REPLAY VISUALS SOUND (47 “а ly - 168 egm.gamers.com Publisher: Working Are the Lad Collection Designs Developer: Arc Entertainment (G-Craft) Featured In: EGM #142 Players: 1 Best Feature: Three full- length RPGs in one pack Worst Feature: The games are too old and expensive Web Site: workingdesigns.com This is the series that fanboys everywhere have been screaming to get in the U.S. ever since the first game was released in Japan back in '95. Was it worth the wait? Unless you’re a hardcore collector, no. These games just haven’t aged as well as the Final Fantasy or Lunar series. Here's a quick rundown: Arc I chronicles the journey of the title character and is only about 10 hours long. The whole thing is pretty uninspired, with boring characters, Super Nintendo- quality graphics and a just barely interesting, strate- gy-based battle engine. Arc И is an improvement, with prettier graphics, longer play time and a much better story. You control Еіс and. a new band of adventurers, but the game still plays almost exactly the same. This is probably the best of the series, but it's still pretty average. You can battle monsters you collect here in the equally mediocre Arc Arena if you really care to. Finally, Arc III brings ће series into the realm of 3D (the backgrounds, anyway), but it still fails to be very interesting or exciting, since it's basi- cally the same game for the third time. Greg REPLAY 2 VISUALS SOUND INGENUITY 2 1 Ruining Blue Earth Publisher: Atlus Developer: Maxfive Featured In: EGM #150 Players: 1 Also Try: Final Fantasy Tactics Web Site: www.hoshigami.net + Best Feature: RAP system for moving and fighting Worst Feature: Lack of a job system Hoshigami might disappoint PlayStation RPG fans hoping for the second coming of Final Fantasy Tactics, but as an FFT maniac myself, I'm always stoked for a competent clone. Hoshigami looks and sounds just as good as Square's classic, with tasteful 3D maps, stunning character designs and a driving symphonic score. Likewise, the complex plot and occasionally insane difficulty level mimic FFT nicely. Sadly, the developers forgot to steal the best part: Hoshigami has no real character classes or job system. Your character's deity determines how you will perform against others in a rock-paper-scissors kind of way, but everybody can use any weapon or spell, Also, when characters die in battle, you have no chance to revive them...ever. At least fighting with these expendable party members is interesting, thanks to an ingenious system for gauging move- ment and attacking. Lamentably, this FFT doppel- ganger actually reminds me more of Tactics Ogre, and that's a step back for the genre. Recommended for hardcore strategy-RPG fans only. Shane REPLAY VISUALS INGENUITY 7 р k. he land was eternally dark, evil prevailed, and there appeared fo be по hope at all. And as if that wasn’t enough, the young wizard had aged 30 years in а day and a pack of wild heli hounds was trying to devour him. He used his orb and а lava spell to torch the Wretched beasts and ran for his life. He continues on his quest to become a master sorcerer, but he still has nowhere near the 45 spells he needs to defeat the darkness. Пог even near the епа x т VIOLENCE | ‘CONTENT RATED BY ESRB Publisher: Electronic Arts Developer: Argonaut Featured In: EGM #149 ел >> Players: Д Supports: Dual Shock Best Feature: Well-paced story Worst Feature: It’s too kiddy Web Site: hpgames.ea.com he ultimate test of any game with a mega license is to strip away the big name and consider only the gameplay. So, with that in mind, do you enjoy Simon-says-style mem- ory games? Does chasing a peacock around a maze float your boat? Simple shell games turn you on? Can’t get enough of retrieving paper- work bundles while slip-sliding across the glossy floor of Gringott’s Bank? That’s just a sampling of the minigames that pop up ona regular basis in Sorcerer’s Stone. Needless to say, even the best of these diversions—such as Harry’s flight from the mountain troll and a whipping mine-cart ride through a subter- ranean vault—will bore any gamer who's made it past grade school. But the real shame here is that the game shortchanges the license’s greatest strengths: its magic spells and twisting story. Dramatic scenes from the book are relegated to simple narrated voice-overs and still images. (It’s like the developers are inviting us to read the story along with them, instead of actually tak- ing part in it.) And spellcasting is, for the most part, an automatic process. Just jab the X but- ton and Harry will cast whatever spell the situ- ation calls for—except for a few areas where you engage in Dance Dance Revolution-style button-matching. It makes for brain-dead puz- zles that take the wonder and mystery out of a book series famous for, well, its wonder and mystery. And when you take the magic out of Harry, what the heck do you have left? Does Sorcerer’s Stone pack all the trade- mark goodies of the Harry Potter phe- nomenon? Let’s run down the checklist... Chocolate Frogs These leaping con- fections pluck up Harry’s health...and give him gas (мете not kidding). Wizard Cards Win these for achieving certain secret objectives. Collect ‘em all and then, er, look at them for a while. The Golden Snitch Snag this to win the Quidditch match. The game includes several matches against the differ- ent houses. Every-Flavor Beans Find all these and the Weasly twins grant access to spe- cial items, such as the Nimbus 2000. Diagon Alley Bikini Carwash OK, so this ain’t in the books, but criminy—this kid- die game needs somethin’ for us 4m grown-ups. tronic Gaming Nobody likes a Snitch: Quidditch matches (below) are one of the most elaborate parts of the game, but they still don't capture the white-knuckle thrills described in the book. Unless flying through rings is your thing. You'd figure any game set in a school where one of the goals is to make it to class on time would pack the entertainment value of, say, Army Men: Sarge's Insurance Seminar. But we're not talking about an ordinary school here. Sorcerer's Stone is set at Hogwarts—sort of a DeVry Institute of Sorcery —and you play as wizardly whiz-kid Harry Potter. But despite the unlimited potential, Sorcerer's Stone still comes across as another ho-hum licensed title—at least for any gamer over age 10. The game boils down to you scurrying about Hogwarts' maze-like campus, leaping through occasional platform areas, while engaging in easy, often dull minigames. Even Quidditch—a wizard's version of rugby that could easily be the basis of an entire game itself—is noth- ing more than you simply whizzing through rings (topped off with touchy control and choppy visuals). Monotonous wandering plus lame minigames makes for a non-magical experience. It's clear this game was developed by mere Muggles (and if you don't know what a Muggle is, you really have no business playing this game). Fortunately, the 'story—which packs plot points not found in the book—rarely drags on, so you're seldom stuck wondering what to do next. The whole thing only takes about seven hours to beat, unless you dilly-dally to explore Hogwarts' nooks. But with gameplay this kiddified, I'd just as soon serve detention. Crispin Unlike the books and the movie, this Harry Potter is obviously (and unfortunately) just for kids, so those of us over age 8 will just have to wait for the next batch of games. But strictly as a children's title, HP is pretty. good. Simple, solid гип-“п”-јитр. plat- forming and item hunts make up the bulk of the gameplay, with plenty of good voices to guide tots through the controls and where to go next. Fans will appreciate the musical cues taken from the film and characters that actually (for once) look like they do on the big screen. The graphics could be smoother and the game longer, but all in all, this is more than the quick license cash-in you might expect. Mark | think Lord Voldemort cast a Slowdownus