_ FINALLY...A NEW EVIL ARRIVES...
EES P52 ONLINE: YOUR GUIDE TO ALL THE LAUNCH GAMES
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EXCLUSIVE NEW INFO AND SCREENS!
PLUS: PLENTY MORE FOR FANS OF THE UNDEA Wy: hice
li THE HOUSE OF THE DEAD MOVIE ig Z
i ONIMUSHA 2 ~
Ml ETERNAL DARKNESS
li BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER koa
Mi CASTLEVANIA: HARMONY OF DISSONANCE ~~
a PAGES OF PREVIEWS!
START SAVING YOUR MONEY—A TON. *
KINGDOM HEARTS ‘ .* ‘amie. |
OF GAMES AREHEADED YOUR WAY | |
FINAL FANTASY MEETS DISNEY i >» ~~ * hy
i" eS ae
TOM GLANGY'S SPLINTER CELL vencuatlh i!
|” DISPLAY UNTIL SEPTEMBER 3
THE GAME THAT WILL MAKE YOU GO ' g
“METAL GEAR WHO?”
4 ZIFF DAVIS MEDIA Eoeilam ete
September 2002 $4.99/$6.50 C
: a = ; 09>
AP] PREVIEWED:
™—#® Men in Black II (PS2) ap Tekken 4 (PS2)
-| @ Dead to Rights (Xbox) ~ AR ck = Harry Potter (al | |
-_| ™ Madden NFL 2003 (PS2) — a, eal # TimeSplitters 2 (all) 0 1"14024"06960
_| = Mat Hoffman 2 (PS2) hua m Myst lil: Exile (PS2, Xbox) Fc) V RCN ISS COM
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_ It's time for someone small to do something big. It's up to Stuart to help Margalo return stolen jewelry and
defeat the Falcon. You'll love adventuring as Stuart Little through 7 big levels and 12 mini-games, including
driving his roadster, flying his biplane and, of course, enjoying some awesome skateboard action. It’s the Big ~
Apple. You're the size of a small apple. This isn’t going to be easy.
EVERYONE
COLUMBIA(4.~
CONTENT RATED BY PICTURES :
ESRB ira areaicoatente ,
Stuart Little 2: TM & © 2002 Columbia Pictures Industries, Inc. All rights reserved. Game ©2002 Sony Computer Entertainment Europe."PlayStation” and the "PS" Family logo are
“.
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PLINT E
SELL
“A spectacular-looking,
gizmo-crammed
‘ 9
black-op experience
Electronic Gaming Monthly A February
#1 OPM’s Most Wanted
PS2 Games
Official PlayStation Magazine — February
"I played the PS2 demo,
I was blown away.
PSE2 — March
Releasing Early April 2003
www.splintercell.com
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EXTREMELY REALISTIC EFFECTS AND BRUTAL NEW FATALITIES.
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™ © and the Nintendo GameCube logo are trademarks of Nintendo. SEGA is registered in the U.S. Patent and !
Trademark Office. SEGA and SUPER MONKEY BALL are registered trademarks or trademarks of SEGA CORPORATION or its
affiliates. © AMUSEMENT VISION/SEGA 2001, 2002. All Rights Reserved. DOLE® and DOLE & Sun Design® are registered
trademarks of Dole Food Company, inc. The ratings icon is a trademark of the Interactive Digital Software Association.
CONTENTS
Game Directory
SOROS T RPT ON TROND RN IDR NNEN I DNN A AHNNI NII RI NINN NII
106 Alter Echo
112 Animal Crossing
118 Batman: Dark Tomorrow
130 Battlefield 1942
108 Blade Il
154 Buffy the Vampire Slayer
162 Car Battler Joe
132 Castlevania:
Harmony of Dissonance
156 Dead to Rights
108 Defender
162 Delta Force: Urban Warfare
152 Enclave
160-161 Eternal Darkness
119 Evolution Worlds
150 F1 2002
104 Grandia Xtreme
104 Gungrave
110-111 Harry Potter and the
Chamber of Secrets
124-125 Hitman 2: Silent Assassin
80-82 Kingdom Hearts
148 Madden NFL 2003
148 Mat Hoffman’s Pro BMX 2
162 Mega Man Zero
148 Men in Black II: Alien Escape
128 Myst Ill: Exile
119 Mystic Heroes
150 NCAA College Football 2003
128 NFL Fever 2003
108 NFL GameDay 2003
150 Ninja Assault
Onimusha 2:
Samurai’s Destiny
152 Outlaw Golf
130 Psychonauts
131 Reign of Fire
104 Return to Castle
Wolfenstein
106 RAD: Robot Alchemic Drive
116 Robotech: Battlecry
133 Robotech:
The Macross Saga
131 Seablade
126 Sega GT 2002
105 Simpsons Skateboarding, The
74-75 Sly Cooper and the
Thievius Raccoonus
162 Smuggler’s Run: Warzones
90 SOCOM: U.S. Navy SEALs
150 Street Hoops
106 Summoner 2
133 Super Ghouls ’n Ghosts
118 Super Mario Sunshine
114 Super Monkey Ball 2
72-73
86-88 Tekken 4
152 Tennis
162 Tetris Worlds
98 The Thing
92 TimeSplitters 2
120-122 Tom Clancy’s Splinter Cell
100 Tribes Aerial Assault
107. Turok: Evolution
129 WWE Crush Hour
129 Yager
September 2002 Issue 158
PRODI TOOT POO IORI AAP DUE EP PETES
Departments
ORRIN IPT INI IONE B IO IPO IT IO IIR ARON GRP AI eee
Editorial 11
Letters 18
Press Start 34
Get a sneak peek at the upcoming
House of the Dead movie. Also,
the developers of Stuntman and
Eternal Darkness share their
afterthoughts, and Seanbaby
Shares his pain.
Get to the rotting,
blackened heart of the
Resident Evil series
with our extensive look
at the GameCube
prequel, RE 9, the first
new Evil in two years.
What really happened
in Raccoon City? Find
out on page 136.
Previews 11
This fall promises to be a veritable
gaming onslaught that could
seriously threaten your wallet.
Witness the power and glory of
Splinter Cell for Xbox; Onimusha
2, Tekken 4 and Kingdom Hearts
for the PlayStation 2; and Animal
Crossing for GameCube.
Review Crew 146
Eternal Darkness steps out of the
shadows to be judged, EA’s first
online Madden goes for the extra
point and Buffy the Vampire Slayer
stakes its claim on the Xbox.
Tricks 164
Get down and dirty with some eye-
opening (and skirt-billowing) tricks
for Aggressive Inline. However, the
codes for Stuntman, Medal of
Honor: Frontline and Test Drive are
100% panty-free.
© The Final Word
PlayStation 2 Online is Here
The long-awaited PS2 Network
Adapter is nearly here.
Before you start
spending your dough,
take a look at the first
wave of PS2 online-
ready games on
page 34.
aie al
Splinter Cell Gaui
Tom Clancy’s latest stealthily
invades the Xbox on page 120.
Looking to catch some rays yet
unwilling to turn off your games?
Go mobile with portable screens
On page 50.
178
ey.
B- -BGOEx<28<2<.8
It’s not such a small world after
all when Square and Disney join
forces. See it on page 80.
Color
Doerr PeOPOSPANO OIA NTRP DPI HTP DONOR
ELECTRONIC GAMING MONTHLY (ISSN #1058-918X) is published monthly by Ziff Davis Media Inc., 28 East 28th Street, New York, NY 10016. Periodicals Class Postage Paid at New York, NY 10016 and additional mailing offices. Single
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change and the publisher assumes no responsibility for such changes. The Canadian GST Registration number is 140496720 RT. Decode the code in Tricks of the Trade for a secret URL. Did you find last issue's Easter Egg?
Printed in the USA.
Audit Bureau of Ciradations
ELECTRONIC.
GAMING
By Dan “Shoe” Hsu
EDITORIAL
Editorial 2:
his time last year, | was sitting here think-
ing about all the “holy crap” games |
would be playing soon: Tony Hawk’s Pro
Skater 3, Metal Gear Solid 2, Super Smash
Bros. Melee, Halo, Grand Theft Auto I//, Final
Fantasy X.... After playing those great titles and
holy-crapping my pants, | was left with an,
um...empty feeling inside, so to speak. Now
what? What exciting games could | look forward
to now? The first half of 2002 was pretty bleak.
Fast forward to today. Looking ahead, | see
GIA: Vice City, Resident Evil @, Tony Hawk 4,
Metroid Prime, MGS 2: Substance, Panzer
Dragoon Orta, Contra: Shattered Soldier,
Shinobi.... That familiar feeling in my gut is
coming back....
Hold on. Is that all we can look forward to
nowadays? Sequels? Prequels? Updates?
Director’s cuts? Besides Halo, every game | men-
tioned above is part of a long-running or mega-
popular franchise. As a gaming fan, I’m wonder-
ing if this industry has any originality left in it. I’ll
be awfully sad if it doesn’t.
Then | think about it some more. What the heck
am | complaining about? Having to play all these
things? Pft...someone should kick my ass. I’m
gonna have fun video gaming this fall and winter,
just like | did last year. And hey, if the games
ontributors
Scott has stopped wasting his powers of
annoyance on girlfriends. He now empl
these talents upon itie:
in our new column in Press Start. We pray.
suspecting cele
Our new Tricks Editor has already snuck in
Do we really want this filth in the mag? Skip
k of the book to find out!
After writing for small-potato outlets
The Washington Post and NBC, John fin
hit the big-time in EGM with a report on the
House of the Dead fi
1 in Press Start.
Eat My Shorts!
Same-sex kissing and breast-jiggling cheats.
business Stays alive and healthy because of
making time to bring out some non-franchise
titles. Leave it up to the hardware makers (first
parties) to lead by example. Sony, for instance, is
trying out new characters in Ratchet & Clank and
Sly Cooper (though they’re somewhat forced to
Since Crash Bandicoot is no longer their proper-
ty). Microsoft is breaking new ground with Blinx,
which uses the Xbox hard drive to record game-
play so you can mess with it using “time control.’
Then Nintendo is giving us Animal Crossing,
which defies categorization. We’re not even sure
this fruitcake of a game even has a point! But,
like with Pikmin, we’re glad Nintendo’s not
putting all of its eggs into the proven-franchise
basket. Look for previews of Sly and Animal in
this issue, Blinx last month, and Ratchet the
month before. Then make sure you put those
titles on your to-watch-for lists. If these games
turn out to be as fun as we predict they’ll be,
then we should all support them with our dollars.
That’s the only way game companies will know
we want new and original experiences.
But then again, that money will probably only
ensure that we get Sly Cooper 2, Blinx 2....
5, We d never attempt to explain the
brutal enigma that is Mr. Baby in this tiny
» Or
> :
Space —head to |
seanbal om and taste the adventure!
Dam who took the PlaySt.
Linux kit for a game-making |
ION 2
yride in our
Press Start section
n’s exploits don’t stop at EGM.
Christi
r for Anime Invasion at
He’s been writing
AnimeJump.com, as well as sneaking into
the Official Xbox Magazine....
Just a few of the quotes from issue #157:
e “The dishes are done, man!” (Don’t Tell Mom the
Babysitter’s Dead, pg. 79)
e “| don’t like the sand. It’s coarse and rough and
irritating, and it gets everywhere. Not like here.
Here, everything’s soft...and smooth.” (Star Wars
Episode II: F’ the Fans, pg. 52)
Issue #156’s winners of World Series Baseball (XB):
Zach Dillow—Aurora, CO
Nathan Sharpe—St. Rome, NY
Justin Rice —Fairfax, VA
Alan Urtz
SE <
EarthLink
10d
’
Dan “Shoe” Hsu @ shoe@ziffdavis.com
iffdavis.com
Dean Hager * dean_hager
Mark MacDonald ¢ mark_macdor
eg sewart
Jonathan Dudlak © jonathz
n* jeanne
James Mielke * james
Che Chou ¢ che chou
Q@zift
GQ
my Scott, Seanbaby,
s.com
Cyril Wochok ¢ cyril_ wochok@ziffd
Mike Reisel © mike_reisel@ziffdavis.com
jennifer Whitesides
Carlos Lugo
Narie Miguel
iffdavis.com
D
e Strang
John Davison
Simon Cox
Shirley Viel
Don Galen
or, San Francisco, CA 94105
800-779-1174 (U.S. and Canada)
http://service.egmmag.com
P.O. Box 55722, Boulder, CO 80322-5722
7-8782 © mary_gray@ziffdavis.com
f
1 ® marc_callison@ziffdavis.com
57-4925 * ian_sinc ziffdavis.com
415-3
Emily Olman
415-357-5226 ® emily_ olman@ziffdavis.com
on@ziffdavis.com
Tipler Ubbelohde
415-357-4930 ® tipler_ubbelot
ziffdavis.com
Ce
Kristeen | TT
415-547-8778 ® kristeen_laut@ziffdavis.com
C) Amit ——
415-547-8783 © c|_amit@ziffdavis.com
Steve Harris
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SHEIOCION Ho
Want to know how
realistic NFL Fever ’03 is?
Take a number.
1 - Customize your plays to throw off the D
2 - Someone should’ve used the bump-n’-run
3 - Updated home and away uniforms
4 - One very frustrated defensive coach
5 - Dramatic camera angles take you all over the field
6 - 60+ teams mean over 1800 possible match-ups
7 - Player physiques from L to XXXXXL
8 - Updated player rosters
9 - Helmets that reflect the playing environment
10 - Unique player faces
11 - NFL newbies, the Houston Texans
12 - Watch your shadow as you drop back
13 - Where you sweat — they sweat
14 - Shirtless guy with a painted face being loud
15 - Use Hot Routes to exploit the defense
16 - Cameraman hoping not to be plowed over
17 - Total control over the weather — no, not in domes
18 - Go from clipboard holder to MVP in Career Mode
19 - Realistic blocking schemes
20 - Tougher Al anticipates your moves
Feel it.
Beas ital Use exclusive stteet moves Kot virtual ash ov) Cs mize your look. hoe
on (2. Amazing Whe country including Ruckes Fark. winnings 42 buy new gear. fom |-on-l ts S-on-S,
and more.
Z
Ce slo ovtiiy
i h
‘ Gambling
7 a , Strong Lyrics
Aci VISION. -
activision.com Me Mp : © 2002 Activision, Inc. and its affiliates. All rights reserved, Published and distributed by Activision Publishing, Inc. Developed by Black Ops Entertainment, Inc. Activision is a registered trademark and Street Hoops is a trademark of
rr Activision, Inc, and its affiliates. All rights reserved. Licensed. for play on the PlayStation*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. All rights reserved. Microsoft, Xbox and the Xbox logos are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Microsoft Corporation in the U.S. and/or in other countries and
are used under license from Microsoft. All rights reserved. TM, ® and the Nintendo GameCube logo are trademarks of Nintendo. © 2001 Nintendo. All rights reserved. The ratings icon is a registered trademark of the Interactive Digital
Software Association. All other trademarks and trade names are the property of their respective owners. er ed
»= Streethoopsgame.com
ck th
Rock the gear. Ro
The evil Nobunaga’s demon warriors wreak
BEST PS2 ADVENTURE
GAME E3 2002 - IGN
havoc across feudal Japan. A noble young
warrior, Jubei, returns home to find his once-
vibrant village laid to waste by Nobunaga's
monstrous minions. Fueled by vengeance,
Jubei embarks on an epic quest; one which
will reveal his ultimate destiny.
On this magical journey, you must earn the
respect of confidants to help the valiant
Jubei battle demons, hideous bosses, and
overcome ingenious puzzles. Only then
will you defeat the pillaging hordes.
MATURE
Violence
Blood and Gore
capcom.com PlayStations2
©CAPCOM CO.. LTD. 2002 ©CAPCOM U.S.A.. INC. 2002. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. CAPCOM and the CAPCOM logo are reaisiered trademarks of CAPCOM CO.. LTD. ONIMUSHA
is a trademark of CAPCOM CO., LTD. Character Yagyu Jubei by OYusaku Matsuda Office Saku. Characters: OCROWD/OCAPCOM CO. LTD. 2002. “PlayStation” and the “PS”
Family logo are registered trademarks of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. The ratings icon is a registered trademark of the Interactive Digital Software Association L se 1
Congratulations
Steve
Morrison!
You win an
InterAct
GameShark for
PlayStation 2,
PlayStation,
Dreamcast,
Nintendo 64 or
Game Boy Color.
2
RANDOM PIC OF THE MONTH
~ — justin Bailey, by Bryan Erck
“A tribute to the password code that
@ , lets you play as Samus in a sexy
w bikini in the original Metroid. Send
LETTER OF THE MONTH
Nintendon’t Deliver
| want to ask if any of you feel the pain
| do in being the owner of a
GameCube. When | bought this little
monster, my siblings and | read your
reviews and found that it was the
machine for us—games, games, and,
uh, more games. Right? Wrong! Six
months later, we feel like a guy
crawling through the desert who has to
choke down the septic-tank sludge he
stumbles upon just because there’s
nothing better. With the GameCube,
you always feel like you’re waiting for
the goods in the middle of a draught.
Mario? August. Starfox? September.
And Metroid? Sweet Metroid comes out
in November! With a dearth of games,
Well, you're not alone in feeling
this way about the GC, Steve—we've
been hearing similar complaints for
awhile now. The ’Cube has been
blessed with some top-notch titles—
Smash Bros., Rogue Leader, Pikmin,
Monkey Ball and Resident Evil all
earned high marks here at EGM, and
five exclusive, must-own games is
pretty good for any system’s first six
months. Yet, for serious gamers, a
few great games is not enough. They
want a steady stream of new
releases, so Nintendo’s “quality over
quantity” philosphy doesn’t satisfy.
The GC will never surpass PS2 in
the volume of new releases (we’d
love to be proven wrong), but at least
are you guys tempted to give
GameCube review games some
sympathy points because there is a
total lack of choice as to what to play?
Where are the GameCube’s killer apps?
Xbox and PS2 came out with more than
three good games in one season...why
can’t GameCube?
Please Sir, i'd like
More Gore
| have always been a die-hard Capcom
fan, or more specifically, a Resident
Evil fan, but | have a major problem
with the new remake for GameCube. |
believe Capcom has gone soft. | mean,
Sure the overall production values are
very high, but there is hardly any gore.
| want gore. If they’re even gonna
bother making the game look so damn
good, why not let the zombies and
other enemies literally fly apart when
you use an awesome weapon on
them? Come on, nothing even happens
to a zombie when you hit ’em with the
unlockable rocket launcher, except
knock them back. You might as well be
throwing a brick because you'll get the
same results.
Travis Snowberger
Columbia, Maryland
the dark days of the Nintendo 64
draught are behind us. As for
sympathy points—no. And you
answered your own question
regarding killer apps. (Super Mario
Sunshine, Starfox aand Metroid
Prime are all due later this year.) In
the meantime, try reading our GC
Steve Morrison
Kalama, WA
The probable answer, as it is so
often with game development, is
time —or lack thereof. If you read our
Afterthoughts interview with
Capcom in the July issue, you know
that much of Resident Evil came
also cut from RE, probably for
similar reasons.
figured I’d already read it since |
previews with a jar of vaseline by
your side to, um...rub out the angst.
Beach volleyball -
with the Dead or
Alive girls? Come
on. Enough with —
the tease of these
: girls in Skimpy
together at the last minute, so even outfits. They
little changes like zombies blowing should just
apart could have delayed the game’s bate ey
‘ ‘ ; at they really
release. As an interesting side note, want to release-
an unlockable laser weapon was an NC-17 DoA.
When will Tecmo
have the grape-
fruits to do it?
- beyondESP
Do it For Baby Moses Ghomnace
I’m writing to let you folks know that | pasa ae
u ure it —
have never read anything funnier than now Deed
Seanbaby’s piece on the 20 worst Alive 4:
games of all time in your 150th issue. | XXXtreme
Hardcore. Think
that sucker
passed by it the first time, but ona would sell?
second look, | somehow missed this
Electronic Ga
| your image of any gaming-related
moments to the addresses on page
22 with subject line “Random Pic.”
cnvocnnrnccrie
sucker. | almost died laughing from his
hilarious observations. After reading
what he wrote on the Bible
Adventures’ Baby Moses game, |
literally sprayed my soda all over the
page. | liked it so much | let a bunch of
my friends read it. Keep up the good
work and keep us all laughing and
dreading the worst games in the world.
And please, let’s have a moment of
silence for Baby Moses on the bottom
of the river with the spiders.
Chris Layfield
halfnamek@yahoo.com
Thanks for the kind words Chris.
Seanbaby endured much hardship,
not to mention countless crap
games, to bring you that special
report. Don’t miss his 30 Games in
30 Days feature this issue, starting
on page 48.
8)
for the separation of church and games.
sony’s Online Love
Don't Cost a Thing
OK, my friends and | are a little
confused about playing PS2 games
online. In issue 157, you said “o: cost
per month to play PS2 games online.”
Does that mean that outside of the
cost for the adapter, my monthly cost
for an Internet provider (which |
already have), and the game, playing
the PS2 online is free?
Atticus Polston
Cedarburg, WI
That’s right, Atticus — outside of the
costs you mention, it’ll be free to
play PS2 games online. Under
Sony’s plan, each game’s publisher
either sets up their own expensive
central server or uses the cheaper
peer-to-peer method. (Since peer-to-
NINTERDO
GAMECUBE
EVERYONE
Comic Mischeif , e WE GALL IT SLUGFEST FOR A REASON Wwww.midwaysports.net
Violence
CONTENT RATED BY
ESRB
MLE™ Suglest@ 20:05 © 2002 Midway Amusement Games, LLC. Ad rights reserved. SLUGFEST, MIDWAY and the Midway loges are trademarks of Midway Amusement Games, LLC. Used by permission. Major League Baseball trademarks and hts are used ¥
license by Midway Home Entertaiament inc. 1M, C®, Came Bay Advance and the Nintendo GameCube loge are trademarks of Nintendo. “PlayStation” and the "PS" Family loge are registered trademarks ef Sony Computer Eetertaiament lac. Micresel!, Xbox, 2nd the Xbax tog
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LETTERS
THE INFO
Juicyinfo
scraps from |
theEGM
‘dinner table, —
is Counter-Strike:
Condition Zero
coming out on
consoles before —
the PC version?
Luis Serrano
__ Iserrano
| @suffolk.lib.sny.us
No. We know
Counter-Strike is
on its way to the |
Xbox sometime
next year, but
it’s not even |
clear yet which _
incarnation of —
the game it will —
be. CS:CZ wilt
definitely arrive
on the PC first
this Christmas. —
There was
obviouslya
playable version
of Soul Calibur 2
at the 2002 E3_
game expo. Why |
Roinie:......
.. Babelfish4a@
aol.com
indeed, SC2(in —
arcade form) was
shown behind _
closed doors at
E3, but being ©
protective of an
unfinished game,
Namco kicked us
off the machine
afteronlyio
minutes of ass —
kicking. We'll _
definitely have a
better hands-on
reportinthe
coming months.
Can you save PS1
games ona PS2_
memory card?
.. fshizer
-@weta.net
‘Yes,youcan
store PS: files to
a PS2 card, but
you can only do ©
itviathe PS2
‘memory menu. —
peer connections happen directly
between your and somebody else’s
PS2’s, you’re vulnerable to lag when
some dweeb with a slow connection
hosts or joins your game.) With the
Xbox Live online package, Microsoft
themselves are setting up central
servers to host all first and third-
party titles, so you’ll have the same
consistent and speedy service for
every Xbox game you play. The
catch? It’ll cost 50 bucks.
What sells gaming hardware more than
anything? Exclusives. What is the best
way to sell your console to the gaming
public? Exclusives. This rule has made
and broken many a console company.
These days, however, the word
“exclusive” is becoming a pure
marketing gimmick to make us buy
more consoles than we necessarily
need, just for an “exclusive” game that
goes multi-platform in six months. Just
look at Metal Gear Solid 2, Dead to
Rights...the list of games going multi-
platform goes on and on. Dead or Alive
2 was Dreamcast-only for six months,
then comes out for the PS2 as DoA2:
Hardcore. | guess you can never take a
publisher’s word on anything that is
labeled “exclusive” anymore.
Eddie Rivera
ninjascroll@earthlink.net
Aw Eddie, turn that frown upside
down! While true third-party
exclusives are more rare these days,
that’s usually a good thing. More
and more of these “time exclusive”
titles are offering extras once they
they finally go multi-platform. Xbox
hermits who haven’t played Metal
Gear Solid 2 yet have all the VR
training missions and other goodies
to look forward to in Substance. Or
take the rumored Xbox version of
VF4, said to include new characters
from the Evolution arcade update.
Even that DoA2 Hardcore you
mention added some extra costumes
over the DC version.
NY — mm
Jake Slate “persuades” a PS2 owner to
buy an Xbox to play Dead to Rights a few
months earlier.
Choose a Control
scheme, Choose Life
I’ve recently noticed a disturbing trend.
Games on older systems like Nintendo
64 and PS1 used to feature fully
customizable controls. But lately,
games only give you a few control
options (such as A, B, or C) and that’s
it. Why the shift away from letting the
player set up the controls the way they
are most comfortable with? This is
So you’ve just finished reading the magazine from
cover to cover, but you want more EGM? May we
suggest the EGM message boards, viewed daily by
literally thousands of other gamers just like you? Hit
egm.gamers.com and strike up a conversation today!
“Luckily, | didn't buy MSG2. People called me crazy for not buying it, but look
who’s laughing now.” —Lost_In_Zebes
i¢ ‘ 4
“It’s a scam! Scam | tell you! They’re just trying to get everybody to buy the
game twice! They'll be rich and they know it! I’m still buying it.” —FF_Jason
Which console (PS2, Xbox or
GC) are you most excited to
play online and why?
| can’t wait for Xbox online! Forget Halo 2,
Dead or Alive Xtreme Volleyball Online is
where it’s at.
cochino8@earthlink.net
I’m not interested in online gaming at all. |
wanna see more games with a strong single-
player mode.
Blazehgehg@aol.com
Go online? | can’t afford a console modem. |
mow the lawn for an adult-toy store! GBA
Internet all the way!
cv_symphony@yahoo.com
PS2! Man, | can hardly wait for SOCOM: U.S.
Navy SEALs to come out. This will change
online gaming forever!
faipmode7@hotmail.com
PS2 for SOCOM: U.S. Navy SEALs! Nothing
like screaming into a headset and annoying
other players.
angrygamero2@yahoo.com
Well let’s see...! don’t own an Xbox, so that’s
out. GameCube has ONE announced online
title, so looks like it’ll be PS2!
hate_them_yanks@hotmail.com
| have been a Resident Evil fan since | was
just a wee gamer. So I’ll have to go with the
PS2 for Resident Evil Online. | want to play a
zombie and eat other people!
Choking666Victim@aol.com
Definitely PS2, if only for Final Fantasy XI.
Starcraft819@aol.com
PS2 of course. Who wants to pay for Xbox
Live anyways?
Bmcarthur8@aol.com
GameCube of course! Come on, heard of
Phantasy Star Online? Sheesh.
xgcngamerx@email.com
Next Month’s Question
of the Moment:
What's the worst game
you've ever purchased? Why
was it so had?
Send your brief, coherent
responses to: EGM@ziffdavis.com
with the subject heading:
Horror Story
PlayStation.
—
SITET PILING
“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. Angel Studios and the Angel Studios logo are —_—
J d ——
~ trademarks of Angel Studios. © 2002 Rockstar Games, Inc. Rockstar Games f+ + 4 ©
we a and the Rockstar Games logo are registered trademarks of Take-Two Interactive wee counterbalance
Software, Inc. Rockstar Games is a subsidiary of Take-Two Interactive Software,
— 4 Inc. All Rights Reserved.
LETTERS
especially noticable on games like
Halo. The lack of options can seriously
detract from your overall enjoyment
when there are no presets you
particularly like and you are forced to
choose the least awkward controls for
your style of play.
Robert Toppin
kthulug43@hotmail.com
Tell us about it! We know presets are
included to make things easy for
mainstream players, but we can think
of more than a few games that would
really benefit from user-customizable
controls, Halo being one good
example (how often do you really use
crouch on the left thumbstick?). It
seems like a pretty quick and easy
thing for developers to include— after
all, if they can let us design an entire
3D skate park in Tony Hawk’s Pro
Skater 3, we’re pretty sure they can
handle assigning “jump” to the X
button. We say, include the presets
for all the general public, but give us
gamers the option to map our own
buttons as well.
| just read your reviews of Stuntman on
the PS2 in the August issue, and | got
to agree with Greg Sewart on this one.
To me, it seems that Crispin and Mielke
based their scores on the extreme
difficulty factor of Stuntman, but | say
we need more games that raise the bar
on what we call, in this day and age,
“difficult”. Stuntman brought a tear to
my eye as | broke my $34.95 controller
because it made me so nostalgic about
old-school gaming, back when | had to
oo ef
- F aii us ; saieaeniaies
Stuntmam:. challenging reminder of the
“good ol’ days,” or frustrating exercise
in repetition-you make the call.
You can write EG! at:
EGM Letters
Please note: We reserve the right to edit any correspondence for space
PO. Box 3338 purposes. If you don’t want your name, city/state or E-mail address
printed, tell us so (but please include your phone number, mailing address
Oak Brook, IL and system preference for Letter of the Month prize consideration).
60522-3338
Also note: We just can’t write back to everyone who writes in, but make your
comments constructive or at least humorous and you might get sumpin’ back!
E-mail: EGM@ziffdavis.com
take blood-pressure pills in order to
play Shinobi and X-Men on the
Genesis. | don’t like spending $50-$60
on a game only to beat it without
SHORTS
lwasjust I took all my
breaking a sweat. wondering if you allowance with
Chris Hatcher know if Simp- different dominations
hatchman3@comcast.net sons Skate- and wrote: “EGM on
boarding is
CNN - Thurs. @
4:45pm PST” ona
total of 20 bills, adding up to $125.
Money spreads fast, people coast to
coast will see this message.
Philip DeSouza
Sacramento, CA
coming to Game-
Cube. | hope it
does because |
think it would be
great to skate-
board as Marge.
That’s the very reason we have three
reviewers for most every title. Just as
Sewart’s opinion spoke to the patient
gamer inside of you, plenty of other
folks agreed with our complaints of
the game. So the next time Greg tommy_boyi2@h
reviews a racing game, you should otmail.com
know who to listen to. As for modern Got a neat, legal stunt that promotes
games being too easy, by in large Wait, you EGM? Send it along with some proof
, : actually want to i :
you may be right, but try getting 20 sivad o bork (we need a picture or something) to
KOs in Cruel Melee to unlock Sonic with ol’ Marge? EGM@ziffdavis.com with subject
and Tails in Super Smash Bros Melee. — Game. heading, “I am a good EGM citizen.”
idea. Ever.
Now THAT’s hard. You could win cool stuff!
LETTER ART: THE ONLY GOOD THING IN THE MAIL
Letter Art of the Month WINNER
| Not Quite Sharkworthy...
Nice use of the whole envelope here...
.
Ebook driv
riateebtlababicrteatale ee bets
3.~ 3358
ad
annannnnnvinremmnenanaennsentinnattassssnstsegeacnash
We don't know what the hell’s going on in this envelope, but
we like it. And it’s absolutely right about the bomb thing.
Nice work, Royce McLean. Your prize
is leaving our extremely slow |
shipping center- it’s an
InterAct GameShark for
PlayStation 2, PlayStation,
Dreamcast, Nintendo 64 or
Game Boy Color.
xs
Bek Emer TL
ASTRALTETA
eainnoecensannndannssonanansanansnassaans
Se
SASS SELON NOREEN BD LLCOE
Bunthoeun Hack
Oakland, CA
Get creative with your postal supplies. Deck out a #10 envelope
(the long, business type) with your own unique touch. Send
letter art to:
EGM Letter Art, P.O. Box 3338
Oak Brook, IL 60522-3338
(or E-mail EGM@ziffdavis.com)
Make sure you send us your address and console of choice for your
GameShark prize in the event that you win. One sure way to not
win is to trace something and send it in. We see all the ads and
artwork, boys and girls, and can tell when something's been traced.
Once we look at all the entries, we usually use the envelope
remains as lining for EGM's official pet hamster's (Honeydew, The
Funderful Muse) cage, so don’t expect anything back.
Luke Ellison
| Toledo, OH
For Letter of the Month and Letter Art of the Month contests, no purchase is necessary. But come on, how may of these contests have been won by people who don't actually make that purchase? You think we're gonna let you win if you just send us
art without reading the mag? Okay, we have to, but we won't like it. Official contest rules can be obtained by writing: EGM Contests-Legal Rules Request, P.0. Box 3338, Oak Brook, IL 60522-3338. Rules can also be found online at egm.gamers.com.
miecrronic Gaming Monthly ; 24 = 821. 2aMers.com
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EVERYONE
Visit www.esrb.org or
call 1-800-771-3772
for Rating Information.
© 2002 Electronic Arts Inc. Electronic Arts, EA SPORTS, the EA SPORTS logo, John Madden Football, and If it's in the Game, It's in the Game are trademarks or registered trademarks of Electronic Arts Inc. in the
U.S. and/or other countries. All rights reserved. © 2002 NFL Properties LLC. Team names and logos are trademarks of the teams indicated. All other (NFL-related marks) are trademarks of the National Football
League. Officially licensed product of PLAYERS INC. The PLAYERS INC logo is registered trademark of the NFL players. www.nflplayers.com © 2002 PLAYERS INC. TM, ®, and the Nintendo GameCube logo are
trademarks of Nintendo. “PlayStation® and the "PS" Family logo are registered trademarks of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. Microsoft, Xbox and the Xbox Logos are either registered trademarks or trademarks
of Microsoft Corporation in the U.S. and/or in other countries and are used under license from Microsoft. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners. EA SPORTS™is an Electronic Arts™ brand,
B ect eyaics Magy?
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Where the players play. NIADDEN M
2003
SHIPS 8/13
NFL
madden2003.com PLAYERSZ | preerayees
See eens
What you need to know about
taking your PS2 online this fall.
Ou may not realize it, but right now 30
million people are out there waiting to
| kick your ass.
That’s the current number of PS2 owners
worldwide, and come the launch of the
Network Adapter on August 27th, all of them
will have their chance to jump online and take
their best shot.
At first, that’ll be the sole focus of PS2
online—games. But eventually, as Sony
President and COO Kaz Hirai reminds
everyone, it’ll be capable of much more. “Our
overall vision for our online strategy [is] to
provide compelling entertainment,” he says,
“whether it be games, motion pictures, music,
or other content, through an always-on
broadband network.” Exciting isn’t it? But
there may also be a price—you won’t need to
pay anything to take your PS2 online anytime
soon, but Hirai says some kind of subscription
pay-to-play model may happen in the future,
when stuff like downloading music and movies
to your PS2 becomes a reality.
“Whoa, whoa, whoa,” you say. “Enough of
this crazy talk of the future, with its
downloadable movies, flying cars, jive-talking
robots and psychics who see murders before
they happen—August 27th is just around the
corner. What about the here and now?” Glad
you asked. Here’s a quick checklist of
everything you need to know before launch.
clectronic Gaming Mon -egm.gamers.com
Here’s what your $39.99 gets you once the
adapter goes on sale:
| | this fits on the back of
your PS2 where it says Expansion Bay (screw
it in using a nickel). It’s got a phone jack for
Standard dial-up connections, and an ethernet
port for those with DSL or cable modems.
Includes a help video to
walk you through installation step by step, a
couple playable game demos (Frequency
Online and Madden NFL 2003), and different
Internet Service Provider (ISP) packages, so
you Can sign up and get going quick even if
you don’t already have an ISP.
K: Hell yeah!
| | &
What you’ll need on your end to play oN
tne,
Online PS2 games:
> (well, obviously).
PS2 ME! with at
least 137KB of free space
to store your configuration.
(to tighten the
screws that attach the
adapter to the back of
your PS2).
...this fall as well, with a $50 starter pack that includes a year-long subscription to
the service and a headset mic. We took the Xbox Live network for an unofficial test
drive this month with NFL Fever 2003 and came away impressed. Over the course of
two bitterly fought duels between EGM’s San Francisco and Chicago-based offices,
gameplay was, for the most part, smooth as a baby’s behind. And despite the odd-
fitting headset, voice communication was flawless, with a variety of vocal effects.
Sony CEA
A quick rundown of all the online-enabled titles you’ll be able to play August 27
the first month after the adapter goes on sale: Broadband and
narrowband
2-4
Remix tunes with up to three other friends in this ’net-enabled
version of Sony’s music game. If you have the retail version of
Frequency (available now), you can play additional songs online
not included on this free disc.
989 Sports
August 13
Broadband and narrowband
2-8 online (2 PS2
with multi-taps), 1-8 offline
989 Sports promises smoother graphics,
smarter A.|. and better control over last year. Online features
Mail in the card included with include USB keyboard support, up to eight players (Madden limits
the PS2 online adapter and you to only two) and the ability to join a game already in progress.
Sony CEA Sony will ship you this online-
August 27 (via only version of their car combat
mail-in certificate) game, free of charge. Face off in
: Broadband and Deathmatch, Last Man Eidos
narrowband Standing, Man Hunt (everyone September
2-8 hunts one guy), or Collector Broadband and
broadband, 2 narrowband (grab a bunch of items first). narrowband
2-16
broadband, 2-4 narrowband,
1-4 split-screen or 1-16 via
i.Link system link offline
SOCOM has realism, and
Tribes its strategy elements,
but where to turn for a
shooter with straight, arcadey
deathmatchin’? Enter
TimeSplitters 2 with its bevy
of multiplayer modes,
options, weapons and
characters to choose from.