Choppola зре оп this PS game. Poor Harry’s world slows to a coma-inducing crawl whenever he's running, fly- ing or...well, moving. It's а real shame, too, as the expansive. environments look sweet otherwise. The gameplay fares better, with an appetizing mix of Zelda-style adventuring and fun minigames. However, Potter-heads expecting the game to accu- rately follow the book and movie will be let down. Cinemas handle much of the plot, and the new tasks created for the game are dull (like gathering paper- work) or goofy (like herding farting monsters). ! award only six house points to EA. Shane INGENUITY REPLAY VISUALS SOUND ENVIRONME! Blood Violence A Use of Alcohol PlayStatione2 BLACK BE SROWbhnd т Baldur's Gate: Dark Alliance © 2001 Interplay Entertainment Corp. All rights reserved. Baldur's Gate, Dark Alliance, Forgotten Realms, the Forgotten Realms logo, Dungeons and Dragons, the D&D logo, and the Wizards of the Coast logo are trademarks owned by Wizards of the Coast Inc., a subsidiary of Hasbro, Inc., and are used by Interplay under license. АП rights reserved. Interplay, the Interplay logo, "By Gamers. For Gamers.", Black Isle Studios and the Black Isle Studios logo are trademarks of Interplay Entertainment Corp. All rights reserved. Snowblind Studios and the Snowblind Studios logo are trademarks of Snowblind Studios. All rights reserved. "PlayStation" and the "PS" Family logo are registered trademarks of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. All other trademarks are property of their respective owners. Publisher: j i $ Capcom Developer: Capcom | Featured In: ‚| EGM #148 Players: 1 Worst Boss Name: Infinity Mijinion Web Site: WWW.capcom.com Best Feature: New charac- ter-specific power-ups Worst Feature: Lame ene- mies and bosses | thought I'd sooner see Sasquatch ride a Chimera bareback through the streets than a bland series like Mega Man X last through six installments. At this point, Capcom is subscribing to the “ladel on more power-ups and push it through" philosophy. It feels slapped together after Xs, a masterpiece by compari- son that came out less than a year ago. With such a brief development cycle, it's no wonder X6 is a fine specimen of a botched rush job. Each short stage has two token unique enemies at most, and they're not used nearly as creatively as in previous games. The rest of every level is half-assedly crammed with one type of flying robot, which gets old quickly. If you've played recent MMX games, you know that the story and bosses have gotten lamer with time, but X6 takes the cake. Metal Shark Player? Ground Scaravich? It's like Capcom is testing us to see how far they can take this joke before we stop buying it. could see some hardcore fans enduring this one, but most should avoid X6 like they hopefully avoided Mega Man VI on the original Nintendo. Jonathan VISUALS SOUND INGENUITY REPLAY 5 4 5 Featured In | EGM #144 Link cable | 42 Be ture: The deep, | Also Try: Mega Man customizable battle system | Xtreme (GBC) Worst Feature: The perspec- | Web Site | tive in Net areas www.capcom.com Just when you thought the Mega Man series couldn't get any more convoluted between the original, X and Legends games, here comes another link in the chain. Battle Network is half Pokémon and half Mega Man. It's got all the bases covered: trading, battling, even an evil organization hell-bent on world domina- tion through their outrageous antics (like Team Rocket). Instead of lil’ monsters, everyone's got a computer program called a PET that they battle against each other and use to fight viruses inside the Net. The battle system is the game's biggest asset, allowing you to customize your attack repertoire in a way similar to that of creating a deck in a trading- card game. But as much as | like the action-oriented battle system, random enemy encounters are too fre- quent. It's especially annoying when you're trying to find your way through the maze-like, multi-level paths of the Net. The storyline's predictable, boy- saves-world stuff, just loaded with old-school Mega Man references. It's fun, but it's more for Mega Man fans than anyone else. Chris VISUALS SOUND INGENUITY REPLAY Electronic Gz —. Harry Potter ant the Sorcerer's Stone EVERYONE Publisher: Electronic Arts Developer: Amaze Ent. Featured In: EGM #149 Players: 1 It’s fun to say: Flipendo! Also try: Harry Potter (PS, GBC) Best Feature: Puts you right in the book/movie to experience Hogwarts as Potter Worst Feature: Too short and repetitive Web Site: hpgames.ea.com Fans looking for a quick ride through the events of the book and movie will be pleased with Potter GBA, because that’s all it is. You wander Hogwarts, stopping in for quick visits with characters before they send you on some sort of quest (e.g., collect X number of items for a teacher, sneak around at night Solid Snake-style, foil Malfoy’s antics or play Quidditch). Admittedly, some of the missions are pretty good. The problem is they quickly get repeti- tive and are bogged down by unresponsive control. The speediest enemies can be right on you before you can pull off an attack because of the one-second delay it takes to conjure a spell. If they’re too close, you won't connect (and no, you can't just hit them over the head with your wand). Control during flying sequences, including Quidditch, is equally bad. You're moving so fast that you can't turn quickly enough to avoid obstacles or Bludgers (to use Quidditch terminology). Visually, the game's a mixed bag. Nighttime areas are too dark for the GBA screen, leading to a lot of squinting to see the all-black ene- mies you're trying to avoid. Daytime scenes are fine, but some could still use a little brightening up. Considering that it's a licensed game, Potter isn't the usual cookie-cutter crapola we get. However, the short length, slow control and repetitive gameplay bogs down what had the potential to appeal to everyone — not just 11-year-olds. Chris With the Harry Potter hubbub flying circles around starry Hollywood and book stores, the GBA game will no doubt fall into squealing kids' laps everywhere. But with nil personality in character dialogue, repeti- tive puzzles, and task upon unexciting task to com- plete, HP's quite a task itself to carry out. Most puz- zles boil down to either mazes or a follow-the-leader wand-waving minigame, while the story unravels like a rushed event checklist, leaving you with all work and no pay-off. Quidditch matches add some spunk to the game, but don't occur often enough to ripple the still pool of repetition. This is for the Harry wannabe, not the expectant gamer. Jeanne If you're looking for a great handheld version of Harry Potter's first year at Hogwarts...get the GBC game. Can't get enough of the spunky wizard? This light- weight action-adventure title might be worth a shot. Graphically, it's topnotch. Silky animation and lush backdrops invoke the look of the film perfectly. The storyline also follows the book/movie closely, yet the gameplay fails to capture the magical spirit of Harry Potter. Jumbling together ideas from Zelda, Metal Gear Solid, Nights and PaRappa creates a con- fusing mix of disparate events that never really comes together properly. Even so, it'll keep younger Muggles entertained for a while. Shane SOUND INGENUITY REPLAY 38.4 2 \onthly - 112 VISUALS Publisher: Namco Developer: Namco Featured In: EGM #148 Players: 1-2 Supports: Link Cable Best Feature: Quasi-3D characters fighting on a quasi-3D backdrop on a handheld Worst Feature: The gameplay and features list suf- fer from an amazing lack of depth Web Site: www.namco.com Up until a year ago the thought of porting a PlayStation game to a handheld system was pretty much ridiculous. But now that the GBA (and all of its glorious 32-bits) is here, we can experience the joy of quasi-3D characters bopping around on screen. In the case of Tekken, this is both a blessing and a curse. The good is that anyone who fancies Tekken’s particular style of fighting action will marvel at the responsive controls (watered down to a punch, kick and throw), the fluid animations, and the faux-3D environments. The downside is that GBA Tekken also crystallizes everything that 15 wrong about the series. Lacking the finesse of certain other 3D fight- ers, Tekken has always been about pesky left punch, right kick, right punch, left kick-style combos, which puts the emphasis on stodgy button mashing and less on fluid movements. This game does nothing to alleviate the trend by stripping things down to three buttons. Mash, mash, mash and there you have it. Less Bruce Lee and more Van Damage than you can shake a stick at, Tekken is all about who can bludgeon who to death first, whether you're playing against the computer or punishing a friend via the Link Cable. So, yes, the fact that Namco’s managed to squash the essence of Tekken onto a 1" x 1.5" slab of silicon is nothing short of impressive. That, how- ever, does not change the fact that this is an utterly average game. Milkman Once in a while, | run into a game that I really don't care for, but have to give credit to for its technical prowess. While I’m not the biggest Tekken fan, that Namco was able to make Tekken's mock-3D game- play work on the GBA this solidly is impressive. Tekken 3 players should definitely look into the GBA version; it's got a lot of the same characters and gameplay mechanics as T3. The only problem is that Tekken's fighting engine is so reliant on subtle punch and kick variations, scaling it down doesn't work so well. Many of these subtleties have either been cut out or obscured on the small screen, so the game feels a lot drier than it should. I'm blown away that Namco has managed to accu- rately port Tekken 3 to the GBA. Sure, with a slower game speed and only two buttons used for punches and kicks, you lose out on a lot of multi-hit strings, and most of the combo timing has changed; but make no mistake, this handheld version is definitely Tekken—only smaller and uglier. Since fighting games aren't worth more than their practice mode features in single-player, however, Tekken loses out big time by not supporting the GBA's one-car- tridge multiplayer feature. If all you're gonna do is play solo, why not stick with the real deal on the PS2 and pick up Final Fight One instead? спе VISUALS SOUND INGENUITY REPLAY 1 6 4 9 ourself с ë ` An ухе guarantee YOUVE HEVE Played а suning Game, А — Oficial XBox Ија еја а 4% Mild Violence Strong Lyrics 'INFOGI RS By Peter Felonk Peter knows he’s got some big shoes to fill after Terry “Trickman” Minnich’s long stint as chieftain of EGM's Tricks section. But we think he’s got a few tricks up his sleeve to keep the long legacy alive. TRICK OF THE MONTH WWF Smack- Down!: Just Bring It PLAY AS FRED DURST Choose Slobberknock Match. Then pick the Undertaker. Eliminate 15 opponents before the 10-minute timer expires. This will then unlock the Limp Bizkit front man himself. Who would have thought that he could wrestl fred durst Star Wars Rogue Leader: Rogue Squadron | WHAT DID HE SAY? Audio Commentary Unlock the commentaries for each stage by typing in BLAH- BLAH as a password. Head to the Special Features option and turn on Audio Commentary. Select a level and either play through with the speech, or pause to listen to them talk about the different aspects of the stage. Documentary After finishing all 10 main mis- sions, you can get it under the Special Features menu option. Unlock the Art Gallery Throw in the passcode EXHIBIT! to unlock hidden game art. Unlock the Concert Hall Type in Composer. UNLOCK HIDDEN SHIPS Slave 1 Ship Finish all missions with a silver medal or better. El Naboo Starfighter Finish the Tatooine Training in all four time settings. You must get all discovery items, all objects and two hidden bonus items in each zone. Times are 6 a.m., 2 p.m., 6 p.m., 11 p.m. (You must make sure your GameCube inter- nal clock is set.) Millennium Falcon Finish all missions with a bronze medal or better. TIE Fighter Steal a TIE Fighter and complete the Level Seven mission during the daytime and nighttime hours to unlock it as a bonus ship. Darth Vader's Tie Acquire 15 gold medals to unlock Darth Vader's TIE Advanced. GAME A LA MODE Black and White Mode Type in LIONHEAD at the pass- codes screen to play the game in black and white. Ace Mode Complete all the Tatooine Training objectives and finish the game with 15 gold medals to unlock Ace mode. NHL Hitz 20-02 SWEET CODES On the VS screen, use the B,Y and X buttons to switch the icons beneath the teams on screen. The list below indicates the number of times each button should be pressed. After the icons have been switched, press the D-pad in the indicated direc- tion to enable the code. You will see the name of the code and hear a sound. More than one code may be activated per game; just make sure you enter them quick enough. For exam- ple, to enter 4, 2, 3, Right, press B four times, Y two times, X three times and then press Right on the D-pad. If you're playing the Xbox version, substitute but- tons ХУ,В. Show Shot Speed 1,0,1 Up Rain Mode 1,4,1 Left Ignore Last Code 0,1,0 Down Bulldozer Puck 2,1,2 Left Win Fights for Goals 2,0,2 Left Tennis Ball 1,3,2 Down Hitz Time 1,0,4 Right First to 7 Wins 3,2,3 Left No Puck Out of Play 1,1,1 Down Pinball Boards 4,2,3 Right Domino Effect 0,1,2 Right No Fake Shots 4,2,4 Down Big Head Player 2,0,0 Right Big Puck 1,2,1 Up Ейниве Неад Теат 3,3,0 Left Big Head Team 2,2,0 Left Huge Puck 3,2,1 Up Huge Head Player 3,0,0 Right No Crowd 2,1,0 Right Input More Codes 3,3,3 Right Show Team's Hot Spot 2,0,1 Up Late Hits 3,2,1 Down Turbo Boost 0,0,2 Up No One Times 2,1,3 Left Infinite Turbo 4,1,3 Right cont. on page 176 СУДЕ: ННЯ 00 D „и я ` «да н лењи ART тщ Хх ТТ? EO УМ ge: Violence өн 1 CONTENT RATED BY м ESRB 407. SMASHING Di d. Licensed to Namco Hometek Inc, TM, $^ the Nintendo Game ule iaaa م‎ yS Jor trademark and/or other countries and are used undor license trom Mictg a ент к ткеннен nan Wo ú s w иши а ~ cont. from раде 174 Snow Mode 1,2,1 Left Always Big Hits 2,3,4 Down Skills Versus 2,2,2 Down Hockey Ball 1,3,3 Left Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3 MASTER MOVIES Unlock Every Single Movie From the Main Menu, select Options, then Cheats. Enter POPCORN. This will open all the movies for you. Ahoy Sk8rz To skate on the pirate ship, you must first go to Skater Island. Find the two flags that are side by side. Grind the one with the skull and crossbones on it. Then one of the garage doors will open, and you'll be skating with the pirates. MY FINGERS HURT Complete all 54 goals and get a gold medal at every compound. Finish the game... 11 times and you'll unlock snow- board mode. 12 times and you'll unlock always special mode. 13 times and you'll unlock per- fect rail balance mode. 14 times and you'll attain 4 — =. score 6,232 ~= D FORCE maxed-out stats mode. 15 times to unlock giant mode. 16 times and you'll unlock slow- mo mode. 17 times to unlock perfect manu- al balance. 