This high-flying first-person
Sierra shooter puts emphasis on team-
September based gameplay as well as
Broadband and support roles (repair turrets,
narrowband build base defenses, etc.) fora
2-16 deeper experience that goes
broadband, 2-4 narrowband, beyond simple deathmatching. Don’t miss reviews of all these
1-2 offline games, plus a how-to guide for
getting your PS2 online. *
See page 100 for more info.
n army of the undead will come face to
™ horribly lacerated face with a group of
3 a scantily clad young partiers next
“ i spring. That’s when The House of the
Dane live-action movie based on Sega’s
series of light-gun shoot-’em-ups—shuffles
into theaters. “We’re looking at this film as
Buffy meets Night of the Living Dead,” says
executive producer Mark Altman. “It starts off
fun and light but becomes darker and brutally
Jonathon Cherry
(Final Destination 2)
‘plays the movie's
hero, Rudy.
geo ele
California Bay Area three-bedroom house, huge
yard, zombies nearby. $400,000 or best offer.
horrific along the way.”
Here’s the setup: A group of University of
Washington students heads to a rave just off
the northern state’s coast on Isla del Morte
(aka Island of the Dead for those who don’t
habla Espanol). The island also happens to be
infested with zombies, who infect all the
ravers. The survivors must then find a way off
the island, but not without first touring the
house of the dead and scoring hundreds of
zombie frags along the way.
Students? Raves? Sounds more like / Know
What You Did Last Summer Part Five than the
game we know. But the movie packs more
connections to the light-gun shooters than a
quick plot summary reveals. “The familiar AMS
agents from the first House of the Dead game,
Rogan and G, make an appearance in the
movie,” says Altman, who co-wrote the script
after playing through the digital House library.
“And a plot twist occurs in the film that
involves Dr. Curien from the first game. We
also added other elements from the games,
including the moss and water zombies, the
weapon-carrying zombies and the kids
brandishing shotguns—which is the gun of
choice in the House of the Dead II! [Xbox].”
Hordes of slack-jawed undead and screamin’
The producers of the $12 million House movie invited Peter
Moore, president of Sega of America, and Rikiya Nakagawa,
creator of The House of the Dead, to become zombies for the
flick (pictured at left). In addition to making their Hollywood
debut next spring, Moore and Nakagawa were digitized and will
make cameos in The House of the Dead III (Xbox) this October.
OS SI OPER T BINT D EAPO RD PPE IN PON ONIN PAID TINO OOTP A
teens with shotguns sound like the perfect
fixin’s for an R-rated blood buffet; this flick’s
creators aren’t afraid of missing out on the kid
audience. “We have ample death and
dismemberment and a few bare breasts for
good measure,” Altman says. Uwe Boll, the
German director behind the game-to-film
adaptation, adds that “the R rating isn’t a
hindrance and will allow us to deliver a good,
fast zombie movie. Unlike Resident Evil, where
the zombies were slow, we have all kinds of
creatures on our island—some can jump high,
some vomit acid that burns your skin, and
—The House of the Dead producer Mark Altman
others are really fast.”
Sega plans to use the house built for the
movie as a location in the third game, along
with a swamp set and cave full of relics. And
the film’s boss-style bad guy, Castillo, who’s
literally an amalgamation of sewn-up body
parts, may be a future addition to the games
as well. Meanwhile, Altman already has a
trilogy of films mapped out, with the next
movie tying into elements of the third game.
But let’s not get ahead of ourselves—video-
game movies can be hit-or-miss, and it’s too
early to tell if this is another Tomb Raider
smash or merely a Final Fantasy dud. it
—John Gaudiosi and Chris Johnston
E EVERYTHING EXPIRES
Open your fridge and take a big fat
whiff of your milk. Nothing lasts
forever. So get your butt movin’.
USE COMMON SENSE
Anything claiming to be free has
KNOW YOUR CODES
Open all levels with this cheat?
Maybe. If not, try dialin’ it. You
might just get yourself a date.
to be a sure thing. Unlike your last
date, this one is for real.
TRIM HERE
Rip it, tear it, or
pull it out. Whatever
you do, DON’T run
with scissors.
Pe OSORIO TORINO EDDA OA OO OID OOH PU PA PA ORR IE?
deooeooeroooneosns
sceaseaatiaastasanessananacenneceusaseneaemenomeen RSDP P RADI HRIR ISDE NRIDROETTRORRIEEOS ee rp ROO URE RTE
SPP ORAM
SOMEBODY'S WATCHING YOU
We’re guessing if you’ve played through Eternal Darkness, |
you’ve witnessed the scenes with Alex’s grandfather’s
ghost hovering over her shoulder as she reads the Tome.
Four such visitations occur randomly throughout the game
and build toward the climax, revealing a surprising secret.
To find out more about the game’s secrets, you can read _
the full text of our interview with director Denis Dyack on -
our web site at egm.gamers.com. The Darkness comes!
EHO ORDO RRO OOOH TDS SRN
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If you haven’t
already played through Eternal Darkness
once (or at least part way), then skip over
these next two pages. They’ve got
and may ruin your enjoyment. Still with us?
Good. Now, for the rest of you eager to get
the scoop on ED’s secrets, we spoke with
Denis Dyack, president of developer Silicon
Knights and the game’s director. Here’s
what he had to say:
EGM: How did the original concept of
Eternal Darkness come about?
Denis Dyack: Well, we wanted to create
something different within the horror genre
that wouldn’t be called survival horror. A lot of
people here and around the world are
Resident Evil fans, and we knew RE was done
well, but we really didn’t want to recreate that
game. A lot of people will initially compare ED
to RE, but hopefully they won’t after playing it.
EGM: The story in ED is deep but isn’t
overwhelming. It doesn’t get caught up in
explaining everything.
DD: We have a very Shakespearean
philosophy. What Shakespeare used to do is
write dirty jokes for everyone who’s inebriated
in the front rows. Then he’d also write very
cerebral metaphors for the aristocracy in the
balconies. And what he’d try to do is please as
many people as possible, but he also wrote
his plays in a way so you didn’t have to
[understand] everything to enjoy it. Our job as
designers and creators is to make sure that
we please as many people as possible. We
constructed the game so that if you didn’t care
about the story, you could still have fun
playing it. But those people who really are
interested in story can dig—and there’s a lot
to dig. We’re hoping people will be talking
about Eternal Darkness well after they play it.
EGM: So what's your favorite of all the
chapters in the game?
DD: There are many, but I’d have to say my
personal favorite is Paul Luther’s. | think
because one of the things about horror that
The Really, Really, Really Bad _
If you were low on sanity at the end of
Karim’s chapter, the message at right
might’ve made you throw down your
controller in disgust (or at least, start
the upswing). “We think [that’s] a big
fear,” Dyack tells us. “A game gets
going and you think ‘hey, this is pretty
cool’ and then it says ‘To be
continued...’ We think that’s a bad
thing to do to players. It’s our job to
satisfy gamers, and when people buy
a game, they want to get their money’
worth. So doing something like
that...the expression | like to use is pull senple’ s sank down just tr a ‘second and then
say, ‘oh, don’t worry—we won’t do that to you.’” Take that, Soul Reaver.
can really get clichéd is you have this
character that appears to be weak, fights
back, grows and overcomes these
overwhelming odds. | think we really break
that stereotype with this chapter. When
people get to the end of that chapter, our
hope is that their jaws will just drop. Did that
Surprise you?
EGM: Yeah it did. His and Peter Jacob’s
chapter were both very surprising. Those
two stories are so connected. There’s a
scene in Luther’s chapter where he walks
into the balcony area of the cathedral and
sees the future (in black and white) of WWI
in Peter Jacob’s chapter with the medical
supplies and tents—the makeshift hospital.
And as Peter Jacob we saw the reverse.
DD: A sanity effect.
EGM: That was really cool, but does that
effect happen toe everybody?
DD: |t depends on your sanity level and what
you do. That’s an example of a sanity effect
that we gave a dramatic impact. Some players
may not get that at all, some players may only
get one, and some might get both. If you get it
as Paul Luther, it’s a bit of foreshadowing.
You’re going to be in there and wonder, “What
is all this? This makes no sense.” If you’re
there as Peter Jacob, it’s like, “Wow, what am |
doing back here?”
EGM: You get a different ending after you’ve
finished all three alignments by playing
A RIT AAAI SIRI SIRI RSA SEER ARIES ASAE E EARP EAA DAR DRE APE EOS OEREEA,PE ROVE ROP ITER AERE EPSP ANE ACTASET
KRIS NOTES
CHAPTER I: THE ART OF WAR
Get ready for one beautifully brutal fighting game.
SETTING
The world of The Mark of Kri” is a primitive and savage place. [owns
and cities struggle to survive in a world filled with rampaging marauders. It
is a world in which magic is practiced, but secretly. Grounded in realism,
the magic that is used is subtle but powerful.
Wap
LIST OF CHARACTERS
Rau
The main character. A large and intimidating warrior, unmatched in
skill and strength. Separated from his people early in life, he has been raised
by a grizzled veteran of countless wars named Baumusu. As Rau grew to
manhood, Baumusu taught him the art of combat. When he is not using
stealth to take out an enemy, Rau has four weapons. [hey are:
* Broadsword/ Dagger as
¢ Taiaha (Spear) a
¢ Bow/Arrow : a _
Kuzo | ——
A large black bird. Rau’s trusted friend and spirit guide. Rau has the
power to see through the eyes of Kuzo. He is Rau’s eyes and ears, helping
Rau scout unknown territory.
Baumusu
Taught Rau how to fight. He is the protector, or Rakus, of a dark secret.
Tati
Rau's little sister.
SUMMARY
A mix of arcade-style fighting, adventure and exploration. The combat
system in [he Mark of Kri is quite different from anything ever experienced.
The emphasis is on fighting multiple enemies in a manner that is simple
and straightforward. Choosing your targets and using the best weapon for
the situation will take precedence over choosing the best attack combo for
a single target. Elements such as sneaking around to instantly kill an enemy
will also provide a mix of challenges.
FROM NINTENDO 64 TO GAMECUBE
Eternal Darkness began its life a few years ago as a Nintendo 64 game, and it’s
changed quite a bit since we first saw it (just look at the cathedral at right—a lot
different, eh?) “Virtually everything’s changed except for the storyline. That stayed
intact,” Dyack tells us. “One of the things during the process of development that was
key in bringing up the quality of the game was working with Nintendo. Even though it
was a tremendous delay to take the N6q version and move it to the ’Cube, that extra
amount of time allowed us to improve everything on all levels. The gameplay was
where the largest strides were made, particularly in the last year of development.”
through three times....
DD: Yes, and things get unlocked each time
you play through, too. One of the things | was
personally surprised with was the amount of
variance l’ve seen people play the game with.
Even in the last few weeks of testing we saw
people using different magic combinations
and weapons than | had thought of—and
we’ve played the game a /ot. Like some people
were trying to kill monsters with just Damage
Field—it was fun to watch.
sident Evil and ot her horror
games you nveé ee put not
DD: hanste | erie one 2 of the sities RE
does very well is build the sense of tension
and force the player to worry about ammo
consumption and be nervous —it’s not for
technical reasons. We wanted to go in the
opposite direction where the player is
encouraged to explore the environments. We
purposely said with some characters, here’s
more ammo than you could ever probably
use—just go crazy with it if you want. And in
case you do go crazy and run out of ammo,
we'll give you some melee weapons as well,
SO you never have to worry about it. That was
definitely not an accident.
EGM: Are there any insanity effe
maybe were a little too
end up in the final gar
DD: We had some ones ‘ae on sound that
were just a little bit too repetitive and got
annoying after a while. Similar to people
getting killed behind the doors when you hear
people screaming. Except it went on for a little
too long. So these were minor edits where we
thought, “Well, we’ve got two or three in
already; we don’t need this one.” One of the
worst ones: have you seen the one [where the
game pretends to delete all your saved
games] yet?
DD: We ned many ener on how to time
these just right so people did not destroy their
GameCubes. The amount of time between
those used to be a little longer, and we
thought it was just too dangerous. People are
gonna break stuff.
> some ano WY
Decal use there’s
> iO White Tt
DD: That’s a canity effect, se There isn t
always a sanity flash.
10es £ternal Darkness use the
sameCube’s internal clock?
DD: Several ways. One of the ways is the
randomness of the sanity effects. So that’s
why you’re seeing different ones than
everyone else—because you’re playing at
different times. Also we’re using it to tell the
player how long they’ve played.
— Silicon Knights President
Denis Dyack
me points it
DD: rekon’ S an enemy in the room or you’re
in a trapped corner where there’s a potential
for you to die, we don’t allow you to save.
Otherwise we do. It’s actually very black and
white. However, sometimes it’s just not
obvious unless you go around the room and
see that there’s a zombie [around].
reas, alti thara ha an Etarnal NRarknace «
eigivi: Witt TMere pe an Crernadi Varkness 2
What’s next for Silicon Knis ghis?
DD: At shite point we’re not nara to talk about
[our next project]. However, if ED’s popular
and players want it, the universe is very broad
and there’s room for 100 sequels. ee
39
Sanity-Keeping
secrets
We asked Denis to share some of the
other secrets and strategies in ED you
might not’ve realized when you played.
Here’s what he told us:
THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN ALIGNMENTS:
The alignment you
choose as Pious
Augustus at the
beginning changes
a few things in the
game, like which
Greater Guardian
you fight at the end of Peter Jacob’s
chapter. But there are other differences
too. “By picking Chattur’gha (red), you'll
see a certain type of creature which you
won’t see in any other alignment. Same
with Ulyaoth (blue) and Xel’lotath
(green). Ulyaoth emphasizes magic and
it’s not quite as easy to cast as many
spells, where Chattur’gha emphasizes
more physical force (the monsters are
much more difficult to kill—they have
more hit points), and with Xel’lotath a lot
more sanity damage occurs.”
TIE THE RIGHT SPELLS TO THE D-PAD:
“Shield, Magick
Pool (the highest
level of enchant-
ment that you can
use) and...Damage
Field comes in
handy too. You’ll
soar through the game using
combinations of those. Once you get the
Mantorok (purple) rune, you'll be doing
damage everywhere.” FYI, the Mantorok
is through a hidden passage in Lindsey’s
chapter (summon a Trapper to get it).
STAY SAFE FROM BONE THIEVES: At the
beginning of Peter Jacob’s chapter, you’re
stuck with no effective weapons and being
chased by groups of Bone Thieves. “Once
you get the sword it becomes significantly
easier. And if you cast a shield, Bone
Thieves can’t take over your body. They try
to jump on you and get repelled back
immediately. Then you can just take your
time, aim, shoot, and kill them or just
walk up and whack away at them.”
<<
Afterth
For the past month you’ve been playing
Atari’s Stuntman, performing movie stunts
after your daily nine-to-five grind. But you
haven’t quite honed your craft to its fullest
potential. Stuck in a level? Keep getting
stopped in your tracks by runaway boxes?
Our conversation with director Martin
Edmonson at U.K.-based developer
Reflections just might give you a push:
EGM: Were there any big stunts that you
wanted to get in there that didn’t make it in
the final game?
Martin Edmonson: There’s a car-chase
sequence in The French Connection when
Gene Hackman is driving this Pontiac GTO,
and he smashes through somebody who’s
pushing a stroller. That was memorable to me,
but not many other people had seen it.
EGM: Some say the game’s too repetitive
and frustrating —what’s your take on that?
ME: It depends. If you end up taking 30-40
attempts to finish a stunt, then | can see how
that would be frustrating. But we had to
balance that against people who flew through
the stunts in three or four attempts, waltzing
through the game too quickly. There are lots of
examples where you don’t have to go for the
icons if you don’t want to and still finish. One
is in Louisiana, where there’s a gap in the train
to jump through. You can just stop at the
ramp, wait for the. train to go by, and you can
still finish and complete the stunt.
EGM: Wow, we didn’t think of that.
ME: There’s also one where you’re chasing a
car through a warehouse, and if you want, you
can just stick behind him. But you can also
{
_¥g hg
You don’t have to jump through the gap between
the trains...wussies. Just wait ‘til they go past.
ant
i —
*
| a ) [ a [ | O Nn
Home Entertainment Inc. Developed by California Seven Studios, Inc. "PlayStation" and the "PS" Family logo are registered trademarks ®
of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. ;
www. midway.com
GION
THE LEGEND OF
MATURE
Blood
Violence
.
The third chapter in Capcom’s Dino Crisis
series, scheduled for release on Xbox
sometime this millennium, takes a Jason
X-style turn with jetpack-packin’ humans
battling zombie dinosaurs on a space
station. As you progress, the station—
wait for it— changes shape. Series creator
Shinji Mikami says that the game could
change even more between now and
when it’s released.
XBOX GAMES ON YOUR GBA
Well, not exactly. But you will soon be able to play Oddworld:
Munch’s Oddysee on Game Boy Advance thanks to a deal
THQ’s struck with Microsoft to port the game to Nintendo’s
handheld. Monster Truck Madness 2.0 will follow and several
other titles are in the works. The first fruits of this dubious
labor are due in 2003. Could a GBA Halo be next?
Celebrities are normal people too—just
incredibly rich ones. You like games; they
like games. Each issue we'll talk to a
different celebrity that plays ’em, is
involved in their creation or, if they’re lucky,
is in one. This month we spoke to Mr. T,
who’s reviving his role as Rocky III's
Clubber Lang in Ubi Soft’s Rocky for PS2, GC
and Xbox, coming this fall (pictured below).
Mr. T: They came to me with the idea and |
Said, “I’m so excited,” because | never got an
official rematch with Rocky Balboa. You know
he fought other guys but never me again. |
don’t play video games, but | saw this and |
said, “l’ma get me one.”
T: Ah, naw. | pity all them couch potatoes,
Slobs, and all that. They can’t hang with the
Clubber man. They can line up—he’ll take ’em
all, one at a time. Pow, pow, pow [takes swipes
at the air]. I’m so tough, | beat my own self
up three times a day. Arrrr...l’m so bad,
hrmph.
T: Well, you have to know Rocky’s a sure
thing. People know it: they say hey, it was a
many years ago in theaters—let’s put it in a
game. And what | like about it: it’s not a
hit
violent game. Kids can go tell their parents —
the moms and dads—it’s a good game. | never
played no video games, but this, man, | can’
wait to play with my son.
T: Nah, man, but this here, | like it. | never
played no other game.
T: Actually, when I’m coolin’ out, | watch
Trading Spaces. Then | watch the other
t
guy...he got a little beard...! forget this name...
T: Yep, that’s right. Me being a tough guy, | |
his style, ‘cause | don’t like a dirty house.
T: You hear the music, you wanna start
somethin’. That’s Rocky...everybody wanna
ike
win. That’s what it means; everyone wants to
be a fighter, but only one in ten are. Even
women wanna be Rocky. You wanna slap yo
ur
girlfriend. | mean, not the man, but the ladies
wanna Slap their girlfriends. Know what |
mean?
aod etc
— Scott Steinberg
\
ERE RRR A EEE IE OTERO RECO E SSSI AAR A IEE
Metal Gear Solid fans, already high as a kite
after Konami’s announcement of MGS2
Substance, have even more reason to giggle.
Konami of Japan recently announced a new
interactive DVD entitled The Document of
lf you’re a frequent web surfer, then
you’ve probably read a few web comics.
One that’s grabbed our attention lately
is Brian Clevinger’s 8-Bit Theater
(www.nuklearpower.com/comic/). The
Strip is based on the story of the first
Final Fantasy (for the 8-Bit Nintendo
Entertainment System), complete with a
first random battle, saving the princess
Tired of that run-of-the-mill, monolithic black PlayStation 2? Well,
Japanese consumers will soon have two new, stylish PS2 colors to
choose from: Ocean Blue and Zen Black. Both are translucent and
come with matching controllers. Ol’ blue hits Japan on July 18th
and the smoky black one on August ist, and they’re about $250
apiece. Sadly, it’s unlikely these colors will make it to the U.S.
Metal Gear Solid 2. Although this disc comes
on a standard DVD format, it must be played in
a PlayStation 2. Once inserted into the
console, the disc lets you view and manipulate
some 60 characters and environments from
the game. Since the models are in 3D, you can
zoom in, pan out and rotate things for your
inspection. Gamers may also change the hair
color and add accessories to the character
models (can you Say, “Raiden the cross-
dresser”?). Fans familiar with the VR missions
of MGS1 and the upcoming MGS2 Substance
will be glad to know that Document features
its own set of these training levels (but they'll
be some of the same that are found in
Substance). Konami of America is “currently
evaluating the feasibility of this product for
U.S. release but no decision has been made.”
Sonic the Hedgehog (Genesis)
MUST NOT
STARE AT HER
RACK. MUST
MAINTAIN EVE
CONTACT
from the clutches of the evil (and bumbling) Garland, and the ongoing, one-sided
“relationship” between the Black and White Mages (shown above). Check it out, won’t you?
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ee Nu WAKRTS OI Eeldenkye return to bring you the most exciting new shooter this side of Hala."
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"a true heir to GoldenEye...so polished it shines.”
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"A brilliant game”
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‘Looks like one of the best FPS yet. We cant wart:
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ABE. Ei Ts Be. ly Se i,
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wuw. The. com?! Tontagetnd www.thq.com 5
CHART THE INSANITY
Behold the heavy toll frequent
video-game renting takes on the
average human. The sharp rise in
criminal insanity is from when
Seanbaby mailed Mary Kate and
Ashley letters, the contents of
which will probably force the
United States to bomb itself in
retaliation for harboring him.
10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80
+t OF GAMES PLAYED IN A MONTH
30 Days in t
ll through this sticky summer and right
up until Sept. 2, Blockbuster Video is
running a rental program called the
Games Freedom Pass, which for 20
bucks a month lets you rent as many games
as you can stomach as long as you never have
more than two checked out at a time. Nifty
deal? Sure. Be we saw a chance to further
science and see just how many games a
human being can stand in one month. So we
enlisted humor-writer Seanbaby, whose site
www.seanbaby.com pokes fun at everything
from video games to self-flushing toilets, to
play through at least a game a day and keepa
journal of the experience. By the end, he
French-kissed sanity goodbye and gave
science a serious kick in the ass. These
journal excerpts tell the tale....
Day 1
The first thing | realized about a program that
lets you rent unlimited games is that every-
one else knows about it, too: If a game looked
remotely playable and wasn’t broken in half,
it was already rented. So for my first game |
had to settle for Mary Kate and Ashley’s
Magical Mystery Mall for the PlayStation 1.
Now, I’m sure Mary Kate and Ashley are nice
people—or at least as nice as two girls can be
when the entire world has hated them since
infancy —but | must say their game is terrible.
They end up freezing time while shopping for
magic jewelry, and their big idea to fix this
crisis is to throw a fashion show. The entire
world is getting beaten over the head by time,
and they stop to have a fashion show for
Electronic Gaming Monthly - 48 - egm.gamers.com
people who can’t move. |
did my best to avenge
humanity for this
nightmare scenario, but
the best | could do was
to dress one Olsen ina
skirt that sorta didn’t match her shirt and hat.
Days 2-5
Since the Freedom Pass lets you rent two
games at a time, | went back to pick up Grand
Theft Auto III. This was the game parents
protested because it was causing all their
children to get hired as mafia hitmen. | admit
| went on my share of killing sprees after
GTA3 showed me that violence, even against
the elderly, is fun and profitable. By the time |
brought Mary Kate and Ashley’s Magical
Mystery Mall back, it was coated with gore,
which helped limit the number of questions
the clerk might have had about a grown man
playing games about 16-year-old girls.
Days 6-7
Things were not going well, and they only got
worse. Instead of inctuding instruction
manuals with their games, Blockbuster has
one of their janitors type one huge run-on
sentence on the back of each rental box to tell
you how to play. Most times these instructions
are either blatantly wrong or waste half their
space describing how much fun you’ll have
with the game you just rented. And since |
had no clue how to tell my little Star Wars
wingmen to attack a bunker, the dark side of
the Force totally won in Jedi Starfighter. |
think Darth Vader should send Blockbuster
Video’s instruction-writing department a nice
cheese-and-crackers gift basket.
Today | brought home Burnout for the Xbox,
because 80 percent of the text on the
packaging rambled on about how big a hard-
on the developers had for car crashes. | ended
up learning that “best crashes in any racing
game...ever!” actually just means that each
time you bump into something, the game
pauses to show you the exciting slow-motion
replay from six angles. Playing Burnout is like
driving a custom supercar injected with
nitrous retard.
Since seven days of sleep deprivation and
game-induced atrophy had made real sports
impossible, | decided to try some sports
games. | started with golf, but | wanted to
keep the same outrageous ’tude that earned
me the Blockbuster nickname, “Insane
Customer Whose Rentals You Never
Question.” | found Outlaw Golf for the Xbox.
Its box proclaims that it’s golf with “ex-cons,”
“strippers,” and—get your outrageousness
surge protector ready — “wannabe rappers!” |
guess | stand somewhere out of the cross-
cultural intersection between golf enthusiasts
and wacky stripping rappers. Maybe the guys
behind this game should have gone for a
broader audience like Crocodile-Wrestling-
Haitian-Mining-Equipment Salesmen.
Aree
ie
}
PGA it ain't: One hot, wet golfer paws at the
nipples of her hot, wet caddy.
me or movie you rent at Blockbuster
comes with a minimum of five receipts. And
don’t bother telling the clerk you don’t need
five receipts: I’ve been assured that once it
starts, the store’s insane paper-spitting robot
cannot be stopped by any Earth weaponry. To
take my mind off that horror, | stopped
playing games on day 13 and built a shrine of
Blockbuster receipts to all the adorable
creatures that let their wooded habitats be
ground up and processed into my many,
many, many rent-five-and-get-one-free
coupons. Assuming | can somehow rent 3,000
movies by Dec. 31, 2002, their sacrifice will
not be for nothing.
re - ‘/ ol z | 7
AU oe ~ i “te
These are the five days | played Hunter: The
Reckoning, one highlight of my month-long
game-renting marathon. The zombies in
Hunter will still come at you after your guns
have chewed them down to just a pair of
kicking legs. Using careful aim and human
tenacity, | found myself raising an army of
marching zombie legs, who when trying to
kick me in the ass sort of looked like they
were my backup dancers.
y
tuesday
monday
| MARY KAT t 1|
Jr ASHLEY'S |
| Aff
lA
X8 for the GameCube. | don’t know what kind
of moon-octopus hand that damn controller
was designed for, but the button setup looks
like a robot threw up on a boomerang.
Ph,
staan “Megs
| had what it takes to bea
backup dancer for half-naked superstar
Britney Spears. But Britney’s Dance Beat for
the PS2 didn’t really hold my interest, which
may be why the only dance | did for three
songs was moving my left elbow like a duck
while Britney’s slutty computer voice cheered,
“Oops! Try again next time!” Or, “Oh, you
missed that one—keep going!” | imagine the
choreographer was less encouraging. “If you
only knew one elbow dance, why are you in
here wasting our damn time!?”
| wanted to see if
To entertain myself, | returned Britney’s
Dance Beat to the store, acted like | was
reading a cardboard display about romance
movies for 30 minutes, then rented Britney’s
Dance Beat again. That means day 21 was
also the day | was being described by the
clerk to the Blockbuster authorities.
arned that playing Silent Scope 2 for PS2
at home without the arcade sniper rifle is like
trying to build a snowman out of biting
headlice. It’s probably possible if you just
believe in yourself hard enough, but there
are less painful ways to accomplish what
you’re doing.
Electronic Gaming Monthly - 49 - egm.gamers.com
wednesday
thursday friday saturday
JED] 6
ee Pais iile cn
STAK F/OH TE
wt
i 1 2B 22-23
sw’ we YH Ww
ater
To be honest, | don’t remember much of what
happened during these days. In the notebook
| kept next to the TV, the same one | used to
give myself a gold star when | raised an army
of kicking zombie legs, it said, “Day 24:
Remember—bone the team-teen mall squad.”
It’s important that you know | wasn’t playing
any games involving a “team-teen mall
squad” that | might have had the chance to
bone. | really don’t know what | was talking
about. My only theory, therefore, is that on
day 24, | was for a short time the raddest
person ever.
By the end of day 30, my notes said I’d rented
122 games. If you’re thinking about repeating
such a feat, the only advice | can give you is
don’t. Figuring out what 24 buttons do in the
middle of a firefight without an instruction
manual while you’re buried in receipts is
suicide. And that’s only the in-game hazards.
Try to keep your head on straight when you’re
absolutely sure that Mary Kate and Ashley
just stopped investigating supernatural-
necklace mysteries to stick their troll heads
out of the TV and tell you to kill. gi
‘—Seanbaby
=
seseees
Aaaaaaailililieeeeeee!
The film Operation Dumbo Drop may lurch to mind wien you u think a
taking your PS2 or Xbox on the road, but peripheral companies are giving
you the tools for the job, and no, we’re not talking about solid rocket
boosters. InterAct offers the best PS2 screen we’ve seen, called the Mobile
Monitor ($150), and this September they’re releasing one for Xbox (osten-
sibly for lugging to networked-Halo parties). No batteries are available,
although InterAct just released the Universal Converter and Car Adapter
(S40), which lets you draw power from your car’s cigarette-lighter plug.
{RAAAREASRNRAASRAAARA SA SNeRAAnnaaennininndnesaannntevnnnesnmed
All thee gear you need
to get your consoles
outta the damn =
t’s an annual dilemma: Summer brings to counteract Earth’s axial tilt, thus ensuring these two consoles. We’ve lugged all that
longer days and shorter skirts on the blustery distraction-free weather year-round, gear outside, put them to the test, and
ladies, but you’re torn between enjoying or you can Slap a few gizmos onto your PS assembled the very best setups for your
the great outdoors and sitting inside with the one and GameCube and take them into the system. So, now that summer’s here, why not
Shades drawn playing Eternal Darkness. So wild. Several peripheral companies have experience nature while nurturing your
you can either devise some kinda space laser crafted portable screens and batteries for gaming habit? After all, you need some sun.
THE BEST ON-THE-GO GAMECUBE SOLUTION...
INTEC’S 5-INCH COLOR GAME SCREEN
GameCube screens are washed out and grainy. Not this little guy. Intec’s snap-
on monitor—available in Indigo and Black—delivers a bright, crisp picture, as
well as more fine-tuning options than the competition. Beware of glare from
direct sunlight, though. Also know that
Nintendo recently revealed a far superior
LCD screen from Panasonic, although no
release date or price was announced.
INTERACT’S MOBILE
POWER GC —This well-crafted slab
screws securely into your GameCube’s
keister and provides about an hour and a
half of juice. If you’re the patient type,
wait until Intec releases its GC battery
this fall. It delivers a bit more playtime.
TOTAL PRICE OF PORTABILITY:
— Other third-party THE SCREEN: SONY’S PS ONE LCD SCREEN (S130 by itself;
sold with system for $150) —Peer into this thing’s five-inch
razor-sharp display, and you’ll declare it the fairest take-with-
you screen of them all, even if it’s a smidgen smaller than the
third-party alternatives. The monitor snugs perfectly onto your
PS one without tangles of ugly wires cramping your style. The
stereo speakers pack a hi-fi wallop, too.
THE BATTERY: INTERACT’S MOBILE POWER ONE (Sso0)—Since
Sony isn’t planning to put out a first-party battery, InterAct’s
pack is your best bet. It pumps out more than 2.5 hours of
power, and its surface is molded with dimples that cradle your
PS one’s rubber feet. The downside: The battery lacks screws
or clamps to secure it to your PS one, so make sure you get a
grip on the system and battery when you lug them around. And
the hefty five-hour recharge time means
you’re best off letting the battery re-
juice overnight if you know you'll be
playing on the road the next day.
S180 fr
You van TAME 17 WITH YOU Wonder how you’tl haul all
this stuff to the beach? We recommend the
PS one Carrying Case (S15, left) from A.L.S.
Industries. GameCube owners will cram their
system, battery and screen into InterAct’s Go
Mobile Kit (S20, right), which hits this fall.
er
si
| Electromie Gaming Monthly - 58 - egm.gamers.com
ation, ; TEEN
< NINTENDO 2
GAMECUBE. 7% =
A VEACOM COMPANY
—Official Xbox Magazine
MATURE SEXUAL THEMES
MILD VIOLENCE
STRONG LANGUAGE
ACROSS
1. Like Street Fighters Chun-Li
7. Killed by 49 across in Resident Evil 3
10. RE’s speedy lizard-man enemy
44. Marshall Faulk in Madden NFL 2003
12. Mohawk _ Headphone Jack (SNES)
13. Where NCAA games take place
15. What a scratched disc might do
17. Sega’s cel-shaded Gun_ (PS2)
19. Computer players, for short
20. Founder of RE’s Ashford family
23. PaRappa’s nemesis Joe _
25. Early Electronic Arts game Ski_ Die
26. RE 2’s “open-minded” creature
28. Jop Shop’s dollar amounts
31. How first-person shooters make some
feel
32. Hyrule dollar
34. Virtual _: Oratorio Tangram (DC)
35. Fastest shot in NHL 2K2
37- Volley, in Super Spike V’Ball (NES)
38. NBA Courtside’s 76ers home state
40. Invisible frequencies that some
wireless controllers use, for short
42. RE: Zero heroine
45. _ Sam (PC hit coming to Xbox)
48._ Life: Azure Dreams (PS1)
49. RE 3 big bad guy
51. The best thing to do with unneeded
items in Morrowind
52. NCAA College Football’s |rishmen
53. PaRappa does it with a chicken
54._ Cooper (PS2)
Rockstar’s stealthy marketing for Grand Theft Auto: Vice
City debuted in July, when www.kentpaul.com launched.
Head over to this site for some zany ’80s nostalgia and
bizarre humor. Similar faux sites preceded GTA III's
launch —you won't really find any concrete game info
here, but it does help to flesh out the world of GTA.
RentPaul.cam
DOWN
1. Upcoming GBA clown game Crazy _
2. Hidden scenario in RE 2
3. Home, to Punch-Out!!’s Great Tiger
4. “No text” on the EGM message boards
5._ the Cat (Super Nintendo)
6. Splashdown-featured band _-71
7. Team that Alpha Team followed in RE
8. Noodle dish in River City Ransom (NES)
9. Makes Um Jammer Lammy’s guitar sing
13. Battler Joe (GBA)
14. Raccoon City’s special police force
16. RE jill’s trick with locks
17. RE 2’s featured epidemic
18. Stimpy’s partner in a Genesis game
21. RE: Zero escaped con Billy _
22. Chris’s female RE counterpart
24. How you'd refer to RE’s jill Valentine
26. Page 60 has a few of these
27. RE Code: Veronica star _ Redfield
28. Atari 7800’s__ Rose Baseball
29. Resident Evil, for short
30. Players’ roles in most sports games
33- Sega CD platformer Prince of _
36. GameCube’s killer app. Metroid _
38. Chaos, to Sonic in Sonic Adventure?
39. Swing that “pulls” in baseball games
41. Rockstar’s frenzied brawler, for short
43. Luke’s Dukes of Hazzard (PS1) cousin
44. Ubi Soft answer to MGS2, Splinter _
46. GunCon 2 supporter _-game
47. PS2 modem or GunCon 2 port
50. “The Mummy 3” PS2 game, for short
A eee ee ea ee ee
iTiF Ree ne eee | AMT >} } f YY
2 NIOTLTLY - ~ EVM. SamMers.com
18 FEET, 3 INCHES
DANNY WAY SETS NEW WORLD RECORDS
FOR: BOTH HIGHEST AND LONGEST AIR:
‘Danny Way j isno stranger to world records — in’ 1997 he sét the
world record for.the highest air. On April 16 and 17; 2002, at a windy
inland California location, Danny set notione, but two. world fe@cords, |
for both the longest:and highest air. Danny broke both records whil
» filming for a pay-per-view television event called King of Skate..
Danny has once again surpassed the bounds of the ord nary:
head tain set himself apart from the: ‘crowd. »\
at “Congratulations Danny. as
*
ty
~
Seong
C
r
pom mabagttio e
Pace, Sa ee een ean
1
wytaitll
* silt
DANNY'S $fR0 MODEL, THE AEROTECH
_ AVAILABLE IN STORES NOW
: PlayStation.2 er
PRODUCTS RANGE FROM
EVERYONE roTEEN
E-T
CONTENT RATED BY
TAMAS PERM | |
rainbow
STUDIOS
HRIiENTFEREC
GAME CLBE .
2001, 2002 Activisi
IS a f€
on, Inc. and its affiliates. Published and distributed by Activision Publishing, Inc. PlayStation 2 and Xbox versions developed by Rainbow Studios. GameCube version developed by Gratuitous Games. Game Boy Advance version developed by HotGen Studios. Activision
lemark and Activision 02, Mat Hoffman's Pro BMX and Pro BMX are trademarks of Activision, Inc. and its affiliates. All Rights Rese
; Reserved. Mat Hotiman is a trademark of Mat Hoffman. “PlayStation” and the "PS" Family logo are registered trademarks of Sony Computer
nt Inc, Microsoft, Xbox and the Xbox logos are either registered trademarks of Microsoft Corporation in the U.S.A, and/or other countries and are licensed undet Microsoft. ™, ©, Game Boy Advance and the Nintendo GameCube logo are trademarks of Nintendo. Screenshots are
from PlayStation 2. The ratings icon is a registered trademark of the Interactive Digital Software Association. All other trademarks and trade names are the property of their respective owners
sn eens
Score Best Score —
a]
__ COMBO X15 somone & a. —
oN
Crank out huge airs like 10-time
World Vert Champ Mat Hoffman.
The only BMX game to
offer flatland tricks.
BMX WILL NEVER BE THE SAME...
Jump on the bus with Mat Hoffman and ten other top
pros for the ultimate BMX blowout through eight
U.S. cities. Pull hundreds of tricks and combos using
the new Trick Tweaking System or keep it on the
ground with the only BMX game that offers
flatland moves. Unlock behind-the-scenes video
onent off the screen
ee perenne pen PUSH mode.
shots of your best tricks for your own photo
scrapbook. One day on this road trip and you'll
know why BMX will never be the same. —— state Bae
SPORTS REVOLUTION §
ACTIVISIONO2.COM
Minh
fs
= cieasaaeeiameaanuinanial
ae
_ EVERYONE
TECEELEA LRM
CONTENT RATED BY
ES Re
.¥
a
|
for Xbox™, Nintendo Gamecube™
and the PlayStation® 2
Computer Entertainment System!