18 times to unlock tiny mode. 19 times to unlock moon mode. 20 times to unlock expert mode. 22 times and you'll unlock first- person mode. ElUnlock Darth Maul Complete all 54 goals and earn golds at each competition with one skater. Get Neversoft Eye Similar to unlocking Darth Maul but do it with 21 skaters. Get Skater From Hell Do the same thing you did to unlock the other characters. Beat the game 10 times with 10 skaters. Unlock Wolverine Complete all 54 goals and get all golds at each compe- tition with two different skaters. Unlock the Bum Complete all 54 goals and get a gold medal at each competition with seven skaters. Unlock Officer Dick Complete the 54 goals and get a gold at each competition with four different skaters. Unlock Private Carrera Do the same thing you did to unlock Officer Dick, but do it with one more skater. GRAB Project Gotham Open All Cars and Courses Enter your driver name as Nosliw (case sensitive). Unlock Panoz Esperate Obtain 25,000 kudos. Medal Pursuit Paint Jobs After five hours of gameplay. First get to the Options menu and pick Cheats. Then type in RidinwRaven. When entered cor- rectly the “RidinwRaven” will vanish. Press B to exit. NASCAR Thunder 2002 Enter any of the following Driver names at the “Create a Driver” screen to unlock the cor- responding car in all modes. Joey Joulwan Michelle Emser Audrey Clark Dave Alpern Benny Persons Troi Hayes Buster Auton Chuck Spicer Crissy Hillworth Daryl Wolfe Dave Nichols Diane Grubb Jim Hannigan Dick Paysor Josh Neelon Katrina Goode Kristi Jones Mandy Misiak Rick Edwards Rick Humphrey Sasha Soares Scott Brewer Cheryl King Tom Renedo Traci Hultzapple Ken Patterson Boca Chica Finish first in points in the Road Course Challenge. Devil’s Canyon Finish first in points in the Short Track Challenge. Cocoa Beach Finish first in points in the 1g Monthly - 116 - egm.gamers.com The top 5 games of the last month for your tricked-out pleasure: 1. Grand Theft Auto Ш Crazy Pedestrians During the course of the game, enter these codes to check out the insane antics performed by the surrounding crowd of people: R2, R1, Triangle, X, L2, L1, Up, Down. Enter this code to watch them lay the smack down on each other: Down, Up, Left, Up, X, R1, R2, L2, L1. You can even get the major beatdown from people in the crowds, whether it be a street thug, a walker, a com- mon joe or anyone else you come across while running through the game. For those brawler types who want to fight their way to the top, try Down, Up, Left, Up, X, R1, R2, L1, L2. If you are more of an onlooker type, then fear not! We have a code where you can watch all the nasties fight each other. "Interesting" cannot describe the fights you will see. Press Down, Up, Left, Up, X, R1, R2, ENEG 2. NHL 2002 = г Barenaked Ladies On the main screen, go to the Options menu. Choose the Create Player/Roster option. Choose Create a Player. Press START to continue to the next screen. Put in the first name and last name as any one of the band members: Jim Creeggan, Tyler Stewart, Steven Page, Ed Robertson or Kevin Hearm. It will then ask if you would like to create a player like the one in the database. Choose “Yes” for your answer and the game will make a clone of your BNL member in eh hockey gear. 3. Batman: Vengeance =г= Weapons and Ammo Galore Go to the Plant Electrocution 2 level. You will start the stage by sliding down toward some holes in the surrounding area. Fall into the second hole and glide to avoid getting damaged. You will see a lit-up part of the zone. Glide there and pick up the item you find inside. Use the grappling hook along with the jump button to exit out of the hole. Finish sliding Cont. on page 178 | Cri | the games. www.espnthegames.com AT ESPN, WE FIRMLY BELIEVE THERE IS A TIME AND PLACE FOR FOOTBALL. IT JUST HAPPENS TO BE ANYTIME AND ANYPLACE. With Chris Berman and Tom Jackson calling every down, you're right in the middle of a live ESPN telecast. With the ability. to make trades, draft rookies and sign free agents, you control the action on and off the field. And with the power to create entirely new players, you're a veritable pro football Frankenstein. So check out ESPN NFL PrimeTime in its convenient new time slot: 24 hours a day, seven days a week. v (0 EVERYONE = | - E Е СБ PlayStation.e Pa “” PLAYERSE EEE ROM e KONAMI ® ©2001 NFL. The NFL Shield logo and all other (NFL-related marks) are trademarks of the National Football League. Team names and logos are trademarks of the teams indicated. Officially licensed product of PLAYERS INC. The PLAYERS INC logo is a registered trademark of the NFL players. www.ntlplayers.com (22001 PLAYERS INC. ©2001 Disney. ESPN and ESPN the games are trademarks of ESPN, Inc. KONAME is a registered trademark of KONAMI CORPORATION. 2001 KONAMI. All rights reserved. The ratings icon is a trademark of the Interactive Digital Software Association, "PlayStation" and the "PS" Family logo are registered trademarks of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. Xbox and Xbox logos are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Microsoft Corporation in the U.S. and/or in other countries. TRICKS (CONTINUED) | downward. The item you | | picked up is a key to the door | on the side of the vines | behind the glass. Go inside | and fight the Plant-Man. You | will find an envelope that has | | the letter “С” on it in this | | room. When you finish the | game, you can activate this | item for all weapons and infi. | nite ammunition. | | | | | 1 | | | | 4. X-Men: Mutant Academy 2 Unlock It АЦ On the title screen, press SELECT, Down, R2, L1, R1, L2. You will hear a sound when the code is entered correctly. This trick will unlock every- thing in the game. From the main menu, choose the Cerebro option and highlight each character to see what you've unlocked. From here you can watch the outro FMV ` movies, see movie sketches, _ learn how to unlock the secret ` costumes, and more. In Versus mode, you can choose the Pool Party stage to fight with the X-Men in their bathing suits. [ To play as Spider-Man, go | to the Character Select screen | м Arcade or Versus mode, and highlight Cyclops. Press and hold L1 and you will see Spider-Man appear. Keep holding L1 and press X to choose him. To play as Xavier (Professor | X), go to the Character Select Screen in Arcade or Versus | mode, and highlight Magneto. Press and hold [1 and you will. see Xavier appear. Hold L1 down and then press X to | choose him. | | . 9. Pac-Man | | Collection | Appendix Puzzle Mode | First, you must choose the | Pac-Attack game. Then high- | light Puzzle Mode and hold | Right on the D-pad. While — | holding it, press A. The word | “Appendix” will appear inthe | | | | | upper-left corner of ће screen. Start a new game and you will see that the falling pieces will stay the same from. level to level, making the game a little easier to play. 772504 cont. from раде 176 Superspeedway Shootout. Albuquerque Finish first in points in the Full Season. Bonus Drivers Every time you successfully complete Season mode, bonus drivers are unlocked. Complete Season mode eight times to unlock all drivers. Championship FMV Successfully complete Season mode eight times to unlock a championship video that corresponds to that number of wins. Half-Life AHH, ISN’T LIFE DELICIOUS Slow motion At the Cheats screen, input Right, Square, Up, Triangle, Right, Square, Up, Triangle. El Maxed Ammo Head to the Cheats screen and press Down, X, Left, Circle, Down, X, Left, Circle. Alternate Gravity Get to the Cheats screen and press Up, Triangle, Down, X, Up, Triangle, Down, X. Invincible While at the Cheats screen, press Left, Square, Up, Triangle, Right, Circle, Down, X. Invisible Go to the Cheats screen and press Left, Square, Right, Circle, Left, Square, Right, Circle. El Alien Mode Go to the Cheats screen and press Up, Triangle, Up, Triangle, Up, Triangle, Up, Triangle. Electronic Gaming Monthly - 178 ОЕТ The Simpsons Road Rage UGH, THE HOLIDAYS Change your PS2’s internal date to the following in order to unlock these secret characters: ЕД New Year’s Krusty 1/1/02 Thanksgiving Marge 11/22/01 Halloween Bart 10/31/02 ҮЙ christmas Apu 12/25/01 МНООООООООР IT UP To earn these extra wrestlers you will have to choose a char- acter who does not hold a title. Jerry Lynn Say that you do not want to form a tag team with Vince. Talk trash on the mic, then say that you were just messing. Let time run out in roaming. Win the battle royal, and show up on stage. Win this match and the following. Mick Foley Say that you do not want to form a tag team with Vince. Talk trash, then say that you want to kick his arse. Go to the parking lot to find Vince. Win the match. Show up on stage and win the match. Lose the next match at Wrestlemania. Foley will appear and make it a hell in a cell. Win the