Screenshots from the a ’ Screenshots from the
Game Boy “Advance version — . ) 4 PlayStation® 2 version
Coming in September!
Eee Mania and Ege Mania Egestreme Madness © 2002 HotGen Studios Limited. The Egg Mania logo and the HotGen Studios
logo are the registered trademarks of HotGen Studios Limited. Published under license by Kemco.
®
TM, ®, Game Boy Advance and the Nintendo GameCube logo are trademarks of Nintendo. © 2001 Nintendo.
"PlayStation" and the "PS" Family logo are registered trademarks of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc.
Microsoft, Xbox and the Xbox Logos are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Microsoft Corporation in the U.S. and/or in
other countries and are used under license from Microsoft.
Welcome to The Q’s page of wonderment. Step right up and grab a
spoon—this month’s tasty stew of rumors is coming to a boil. Before |
begin, lemme just clarify a Lil’ slip of the keys from last month. Yours
truly mistakenly stated that Doom // (oh yes) can be done on Xbox.
Haha...that was a joke, see? OK, I’ll level with ya. It was late. I’d been
drinking nothing but Vanilla Coke the last 72 hours—it was a typo. |
meant to say that Doom I/II (that’s three I’s) can technically be done on
Xbox. Phew. Now that that’s out of the way, I return you to your
regularly scheduled rumorama already in progress:
..5eems like just yesterday we were all
huddled in line outside our favorite game
Stores, grabbing the first Xboxes ee
off the shelves. Now comes :
word that Microsoft is
working on not one but
several new incarnations
of the machine. And you
may see the first of them on
Store shelves as early as 2003—a
combination Ultimate TV/Xbox box that’d also play MP3s.
If you don’t already know, Ultimate TV is Microsoft’s answer to TiVo (and is
currently only offered with DirecTV satellite systems) that lets you pause
live TV, record shows digitally to watch later, and more. This rumor du jour
was so hot that even the mainstream press got word of the project, code-
named “Freon,” also known internally as HomeStation. This tricked-out
machine would (naturally) cost more than an off-the-shelf Xbox of today
estimates tag it at $500. The other Xbox hardware news going around is
that the company is already developing a.successor to the machine to-go
head-to-head with Sony’s next console from the git-go»According to recent
comments from Microsoft execs, Xbox 2 will be out in time-for the next
World Cup in 2006. Let’s hope by the time that launches it’s got more than
Halo 3 going for it...
..Ever since Nintendo
announced that the hotly
anticipated Mother 3 (aka
Earthbound 2) was
cancelled for the Nintendo
64, yours truly has gotten
loads of e-mail begging for
news about another
installment of this fan
favorite. And I’m happy to
c a ‘a 7 ” * *
oodst +A library is & nic
learn stuff
Earthbound
_ (Super NES)
&, she's made of wood, she’s a witch.
Arnold always promised that he'd be back.
Infogrames has acquired the rights to produce
games based on next summer's blockbuster
sequel, Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines. Expect
a fully 3D action title across all three consoles and
a trimmed-down GBA romp around the same time
as when the film launches: July 2, 2003.
report that a new MotherfEarthbound is indeed coming. Question is, will it
be Game Boy Advance, GameCube, or both? Judging by the pace
Nintendo’s resurrected other Super NES titles, The Quartermeister’s dough
is on an Earthbound remake for GBA. One thing’s for certain, it isn’t a
completed version of the long-scrapped N64 game. Don’t know about
Earthbound? The Q suggests you visit www.starmen.net ASAP and read up
on this classic gem. Go before | sick Unassuming Local Guy on your sorry
arse. You heard mel...
...Lots of little newsbits this month my
friends. First on the docket (and to keep
it on the old-school tip forjust a
second) is a Game Boy Advance version
of the Square/Nintendo 16-Bit
collaboration Super Mario RP6G....
Midway is gearin’ to resurrect their old
anti-drug arcade brawler NARC for next-
gen consoles... Still hearin’ that
something’s up with Rare. Current
speculation is that Activision may be
the ones handling the publishing
honors for some of their titles. It could
be made official any time now... |
hearby declare the Daredevil movie
teaser trailer to be the worst ever (or
maybe that honor goes to T3;
Terminator 3)...
Sequels, sequels everywhere
..sequels, sequels everywhere. It seems as each year passes, we get a
boatload of new installments of last year’s hits. And there are quite a few
waiting in the wings to swoop down. I’Il just mention a few of the new
ones that’ve just popped on my radar recently: Onimusha 3 (full-3D
backgrounds this time), a new Metal Gear (this time it could be a 3D
remake of a Snake adventure from before the first Metal Gear Solid),
Medal of Honor 3 (this time set in the Pacific Theater—sweet), Skies of
Arcadia 2 for PlayStation 2 (that’s why the remake of the original got
shelved), and Game Arts is finally beginning a third Lunar game....
And that folks, is all | can share with you this month. By the way, from
the bottom of The Q’s heart, I thank all y’all for the comments about
the new page format. Keep ‘em coming—e-mail me at
quartermann@ziffdavis.com with any comments and questions you
might have. And remember-—if she weighs the same as a duck, and
—TheQ
BS teas Foe Be
% ee persis
Seek the Light
Embrace the Dark
Enter the Enclave and experience hardcore
close quarter combat at its bloodiest ina
mesmerizing visual adventure
4 senate Se
MATURE
Blood
Violence
CONTENT RATED BY
ESRB
» ENTERTAINMEN
whwitonspiracygames.cé
©2002 Vivendi Universal Games, All rights reserved, ©2002 Conspiracy Entertainment Corp. ©2002 Starbreeze Studios ABAicensed by Swing! Entertainment Media AG. The ratings icon is a trademark of the Interactive
Digital Software Association, Microsoft, Xbox, and the Xbox logo are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Microsoft Corporation in the U.S. and/or other countries and are used under license fem Microsoft.
~ *
PRESS
START
The Top 20 best-selling Games of May 2002
“See ee SEER NEESER eS aNNE
SONORAN ARAL TRE IIIS ID STITT OOOO RTI IT TERETE TINO NON CRCOITOTIN
Man, this list is starting to get downright boring. You’ve got your Grand Theft
Auto III, which hasn’t moved from the top three since last year. Then you’ve
got Spider-Man infesting the entire page on multiple platforms. Plus, Mario
and Sonic on the Game Boy are still hanging around. Thank God games like
Dragon Ball Z and Medal of Honor are here to shake things up a little. The
question is, can they become mainstays like the aforementioned juggernauts?
You know...on second thought, who cares? This is the best summer for gaming
we’ve had in a while. Forget we even started complaining at all.
1 Spider-Man
Activision
{p> 6.5 6.5 6.0
Greg nathan’ Mark
. : . if
Chris John R |Milkman PADVANCE
3 Grand Theft Auto il
Rockstar
9090 0 —-—
csp | Greg (Milkman
Medial of Honor: Frontline
Electronic Arts
8.08090 — -—
Crispin | Mark Kraig
Gran Turismo 3 A-spec
Sony GEA
0 00 —;=
Che aE onal Jonathan
i
90.95 9.0 is
. i rT] : . Ls 4
JohnR Jonathan) Mark
Spider-Man
Activision
‘6. 5
| Mark |
:
Microsoft
9.0/9.0 9.0
2
Flactronic Gan
rie€crronic Ga :
ring Mo
sini ce ar
WIQe rs Widtl
Activision
12 Yu-Gi-Oh! Forbidden Memories
Konami
13 ATV Offroad Fury
Sony CEA
14 Hunter: The Reckoning
Interplay
19 Midnight Club
Rockstar
16. Twisted Metal: Black
Sony CEA
17 Spider-Man
Activision
THO
19 Headhunter apa
Acclaim
20 Super Smash Bros. Melee ia) F.
a a g
Source: NPD TRSTS Video Games Service. Call Kristin Barnett-von Korff at
(516) 625-2481 for questions regarding this list. Chart description written by EGM staff.
In the future, teenagers will pilot transformable robots to save the planet from evil.
|
| 1 Shaman King; Spirit of Shamans Usually at least one
Bandai BL soccer game places on
SEE Ul
| ? World Soccer Winning Elan b <> -= but this particular week
=e _... there are four (yes,
Dragon Quest Monsters 162 12 World Fantasista is a
Enix soccer game). Coinci-
4 ey a ee dence? Vernal equinox? |
eg No—it’s all because of
OO ie em eA A the World Cup. But that
Project FIFA: World Cup 2002 = <1 »~—- hasn't stopped other
& P Electronic Arts Square one ee titles like the latest
World Fantasista
| = ~~ T=) and Mega Man from
oo getting their just due
| Castlevania: HoD along with the last big
Konami PS1 games.
“7002 FIFA World Cup
seilinbsased bial Square
Honitenionconsoneor-enoncononnainetin senna
10 Mega Man Battle Network 2.
Capcom
;
1
|
Castlevania, Hamtaro |
|
:
H
H
|
Cy
rane
outing he
THE BUN) Bee
am Mvue
tee Collect cane
WATCH AUG. 17-22
ESPN ESPN2 ABC’ EXPN.com
©2002 ESPN, Inc. espn.com
R
T
PRESS
START
POSCLOSSORREESAEEONRASEBASEEASENAERN CONES SLLESNSENS LESLIE ESBS LES ELSES ES EESTI ELLOS ELLE ID EEE E SEE NEE BEEN I ANN SONORAN a
August
Armored Core 3—Agetec Action
Commandos 2: Men of Courage— Eidos Strategy
Dino Stalker—Capcom Shooter
Madden NFL 2003—EA Sports Sports
Mat Hoffman’s Pro BMX 2—Activision 02 Sports
NCAA College Football 2K3—Sega Sports Sports
NCAA GameBreaker 2003—989 Sports Sports
Network Adapter— Sony CEA Hardware
NFL 2K3—Sega Sports Sports
NFL Blitz 20-03 — Midway Sports
NFL GameDay 2003—98¢9 Sports Sports
NFL Quarterback Club 2003—Acclaim Sports Sports
Onimusha 2: Samurai’s Destiny— Capcom Action
Pride: FC—THQ Sports
RLH: Run Like Hell—Interplay Action
Romance of the Three Kingdoms VII—Koei Strategy
RS: Riding Spirits— Bam Racing
SOCOM: U.S. Navy SEALs—Sony CEA Action
Street Hoops: rene of the Court— Activision
Sports
_ GameCube |
Beach Spikers— “ne - Sports
Freekstyle—EA Sports Big Racing
Madden NFL 2003—EA Sports Sports
NCAA Football 2K3—Sega Sports Sports
Super Mario Sunshine— Nintendo Action
Aggressive Inline—AKA Acclaim Sports
Buffy the Vampire Slayer— Electronic Arts Action
Commandos 2: Men of Courage— Eidos Strategy
Mace Griffin: Bounty Hunter—Crave Action
Madden NFL 2003—EA Sports Sports
Mat Hoffman’s Pro BMX 2—Activision 02 Sports
MLB SlugFest 20-03 — Midway Sports
NCAA Football 2K3— Sega Sports Sports
NFL 2K3—Sega Sports Sports
NFL Blitz 20-03 — Midway Sports
NFL Quarterback Club 2003—Acclaim Sports Sports
Street Hoops: King the mute Activision Sports
Disney’s Magical pea rede Action
Mat Hoffman’s Pro BMX 2—Activision o2 Sports
R-Type Ill—Phantagram Shooter
Sega Smash Pack—THQ Misc.
Street Fighter Alpha 3—Capcom Fighting
Yu-Gi-Oh! Dungeon Dice Monsters—Konami RPG
PlayStation 2
Armada 2: Star Command—Metro3D Action
Blade Il—Activision Action
Dual Hearts—Atlus RPG
Dynasty Tactics — Koei Strategy
Grandia Xtreme— Enix RPG
Gungrave— Sega Action
Hitman 2: Silent Assassin— Eidos Action
Kingdom Hearts— Square Electronic Arts RPG
Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit 2—Elec. Arts Driving
Ninja Assault — Namco Shooting
Robotech: Battlecry—TDK Mediactive Action
Sly Cooper & the Thievius Raccoonus—Sony Action
Summoner 2—THQ RPG
PLEA EEE
Siaresivenria’ Shadow of usindinne pian’ Action
Taz: Wanted — Infogrames Adventure
Tekken 4— Namco Fighting
The Terminator: Dawn of Fate—Atari Action
The Thing—Universal Interactive Action
TimeSplitters 2—Eidos Action
Turok: Evolution—Acclaim Action
Vexx — Acclaim —
Action
Gcreite...-—dsdsads—
Piuetnnee ‘Nintendo Misc.
Broadband Adapter— Nintendo Hardware
Galleon: Islands of Mystery —Interplay Action
Mat Hoffman’s Pro BMX 2—Activision 02 Sports
Modem Adapter—Nintendo Hardware
Mystic Heroes — Koei Action
NFL 2K3—Sega Sports Sports
Scooby-Doo! Night of 100 Frights—THQ Action
Star Fox Adventures— Nintendo Adventure
Star Wars: The Clone Wars— LucasArts Action
Super Monkey Ball 2—Sega Puzzle
Toxic Grind—THQ Sports
TimeSplitters 2—Eidos Action
Turok: Evolution—Acclaim Action
—.Sr—“‘i™—OCC—OOCCitiS
Brute Force — Microsoft Action
Dynasty Warriors 3—Koei Action
Hitman 2: Silent Assassin— Eidos Action
House of the Dead 3—Sega Shooting
Kung Fu Chaos— Microsoft Action
Loons—Infogrames Action
NFL Fever 2003 — Microsoft Sports
Quantum Redshift — Microsoft Racing
Robotech: Battlecry—TDK Mediactive Action
Sega GT 2002—Sega Racing
Taz: Wanted — Infogrames Adventure
The Terminator: Dawn of Fate—Atari Action
The Thing — Universal Interactive Action
TimeSplitters 2— Eidos Action
Turok: Evolution—Acclaim Action
Robotech: The Macross Saga— TDK Action
Yoshi’s Island—Nintendo Action
Street Fighter Alpha 3—Capcom Fighting
Yu-Gi-Oh! Dungeon Dice Monsters — Konami RPG
October
BloodRayne— Majesco Action
Dave Mirra BMX XXX—Acclaim Sports
Silent Hill 3— Konami Oe Action
GameCube Tj.
Dave Mirra BMX XXX— Selah —_
Sports
Mario Party 4—Nintendo Party
Robotech: Battlecry—TDK Mediactive Action
Vexx— Acclaim Action
BloodRayne— Majesco Action
Crimson Skies — Microsoft Flight Shooting
Dave Mirra XXX—Acclaim Sports
DOA Xtreme Beach Volleyball — Tecmo Sports
Panzer Dragoon Orta— Sega Action
Steel Battalion—Capcom Action
ToeJam & Earl Ill: All Funked Up—Sega Adventure
Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon—Ubi Soft Action
AAAAERNEORLESRIOSEOSEEERSASAAOSE SE SAAOSOLAE SMAI
shakatto
Tambourine —
Shaken that taahoariae! 100% groovy!
Import Pick of the Month: In Sega’s
Samba De Amigo (Dreamcast), we learned
to shake the music out of maraca con-
trollers. Now, in that game’s spiritual
sequel, MiniMoni Shakatto Tambourine,
we will be taught how to romance the
music from the tambourine. Featuring the
tunes of Japanese girl-band pop-sensation
MiniMoni, this PS1 music title is reminis-
cent of Samba but with more colorful, car-
toony graphics. This time, instead of mara-
cas, you use tambourine controllers, shak-
ing them in six different directions as the
red balls fall into them. It’s also Sega’s first
and only PS1 title. If you have an import-
enabled PlayStation, check it out.
PlayStation
Aug. Mini Moni Shakatto Tambourine,
Sega (Music)
PlayStation 2
7/25 Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure, Capcom
(Fighting)
8/15 Virtua Cop Rebirth, Sega (Shooter)
8/22 Gigantic Drive, Enix (Action)
8/29 Switch, Sega (Misc.)
Game Boy Advance
8/9 Mickey & Minnie’s Magical Quest,
Nintendo (Action)
8/23 Mr. Driller Ace, Namco (Puzzle)
9/6 The Legend of Starfi, Nintendo
(Action)
GameCube
7/19 Super Mario Sunshine, Nintendo
(Action)
8/1 Disney Magical Park, Hudson
(Party)
8/9 Mickey Mouse’s Magical Mirror,
Nintendo (Adventure)
*Schedule subject to change without notice. Consult
your local import-game store for the latest release info.
The Humpty Dance is your chance, so do the Hump!
seein
Who needs nine lives when you can control time?
<< »> Il @ b>
Rewind time to
throw the world in
reverse and uncover
secret areas.
Slam on pause to take
s that free shots at frozen
quick enemies or grab crys-
tals without any hassle.
game Studios-
2 Naga ont MR
hy +. or Ranan
© 2002 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved. Microsoft, Blinx, The Time Sweeper, Xbox, and the Xbox logos are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Microsoft Corporation in
the United States and/or other countries. Other producis and company names mentioned herein may be trademarks of their respective owners.
3
NINTENDO
GAME CUBE.
BPGRTS
www.midwaysports.net — wyHaT's HOCKEY WITHOUT HITZ? mI —
yaaa Coming Summer 2002 PlayStation.c |, Visit www.esrb.org
or call 1-800-771-3772
\/ GAME BOY ADVANCE Mi evan for more info.
NHL® Hitz™ 20-03 © 2002 Midway Home Entertainment Inc. HITZ is a trademark of Midway Home Entertainment Inc. MIDWAY and the Midway logos are trademarks or registered trademarks of Midway Amusement Games, LLC. Used by permission. NHL and the NHL Shield are registered trademarks of the National Hockey League. All NHL
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WHAT’S FOOTBALL WITHOUT THE BLITZ?
PlayStation.c Coming Summer 2002
EVERYONE
Violence
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re
eR
capes
i ty
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va
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ore
The smell of rivalry is in the air.
Nt NY
AAG
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GAMECUBE. Bi segasports.com
INSU AND @
GAME DESIGNERS WwW...
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Cloak yourself to hide from enemies Engage in fast and furious mech battles
of launch a stealth attack. at speeds over 100 mph.
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PlayStation 2
72-73 Onimusha 2: Samurai’s Destiny
74-75 Sly Cooper and the
Thievius Raccoonus
80-82 Kingdom Hearts
86-88 Tekken 4
90 SOCOM U.S. Navy SEALs
92 ~TimeSplitters 2
98 The Thing
100 ~=«*Tribes: Aerial Assault
104 Return to Castle Wolfenstein
Gungrave
Grandia Xtreme
105 Simpson’s Skateboarding
106 RAD: Robot Alchemic Drive
Summoner 2
Alter Echo
107. Turok: Evolution
108 Defender
NFL GameDay 2003
110-121 Harry Potter —!
Chamber of Secrets
112 Animal Crossing
114 Super Monkey Ball 2
116 Robotech: Battlecry
118 Super Mario Sunshine
Batman: Dark Tomorrow
119 Evolution Worlds
Mystic Heroes
120-122 Tom Clancy’s Splinter Cell
124-125 Hitman 2: Silent Assassin
126 Sega GT 2002
128 =NFL Fever 2003
Myst III: Exile
129 Yager
World Wrestling Crush Hour
130 Psychonauts
Battlefield: 1942
131 ~+Reign of Fire
Seablade
Castlevania:
Harmony of Dissonance
Super Ghouls ’n’ Ghosts
Duke Nukem Advance
Previews marked
with international
symbols may or
may not be
released in the
U.S. They are
designed to run
on Japanese or
European PAL
systems. Import
at your own risk.
So which would our Gamers.com patrons rather hook up with?
1. XBOX—No adapter to buy, but you’re limited strictly to
broadband and have to pay a monthly fee.
2. PLAYSTATION 2—Buy a 56k/broadband adapter
separately ($39.99) and play online for free.
3. GAMECUBE — Buy either a 56k or
broadband adapter separately
($34.99) and play online for
free.
Source: Gamers.com poll, 6/02
1. Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell
2. Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
3. Kingdom Hearts
4. Castlevania: Harmony of Dissonance
5. Onimusha 2: Samurai’s Destiny
This Month in Previews
SCO OSDO ODOR P INIA
or those of you in Jr. High: your
summer’s almost over. Soon you’ll
be hitting the local Wal-Mart for
pencils, erasers and notebooks
you'll probably never use. Just
remember: Don’t let your mom pick out
your school clothes, seek out the cool
kids early, and do whatever it takes to
impress them. Oh, and never combine a
peach shirt with purple parachute pants
(not one of my prouder moments).
I’m here to make you feel worse.
See all the sweet games in this month’s
Previews section? Well, most of them
will be coming out right after the new
semester starts. So much for all that
studying and hard work you were
gonna do this year, eh? Let’s face it, if
these big games turn out to be half as
good as they should (and trust us, most
of them will), this fall will easily outdo
the incredible lineup of games we
experienced just one year ago.
And if you have a PlayStation 2, you'll
soon be online and all that. Now you'll
have the opportunity to play our editors
in SOCOM and try to destroy our best
first-person shooters, or maybe show
us that you’ve got the funk in Frequency
Lack of control is a fine EGM tradition. Is
it any wonder, then, that we wet ourselves
when we saw Jom Clancy's Splinter Celf?
Check it out on page 120.
Online. \t’ll be time to put our skills
where our mouths are (or become
completely inaccessable online).
We figure huge upsets will be par
for the course after watching our
Midwest football guys Dean and
Jonathan get their asses handed to
them in NFL Fever 2003 by our non-
football-playin’ West Coasters, like
Shane “Jar Jar” Bettenhausen.
So this looks like the year to go all
Ferris Bueller’s Day Off. Just don’t blame
me if you get in trouble.
—Greg Sewart, previews editor
Xbox, November 2002
PS2, GC, Xbox, Nov. 2002
PS2, Sept. 2002
GBA, September 2002
PS2, August 2002
~~ =
PREVIEW
Capcom
Capcom
1
Action
OTe 100%
August 2002
Onimusha
Woe tit taa WWW.capcom.com
The Good: The excellent
controls return from the first game.
..a do the annoying
Cameras angles during combat.
UT Rta) | A $ What, are you
kidding? This game is gorgeous.
PROFILE
Megamantastic
Kenji Inafune, the man
behind the Onimusha series,
wasn’t always obsessed
with zombies and historical
fiction. In 1987, he created a
little action game called
Mega Man (Nintendo Enter-
tainment System), which
went on to become, and still
remains, one of Capcom’s
best-selling franchises.
If looks could kill, then OYU the
ninja would be a mass murderer.
Onimusha 2:
don't
‘ ! .
ow that Resident Evil has up and plopped its
decomposing carcass onto the GameCube,
PS2 owners jonesing for undead action have
their eyes set on Capcom’s other zombie-
infested adventure: Onimusha 2. And well they
Should. The first Onimusha took the Resident Evil
formula and supercharged it with a slick, fast-paced
combat system, all set within the mysticism of
ancient Japan. It was, to put it bluntly, Resident Evil
with samurai swords and rice paddies.
Series creator Kenji Inafune sees Onimusha 2 as
the second game in a planned trilogy. “The plot from
the first two games will wrap up in Onimusha 3,”
he explains. “But since we started the trilogy
somewhere in the middle, there’s a possibility that
the series will continue with prequels, kind of like
Star Wars.” Sound convoluted? Not really. The
Storyline thus far is really pretty simple. Onimusha 2
continues the saga of brave samurai warriors who
plumb the depths of hell to spank the demonic
warlord Oda Nobunaga and put a stop to his
merciless conquest of feudal Japan.
Veterans of the first game, however, won’t find
much familiarity in the sequel. For one, don’t expect
to see Samanoasuke, the protagonist from the first
game. “For Onimusha, we used an actor named
Takeshi Kaneshiro because he’s very popular with
females in Japan,” Inafune admits.
But instead of reusing Kaneshiro this time out,
Inafune cast the likeness of deceased actor Yusaku
MAGOICHI'S handy with a musket
and loves a good book.
EKEI’S the alcoholic with a heart
of gold. He also likes ‘em young.
3
KOTAROU, the pretty-boy ninja,
loves foreign and exotic treasures.
Matsuda, a legendary icon in Japanese cinema, for
the role of Jubei Yagyu. “Il chose Matsuda because |
wanted someone who'd appeal not only to females,
but movie fans in general,” Inafune tells us. “Plus,
no one’s ever used a dead actor in a game before, so
this was a challenge | wanted to take.”
In addition to a new hero and a roster of fresh
faces (see sidebar), Onimusha 2 sports some jaw-
dropping environments. Similar to ones in the recent
Resident Evil remake on the GC, these stunning 2D
backgrounds look nearly photographic. Every
location oozes with animation, both subtle and
realistic. From the hypnotizing ripple of water ina
pond and the gentle sway of grass bending in the
wind to the no-holds-barred chaos of a rainstorm,
the game truly looks next generation—even if the
backgrounds are only prettied-up 2D wallpapers.
What hasn’t changed a whole lot is Onimusha’s
focus on gameplay that has you spending the
2 million
How many copies the original Onimusha
sold worldwide. Guess having Asian
heartthrob Takeshi Kaneshiro as your
leading man really does pay off.
How they used to make
sushi in the motherland...
‘iat sane
majority of time kicking booty. “We’ve added new
combos and other features,” says Inafune. “One of
them is called the ‘Issen’ attack. By charging up your
weapon, and with the right timing, you can slasha
group of enemies on the screen with one hit.”
The biggest addition to Onimusha 2’s combat,
however, is the friendship system that lets you
partner up with, and occasionally play as, four new
characters (see sidebar below). “For hardcore fans,
you may choose not to befriend any of them and
fight alone,” Inafune explains. “But the game will
definitely be a lot harder.” As for some sort of
“Genma Onimusha 2” upgrade on the Xbox or GC,
Inafune and company are keeping an open mind.
“We got feedback that Onimusha was too short and
easy. If we get the same response from Onimusha 2,
then we’ll consider an upgrade version later on. |
just can’t say whether it’ll be for Xbox or GC.” ¥
— Che Chou
LOVE AIN’T CHEAP
Whoever said “you can’t buy me love”
has obviously never played Onimusha
2. The game offers you four sidekicks
to “recruit” during hard times on the
road. The only catch is, you’ve got to
show them some bling bling. Go
shopping for your friends, and
depending on if they like your gift,
they’ll show up at different crossroads —
to get you out of a jam. So much for
honor, friendship and all that samurai
crap, eh?
Spend your hard-earned cash
here at the focal store in Imasho.
Woo Ekei with liquor, and he'll
come lumbering to your aid.
New to the Onimusha
combat system is the Issen
combo that allows you to
charge up your weapon for
an extra can of whoop-ass.
Every weapon has several
Issen attacks, but they don’t
come easy to obtain. In fact,
to balance out the game-
play, Issen moves can only
be discovered through
scrolls, which you either
find in chests or get by
trading one of your four
mercenary buddies for items
they’re interested in. The
combos, which knock down
a whole squad of undead
goons, can give you a lot of
breathing room when you're
hopelessly outnumbered.
eee
PREVIEW
- “~~ $ly Cooper and
the Thievius Raccoonus
“seOREODECOREORROOREHDECODEHOOREOR IONIAN DONO ON ION EINEM HOOD EME OO NEON DTE BDH OSD PORTS COTO RO DONO OD TPIS OHHH AIDA CPCS P DSO DS OOP O ONION OOOOH 0 a a a ane aaa amm ane aa aaa naan ia enue EOE SRR UNSe CS RDOENRESOURERN SERED SEEDS ONS UEEOONUOUNOSODDO DOE DOUEDOUSEE OUEST OUDENSNST
Sony CEA
Sucker Punch
Players: 1
Action
85%
September 2002
None
www.slycooper.com
www.playstation.com
The retro-style
character design and cartoony
graphics make S/y stand out.
Get caught by a
searchlight and you'll have to run
for your life.
eyti mcm: |e A raccoon, a turtle
and a hippo all living in a van
together? Pee-yew!
SUPPORTING CAST
A Company
of Animals
Sly is not alone in his
mission. He gets by with a
lil’ help from two of his
childhood friends:
Bentley’s the brains of the
operation, giving Sly clues,
advice and vault-cracking
codes from the safety of a
van parked far away from
any danger.
Driving the getaway van is a
bumbling pink hippo named
Murray. Maybe he’s not as
stealthy as Sly, but he helps
out when the gang’s ina
pinch.
! ‘aes
Ah yes, an enemy
just waiting for you
to cross the pond so |
he can skewer you. |
i
Touch these and they turn ,
red, with the ability to do |
some serious damage to
Sly’s furry behind.
ll Sly Cooper wants to do is take back what’s
rightfully his. See, when Sly was a cub, a
group of five master criminals, called the
Fiendish Five, descended on the home of his
famous thief family and stole the Thievius
Raccoonus, a book that contains all the greatest
thieving secrets of the Cooper clan. They each
ripped a few pages out and went on crime sprees
around the world.
Now that he’s a little older, Sly’s set off to the far
corners of the globe to get those secrets back and
avenge his family in a game more akin to Metal Gear
than Mario. “Metal Gear Solid 2 is the best example
going of how to combine sneaky gameplay with a
solid storyline,” says Nate Fox, one of Sly’s
This alarm will
trip if you come in
contact with those
el lasers. Get past
them and destroy
, this box to disarm
-¢ , the beams.
_ __ Clues, found in bottles, will
_ help you figure out the
combination to the vaults
where pages of the Thievius
Raccoonus are held.
designers at Sucker Punch. “We have definitely tried
to incorporate, and hopefully improve on, some of
the ‘thiefier’ aspects of that title in Sly Cooper.” For
example, when Sly radios to his buddy Bentley (see
sidebar) back in the truck, we’re treated to a codec-
style conversation. Familiar, right? But this is
combined with a binocular view so you can clearly
see where you're supposed to go or what you’re
Supposed to do next. “We also wanted to take the
radar [concept] from Metal Gear Solid and project it
within the game world so that the player knows
exactly where a guard can and cannot see Sly,” Fox
Says, referring to the flashlights some enemies hold
and searchlights that patrol areas of the levels.
“This 3D representation of stealth challenges means
WP 74 + SS oamarce rani
’ AA
This dog wants to play fetch
with Sly’s dead, lifeless
carcass. You gonna let that |
happen? Didn't think so.
if you've got a horseshoe
strapped to your back,
you can take an enemy
hit without dying. Gold
horseshoe? Two hits.
the player never has to take his eyes off the
action.”
You don’t have to look far for other “stealthy”
examples. In the Readin’ Room level, Sly jumps
inside a barrel to hide from searchlights and get
past motion-sensitive dart guns (the darts hit the
barrel instead of him). And in most other levels of
Sly walks softly and carries
a big hook. Perfect for
grabbing ropes or ladders,
breaking open objects, and
keeping enemies off your
tail (pun intended).
puzzles just for the hell of it. The motivation for all
his actions is to act as a thief in an attempt to rip
someone off.”
Well, maybe not all. Some levels (about a third
of the game, actually) deviate from the norm even
more to present you with minigame challenges
that include racing monster trucks, sniping
“The motivation for all his actions is to act as
a thief in an attempt to rip someone off.”
the game, you must disarm the alarms that can
alert enemies to your presence. “That’s what
makes Sly Cooper a different title,” says Fox. “Its
levels, characters and story are all in place to help
define him as a thief. Our main character has a
professional identity, which is the source of all his
adventures. We don’t have arbitrary jumping
— Sucker Punch game designer Nate Fox
enemies from afar and an Astero/ds-style
underwater submarine blast-a-thon.
All this in the name of good overcoming evil,
cuz Sly wouldn’t rob just anyone off the street
(that’d be too easy). As he says, “Rip off a master
criminal and you know you’re a master thief.”
— Chris Johnston
THE DEVIOUS MOVES OF THE THIEVIUS RACCOONUS
Nab all the bottled-up clues and you'll be able to crack each
level’s vault. Inside is a page from the Thievius Raccoonus,
giving Sly special abilities like the ones shown here. You
don’t need all of them to complete th
e game, but they help.
ORIGIN OF A SUPER THIEF
We thought Sly looked a lil’ familiar. We went back and sure enough, a raccoon named Jojo was
the star villain of Sucker Punch’s first game, Rocket: Robot on Wheels (Nintendo 64). “After
Rocket, we were looking for a way to feature a character like him in a new adventure,” designer
Nate Fox says. “The fact that raccoons are natural thieves got us thinking about gameplay
based on sneaking into people’s homes and ripping them off. Jojo’s short, fat body didn’t work
with the agile movements of a master thief and so the leaner, spryer Sly Cooper was born.”
PCS RRO:
VARMINT OR
MASTER THIEF?
is that animal rummaging through
your Dumpster a
run-of-the-mill
Procyon Lotor (normal raccoon) or
is he a master thief (Sly Cooper)?
Know the difference!
SLY COOPER
on
Scours enemy
lairs for booty
and pieces of his
family's hook,
the Thievius
Raccoonus.
antigua
et
Uses large hook
to grab onto
things and swipe
enemies.
Likely to be seen
riding around in
a van.
RACCOON
Scours back-
alley Dumpsters
and garbage
cans for a feast
of tasty trash
| Uses front paws
to clean itself
and free trapped
" Likely to be
seen getting run
over by a van.
Fight zombies, vampires and ghouls on your own as Attack 20 types of creatures in swarms of up to 30 Slay in brutal single- and multi-player action
one of 4 unique Hunters, or battle evil cooperatively at once using 20 melee, ranged and spell weapons— through 23 huge environments, including a prison,
with up to 4 players on a single screen. from swords to axes and flamethrowers. othic church, cemetery and torture chamber.
P pray: 8 y
any )
| . -5 ,
THE RECKONING §
DELIVER US FROM EVIL.
—
www.interplay.com/hunter
terplay /hunt
MA Y H E M
Ww
Blood and Gore ¢
Aas & Fa
Violence 7 ir
CONTENT RATED BY
ESRB
Hunter The Reckoning for the Xbox video game system © 2002 Interplay Entertainment Corp. All rights reserved. Atlaslech Game Engine trademark 2000 High Voltage Software,
Inc. All rights reserved: Developed for Interplay Entertainment Corp. by High Voltage Software, Inc., under license from White Wolf Publishing, Inc. Hunter The Reckoning is a
registered trademark of White Wolf Publishing, Inc. Interplay, the Interplay logo, Digital Mayhem and the Digital Mayhem logo are trademarks of Interplay Entertainment Corp.
Microsoft, Xbox and the Xbox logos are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Microsoft Corporation in the U.S. and/or in other countries and are used under license from
Microsoft. The ratings icon is a registered trademark of the Interactive Digital Software Association. All other copyrights and trademarks are property of their respective owners.
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= =
PREVIEW
Square EA
Squaresoft
1
RPG
90%
September 2002
None
kingdomhearts.com
The most unlikely
RPG we've seen in some time.
The Disney factor
might turn off hardcore gamers.
Prejudice is an ugly
thing. Don’t hate. Investigate.
Wet
Shooting Star
ag ee of
4 ®& “al
On this side of the pond,
she’s a virtual unknown, but
in Asia, she’s bigger than
Britney Spears. Who is she?
She’s Hikaru Utada (known
to her fans as Hikki), the
most successful Japanese
recording artist ever. Born in
New York City and raised in
Japan, this bilingual
superstar writes her own
music (unlike most J-pop
stars) and is currently
recording her first U.S.
album for none other than
Def Jam records.
So why do we care? ’Cuz
Hikki also happens to be the
singer and composer of the
Kingdom Hearts theme
song, “Hikari” (the Japanese
word for “light”). If you’re
language-phobic, however,
you'll be glad to know that
“Hikari” is being rerecorded
in English for the U.S.
version of Kingdom Hearts.
eee
Gia De
» item
Showtime
It's hard to go wrong with powerful
allies-like the Genie from A/addin-in
your backcourt.
Sora & Co. adapt, chameleon-like, to the
style of whatever world they're in. Here
Sora models the fashionable styles of the
Nightmare Before Christmas area.
hen older gamers (older being teen and
above) hear the word “Disney,” the
typical instinct is to run in the opposite
direction. On the one hand, this reaction
is understandable, since the typical Disney game
(Monsters, Inc., The Emperor’s New Groove, etc.) is
little more than a 3D adaptation of their most recent
animated feature. Sure, these harmless platforming
excursions might warrant playing by all age groups,
but let’s face it—they’re aimed at a younger crowd.
And that’s the challenge Kingdom Hearts faces —
escaping the image that Disney games are Strictly
for the Teletubbies set.
To keep things in perspective, remember that this
iS a joint venture between Disney and the RPG
masters at Square. And Heart’s director (and famed
Final Fantasy character designer) Tetsuya Nomura
came into the project with a good idea of both what
he wanted and the Disney-game stigma he was up
against. “| wanted to create something original,”
Nomura told us. “This was not going to be Square’s
next Final Fantasy, and | didn’t want this game to
carry the same image that Disney games usually
have: soft, cheery, kiddy, family.... Using the
traditional Disney characters and worlds, | knew we
RIO BRE SIDED LEI IID OETA ED RECITES
could make something that would wow everyone.”
After some hands-on time with a near-final English
version of the game, I’m happy to report myself
officially “wow”ed. Nomura and his team have
crafted an action-RPG with enough hardcore
gameplay to keep experienced gamers busy for
weeks. Contrary to popular assumption, this is not
kid stuff.
“a fl@’S Still a little kid.
But when he gets
to the job, he gets it
done and done right.”