hell in a cell match. Tajri Say that you do not want to form a tag team with Vince. Talk trash, then say you were mess- ing around. To get to Regal’s office, go downstairs. At the door near the vending machines look for Regal’s office. Say that you do not want the Euro title match. Then in the next match, if you defeat Tajri, you will unlock him as a playable. egm.gamers.com 4 1:08 @ $ $7715 +3 seconds [3 А Shane McMahon and Stephanie McMahon Helmsley You will need to unlock all the SmackDown cards until there are three left: Shane, Stephanie and one other. You will unlock three to four cards each time you finish Wrestlemania or one card by defending a belt. When you are left with three cards, you will need to go through Story mode and win the WWF title at Wrestlemania. Say that you do not want to form a tag team with Vince. Trash talk on the microphone, then say you want to kick his arse. Go to the parking lot to find Vince. Win a random match, show up on stage, and win another match. Then win the final match at Wrestlemania. OTHER WRESTLERS Michael Cole Meet Michael Cole in Story mode. Accept his challenge, then defeat him. Rhyno Tell him that you do not want to form a tag team with Vince. Run down and attack him. Then in the following match, knock out your opponent to win. Lose the next match, stay backstage, then go to Earl Hebner. Tell him you are going after the Hard Core title. Defeat Rhyno to unlock him. Spike Dudley Accept a tag-team match. Find anyone to fight and win the match. Get your partner to find the third partner for a six- man tag. Go to the corridor where the APA office is located. Lend a hand to Spike, then win the tag-table match. Win the tag-team title match and Spike is yours. New SmackDown Arena Choose SlobberKnocker mode. Choose The Rock and defeat 18 wrestlers in 10 minutes or less. After doing the trick of the month, this should not be too difficult to accomplish. cont. on page 180 f | | < or call 1-800-771 ~ тм Ret EP for more info. Dur games go to m lion and the PlayStation logos are registered trademarks of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc пу Computer Entertainment Ine. English Translation © Working Designs 2001. “Working De ке too busy taking over the world. Web Address: hitp://vrwveworkingdesigns.com. For a deale ARC THE LAD is a registered trademark of Sony Computer Entertainment Ine. © 1995-2001. Published by Working Designs under license is а registered trademark of Working Designs. Ine. АЙ rights reserved. How many Romalians does it lake to screw in a light bulb? None. ar you. call (530) 243-3417 cont. from раде 178 press B(2), A(6). EJ бой mode Pause the game, then hold L + R and press A(2), B, A(5). Tower Of Babel level Pause the game, then hold L + R and press A, B, A, B, A, ВОЈА HANDY CODES Advance levels Pause the game, then hold L + R and B Berserk mode press A, B, A(2), B(2), A(2). You will Pause the game, then hold L + R and press B, advance about five levels, depending on A, B, A(5). the current level. Hidden Military Base All weapons, items, keys You can find this area in the Toxic Refinery Pause the game, then hold L + R and (Ep. 1, Lvl. 3). Complete the first half of the press A, B(2), А(5). level (before entering the blue door), then Invincibility go back to the starting point. Look inside Pause the game, then hold L + R and the pool of waste and you should be able to press B(3), A(5). see a platform (keeping in mind that you Advance levels found and hit all of the switches in the first Pause the game, then hold L + R and half). Walk across the platform toward the press A, B, A(2), B(2), A(2). You will wall. It will open and you will have to defeat advance about five levels. a series of opponents. Explore the secret Computer map area more, and you should find an exit door. Pause the game, then hold |. + R and Enter it and flip the switch (the stats will not press B, A(7). appear). You will find yourself in an area Radiation suit called The Military Base. Hope you are up to Pause the game, then hold | + R and the challenge. 4CBD9E421456E788 Max Ammo MIG 29A 4CBD9E461456E788 1CBD9EAo14DFo89C Max Ammo F-15 4CBD9EA21456E788 1CBDA14014DFo89C 4CBD9EA61456E788 A Ace Combat 04 4CBDA1421456E788 Max Ammo MIR-2000 Syphon Filter 3 Must Be On 4CBDA1461456E788 1CBD9E6014DFo89C Infinite Ammo (Most Weapons) EC8785281438A94C Max Ammo F-15C 4CBD9E621456E788 80066B6E 2400 All Aircraft 1CBD9E9o14DFo89C 4CBD9E661456E788 Infinite Ammo Codes 1CBD844861DFBooC 4CBD9E921456E788 Max Ammo R-Mo1 9mm 3012D7E6 0064 4CBD844C1456E40C 4CBD9E961456E788 1CBD9EEo14DFo89C Sil. smm 301207ЕА 0064 Extra Paint Schemes Max Ammo F-15E 4CBD9EE21456E788 .45 MM 301207ЕЕ 0064 1CBD845061DFBooC 1CBD9EBo14DFo89C 4CBD9EE61456E788 Falcon 3012D7F2 0064 1CBD845061DFBooC 4CBD9EB21456E788 4CBD9EEA1456E788 G18 3012D7F6 0064 1CBD845461DFBooC 4CBD9EB61456E788 Max Ammo S-37A НК-5 3012D7FE 0064 1CBD845861DFBooC 4CBD9EBA1456E788 1CBDA13014DF089C 3012D7FA 0064 4CBD845C1456BooC Max Ammo F-16C 4CBDA1321456E788 PK-102 30120802 0064 All Weapons 1CBD9E3014DFo89C 4CBDA1361456E788 M16 3012D8060064 1CBD846861DFBooC 4CBD9E321456E788 Max Ammo SU-35 На 3012D80E 0064 1CBD846C61DFBooC 4CBD9E361456E788 1CBD9Eoo14DFo89C Mars 3012D8160064 1CBD847061DFBooC Max Ammo F-22A 4СВ09Е021456Е788 Shotgun 30120822 0064 Max Ammo A-10A 1CBD9E1014DFo89C 4CBD9E061456E788 UAS12 30120826 0064 1CBD9E5014DFo89C 4CBD9E121456E788 Max Ammo SU-37 Snip. Rifle 3012D836 0064 4CBD9E521456E788 4CBD9E161456E788 1CBD9E2014DF089C N.Vis.Rifle 3012D83A 0064 4CBD9E561456E788 Max Ammo F-4E 4CBD9E221456E788 Crossbow 3012D852 0064 4CBD9E5A1456E788 1CBD9F2014DFo89C 4CBDA1261456E788 Grenade 3012D85E 0064 Max Ammo EF-2000 4CBD9F221456E788 4CBDA12A1456E788 Gas Gren. 3012D862 0064 1CBD9EDo14DFo89C 4CBD9E261456E788 Max Ammo ТМО-105 Unlock All Missions 4CBD9ED21456E788 Max Ammo F-5E 1CBD9E7014DFo89C 8014F9C4 0013 4CBD9ED61456E788 1CBD9F1014DFo89C 4CBD9E721456E788 Infinite Health (АП Levels) Max Ammo F-117A 4CBD9F121456E788 4CBD9E761456E788 Doo5AEFC АААВ 1CBD9ECo14DFo89C 4CBD9F161456E788 4CBD9E7A1456E788 8005AEF4 0258 4СВ09ЕС21456Е788 Max Атто F/A-18C Max Ammo X-o2 Doo5AEFC АААВ 4CBD9EC61456E788 1CBD9E8014DFo89C 1CBDA15014DFo89C 8005AEF6 2404 4CBD9ECA1456E788 4CBD9E821456E788 4CBDA1521456E788 Doo5AEFC AAAB Max Ammo F-14A 4CBD9E861456E788 4CBDA1561456E788 8005AEFA A4C4 1CBD9E4014DFo89C 4CBD9E8A1456E788 4CBDA15A1456E788 аа вапвававававаовновевеввввовевавововвововваввавовеве la|n| f [Е ғ оп MY ANTI-DRUG, www.freevibe.com Office of National Drug Control Policy/Partnership for a Drug-Free America® (О TRICKS elcome to Halo’s Inner Circle, where we delve into the secrets and strategy that will help you get the most out of Halo, both sin- gle- and multiplayer. If you’ve got а tip, game setup, or any- thing else Halo-related, email it to us at egm@ziffdavis.com (subject: Inner Circle), and you could see it here next month. Oh, and check out Bungie's Halo site at www.bungie.net for more great tips and tricks. OUR FAVORITE MULTIPLAYER GAMES Team Slayer Once you asi a target, lock in until you get the kill, @ like a cheetah running down an gazelle. If it helps, repeat to yourself, *| am a cheetah, running down a gazelle. Grr.” ' Find an area with both health and a good weapon, and make that your base. Of course you should leave for power-ups and just to mix things up now and then, but focus on one good area and you'll have a big advantage. Always take the higher ground. It's much harder for someone to shoot (or grenade) up at you than the other way around. ЕИ" 5 Тор Slayer Mans: *k—a nice average size, cd pex ups, and lots of nooks and crannies (try get- ting on top of either fort). ict —one big circle of death fir non-stop fighting. ponga 7) voices Bo v ion—a well-balanced, mid- -size level good for teams or every man for himself. LW, Capture the Flag Talk it up! As you see enemies, relay their positions 2 immediately, and tell your teammates when- ever you see