— Producer Nomura on Haley Joel Osment
Kingdom Hearts puts you in control of the hero,
Sora. With the help of Donald Duck and Goofy, you
must traverse a head-spinning selection of Disney-
themed worlds (Peter Pan’s old London, the Little
Mermaid’s watery habitat, Jack Skellington’s
nightmare world, etc.) in order to find and rescue
Sora’s friend Kairi. While gamers might be reluctant
Cont. on page 82
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—
PREVIEW
“WHY?” BECAUSE WE
The North American version of Kingdom Hearts boasts a number of improvements that Square’s develop-
ment team didn’t have time to put in the Japanese release. While some changes are merely cosmetic,
others are fairly significant, adding considerable replay value to the game. Among the enhancements for
the U.S. version are three additional bosses, complete re-synching of the English voices with the character
models, voice acting in scenes where the Japanese version had text only, and the addition of a tougher
Expert mode. The “regular” game is certainly not easy, but Expert mode will definitely hand you your ass.
LOVE YOU!
EMME
Attack ¥}
Magic
item
Sonic
But their movement still A
work. It’s not scary enoughi
Cont. from page 80
to take up arms with Goofy and Donald (there’s that
kiddy thing again), these two allies definitely earn
their keep.
Goofy, with the help of a large shield, is the
muscle, barreling into every enemy he can, causing
a commotion that gives Sora breathing room to cast
spells or enter the melee himself. Donald, on the
other hand, lends support with healing spells or
harries the enemy with elemental attacks. But the
best part about having these two around is that
they’re low-maintenance—the computer plays them.
During the real-time battles, you only have to worry
about controlling Sora. Occasionally you can
substitute in another Disney character—like
Aladdin, Tarzan, Ariel, Peter Pan and more—for
Donald or Goofy. And of course, what would a
Square RPG be without some flashy summon spells?
In Kingdom Hearts, when things get heated, Sora
can call upon an unlikely stable of allies (Dumbo,
Bambi and Mushu to name a few) to launch a
special attack or soothing healing spell.
Although this is a virtual ‘Disney’s Greatest Hits’
mooshed into one convenient location, there is one
category of Disney films sadly missing: the recent
CG hits. Eagle-eyed readers might notice that the
computer-generated cast of Joy Story and A Bug’s
Life are nowhere to be found. Contractual difficulties
kept Pixar’s popular personalities out of the final
cut, but we have it on good authority that if
Kingdom Hearts generates a sequel, the Pixarians
(not a real word) might yet be included.
With this game, Square has awakened the Disney
fan inside all of us. Yeah, we like Bambi. Is that so
wrong? fh —James “Milkman” Mielke
WE ARE ALL MADE OF STARS
With the dialogue such an integral part of the Kingdom experience, Square and Disney have secured the finest young vocal talent available to
breathe life into the three main characters. And what a great job they do! Supplying additional voices are teen sensation Mandy Moore, Lance
Bass of N’Sync and actor Billy Zane. Difficulties in scheduling the more famous actors in Disney’s history, however, mean that the voices of
The sheer variety of the levels in
Kingdom Hearts will remind players
just how vast Disney's universe is.
For the first time ever, you can see
all these characters and worlds
intertwined into one, massive, trippy
product. It’s not every day we fire a
Pooh-bear out of a cannon into a
sapling-filled forest, but there's
always a first time! Hooray!
CUBELESSNESS
Given the nature of the
source material, we opined
that Kingdom Hearts would
make a logical conversion to
the GameCube. “Personally, |
like the GameCube,” Nomura
says. “It’s a good machine.
But when Kingdom Hearts
was first announced, many
people reacted as if we made
the wrong decision by
developing it for the PS2 and
not the GameCube. I think _
that actually made menot
want to pursue it.” |
Robin Williams (the Genie), Eddie Murphy (Mushu) and Matthew Broderick (Simba) are notably absent.
HALEY JOEL OSMENT - SORA
The leading young actor of his generation,
Haley is famous for his roles in the Sixth
Sense, Pay It Forward, A.I. and Forrest Gump.
Haley’s emotional range makes him the
perfect actor to portray the youthful Sora.
HAYDEN PANETTIERE - KAIRI
This 13-year-old actress is a seasoned
cinematic veteran, having provided the voice
for characters like Dot in A Bug’s Life and
Suri in Dinosaur. She brings the same
cheerful clarity to Kingdom Heart’s Kairi.
- iat
: “ Mie
ao bs = ~neomet a
= |
Having appeared on shows like 7th Heaven
and Walker, Texas Ranger, this 16-year-old
actor is the perfect match to tackle Riku’s
unpredictable personality. Riku is, perhaps,
the most complex character in Hearts.
years, you've watched the conflict. ,
\Now you'must make a choice. Who wilt.
‘YOU be: commander of the imperiled Earth»
Federation, or leader of the notorious Zeon
| ne Choose on" side, then prepare for
rhrcéie diye split Screen Gis
for HEAD y . or TEAM BATILE!
~e FULL VOICE-OVER performed by.the ~
actual television series actors!
e CHOOSE YOUR SIDE! Play through as :
either a eatin or a Zeon pilot. ee
© NEW OUTER SPACE COMBAT! Take full advantage
of 3D environments with fast and furious
battles in outer space!
Awarded a
MOBILE SUIT = GOLD AWARD
from Japan's
“Famitsu”
Magazine
one
Violence | : . PlayStation.e
oe www.bandaigames.com
© Soisu py Sus popan © 2001 Bandai Co., Ltd. “Gundam”, “Mobile Suit’, and all related characters, names, distinctive likenesses, drawings and other images contained in this poet are the exclusive property of Sotsu Agency and Sunrise Inc.
“PlayStation” and the “PS’ Family logo are registered trademarks of Sony Computer Entertainment inc. Used under jicense by Bandai America Inc. All rights reserved
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Mature Sexual Themes
Violence
CONTENT RATED BY
el eee |
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"More action than:
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gonna run out of gift wrap
Use human Shields. Fight hand to hand.
"
| deadly fisarar moves.
oo i
PREWIEW
ODOUR REM ROO REAM EO ED ME DONOHOE ODDO COMODO MAHI
Namco
Namco
Players: re
Fighting
90%
September 2002
iso On:
www.namco.com
Huge but finite arenas
with obstacles and changing terrain.
It's still pretty slow
and clumsy, kind of like... Tekken.
Lee's pinstriped
barber-shop-quartet getup. It's not
very intimidating...
NEW TRICKS
Shove Over
Now that Tekken’s arenas
are finite and peppered with
obstacles, your position
within them is extremely
important from a strategic
standpoint. Getting caught
with your back against the
wall (or post, or car, what-
ever) is just asking for a
plus-damage pummeling.
So what do you do to get
out of these tough spots?
Relax— Tekken 4 introduces
a “shove” maneuver that
doesn’t inflict any damage
but works like a quick throw
that repositions your
opponent wherever you
want him. You can nudge
him aside to mess with his
positioning, push him
straight back into a phone
booth or concrete pylon, or
do a complete reversal to
place him in the corner you
just popped out of. Slick.
K, we promise this is the last Tekken 4
preview. Seriously. The game’s going to be
out in a month, so we just wanted to sneak
in our impressions of this PS2 game before
the review hits.
Yep, we got a look at a near-final version of the
American game. At the core, not much has changed
since Tekken 3 (let’s all try to forget about Tekken
Tag Tournament for a while, shall we?). But the huge
graphical jump, quality-over-quantity roster and
smart gameplay revisions make Jekken 4 a strong
update to an aging series.
The game has two new additions to its original
cast: The first is Christie Montero, a student of Eddy
Gordo’s Capoeira style who plays a lot like her
teacher. Second is Craig Marduk, an ex-Vale Tudo
champion with a strong grappling and ground-attack
game. These included, we found a total of 19
t
the old, familiar
fighters—that’s nine unlockables in addition to the
10 who are available right off the bat. And Namco
tells us the final version may have a couple more
hidden characters.
Every fighter has two costumes (or in Kuma’s case,
a Panda alter-ego) that contribute a great deal to the
vibrant style of the game. Watch Lei’s open shirt or
Christie’s long hair animate and you’ll see what we
mean—everything looks just as good as it does in
the arcade version of Tekken 4. It doesn’t have the
fluidity and depth of Virtua Fighter 4—it’s a bit
clunkier on the control. But its crisp visuals and
interactive arenas are the best on the PS2 thus far.
The huge playing fields are fenced in for the first
time in the series, though you might not even notice
for several rounds—they’re that big. But objects like
trees, phone booths and statues make handy
strategic blockers in almost every stage. Using these
Cont. on
“YA SURE ARE
FLEXIBLE...”
ii ae anita
ps trmmtri itt iti am titre
THT UTES TEE =
SME APM TD Te
PlayStation and the PlayStation logos are registered trademarks of Sony Computer
Entertainment Inc. MediEvil is a registered trademark of Sony Computer D gp.
Entertainment America Inc. C-12: Final Resistance is a trademark of Sony Computer
Entertainment America Inc. ©2002 Sony Computer Entertainment Europe. :
PlayStation
®
it was around 3 a.m.
when I saw this bright flash. After that | felt these
: jong fingers holding me down. | woke up floating
in a jar with tubes sticking out of my sides.”
— Jesse Bonner, 72
/ rn ‘| - NOBODY'S LAUGHING ANYMORE. You don’t live in denial. You die in it. As Resistance fighter Lt. Riley Vaughan, you'll have
= to rely on your cyborg eye for surveillance imaging. An energy blade for room-clearing attacks. And a rocket launcher to fire
Final Resistance, homing projectiles at a horde of otherworldly killers. From the makers of MediEvil® comes this frantic last stand for mankind.
Mild Language
Violence
PREVIEW
POOL RAL EREDAR ERIE
EW) ese Mids
OR WIEN NS:
Terre MAsHion.
Sense, MHeniettarks:
Cont. from page 86
obstacles and the new grab-and-shove maneuver
(see sidebar on previous page), you can set your
opponent up to take major damage. Every time you
land a punch or kick on an enemy who’s up against
one of these barriers or the wall of the arena, he’ll
take extra-impact damage when he hits it. It works
especially well for catching an opponent in a combo
string, juggling an airborne fighter or inflicting extra
damage on one who’s down for the count.
Tekken 4 is all about the two-player game,
obviously, but an updated version of Tekken 3’s
Tekken Force minigame gives you something new to
do when you're light on competition. It’s a single-
player, Bouncer-style beat-’em-up that lets you use
any of the tournament fighters you have unlocked to
inflict pain on jumpsuited grunts and bosses ina
race against time. Pick up time and health bonuses
(represented, for some reason, as little chickens and
eggs) along the way to keep your energy and clock
counter up. Yeah, you’ve also got your obligatory
Time Attack, Survival and Practice modes, but those
come standard with any 3D fighter nowadays. as
—Jonathan Dudlak
“YEP, THAT'S
YOUR SHIRT
ALL RIGHT...”
Electronic Gaming Monthly -
A phone booth
collapse of this
magnitude
could kill a man
in real life, but
it just deals a
little extra
damage in the
Tekken world.
| Tekken Force
i TIME BONUS
. Mishima Panatio 04
|
“RATS. WELL,
GUESS WE HAVE
TO FIGHT AGAIN,”
88 - esm.camers.com
eg ot HE er oe BES Ss ies oe ES
Pip se gyn eee ae cappgiarage ys
ni NITH TH
a | : | % irinh. \
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Au Se EB ee RT OS NS
|
SS
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| for
| Be thankful for wha
| kids. Back in ’95, this is what old
| Tekken fans had to put up with.
| You can practically count the
| polygons on one hand, friends.
With the UFC, PRIDE and as-
sorted imbeciles jumping off
rooftops onto El Camino-
ridden backyard-wrestling
rings, it’s no surprise these
real-life combat disciplines
are making it into more con-
sole fighting games. Tekken
4 is no exception. Rookie
Craig Marduk brings his Vale
Tudo form to Tekken’s ragtag
band of pugilism misfits, and
punching folks when they’re
down is his specialty. It
seems Namco has finally
hardened up and done away
with its boxing-gloved
dinosaurs, wooden robots
and other weirdness, but
fuzzy ol’ Kuma’s still around
for you nostalgic lamers.
Tutios to You |
Pry
CAS CE
HOrp
NW A LT EC —_ | 4 , =
Na LANSING.
THRUSTMASTER ALIENWARE?
SoBe, the SoBe Lizards, Mr. Green and Release The Green are trademarks of South Beach Beverage Company, Inc.
TE
_—
PREVIEW
SOCOM: U.S. Navy SEALS |
seein ETT TTT TTT nT TT TTT Tv ETT TTTTT TOTES ETT OTE S TESST
Sony CEA
Zipper Interactive Sane aSER Tor Ten Socom onand PLAvins
COC 1 (1-16 online) cme
CIM Action re
20% |
Aug. 27, 2002
CR Hone
www.scea.com
Incredibly realistic
gun recoil-and even your own
REPRESH Lisi
“wFGw Randy ¢.
: -
Once you're online you can change
your weapons, check your ranking
worldwide, chat with other players,
or join a game.
heartbeat-affect your aim.
The Bad: The online game is
broadband only; if you don't have a
cable modem or DSL, you're screwed.
Hearing the cries of
your teammates through the
headset as they get shot.
ONLINE GAMES
OK, try to keep the numbers
straight here: You and up to 15
friends divide into two teams
(SEALs versus terrorists), then
choose from 12 maps to play the
following three modes online:
DEMOLITION: Each team tries to
grab and then place a bomb in
the other’s territory.
HOSTAGE RESCUE: The SEAL
team must locate and rescue a
group of hostages the terrorists
are guarding, or kill all the
terrorists.
SUPPRESSION: Good ol’ straight
firefight. Whichever team kills
the other first wins.
POP QUIZ,
THE QUESTION: On a snowy mission in
Alaska, you take out a guard on a lofty
Hiding in cover (bushes, water, trees, hile
etc.) is very effective. Different camo <8).
outfits help you blend into each level.
hursday, June 27, 1400 hours: Secured 1
(one) version ultra-realistic squad-based
Shooter SOCOM: U.S. Navy SEALs, 1 (one)
PS2 online adapter, and 1 (one) USB headset
communicator from contact at Sony. FedEx guy
knows too much.... He must be neutralized.
1415 hours: Already engaged in 16-player online
game with group of Sony testers. Getting online was
fast and easy. Headset feels flimsy and cheap but
works well—I can clearly hear everyone laughing at
me. (First game | killed myself with grenade. Second
game | accidentally stood up from behind cover and
immediately got shot in head.) These controls will
take some getting used to....
1600 hours: Adjusted to controls; now | can switch
weapons, crouch, lie down, jump, shoot and toss
grenades with ease. Swapped default rifle for
Rambo-sized M60 machine gun. | hide in tall grass
and wait for passersby. Finally I’m getting some kills.
1800 hours: Now it’s just me against J. Rybicki and
HOT SHOT:
hilltop, grabbing his sniper rifle and high-
powered scope for a look around. You
notice two guards a few hundred yards
away in a clearing. What should you do?
A) Take the shot with the unsilenced sniper
rifle, taking care of the guard farthest
away first.
B) Order your second squad, Bravo Team,
to swing around from behind and take care
of them while you watch.
C) Switch to your silenced sub-machine
gun and pepper the guards with controlled
bursts.
D) Carefully move in and take them out
with your silenced pistol.
E) Leave them be. Give peace a chance!
fi, you ever get that
ing like something
about to happen?”
Eley eee ‘ un ton
Riectronic Gam ing Monthly - 90 - 5 o4
J. Davison from Official U.S. PlayStation Magazine.
New strategy for 2-against-1 odds: Traded M60 for
rifle with less ammo but better accuracy and range,
and dropped grenades for claymore mines. Planted
mines at doorways and found sniping perch to
create “Room of Death.” Unfortunately, you can’t
talk to the opposing team over the headset mic, so
my taunts about the yankee pig-dog oppressors and
their fat capitalist masters fall on deaf ears.
2200 hours: Sampled single-player game. Stealth,
slow movement and scouting ahead are key—this is
not your usual run-and-gun first-person shooter.
Computer-controlled teammates often save my
bacon but also make stupid mistakes: In the midst
of “stealthy” operations, they stand out in the open
or, without orders, fire unsilenced machine guns. |
adjust by quietly shooting them all in the head at
the start of each mission. Hope they get smarter in
the final version of the game. More in full report
next month. Over and out. th —Mark MacDonald
WHAT ARE YOU GONNA DOP
THE ANSWER: B) Order your second
squad, Bravo Team, to swing around
from behind and take care of them
while you watch.
It’s the only option that doesn't cause
noise that might alert other guards
(like A) or require you to move and risk
being seen (a la D; don’t forget-you
leave footprints in the snow). Your sub-
machine gun has terrible accuracy at
that distance (sorry C), and if you were
even considering E, well, maybe this
isn’t the game for you. (Go play
Britney's Dance Beat, hippie!) Option B
also keeps you behind a rifle with a
good view of the action; you can cover
Bravo team as they move out and open
fire if trouble breaks out.
* F,
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Hammer your way through urban fantasy Master Fuzzy Hall’s real backyard course and
tracks tothe Gravity Games big time in5 game check out pro rider behind-the-scenes DVD ‘Tike Dennis McCoy, Fuzzy Hall and Jamie
modes through 10 massive worlds so detailed content with.harsh wipeouts, awesome Bestwick, along with a bevy of fantasy street
and realistic you can smell the asphait. moves and in-depth interviews. characters.
PlayStation.e
xBO0x : : Blood
Mild Lyrics
Mild Violence
ne
PREVIEW
Eidos
Free Radical
1-4 (1-16 online)
Genre: First-person shooter
% Done: 10%
September 2002
‘AlsoOn: = GameCube, Xbox
www.eidos.com
timesplittersgame.com
The Good: Cool create-a-level
program and h-u-g-e list of
multiplayer options.
The lack of a jump
button feels a bit odd.
The double-bagger in
that screen on the bottom right.
DO IT YOURSELF
Level Up
Aspiring game designers
take note: TimeSplitters 2’s
expanded map-making
utility now lets you create
your own multi- and single-
player levels and save them
to a memory card. Choose
from preset room tiles then
place weapons, ammo,
teleporters, lighting and
even non-player characters
to build on your own
storyline, and watch as your
level is constructed in real
time. If only more games
included this kind of stuff!
saint EERE EE EERE TES LOSES ERTS EEEEE TSDC OT OPTSSTSESOOOETSODEOOEENS
Certain enemies are weaker and
stronger against some weapon types
(flame, electric, explosive, etc.).
The monkey: Enemy, playable character,
defender of the weak, lover, friend.
elieve it or not, you can tell a lot about
TimeSplitters 2 and developer Free Radical
from a monkey. Well, a pack of monkeys,
really. “At intervals [in multiplayer] the
weakest player is sporadically assisted by a bunch
of gun-toting monkey fanatics,” explains director
David Doak. “They port in, kick ass, beat their little
monkey chests, then skedaddle. Kind of like your
own little pocket monkey cavalry.” What does that
tell us? A) Multiplayer is more than an afterthought
for Free Radical, packed as it is with cool options
like this (monkey-assist is just one of a buttload of
options and modes), B) they have a freakin’ odd
sense of humor, and finally, ©) TimeSplitters 2
sounds like it’s gonna be a whole lotta fun.
But maybe the monkey didn’t convince you.
Maybe you’ve experienced the excellent deathmatch
action in the original TimeSplitters, know that many
at Free Radical worked on the blockbuster Nintendo
64 shooter GoldenEye, and are still uncertain. A
Skeptic, eh? With all the first-person shooters out
it RANK,
(Src) ,
PissmaA
HAAN EREISSLASS ONS SLOSSN RANMA NAA RNIRNESLSSL SANSOME SOO AOSANSSLOODSENCESES
there, who can blame you? But that’s OK, ’cause 7S2
has a lot more to offer.
Like online play, for one. Plenty of opponents, 24
hours a day, seven days a week (including and
especially on holidays), all aching for a crack at ya.
And when straight deathmatch gets old, you can try
some of that buttload of modes we mentioned
before: Bag Tag, Capture the Bag, Flame Tag,
Assault, Virus, Possession, Vampire, Ogre—too
many to list them all here.
Plus, there’s always the single-player game. You
jump around time and space in your search for the
missing pieces of an alien time-travelling device —
everywhere from the Wild West of the 1850s to Neo
Tokyo in the year 2019. Don’t care for the enemies or
weapons in any particular level? Just wait—the next
one will be completely different.
Don’t forget about creating your own multi- or
single-player maps (see sidebar). By the time you’re
done with everything, TimeSplitters 3, will probably
be right around the corner. Re —Mark MacDonald
ies
inolgis
Each of the over 80 characters you can
choose from in multiplayer has his own
attributes. For example, the monkey is
small and fast but very flammable. The
stone golem is slow but strong and
resistant to fire. As for Toothy
Mcvaginamouth above, well, who knows?
AND ONL
HALF-DONE BILLING.
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DELIVER LAST RITES WATH _ ATTACK WITH MARTIAL ARTS, GUNS ~ DESTDROY HORDES OF VILE VAMPIRES
GRUESOME, OVER-THE-TOP AND THE SWORD OF THE DAYWALKER. IN FRENZIEDSSHOW DOWNS.
FINISHING MOVES. =
PlayStation®2 computer entertainment syste
THE HUNT BEGINS AGAIN... mes
ELAR
AVAILABLE ON VHS AND 2-DISC
PLATINUM SERIES™ DVD EVERYWHERE!
www.blade2.com
Blood and Gore
Strong Language > PlayStation.e NEWAINE
Violence i TE |
CONTENT RATED BY sa a = _ | | Aé : i SION
ESRB . | | a
Marvel, Blade and the distinctive likeness(es) thereof are trademark(s) of Marvel Characters, Inc., and are used with permission. Copyright © 2002-Marvel Characters, Inc. All rights reserved. www.marvel.com. Blade 2 motion picture activision.com
artwork and other motion picture material © 2002 New Line Productions, Inc rights reserved. Game code © 2002 Activision, Inc. S4ifiliates. Published and distributed by Activision Publishing, Inc. Activision is a registered
trademark of Activision, Inc. and its affiliates. All rights reserved. a Bi on the PlayStation®2 computer entertainm ems with the NTSC U/C designation only. “PlayStation” and the “PS” Family logo are registered
trademarks of Sony Cofputer Entertainment Inc. Microsof Xboxs"and the Xbox gos are either registered trademarks or t ks of Microsoft Corporation in the U.S. and/omgther countries and are used under license from Microsoft.
| ea :
The ratings icon is a trademark of the Interactive Digit@f Softwate Association. All other trademarks and trade names are'the properties of their respective owners. | ~ be :
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PREVIEW
I Universal Interactive
Computer Artworks
MF Action-Adventure
90%
WA September 2002
throwers...could we ask for more?
tt) a Clumsy interface
makes using and identifying your
iis
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|
1
i ed |
i S = 5
| The Thing isn’t always some |
| obvious, hideous creature. It |
| may just be your right-hand
man. Check out how a nasty
mix of infection and anxiety
| gets to old Williams below.
Williams: Losin’ it |
t the risk of opening the door for some hack
to bring out a console version of Howard the
Duck, we’re going to add this action-adven-
ture ’80s flashback to our brief list of palata-
ble movie games. The Thing has “sleeper hit” written
all over it, and here’s what you’ll be waking up to:
TRUST/FEAR MECHANISM
Not everyone you meet
in the game is going to
be down with taking
orders right off the
bat. You’ll have to earn
their trust and help
them overcome their
fears before they'll
take up your side.
Teammates pissed at you? Give ’’em a gun to show
"em you care. Maybe they think you’re infected by
The Thing? Run a blood test on yourself to prove
you're not. Maybe they’re freaked out so bad they’re
huddled in little balls
on the floor? It’s too
late for these guys—
only a matter of time
before their little
heads go “pop” from
all the emotional
stress.
f
HC GaMines MIONTHHY - = ORT) 2c i bie
| Which Thing is your fav? Here a
| 1) John Carpenter’s Thing
| 2) The Fantastic Four’s big orange Thing
| 3) Swamp Thing (left)
| 4) The Volkswagen Thing
| 5) The Addams Family’s Thing
ALIENS!
The developers took
some liberties with
the enemies they’ve
created, but these
guys are much
fresher than “special
effects” circa 1982.
KILLER HARDWARE
The flamethrower is
essential for finishing
foes, but the fun’s in
Shotgunning their
insides to the wall
and sniping from
catwalks.
FULL EXPLOITATION OF AN “M” RATING
Between the = ry
hardcore swearing,
vomiting and
Splattering gore, The
Thing goes the extra
mile to make sure
every kid under 18
will want to go out
and buy this game.
—Jonathan Dudlak
reapers?
ings
«
2002 KF Hoid
_
=
PREVIEW
Sierra
Inevitable
1-2 (1-16 online)
First-person shooter
% Done: 85%
September 2002
None
www.sierra.com
Lots of ways to play.
No text or voice chat.
Trash talking...only to
have no one hear you.
NOT JUST QUAKE
Role Play
Tribes has a little something
for everyone:
Wanna be
Maverick from
Top Gun? Take to
| the skies in one
of four aircraft:
Grav Cycle (high speed, no
guns), Fighter, Bomber or
Transport (grab up to four of
your teammates and carry
them off to their dooms).
salad
~ Rather bea
cooked Goose
and take ona
support role
ee that'll win you no
glory by the end of the
movie...er, game? Hit the
field and deploy turrets,
sensors or remote inventory
stations. Or just grab a repair
pack so you can run around
and fix things like a sucker.
f you were to take some Quake characters for a
picnic in the countryside, you may get a scene
like you’d see in Tribes, a popular online PC
first-person shooter making its way to the PS2
this fall. This game’s outdoor environments may
bring out the agoraphobia in players raised on
indoor “corridor” shooters —after all, how do you
strategize in such open areas? “The first thing you
notice about the terrain is the vast spaces and
rolling hills,” says Chris Mahnken, Tribes’ producer
at Sierra. “But that’s deceptive, because not all the
hills are rolling, and none of them are the same—
every map has a unique feel. Soon you learn the
best way to get from place to place, using the hills
and valleys as cover. You find the ledge that lets you
mortar the enemy base from just out of sight or the
valley that you can fly the bomber out of without
exposing yourself to too many enemy missiles.”
This isn’t just “Outdoors Quake,” however. You
get a jetpack for short spurts of high-altitude
warfare, and when you run out of energy, you can
“ski” down hillside slopes so you can zip along
without taking fall damage or slowing down. “You
can figure out the best ski routes to help you fly at
the enemy flag at top speed,” says Mahnken.
Electronic Gaming Monthly - 100 - egm.gamers.com
TRIBE AGAIN
Tribes Aerial Assault is a new,
original PS2 game based on
Tribes and Tribes 2 for the PC.
As the game's title suggests, most
of the action comes from above.
Besides Capture the Flag (pictured
here), our other favorite mode is Hunter,
a free-for-all where you take out
enemies, pick up their dropped flags,
then return them to a “Nexus” to score.
You're not necessarily in a shoot-everything-that-
moves mode (mood?) with Tribes. “The freedom is
one of the major benefits,” Mahnken explains. “You
can do whatever you want. In the mood to break
stuff? You can assault the enemy base and trash
their gear. Feeling crafty? Place turrets in all the
most devious positions around your base. You can
even switch the type of base gun emplacements to
thwart changing enemy attack styles.” The game
even has inventory stations (located in your base or
wherever you decide to deploy them on the field) to
let you change your character type to reflect your
preferred style of play. “Defensive-minded players
can play in heavy armor and defend the flag or other
critical equipment,” says Mahnken, “or choose light
armor and chase down enemy flag carriers.” a
—Dan “Shoe” Hsu
PLAYING BY THE NUMBERS
Internet-connection speeds will determine how
many players can hook up for tribal love. As of
this writing, Sierra’s guidelines are as follows:
2-4 6-8 16
How many Cable-modem Only folks
players 56K- gamers may using DSL or
modem users _ be able to get better will be
may be able up to eight able to get the
players to join. —_ full experience.
Far left: Shoot
down any fighter
jets that get
inside your per-
sonal “no-fly”
zone. Left: Hey...
is that a movie
reference we see
there? (See front
editorial page.)
™" . a eae
‘Coming September! Coming Soon!
Violence
PlayStationoe ai
he Mind shall ran
e the - eran aio
Ti
a! nest | i ee : E€oming Septem
CONTENT RATED BY
PlayStation.2
eThe character you choose determines how the
action and event scenes unfold!
¢A multitude of play modes, including 2 player
versus and cooperative!
eMore than 40 playable characters with event scenes
in full voicel!
Xbox™: Coming September!
PlayStation 2 : AVAILABLE NOW
Produced by
“|. PlayStations2 oe
CONTENT RATED BY
@ Live your own Three Kingdoms experience!
Play one of 535 characters from civil servant to the mighty Lu Bu!
@ 10 scenarios with multiple endings and story paths!
The fate of China is in your hands!
@ The biggest leap forward in the series!
Amazing graphics, quicker gameplay,
and added features! EVERYONE
Available Now
PlayStatione2 : gone
Dynasty Tactics, Dynasty Warriors 3 and Romance of the Three Kingdoms VII are trademarks of KOE! Corporation and KOEI Co., Ltd. ©2002 KOEI Co., Ltd. All rights reserved. "PlayStation" and the
"PS" Family logo are registered trademarks of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. Microsoft, Xbox and the Xbox Logos are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Microsoft Corporation in the
U.S. and / or in other countries and are used under license from Microsoft.
SPEAR OF DESTINY
Wolfenstein 3D (PC) usually comes to mind first when thinking of Nazi-killing games.
But ever hear of Spear of Destiny? This prequel (story-wise) never got as much
notoriety as W3D but has a real-life story behind it. Apparently, when he was young,
Adolf Hitler obsessed over an artifact called The Spear of Destiny, which supposedly
harbors mystical powers and was pivotal to sparking his interest in the occult.
rp] co
oR! $e) ‘pes . HEALTH! AMMO 9!
PREVIEW 2 76900 5 @ 100 785
GALLERY
noemennnnnsnenaone sven bnznsonnaneonecncnzonennnsnooacosencsdco¢cconscnuoneecntssnensceeecintttttettSUSASiStSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS SSeS SSS SSS ssaessSsssessSSSRSSBAASe SSSERSSSSna=Si=SSinSsSSISSSSSSSDSSOSSRonSSSuaaeesteseensnnasenanequaennentasestesesdoessesaeassdeeatstndSidssnatnst2EtESsSSisStbloossonnsensGsnsSSSAASiasentANtesOtehiadetsesenssstesclseetsesssenseeKSBeBbsteedeAis2n\za:niEsESebestansstsntnseuenesnssssenessansnsssesseussonseesessnsssassesssnsseneee ee)
ARRDALODEARERSEERINESISROR SRO ARESRODRAORSRDESRRSAANSNRASA ASE NNN RUSSNCUNS ees
Activision ¢ October 2002 ¢ Also On: Xbox — Ha! Feel like you killed
enough Nazis in Medal of Honor? Think again, fool. Nazi-killing never
gets old, and RtCW is a testament to that. It’s nothing but you and your
luger (or MP4o or whatever other real-life WWII weapon you can find)
against legions of Hitler’s boys—not to mention the undead and some
nasty genetics-experiments-gone-awry. Achtung!
sia saint cana betaine Nui ih
Gungrave
Sega * September 2002 ¢ Also On: None — !f you only try one hyper-
violent third-person action-shooter with an animated cyber-Western flair
this fall, make sure it’s Gungrave. If the fancy blastin’ doesn’t rope you
in, maybe the destructible environments, collectible 3D action figures
and CG movie sequences will. Special attacks like the Hellhound Roar
and Bullet Dance make Grave an undead assassin to be reckoned with.
Enix ¢ September 2002 ¢ Also On: None — Lisa Loeb, Dean Cain, and Mark Hamill—quite the queer trio of
personalities —are finally starting a band. Just kidding! They’re bringing their voiceover talents to the new
Grandia game designed from the ground up for PS2. X promises plenty of dungeons and a unique battle
system which achieves both a sense of real-time slicin’ and dicin’ and intense strategic fighting. And only by
using all your different spells and abilities will you master them—none of that levelling-up-until-you-learn-the-
most-powerful-spell crap. Familiar ground for Grandia // vets, and refreshingly original for the uninitiated.
Oks kn
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riectronic Gaming Monthly - 104 - egm.gamers.com
PREWIEW
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EA Games/ Fox Interactive ¢ Fall 2002 ¢ Also On: None — Here’s the
gist of this one: Take nine Simpsons characters, along with their real
voices and wittiest quips, put them on skateboards and set ’em loose in
Springfield. The game wisely uses the Jony Hawk control scheme,
complete with the manual move for trick-linking (no revert), but it takes
more liberties with the laws of physics than Pro Skater does.
TO SURVIVE, YOU MUST CHANGE INTO A WARRIOR.
| : 1990-2002 fig: cry GOlERSEE IMG AL fights seserved. RUBUTEL ters are owned by Harmony Gold USA, inc Videogame © 2002 9DK Mediactive inc. Ai} gits reserved. PUBRISHED AND DIST HIDUTED BY TOK MEDIACTIVE. INC
ON SUMMONER 2...
Sandeep Shekar, lead designer of Summoner 2, explains how he approached
this sequel: “After making Alien 3, David Fincher commented on how horrible an
experience it was making a sequel to a movie by another director. | would say
working on Summoner 2 is kind of similar. Except that | was the lead designer
on the first one, so | guess it's nothing at all like David Fincher or Alien 3.”
—
PREVIEW
GALLERY
PRR IIE TROON ETT ATO LOIRE TTT PART IITA RN TOTTI PLP TOSS OOOO I SEIDEN a eer
RAD: Robot Aichemic Drive
Enix * November 2002 ¢ Also On: None — /f there’s one thing that years
of science fiction has taught us, it’s that giant robots will one day save
the Earth from alien invaders. And that’s what you do in RAD. You control
one of three teenagers given the keys to a huge ’bot in order to battle
these new alien aggressors. Best of all, you control your mech from the
Safety(?) of the ground. Any way you slice it, it’s a destruction bonanza.
ARORA RARER MN ONAN OACE CENCE LLL OR NOONE AORN OLEATE NOOO nena ERD
Summoner 2
THQ ¢ September 2002 ¢ Also On: None — THQ’s original Summoner
might have been a minor hit, but due to nasty problems like slowdown,
pop-up and ugly characters, few gamers look back on it fondly.
Thankfully, this sequel makes a totally fresh start. With a shape-shifting
heroine, revamped camera setup and a new, action-oriented battle
system, this adventure might actually summon some critical acclaim.
a ec eo
SAARI
THQ ¢ Spring 2003 ¢ Also On: Xbox — So you're looking at these
screens and asking yourself, “What the hell?” We don’t blame ya. This is
Alter Echo, an action game that puts you on a living planet whose
organic, pulsating surface is alive and hostile. To survive, morph into
three different forms—melee, gun or stealth—and pause time itself to
queue up a long list of attacks. It’s weird, but definitely in a good way.
aie a
| My, how you’ve grown, you Velociraptor, you. These
| carnivorous puppies sure have come a long way
| graphically since ye old days of Turok: Dinosaur
| Hunter for Nintendo 64. Now look. All grown up
and ready to rip our innards apart! Aww, how cute. ; Y PREVIEW
GALLERY
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Acclaim * September 2002 ¢ Also On: GC, Xbox — Dinosaurs never get old. Or so it seems as Acclaim’s set
to bring their successful Turok franchise to all three next-gen consoles. Some much-touted features include
flight missions where you control a pteranodon to take down enemies from the skies, and the S.D.S (Squad
Dynamics System), which lets you hunt down raptors in the jungle with a squad of soldiers. No doubt about it,
Evolution’s got all the goods: gorgeous visuals, excellent sound capabilities, multiplay, intelligent monsters, A
5 proassoneniee)
and both team- and flight-based combat. The set-up for success is there. Check for our reviews next month. oF A ie
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TO SAVE HUMANKIND, YOU MUST CHANGE INTO A HERO.
/N02 Harmony Gold USA, ine. A } ved. RUBULEGH anda yClated } ik ind characters are owned by Harmony Gold U >A. Inc. Video ja 2002 TDK Mediactive. Inc All rights reserved. PUBLISHED AND UI nibu U6 DK ME
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PREVIEW
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Defender
Midway ¢ Fall 2002 ¢ Also On: GC, Xbox — You're still blasting aliens
and saving humans, but that’s about all this remake has in common
with the classic arcade shooter. The added emphasis on strategy
challenges you (and a friend in two-player co-op) to position tanks and
ground forces to defend bases, plus you can upgrade your ship with
better shields, weapons and other goodies between missions.
<—i ap 4 PlayStation.c
me Aiactve:
© 1985, 2002, Harmony Gold USA, Inc. All rights reserved. ROBOTECH and associated trademarks and characters are owned by Harmony Gold USA, Inc. Videogame © 2002 TDK Mediactive, Inc. All rights reserved. PUBLISHED AND DISTRIBUTED BY TDK MEDIACTIVE, INC. Licensed
by Nintendo. TM © and the Nintendo GameCube logo are trademarks of Nintendo. © 2001 Nintendo. Licensed for play on the PlayStation®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. 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 registered trademark of the Interactive
Digital Software Association. All other trademarks and trade names are the properties of their respective owners.
Xbox™ video game system screenshots shown.
PREVIEW
NDE RCOI NREL SEIS IIE
EA Games
_ Eurocom/EA UK
1
ali Action-Adventure
, 50%
Nov. 15, 2002
= PlayStation 2, Xbox
WWW.ea.com
hpgames.ea.com
| Slick graphics, tight
control, and the second book is far
better suited to becoming a game.
B Harry and friends are
voiced by sound-alike fill-in actors.
Investigating Moaning
Myrtle’s home in the toilet.
QUIDDITCH
Quidditch, the beloved sport
of wizards, plays a major
role in Secrets. Harry’s
second year on the squad as
Seeker (the player who must
capture the elusive, game-
winning Golden Snitch)
brings tougher competi-
tion—including a face-off
against Slytherin’s new
seeker, Draco Malfoy.
EA has greatly enhanced
the Quidditch gameplay over
last fall’s PS1 Sorcerer’s
Stone game. You'll now have
to contend with faster,
smarter Bludgers (magical
balls that try to knock you
off your broom) and attacks
from other players.
Harry also has some new
moves to even the score,
like a blazing speed boost
and a charge move for
ramming opponents.
ASSASSINS ESRB ES SSID SEEDS SEARO IONRE CORON LS LOSILOSL ESLER IE ESSIEN BNS ELL
Harry Potter and
the Chamber of Secrets
DROSERROERORICESRESOAESESAORAASANA ANANSI SRO ARE TREE BIEN DTILEO SDAA SLOAN LEONE ON LEESON COLCA N NAAN NNN NOC
kept saying to myself...just wait ’til next year,
then they'll see.” That’s how EA product
manager David Lee consoled himself last fall as
the mediocre reviews poured in for his game
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone. This
November, just in time for the next Potter feature
film, comes his chance at redemption: Harry Potter
and the Chamber of Secrets.
So where exactly did the last game go wrong, and
how is EA planning on making it right in the sequel?
Well first of all, a lot more gamers will get the
chance to play it. Unlike the PS1-only Sorcerer’s
Stone, Secrets’ development began early enough
that all three of the next-gen home consoles will be
getting a version of the game simultaneously.
And where last year’s Potter game had to
construct an action-adventure from the mostly
action-free first book and movie, the plot of
Chamber lends itself more easily to a game. All of
the cool scenes are here, such as Harry and Ron
LDA NRERN RRLODEIP NIBP SEE ISE BNET ETRE SRLS SREOSLEOOSE BRI SBRIE SSE ISEIERESIED SI LESILIEOBILIDEDS AEOLIAN LOORE LET LA RONOSOIEORLNL EE NLP LE SEALE LATED
hijacking the flying car, fighting the creepy Aragog
spider-monsters, and exploring the forbidden
Chamber of Secrets. The story’s darker, horror-
tinged elements also afford the game a sense of
spooky dread that helps propel it onward.
Something’s turning Harry’s classmates into stone,
and it’s your job to solve the mystery. Those of you
who’ve read the book know just how well the
dramatic climax could work as a game—just wait
until you See it here.
Harry’s gameplay draws heavy inspiration from
the Nintendo 64 Zelda titles: He walks, runs and
auto-jumps just like Link and can lock onto enemies
to attack with magic. Speaking of which, Harry
learns a variety of spiffy spells as he progresses
through the game, each with different casting
methods. For example, the normal attack spell,
Flippendo, can be fired as small blasts by tapping
the button or charged up for one massive bolt by
holding the button down. Hold it for too long,
however, and the charged spell will blow up in
Harry’s face in a seriously embarrassing Wile E.
Coyote fashion. Harry’s magic gets quite a workout
too, since the developers have stuffed the game
with a gaggle of challenging boss encounters.
Of course, Harry’s not always pelting monsters
with oddly named spells. Sometimes, he has to
actually do stuff at the Hogwarts School of
Witchcraft and Wizardry. Aside from attending
classes to learn spells and playing on the Quiddtich
team (see sidebar), Harry also joins the Dueling
Club. Here, he faces off against other students in
dramatic, one-on-one magical battles. Mastering
spell deflection and timing is invaluable for actual
combat, so you can sneak up to the roof of
Young Potter
enjoys the
fleeting
freedom of
his summer
vacation.
Soon, it'll be
all wedgies
and hazing at
Hogwarts.
Hogwarts late at night and practice dueling to your
heart’s content.
Graphically, every location in the game looks just
like the ornate, imaginative sets from the film.
Meandering through the bizarre shops in Diagon
Alley and catacombs beneath Hogwarts truly brings
the Harry Potter experience to life. The audio isn’t
quite so faithful, as most of the actual voice actors
from the film couldn’t squeeze in time for the game.
The sound-alikes perform admirably, though.
EA claims that Harry Potter has already become its
largest worldwide brand, and that popularity
stemmed from last year’s slightly disappointing
lineup. Now that they’ve got a much more res-
pectable game coming to the next-gen consoles, we
expect the Potter franchise to take off like a Nimbus
2000 (that’s a flying broom to all non-magic users).
Oh, by the way, the PS1, GBA and even GBC will be
getting Secrets in November as well. ae
— Shane Bettenhausen
Harry heads to Daigon Alley to
find blacklight posters, incense
and a lava lamp for.his” dorm
Well, not'réally, but wouldn
WHAT HAPPENED TO BOOK |
The long-awaited fifth tome, Harry Potter and Hie Order of the Peers, was
originally slated to ship in July of 2002. Now, it’s been pushed back to July
2003. Apparently, author J.K. Rowling has no enforced writing deadlines, so
she can deliver the manuscript whenever she gets around to it. Bloody hell.
All three next-gen versions
of Harry are basically the
same, but GC owners can
unlock some exclusive
features by linking Chamber
of Secrets up with its GBA
counterpart. Actually, even if
you don’t have the upcoming
Potter GBA game (shown
here), you can download
sliding tile puzzles to your
portable system via the Link
Cable. But if you own both
the GBA and GC games, you
can unlock a special maze in
the GBA cart. In it, you’ll find
a secret Wizard Card you can
use to open Gringotts Bank,
a location exclusive to the
GC version of Secrets.
Blow off some steam by hurling
pesky garden gnomes over the
Weasleys’ fence. Is it harmless fun
or does this behavior foreshadow
Harry's violent desires? Is he the
next Anakin? “It’s all Dumbledore’s
fault!”
PREVIEW
Nintendo
Nintendo
1-4 (Alternating)
Hell if we know.
Nintendo calls it “Communication.”
September 16, 2002
www.nintendo.com
Definitely one of the
most refreshing, original games to
come along in quite some time.
Th No action, no bosses-
heck, no goals. Trigger-happy
gamers may become confused and
potentially hostile. Be warned.
| Let's just say...you
don't ever want to push the reset
button during play. Trust us.
NES Lives
One of the coolest things
you can do in Animal Cros-
sing is find and collect clas-
sic NES (8-Bit Nintendo)
games to keep in your hum-
ble in-game abode. You can
play these games in all their
old-school glory right there
on your GameCube, or if you
like, you can download them
to your GBA for playing on
the go. The initial batch of
titles includes oldies like
Punch-Out!! (sans Mike
Tyson), Excitebike and Ice
Climber (among others), but
since new games (Zelda,
please?!) can be distributed
via memory card, the possi-
bilities are limitless.
Nintendo even hinted to us
that some third parties may
get in on the action, sticking
their NES classics on
memory cards as well.
BOO ERLE LRN O SOLDER O ROO ACROPORA OOOO ARRON ORTOP SEEDPEER EERO
Nothing!
I've Got nothing!
Nada! Zero! Zip! Zilch!
intendo’s second-half lineup for 2002 reads
like a laundry list of gaming’s biggest and
most beloved franchises. But amidst these
massively anticipated games—which include
the likes of Super Mario Sunshine and Metroid
Prime —lies a relative unknown that could easily
turn out to be one of the surprise hits of the year:
Nintendo’s quirky new life sim, Animal Crossing.
As the game begins, you find yourself on a train
headed for a small forest village that you’ll soon be
calling home. Once you arrive and get settled in
your new digs, you’re free to do pretty much
whatever you want, whenever you want. This is what
makes Animal Crossing so unique—the only real
objective in the game is to live life as you see fit.
With literally dozens of things to do at any given
time, you'll never find yourself feeling bored or
restless. But don’t expect any puzzles to master or
huge bosses to slay, ’cause you won’t find ’em here.
The point with Animal Crossing was to keep things
simple and fun. “The gaming industry has a trend of
creating really big action games that are too difficult
for a lot of people,” says AC producer Takashi
Tezuka. “We wanted to make a game that was
barter {* (2 $4 RA math, a A rararc a
Electronic Gaming Monthly - 112 - egm.gamers.com
Launching the same day as Animal Crossing is Nintendo’s new e-Reader peripheral and
the first series of digitally encoded Animal Crossing e-cards. The printed part of the :
cards will feature character info and special passwords that can be used in-game, while
|
PERE IRE ETON CORE z ss oe ‘ cs
ssc ee
accessible to all players, even those who weren’t
hardcore gamers.”
Up to four people can participate in any one
village (each person occupies one of the four
available houses), so your friends and family can get
in on the action as well. This is where the
“communication” aspect of the game kicks in. You
can even take things a step further by taking your
memory card to a friend’s place and having your
character “visit” their village (no two villages are
alike). There, you can meet new characters, trade
items, or even nab some of the local rarities which
aren't available back home. And since everything
takes place in real time, if you play at 3:30 p.m. on
Friday, Sept. 20, that’s the time it’ll be in the game
as well. Day turns to night, seasons change, holiday
events take place and so on. You’ll want to check
back often to see what’s going on, else you might
miss out on something big.
We could go on and on about all the cool and
unique aspects of AC, but half the fun is finding
them out for yourself. Needless to say, if you’re up
for something fresh and different, this is one GC
game you won’t want to miss. oF, —John Ricciardi
7,
Cc / ‘
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PREVIEW
super Monkey Ball 2
Sega
Amusement Vision
Players: 1-4
Puzzle/Party game
80%
September 2002
Also On: None
www.sega.com
More of the same
Monkey Ball action you've grown to
love, plus six new minigames.
This baby is super-
hard.
And The "A=? Reviews Editor
Jonathan Dudlak getting his butt
kicked at Monkey Race.
Lar
WOO BO
the raging
» river the
fastest. Power-
ups will turn
your ball into a
motorboat.
: Relive the
glory of the
U.S. getting to
the World Cup
quarterfinals
with Monkey
Soccer!
See that goal in the distance? That's
where you've got to be. Don’t be too
hasty, though. Singed monkey hair
don’t smell too great.
AiAi contemplates a different line of work Big
as he’s launched skyward on one of the @), a
new, very challenging Story-mode stages. -
uper Monkey Ball was the sleeper-hit launch
title for the GameCube. Its super-simple
gameplay, charming characters and addictive
puzzles made it an instant favorite among
early adopters of the system. After playing the
sequel extensively, we can safely say that those fans
are in for a real treat next month.
It seems the maniacal scientist Dr. Bad-Boon (just
go with it) is intent not on ruling Jungle Island but
just getting all its inhabitants to like him. Our four
furry heroes (AiAi, MeeMee, Baby and GonGon) set
out to thwart his evil and ridiculous plans. | mean...
come on. With a name like Bad-Boon you’re pretty
much asking to be ostracized.
The basic game is similar to the prequel: You roll
one of the monkeys through a collection of narrow,
twisting courses trying to reach the goal as fast as
possible without falling off. The challenge, however,
has increased tenfold. Even EGM’s best monkey-
MONKEY SHOT:
Hy
MONKEY BASEBALL:
like?
shooter has to
do with mon-
keys or balls,
we're not sure.
ps iP i oil _ Apes in the
Sone Soa outfield try to
Poon we catch pop-flies
with giant
novelty gloves.
What's not to
ballers (gross!) were getting schooled on only the
second set of levels in Super Monkey Ball 2. The
game now features a lot more moving parts and
pitfalls compared to the original, along with jumps,
conveyor belts and nasty twists and turns.
But the real fun in the last outing was the
collection of minigames. Happily, all of the originals
make a return in the sequel, with slight upgrades
(nine-ball in Monkey Pool, eight competitors in
Monkey Race, etc.). The really exciting part, though,
is the inclusion of six new minigames that
absolutely rock! Check below for a rundown.
So if you’ve already unlocked everyone in Smash
Bros. Melee and mastered the art of boom in
Bomberman Generation, then Super Monkey Ball 2
is going to be the next party game you and your
friends will go ape for.
| can’t believe | just said that....
— Greg Sewart
THE DIRTY HALF-DOZEN: THE NEW MINIGAMES
MONKEY DOGFIGHT:
Kayak down atte arene What this first- tes / A combat-flight
: person Time = sim to make Ace
Crisis-style _ Combat 04
blush. We're just
wondering where
they hide all
those missiles.
Think of it as
the GC's Virtua
Tennis, but
you're a little
monkey in a
transparent ball!
» Pure genius.
Electronic Gaming Monthly - 114 - egm.gamers.com
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The Gathering In seconds, Magic: The Gathering® Online lets you
7 N | IONE access over a thousand powerful creatures and
4 4 spells. All different. All deadly.
sah oA Te And every year, hundreds
more are added to
the arsenal.
HALL OF CHAMPIONS
8h.
Magic” Online:
Second to none.
bon
OLAOLIEST STRATEGIES MOST COMPETITION: BEST REWAROS
Get the game free: Mtgonime.com pi
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PREVIEW
TDK Mediactive
Vicious Cycle
1-2
Action
85%
October (GameCube)
September (PS2, Xbox)
| PlayStation 2, Xbox
_ tdk-mediactive.com
www.robotech.com
Uc) Finally we get a
Robotech video game!
It took 17 years.
| | Your eardrums after
Minmei’s “To Be In Love.”
; y | f A;
a
j
|
|
!
;
}
i
i
| ,
|
{
FS hte
Robotech fans know him as
Max Sterling. Gamers likely
know him best as the
| nefarious Liquid Snake of
_ Metal Gear Solid fame. Next
| month, you'll hear Cam
Clarke as the voice of Jack
Archer, Battlecry’s main
character. By our count,
Cam’s now been in some-
where around 25 different
games for consoles, PCs
and arcades.
Cam is one of seven
original series actors who
will reprise their roles for
Battlecry. Present and
accounted for are the voices
of Rick Hunter, Lynn Minmei,
Roy Fokker and Lisa Hayes,
to name a few. So yes, that
means all of those charac-
ters are in the game.
The actors will also lend
_ their voices to most of the
| periphery and villain roles
| inthe game.
_ If you’re a true Robotech nut, make sure to get your Collector’s Edition
next month. Inside the box you’ll find the game, game soundtrack, |
RDF dogtags, original game art, Battlecry tee and a lenticular motion
card (you know, those plastic thingys where the image changes if you
No, you can’t prevent the SDF-1 from
blowing up half of Ontario. But you
can save as many pilots’ lives as
possible in the “Bursting Point” level.
Go where angels fear to tread with the
Super Veritech. You versus a million
Zentraedi battleships? Bring it on!
obotech freaks have been waiting nearly two
decades for this game. Finally, we get a
chance to climb aboard a Veritech fighter and
battle the Zentraedi alongside the likes of Rick
Hunter, Roy Fokker and Lisa Hayes.
While you’ll be flying completely original missions
95 percent of the time, developer Vicious Cycle knows
that giving the player a chance to fly some sorties
directly from the classic TV series is very important.
“We have four levels prior to [the Zentraedi
destroying the Earth] in our game: ‘Boobytrap,’
‘Countdown,’ ‘Bursting Point’ and ‘Force of Arms,’”
says VC prez Eric Peterson. “This set of missions
helps establish the storyline we’ve created. After the
first chapter, the missions in Battlecry run parallel to
| move it). The package will be available for all three systems. |
Battlecry
seer eee ee ee
the original show.” That means you'll be creating your
own part of the Robotech legacy for most of the
game, doing everything from fighting Zentraedi
rebels, to protecting airstrips, to flying escort fora
Cat’s Eye recon plane in deep space.
But honestly, the real point of almost every mission
is getting into some major firefights against wave
after wave of Battlepods, Zentraedi foot soldiers and
Battle Suits (not to mention battleships and troop
carriers). The skirmishes can get intense at times,
often filling the screen with missile trails (a trademark
of the original show), explosions and shrapnel.
Thanks to the easy-to-learn control scheme, though,
you'll have complete mastery of your transformable
Veritech fighter in no time. Plus, you’ve got some
training missions run by Roy Fokker himself if you
need any extra piloting tips.
All of the action is accompanied by music from the
original show, only remixed and rerecorded. “We
wanted the music to be interactive,” says Peterson.
“For instance, if you’re ambushed by a bunch of
Zentraedi, the music will change from neutral to a
danger theme in order to raise the intensity of the
experience. Plus, we wanted to update the music to
be a bit more modern.”
The end result is a game that should appeal to
everyone. It’s mainstream enough to get action
junkies fired up, yet hardcore enough to keep the
Robotech fans happy. th
—Greg Sewart
THE ONLY TELEVISION
NETWORK DEVOTED TO VIDEO GAMES.
>>>>>>GO TO G4TV.COM or, CALL GAMES ™M
YOUR CABLE OR SATELLITE PROVIDER
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OVER 700 STORES NATIONWIDE
AOL KEYWORD: EBGAMES
REQUIRED READING
What better way to get yourself jazzed up for the latest Batman game
than to go out and nab a copy of The Dark Knight Returns, the single
greatest Batman story ever told? And when you’re done with that, be
sure to look for its sequel, The Dark Knight Strikes Again, currently
making the rounds as a three-part miniseries from DC Comics. Trust us, |
kids —comic literature just doesn’t get much better than this. |
PREVIEW
GALLERY
*
Sunshine fo MER ie 27) 0 Se
a ec Saeco OE eae
Nintendo « August 26, 2002 « | ay ae
Also On: None — Nintendo fans,
we know what you’re going
through. Sure, you may try to cover
it up with marathon Resident Evil
sessions or blot it out with non-
stop Smash Bros. Melee battles,
but let’s face it—the lack of a new
Mario game has left us Cube
owners with a lonely hole deep in
our hearts.
Before you sign up for that 12-
step program, though, we’ve got
good news: Mario Sunshine is less
than a month away. Think of it as
Mario 64 after taking a power-up
mushroom. It’s got the same basic
premise (now you collect Shine sun
coins instead of stars) but with
larger worlds crammed with more
challenges. It’s got the same basic
moves (triple jump, butt stomp,
etc.) but more of them (like slide, a : !
fence climb and tightrope walk). : , oe a a
It’s got similar graphics, but they’re . Ce SS THE MARK OF
much sharper and more detailed. > | cere’ §6€=©6=- Mm 2ZORRO...ER, MARIO
Plus, Sunshine introduces the all- ) aa yeas ere
new water-pump backpack Mario a
can use to attack enemies, solve
puzzles, or give an extra boost to
his jumps. So don’t give in to
depression or binge eating just
yet—Mario’s almost here.
See that red “M” above? It’s one of
the graffiti tags someone left all
over town, so everyone would
blame “M”ario for the mess. So now
it’s his job to wash away all the
scarlet letters with the water pump
and discover who set him up.
ESAS RR ARSON
Kemco * November 2002 ¢ Also On: PS2, Xbox — Based on an original story by long-time Batman scribe
Scott Peterson (with some creative input by former Final Fantasy writer Kenji Tareda), Dark Tomorrow takes
the Caped Crusader back to his roots as an ass-kicking vigilante out to rid Gotham City’s streets of crime. You
won't find any colorful, cartoony visuals in this third-person action-adventure; BDT puts the “dark” back in
Dark Knight with gritty, atmospheric environments and an assortment of familiar villains and locales from the
comics. From what we’ve seen, BDT is shaping up nicely.
TIN: Gamers cranam
oN. gamel Sf di
PREVIEW
GALLERY
Evolution Worlds
Ubi Soft * September 2002 ¢ Also On: None — Dreamcast owners might remember the original
Evolution titles. They were fairly simple RPGs with randomly generated dungeons and turn-based
battles reminiscent of Grandia //’s combat style. In fact, they were almost entirely dungeon crawls,
with very little taking place outside the confines of the various labyrinths. Worlds is a melding of the
first two games with very limited improvements to speak of outside of a lot of new English voice
acting. Still, it’s not a bad deal for the RPG-starved GC crowd.
Mystic
Koei ¢ Fall 2002 * Also On: None — A cute version of Koei’s other
beat-’em-up fighting game, Dynasty Warriors, Heroes will appeal to
anime fans who prefer action over adventure. A linear hack-and-
slasher, this game doesn’t require a lot of exploration or experience
gathering. Collecting runes is all you need to level up and take on
the ridiculous amount of enemies slashing all around you.
Vazhar
by Full Sail Student
Brian Germain
|
Real World Education|
School of:
Game Design
Computer Animation
Digital Media
Film
Audio
Show Production
800.226.7625
www.fullsail.com
3300 University Boulevard
Winter Park, FL 32792
¢ Financial aid available to
those who qualify.
¢ Job placement assistance.
¢ Accredited by ACCSCT.
©2001 Full Sail, Inc. All rights reserved. The
terms “Full Sail,” “Full Sail Real World
Education,” and the Full Sail logo are either
registered service marks or service marks of
Full Sail, Inc.
PREVIEW
Ubi Soft
Ubi Soft Montreal
1
Stealth-Action
70%
November 2002
PS2, GC (next year)
_ www.ubi.com
www. splintercell.com
The | Features the most
realistic use of lighting and shadows
in any game ever.
‘And The |
neal tnd
| Most other games
after seeing this one.
The weapons and tools in
Tom Clancy games seem far-
fetched, but they’re all
based on existing gear. But
most of this stuff isn’t
available to just anybody.
“Almost all are based on
actual prototypes being
tested right now by different
military organizations,”
says producer Mathieu
Ferland. “The rest we’ve
created solely for gameplay
purposes, but even those
are combinations based on
weapons currently in
development. Remember
that the events taking place
in Splinter Cell are set in the
near future, so any proto-
types being tested now will
become tools-of-the-trade in
a few years. As for which
gadgets are real and which
aren’t...well, that’s
classified!”
Tom Clancy's
2.9% eae
Gale Maeve ~ a |
3% 22.5 — i
‘aie :
.
s¥e cat. 2
wey Ge
You'll never tire of creeping
through the shadows when
they look this damn good!
Producer Ferland explains Fisher's
graying locks: “No 25-year-old rookie
mie could do this job, and we needed to
a i. represent this with a thin trace of
‘4a aa ¢ | gray hair. It brings a lot of credibility
— |. E to the character.” Take that, Raiden!
he
n the past, the words “Tom Clancy” on a game
box meant that you’d be coordinating a small
team of operatives on an elite strike mission, as
in the Rainbow Six series. Planning out complex
tactical strikes is cool for some, but tons of gamers
just wanna shoot stuff without pouring over
blueprints. Ubi Soft has created the ultimate peace
pipe for both kinds of players with Splinter Cell, an
all-new action/stealth franchise that fans of Metal
Gear Solid should instantly dig. In fact, with
presented it to Tom,” explains Ubi Soft producer
Mathieu Ferland. “He was so impressed that he took
the ball and ran with it—embellishing the original
concept with Clancy-esque details that only he could
provide.” Clancy made specific suggestions about
Fisher’s clothing, weapons and movement, and of
course, the game’s thrilling narrative.
Fisher’s adventure spans four countries, as the
twisting plot unfolds through cinemas and in-game
cutscenes. At the onset of each level, you get detailed
qi
ui
i
— Splinter Cell producer Mathieu Ferland
innovative gameplay, spectacular visuals and Clancy’s
distinctive touch, this game might even outdo
instructions and mission objectives on your handy
PDA. The best way to approach tasks like “disable the
Konami’s juggernaut.
Splinter Cell’s mysterious title is actually an oblique
reference to its hero, Sam Fisher. He’s a “splinter
cell,” a lone-wolf operative working for the
government’s top-secret Third Echelon department.
Surprisingly, Fisher’s not actually a Clancy creation—
the developers at Ubi created him from scratch.
“When we were Satisfied with the concept, we
missile launchers” and “locate the missing operative”
is by sneaking around, but if you’re feeling lucky, go
guns-blazing. “You never have to play it the same way
twice,” says Ferland. “You can muscle your way
through the game by force, or you can creep along in
the shadows and focus on stealth—you can even play
through without any kills. It’s up to you to decide, but
each approach will have different consequences.”
Cont. on page 122
Without
This set of handy
specs serves as Fisher’s most invaluable
gadget. Much of the game is cloaked in
darkness, so you'll need Night Vision to see
what’s going on (or to find your way to the
bathroom at 4 a.m.). You can also switch on
Thermal Vision, which gives you a clear view of
objects producing heat (like people and bombs).
Using these goggles will save your hide-you'll
often spot someone lurking in the shadows who
would have clocked you in the skull.
Without The
y \ wy |
Shoot
this onto a wall for a remote view of the action.
petiseSatsagaeesi sects es
EEO es Ee
Similar to the above — satiate ——e
prt
i
device but it emits a siren and nerve gas. 3 Dour atTDD pevea ratte
Use this to peer under
doors. (Combinable with Thermo or Night Vision.) me adies room, all CEI
-
- 121 - es
Many of Clancy’s creations have become blockbuster films,
so if Splinter Cell made it to the silver screen, who should
play Sam Fisher? Ubi Soft’s Mathieu Ferland nominates
Hollywood heartthrob George Clooney for the role.
Our old pal Snake
uses chaff grenades to confuse the surveillance
cameras, but Fisher's got something better-this
static stick scrambles spying eyes for a few
seconds so that he can sneak past. Unlike one-
use grenades, you can use this over and over.
This nifty device sends
Fisher mission objectives and updates from
Third Echelon headquarters, plus it displays
images transmitted live from his recon camer-
as. It’s also handy for storing the ladies’ digits.
“Hey baby, wanna see my distraction device?”
PREVIEW
Sweat the small stuff: Fisher holds
his pistol in check while sneaking
up on an unsuspecting foe... |
: es
Cont. from page 120
Since Splinter Cell’s technology is all rooted in
reality, Fisher doesn’t have the benefit of an MGS-
style radar device. Instead, you must watch an on-
screen indicator that reflects how well concealed you
are. Stick to the shadows and you'll pass by unseen.
Fisher wields some impressive firepower, but
Ferland insists that “the main focus of the game is
not on weapons, but instead on gadgets.” It’s true—
as you progress, Fisher builds up an amazing arsenal
of cool gizmos for spying, surprising and subduing.
(For a detailed look at these high-tech toys, check the
previous page.) Mastering this gear takes time, but
the payoff is worth it. Imagine spotting two guys
behind a curtain with thermal goggles, silently
shooting a gas-emitting distraction camera next to
them, and then knockin’ ’em out with a rubber airfoil
projectile. That’s the stylish way to clear a room.
As stated earlier, Splinter Cell’s graphical excellence
stands unparalleled among upcoming Xbox releases,
and the guys at Ubi are understandably proud. “It
seems that other developers didn’t explore the Xbox
as much as we did,” states Ferland. “We’ve built
everything from scratch using Xbox specifications like
the vertex shader, pixel shader and shadow buffer.”
Translation: It looks unbelievably good. So good it
was a Standout title at the annual E3 trade show this
past May. “It was especially nice to learn that [Metal
Gear Solid director] Hideo Kojima, the inventive
creator of the stealth-action genre, was impressed,”
Ferland recalls with a smile. With its mind-blowing
visuals and creative gameplay concepts, Splinter Cell
should provide some ample competition for Kojima's
own Xbox entry, Metal Gear Solid 2 Substance. i
— Shane Bettenhausen
122 - ¢
LEDERER P TEINS
Fisher’s modular, high-tech rifle
fires bullets, grenades and spy
cameras. It doesn’t come with all
the add-ons; you must earn ‘em.
Five-seven Pistol
Lightweight, stealthy and silent,
this piece kills covertly. Use it to
quietly surprise foes from afar, as
the aiming is a little slow.
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29 UMredshift.com
CONTENT RATED BY
ESRB!
©2002 Microsoft
_ States and/or othe
Aicrosoft, Quantum Redshift, Xbox, and the Xbox logos are either registered trademarks
amar f Microsoft Corporation
Sompany names mentioned herein may be trademarks of their respective owners. @ Gu Se ee
PREVIEW
2920 000090090080090 022 OO MONAHAN OHO INOOR OOM
Ce Eidos
lo Interactive
Players:
Genre: = Action
70%
Sept. 3, 2002
Cee PlayStation 2
www.hitman2.com
The freedom to
assassinate with subtle or
bludgeoning antics.
Accidentally plugging
the innocent hired help. Oops!
Stripping and
dragging a dangling corpse while
dodging sniper fire.
TALK, DAMNIT!
Who’s responsible for this?
How long has it been going
on? And why can’t you wear
those skimpy maid outfits?
We sweated the answers out
of Thor Frglich, graphics
designer for lo Interactive.
US: What learning experiences
did you take from the first game
and apply to the sequel?
THEM: We learned a great deal
about the gameplay elements
featured in Hitman. We've gone
through all of them and
discarded the ones that weren't
essential and elaborated on the
things we thought worked really
well-mainly the disguise
system, the hiding of bodies, the
whole sneaking element and the
open gameplay. We've also
learned a great deal about the
project control side of things.
This optimization of the way
we work permits us to spend
more time actually improving on
the game rather than just
redoing things.
US: There must be some awe-
somely cool parts in a few
particular levels that you're
really proud of. Can you hint at
some of them?
THEM: There is something
infinitely sinister and very cool
about fouling up a session of
open-heart surgery dressed as a
doctor. | bet he didn't see that
seaoeiehahannnasnnsannaaeanaateasanaataeraastsasnasscnsassnanannannsanansndannnananassesentsonennaenaenmensxenerecemamnemanrcoomene
Hitman 2:
Pb LOO DIUM ORO ec ARLES RIOO!
My next performance will be
Beethoven's “Ninth Symphony”
in the key of...aaaaaarrrrggghh!
Agent 47 takes a moment to improve
the mansion’s paint job before finding
the owner and capping his ass.
he more astute gamers out there may be
wondering where the heck a console version
of the original Hitman ended up. We’re afraid
it took a hit after the PC release. It had a
novel premise (a no-nonsense bald mercenary with
a barcode on the back of his neck, killing people)
and undeniably entertaining gameplay (involving
costume changes, stealth or all-out gunfire). It also
had lots of problems, such as the lack of an in-game
save, the clunky control that left some gamers
wondering if the hero was wearing concrete boots,
and doors that required an entire SWAT team to
open properly. But as lo Interactive takes another
shot at the hitman simulation and swears they'll fix
these issues, we’re more than prepared to believe
them, jet off around the world to a variety of exotic
locations, meet interesting people. And kill them.
feb ASSASSIN REPORT #563 %
BARRY THE BAPTIST
Known for:
Lock, Stock and Two
» Smoking Barrels
Current Status:
ae Dead (shot in the gut)
Distinguishing Features: Massive skeepskin coat.
Giant, bald dome. Grizzled brow. Cockney expletives
uttered in the combat zone.
Quote: “If you don't want to be counting the fingers
you haven't got, | suggest you get those guns. Quick!”
Achilles Heel: Blood-pressure level. Lack of
automatic weaponry.
Notes: While in the service of Porn King Harry the
Hatchet, Barry doesn't actually do much killing; he
just orders two hapless Liverpudlians about.
However, the real-life actor who played Barry was a
London gangster linked to the Krays.
EGM Danger Risk Ranking: @@@ 3/5 Bullet holes
- 124 - egn
aming M
a
a ee ae
You are Agent 47, a genetically engineered
assassin currently resting in a Sicilian monastery,
suffering from pangs of guilt and wondering if offing
organized-crime syndicate bosses is really his life’s
calling. The answer of course, is yes, aS gamers
aren’t going to line up for a Franciscan Monk
simulation. Agent 47 has little time to ponder his
eternal damnation, as a horrendous act of treason
forces him back into the business. First stop? A
mansion bursting with black-suited goons, a fat mob
boss and a variety of mission plans to ponder.
After an exhaustive playtest on both the
PlayStation 2 and Xbox, we’re pleased to report that
both games look amazing. Not Splinter Cell
amazing, but pleasantly impressive, with crisp, clean
(and large) environments. But it’s the novel game-
play concept that’s likely to entice you: At the start
£GM ASSASSIN REPORT #159
| LEON THE
wie PROFESSIONAL
w Known for:
F The Professional
Current Status:
“ ’ Dead (blew himself up)
Distinguishing Features: Hook nose. “John Lennon”
sunglasses. Long coat. Large weaponry cache.
Frenchie accent.
Quote: “No women, no kids; that's the rules.”
Achilles Heel: Actually has a conscience.
Notes: Cold, methodical, but ultimately sensitive
after a pre-pubescent Natalie Portman turns up at
his door. This hitman with a heart of gold can
certainly dish out the punishment, has access to
dozens of extremely lethal bits of killing equipment,
but a nagging set of ethics steers him away from
“hard man” stardom.
EGM Danger Risk Ranking: @@ 2/5 Bullet holes
of each job, you’re briefed, Mission: Impossible
style, about just who needs shooting in the head. In
addition, if some secret plans need snaffling, you'll
be shown what these look like. Then it’s on to the
ordinance closet for a spot of gun polishing. Yes,
you get to choose the weapons for the job, and you
can carry five. So if you want to cover the walls of
your prey’s mansion in a fabulous new color called
“hint of brain,” pack the SPAS 12 Shotgun. If,
however, long-range sniping is your bag, stuff a
Dragunov SVD rifle into your overcoat. After you’ve
packed enough heat to star in the movie Heat, It’s
off for a bout of bad-guy culling.
Depending on how bloodthirsty you're feeling,
actual missions vary a great deal. You could spot
The Don taking golf swings from his mansion
balcony and plug him in the eye with a sniper bullet.
Known for:
* The Spy Who Loved Me,
# Moonraker
Current Status:
| ie “ Active (floating in space)
Distinguishing Features: Unfashionable too-tight
dress shirt. Comedy suspenders. Steel choppers.
Bowl haircut. Monstrous size.
Random Quote: “Well, here’s to us.”
Achilles Heel: Slow, limited brain power.
Electrocutable teeth.
Notes: Jaws is ultimately too slow to be a threat,
even for a toupee-wearing elderly Roger Moore. He
suffers from breaks in concentration and has
appalling fashion sense. He can, however, rip open a
car door, lift up a massive boulder, and bite through
cable-car wiring. Oh, and he's indestructible.
EGM Danger Risk Ranking: @Q OO 4/5 Bullet holes
See SI EA AE a ED SE EAE SLE NE ET ES ET AE EAL REST TID
ea ac a o> en re
1) The kitchen staff lives in fear of Agent 47's
unannounced late-night visits; 2) Is there a more
embarassing way to die?; 3) Finding a safe perch
and pulling out the sniper rifle is the preferred
way to get most missions (and targets) out of
the way; 4) You just know this is gonna end up
with one guy a whole lot shorter than he was five
minutes ago.
You could trek through the mansion itself, where
silenced machine guns provide a quick dispatch
method without the facility’s entire goon population
overwhelming you. Or how about tagging an
innocent so you can Steal his outfit for a disguise?
Just be sure to hide the body; semi-naked corpses
tend to make the Mafia a little suspicious. Then
explore the mansion Safely until you locate your
target and do him in. The point is that the use of
stealth and a little creativity is absolutely required
to be successful in any of Hitman’s levels.
Although the control is initially cumbersome
(every button on the joypad is utilized), and negoti-
ating the in-game menu system is sometimes prob-
lematic (choosing to open a door or look through a
keyhole while you’re being shot in the backside
kinda sucks), the grand scope of Hitman 2 looks to
thrill and excite. Just how grand is the scope? The
Bucharest Symphony Orchestra was hired for the
soundtrack. Just how diverse are the assassination
targets? This time they range from ex-KGB Mafia
man Rinat Rumyantsev to Mujahedin madman Abdul
Bismillah Malik. Make no mistake; Hitman 2 looks
set to provide more gang banging for your buck than
ever before. —David S ] Hodgson
hly - 125 - egm.gamers.caom
TALK (GONT.)
one coming. My favorite situations
are where you show up after
having sneaked through the entire
level and put a single bullet in
your target. Or in this case,
disturb their heart transplant.
US: What movies/books/video
games served as an inspiration for
this game?
THEM: Movies like Leon (aka The
Professional), Scarface, Ghost
Dog, Grosse Point Blank and La
Femme Nikita have played their
parts in the inspirational process.
The works of John Woo and Hong
Kong action films in general have
had their say, too. Old detective
novels and comics have also
helped us bring the character 47
to life.
TPP PPO ED EPPS PCTS TPIS SPEEDTEST SPOS TOLD T TUTTE SN
ess i ss cS SS ss sD SAS sunvsesnpans sn rveer eel
US: What are your top three
favorite weapons in the game, and
what makes them so great?
THEM: The fiber wire, the silenced
Hardballers and the Dragunov rifle |
certainly are among my favorites.
The fiber wire is fantastic in that,
used correctly, it’s a very powerful
yet concealable, silent and “clean” |
weapon. The silenced Hardballers | |
like because they just seem like
the perfect tool for a hitman. The
Dragunov is very handy for targets
hiding in hard-to-reach places.
US: The maid costume-why can't
you dress up in it?
THEM: Although certain
demographics may feel left out,
we thought it best not to cater
to the more exotic of persuasions. |
Also, 47 doesn't have the legs
for small skirts at all. Girl, he
hasn’t waxed those in, like, a
really long time. He’s, like, so not
with the program.
US: Thank you for your time. This
interrogation is now over.
- EEE eae een eeeenemnpeneennamenemnenetenmneamaneetaanmacammaaebedestetmacnabasteteesuaneenscneasenecnemnesnesnemmeneennaenaeaneeaas
ao
PREVIEW
aa Annee RA anette ataea eiaaae aca deena eaeeadcaena ade daabaastaadtadnanadeddaedabasenantensenaesennsennennasensennennesenatenienneneneséntenteatnennenammnnnennenntamanennnentansatantanazaraaeesieneieciatitintitteetieertarmirririr ere TT eee
Sega
Wow
1-2
Racing
80%
September 2002
None
www.sega.com
If you're looking for a
Gran Turismo-style game on the
Xbox, this is it.
Car selection isn't as
varied as Gran Turismo 3's.
A typical EGM editor's
garage after he “decorates.”
Rock On!
You gotta rock when you’re
cruisin’. Since Sega GT al-
lows you to create a custom
soundtrack, here are some
suggestions for your tour
through Chronicle mode.
‘7oS~—Lynrd Skynrd’s
“Sweet Home Alabama”
Early "80s—Van Halen’s
“Panama”
f > Metallica’s
“Enter Sandman”
Late ’90s—Celine Dion’s
“My Heart Will Go On”
“Look at me!
I'm French!”
-Cameo’s “Word Up”
4
See that glowing bar? It measures
your damage. After each race, car
damage is repaired using the money
you win. Drive safely!
Greg “proves” why he’s EGM's racing guy
by sliding out of control on an easy
right and losing four positions.
ega’s not really known for racing simulators.
Sure, their arcade driving titles read like a
greatest-hits list—Sega Rally, Daytona USA,
Outrun, etc.—but their one real attempt at a
GT-style game (Sega GT on the Dreamcast) wasn’t
really anything special. Especially in a genre where
Gran Turismo 3 sets the standard.
But now that Sega’s a third-party publisher, why
not give it another go, right? And for the record,
Sega GT 2002 is playing very well. Wow got the
handling just right. The cars feel as heavy or light as
they should be, and there’s no way you'll see things
like a Honda Civic out-powering a Dodge Viper
GTS/R down the straights. As for track variety? They
range from tight, European-style town courses to
wide-open country roads and more modern urban
circuits. You even get to drag race too...oh joy.
And there’s a really neat Chronicle mode. In it, you
get to race through six different eras, starting out
against the boxy cars of the ’70s and winding up
against the latest supercars like the Ford GT4o.
What really sets Sega GT apart, however, is how
many super-cool options it has, many of which the
collector or gearhead in each of us will be very
happy about. Besides purely cosmetic things like
decorating your garage (see bottom sidebar),
gamers will have to worry about wear and tear on
their Suspension, engine and even tires (yes, you’ll
actually have to buy a new set once in a while). On
top of that, you get to tinker with your car while in
your garage, or even Set up a private sale of an
older car (the advantage being you get to sell at a
higher price than what that scheister down at the
car dealership would offer you). oe — Greg Sewart
Sega GT makes it OK to play interior decorator. Buying trinkets to fill up your garage is one cool feature. But the real piece-de-resistance is
the ability to take snapshots of your victories and hang ’em on the wall. Guaranteed to impress the chicks.
PROPRIA ASLAN ARAN RAMA RHEUM PLHP NASD
= aR PEER TESST TEETORSNNNES Now choose your
lease sole: one phote to dsoay in the garage favorite isd
send it in for
framing. Our
inner Martha
Stewart sug-
gests mohogany.
Finally, hang the
picture and
invite some
buddies over to
enjoy a brew
and revel in
your greatness.
ee ' @® First, win a race
ae ovum and take a
snapshot during
the replay. You
only get six
chances, so make
‘em count.
eae oh.
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Boulder Dash EX © 2002 KEMCO. Developed by VISION WORKS. Published under a license from First Star Software, Inc.. Boulder Dash, First Star Software, Inc. and its logo are
registered trademarks of First Star Software, Inc.. The name-and likeness of ROCKFORD ™ is a trademark of First Star Software, Inc. Boulder Dash was created by Peter Liepa with
Chris Gray. Audio visual! material owned and copyrighted © 1984, 2002 First Star Software, Inc.. All Rights Reserved. TM, ® and Game Boy Advance is a trademark of Nintendo.
i . a : 4 © 2001 Nintendo.
ee Sy
PREVIEW
GALLERY
SAODLODIRSRODSIOOSLN ARENDS OIEANESNSENDSEAMENEEMEEESSANSSASS DREADS AGSEEESSLASASER EASES SNASSDSDOSSISESDISSD NESSES SOSA ASD LORERESBSSIESSNSSSSSSSSECSLOSNODSNSSOSABAAESIEDSIESSLESSELSEDSLAOSSCCOSACOSALONAAOINOANOAMIAARENIDESANAASANASABDOAEAS
NFL Fever
Microsoft ¢ August 2002 ¢ Also
On: None — The only thing worse
than losing to your online oppon-
ent is getting an earful of trash
talkin’ to go with it. That’s exactly
what went down when the Chica-
go-based EGM editors linked up for
a battle against their San Francisco
counterparts. The headset pro-
vides a dose of comic relief for
Sure, especially when the masking
feature transforms your cords to
the mellow baritone of Barry
White —it’s hilarious.
As for the on-field performance,
with the exception of some lag
typical for any online game, Fever
ran smoothly. The players move
with realistic momentum and
control well.
Heavy with depth, the game will
require you to spend hours unlock-
ing classic teams, winning trophies
and, of course, scouring the
country for online matchups.
snnnnttttattittnttettntttNtttNiNtuNATtNNNNNNININNNiRuLLee, ae
Exile
Ubi Soft * September 2002
e Also On: PS2 — Ah, Myst. The
series graphics whores live for and
hardcore gamers love to hate. But
be honest—you’ve played at least
one of the previous two and maybe
even liked it.
For the uninitiated, Myst is an
adventure game where progression
is based solely on solving
extremely abstract puzzles and
warping to different worlds
through books. These worlds are
normally very surreal and generally
made up of still photos, not 3D
graphics you can walk around in.
Myst III: Exile is more of the
Same, except now you can pan
the camera 360° and also have
some limited vertical movement.
It’s no huge innovation, but it
does make the game feel a little
more interactive and immersive.
Nonetheless, we say the puzzles
are Still too freakin’ hard.
Electronic Gaming Monthly - 128 - e:
o~
PREVIEW
GALLERY
ieapiieainmmaeaen re]
Yager
THQ ¢ Early 2003 * Also On: None — |magine Ace Combat 04 (or Air
Force Delta Storm, if you will), only set in the future and with more of an
emphasis on story and ground-level combat. Throw in mission objectives
that change dynamically depending on your play style and some really
pretty visuals, and the result is a title that should have fans of aerial-
combat games clenching their flight sticks in anticipation.
THQ ¢ March 2003 ¢ Also On:
PS2, GC — Despite having a title
that screams traditional wrestling
action, Crush Hour isn’t about
Sweaty men embracing one
another. On the contrary, it’s about
sweaty men engaging in old-school
car combat similar to that in
Twisted Metal: Black.
Crush Hours being developed by
the same team that made THQ’s
motocross titles, so if it’s anything
like them, it’ll feature plenty of
speed and wild, airborne action.
The squad includes several real
wrestlers behind the wheels of 20
tricked out, weapon-laden combat
vehicles. Several of the events
even mimic WWE events like Last
Man Standing and Ladder matches.
Can you smell it?
MATURE
Blood and Gore
Violence
_ Long before Psychonauts, there was Policenauts, a highly stylized
_ cyberpunk graphic adventure for the PC from Metal Gear creator and fan-
_ boy deity Hideo Kojima. It was later ported to the Sega Saturn, PlayStation
_ and even 3D0 in Japan, but sadly, it never saw release in America. Fun fact:
_ Metal Gear Solid’s Meryl Silverburgh (left) got her start in Policenauts.
rhdrreiocrn Cendant rasnetavd anton
epcaaes veteran obscene tasea tasstencmevestall
PREVIEW
GALLERY
sonananennsannbannanmnnnnpanmeanasennebenenenannsnmsenssennennsennonnmannnangannananneamsaanmneonenenssasartasenacancienaeseraearaccracccesectettrtt ere TTT TTTEeT th
=
See NON ONOONOMOD EOI
Microsoft ¢ Summer 2003 ¢
Also On: None — It’s not due
out for another year, but
Microsoft’s already begun
singing the praises of
Psychonauts, and truth be
told, we don’t blame ’em.
This trippy, surreal action/
platformer comes from the mind
of Tim Schafer, the genius behind
the PC hits Grim Fandango and
Full Throttle (among others).
With this, Tork and Blinx,
Microsoft looks like they want to
take Nintendo head-on.
Battlefield 1942
Electronic Arts ¢ Early 2003 ¢ Also On: None — Imagine if Medal of
Honor were online, only with a ton of human players controlling every-
one (Allies or the Nazis/Japanese) from infantry to tank drivers to pilots
and more. That’s Battlefield 1942. Now you can see what it’s like to fight
in battles like lwo Jima, Omaha Beach, Market Garden, etc. against real
players instead of a bunch of A.|. drones.
sr
PREVIEW
GALLERY
heign of Fire
Bam ° Fall 2002 « Also On: PS2, GC — Reign of Fire (the movie) tells a
story about fierce, fire-breathing dragons awakening from a long
slumber to take over the Earth. Reign of Fire (the game) allows you to
take control of either the good guys or the bad, uh, dragons, to do battle
with the opposing side in what is essentially a mission-based, vehicular-
combat game with lots of fiery carnage.
Simon & Schuster Interactive « September 2002 ¢ Also On: None
What’s a Seablade? Think of the submersible “helicopter” from A./. —
well, if it were turned into a jet, anyway. Time-tested (which might
translate into “been-there, done-that”) arcade-shooting action is the
gameplay style as you fly through submerged cities blasting opponents.
Four-player deathmatch versus your pals is also on the menu.
MATURE
Blood and Gore
Violence
PREVIEW
Konami
Konami CET
t
Adventure
99%
September 2002
Castlevania: CotM
www.konami.com
| It looks like a PS1
game, offers a huge quest, and plays
like a dream. In short: It's all good.
The music sounds
our return trip to scenic Transylvania was
rudely postponed when Konami delayed the
release of Castlevania: Harmony of
Dissonance from June to September. Sure, it
meant a summer without whip-cracking action, but
spooky, gothic action is more thematically suited to
autumn anyhow. The Japanese version did swoop
onto store shelves in early summer, and we’ve
played it so much that our hands withered into
hideous, cramped claws after holding a GBA all
night long. It was worth it.
Thankfully, all of the ambitious elements that
producer Koji Igarashi promised us back in issue
#155 made it into the game. The visuals suffer from
none of the murky darkness that plagued Circle of
the Moon—bright, easily viewable colors make the
action easy to follow. Igarashi had also warned that
the music quality would not be up to snuff with the
excellent tunes in CotM, and he's right. While the
Hee es
© ese y Pee ae - .
ie Cas Lae
Collecting weapon power-
ups and armor is crucial, but
Juste can also engage in
extracurricular antiquing.
| Deep within the castle you'll
_ find a large, empty room
| that Juste claims as his own.
| As you discover collectibles
| in the castle, return here to
hang them with pride.
“There’s nothing to get from
collecting all of the items,”
explains producer Koji
| Igarashi, “except for some
| self-satisfaction.”
(SER RI ACERS NS SS SS
will remind you more of an old Game Boy Color
game than fully orchestrated chamber melodies.
Even so, the sound suffices, and Konami even
managed to squeeze a few choice voice events into
the game.
Juste cracks a mean whip, and he
also tosses traditional sub-weapons
like axes, daggers, crosses and holy
water. But as the descendant of
| Castlevania III’s star-crossed
| heroes, Trevor Belmont and sorcer-
ess Sypha Belnades, Juste injects
some magical flava into these
classic attacks. Combine weapons
Combine Flame and Axe
to unleash fiery dragons.
eva eiiear hr Pact teerers roster ass Aa tiie eS ESSE ESS St tert ast sr tis ir deadening
a hh RT
Believe it or not, this sword-weilding mutha is one of the smaller bosses
you'll find in Harmony of Dissonance. Luckily (unlike in the predecessor,
Circle of the Moon), this time you can actually see them all.
compositions themselves are cool, the sound quality
i
i Me
| a le
i Ae.)
= sale i 8 Pat
tees
Me
Gameplay-wise, the enormous castle easily dwarfs
the quaint one from CotM. All of the distinct “levels”
are intricately connected, so the overall map is much
more complex and tightly arranged than even the
one in Symphony of the Night (PS1). The spell fusion
system (see below) provides some much-needed
customization and offers nearly as much depth as
CotM’s DSS card system. As expected, the game
boasts oodles of unlockable secrets.
Trust us, your adventure will be much, much
longer than you originally anticipated.
— Shane Bettenhausen
| anewessen
Call the Cockatrice with
Summon and Dagger.
Flame and Dagger blend
into a hellish firestorm.
PREWIEW
GALLERY
Piano Collections SES
SSCX10064
or
“Senn ie sop
i oF LISeR AG
9
Capcom * September 2002 — Maximo
players complained about the game’s
difficulty when it came out on the PS2.
Those people should pick up Super
Ghouls ’n Ghosts to learn what a really
hard game Is all about. At least they’d
understand Maximo’s roots.
Arthur’s side-scrolling GBA quest to
save his princess is a near-perfect con-
version of the classic Super Nintendo
game (except for less-impressive
music). Plus this GBA incarnation
includes an Arrange mode, featuring
levels from earlier games in the series
and a much needed save aie
visit u us . one a
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TDK Mediactive ¢ September 2002 Ve | eeece e0cee
31 €0C0CO8CC8
Rick Hunter and company are almost i [| e00e00000086
8 @@e0000e88
a | * | @eeececcee
month, fans will not only get to pilo if; @Seoeooooe
nth, rans TSE OMY SECU BAS ‘| eeeecesees
Veritech fighters in this shooter, but eeeceeoece
ecoecescese
Battle Pods, Battle Armor and a
collection of Destroids through Robo-
tech episodes like “Bye Bye Mars,”
“Blitzkrieg” and “Force of Arms.”
But wait—there’s more. Every part
of Robotech supports multiplayer. So
not only do you get to fight against
your buddy in Versus mode, but you
can fight alongside him or her through
the main story mode. You each need a
copy of the game and a Link Cable
(two GBAs wouldn’t hurt, either).
PINAL AL FANTASY
BEST COLLECTION
IPA PMD PY OAK DAE Yay
www.gamemusic.com
1-800-979-9889
please call our toll-free number at 1-800-979-9889. Outside
rs are Monday - Friday, 9 - 5 Pacific Time. We
Card/AMEX. All trademarks are the properties of their respective owners
98 Rockwell Ave. El Monte, CA 91731. E-Mail: gmo@gamemusic.com
Sorry, our warehouse is not opened to public.
133
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NTENDO
CUBE.
~ Call 1-800-800-5166 for the store nearest you
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%
oy
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Qorect Far Ths ores Boye!
atl
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— ay Mes r nf . | a 4 jt nN 2)
TO Ceyont aE g
—— —"V -
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Exclusive Medabots
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available in each version
nis Medabots AX!
NATSUUE
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own ran! Medabot!
Over 3 million
Ee
Ee Violence
ee \3
e inc. ©2002 Natsume Inc.“"Medabots" is a trademark of Kodansha and is used
Lid. & Natsume-Go--Ltd: © 1997 Imagineer, Natsume. © 1999 NAS/Kodansha,
ame Boy Advance logo are trademarks of Nintendo. © 2002 Nintendo.
f the Interactive Digital Software Association.
_ Natsume" i is a registered traget ne ‘is
~under-ticense-. Based onthe | iter game’ software "Medarot" prot
Ww Tokyo. “All Rights Res srved.Game Boy Advan
The ratings icon is a trad
XBOX GAMING SYSTEM
#210081-6 * XBOX
MICROSOFT
XBOX GAMING SYSTEM
FACTORY REFURBISHED
#218195-6 * XBOX
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me gat MANTD Ss
esas
QUANTUM REDSHIFT
#223008-4 * XBOX
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KUNG FU CHAOS
oe , | = #224068-7 * XBOX
#222871-6 * XBOX jam } Lnggge e MICROSOFT
MICROSOFT a
Microsoft * *Microsoft, Xbox and the Xbox logos are registered trademarks of Microsoft Corporation in the United States and/ or other countries.
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Welcome to 3
\ i
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i™ SS ST <3 & @
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enue f
¥
» EVERYONE
inteondd
Prices valid in U.S. only. Typographical errors are not the responsibility of Electronics Boutique. Not all items may
appear at our outlet locations. Prices may vary by location. At time of printing, all products are expected to be
available. Some packaging, pricing, and special offers may differ in Canada. Prices and availability are subject to
change. Manufacturers’ delays are not the responsibility of Electronics Boutique. ©2002 Electronics Boutique.
Our P Philosophy
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
Our Awards
Platinum Awards go to
games that get all 10’s,
the best and rarest
review a game can get.
Associate Editor
~ Shane's misguided quest for a com-
. plete collection of wacko games by
{. developer Warp led him to buying
| ShortWarp for 3DO. Sadly, the com-
\y B pllmentary condom included with
ie a = ‘the copy was mysteriously absent.
Favorite Genres: Fighting, Action, RPG
Current Faves: Splinter Cell, Buffy, ShortWarp
Crispin Boyer
Features Editor
Figuring he could be just like one of
those damn “hackers” he sees on
ij; the TV, Crispin tried to jack into
‘\ ; Sony’s online network to change
” the D he got in Chemistry to a B.
Instead, he broke the Internet.
Favatite Genres: Action, Adventure
Current Faves: SOCOM, Morrowind
West Coast Editor
The future is here. Che’s been living
out his Battlestar Galactica fan-
tasies with his new best friend: the
Aibo ERS-220A. Now all he has to
do is get one of those buckle jack-
ets and feather his hair like Apollo.
Favorite Genres: Fighting, racing, RPG
Current Faves: RE Zero, Neverwinter Nights (PC)
Jonathan Dudlak
Reviews Editor
Cj’s mod put Jon’s GameCube out of
commission, so Jon set his Wavebird
ima to better use—he made a controller-
Tint run robot to help him beat the sum-
mer heat. Damn thing complains,
but it does a mean load of laundry.
Favorite senies. Fighting, Action, Racing
Gurrent Faves: Castlevania: HoD, Arkanoid
Gold Awards go to
games whose average
score equals 9.0 or
higher.
Tee ETE ET EE ETER ESSERE ESSER TESERS
its time. At the other end of the spectrum sits the
lowest score a game can receive: a 0.0. 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?
Games that average at
least an 8.0 (but lower
than 9.0) receive
Silver Awards.
~ Dean Hager
_ Managing Editor
It may only be early summer, but
»” the football games are already
flowing like wine. Trying to give
each one the attention it deserves
is tearing Dean up. Why can’t they
spread these things out a little?
Favorite Genres: Sports, Racing
Current Favs: Madden 2003, NCAA Football 2003
46 +
| Dan “Shoe” Hsu
~~ Editor in Chief
“...Whites in hot water, extra
bleach...air-dry cotton shirts so that
they don’t shrink...scrub boxer
shorts thoroughly...fabric softener
after detergent.. .fold dress pants
along pleats....
Favorite Genres: The “video-game” genre
Current Faves: Splinter Cell, Kingdom Hearts
Chris Johnston
News Editor
Using some spare parts from his
electronics shed and off-the-shelf
satellite-dish parts, CJ has modified
his WaveBird to control all
- GameCubes within a 500-mile
i radius. Bwa ha ha ha!
Favorite Genres: Adventure, Music, Puzzle
Current Faves: Eternal Darkness, Bomberman
Jeanne Kim
Associate Editor
To Jeanne, any game that involves
battery and intense competition is
worth watching. So while her U.S.
team didn’t make it to the World
Cup semifinals, Jeanne did cheer on
her ethnic country, South Korea.
Favorite Genres: RPGs, Shooters, Action, Puzzle
Current Favs: Splinter Cell, Neverwinter Nts. (PC)
g CHOICE
a eciaememeaitleliatiniaiaaialll
acme ERE IIe TETNRITININTNT FIT af
od
Matiden NFL 2003 pg. 147
It’s not even football season yet and EA’s
brown-ball behemoth is already busting
through its contemporaries for a Game of the
Month slot. It’s just so damn well designed, the
only game that gave it a true run for its money
was, well, NCAA College Football 2003. EA’s
really shooting itself in the foot here...
*j, Dan Leahy
t. Editor-in-Chief, GameNOW
Leahy’s been at the helm of one of
the most mismanaged NCAA
dynasty seasons in history. Missed
games, broken controllers, fighting
amongst friends and general chaos
have reigned. NCAA rOOlIz!
Favorite Genres: Sports, Action
Current Faves: NCAA 2003, Madden NFL 2003
Mark MacDonald
Executive Editor
Mark doesn’t care who you are back
in the world—you give away his
position in SOCOM: U.S. Navy
SEALs one more time and he’Il
bleed you...real quiet...leave you
here. You got that?
Favorite Genres: Action, Adventure, RPG
Current Faves: The Mark of Kri, Morrowind
James “Milkman” Mielke
West Coast Editor /Webmaster
This photograph of a wild Milky cold
_ lampin’ “O.G. style” in its natural
s habitat was captured when the Crew
laid a clever trap filled with anime
and vinyl LP’s. Milkys are very noisy,
though, and cost a fortune to feed.
Favorite Genres: Action, Fighting, RPG
Current Faves: Gungrave, In the Hunt, Kangol
Greg Sewart
Previews Editor
Sewart’s gone all geek since we got
a copy of Robotech in the office.
Now he can finally stop watching
the old TV episodes and actually
Start living them, man! Another
childhood dream come true.
Favorite Genres: Racing, RPG, Action
Current Faves: Robotech, Sega GT 2002, GTA3
x
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EVERYONE
Publisher: EA Sports ee
Developer: EA Tiburon
Featured In: EGM #157
Players: 1-2 (1-8 Multi-tap, 1-2 online)
Also On: GameCube, Xbox, PS1
Best Feature: Online play
Worst Feature: Defensive backs behave strangely
Web Site: www.easports.com
History is destined to repeat itself. It’s a cliché, but
it’s true and applicable here. Madden, when pushed
by the excellence and innovation of other football
titles, responds with its best effort. It happened in
the early PlayStation days (vs. GameDay) and it’s
happened again, no doubt in response to NFL 2K3
and, to a lesser extent, NFL Fever. Madden 2003 is
signifigantly improved over last year’s game, most
notably in the features list. The new online mode is a
blast, letting you go at it with fellow gridiron geeks
via broadband or dial-up. User records and other
important stats (run/pass ratio, points for, etc.) are
tracked and offer a nice profile of potential oppo-
nents. It also records the number of times somebody
disconnects (read: quits), so you can avoid the
2cOldFoRu’s of the world. When you’re not online
taking out 2ColD and his friends, you can enjoy
the feature-rich goodness of Madden offline.
Madden's Same oY amazes, but it's EA’s ald
( a ey iew Stats, Fs ome or
ay et task, the aes
t VE nH is about as
ened 6 as it gets. ‘Look for me online and we'll knock
heads (screen name Hoss).
Dan L.
Madden debuts on a new system, then each subse-
quent year’s new game adds a few minor tweaks to
its rock-solid foundation. Barring the major coup of
Internet play, that’s the story of 2003. For our online
test we played.using dial-up while our opponent had
i report it per-
ae or other
amp mode and Seem all i 101, a bata:
at Shows you the proper way to execute a play,
; you to practice it until it’s pure money.
Yesiree, Madden still rules the roost. Dean
It’s hard to think about Fontbal aiken ihe Cubbies are
mid-season, but between Madden and NCAA 2003
this month, I’ve had to adapt. Madden is certainly
more forgiving than its college-themed twin when it
comes to,team.balance and passing..Maybe it’s just
i oa vs. pro ball but | could actually
DOBLE ab
routes.
Madden’s the solid, consistent one. qr
VISUALS SOUND INGENUITY REPLAY
|
=
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
i
|
|
Ea
a
Mat Hoffmans’ Pro BMX 2
score ____ best score”
G
Publisher: Activision 02
Developer: Rainbow Studios
Featured In: EGM #154
Players: 1-2 (1-8 alternating)
Also on: GameCube, Xbox
Best Feature:
Worst Feature:
Web Site:
Tried-and-true gameplay
Repetitive level objectives
www.activisiono2.com
You’d think a game that plays kinda like Tony Hawk 3
and is coming out well after it would at least play and
look better, but Mat Hoffman 2 just doesn’t bring
much new to a genre that’s getting stale. You’re
forced to achieve too many similar objectives—
same-ol’ stuff like collecting crap, performing certain
tricks, bashing obstacles—over and over throughout
the eight environments. And some objectives aren’t
very clear (have fun trying to Smith Grind a two-story
rail in L.A. and figuring out what to do to the parking
meters in Chicago). Adding to the ho-humness, your
biker’s stats don’t ramp up (although you can find
nimbler bikes) so you never get much sense of
accomplishment aside from unlocking new stages.
Level design, on the other hand, is great, with lots of
lines and new areas that open. But the best thing
here is the quick-to-pick-up gameplay. Mat Hoffman
2 is an easier game to get into than Tony Hawk; you
don’t need to fiddle with extra tricks like reverts to
keep combos going, and flatland stunts are especial-
a anc — This sequel borrows from Dave
(my favorite: Halfpipe Hell; which
1 gameplay). The entire package is
fun, sure. It just puts you through too may of the
same old motions. Crispin
ad
SSRIS SSSR SERS SREB STN
It’s like déja vu all over again. There’s no denying that
Mat 2 feels a whole lot like Tony Hawk 3, but is that
such a bad thing? BMX 2 features some really cool
levels, a neat “road trip” setup and a great flatland-
trick system that’s better than Tony 3’s setup—you
up your special meter in Mat to
f. But like | said, when you get into
how the Jame foes yourto complete specific goals
before you can unlock new levels (I know | did).
Other than that, Mat 2 is a killer Same. Greg
Standards in the action- ergs 3 genre s have ollie to
new heights after Aggressive Inline. Now Mat
Hoffman 2’s stale two-minute-deadline gameplay no
longer cuts it—what used to provide an adrenaline
rush now..simply.annoys and. infuriates. Why am |
hurrying around trying to fit in a few objectives under
a too-short time limit? Bah. Despite this, the game
still delivers, Mat Hoffman 2 is designed to please
combo- -happy players: easy-to-perform wall rides
and wall push-offs help keep your'trick strings going,
ommission ofvansextra “revert”-type button
press (like in Tony Hawk 3) lets you link moves with
the utmost of ease. Shoe
VISUALS SOUND INGENUITY REPLAY
3 1
lortrn mir ie arming AAnr ; iy ivy 148 Bom onmarc cam
(CCL Gaile WIORELY - * CANRealierSs.con
eee ene ee ene ene
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Men In Black Il: Alien Escape
Ars
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Infogrames
Publisher: TS
Developer: Melbourne House
Featured in: EGM #154
Players: 1
Also On: None
Best Feature: Awesome, arcade gameplay
Worst Feature: Manic camera angles
Web Site: www.mib2game.com
This is a shock. Although I’ve often prayed for a good
3D Contra game, | never thought those prayers
would be answered by the Men In Black. Yup. Swap
out Contra’s bandanna-ed freedom fighters with men
dressed in suits, switch the perspective to a 3rd-per-
son view, and you'll find that the sum total of this
particular equation equals M/Bz2. Sure, the game ver-
sions of Agents Jay and Kay aren’t exact clones of the
movie’s Mr. Smith and Mr. Jones, but it’s a crime you
won’t notice once the air starts filling with hot plas-
ma. As with Contra, you have access to a wide variety
of guns, each with its own unique properties (lock-on
shots, spread-shots, area-effect grenades, etc.), but
these are upgradeable to an impressive degree. Not
happy with the peppy lock-on laser you start the
game with? Pick up a few upgrade tokens and you’ll
be firing bigger, phatter trails of plasma in no time!
Furthering the joy is the most sensible control
scheme l’ve ever tried in a 3rd-person shooter.
Sometimes the Strafe-heavy natu ih
makes maneuvering in tight co
nightmare, but the thrill of pum
photon more than makes up fo
ing and particle effects does
aliens have this excellent,habit
fart of red/gteen mist when shot. Al
itive (and short), as action games go,
excellent old-school, hardcore fun.
4
James obviously got way more into M/B2 than | did.
The game’s not award-worthy, but it has a definite
charm. MIBz2 is the 3D shooter fans of 2D gunners
like Contra and Gunstar Heroes may actually
enjoy. The.leyels are too drawn- titive,
and | don’t really care for the th
it’s a no-bull shooter steeped
juices. | love séeing a powere | the
screen with green goo and surveying the dead
when the plasma settles. And the’simmple. ylish
graphics work well withoutshind ated
action. M/B2’s not for everyone, b great for a
fun, peiaionteii rental. jonathan
Liab Na EI DDESBCOSSOASEEAAAOE DEDEDE DADS
Ugh. ‘This game is nexediily frustrating: Prepare to
play the first level of M/B2 at least ten times before
finishing it, and it’s not a short, fun level—it’s a 30-
minute snooze-a-thon packed with repetitive mon-
sters and bland, crate- fille
that I'm not sure how it passed
visual touches like flashy gun
impress, but overall, the graphics are mi
age. Add=to the mix some e sl
actors, slippery controk yand lo
you’ve got a rental at best. Contra
for the real new 2D Contra later this year. Shane
VISUALS SOUND INGENUITY REPLAY
L d 6 g
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Vin,
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EVERYONE
Mild Lyrics
PlayStation.c
a GAMECUBE. www.thq.com
© 2002 THO Inc. Ricky Carmichael used under exclusive license by THQ Inc. THQ, the THQ logo and the MX Superfly logo are trademarks and/or registered trademarks of THQ Inc. All other trademarks and logos are property of their
respective owners. 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.
CONTENT RATED BY
EVERYONE |
Publisher: EA Sports —To
Developer: EA Tiburon
Featured In: EGM #157
Players: 1-2 (1-8 Multi-tap)
Also On: GameCube, Xbox
Best Feature: The option plays
Worst Feature: A touch of flakey A.I.
Web Site: www.easports.com
If every game sucked me into its world like this one,
I'd drop out of society, move into the Unabomber’s
cabin, and never turn off my PS2. Seriously, NCAA
2003 is too good. Overall, 2003 plays more like
Madden NFL 2002 (that’s a fine thing). For example,
stick magicians who made their livings dodging tack-
les by stopping and starting like jackrabbits won’t
have as much success this year. The players feel
heavier and don’t unrealistically turn on a dime all of
the time. The excess super-human agility has been
replaced with pure, ram-it-up-the-gut power—the
running game is juiced with ample tackle-breaking
and hard-to-drag-down tailbacks. The air attack isn’t
as automatic as it used to be, either. Quarterbacks
need to show patience and wait for the open man.
Couple those things with the deeper playbooks, and
you get a game that’s more realistic and even more
eee than last year’s. You can find faults in the
° tail You’ re up by 14 polis in the Laat few
passes or negative yardage, or worse 2 yet, drains the
clock-with® no attempt to..score. It doesn’t happen
every time, but enough to make you Scratch your
head. Happily, it’s only a small knock on an otherwise
great game. Dean
Thanks to coworkers who had the sense to follow
their heads and not their hearts when picking teams,
a soft spot for my Wildcats became a 0-4 sore spot in
no time. I’m a pretty casual sports gamer, and if | had
the ee of a Dean Hager, NU may. have been
of funky plays til all arbiter ends. jonathan
NCAA 2003 would varaly lee 7 my y PS2 tray if it fad
online. Even without that feature, this one’s a beast.
The gameplay is tuned to a near-pefect edge, even
besting big brother Madden in a couple of key
| CA
never had itso good, -and NCAA 200 3
is a big reason why. Dan L.
VISUALS SOUND INGENUITY REPLAY
Electronic Gan
Publisher: Namco — oo
Developer: Namco
Players: 1-2
Also On: None
Supports: GunCon 2
Ninjas with Guns! Boss!
Small enemies are a bitch to kill
Www.namco.com
Best Feature:
Worst Feature:
Web Site:
Cripes, Namco needs to throw a subtitle on this
thing...something along the lines of, “Ninja Assault:
Light Gun Collection 1.” |t borrows (well, steals) ene-
mies and style cues from The House of the Dead, the
chain combo system from Elemental Gearbolt, boss
battles from Vampire Night, mini-games from Point
Blank...even music from the TurboGrafx 16’s Ninja
Spirit. That’s why | feel dirty saying it’s a pretty darn-
good game. You’re not going to find any original
ideas here, and the stew of borrowed elements
keeps Ninja Assault from having an overriding
style of its own—it actually feels a whole lot like
Vampire Night without the stone-faced, House of the
Dead-style voice acting. But capping shuriken-toss-
ing enemies hidden in dense forests and other
anime-inspired venues is just plain fun once you get
used to the idea of a gun-toting ninja. Unless you’re
a crack shot with a light gun or don’t have a problem
with dialing the difficulty down, you’re going to run
into some bumps here, especially as the enemies get
smaller, quicker and start attacking from multiple
sides at once. It’s the same deal playing with the con-
trol pad—the auto-aim is extremely helpful, but try-
ing to tend multiple bogies is frustrating.
mini- game Ey oters that are worth the effort. That is,
if ninja-themed shooting-gallery games get you as
excited as they get me. Jonathan
| havea er spot in my heart far {feht: gun eeoters,
dating back to when Duck Hunt was all the rage.
While Ninja Assault’s gameplay and dopey premise
(ninjas with guns?) do little to distance itself from
contemporaiies.. like The House, of the Dead, | still
: ule Weeks that means | enjoyed myself,
't ? Maybé the multiple playable characters had
somet ing to do with that, or perhaps it was the
thro Gif techno soundtrack. Thel/@xtra weapons |
unlocked beating the bonusygames didn’t hurt either.
Yeah, Ninja Assault is a silly, simple game at
heart. But I’m OK with that. Milkman
Nano" S wallsortg of gun-game iterates must "
running dry, as this game about trigger-happy ninjas
clearly proves. (Seriously, since when did ninjas pack
heat?) Beneath that bizarre premise, however, lurks
OOOO NOLEN an Rl CNEL ONE Nee
like Sega’s The House of the Dead games. This is
an arcade = but you won't blast a bit
moder games. have higher standard
gun game, buy Vampire Night instead.
VISUALS SOUND INGENUITY REPLAY
W U 2 ]
- 190 -
win ig Me on thi
SARRANEDRAAN ARRAN SEARED ERIN AISNE ITED RIESE IB ADA BEIT SAR ERIE EERE ORO ERLE SE RNIOON CEEOL TR ORDER O RECO TREO OO CDEC ICCREIO STOLE RITCEIERTITSS
re RR SAA RN EIEN SERIES ARRAS
© EDITORS CHOICE AWARD
Ra AN
RIE PRN TERE ITE
e OUUM 291009. SuOsI0R
F1 2002
Publisher:
EA Sports
Developer:
EA UK
| Players:
1-2
Also On:
GameCube
2002 Fi Champ:
Michael Schumacher
Web Site:
www.easports.com
mare
Best Feature: Awesome
control and sense of speed
Worst Feature: Game stut-
ters a lot
I’m learning to enjoy F1 racing a lot, even if Michael
“Team Orders” Schumacher’s taking all the fun out of
it this year. It’s more about driving the course than
competing with the other cars on it. If you go into F1
2002 understanding that, then you’ll have loads of
fun. Control of these nimble little cars is perfect,
requiring a basic knowledge of weight transfer and
acceleration control, but never so hardcore-realistic
that you'll feel helpless (unless you turn on the sim-
ulation controls, then may God have mercy on your
soul). The result is a game that casual racers can
handle, while real F1 geeks can turn all the realism up
to full and-enjoy one of the most competent Fa sims
this side of the PC. And the game is chock full of lit-
tle touches that race fans will appreciate. Lparticu-
larly like how everything goes silent when you’re
drafting a competitor, but when you pull out of that
draft you feel the wall of air hit as you’car slows down
and your controller rumbles. | also love the Gran
Turismo-style challenges that teach you how to han-
dle these light but powerful machines. Greg
SOUND INGENUITY REPLAY
i 1 4 9
VISUALS
aaa Publisher:
wm Activision
Developer:
Black Ops
fm Also On:
ie, GameCube, Xbox
| Players:
1-2 (1-8 Multi-tap)
Extras:
Neat quaffs and tatts
Web Site:
www.activision.com
J
Best Feature: Nice looking
slam dunks
Worst Feature: Gameplay is
nothing special
| have to admit, what little | knew about street-ball
culture was derived from the movie White Men Can’t
Jump. Street Hoops, however, had me up to speed in
no time flat. It faithfully reproduces the ultra-flashy
players (these are real guys, by the way) with names
like “The Future” and “1/2 Man 1/2 Amazing,” the
clothes and accessories they adorn, and even the
cryptic language they speak. But while they did a
great job on the authenticity front, the gameplay is
total déja vu. Think NBA Live or March Madness
dressed up with multiple layers of street attitude.
Players have more special moves (mostly dribble
routines)..andathe games are wide open (anything
goes; pushing, etc.), but overall it’s not the kind ‘
groundbreaking gameplay | was hoping for.
found longing for more precise controb over
my players, the kind of control that lets you block
shots and stea ls with the saffié’@é¢uracy you can
in titles like NBA StreetyonyNBA Showtime. Still, if
you're a fan of Live-style ball, you'll probably like
Street Hoops’ flashy approach. Dean
INGENUITY REPLAY
VISUALS SOUND
] ] a 6
BIG ACTION ON THE SMALL SCREEN!
DUKES BACK WITH
AN ALL NEW STORY
UNLY ON
tee: SHOWS YOu “RE
: ty’ SY ONEYV
_ BLAST THROUGH 19 LEVELS OVER
EXOTIC LOCATIONS RANGING FROM
AUSTRALIA TO EGYPT
PRODUCED BY
Violence Dc
CONTENT RATED BY Real 9
ESRB
http:/Awww.3drealms.com
Duke Nukem and the Duke Nukem logo are trademarks of 3D Realms Entertainment. 3D Realms Entertainment and the 3D Realms logo are trademarks of Apogee Software, Ltd.
Developed by Torus Games Pty. Ltd. Take-Two Interactive Software, Inc. and the Take-Two logo are trademarks of Take-Two Interactive Software. Inc. The ratings icon is a trademark
of the Interactive Digital Software Association. Licensed by Nintendo. Nintendo, Game Boy, Game Boy Advance and the official seal are trademarks of Nintendo. © 2001 Nintendo.
All other marks and trademarks are properties of their respective owners.
|
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Publisher: Sega ao I gee
Developer: Hitmaker
AKA: Sega Sports Tennis 2K2 (DC)
Players: 1-4 (with Multi-Tap)
Also Try: Smash Court Tennis Pro Tournament
Best Feature: Fantastic World Tour mode
Worst Feature: No Grand Slam action
Web Site: www.sega.com
After a brief but overlooked stint on the Dreamcast,
Sega’s soft baller arrives on the PS2 under the abbre-
viated moniker, Sega Sports Tennis. And while it
isn’t the first tennis game on Sony’s system, it is
the best. Although Namco’s Smash Court plays simi-
larly and boasts big names like Agassi, Sampras and,
erm, Kournikova, it is Sega’s superior gameplay and
mighty World Tour mode that win out in the end. With
an easy-on-the-eyes appearance and a pick-up-and
play mentality, SST is a game that virtually anyone
can enjoy. This is because the forgiving controls and
intuitive shot arrangement of lobs, slices and top-
spins guarantee that even the greenest net novice
will embrace SST’s gentle learning curve. Add a few
friends for a multiplayer mix, and net strategy
becomes second nature in no time. Enhancing the
good vibes is a stellar sound mix that emulates the
real-life twang of a tightly wound racket, the ripe
report of h Wilson hitting clay, and the sharp
ge calling “Out! _
de that is
uite as sharp as the oC ion’ S,
e Grand Slam tournaments that would
make this game truly complete. Milkman
SST marks the first truly great game of its kind for
PS2 owners—|I only wish it had a more in-depth sin-
gle-player experience. The mini-games and arcade-
like Tour mode that’s here offer plenty of replay, but
with bi tars like the pipes sisters, I'd love
Sega’s SSTa afc,
inating stent as gorgeous as past Dreamcast edi-
tions, SST makes up for it with even speedier play
and seamless animation. It amazes me how well the
players break from one direction to the next without
lookin thecl t bit robotic; it’s lik
VISUALS SOUND INGENUITY REPLAY
a L 6 8
ma
ri
fewer §
ectronic Gar
Publisher Conspiracy
Steel Starbreeze
Featured In: EGM #154
Sait 1
Also None
Best on e: Atmospheric graphics
Worst Feature: Cheap sudden deaths
Web Site: www.conspiracygames.com
Developer Starbreeze has created a big, beautiful
monster here. Enclave is huge, with 27 stages split
between good and evil campaigns, and the game’s
level design and rich visuals convey a perfect sense
of gothic malevolence. You’ll hack and slash through
massive castles, an aquatic fortress, spired keeps,
dank mines and a hellish underworld, with multiple
paths through most levels. But you better gird your
loins before you embark on this quest, because
Enclave is as cruel as it is pretty. Nearly every level
kills you instantly with cheap shots. You’ll battle to
the end of a sea-town stage, for instance, only to be
nuked by a sudden cannon bombardment. Or you’ll
trudge deep into a keep to rescue a wizard and find
a nonsensical puzzle you must solve in one go or it’s
game over. It makes for a tedious cycle of die, retry,
die, retry, and it doesn’t help that the combat system
feels clunky. You gradually unlock a good variety of
characters who can buy more powerful gear, but |
inevitably stuck with whoever had the best long-
range attacks (such as bows or magic). | just got fed
up with the close-quarter slash-and-block combat. It
almost seems the developers spent too much time
crafting Enclave’s wicked-looking environments,
then skimped on the actual game, which needs bet-
ter puzzles and more compelling character develop-
ment. In the end, they’ve created a game that’s
more fun to look at than + Crispin
For € every comglfinent L can give Enclave, there’s a
complaint to go along with it. The graphics are gor-
geous, crisp and detailed...but marred with choppy
animations and occasional glitches. Huge, sprawling
levels, both indoors and out, are impressive...until
you keep dying and have to play them over again and
again (this game gets hard, and most levels have no
save points). You’ll marvel at all the characters and
weapons to choose from, but combat gets repeti-
tive with all of them (for ranged attacks you walk
endlessly backward and fire; hand-to-hand boils
down to the old “move in, attack, move out, repeat”).
Sometimes fun but often annoying. Mark
As far as exports from Sweden go, Enclave ranks
somewhere between their lunchroom meatballs and
the misunderstood comic genius of the Swedish
Chef. This type of slasher doesn’t appear very often,
and generally for a good reason—shooting is, well,
more fun. On its own merits, Enclave succeeds at
delivering subtly gorgeous graphics, an atmospheric
soundtrack and a lengthy quest rife with unique
characters to recruit. It’s just that the somewhat
haphazard combat renders the game frustrating. |f
you could attack with greater precision and speed,
it'd be more fun. But first-person shooter fans look-
ing for a change of pace will enjoy it. Shane
VISUALS SOUND INGENUITY REPLAY
ning Monthly - 132 - egm
.gamers.com
Simon & Schuster
Publisher: ee
Developer: Hypnotix p
Players: 1-4 Pi ~*~
Also On: None
Supports: 34DD bra size, latex and whips
Best Feature: Composure/Beat (-down) Meter
Worst Feature: Annoyingly hard for casual golfers
Web Site: www.simonsays.com
Nice try, but regardless of what some developers
think of gamers (you know, that we’re all horny,
smart-ass ingrates), it takes more than a few slutty
chicks, light cussing and violence to make a game
good enough for us boys and girls. When are they
going to learn that it takes a least a Playboy Mansion
full of bunnies, a Reservoir Dogs amount of swear-
ing, and GJA3 violence to get us going? But serious-
ly, while OG will satisfy those who enjoy all man-
ner of offensive fluff and provide enough sim stuff
for golf fans, it’s a mediocre package overall. For
instance, although OG gets props for its original
Composure feature which, depending on how well or
poorly you hit shots, directly affects your player’s
emotional and physical control, it’s very unforgiving.
Add imprecise visual cues and an analog-stick swing
scheme that’s difficult to control, and casual players
who just want to enjoy the front nine will be too tee’d
off to play beyond the third hole. It’s also disap-
pointing to see weird slowdown on character anima-
tions and a golf audience that looks unfinished when
the rest of the game looks pretty good. To be fair,
although we casualites may not want to take time to
practice our golf swings and get competitive at OG,
seasoned players like sports guy Dan Leahy will
appreciate its golf-sim toughness. But for less expe-
rienced video athletes: You’re going to have to really
work at it to enjoy this one. Jeanne
Along with R- rated antes that’ fl tickle any gamer’s
inner Beavis and/or Butthead, Outlaw Golf dishes a
golf game you'll keep playing after you get sick of the
repetitive zingers (provided by the Daily Show’s
Steve Carell). The swing meter, which.has you wig-
gling an analog stick rather than jabbing buttons, is
novel and intuitive, and | prefer Outlaw’s putting sys-
tem to any other golf game’s. If only you got more
courses (three ain’t enough) and camera options.
Still, nifty multiplayer modes like speed golf kept me
coming back: | had way more fun competing against
buds than playing with myself. Er, | mean playing
solo. This game’s chicks aren’t that hot. Crispin
Outlaw Golf is basically Hot Shots gone mature,
which is what | was expecting, style-wise. What took
me by surprise was the rather deep, involving golf
game that lies beneath the crass exterior. Outlaw’s
analog swing meter isn’t revolutionary (Tiger Woods
used it this past spring) but it is simple and respon-
sive. Push the stick left and you get a nasty hook.
Keep it straight, hit it straight. Don’t let Ms. Kim sway
you; it’s not that hard. The putting scheme is damn
near genius, using a three-look read of the green
instead of the overplayed topographical-vector-lines-
i’m-confused approach. Hats off to Hypnotix for one
of the summer’s true sleeper hits. Dan L.
VISUALS SOUND INGENUITY REPLAY
NINTENDO
GAMECUBE.
ARCADE FIGHTING 4
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-ROM TV/0°0F YOUR FAVORITE ‘WORLDS:
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OVER 44 ep - 6 GAME MODES
EXTREME OFFENSE DELIVERS INSTANT DEVASTATION!
yomeongnen
Two monster corporations are at war!
Choose from 44 of your all-time favorite fighters. It's Capcom vs. SNK2 E.O. with custom fighting Grooves and the most radical features of
any fighter on the NINTENDO GAMECUBE™ system - including exclusive Extreme Offense control! Deliver furious combos and
devastating super moves at the touch of a single button! This plus, control the level of your fighter’s strength with the new “Free Ratio System.”
Let the battle begin in this system defining arcade fighter.
©CAPCOM CO., LTD. 2001, 2002 ©CAPCOM U.S.A., INC. 2001, 2002. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
CAPCOM and the CAPCOM logo are registered trademarks of CAPCOM CO., LTD. OPLAYMORE
Corporation. CAPCOM VS. SNK 2 EO is manufactured and distributed by CAPCOM CO., LTD. under
the license from PLAYMORE Corporation. SNK is a trademark of PLAYMORE Corporation. Nintendo
a and Nintendo GameCube are trademarks of Nintendo. The ratings icon is a registered trade-
Violence mark of the Interactive Digital Software Association.
CONTENT RATED BY Capcom.com
Suggestive Themes
Publisher: EA Games “e |
Developer: The Collective >. ¢
Featured In: EGM #153 ; |
Players: 1
Also On: None
Best Feature: It, like, totally captures Buffy’s spirit
Worst Feature: Constantly repeating voice samples
Web Site: buffy.ea.com
hances for this Buffy game looked slim
after the death of the Dreamcast; titles
bound for extinct platforms usually fade
into development hell. Thankfully, this sultry
Slayer doesn’t go down without a fight. And
against all odds, the Buffster has made her
way to Xbox (with a substantial graphical
overhaul). Based on the long-running TV
series, this action-adventure title thrusts you
into the role of Buffy Summers, a perky, popu-
lar chick chosen to combat the undead forces
that threaten the earth.
The game roughly encapsulates some of the
plot elements from the early episodes, so
you'll control Buffy as she masters the art of
Slaying. Her mentor, Giles, instructs her on the
finer points of kicking, punching and staking
the hearts of the vampiric beasts attacking
Sunnydale. As your skills improve, you’ll learn
Buffy tests the comfort and support of her halter
top by punching this creepy demon square in the
jaw. Sadly, guys, everything stays firmly in place.
to wield different flesh-rending weapons and
dazzling magical attacks. You’ll also interact
with many of the characters from the show,
including Angel, Spike, Willow and Cordelia.
The series’ unique sense of humor survives
the transition intact — Buffy and her foes
engage in witty exchanges during fights, and
you'll have a chance to chat with most of your
friends after each level.
| Check out the lifelike digital versions of
| | the cast above: These are in-game mugs of
| Angel, Spike and Buffy —they look eerily
| real. Poor Kristy Swanson, the first Buffy
| from the 1992 film, has to wait for a Dude,
Where’ s s My Car? game to be so lucky.
4
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|
|
|
A stake to the heart spells instant doom for any
vampire, but successfully landing that blow can
be tricky. For best results, thrust it in after pum-
meling the undead freak with a few quick punch-
es. Also, be careful not to accidentally hit your
stakes against walls, as they will shatter.
Wow...I’m really impressed at how well this game
captures the unique, irreverent appeal of the
show. It’s all here—clever humor, interpersonal
drama and_ satisfying, ass-stomping action.
Channeling the spirit of Joss Whedon’s creation
demands a lot of Buffy herself. Sarah Michelle could-
n’t make it, but this sound-alike hits the role perfect-
ly, tossing off scads of legitimately funny quips. It
also helps that the real actors voice many of the
other characters. Infusing this “Buffiness” into a
game is admirable, and the action title they stuck it
in is a deserving vehicle. It’s very combat heavy, but
the quality of the fighting really surprised me. You
begin the game with some fairly cool combos and
unlock new moves as you progress. And seriously,
the melee fighting is way better than that of modern
brawlers like Dead to Rights or State of Emergency.
The graphics also took me by surprise —sharp colors,
speedy movement and lifelike facial animation put
Buffy among the upper echelon of Xbox lookers. The
game isn’t devoid of drawbacks, though, as the com-
bat can get repetitive due to a smallnumber. of ene-
mies per stage. This problem clears up later in the
game, but early on you'll be fighting-a lot of identical
vampires. Also, Buffy’s frequent comments recycle
too much, and the humor wears thin after the 2oth
time. Buffy fans—pick it up. Everyone else—give it a
try. You'll likely get hooked. Shane
Not knowing what to expect from a game based ona
show starring a bunch of Y-Gen, vampire teenagers, |
was pleasantly surprised. There, | said it! Now don’t
get all high on your horse. It’s not like Buffy doesn’t
have issues. Although fighting’s mindlessly fun, kick-
ing butt’s too button-mash easy at first. When you
can kill a vamp with one stab to the chest and best
beefier boys simply by running away, Buffy feels
more like one of its far-fetched TV episodes than a
game. |t certainly captures the show’s appeal, and
it’s a solid buy for fans» But between the annoying
one-liners and huge difficulty spike late in the game,
it’s just not for casual gamers. Jeanne
te lint nnSecinicen Adeeb bE NE ADA CLR LEAS AEN ALAA AAR DEAD
iteresc one eatting to be said for Buffy, it’s that the
presentation is excellent. The graphics, music, witty
one-liners and delicious puns...fans of the show will
really appreciate the detail that’s gone into this
game. But they. might not be able to ignore the com-
bination of extremely annoying controls and a
slow camera that makes battles way more cumber-
some than they should be. Multiple bloodsuckers
after you? Sorry, you can’t block more than one at a
time. Can’t see that vamp behind you? That’s ’cuz the
lame-duck camera system guarantees that nearby
enemies will be out of view 50% of the time. Nice
atmosphere, but needs tighter gameplay. Q@hhris
VISUALS SOUND INGENUITY REPLAY
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Namco
EGM #157
1
PlayStation 2 (later)
Frantic, fun gunplay
Too many annoying mini-games
www.deadtorights.com
amco’s latest Xbox title might surprise
you—it’s not a racing, fighting or light-
gun game. It’s not an arcade port and it
wasn’t even developed in Japan. Dead to
Rights is a gritty, Max Payne-style blast-‘em-
up steeped in the style of film noir. You play
as Jack Slate, a streetwise cop serving in the
K-9 unit of Grant City. His career comes toa
crashing end, however, when his father is
gunned down, and Jack finds himself framed
for the murder of a prominent businessman.
Clearing your name demands massive fire-
power, fisticuffs and a little help from your
canine pal, Shadow. The central gameplay
mode involves Jack blasting baddies with a
wide variety of pistols, shotguns and machine
guns. When the action heats up, Jack can exe-
cute a stylish, Matrix bullet-time dive to stay
one step ahead of the bad guys. Sure, it’s not
terribly original, but it gives Jack an edge over
Concept: Dance Dance Rev.
meets T&A as Jack's girl dis-
tracts bad guys with her hot
Concept: Time button presses
to unlock the cylinders. It’s
kind of tricky, and failing
bod. Fun to watch, not to play.
means replaying a whole level.
Every so often, Jack holsters the guns and gets
footloose down at his favorite club, The Manhole.
his myriad foes. Shadow is the other secret
weapon at Jack’s disposal. This powerful
pooch can maul thugs and bring their guns
back for Jack’s personal use.
The developers also spiced up the proceed-
ings by adding a wide variety of other game-
play styles. You’ll punch, kick and throw your
way through Bouncer-style brawler bits, snipe
enemies from a helicopter, arm wrestle, hold
your breath underwater and simulate sexual
acts with a pole, just to name a few.
Concept: Protect your friend
>i) Eve by sniping enemies from a
i helicopter, Silent Scope-style.
aa De It’s enjoyable but too long.
> Ly ! F a ae
** * Concept: Move the pin through
: the “bomb” without touching
the sides. It’s fun but a total
rip-off of Irritating Stick.
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‘} Man's best friend can
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_. Jack’s hound, Shadow,
— & will automatically kill
= any normal enemy in
© bloody, biting frenzy.
Stuffing all kinds of different gameplay concepts into
DTR might have seemed like a great idea, but really,
the shooting/action game at the core is the only one
that Namco needed. You get a taste of the gunplay in
the brief introductory level. But following the short
opening you're thrust into a silly stripping mini-game
with abysmal, simplistic control. Surely, after that
dorky interlude, you’ll get back to the good stuff,
right? Nope. Instead, you play a lame, dumbed-down
brawler that boils down to just mashing on “punch”
over and over. Once that’s over, you do get back to
the awesome shooting mayhem—it’s life-giving
water after wandering across the desert of misguid-
ed mini-games. The entire game suffers from this
curse, as every traditional shooting stage is ham-
pered by disappointing, unnecessary mini-games.
Admittedly, some of these diversions are somewhat
enjoyable, but strung together, they just muddle the
stronger, more cohesive main attraction. The endless
lock-picking and bomb-defusing made me groan, yet
| still felt compelled to keep playing—the plot’s not
bad, and the»white-knuckle shooting*never disap-
pointed. Visually, DTR doesn't push the Xbox too
hard, but the functional graphies-get.the job done.
The real draw here is the core gameplay...well, at
least most of it. Fans of Max Payne and Syphon Filter
Should definitely check it out, but prepare for an
uneven experience. Shane
DTR does one thing pretty well and that’s put you in
the middle of some Hong Kong action movie
Shootout, replete with Chow Yun-Fat’s two-fisted,
Slow-motion dives. But when the game strays from
its hook, everything goes straight to hell. Crappy
graphics and terrible story aside, what really pissed
me off about..D/R was its canned game design.
Examples include boss battles with henchmen you
can’t kill. Why? Because the developers couldn’t
think of a more clever way to make the boss fight
harder. Or when you’re forced to engage in shallow
hand-to-hand combat for no good reason other than
to “mix it up....” DTR is a total letdown. Che
DTR certainly reflects Namco’s ambition to create a
thinking man’s shooter that would outdo Max
Payne. But it’s an ultimately unbalanced hodge-
podge of well-intentioned game ideas. D7R does
give the gamer lots of things to do: fight,.shoot, use
a Kg unit, do a strip-tease...the ingredients are
there for a good time. But where DR falls flat is in
the execution. Why learn the subtleties of the fight-
ing controls when the most effective attack is
“punch, punch, punch”? The most exciting parts of
the game are the shooting bits, but you spend way
too much time fussing around with lesser diver-
sions. This one just feels rushed. Milkman
VISUALS INGENUITY REPLAY
SOUND
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Xbox Nation: America’s only independent Xbox magazine.
XBOX NATION INDEPENDENT XBOX MAGAZINE
@ EDITORS' CHOICE AWARD @
EDITORS CHOICE AWARD
OUUMY 3910H9,suoLiGa
Nintendo
Publisher:
Developer: Silicon Knights
Featured In: EGM #156
Players: 1
Also On: None
Best Feature: Insanity effects!
Worst Feature: Sluggish control
Web Site: www.eternaldarkness.com
he old saying “don't judge a book by its
cover” applies perfectly to Eternal
Darkness. |t doesn’t have the graphical
flash of the recent Cube Resident Evil remake
or the cinematic shock value of Silent Hill 2.
Instead, ED is a horror game of a different
cloth, centered on a carefully constructed,
thirteen-chapter story spanning hundreds of
years and following 12 characters bound
together by fate.
It begins like a good mystery. You, as
Alexandra Roivas, have been called to your
grandfather’s Rhode Island mansion to help
investigate his unusual demise. You have as
many clues to go on as the local police—in
other words, nothing. But as you wander the
terna ar ness:
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3, nN
mansion, you stumble upon a secret room
that holds a mysterious book— The Tome of
Eternal Darkness—and (as if there’s anything
else to do in Rhode Island) you start reading.
From there, you relive the tales of 11 other
individuals that build eventually to your own.
As you meet new people and see events from
different perspectives, the story unravels,
coming back together in an epic climax. And
while the game focuses heavily on its story,
: %
Mee
:
Casting the right spells is easy. Just be
sure to follow the alignment hierarchy
(think rock-paper-scissors):
XEL'LOTATH
Sel
. )
ULYAOTH
Make Your Weapons More Powerful:
Enemies have magickal weaknesses too.
You can make = ory
quick workofa §
Ulyaoth-aligned |
Horror by
enchanting a
weapon with
the Xel’lotath
alignment.
This Item is now enchanted!
Creating Recover Spells:
Pick the alignment then a noun and verb
rune. For example, combining a
Chattur’gha alignment with absorb
(Narokath) and self (Santak) runes recov-
ers health. In that case, using an Ulyaoth
alignment recovers magic, Xel’lotath
recovers sanity and Mantorok recovers all
three.
IS IT REAL, OR HAVE YOU GONE...INSANE?
Not only do insanity effects toy with the characters inside the screen when your sanity gauge is low, but a few of the game’s dozens of
effects mess with you, the gamer. From left to right: Turning the volume down, shrinking to miniature size and dancin’ on the ceiling.
fe
ow
ENTER SECRET
PASBADE
Prrere
let us put your mind at ease: ED doesn’t get
lost in meandering, boring exposition and
talking heads. The plot that’s here is stream-
lined and important, even if you don’t fully
understand it as it’s happening.
The game doesn’t rely on cheap thrills like
monsters bursting out of windows (although
there are a few moments like that) to make it
scary, either. Instead, its creepiness sneaks up
on you as you unravel details of the story,
take in eerie, ambient sounds and become the
victim of countless insanity effects (See side-
bar). May we suggest you turn out the lights
and turn up your audio system for the maxi-
mum effect?
With 12 characters you might think you
have to start from scratch with each one—but
that’s not the case. Each individual has his or
her own unique set of weapons, and you start
each one without the use of “magick” (your
player’s gotta find the Jome first). But you
never feel like you’re starting completely from
zero—the spells you discover with each play-
er carry over to the next character in the
gameplay sequence
ED’s deep magick/weapons system is ambi-
tious, especially for the horror genre. You
have lots of options when determining the
best way to defeat enemies. Maybe you’ll
Slice off their heads so they can’t see you any-
more. Or cast a barrier or shield so they can’t
get close to you and their magickal attacks
won't affect you. Or (most importantly of all)
enchant your sword or gun to counter a foe’s
strengths (see sidebar).
And despite what screenshots might make
it look like, ED is not a Resident Evil wannabe.
It shares the puzzle-solving that series made
famous, but it thankfully sheds the need for
ammo conservation (you’re encouraged to kill
everything) and checkpoint-based gameplay
(you can save almost anywhere).
Silicon Knights’ first production under
Nintendo’s umbrella is a pleasant surprise—a
mix of gripping story and addictive gameplay
that will be difficult to match.
Look familiar? You’ll venture back to some areas more than once, but years later. And
while it might look the same, there’s been some redecorating.
- 161 - egm.gamers.corn
ee Saute af an ees Se se
Now that you've read our (relatively) spoiler-free
review and checked out the game, turn to page 38
to read our Afterthoughts interview with ED
director Denis Dyack for insights on the making
of the game and some of the little details you may
have missed the first time through.
My experience with Eternal Darkness prior to playing
the final release came in the form of a limited demo
shown off at last year’s Nintendo Cube Club events.
Back then it was slow, clunky and the story (that I’d
later discover is the most important of its ingredi-
ents) was nonexistent. | expected Resident Evil and
because it wasn’t that, | dismissed it. That was a mis-
take. ED’s not RE, but it endedup being a fantastic
horror game regardless. It’s like a good book; it
Starts off slowly, but once it has its claws in you it
doesn’t let go. Each episode is different enough to
hold your interest and advance the story before
whisking you back to the present time. The only com-
plaint | have about its pacing is that the game starts
out too easy and doesn’t get really difficult until the
last quarter. And even though the story hooked me
by the time | finished the third chapter, my opinion of
the graphics hasn’t changed from the time | first
played the demo—they’re unimpressive and the
characters are still too cartoonyfor my taste. But
because ED is so deep and engrossing, the gameplay
is SO varied, and the magick system has so much
technique, tooks don’t matter so much. That’s the
weird and cool thing about ED — it’s one of few games
that doesn’t need to rely.so much on its visual
prowess to keep you interested. Nintendo’s first stab
at the horror genre is a strong one, and it sets a new
benchmark for storytelling in video games. Oipris
’ll see you in hell, Eternal Darkness. You thought you
had me with that insanity effect that made it look like
| was sinking into the floor. | forgot you liked to pull
that junk when you froze my game—!| was about to
restart whenit.came back up and | realized I’d been
had. But when you made it look like my inventory
was totally cleared, | knew this was war. Just for that,
I’m gonna buy you and beat you three ways from
Tuesday. That’s right. | can look past your repetitive
combat, formulaic structure and sometimes mislead-
ing game design. Its your-stylish presentation, puz-
zles and ability to mess with a guy’s head that’s
gonna make me own you. Literally Jonathan
’ll say this about ED: It’s no Resident Evil...and that’s
a good thing. The last thing the world needs is anoth-
er Survival-horror clone, so | was happy to see plenty
of original ideas here. The unique spell system
stands out, especially as it’s worked into puzzles
later in the game, along with a deep storyline that
owes more to the disturbing writings of H.P. Lovecraft
than the quick thrills of the Living Dead movies. Too
bad combat is So awkward, filled with cheap hits and
enemies youre usually better off running past (which
also activates the game’s: best feature—the creepy
insanity. effects). But despite that and a few dull
patience-testing hours, ED is wortha play. Mark
VISUALS SOUND INGENUITY REPLAY
EDITORS CHOICE AWARD
smuggier’s Run:
Warzones
Publisher; ~
Rockstar iA
Developer: ?
_. Angel Studios
7 Players:
1-4
Also On:
+ None
New Ride:
© EDITORS CHOICE AWARD @
cums 73089 $0110} e
YRBSAS
Best Feature: Four-player
Bomb Tag mode The Hover Bike
Worst Feature: Missions Web Site:
could use more pizzazz rockstargames.com
I’m a simple guy, so a game that offers little more
than a trumped-up version of capture the flag can
still appeal to me. Sure, it’s one-dimensional, but for
anyone who loves the thrill of the chase,
Warzones is like a bottomless glass. Mission after
mission you’re pursuing opponents or running your
all-terrain vehicle through a vast and seemingly end-
less landscape of open desert, hills and even snow.
Angel Studios did a swell job of keeping the terrain
clear for all-out, full-throttle cruising without a lot of
obstacles to dodge. As for the changes over prior
Smugglers titles, a new region trips you up with icy
terrain andebrings several new missions. with it. The
new Hover Bike and creative countermeasures are
cool, too, but are small potatoe mpared to the
fresh four-player mode. Grab yok Is and go nuts
playing Bomb Tag (my personal favorite) or any of the
sweet multiplayer games. It’s fast and a whole lot
more fun than playing alone. To sum it up, for chil-
dren of the ’Cube who've never smuggled, Warzones
is a great deal. All others should rent first. Dean
INGENUITY REPLAY
VISUALS SOUND
L 6
Tetris Worlds
Publisher:
'| THQ
Developer:
Radical
/ Players:
1-4
Also On:
PlayStation 2, Xbox
You Just Can’t Improve:
Plain ol’ Tetris
Web Site:
tetrisworlds.com
2
Best Feature: ae options
to aid newbies, cheaters
and the slow-witted
Worst Feature: Lame modes
The owners of the Jetris license have got to stop
whoring it out. Yes, Worlds includes the original
Tetris. Whoopee. You can get that anywhere. What
you’re paying for are the new modes, and unfortu-
nately, most of them mesh with the classic Tetris for-
mula like a square puzzle piece in a round hole.
Square Tetris, for example, has you trying to create
4x4 squares. Hot-Line Tetris wants you to clear lines
at certain points (see screenshot). Fun? No. Stupid?
Yup. Others, like Fusion Tetris (which lets you set up
cascading blocks to create combos), are more fun.
But then the overall package is dragged down
because you..have poorly designed. multiplayer
games that can actually give an advantage to players
that don’t clear lines as quickly as” Possible. Huh?
The only notable improvements are the options
made for less- -experienced players: “Hold” to save a
piece foraylater swap-in, “Easy Spin” to rotate a
block indefini ‘ely without-setting it...these will make
Tetris veterans puke, but they make the game much
more accessible than it already is. Shoe
INGENUITY REPLAY
2 7
ee
VISUALS
SOUND
OMEN OLN NINA NN NINN ISANN RIANA aARnsAemNbmmantmesmnne Neen
Electre
Publisher:
Novalogic
Developer:
Rebellion
Featured In:
EGM #156
Players:
1
Also On:
Best Feature: Decent
graphics and gritty realism None
Worst Feature: Unbelievably | Web Site:
choppy animation www.novalogic.com
At this point, if you’re even entertaining the thought
of buying a new PS1 game, state-of-the-art graphics
probably aren’t very high on your list of priorities.
But pick up Delta Force and you'll be pleasantly sur-
prised. As a gritty, militaristic first-person shooter,
Delta Force features detailed environments (by PS1
standards) and plenty of cool effects to drive home
the point that you’re an elite soldier loaded with nifty
gadgets. Engage in stealthy takedowns in the black
of night with your infared goggles; ricochet a teargas
grenade around the corner to even out the odds; or
gun down al opposition, Snatch the weapons from
at 20 barks wlatiae: you Teak to nee |
VISUALS SOUND
i ]
INGENUITY
REPLAY
Car Battier Joe
, +! Publisher:
|
“jy Developer:
B Ancient
_| Featured tn:
| | EGM #154
| Players:
1 (1-4 linked)
| Perfect For:
Vin Diesel wannabes
| Web Site:
| www.natsume.com
Best Feature: In-depth car
customization
Worst Feature: Simplistic,
repetitive combat
| never would’ve guessed I’d actually find myself
enjoying a car-combat RPG, but lo and behold, it
seems that Natsume—purveyor of the strange and
innovative—has made me a believer. Most of Car
Battler Joe consists of pseudo-3D driving sequences
(the car-combat portion of the game) as you travel
from area to area performing odd jobs for the locals,
fighting against enemy battlers and collecting scrap
for your garage. These sections are playable enough,
but don’t come in expecting the handheld version of
Twisted Metal, because if you do, you’re going to be
disappointed. What saves CB/ from mediocrity is the
fact that you can customize the bejeezus out of
your vehicle, adding an extra layer of depth to an
otherwise not-so-deep game. My one gripe is that
figuring out what’s best for your ride can sometimes
be a bit of a pain, resulting in a lot of unnecessary
trial and error, Despite its faults, Car Battler Joe is a
charming, original game and an oddly compelling
one at that. If you're in the mood for something dif-
John R.
INGENUITY REPLAY
ferent, definitely give CB/ a try.
VISUALS
ronic Gaming Mont
SOUND
L
- 162.
-egm.gamers.com
Publisher: Capcom
Developer: Capcom
Featured In: EGM #154
Players: 1
Better Than: The PS1 Mega Man X Games
Best Feature:
Worst Feature:
Challenging, old-school gameplay
Insane difficulty that will make you
want to chuck your GBA right out
the window
Web Site: www.capcom.com
After years of rehashing the same tired concept over
and over, Capcom's finally gone and done something
different with the side-scrolling Mega Man games.
The result is Mega Man Zero, easily the best Mega
Man game to come along in ages, and arguably the
most challenging of them all. Zero forsakes many of
the series’ past conventions (the most obvious being
the main character), allowing for a game that feels
much more like a sequel than another incremental
update. By infusing RPG elements into the mix—
weapons that level up with repeated use, elemental
power-ups, collectible “Cyber Elf” creatures which
offer various types of support—Capcom’s added
some much-needed depth and playability to the
Standard side-scrolling formula. The visuals have
been given an overhaul as well, with a darker, more
anime-esque feel and superbly animated characters
and backgrounds that rival those of the PS1 Mega
Man games, If there’s one thing about Zero that casu-
al gamers may not appreciate, it's the difficulty level.
This game is REALLY tough, and as a result, often
very frustrating. You've only got a few lives to. deal
with the only way-to keep going is to collect contin-
ues for extra chances. But the well-designed levels
and unforgiving bosses will keep you on your toes,
regardless. For hardcore gamers and those who
don’t mind a little old-school challenge, consider this
a must- sain It’s one of the GBA’s best. John R.
This § series is 5 really tired—the last few x games on
the PS1 have been really boring. But | have to say
that Zero really surprised me in that it’s a lot more
fun and a lot less irritating than the previous games.
It’s got some.challenging stages and.bosses, but |
never found any of them to be impossible or cheap.
It’s just a lot of old-school twitch gaming. My only
complaint i is that this doesn’t really feel like a Mega
Man game. You don’t get to choose your bosses in a
random order, nor do you really get any of their
weapons (just some elemental powers once in a
while). But I can’t fault an otherwise good game for
simply mage” the wrong title. Greg
l’d much rather see 5 the original Mega Man NES titles
ported to the GBA than new ones like these from the
X series, but this is the least offensive X game since
the PS1’s X4. The gameplay is mostly the same dull
fare that.!’d expect from this series, but the elemen-
tal effects you can attach to your weapons and
“Cyber Elf” system (a set of one-time. power-up
helpers that you collect and raise. throughout the
game) make the combat more bearable,
really down with the new level 'structure—
given a choice of mini-missions, not all of which you
have to complete. So you can flub one or two and not
have to play ’em again and again. Jonathan
VISUALS SOUND INGENUITY REPLAY
}2-3 o)
VITRILITy
aa els ln’: iia; ant
First-person
shooting action
ioe?
VITRLLrte
a) HS RR) Ce) Ca
Battle enemy giants
from land.i sea & air
Pa fe
er Fe
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new dangers lurk. A new enemy waits.
My.
Pre he to battle sadistic a a through i npen ra ,
___Aided only by a bizarre military timepiec tif
\ Make sense of the senseless—before
ewww. capcom. com
02. AF Blood
MATURE LOGO are trademarks of CAPCOM CO.., LTD. DINO STALKER isa trademark of oe :
The ratings icon is a registered trademark of the Interactive Digital Software Association. “PlayStation”
Family logo are registered trademarks of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc.
GUNCON'’2 & © 2000 NAMCO LTD., ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
Violence
Tricks of
the Trade
By David S J Hodgson
There’s a general theme running through the Tricks section this month—
tricks for perverts or games completely ruined with a single “reveal all”
code. Cool, eh? We even put in some correct Tonk Hawk 3 codes. Really.
Spot anything strange? Need a trick? Then write to tricks@ziffdavis.com.
An army of codes, s '
Sure, we’ve got a huge list
Mi to the left of all the game’s
finest codes, but what if you
. don’t have time for typing? Then
enter DAWOIKS at the Enigma
Machine, and you’ll unlock the
whole kit and kaboodle! All that’s
left now is to check out a crazy
Hun with a deathwish, your ugly
mug, and some extra-terrestrial
Nazi experiments! Tally-ho!
Easter Egg #1: In “Operation
Repunzel,” when you reach the
middle of the bridge, climb up
with Invincibility on, and watch a
hapless Nazi plummet to his
death rather than face you!
Enter during a paused game:
Invincibility
Sau, Li, Cir, R1, 111, L2, Sel, Re
Unlimited Ammo
Cir, L2, Squ, L1, Sel, R2, Tri, Sel
Enter at the Enigma Machine,
then activate at Bonus screen.
MOHton Torpedo (below)
TPDOMOHTON
Silver Bullet ioe shot Kit
WHATYOUGET
Bullet Shield (they don’t hurt)
BULLETZAP
Perfectionist (one hit, you die) Shouting rude words at
URTHEMAN your television as you
Invisible Enemy attempt to beat the devilishly
WHERERU hard Live Twice for Tomorrow?
Achilles Head (headshot only) Need that yellow Ferrari-looking
GLASSJAW car to tear through the driving
Rubber Grenades games? Want to complete
ae Hats (bizarre!) Stuntman in one massively satis-
HABRDASHR fying minute? A great plan and
Snipe-o-Rama (zoom guns) one that we’re ready to help you
LONGSHOT with by revealing four gameplay
Finish Level with Gold Star codes to access all the toys, cars
MONKEY
Finish Last Level with G. Star
TIMEWARP
GREATEST HITS REVISITED
We’ve crammed in many
more Aggressive Inline
cheats in this issue, but the best
bits of the game—codes that
instantly allow access to levels
that would have taken days to
(-3) Electronic Gaming Monthly - 164 -
The Strategy for Guide Buying
You’ve bought a | work
killer game. You’re through
stuck embarrass- the pain!
ingly near the 31%
start. When do you
reach for a guide?
Source: Gamers.com poll, 6/02
Already bought
it as a game
companion. 3%
Easter Eggs #2 and #3 both
appear in “On Track.” Before you
enter the station, check the
wanted poster to the left. That’s
you, soldier! And as you emerge
next to Sturmgeist’s train, look
up and right. A UFO zips by high
above with Nazi insignia.
and levels in the game. Stop
gnawing your joypad in sweaty
frustration and start a new
career with the following
names to activate the codes,
which are all case-sensitive:
All Arena Toys: “MeFf” —
every Ramp, Smashable and
Special is yours (See screen). All
Cars: “spiDER”— all the cars are
unlocked. All Filmography:
“fellA”— allows you to watch the
Open~are an input away.
At the Cheat screen, punch in
Up, Up, Down, Down, Left,
Right, Left, Right, B, A, B, A to
unlock full stats, the level select
and all the park editor objects.
m.gamers.com /Zkdw
STRATEGY GUIDE |
I grab a guide
~<— when | get
stuck. 20%
1 Medal of Honor — Big codes and bizarre occurrences
2 Stuntman — Everything unlocked immediately!
game movies. Unlock
Everything: “Bindl” — note the
last letter is a capital “i.”
3 Aggressive Inline - — Everything also unlocked!
Two matters: First, that’s a nod
to the infamous “Konami Kode”
of yesteryear, and second, don’t
be foolish and type in “Up, Up”;
this refers to the arrow icons,
Skippy. Need all the bonus char-
acters? Type in Down, Right,
Right, Down, Left, Down, Left,
Down, Right, Right, Right.
This includes the vicious hair-
stylings of the Bride of
Frankenstein (picture 1) and the
golden globes of the Greek
Goddess (picture 2). Check Codex
for more mad codes!
Top 3 Tricks
(cont.)
Can’t get past the third boss? Losing the will to |
live after playing Stuntman? Need some sarcastic “= 4
game advice? Then send your problems to the Su ss so
Game Doctor at tricks@ziffdavis.com. A console game fj
and Prima’s Official Guide are up for grabs, so write in!
Test Drive
All cars, all tracks
right!
a= =>
All the Tracks, Most Cars
Enter the Main Menu screen
(it’s the one that actually says
“Main Menu”) and press
Right, Right, Left, Squ, Up,
L2, L2, Ra. You'll see a sign
saying, “Unlocked
Everything.” You know what?
That’s a damn lie!
Jedi
Starfighter
Going full force
= Why let all your PS2-own-
«ing chums have all the
fun? The two “most impressive”
codes in the PS2 game were
DIRECTOR, which allowed you
to view the action from a fly-by
angle and PNYRCADE, that basi-
cally opened up all the cool stuff
in the entire game. Well, now
Xbox Jedi Masters can achieve
the same: At the passcode
screen, type DARON for Director
mode and LONGO to give it all A
up. We believe this message is
vital to the rebels.
My dearest Monkey Man, are you some kind of
| colossal drooling pervert? Get all excited watching
two polygon ladies rubbing up against each
other? Well, my primate friend, we’re still
impressed at the effort it took to find this
Same-sex video-game smooch. So much so
that we’re rewarding your lamentable efforts
with a copy of Stuntman and the Official Prima
Guide! Yes, gamers with too much time on your
sweaty hands, it’s that easy!
The Atyoes- Hidden” Cars
Your car collection shouldn’t
end there; there are three
other cars to find. This is
achieved by entering the
San Francisco Drag Race and
selecting the manual-only
Dodge Concept Viper. Smoke
the drag-race record (which is
Simple—this monster does
0-60 in three seconds!), and
enter your hi-score name as
SOUNDMAX. This unlocks
the Jaguar XK-R SoundMAX
SPX (pictured below), the
Jaguar XK-R Analog Devices,
OK my friend, here’s a screen from the
Greatest Hits Resident Evil Code:
Veronica showing Claire with a rocket
launcher. To get this, | completed the
game with an “S” rating in under a
three hours without saving, just using aa I
Herbs! Hardest trick ever? Yes!
GameShark Codes 4
Ready to make your breasts pivot in circles? Need
a pumped-up UFC fighter? Two games, great codes, and no shame.
Gra n fi | Th eft AGGRESSIVE INLINE are UFC THROWDOWN ae
Auto Il
Taking liberties
There are more loony
™® codes for Grand Theft Auto
/// than you’ve torched Yakuza
hitmen. Type each in the game,
without pause on. Invisible Cars
(La, La, Squ, R2, Tri, La, Tri)
allows you to watch and drive
transparent cars. Slow Game-
play (Tri, Up, Right, Down, Squ,
Ra, R2) halves the pace of your
game, as well as the voices and
(M) Must Be On
0E3C7DF21853E59E
EE8D87BEBCCABs512
Thanks for the Mammaries
DE97A83EFB299B83
OK, let’s stop this right now.
This code, although perverted
and downright foolish, allows
Chrissy’s “assets” to jiggle
faster than a Dead or Alive vol-
leyballer, with an added
“bonus”: her skirt flaps in the
breeze, enabling “panty views.”
(M) Must Be On
0E3C7DF21853E59E
EE9E3DEEBCC9CFA2
Infinite Challenge Points
FEB45502BCA99BE7
Super Career Fighter
DEB4556ABCA99A82
DEB45576BCA99A82
DEB45572BCA99A82
DEB4557EBCA99A82
DEB4557ABCA99A82
DEB45506BCA99A82
Beware! The game is now easy!
and the Aston Martin DB7
SoundMAX SPX. These can
be raced in every mode
except Story.
Dropship
A veritable code frenzy!
Enter the “Classified Files”
option in the Main Menu.
Hit X first and then type in the
following codes:
invincibility
TEAMBUDDIES
infinite Ammo
sound effects (but not the radio), Neha Pee
while Speed Up Gameplay (Tri, KINGSLEY
Up, Right, Down, Squ, L1, L2) First Bonus Level
quickens the game by 50 per- KREUZLER
cent. Keep inputting the “speed” Second Bonus Level
codes until your head explodes, SHEARER
or try aramp jump to return toa Third Bonus Level
UBERDOOPER
normal pace.
TRICKS Four games. Four Bosses. No problem. (includes the EGM “Bossometer’!)
r 3
txanena
Massive Constitution
Long-Range Coward
Hand-to-hand Mad
Berserker att RD) ca. To =
Magically Empowered :
Flying/Teleporting Ability
Ludicrously Imposing
Eye-Poppingly Speedy
Surprisingly Feeble
Throbbing “Weak Spot”
joypad Hammering
You’re Unfairly Weakened
Doesn’t Really Die
Minion of Big Boss
Complete Anticlimax
Bling-Bling After Battle
Turbo Shock 2
Controller
Cyber Shock 2
Controller
Programmable Allows Up To 12 Difficult
ame Screen Multiple Moves To Be Programmed Into
One Button!
Full Color Game Screen Allows You To
Play Games, Home Videos
& DVD's Anywhere!
Features Turbo Function
For AutoFire Capability
DVD Remote, Multitap
& Horizontal Stand
Wireless Control, 4 Player Multitap,
Organize PS'2 Games and DVD's with Style!
AV Selector and
Stereo Speakers
‘Add A Blast
0 Your Gaming
and Favorite CD's!
MEMORY CARD
MEMORY CARD MEMORY CARD i
o Selector
mponents!
IGR, DVD, Tuner, and
More!
iced by Intec and are
_ Back that ass up (below)
Back your ass up froma
corpse. If it’s dead, your
character reverses normally.
If it’s “possum,” your charac-
ter starts a “cautious” back
up. Now unload!
The Pistol-Packin’ Plan
Face away from your
“downed” foe and aim with
the R button. You'll swing
around and aim at the near-
est “not quite dead” being.
Tony Hawk 3
| don’t want to talk about it
Choose the Cheats selection
from the...hold on. Just hold
on one freakin’ second.
We’ve tried to print correct
THPS3 Xbox codes since
April. APRIL! And every time,
we've gimped it. But not any
more. Oh no. Guilty parties
have had nails hammered
into their nether regions, and
Bomberman Generation
cheats are put off until next
month. Stiffcomp: All normal
levels (but not the old game
levels). TeamFreak: All char-
acters (including X-Ray the
skeleton). Rollit: all movies.
JuicegMe maxes out stats.
And Neverboard gives all
boards to a skater. Finally,
WeEatDirt lets you type in
names of people to play as
them. Name your player
“Riley Hawk” or “Spenser
Hawk” and you’ll play as
Tony’s kids. “Joel Jewett” is
the Neversoft President with
a rockin’ mullet (See below).
There are around 60 to find.
#1: Miami
Hurricanes whip up a storm!
2001: W:11, L:o, PF:475, PA:103
All Players: 83
Quarterbacks: 81
Running Backs: 84
Receivers: 80
Offensive Line: 85
Defensive Line: 86
Linebackers: 85
Defensive Backs: 79
Special Teams: 89
#2: Florida State
The Seminoles: a seminal team!
2001: W:7, L:4, PF:373, PA:287
All Players: 82
Quarterbacks: 79
Running Backs: 83
Receivers: 83
Offensive Line: 85
Defensive Line: 84
Linebackers: 81
Defensive Backs: 79
Special Teams: 78
#3: Florida
The Gators: You guys Croc!
2001: W:9, L:2, PF:482, PA:155
All Players: 80
Quarterbacks: 78
Running Backs: 82
Receivers: 81
Offensive Line: 80
Defensive Line: 83
Linebackers: 80
Defensive Backs: 80
Special Teams: 76
#4: Tennessee
Volunteers: No unpaid help here!
2001: W:10, L:2, PF:355, PA:234
All Players: 80
Quarterbacks: 78
Running Backs: 82
Receivers: 75
Offensive Line: 81
Defensive Line: 83
Linebackers: 83
Defensive Backs: 79
Special Teams: 83
#9: Nebraska
These Huskers are snow joke!
2001: W:11, L:1, PF:449, PA:189
All Players: 80
Quarterbacks: 71
Running Backs: 82
Receivers: 76
Offensive Line: 83
Defensive Line: 84
Linebackers: 80
Defensive Backs: 79
Special Teams: 80
Electronic Gar
Electronic Gam
e Non thly
Top Five college teams with stats and plays
TRICKS
Off. Sets: Ace-Slot, Ace-Spread, Ace Y-Trips, | Form-Normal, | Form Slot, |
Form Twins, Shotgun- Spread (Flood: 4), Shotgun-Special, Shotgun Y-
Trips, Strong-Twins (Counter Trap: 2).
Off. Sets: Ace-Normal, Ace-Slot, | Form-Normal (Counter Lead: 3), |
Form Twins, | Form Slot (WR Cross: 4), Shotgun-Normal, Shotgun-
Spread, Shotgun-2B Slot, Shotgun-5 Wide.
Offensive Sets: Ace-Normal, Ace-Slot, Ace-Spread, | Form-Normal, No
Back, Shotgun-Spread, Shotgun-Trips (Deep Attack: 5), Shotgun Y-
Trips, Strong-5 Wide (Assault: 6).
Offensive Sets: Ace-Spread, Ace Y-Trips, | Form-Normal (Power Option:
7), Shotgun-Spread, Shotgun-Trips, Shotgun-2B Slot, Strong-Twins,
Weak-Normal, Weak-Slot (Stretch: 8).
Offensive Sets: Ace-Normal, Ace Y-Trips, | Form-Normal, | Form Slot, |
Form Tight, Maryland | (HB Power SLam: 9), Power |, Shotgun-2B Slot
(QB Draw Sweep: 10), Weak-Twins.
t
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= 168 =C¥(L2S2aiiers.com Qxpenu
& {
REPLAY =
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2
Beach Vaotleyial
Let there be dark! _ .
Need to inflict varying
amounts of medieval pain in
the Dark Campaign but
haven’t finished the Light
Campaign yet? Fear not,
warrior maiden; just start a
new game, enter your save
game name, and when the
Episode Selection screen
appears (below), press X, Y,
Y, X, X, Y, X, ¥. Booyakka!
Morrowind
Getting your fill, fast!
Hopelessly outmatched in
Hlormaren? Feel grim at the
Ghost Gate? Sip the elixir of
cheat-code goodness! While
in the game, press B, use L or
R to bring up the Stats menu
(below), then select the entry
to tweak.
Full Health Restore!
Select Heath, and press
Black, White, Black, Black,
Black. Hold A until full.
Full Magicka Restore!
Select Magicka, and press
Black, White, White, Black,
White. Hold A until full.
Full Fatigue Restore!
Select Fatigue, and press
Black, Black, White, White,
Black. Hold A until full.
Ye Olde Words of Warning:
Prithee be careful, oddling,
for only one code can be
active at a time. If ye make a
mistake, starteth over. If ye
changeth menus using L and
R, ye cheate must be re-
entered. Verily!
Shocking revealing artwork exposed!
There’s more chance of Will Smith being cool again than us
seeing a bunch of codes for this game. But hold on...
.. there are loads of hidden bits
of artwork to nod ya head to:
Step a: Finish the first four
stages, unlock two CST (Combat
Skills Training) levels (picture 4).
Step 2: Play the CST levels for
35 pieces of art, available in the
“Making of...” section.
Complete CST “Bolt” with either
Agent to unlock 4-6 artwork (2).
Complete CST “Spread” with
Agent Jay for 7-12 artwork.
Complete CST “Plasma” with
Agent Kay for 13-18 artwork.
Complete CST “Charge” with
either Agent for 19-24 artwork.
Complete CST “Area Effect” with
Agent Jay for 25-30 artwork.
Complete CST “Homing” with
Agent Kay for 31-35 artwork.
: oe
2 MAR:N3 GF MMe | CLABRIFIE
C22
Freekstyle
Let the freeks off the leash. Masses of codes!
~ | teeming with code-based life. Here are the important ones.
ma] As you’d expect from an EA Big boy, Freekstyle is simply
There are loads of single codes
for releasing each character’s
bikes or costumes, but to hell
with that—let’s get everything
out in the open at once! Go to
Options and enter codes at the
(wait for it) “Enter Codes” screen.
Every Bike: WHEELS
Every Character: POPULATE
Every Track: TRAKMEET (a)
1
7
Every Costume: YARDSALE (2)
Continuous Stream of Crazy Fire
from the Bike: FIRESALE
Wacky slow-motion effect leading
to swift bathroom visit thanks to
vomit-inducing blurring and rain-
bow colors: WICHKPRS (3)
RT
en
Freekout Time On: ALLFREEK (4)
Every Rider wears a helmet,
whether they usually ride with
headgear or not: HELMET
Burning tire rubber: CARVEROK
mam Legion: Legend of
Excalibur
Arthur the Knight
Each video game has an avatar
to lead haplessly into combat,
to test out new equipment on,
and to take on an epic journey
from a fresh-faced hopeful to a
grizzled veteran. Here’s how
best to utilize the full-time hero
of Legion: LOE (and part-time
King of the Britons), Arthur.
Basic Gameplay
Arthur has three attacks: sword,
a heavy attack and Dragon
Summoning. Press X each time
his sword flashes to create
combo attacks. Use heavy
attacks in close to push back
crowding enemies.
Dragon Summoning is by far
the favored way of destroying
large swarms of foes.
Battle Strategy
Make him the leader and have
him charge the enemy. Combo
attack one or two enemies or
use Dragon Summoning (below)
after wading into loads of foes.
Use heavy attacks (below) prior
to DS or when hitting fireproof
troops. Use items that improve
attack and defense. Knock foes
back. If dying, back out of com-
bat and seek a healer.
HOW WILL YOU CARRY ON HIS LEGACY?
LEE
QUEST OF THE DRAGON
we
For the first time ever, you can fight as the one and only Bruce Lee. In Quest of the Dragon,
motion capture technology authentically recreates more than one hundred. of Bruce’s Jeet Kune
Do moves. Designed exclusively for Xbox, it’s an action-packed fighting game where you’ll battle
hordes of thugs in an epic struggle for survival. Get ready for a fight of legendary proportion.
TEENS
Suggestive Themes UNIVERSAL .
——— . Ww UNIVERSALINTERACTIVE.COM
RONLN
CONTENT RATED BY
ESRB
INTERACTIVE
Bruce Lee: Quest of the Dragon © 2002 Universal interactive, inc. Bruce Lee and the Bruce Lee likeness are trademarks and copyrights of Concord Moon, LLP. Licensed by Universal Studios Licensing, inc
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.
Morrowind =
Ruthless bling-blinging
It’s a dirty, medieval war out
there, and it’s your job to
acquire as much cash as you
can, as fast as possible.
650 Gold in 60 Seconds
Once off the ship, get your
registration, then head over
to the bookshelf to the left
of the fireplace (below). On
it is a Limeware Platter
worth 650 Gold. Grab it with
A, then immediately press B
and drop it. After a tongue-
lashing from the guard, pick
it up without penalty, and
Sell it to buy your initial
armor and weapons.
PT aaa
Ordinator orifice-ripping
Once you get more experi-
enced, head to the dark
alleyways and canals of
Vivec and slap down a lone
Ordinator for his Ebony
Mace (12000 G) and Helmet
(3000 G). But only try it on if
you’re strong enough.
Holler! Holler!
Distracting Human Players
If you’re playing a round
with two or more friends, as
your chum takes a swing
(below), press A to taunt
and generally annoy them.
increasing Attributes
Bunker down for a spot of
Tour action. After complet-
ing this, attributes increase.
New Challenge and Clubs
Finish Skins or Match Play
modes for clubs and trials.
Crazy Taxi 3
Crazy X challenges driving you insane? Here are some tricks to heat ‘em!
| Is riding in your jalopy getting sloppy? Well, we’re here to rectify that and prep you for the lunatic
passenger-grabbing mayhem. Before you hit the streets, finish the minigames with a little help.
1-D: Crazy Tornado
Get your fare there within 1:00.
A gigantic twister is causing mad-
dening mayhem, and the cars it
tosses are the obstacles blocking
you from your destination. Simply
gun the motor and careen for-
wards, weaving between the cars.
Avoid moving too far left or right
though, as there’s a cliff there; a
collision could spell disaster.
1-G: Crazy UFOs
Destroy all UFOs within 1:00.
Use the Crazy Dash, followed by
the Crazy Hop, to destroy all nine
of the saucer-bobbing freaks.
1-}: Crazy Ramps
Get your fare there within 1:00.
Pe ae aot
Great timing and steering are
needed. Hit each ramp squarely,
and Crazy Hop from the tip.
The hardest stunt test in the game? Torn apart for your pleasure!
The final challenge in Stuntman (aside from paying for the medication to stop the conniptions from
rs
Step a: Speed up, head left over
the ramp, through the loop, tak-
ing Token 1. Step 2: Swing 90
degrees right, handbrake
through Token 2 and down to the
ground, aiming at the billboard
ramps. Step 3: Head through all
three ramps, collecting Tokens 3,
4 and 5. Step 4: Aim for the
inverted ramp, speed up it, and
catch Token 6 in mid-air. Now
crash. Step 5: Once the car stops
cartwheeling, turn right, up and
around the small 360 loop. Take
Token 7. Now turn right. Step 6:
Spin the car around to the right,
around the wrecked bill-
boards, to the triple loop,
and speed around all three
loops, taking Token 8.
Step 7: Head out of the
loops, spin 180 to the
ramp next to the building,
and speed up it. Catch
172
1-K: Crazy Logs
Get your fare there within 0:35.
Crazy Hop all of the logs as you
watch them roll your way, and
remember the different patterns.
2-C: Crazy Floor
Get your fare there within 0:50.
CV; Ss
Just remember that blue patches
move you right, and white move
left, so adjust your steering.
too-hard gameplay)? The third (and insane) Stunt Test course, of course. Here’s how to complete it.
Token 9 in mid-air, shifting right
before you leap. Land on the roof
and race for Token 10 at the
building end. Phew!
"You want a non-stop action, bone crushing
adrenaline rush? Look no further than
FUNimation's latest DBZ movie!
James McDonough - Wizard Magazine
alt oe
a » © RETURT
~ OF se
OF | Ganler
rer ee
iy
2
, —S—
ae 2 5 ie -
: ry be aNp sie.
AVAILABLE ON VHS & 2YP 3-1
www:-edragonbaliz.com
BIGISHUBISHA, TOE! ANIMATION. ©1989 TOE! ANIMATION CO. igPD. Licensed by E@himatio >... sad Al) Riches Raserwsdl,
TRICKS
Defeating Cell
Lay all the cards on the table!
Cell uses any effects that are “If
you declared Tokui-Waza,” even
though he doesn’t declare it. He
also receives multiple copies of
cards that are restricted to one
per deck! He’s so powerful that
the only way to prevail is via a
Survival Victory. Try an Orange,
Black, Saiyan or Namekian-style
deck. Also, try a primarily color-
less deck, but declare a Tokui-
Waza for any PUR bonus and the
Mastery Card. Use any character;
just plan the attack. Use Drill
and Non-Combat Cards to boost
strength. Give yourself power to
absorb damage. Build solid
defenses that block a series of
attacks—not just one—and stop
his Drill and Non-Combat cards.
Note: |n the following card notes;
“P” means “Personality,” “[-]” is
“None,” “V” means “Villain,” “N”
equals “Normal,” “PC” means
Physical Combat,” “A” equals
“Attack,” and “R” means “Red.”
Power: Enengy attack doing
12 life cards of damage.
Cell: Master #316
Saga: Cell, ID: 136, Rarity: 7-
Mega-rare, Type: P, Symbol: [-],
Level: 5, Power: 4, Alignment: V,
PT: N, Color: [-], BG Color: P
i
ii
t mccosg
=
127 7
—
euaall
pee
4
ial
Hatha
val
—
=
Ceci
ice
Kees
right, into the corner!
STEP 1: Approaching a left
ner? Let off the gas and turn
Dragon Ball Z: CCG
~.. Strategies on defeating Cell and mega-rare cards!
Power: Enengy attack doing
9 He cards of damage.
Cell: Destroyer #317
Saga: Cell, ID: 137, Rarity: 7-
Mega-rare, Type: P, Symbol: [-],
Level: 4, Power: 4, Alignment: V,
PT: N, Color: [-], BG Color: P
Power: Physical attack doing
+4 power stages of
Cell: Stage One #318
Saga: Cell, ID: 188, Rarity: 7-
Mega-rare, Type: P, Symbol: [-],
Level: 1, Power: 3, Alignment: V,
PT: N, Color: [-], BG Color: P
Power: Vuhen entering
Combat, search your Life fii
Cell: Stage Two #319
Saga: Cell, ID: 189, Rarity: 7-
Mega-rare, Type: P, Symbol: [-],
Level: 2, Power: 3, Alignment: V,
PT: N, Color: [-], BG Color: P
B
cor- STEP 2: Just before you hit the
wall, hit the gas again and con-
tinue to turn into the corner.
Electronic Gaming Monthly -
Power: Physical attack doing
7 tifa cards of damage.
Cell: Perfect #320
Saga: Cell, ID: 190, Rarity: 7-
Mega-rare, Type: P, Symbol: [-],
Level: 3, Power: 3, Alignment: V,
PT: N, Color: [-], BG Color: P
Power: Physical attack doing
b. +5 power stages of =<
Cell: P Warrior #321
Saga: Cell, ID: 200, Rarity: 7-
Mega-rare, Type: P, Symbol: [-],
Level: 3, Power: 3, Alignment: V,
PT: N, Color: [-], BG Color: P
Red Overbeorng Attack
ae
~
PRE,
Red Over-Atk #322
Saga: GBA, ID: 1, Rarity: 2-
Promo, Type: PC, Symbol: A,
Level: o, Power: o, Alignment:
[-], PT: [-], Color: R, BG Color: R
Ritige Racer Series—the insane Reverse Powerslide Glitch!
Every month, we scour through our classic gaming collection for the oddest, eldritch and down-
right most giggle-worthy cheats we can find. This month, we show you bizarre physics-defying
cornering that works in Ridge Racer, RR Revolution and RRV. But not Rage Racer.
STEP 3: By some sort of voodoo
magic, your car spins around the
corner without hitting it!
Dragon Ball Z: Goku
Frying Frieza! |
As usual, fly or run ahead,
charge your Kamehameha
Wave (using Solar Flare to
maximize your charge time),
and strike with the Wave!
Frieza’s speed makes it diffi-
cult to fully charge your
Wave, but keep at it, even
when he transforms into his
three forms. When you beat
form 3, it all goes crazy!
Planet Namek breaks apart,
Goku goes Super Saiyan, and
Frieza transforms again!
Exchange Ki-based attacks
until Frieza fizzles; remember
to stay away from corners!
TRICKY...
Jstee's Y/Y
a
es
The game? Stuntman. The
level? Stunt Test 1. The
plan? Beat our completion
time of 39:60, after bagging
the 10 tokens. Trounced our
hardcore score? Prove it,
driving fiend, with a photo!
San Diego June 21, 26-30
‘Long E Beach June
THE S
Dragons, Warriors and Elves
invade cities across the Country.
Chicago July 24-28
OHIO
Cleveland July 31 - Ave 4
‘paemoueteuen ic.
MINNESOTA 7) % ety
Minneapolis August 7-9 Sa
PENNSYLVANIA |
eee tlh
Experience the magic of the
extraordinary game. Meet and greet
other players in your town as well as
SOE’s own EQ experts who can
| provide insight to the game.
Get a free copy of the game and
register to win other great prizes.
ofe
The 2002 EQ Invasion will cover more than
10,000 miles of the U.S. this summer.
ofe
The tour kicks-off in San Diego, CA on June 21st
and ends on/around September 14th in Boston, MA.
ofe
he centerpiece of the 2002 EQ Invasion Tour is a
modified v-nose cargo trailer. The EQ trailer is
equipped with 13 Sony VAIO computers
with Intel® Pentium® 4 processor,
13 Altec Lansing sound systems,
and 1 world of Norrath.
Boston Sextonnnnr 5-7
Cambridge September 8-10
Medford September 12-14
of Events are subject to change.
ca
GAME GROUP
We've given you_everything
you Wanted in.print magazines.
FINAL WORD
What's Next for Scary Games?
OO ORION IOI OID DR HIRED EORL POLOPOROMR OO IO LIOR ON ORO R
Shoe: With all this talk about Resident Evil, The
House of the Dead, Onimusha 2 and Eternal
Darkness, | can’t help but feel the end is almost
upon us. Assuming the end doesn’t come anytime
soon, where do you see this “dead” genre heading?
Personally, l’d love to see a modern-day update to
that classic arcade game, Splatterhouse. That action
SPLATTERHOUSE
title wasn’t about storyline, exploration or puzzle
solving—it was about pure and simple blood ‘n’
guts. It was disgusting and | want more of it. In 3D.
Please.
Milk: Damn straight on the Splatterhouse tip. | love
that game. TurboGrafx-16 reprazent! If someone
wants to make a game (with zombies) that breaks
the mold, maybe they ought to put us in the shoes
of the zombies themselves, where you try to take
down a bunch of do-gooders or terrorize a town. So
what if you get smoked playing as a zombie? You
just take control of the next best zombie and wash,
rinse, repeat. The controls would have to “not suck”
though. I’m talking balls-out run-the-civilians-down-
and-eat-their-heads kind of action. Of course that
could just be the booze talking. Capcom, are you
listening?
Crispin: Well, next year’s Resident Evil Online for
the PS2 is supposed to do just that—put the player
in the role of a zombie. Like, you start out as a do-
gooder who’s battling undead, but you turn into a
zombie yourself if you get bit. | don’t know if the
game will actually let you eat any heads or other
body parts. It’s a nice thought, though. | always did
want to eat Claire Redfield.
RESIDENT EVIL
Jon: Hey, back to Splatterhouse...| wrote some fan
fiction for that game in seventh grade and turned it
in for a writing contest. No joke. Didn’t win though,
ONIMUSHA2 #®
so that game must not have been that great. |
should have written about Silent Hill (if it were
around then), the scariest game of all time. Ghost
babies with knives, undead nurses stabbing at you
from the dark...don't tell me you guys were more
scared by the goddam pink blobby zombies in
Splatterhouse. That dude with the chainsaw hands
was pretty sweet, though. I’ll give you that.
Shane: |’m also in support of a Splatterhouse
revival—just don't let Namco cram it full of stripping
mini-games (also see Dead to Rights). As far as the
Ssurvival-horror genre goes, my personal favorite is
Silent Hill. The first two games have made serious
Strides in creating amazing atmosphere and
interesting stories, yet neither one has been the
absolute success that I’d hoped for. However, the
early buzz on Silent Hill 3 is promising, so I’ll be
watching that one.
SILENT HILL 3
Che: Splatterhouse was a great game, purely for the
fact that you played a psychopath with a hockey
mask. All you kids out there, screw this Jason X
crap—watch the old cheesy Friday the 13th movies.
But back to what Shoe’s original question, | really
can’t wait for Resident Evil 4, where Chris Redfield
had better be flying a big fat Harrier jet into the
heart of Umbrella. It’s about time. Oh, and it’s also
time the series went full 3D, a la Devil May Cry...I'm
getting tired of these “human tank” controls.
FINE -~ OOM eamerc com
Ret eae ERR ELE Dati ks
Z
_» ZIFF DAVIS MEDIA
ZIFF DAVIS MEDIA INC.
Chairman and Chief Executive Officer .......... Robert F. Calla
Chief Operating Officer and Chief Financial Officer . Bart W. Catal
Senior Executive Vice President ............0.e005 Tom McGr
(Publishing Operations)
Executive Vice President ........ css sceneeccuse Peter Lo
Executive Vice President ............0.00055, Stephen D. Mo\
Executive Vice President and Editorial Director ....Michael J. Mi
(Editor-in-Chief, PC Magazine)
Senior Vice President .............1........ Jasmine Alexan
(Technology and Sales Operations)
Senior Vice President (Circulation) ...............4. Charles M
Senior Vice President (Game Group) ................. Dale Str
Senior Vice President (Internet) ..............000. Jason Yo!
Vice President (Corporate Sales) ................000, Ken Be
Vice President oo... cicicces i G. Barry Gol
(Editor-in-Chief, Yahoo! Internet Life)
Vice President (Integrated Media) .................. Charles
Vice President (Corporate Communications) ....... Aimee D. Lev
Vice President (Editor-in-Chief, eWEEK) ............ Eric Lundg
Vice President (Technology) ..........cesseeeeess Bill Machre
Vice President (Controller) ..........cc cc ceuee sees David Mul
Vice President (Human Resources) ..............05. Beth Rep
Vice President (General Counsel) ............ Carolyn Schurr Le
Vice President... . 2... eee eeeas Sloan Seym
(Publishing Director, Baseline)
Vice President (Editor-in-Chief, Baseline) ....Tom Steinert-Threlk
Vice President (Internet Audience Development) ... Stephen Sut
Vice President... ee. Stephen Ve
(Publisher, C10 Insight)
Executive Vice President and General Manager ..... Mark Van Na
eTesting Labs
Senior Director, Manufacturing............0ceceuees Carlos Lt
Director, international ..... 000. .ecsssceseseeae Christin Law:
IF YOU BOUGHT ALL THESE GAMES, IT WOULD COST ABOUT ©)
WHY NOT TRY THEM ALL FIRST
IN THIS MONTH'S ISSUE FOR LESS THAN ©)”
4: ~ga EXCLUSIVE! PS2 DEMO DVD INSIDE!
~
Psa DVDY
3 6 ‘ “a — aim | £ : .
Seen OCTOBER BEGINS!
* RED FACTION 2, DARK CLOUD 2
© ‘708 2, THE SIMS. THE GETAWAY
AGMMAT EXACTLY IS IT |
ALL ABOUT?
PlayStation
PLUS VIDEO CLIPS OF: MAT HOFFMAN 2, DRAGON'S LAIR,
KINGDOM HEARTS, TEST DRIVE
AUGUST ISSUE ON SALE NOW: STUNTMAN, THE MARK OF KRI AND WAY OF THE SAMURAI! REVIEWED,
THE GETAWAY, STAR WARS: THE CLONE WARS, SILENT HILL 3, STREET HOOPS, MADDEN NFL 2003, TENCHU Ill: WRATH OF HEAVEN,
RETURN TO CASTLE WOLFENSTEIN PREVIEWED, SLY COOPER EXPOSED, NEWS ABOUT FINAL FANTASY X, E3 AND GTA: VICE CITY
NEXT MONTH
October 2002 (issue #159)
On sale Sept. 3
PLAY ONLINE
Your complete guide to
online gaming
Are you itching to get online with your PS2, but
all that techno mumbo-jumbo is giving you cold
feet? Next issue, EGM gives you a compre-
hensive guide to all things online: everything
from reviews of the PS2 online launch games to
an easy Step-by-step tutorial on getting you set
up for action. Plus, we take a closer look at
Xbox’s online plans. Trust us when we say that
Reviewed Next Month:
e Super Mario Sunshine (GC)
e Onimusha 2:
samurai’s Destiny (PS2)
e Kingdom Hearts (PS2)
e Sly Cooper and the
Thievius Raccoonus (P$2)
e SOCOM: U.S. Navy SEALs (PS2)
e TimeSplitiers 2 (PS2, GC, Xbox)
e Castlevania: Harmony
of Dissonance (GBA)
Microsoft isn’t going to take this one lying down.
Take a moment now and look at our whop-
ping list of review games next month—holy
&%#$! It’s gonna be a month to remember and
an issue you won’t want to miss. Finally, if you
liked the Seanbaby article this month, you’re
going to love our behind-the-scenes look at
how good intentions turn into bad games!
Previewed Next Month:
e Steel Battalion (Xbox)
e Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 4 (AID
Crest neat Se e Red Faction 2 (PS2)
‘All editorial content is subject to change.
COMPUTER
PlayStation
MAGAZINE
WORLD
SOCOM: U.S.
cont 2007 any seus | SOUL 2002 Mame = Sent. 2002 UE.
OPM has the ulti-
Demo Disc mate survival guide ec f GameNOW is serving LO 2003
Playables for the PS2’s first Sactenen up some hardcore ‘Gs Unreal Tournament
online game. It’s strategy next month, , 2003 is here, and the
a . e " ’
e TimeSplitters 2 everything you need rr NFL with gameplay tips and CGW staff offers s
e X-Men: to know to mix it up ” secrets for Dragon Ball
; with the toughest e Super Ghouls ’n a g hands-on view after
Next Dimension = badasses in the Ghosts Z, Yu-Gi-Oh! and Neverwinter Nights hours of office
multiplay. Plus, get an
© Hot Shots Golf 3 “0'ld! Also featured: e Castlevania: HOD Eternal Darkness. Reviews
_ X-Men: Next Generation, . oo That’s right, guides for © WarCraft Ill up-close look into
¢ The Mark Of Kf | Turok: Evolution and three of the summer’s arbra Tournament’s huge
e Frequency Kingdom Hearts. hottest games all in * Grant Theft mod community. Also,
e Medal of one book. Also, check Auto Itt the three biggest
Honor: out their Mario Sun- e Soldier Of games of the year
Frontline a (265 shine review. Is it Fortune Il reviewed:
i ww “- AO Pee ; better than Mario 64? i
Videos F ==> = Mario Sunshine ce etter than Mario 64 e Neverwinter Neverwinter Nights,
e Need For , waa Nights GTA3 and WarCraft III.
Speed: Hot Previews
e Disney's Stitch: Medieval
Experiment 626 e Warlords IV
e Turok: Evolution
e Sly Cooper
: : e Rise Of Nations
Sa ae :
Eternal Darkness —_—— e City Of Heroes
Unreal Tournament 2K3 po
GET A PS2 or XBOX
for as low as
Or
GET CASH or TRADE
for GAMES & DVDS!
www.HO-RC.com
HO/RC Entertainment 1822 Monroe Avenue
tel: 585-244-8321 Rochester, NY 14618
LOUK FOR THESE SPECIAL
ISSUES ON NEWS UIANDS
Advertiser Index _KEMCO US. A. Inc er bs 57, 127
www.ebgames.com 134a-b, 144-145 dt nest acien cain
| Acclaim Entertainment ... 129,131 Koei .............. 101, 102-103
| www.acclaim.com www.koeigames.com
Activision cipeee 14-15, 54-55; 94-95 Kraft ee ee 99
| www.activision.com www.cornnuts.com
fo 83 Majesco Sales Inc. .......... 155
| www.bandai.com www.majescosales.com
BOSE DY osécdssinns econ tive 113 Microsoft Corporation. 12-13, 63, 123
| www.bestbuy.com www.xbox.com
| Blockbuster Inc. ............. 37 Midway Home Entertainment . 6-7,
| www.blockbuster.com www.midway.com 19, 91, 41, 64-65
Capcom Ps a eal Dh a 16-17, 153, 163 Namco Ceeeveseeeeecenseese 84-85
| www.capcom.com pica niaas ri
EOE saciy ns sand congrats 81 Natsume ..............+.5. 443
| www.fruitopia.com www.natsume.com
_ CompUSA 's GameFixx ....... 43 Nike inc .............-e eee 4-5
| http://gamefix.compusa.com www.nike-presto.com
| Crave Entertainment ........ 157 SoBe Mr. Green ............. 89
| www.cravegames.com sich hak ute
EINES os oxccnemawseacumes 53 Phantagram Interactive ... 69,70
| www.dcshoes.com www.phantamcrash.com
| ESPN Summer X Games ...... 61 Sega of America . .8-9, 66-67, 169,
| www.expn.com www.sega.com 182-183, 184
ee 93 Simon & Schuster Interactive ..54
www.eastpak.com www.ssinteractive.com
| Ecko Unlimited .......... 11, 147 Sony Computer Entertainment of
| www.ecko.com AMOHCE 0.00 nce 2-3, 38a-d, 87
| Eidos Interactive ......... 10a-C, ineeneinin
pee since rams Take 2 Interactive ........ 23, 151
| aaa = ; www.rockstargames.com
| Salter n oni a seamen 26-33 Take 2 Interactive ........... 141
I abe www.rockstargames.com
: Electronics Boutique 76-77, 134 135, TDK Mediactive ..... 105, 107, 109
| Electronics Boutique/EBWorld .11
pe ebgames os / 7 TAG S56 rcee: 46-47, 96-97, 149
oe é td } www.thg.com
accep arvasergenia Education .119 US Army Command Headquarters .
cil ii " “ incense tes www.goarmy.com 25
hs a ‘++ 473 Vivendi Universal Games Inc.-PPG
: www.vugames.com 78-79, 171
i Game Music Online ......... 133 Vivendi Universal Games Inc.-
ee Universal Interactive . .. .20-21, 59
| Green Acres Associates Inc. ..181 www.universalinteractive.com
| www.ho-rc.com Wizards of the Coast ........ 115
| Intec Inc. 6... ee eee ee ee ees 167. www.wizards.com
| www.inteclink.com
SLED :
GAMIDEG PlayStation
DOTY
Answers to crossword puzzle on p. 52
RELL Le Tp
rh
1A
Sega is registered in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. Sega, the Sega logo, and Sega GT are either reqistered trademarks or trac ’ I or its affiliates. © 2002 WOW ENTERTAINMENT INC / SE
CORPORATION. www.sega.com U.S. Patent Nos. 5,269,687 and 5,354,202 Ail manufacturers, cars, names, brands, and associated imagery featured in this game are trademarks and/or copyrighted materials «
FORD GT and FORD GT90 are registered trademarks owned and licensed by Ford Motor Company. Dolby and the double-D symbol are trademarks icon is a trademark of the
Association. Microsoft, Xbox, and the Xbox logo are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Microsoft Corporation in-the U.S. and/or other
osoft. All Rights Reserved
in ii ieeediedia
Pit .
e Realistic generated from original manufacturers' specifications
¢ Over 100 licensed sports cars from yesterday, today, and tomorrow
: e GT 2002 Mode - Win races, events, and licenses
¢ Quick Battle - see who has built the best car
e Customize your car, garage, and soundtrack
EVERYONE
sit WWW
\| 1-800
segasports.com
Take speed. It moves as fast as an amped-up Brian Urlacher.
sevoreeeesesceg:sgemtne ty ae a Sar GUNN aT SP-C FeSO rent ese camcam:
It’s football to the power of 2K3. Now go rattle some cages.
®
| BATTLE IT OUT ON Cj
=m | THESE PLATFORMS PlayStation.c RINTENDO
|