vehicles, snipers—everything! Let them know where you are, and if you’re on offense or defense. opponent you kill will even- tually respawn back in their base, making it harder to grab their flag. Timing is everything. Consider acting as a scout; set up in the middle of the field with a sniper rifle, and relay enemy posi- tions to your team. Only attack when your team grabs the enemy flag or vice versa. ШИ 5 Тор СТЕ Mans: —Juuuuuust right. With or without vehicles, with anywhere from four to 10 players. —Another favorite (try it with tanks), but it’s so big games can stretch on for hours. —Once you get an idea of the layout, this unique level makes for intense matches. Think before you fire. Every | By Mark MacDonald Team Oddball Stick together. If the level has a spot with limited access in and out, have your ball carrier hide there and everyone else defend him. Act as a human shield for your carrier. Seconds you buy your carrier now бе тау help him add «дй minutes to your team’s score later. Toss the ball at your enemy. He can’t fire while holding it, giving you a few seconds before he drops it to drop him. If you can’t get to the ball before the other team, try mov- ing it with a rocket or grenade. НИѕ Тор Oddball maps: 1 —Almost БЕНЕН in this huge level, you’ve got a shot at the guy with the ball. Use the tunnels! er—One big, compli- cated room, perfect for small team games. { 4—Complete and total chaos. You gotta love it. 182 Yes, you can do it! Here's what you'll need: http://www.gar com/support/tunne| tml cont.on page 184 ти ДАТИ Dracula X Original Soundtrack Final Fantasy IX OST (4 CD set) Final Fantasy VIII OST (4 CD set) Final Fantasy VII OST (4 CD set) Final Fantasy VI OST (3 CD set) KICA7760 SSCX10043 SSCX10028 SSCX10004 (Final Fantasy Ш in US) РЅСМ5001 prm lE (AL GEAR SOLID 2 Silent Hill 2 OST SONS OF LIBERTY Sonic Adv КМСА120 QRIGINAL SOUNDTRACK MJCG80075, KMCA127 CHRONO CROSS ORIGINAL 54 4% a 1 Yuna (FFX) Limited Edition Chrono Cross OST (3 CD set) 1:6 scale Soft Vinyl Figure SSCX10040 eee FINAL FANTASY X Original Soundtrack ОЗ Soundtrack Produced by Nobuo U (4 CD set) PINAL FANTASY glad Sod Ta nd Nobuo Uematsu 55СХ10054 Chrono Trigger OSV PSCN5021 ме also carry video game sheet music. tasy VII Original Soundtrack Piano Solo Arrangement (DORE2698) Exclusively a t GameMusic.com Xenogears OST SSCX10013 World's BIGGEST Game Music Store! visit us online at: www.gamemusic.com We got tons of Anime DVDs too! More than 800 game/anime music titles in The Real Stuff from Japan All titles shown GameMusic Com stock, ready to be shipped out. Don't wait for on this page are originals imported from Japan. weeks before you get your CDs when you сап get There are retailers selling imitations with inferior - RSID SR them in days from us! quality. Before you buy from other retailers, ask if www.gamemusic.com egend of Dragoon SVWC7054 the CDs are the originals from Japan. 1-800-979-9889 If you don't have Internet access, please call our toll-free number at 1-800-979-9889. Outside of US, please call 1-626-575-0873. Phone hours are Monday - Friday, 9 - 5 Pacific Time. We accept Visa/MasterCard/AMEX. All trademarks are the properties of their respective owners. Game Music Online - 3798 Rockwell Ave. El Monte, СА 91731. E-Mail: gmo@gamemusic.com Fax: 1-626-575-0879 Sorry, our warehouse is not opened to public. BREAKING THE COVENANT TRICKS Halo’s Inner Circle cont. Vehicles: 6 Flip turrets and Banshees over with grenades to keep the aliens from taking them. Then if you want to use them yourself, just flip ‘em back over and jump in. 6 Run your enemies down! If you so much as touch them (even with a tank turret or wing of a Banshee) they will die instantly. Want the sniper rifle and the pistol, but can’t bear to give up the rocket launcher? Don’t! f Juggle all three instead. Anytime you want % to “carry” three weapons, just hold down the X button and move near top speed in the direction you want to go. You'll keep tossing the third weapon ahead of you. Using Your Marines: @ Your Marines may seem like more of an annoyance than a help (especially on Legendary difficulty), but trust us, they come in handy. Attack the same enemies they do instead of choosing your own targets for quicker kills and to increase the odds of your Marines surviving the fight. € If you have a Marine gunner in your Warthog, park it in a defen- sive position close to the enemy and get out on foot. While your buddy blasts ‘em with the chaingun, sneak around the side and flank your enemies. © Marine has a sniper rifle and you need ammo? Pop 'em in the head and take his. As long as you don't go nuts, killing one or two Marines here and there won't cause a mutiny. Sometimes you can pick up a few grenades as well. Don't worry, we won't tell anyone. Since you can only hold two weapons, you need to know which to keep and which to throw away. Here's a handy chart detailing how we feel about the weapons at different distances: Swimming out into the ocean in The Silent Cartographer? Blasting the ocean with a charged plasma pistol or grenade? Shooting Captain Keyes at the start of the first mission? Shooting 343 Guilty Spark? Finishing the game on Legendary difficulty (for a slightly differ- ent ending)? medium far Distance to target 184 Enemies nave a lock on your Сап, you barrel roll at mach 2 and let "ет have it... PlayStation. [3 > 3 Е = ІШ PlayStation.2 DA www.topgun-combatzones.com 4 ЖУ Албате) Play TOP GUN on your Internet enabled mobile phone this Fall, brought to you by nGame. For more information on where to play go to http;/ /topgun.ngame.com/- rre 2001-TITUS, TOP GUN - ® £ © 2001 PARAMOUNT PICTURES, Al Software©2001 TITUS SOFTWARE CORPORATION. Titus and the Titus Licensed by SONY COMPUTER ENTERTAINMENT AMERICA for use with ts reserved, INTENTED SOLELY FOR PRIVATE HOME USE, PUBLI Dor ге trademarks of TITUS Software Corporation. Developed by DIGITAL _ PlayStation&2 computer entertainment system. “PlayStation” and the "PS" Р Е OR OTHER USE IS EXPRESSLY PROHIBITED. EGRATION. Family logo are registered trademarks of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. © TRICKS 652 came out a while М ago, but we're still find- ing secrets and other interesting oddities throughout the game. Here, we detail some of them, but there's still plenty more out there. So if you find something we didn't, email us at egm@ziffdavis.com (subject: MGSecrets). Maybe we'll include it next month. Now get crackin'! CODEC MOMENTS: Try checking in on everybody via the Codec at every oppor- tunity for some funny dia- logue. Here’s a few to get you started: Look at the toilet in the women’s bathroom (on Strut С) and contact the Colonel. Then kneel down, look into the bowl in first-person mode, and call him again. Equip the cardboard box and call Snake for a hilarious glimpse at his box obsession. Near the start: Get the razor in the first room by flipping over the railing by the water and climbing back up on the other side of the cage to the right. Then keep your eyes on Solid Snake’s beard later on. Also in the first room, GEI a ration from the I locker and then crawl around in the bugs near the left " wall. Check your rations —the bugs are there! Shake *em off by moving your items up and down fast. Enter Hideo Kojima or Yoji Shinkawa at the name entry screen to see their birthdays and blood types. TH CAMERA PICTURES: Take these shots and upload them to Otacon for some bizarre reactions. Try sending him any other interesting stuff you find too. © The Vulcan Raven doll. Also try зо, ah, this explains a lot. st Olga lying unconscious. © Commander Scott Dolph. © Girlie picture on the wall in the engine room (there’s a guard METAL GEAR SOLID TANKER CHAPTER: TRY THIS тиз near the middle of the room look- ing at it). Then try shooting it. © The Marine wearing a kilt in the first hold. THE PLANT CHAPTER: TRY THIS After Meeting Solid Snake: | wouldnitido that ШЕТІ Point your gun at Snake while he’s dozing. Then shoot him. Keeping calling Snake with the Codec as he tries to sleep and hear what he’s dreaming about... After Meeting Stillman: Once the cinema where you meet the bomb-disposal expert is over, run to the C-D connecting bridge to see Snake moving in his x special disguise. Shoot him just for kicks. Keep knocking on the room where Stillman hides, and you'll start to really annoy him. Talk to Snake on the Codec over and over to eventually dis- ғ cover а whole lot more about Vamp's sexuality than you ever wanted to know. Equip any cardboard box and get on the conveyor belt in Strut E to quickly warp to different parts of the Big Shell. Near the Hostage Room: Try using the coolant on the parrot in the computer room where you get the directional mic. Then try shooting it. Watch all the guards in the same room as the parrot; one goes back and forth looking at girlie pictures. The computer room also has an Easter Island head under one 186 тир The right screen in Hold No Eaugh! Hideo Kojima! He’s watch- ing you—and he heard what you said about the “dumb ending”! of the desks. Can you find the others hidden throughout the game? There are at least three... Walk in front of all the hostages—some of them will trip you! How’s that for gratitude? Ask the old lady to the far left corner if she is Ames—she will pee her pants. The only woman in the room who isn’t old has her legs spread; she'll close them if you try to look. Of course, you could always shoot her with a tranq dart...(hey, we didn't make the game). Beat up hostages and prepare to get chewed out. Point the mic to the left when the scene with Ocelot and Solidus begins. It's Johnny By Mark MacDonald ; WATCH @ Here’s a whole mess of other oddities you may have missed: © Push R1 and L1 while any char- acter is talking to you in the codec for some funny responses. Also try R2 and L2, or pushing the buttons harder and softer. 9 Shoot Olga in the head after you defeat her to hear Otacon freak out. ) Keep hitting the switch next to the slide projectors in Hold No. 2 with the triangle button for a lit- tle peep show. Continually save with Otacon until he runs out of old Chinese proverbs. (Make sure you do it at different parts of the level.) Finally, Mei Ling from MGS1 will get tired of hearing him screw up and set him straight —you only hear her voice, though. Sazaki, the guard with diarrhea from MGS1! Sounds like he's still eating those prune burritos.... After the harrier: Avoid being seen by guards in the windows and one will pee on you. Codec the Colonel for his and Rose's sympathies. After Meeting Emma: Call Snake a few times back in the room where you fought Vamp. Otacon and E.E. will get into a huge argument. Knock E.E. out and listen to what she says. Crawl on top of her for fun. During the Sniping Section: Use the mic on Emma while she's behind the first oil strut. She thinks you're wearing a wig! Confront her via the Codec. Listen while she's behind the second strut for more Johnny Sazaki fun. Also try eavesdropping on Snake with the mic to see what he thinks of Emma. Shoot Snake. © If you fall and catch yourself on a га па, it counts as 10 pull- ups toward raising your grip strength. For some dumb reason, though, the game doesn't remember your grip strength when you save. Argh! There's a wire in the Engine room: It's over the rail to the right as you enter the room. Use it as a shortcut, but only if your grip strength is level 2 or higher. Oh, and try doing 300 pull-ups. The Final Section: In the first room after you get off the torture rack, let a guard spot you. Now run back to the torture room and lean your back against the rack. Once you get the sword, try attacking Snake with it. "That's all folks! Check back next month." by Full Sail Student Brian Germain . £ Real World Education Game Design Computer Animation Digital Media Film Audio Show Production www.fullsail.com 3300 University Boulevard Winter Park, FL 32792 ©2001 Full Sail, Inc. All rights reserved. The terms “Full бай,” "Full Sail Real World Education," and the Full Sail logo are either registered service marks or service marks of Full Sail, Inc. FINAL WORD New Year's Resolutions, £G/FStyle Shoe: For 2002, | promise to cut Halo-playing time by half when we're on deadline. Second, | promise to actually finish any RPGs that | start...this time, within the same year. Third, | promise to continue my winning streak in fighting games against Dudlak; | won’t stop until he owes me $100 in bets on our matches. Jon: It's been a lackluster year, so | resolve to take back all the resolutions | made last year. That means I'm going to stop letting you win at Street Fighter, Shoe, just ‘cause you’re the boss. Sewart, I'm gonna need to start taking your lunch money again. Crispin, since | resolved to be a better roommate last year, | guess that means you're in for a rough year. | apologize in advance. Mark: | promise to double the amount of Halo we play here, especially on deadline, when its Deep Heating action is needed most in our stress-filled Q-zones. | also vow to finally play Final Fantasy Tactics, and stop touching myself in my Q-zone. Dean: My goal for the new year is to get Shoe interested in sports sims— specifically EA's NCAA Football. That way, we (Team EGM) won't have to sneak around when it comes time for the office tourney. Beyond that, | hope to avoid the RPG genre for a third consecutive year, and hug my fellow EGMers at least once a day. Greg: | hope to keep Shoe from getting interested in sports sims—'cept NASCAR and hockey. That way, he'll like me more than Dean. | also plan to continue bombarding this staff with Canadian references and humor until the day | get deported. Milk: | promise to swear less in the office. | feel it's time for one of my co-workers to do his @%#$*ing share. | also resolve to have daily kick- boxing sessions with Che, and to buy a new motorcycle and park it in my cube. Lastly, | swear to educate the average consumer on bogus terms ic Gaming Monthly like “Gamebox,” “Xcube,” “PlayStation Advance and “Nintendo tapes.” Jeanne: After some “polite” nudging from the boss, my New Year’s Resolutions are to cut down on all the raunchy jokes, swearing and oral flatulence, all of which I’ve discovered has made my name in the office synonymous with “report to HR.” Besides those, | pledge to finally win FFVIII (even though VII and IX rock on it), and continue to open up a new can of worms every time | open my big mouth.... Chris: My New Year’s Resolution is to stop playing Pokémon and Dance Dance Revolution so much. It’s wrong to focus on just two games when so many more out there are just as good. That is, of course, until Nintendo and Konami team up and make Pika Pika Revolution, a lethal hybrid о Pokémon and DDR. Curse them all! Che: My one goal in 2002 is to master every nuance of Nightmare in Soul Calibur 2 and dominate our offices (West Coast and Chicago) like | did back in 1999. Plus, | vow not to smile in the new year. Kraig: This year | promise to stop abandoning the running game even when I’m losing to Dan Leahy in Madden. Patience is a virtue, of course. And come to think of it, running the ball makes the clock run more. So if | run the ball more, that means | have more time for Halo and hangin’ out at the mall. This may be my best resolution yet. Crispin: | promise not to become obnoxiously loud and surly when | get frustrated playing my game tapes. | learned that lesson the hard way: Ever since | kicked the Nintendo off the top of the TV last week, Mom says | can’t have friends sleep over anymore. Oh, gotta go—Alfs on! (Actually, this is Crispin's resolution from 1987.) бом THE , бы бот STAFF AT EGM! 188 - egm.gamers.com 7. -Ð ZIFF DAVIS MEDIA ZIFF DAVIS MEDIA INC. Chairman, Chief Executive Officer ............. Robert F. Callahan Chief Operating Officer and Chief Financial Officer . Bart W. Catalane Senior Executive Vice President .................. Tom McGrade (Publishing Operations) President, Business Medd E М Perlman Executive Vice President ......................... Peter Longe Executive Vice President .................... Stephen D. Moylan Executive Vice President and Editorial Director ... Michael J. Miller (Editor-in-Chief, PC Magazine) Senior Vice President (Circulation) ................. Charles Mast Vice President (Corporate Sales) .................... Ken Beach Vice President (News) 222222222. John Dodge Vice Ргезіел oso sese ete osm cancun oven 6. Barry Golson (Editor-in-Chief, Yahoo! Internet Life) Vice President (Chief Information Officer) ............ Kim Hoover Vice President (Integrated Solutions) ................ Charles Lee Vice President (Corporate Communications) ....... Aimee D. Levine Vice President (Editor-in-Chief, eWEEK) . . Eric Lundquist Vice President (Technology) ..................... Bill Machrone Vice President (Controller) ....................... David Mullen Vice president ТИТЕ Michael Perkowski (Ziff Davis Market Experts) Vice President (Marketing) . . г. Tonia E. Ries Vice President (General Counsel) ............ Carolyn Schurr Levin Vicepresidente ИИИ Dan Schwartz (Publisher, Ziff Davis SMART BUSINESS) Vie ИС лаве нов eres AE Sloan Seymour (Publishing Director, Baseline) Vice President (Editor-in-Chief, Baseline)... Тот Steinert-Threlkeld Vice President (Game Group) ...................... Dale Strang Vice President (Internet Audience Development) ....Stephen Sutton Vic Presidents 222222222. Stephen Veith (Publisher, CIO Insight) Vice President (Internet Advertising Sales)........... Jason Young Executive Vice President and General Manager ..... Mark Van Name eTesting Labs Chief Technology Officer ........................ Alan Bourassa (Internet Operations) Director, Manufacturing .......................... Carlos Lugo Director, International ........................ Christin Lawson Зоџгсе Соде 11395 2». ЕЦ = қ ~ 7 1 a =. Sf ГАС oss de = СЬ РС • SONY • NINTENDO • SEGA • & MORE your #1 game store FOR THAT HARD-TO-FIND GAME LOOK NO FURTHER— WE HAVE OVER 8,000 TITLES OF CLASSIC & NEW GAMES! 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Mos e stan an jmmr gv ideo W osue iom GAME GUIDE FOR PC AND VIDEO GAMES Acclaim Entertainment ................. 27, 82, 127, 131 www.acclaim.com Activision ... www.activision.com Best BUY sce «eoo ee eene eee n noe aoo жо әд ев сео во 59 www.samgoody.com Buena Vista Films ................................. 91 www.buenavistaentertainment.com Capcom .. www.capcom.com Chips '& Во нанео s 189 www.cdmag.com/chips Columbia HOUSE .............................. 98а-Ь 16-17, 155 DE SHORE DOO dO dO 65005510 m o do 53 www.deshoes.com Ecko Unlimited www.eckounlimited.com Eidos Interactive ... www.eidos.com Electronic Arts ............................. 5 WWW.ea.com Electronics Boutique . . www.ebgames.com Electronics Boutique/EBWorld ...................... 161 www.ebgames.com Encore Softwate жй у e e ele enm ЕЕ Кан лане 163 www.encoresoftware.com Full Sail Real World Education ...................... 187 www.fullsail.com Game Music Опіїпе ............................... 183 www.gamemusiconline.com GameSpot ... www.gamespot.com Шаа E E I O оро gg 13, 93, 173 www.infogrames.net ESV EMSRS CS REO 110-111, 171 www.interplay.com а а ОООО РАИ 129, 157 www.koeigames.com Konami of America ........ 68-69, 101, 103, 121, 149, 177 www.konami.com LucasArts Entertainment Company ......... 20-21, 43, 165 www.konami.com Microsoft Corporation ...... 6-7, 29, 61, 95, 133, 167, 169 www.Xbox.com Midway Home Entertainment .. .. 109, 145 www.midway.com Midway - San Diego ............................... 67 www.midway.com Namco ... www.namco.com Масите ЕОР Е 139 www.natsume.com Nintendo of America іпс............................. 7 www.nintendo.com Office for National Drug Control Policy ............... 181 www.whatsyourantidrug.com када e LET EM mee SEPE 15 www.radicagames.com Sega of America .......... 8-9, 74-75, 105, 143, 147, 159 WWW.sega.com Sony Computer Entertainment of America ....10-11, 30-31, 48-49, 55-57, 65, 73, 78-79, 89, 96-97, 194-195 WWW.Scea.com Square Electronic Arts . . www.squaresoft.com Take Two Interactive ......................... www.rockstargames.com тесто c cM а eere вовне онат 112-113 www.tecmoinc.com The SciFl.Channelo eee esee e eres ы re reel em 45 www.Scifi.com/bsrangers UY радове вв јавља ве ву yn завио a D RS 2-3, 141 www.thq.com Titus Software Corporation .................... 185 www.titusgames.com Ubi Soft Entertainment ........................... 107 www.ubisoft.com US Army Command Headquarters ............... 23 www.goarmy.com Vivendi Universal - Sierra On-Line ................ 40-41 www.sierra.com Working Designs ............................ 179 www wnrkinordecionc rnm Hints, codes, reviews, screen shots, release dates, movies, updated everyday. Don't hit start until you hit gamespot.com GAMESPOT {С ) сом Where gamers go to know. 2001 CNET NETWORKS INC. © 1998 ARTDINK. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. CHARACTER DESIGN BY © 1997 HAKUHODO INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. ЛЕЛЕ ——SVMONTHEY, NEXT MONTH March 2002 On sale Feb. 6 Reviewed Next Month: Exposure * State of Emergency (PS2) Next month, EGM heads to Capcom for the scoop on their latest * 90 (GC) 3D adventure, Maximo. Find out if this homage to classic 2D 4 T (GBA) platformers is the first great game of 2002. We also take you to the one school where e (Xbox) dass Nintendes DiziPen, ° e (Khon) Sides eerie at Previewed Next Month: game design. Class begins el (66) in 30 days. " (60) • (Xbox) • (крою) el (крою) • rive (PS2, Xbox) • D II 7 (GBA) e | I (GBA) [к= Ae АА Plav © t ti COMPUTER ay a юп WORLD Feb. 2002 Demo Disc Batman: Vengeance * Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3 * Okage: Shadow King * Dynasty Warriors 3 * SSK Tricky * Final Fantasy X Celebrating what is bound to be one of the biggest games of 2002, Official U.S. PlayStation Magazine gives Final Fantasy X the "big fat review" treatment. Also featured: State of Emergency, Harry Potter and Star Wars: Racer |. Don't miss this issue! Feb. 2002 * Jak and Daxter * Maximo * 007: Agent Under Fire ° FFX Strategy and Tips • Handheld Coverage 192 - egm In their February issue, GameNOW takes an extensive look at Super Smash Bros. Melee. They'll break down char- acter moves, secrets and provide a comprehensive review. The other top review of the month will be Metal Gear Solid 2. If you're stuck, or are curious to see what they thought of the wild plot Î twists, this guide is the place to look. ers.com Feh. 2002 Medal of Honor: Allied Assault blew away everyone who saw it at E3, and now it’s your turn. CGW has an exclusive hands-on look at * Dark Age of EA's stunning World Camelot с War II-era shooter, m He 2 and even better, they redator have the world- • Stronghold exclusive demo so • Myth Ш: you can play it The Wolf Age yourself. Also in this issue, CGW inducts two classic games and one legendary • Empire Earth • Warlords: developer into Battlecry Il the hallowed CGW e NASCAR Racing 5 Hall of Fame. Freedom Force | For years you fought against the Zeon, now fight as one; For the first time, assume the role of a Zeon and take control of an elite mobile suit team, Set in the One Year War, battle against the Earth Federation for independence and control of Earth territories. Control up to three attack teams per mission and devise superior strategies against Earth 1 Federation troops. As the 4 Federation, with their superior pa numbers, launches a massive counter strike on Zeon controlled territories, 3 | show Gundam, once and for all, that | Zeon won't go down without a fight! Hail Zeon! -gamecritics.com т», Г « PlayStation e EEN y е > BAN Violence B DAI пратити = i PlayStation. www.bandaigames:com 8, names, logos; distinctiv jstergftrademáris ol Sony PlayStation.? 5 [177 ЕМЕВУОМЕ www.capcom. maximo.com Violence Made with love’ by: