PSP GAME REVEALED!) самга "LECTRONIC CAMING The #1 Videogame Мада Killer GameCube Games! METROID | PRIME 2 Special Feature tit. You need to know about WORLD EXCLUSIVE KNIGHTS OF THE OLD REPUBLI 3 E V res Г b. GÀ Hitman: Contracts = Final Fantasy ХІ = Samurai Warriors 9) & 4 | үү ! SIDE Doom 3 Syphon Filter: Omega Strain ^ Spider-Man 2 о "00000 09265 4 S a inside А Ace Combat 5 = Ratchet & Clank 3 Tron 2.0 Jak 3 Жтт ат. © ZIFF DAVIS MEDIA ONIMUSHA 3 д GHOST RECON 2 Å = A ISSUE 179 $4.99 U.S. / $6.50 Canada c= a коет www.koei.com Dynasty Warriors®, Samurai Warriors™ recounts tales of valor and betrayal in Medieval Japan. Cherry blo cascade onto springtime battlegrounds. Traps lay hidden in noble castles. Battle through 30 scenarios prepared to lose and you will emerge victorious. With multiple endings you have the power to change a nation's destiny. adiens E ET un LLLA iN à 8 ر‎ к / A ./ а L SESS ES N ad KO, COUNT hanges|castle level New Active Mission System triggers a multitude of objectives! Over 500 mission variations! У Hs ex Suggestive Themes Violence Produced by ПП[рогвү] :Еогсе PRO LOGIC п Forget Medals. Forget Honor. Just Survive. It's 1967. You've been drafted to fight in Unnerving realism. A graphically harrowing depiction of the terror of war. Powered by Guerrilla's the most controversial conflict of modern у groundbreaking ‘Killzone’ engine. times. Prepare to experience the fear, chaos and atrocities of the Vietnam War. From napalm bombardments of civilian e villages to deadly VC booby traps, can Missions range from large-scale NVA you survive your first tour of duty? , battles to stealth-based assignments. ў COMING JUNE 2004 № % hi "We've never seen a more realistic war game." - PSM Visit www.esrb.org or cal 8077-37 X -L| Playstation.2 ShellShockGame for more info. хеох Ё GUERRILLA ©2004 Eidos. Developed by Guerrilla Games BV. Published by Eidos, Inc. ShellShock, ShellShock: Nam '67, the ShellShock logo, Eidos and the Eidos logo are trademarks of the Eidos Group of Companies. Guerrilla Games айй te Guerrilla Games logo are trademarks of Guerrilla Games BV. "PlayStation and the "PS" Family logo are registered trademarks of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. Microsoft, Xbox, and the Xbox logos are either registered iradi trademarks of Microsoft Corporation in the U.S. and/or other countries and are used under license from Microsoft. All other trademarks are the respective property of their owners. The ratings icon i a registered trademafk olê Entertainment Software Association. All rights reserved. «ТА $ ss Magic: The Bathering" Tournaments, leagues and prizes. 2 See what playing big means. \ E magicthegathering.com "ONE ОЕ OUR MOST-WANTED EX. GAMES OF 2004" № -IGN PSE sie xS Featuring COL “With My Mind" Music Video. www.esrb.org or call 1-800-771-3772 юе Ф xcox PlayStation2 — /D MIDWAY YOUR MIND 1 ТНЕ ULTIMATI? WEAPON. WWW. PS LOPSGAME. СОМ REMOTE, VIEWING MINTS Psi Ops: The Mindgate Conspiracy © 2004 Midway Amusement Games, LLC. All rights reserved. PSI OPS: THE MINDGATE CONSPIRACY, MIDWAY, and the Midway logos are registered trademarks of Midway Amusement Game LLC. Used by permission. Distributed under license by Midway Home Entertainment Inc. “PlayStation” and the "PS" Family logo are registered trademarks of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. Microsoft, Xbox, and the Xbox logi are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Microsoft Corporation in the U.S. and/or other countries and are used under license from Microsoft. Screen shots shown are from the Playsttion's2 entertainment console sy S LREN mra 2 PlayStation. Siren 2004 Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. "PlayStation" and the "PS" Family logo are registered trademarks of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. The ratings icon is a registered trademark of the Entertainment Software Association. e game's vague maps. hough. Using this you vulnerable to legend-not become part of it. ME TO HANUDA the blood-curdling adventure- one is on thi z SETS Somewhere In Japan lies the all of which occur out of Be careful, t small town of Hanuda. Well, at sequence adding to the intrigue attack. Sometimes it's wiser to nce there. Before and suspense. е enveloped the e you play may examine your | mountainous village. Before а actually occur near the end. A than to check out what lies blood-red sea inexplicably SU dead rather..undead) character in hundreds of feet ahead. rounded its borders. Before the an early sequence of events could Î siren called and vanished Hanuda turn out to be a great ally when SHIBITO INTELLIGENCE sed to see enemies | from the face of ће earth. his earlier, living incarnation helps Don't be surpri t worry-with the oyu only wanted to learn more about WELCO nuda's dark least it was 0 a terrible forc yet the village still exists. you later оп. Don Photographs of actual abandoned towns and | And trust us-you don't wanna be пер of the Scenario Link shibito is КОДО сай ироп ene mines provide the basis foreach setting. E there. if the eerie force behind Navigator, itl all make sense Bt aes pect eee Кү an - ious turn of events the end of the three horrific days. scenarios might make you want to stop for a moment to admire \ 't yet transformed you into a hibito, then уйше CHILLING ATMOSPHERE Siren's great AJ. But more likely, meates eachset you'll be too busy screaming. m these undead Darkness. It рег creatures fueled by evil and nate. ting of Siren, b Siren from Sony basis for the inc Either way: in Computer Entertainment America, out feeling you'll experience throughout your entire visit to there is nO hope. Hanuda. РОО, rain, and dew com NO SINGLE HERO pine to create an almost palpable What better way to illustrate the sense of dampness: and haunting | sheer terror of Hanuda's plight sound effects-wind, footsteps, than to tell its tale through multi- screams, and more-mix with | р!е perspectives? For Siren, the bone-chilling musi ness. Enjoy the brief on the run fro To ensure realism, actors were motion-cap" b tured, facial scanned, and voice recorded. evelopers at Sony creepi respites offered by OCC don't think for а minute you're safe. Computer Ent offer no less than 10 playable light. But characters-anyone from а local it means teenaged blind girl to а 34-year- old professor of folklore who's olve the unex- ч ч 3 visiting town tos SECOND SIGHT Despite the terrible results of the able events at Hanuda, Take out the bloody-eyed shibitos with ms from shovels to rocks. plained disappearance of his inexplic parents. AS if finding out what's one benefit to the living has a little thought, going on around him won't be emerged. With any given character has the ability hard enough! to "sightjack" Using this gift, one another being's line to see what lies try to discern where everyday ite! x can overtake of sight both pose ahead and to INNOVATIVE STORYTELLING Nearly 80 episodes сот » issue 179 + - June 2004 i А E LETTERS ARES pis i : | 16 C'mon, send us an e-mail; Your d a postman will thank you for it * 76 J А А PRESS START : : : р The latest news, interviews, . j . features, and gaming tidbits T. Nos dli wonder anil COVER STORY: receives a makeover. Thank God ке 30 FIRST LOOK: ТОМ CLANCY'S є GHOST RECON 2 . Ubisoft's guys in green sign up for ^ another. tour of duty : 32 ЕСМ INTERNATIONAL Finding Nemo has nothing on Uo KNIGHTS OF THE OLD REPUBLIC-THE SITHLORDS 36 THIS YEAR'S MODELS icone We unveil Stars Wars: Knights of the Old Republio—The Sith Lords, the super Xbox sequel” 38 AER DRQUNITS - ` to the role-playing game that made Stars Wars good again. You'll find new planets, new Force Talking difficulty, issues, and Жн Talking ү И Е “powers, new bad guys even new Jedi classes (let's just say Darth Maul has met his male). 42 REALITY CHECK * ; Phi ed же What happens if уои1гу game feats d E in real life? Deeeaad meat ч 50 SHOW AND ) TELL: ү ‘ „© PSI-0PS , ex ia ‘Midway illustrates how its stealthy C hero is quite thesbrainiac 51: SPEED FREAKS ^. ` AER ú * These hyperactive players game so é fast, you won't believe your eyes ` ° = - Ы . А ^, 52 THIEF: DEADLY SHADOWS |," `- 8 PRIMED AND READY Е We shine the light оп the darkest |a | Enjoy sequen шш 5 . sure hopes so. Check out " Stagit game evet . " S the big N's next batch of * 54 CELEBRITY INTERVIEW + ^ . € EE games, inclüding Metroid Resident Evil actress Michelle . Prime 2, Paper Mario 2, Rodriguez lends her voice to DRIV3R Р » апа Pikmin 2 * 56 DEF JAM VENDETTA 2 Otherwise known as Fight i in da Club * 58 TV, MEET PC We tell you if you should care about. * the new console ApeXtreme 60. ONLINE ^ Find the missing EGM editors in Phantasy Star Online. Episode Ill 62 ONIMUSHA 3: DEMON SIEGE m An unlikely duo pulls the сипїаїй = . , down on the Onimusha trilogy ` « 63 THE RUMOR MILL EJ" Р Metal Gear is coming to PSP? That's _ what Q-Mann says Ы E 64 ACE COMBAT 5 - m Namco's newest fight-comibat game „ is prettier than the wild blue yonder 66 THE HDT TEN ` e в Can anybody dethrone Halo 2 & , 68 .cOMING SOÓN =~ sa But not soon eñough E] | "93 Serious Sam: Next'Encbunter. REVIEW CREW - * Ties reviews рег зате— just the v Way you like i it "m е A Xbox. 90 Hitman:Cofftracts _ 92 Alias d 92 МВА Ballers "GameCube PlayStation 2 94 „Syphon Filter: The Omega Strain 96 Destruction Derby Arenas 96 World TourSoccer2005 „ e 97 ‘La Pucelle: Tactics 98 Final Fantasy XI Online 100 Resident Evil Outbreak 102 Samurai Warriors» 103 Transformers 105 Siren . . 108 Custom Robo a %. 106 Steel Battalion: Line'of Contact 106 TOCA Race Driver 2: The Ultimate Racing sua | 106 STEEL BATTALION: LINE OF CONTACT FIRST PSP GAME REVEALED Death, Jr. debuts at the 2004 Game Developers Conference & as » FIRING SQUAD E Fide hot first-person . ‘shooters that'll soothe +. that itchy trigger finger how to do it: playing with. For years we've been telling you how great online gaming is. Yet a lot of you aren't doing it. Why is that? It can’t be accessibility. After all, it's easier than ever to set up, and 45 percent of Internet-connected households in the U.S. have broadband access*—perfect for gaming. It has to be something else, so | identified a few remaining potholes in the experience that Microsoft and Sony have yet to fill and ideas on Problem No. 1: It’s hard to find players worth Solution: Copy eBay's user rating system and TRICKS.OF THE TRADE: ~ . Game.hints; tips, and cheats 112 Metroid: Zero Mission „112 Splinter Cell Pandora Tomorrow 114 MX Unleashed К 114 Nightshade `, 114 Ninja Gaiden 115 GameShark vs. Action Replay ` 116 James Bond 007: Everything or. M Ы . 117 нщ; Contracts А PRIVATE SCREENING Movie games for guys who like movie games: Van Helsing, Spider-Man 2, * Catwoman, and more. let people view and submit game-specific feedback. This will give players a better idea of what to expect from their opponents and teammates, while at the same time encouraging Problem No. 2: You join a 1-on-1 game, the other player disconnects, and you're kicked back out to the lobby. Solution: More titles should take a cue from games like Sega's recent Phantasy Star Online Episode Ill (GameCube), which subs in an А.І. opponent to finish a deserter’s side. And lastly... Problem No. 3: You log on, get schooled, curse © GAME OVER. Here are yoür five continues 118 REST OF THE CRAP ` 119 CROSSWORD ‚ 120 HOROSCOPES -+ 121. NEXT MONTH 122 HSU & CHAN a little bit, and never want try it again. Solution: Provide newbie-friendly areas and encourage players to make that their first stop. On another note, this is my last issue of Electronic Gaming Monthly after nearly 10 years. I've spent a lot of good times and hard deadlines with these guys and wouldn't trade that experience for anything. 1 completely trust this crew's opinions on games, and so should you. Farewell! —Chris Johnston, News Editor * According to a March 2004 Nielsen/NetRatings report. Ай content copyright © 2004 Ziff Davis Media Inc. Reproduction, modification, or transmission, in whole or in part, by any means, without written permission from Ziff Davis Media Inc. is strictly prohibited. All rights reserved. ELECTRONIC GAMING MONTHLY • www.1UP.com • 13 Fourteen men and a Lady DAN "SHOE" HSU, Editor-in-Chief Paranoia. Nervous excitement. Pale skin. Dilated pupils. It's the sad story of a sick man who's played way too much multiplayer Splinter Cell Pandora Tomorrow on Xbox Live. We should feel bad for our boss, but mostly we just laugh. Now Playing: Splinter Cell PT, La Pucelle: Tactics. Fave Genres: Just about everything MARK MACDONALD, Executive Editor Oh, DOOSH, baby. Mark didn't mean to hurt you. You know you're his favorite controller. Now don't say that, you don’t mean that. You know he loves you, it's just that Resident Evil Outbreak gets him so angry sometimes...it's not his fault. Now Playing: Splinter Cell PT, Ninja Gaiden, Paper Mario Fave Genres: Action, Adventure, Shooters, Lobsterfest JENNIFER TSAO, Managing Editor For this month's cover story, Jennifer got to visit glamorous Orange County. The 0.C. was just like she'd seen on TV, but without the super-sized houses, swimming pools, and raging parties. She did visit a really nice industrial park, though. Now Playing: Final Fantasy XI Online Fave Genre \dventure, RPG, Action Sports, Puzzle, Music CRISPIN BOYER, Senior Editor “Ain't real enough!" Cris said when he forced editors Demian and Shawn to play Steel Battalion: Line of Contact online with him. So he strapped into an overpriced cockpit peripheral (see page 106) and demanded they “quit playing fakey.” Now Playing: Steel Battalion: Line of Contact, Transformers Fave Genres: Action, Adventure, RPG CHRIS “CJ” JOHNSTON, News Editor It's been 10 years since Chris’ first issue at EGM (#61!), and this is his last. He tells us he’s moving to Texas to work for some anime magazine called Newtype USA. We'll miss him. Now Playing: Splinter Cell PT, Super Mario Bros., Phantasy Star Online: Episode Ш, Rainbow Six 3 Fave Genri ion, Adventure, Puzzle, Music SHANE BETTENHAUSEN, Previews Editor Working on this month's movie-game preview feature, Shane pondered why companies never make titles based on any of his favorite movies, like Revenge of the Cheerleaders, Hot T- Shirts, Rodentz, and Skatetown, U.S.A. Give 'em a rental.. Now Playing: Phantasy Star Online: Ep. Ш, La Pucelle: Tactics Fave Genres: Fighting, RPG, Action, Adventure, Karaoke DEMIAN LINN, Reviews Editor Suspecting that the Stee/ Battalion controller was actually some newfangled DJ equipment, Demian waited until the heat of battle before asking, "Where's the fader? And how do | match beats again? Over. Roger?” Crispin kicked his ass. Now Playing: Splinter Cell PT, Ninja Gaiden, ТОСА Race Driver 2 BRYAN INTIHAR, Associate Editor Bryan would like to thank reader Jason Mason for sending us a rockin’ CD featuring his WWE Raw 2 created wrestlers’ entrance music. Hope you're still working on that "PhD in how to be one tough SOB.” Now Playing: Splinter Cell PT, Final Fantasy XI Online Fave Genres: Action, Adventure, Sports SHAWN ELLIOTT, Associate Editor “Come on, it's like being a bona fide robot pilot. Plus, it'll be our little secret,” insisted Crispin, trying to convince his fellow edi- tors to buy their own man-sized Stee/ Battalion playpens. The secret's out, but Shawn says he was right about the pilot part. Now Playing: Splinter Cell PT, Battlefield Vietnam (PC) ©] Fave Genres: Shooters, Fighting, Action, Racing 14 • ELECTRONIC GAMING MONTHLY • www.1UP.com Guest Reviewers GREG FORD After seeing what Hitman: Contract's Agent 47 does with. pillows, Ford's afraid of using them to sleep on. JON DUDLAK Becoming a pro race driver was a lot easier for Jon on screen. This tun- ing stuff's harder than it looks, PATRICK MAURO After reviewing NBA Ballers, Patrick is really Starting to embrace the bling- bling lifestyle. KEVIN GIFFORD Between FFXI and Rallisport 2, Kevin has run out of time to sleep. That must explain this face he makes all day. JOHN RICCIARDI John lives in Japan and you don't, but don't be jealous. Tokyo McDonalds" Big Mac value meal: $2,348.87. PAUL BYRNES Paul can't decide whom he hates more: zombies or terrorists. The ver- dict from the coin toss: zombies. W Each month, our sister mags (and website) XBOX NATION, OFFICIAL U.S. PLAYSTATION MAGAZINE, GMR, and 1UP.COM lend several helping hands. The Contributors № SCOTT STEINBERG tapped Howard Scott Warshaw—designer of the terrible E.T.: The Extra Terrestrial Atari game—to rate today’s movie-based titles... № Tech-head JOHN BRANDON infiltrated the play-for-speed underground, where the fastest gamers get all the glory... № DAMON BROWN tracked down the real-world equivalents of gaming's most famous power-ups... W Business 2.0's MATT MAIER investi- gated the Phantom, a mysterious and much-maligned game console compet- ing with the big boys this fall... W And JUSTIN SPEER helped host our movie-license extravaganza and deliv- ered the goods on the games you want most in The Hot Ten. in-Chief Dan "Shoe" Hsu. ме Editor Mark MacDonald Editor Shane Beltenhausen ate Editor Bryan Intihar ate Editor Shawn Eliott or Monique Convertito. te Art Director Stefan Belavy CONTRIBUTORS Chris Baker, John Brandon, Damon Brown, Che Chou, Robert Coffey, Kevin Convertito, Lauren Gonzalez, Matt Maier, James Mielke, Thierry. Nguyen, Andrew Pfister, Jon Rogers, Nik Schulz, Norm Scott, Seanbaby, Justin Speer, Scott Steinberg, Giancarlo Varanini Founder Steve Harris COPY DESK Copy Chief Tom Edwards ditors Greg Ford, Susie Ochs, Maritza Refuerzo PRODUCTION Art Production Manager Michele Manousos Senior Production Manager Anne Marie Miguel. т Monica Brent lion Manager Teresa Newson lor Tracy Schultz. y Bob Kerekes les Manager Don Galen. ship Marketing Dir. Chris Wilkes Lee Uniacke Publisher Stan Taigen g Director Marci Yamaguchi Territory Managers and Acct. Execs. Gaming Accounts. Be Nort Worth Bay lo Grogon, AR C0, 1A, 1D, KS, LA, MN, MO, MT ND, NE, NM, NV, OR, OK, SD, T Yihwestorn Canada Dist Sales Repres ounts Manager Marc Callison Candace Droz ager lan Sinclair Candace Droz 1UPcom VP/General Manager Tom Jessiman Account Ма у ising Coordinator Tipler Ubbelohde nt Alison Rubino nt Lynn Fortunato nt Simone Deocares-Lengyel Director May Tong ordinator Wayne Shiu Chairman & CEO: Robert F. C De in Senior Executive Vice President, Publishing Operations: Tom Mcrade Executive Vice President & Editorial Director: Michael J. Miller Executive Vice President, General Counsel & Secretary: Gregory Barton eWEEK) ide Licensing) mour (Enterprise Group) Dale Strang (Game Group) Jason Young (Internet) vice Presidents: les Lee (Integrated Media) dim Loudéack or Cf n Eric Lundquist (Editor-in-Chief, eWEEK) Chris Maginn (Internet Maginn Reilly (Integrated Media & Corporate Sales) Angelo Mandarano (Internet) Paul O'Reilly (Event Marketin Ellen Pearlman (Editorin-Chi Monica а Senior Director, Manufacturing: Carlos Lugo Director of Corporate Communications: Randy Zane IT West Coast Senior Technical Analyst Bill Schmelzer Subscription Service 800-779-1174 E-mail subhelp@egmmag.com RATING PENDING € Visit www.esrb.org | 3 b X or call 1-800-771-3772 a> PlayStation.e В. хеох for тоге info. "> PlayStation" and the "PS" Family logo are rogistered trademarks of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. Microsoft, Xbox, and the Xbox logos are eit red trademarks or trademarks of Microsoft Corporation in the U.S. and/or other countries and are used under license from Microsoft. 2004 Rockstar Games, Inc. Rockstar Games, Rockstar San Diego and the R, logo, are trademarks and/or registered trademarks of Tak nc. Red Dead Revolver is a trademark of Angel Studios, Inc. (d/o/a Rockstar San Diego). Ай other marks and trademarks are properties of their ге: nis reserved. ranting, raving, and self-mutilation “Anger itself," says the samurai maxim, “does more harm than whatever aroused it.” It no more After dying for the umpteenth time in Ninja Gaiden, | hauled off and [smashed] the closest thing at hand: this empty CD case. | sprained my thumb a few years back after punching my futon over Virtua Fighter 4, too. Enjoy the photos! —Shannon Mooney Uh, In hopes that they won't slap another suffix onto the old one, Га like to suggest a name for Nintendo's new handheld: Pocket Man! Isn't it better to have a little Man in your pocket than a Boy in your pants? — Blackmuse We need While reading Seanbaby's hilarious Playing Dress-Up story (EGM #177), | thought to myself, "Hey, | want to be a cosplayer, too." But there's one slight problem: All the POST OFFICE characters that | could come up with are either Asian or white. Can you help me find а cool-looking black character who isn't muscle-bound? I’m not feeling Final Fantasy ИГз Barret. — Robert Mennefee Jr. Not only are 86 percent of game heroes white males, but according to the study Fair Play? Violence, Gender, and Race in Videogames, eight out of 10 African American males are portrayed as competitors in sports games. On that note, we put our heads together and came up with Street Fighter II's DeeJay. Someone around the office also offered Drizzt, the dark elf from Baldur's Gate, but we wouldn't recommend that, even to a cosplayer. of it? What if Railroad Tycoon ripped out Princess of the month Peach's spine to get more track? What if John Madden coached a mutant league in the Tecmo Bowl? — Giuseppe Contelli Oh yeah? What if Tommy Vercetti flew the dodo into a SimCity building and Virtua Cop had to rescue Oddworld's Munch from the stairwell? And what if Bonk drags Yuna by her hair, because if he dragged her by her ankles her crack would fill with Pikmin? Random reader noise from our message boards, www.boards.IUPcom. (Look for Electronic Gaming Monthly's forums.) Ninja rap Here’s what a few of our less determined posters are saying about the notoriously maddening Ninja Gaiden (Xbox): Atomic Gerl controller. Wibblewozzer: “I find myself questioning if т genuinely enjoying it or just pushing through it to claim that I've beaten a game that others can't." XenoBach: “It’s kicking my ass, and | haven't even played it yet.” Chixdiggit: "I've never had so much fun getting mine kicked." m insuring my 16 • ELECTRONIC GAMING MONTHLY • www.1UP.com TheLastMoogle: “Tecmo can take all 50 golden scarabs and cram ‘em. | can't remember the last time | played something so frustrating. | could bite my controller just thinking about it." Portable picks The next hardware war won't be waged in your living room—it'll rage in the palm of your hand. With a pocketful of portable consoles (namely, Nintendo's DS and Sony's PSP) coming down the pike, some gamers are already playing favorites. TrueGamerMatthew sides with Sony's all-in-one wonder: *The PSP can play games, movies, and music. All Nintendo's DS offers is eye strain and two screens." Drummerboyjeff adds, “Plus, the PSP has that Lord of the Rings racer." (We don't have the heart to tell him that phony game was our April Fools’ joke.) "But the DS,” argues Firestar46, “isn’t assailing my face with hype and promising to do everything short of fixing me pancakes.” “Yep,” agrees Pistikus, “1 liked that device more back when they called it a laptop.” Grand theft idea Gamers are split over what they want from the forthcoming Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas. Dead_in_Red is quick to find fault: “Give me a game that doesn’t use the same graphics, targeting system, and story—something that doesn't get old after an hour.” Viewtiful. Joe is having super-size California dreams of “morbidly obese people to run over.” NHI clearly hopes San Andreas runs through San Francisco and is gunning for “hippies, protesters, and panhandlers.” “Recruiting a gang would be cool,” adds Erdricks_Boxers, “plus a prison to spring 'ет from.” “But how sweet would it be to pull a heist or rampage through town with four other real gamers online?" BubbleWrapNinja asks. Congrats, Chris Waliser! As our Letter of the Month writer, you've got a game from EGM's secret stash coming your way. You said something about Yu-Gi- Оһ!, right? For What happened to your Shame of the Month award? Both Lifeline and Fallout: Brotherhood of Steel warranted the dishonor but didn't get it. What gives? — Daniel Taveras We flubbed, plain and simple (same goes for Seven Samurai 20XX). For the record, the lowest-scoring game that gets all 4.5$ or less wins the coiled- crap icon. CONTACT EGM E-mail us at EGM@ziffdavis.com. Stuck in boot camp, the Big House, or one of the 10 American homes without Internet access? Scribble on a slice of tree and send it to: EGM Letters 101 2nd Street, 8th Floor San Francisco, CA 94105 GOT BEEF? Getting the hell outta Dodge? Neighborhood mutt chew up your mag along with the mailman? Don't panic— our subscription people are highly trained professionals who are here to help you. E-mail: subhelp@egmmag.com Website: http://service.egmmag.com Phone toll-free: (800) 779-1174 Old-fashioned way: P.O. Box 55722 Boulder, CO 80322-5722 REPRINTS? Call (866) 879-9144 to order reprints of our sweet articles. "Offers up the deepest dungeon crawling experience in the console universe to date." 4.5 out of 5 Stars 4.5 out of 5 hack-n-slasher." 5 outof5 "online multiplayer capability 4 is just jaw-dropping" ур А 4 player online cooperative action with 45 levels of non-stop action with over ‚ Constantly changing dungeons.and USB headset support to chat and plan 50 areas to explore and conquer. © monsters make each’ game a unique strategies (no subscription fee required 7 4 experience. for online play). Blood & Gore Vic ) / " 2 Experience May Р Er rae. NY ONLINE oe Ба рауѕ‹айоп.о Se Б (2004 Sony Computer Entertainment America Inc. "PlayStation" and the "PS" Family logo are registered trademarks of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. Champions of Norrath and the Online Icon are trademarks of Sony Computer Entertainment America Inc. Online play requires internet connection and Network Adaptor for PlayStation 2 and Memory Card (8MB) (ог PlayStation 2) (sold separately). SOE and the SOE logo are registered trademarks of Sony Online Entertainment Inc. The ratings icon is a registered trademark of the Interactive Digital Software Association. АН other trademarks are properties of their respective owners. АЙ rights reserved. These colors don't run, but we're running from these colors. He'd for that Phil's NES-controller tattoo (ЕСМ #177) is classic, but | think | have it beat. Peep my piece of Metroid's Samus fighting Ridley in the Chozo ruins. —Travis Fincaryk Uh...nice. Too bad you don’t have a laser оп your other arm to remove it with. He feels like | thought I’d practice writing again. Today | ate Lee’s Chicken’s Wednesday special: three pieces, two sides, and a biscuit for $3.19. It sure was good chicken. Lee's Chicken has an interesting story: The KFC guy and Lee were once partners, so their chicken tastes almost the same. | found that out by reading a board hanging in the store. They should make a Colonel Sanders vs. Billy Hatcher game. Also, did you know Wendy’s founder, Dave Thomas, used to work for Sanders? He got the Columbus, Ohio, KFCs up in sales and left a millionaire. —Jared Thorbahn We're not going to respond to him. Watch us. We're totally not responding. Let's get You don't have to be a physical education teacher (which | am) to see that this country is obese. Rather than add pounds to our collective ass, videogames could help fight the epidemic with a new Power Pad. (I'm aware of Dance Dance Revolution, but it's a dancing game, and dancing is for sissies.) Imagine the possibilities: a Crash Bandicoot in which you actually run from the giant polar bear or a simple side-scrolling Mario sequel. Sign the petition at www.expage.com/powerpad and make an impact on the industry. —Jason Folland GAME DESIGN-O-RAMA Got proof that game design is best left to the pros? Send your concept (with art) to EGM@ziffdavis.com, subject: design-o-rama SQUARE EYE FOR THE GAMING GUY: FAB FANTASIES Square Enix and Fox Entertainment team up to bring you a fabulous Final Fantasy spin-off! Transform the characters of your choice into complete pansies with the prissy guidance of the series’ sensitive types. Learn to whine like Tidus, trade cross- dressing tips with Vaan, study the art of chest waxing with Seymour, and oh so much more! 18 • ELECTRONIC GAMING MONTHLY • www.1UP.com BUBB RUBBLE BOBBLE Woo woo! Whistle-tip enthusiast Bubb Rubb brings “da flows” in this revamp of the classic puzzler! Grab Ш" Sis and run up the score before the whistle blows and wakes the neighbors. As an added bonus, Bubb Rubble Bobble is priced to sell at $15. EleChronic Gaming Monthly raves, "You'll never want to stop—even when you should be up cooking breakfast or something!” —Marf Know a chublet in need of a cardiovascular ass-kicking? Look no further than Ultimate Kickboxing Arena. On shelves now for PS2, Naki's device promises to turn your flabby body into a fighting-game controller. Once you've shed enough cellulite to fit into the screen, try admiring and maintaining your new figure with Sony's EyeToy. welcome someone made this. It's terribly unfair, but | think world events have conspired to make people avoid Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time. Persia and Arabia aren't exotic nowadays. The media saturates society with so many negative images of modern-day Arabia that much of the public wants nothing to do the region or its culture. Innocent, apolitical fantasy though it may be, Sands is a reflection of Middle Eastern mythos, and some people are too disenchanted to want to bring it into their recreation time. Poor Prince. He deserves a better reception than this. —Nikola Mishaw Good theory on Prince of Persia’s low sales, Nikola. But then shouldn’t Fugitive Hunter's (see page 118) shoot-first-ask- nothing-later take on the Middle East GRAIN TURISMO 4: THE REAL COMBINE SIMULATOR Leave all other harvesting games on the threshing- room floor with Grain Turismo 4! Choose from a variety of models, including the classic '20s Claas self-propelled combine and the rugged '71 John Deere 4400. From the vast Saskatchewan wheat fields to Vermont co-ops, farm your way through lifelike rural locales at an incredible 15 mph! — Мас Johnson — бега! Jacobs REVIEW CREW, ELECTRONIC GAMING MONTHLY out of оме 5 өр 10) seing (PINO 925 `81 ji 9.5 out of 10 Mos 9.5 out of 10 рО э Jo Адоз e 10} о шмушоо"цәогәшцд5 MNA N “BUSA ues Че JUIS `рәлзәзәнӊ SIYIH Voy, Lov isicing b om “THE EST STEALTH ACTION GAME EVER” k 4, f, FERN XBOX MAGAZINE E] 22 ч "THÉ MOST AMAZING ХВОХ GAME SINCE HALO" ELECTRONIC GAMING MONTHLY Х Tom Clancy's SPIRER 7 PANDORA TOMORROW INFILTRATE HOSTILE GROUND AND ENGAGE OTHER PLAYERS INA SECURE CRITICAL INTELLIGENCE IN DEADLY GAME OF STEALTH, WHERE 17 MISSIONS, USING THE MOST ADVANCED MERCENARIES MUST HALT SPIES FROM SPECIAL OPS TECHNOLOGY. COMPLETING TOP-SECRET MISSIONS. Play It. Blood үл Drug Referee X aie | xis d И ae PTS PHNTERGELLGUM UBISOFT HUNGRY FOR SOME CHEESE? Remember Metal Gear Solid 2 s morbidly obese, bomb-loving, Rollerblader? We held an impromptu contest on our message boards, asking you to whip up ideas for the bosses you're hoping you won't have to battle in the sequel, Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater. have helped it sell like plastic antenna flags? through science We recently covered momentum/impulse relationships in my high school physics class. By using a simple formula (FXT-MxV), it's possible to figure out how much force you'll impact the ground with after a fall. Basically, extended contact with the ground lessens the force of an impact. What's this got to do with gaming, you ask? Well, when Link tucks and rolls, he's increasing his time of contact, thus minimizing the force that he hits the ground with, and saving him a much-needed heart. Who knew that | was actually learning while trying to avoid damage in Zelda: The Wind Waker? —dustin Biller Out of the In Playing Dress-Up (EGM #177), you ran а picture of a green-haired guy па tiger-striped costume. Just wanted to let you know that he’s decked out as Lum's father from the '80s anime Urusei Yatsura. Now if you'll excuse me, I'd like to crawl back into my mom’s basement for a sob. —Matt Engelhardt e Dry those tears, A. à Matt. It's not Sul ^ like that was Sant you dressed A as a space = » tiger. (Or 7 — was it?) over I'm hanging up my controllers for good. The same games again and again just don't 20 • ELECTRONIC GAMING MONTHLY • www.1UP.com TURNS OUT WE'RE COUSINS, SNAKE! FEAR THE WRATH OF THE АКРИАКК/ Exclusive Metal Gear Solid 3 art courtesy of Rory Manion. offer enough incentive to keep playing. Platformers? Dead. Adventure games? Run, shoot, jump on this, collect that—they're all the same What happened to Chrono Trigger, a game I'd gladly play over and over? What about the stuff that broke the rules and set the trends—stuff like Mario 64? Sometimes | think that gaming died with the 16-bit era. It’s sad really. | once loved gaming, but nowadays everyone's out to make money instead of something new. I'm sorry, but I'm pulling the plug, this time for good. So long and thanks for the memories. —Richard Davila We won’t beg you to stay, Richard, but we wonder what's changed more: you or the industry? Derivation has always been the name of the game, be it movies, books, or music. For every Star Wars, you'll find a galaxy full of Battlestars, for the Beatles, a barrelful of Monkees. Even Diff'rent Strokes had its Webster. And as the readers who're thinking to themselves, “Hey, some of those ain’t half bad,” might tell 3 you, not all iN copycats are total crap. Still, if you're a stickler for true innovation, you could always come out of retirement now and then for Є) the really С good stuff. «2 You don't say? Ultimate Game Room (ЕСМ #178) was a real eye-opener. What, | can Unfortunate Plot Twist Aardvark Annoying villain with an asinine backstory. Excels at sucking. Aardvark uses the phrase, "Turns out we're cousins!" to drive Snake into a boring, 20-minute-long internal monologue, then proceeds to poke him to death with a shiv created from sheer player apathy. —Rory Manion Screech Owl Amplifies his grating voice to lethal levels, causing the Codec to rupture in Snake’s inner ear. Shoot Screech in his voice box before he before he can attack with awful one-liners like, "You're not going to be saved by the bell on this mission Solid Snake!” — Michael Bach Postmodern Snake Cloned from blood snake left on the battlefield, but wth the Y chromosome removed, this female assassin goes by the codename Postmodern Snake (PMS for short). Approach PMS with caution, as she’ll quickly use your every word and action against you. — —Erdrick's Boxers The Lawyer Slaps Snake with lawsuits on behalf of the families of slain bosses. Actually, if Snake so much as injures someone, The Laywer’s hot on the trail with talk of settlements and restitution. Moving the trial to another location is Snake’s only hope for defeating this shyster. —Audio0fBeing. e » —MKen Cauley *дазр* put my videogames on shelves? And here | was sticking them to the wall with chewing gum! Thanks, EGM. — Christian O'Brien No problem, smartass. numbers Last issue, you asked why so many RPGs cap health and experience points at 9,999, why 255 is the maximum number of rupees you can hold at one time in the original Zelda, and why 999,950 is Super Mario Bros.’ max score. Well, Mr. Programmer is here with answers. RPG point caps are all nines because while it's easy to program extra digits, it's а waste of space from a design perspective. If you add the digit, you might as well make use of it by allowing it to go as high as possible, which brings you back to the same problem. The Legend of Zelda's rupee limit is simple: 255 is the biggest number storable in one byte of data (eight ones or zeroes), and it's likely someone wanted to save memory on the NES. Finally, 50 is the smallest amount of points you can earn at a time in Super Mario Bros. Combine this knowledge with what you now know about the digit problem, and you'll have your answer. —David Schneider Gaming too You infantile, lonely little boys. I think | deserve to see Mr. Sexiest Gamer, seeing as | subscribe to your magazine, same as any of your male readers. Two, count 'em, two entire girl-filled pages and zilch on guys. There's something wrong here. | demand to see some Mr. Sexiest Gamer. And don’t forget to ask him what position he likes to play games in! —Holly Austell Sexy gaming prince Colin McGannon never got back to us, but we tracked down a runner-up who swears the crown was rightfully his. So Holly, meet Ken Cauley: “Favorite gaming position? РИ get to that, but first let me enlighten the rest of EGM's female readership about who the real sexiest male gamer is! Peep the rest of my contest pics at www.gcadvanced.com/article.php?artid =792 and judge for yourself. As for your question, the position doesn't matter so much, as | let my hands do most of the work.” ёф 15 that a joystick in your pocket, or are you just happy to see us? IN STORES NOW hitmancontracts.com MATURE 17+ 3 Intense Violence Blood and Gore Strong Language Strong Sexual Content PlayStation.e lo-Interactive = ido» сонтент ате ву Use of Drugs ESRB Е Il trademarks of 10 Interactive A/S. АИ other arks of the Microsoft Corporation. ive A/S, Hitman: Contracts, Eidos, and the Eidos logo are all trademarks of the Eidos Group of Companies. IO Interactive and the IO Interactive logo is of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. Microsoft, Xbox, and the Xbox Logos are either registered trademarks or trader tertainment Software Association. Hitman: Contracts © 10 Interactive A/S 2004. Published by Eidos, Inc. Developed by IO Inte trademarks are the property of their respective owners. АЙ rights reserved, "PlayStation" and the "PS" Family lago are register in the United States and/or other countries and are used under license from Microsoft. lemark of the v rating icon is a registered tra © 2004 Atari Interactive, Inc. All rights reserved. All trademarks or registered trademarks are the property of their respective owners. HASBRO and its logo, TRANSFORMERS PlayStation” and the "PS" Family logo are ге f Hasbro and are used with permission. © 2004 Hasbro. All Rights Reserved. ntertainment Inc. Join the fight for good and lead the AUTOBOTS" in an all-out offensive T H E against the evil DECEPTICONS" and their massive DECEPTICLONE" army. Ч LT l M AT E Race to Earth to find the powerful MINI-CON" robots, power-up with С m N FLI CT advanced weaponry and prepare for ME НАЗ BEGUN immense, non-stop battles unbelievable firepower. Licensed by: Properties Group ress start gaming news, interviews, medicated powders, and other stuff PRIMED TA” Nintendo powers-up its big franchises with a bevy of sequels es, it’s been a long, cold win- ter for GameCube owners. y Players have been huddled METROID PRIME 2 together around games of Final GameCube • Late 2004 Fantasy: Crystal Chronicles to keep the one game we all want the warm, with so few major releases from the one game we're all waiting for, Nintendo to keep them occupied. ? one game that haunts our thoughts day and night...is the one game Nintendo has absolutely But finally, it seems spring is about nothing to say about. Sorry, no solid info on the to...spring. Nintendo released shots of and details on a handful of its big fran- sequel to Retro Studios’ brilliant first-person chises, all due by the end of the year. shooter/adventure Metroid Prime. Yet. And there’s more, much more, to come. d What can we tell from the: The company promised not to reveal its Obviously, the big nev Р MET | new dual-screen handheld, the multiplayer. Question ' jd Й Нїїепйө 05, ший һе ЕЗ їпйизїгу гале match work with the original Prime's e-z lock | show in May, when all these games on targeting nd “unique” control setup? We’ and more will also be playable on the got our fingers crossed that the option fora show floor. Expect to hear about a new more conventional dual analog stick control scheme will be added this time around, but байыш Toda sano tat Mario from these screens, it looks like the old cross- Platformer; and a few new surprises us for the different scanners and s qm Нозам we have so far 0 el ad. Please, Nintendo? get you warmed up: >> ALSO COMING FROM NINTENDO: A NEW MEMORY CARD, THE 1 FOR $30; A WIRELESS ADAPTER FOR GBA FOR LINK-UP PLAY (ТО BE PACKAGED WITH ТН! PTEMBER RELEASE OF 24 « ELECTRONIC GAMING MONTHLY ® www.1UP.com № Hot girl-on-girl-on-girl-on-girl action: Prime 2’s new splitscreen multiplayer mode. Ne BACK ТО THE FUTURE The GBA is going totally '80s. On June 7, Nintendo will release a limited-edition GBA SP patterned after its old 8-hit NES system con- troller. The retro portable will cost the same as any other SP—100 bucks. And what better way to break in your old-new system than with eight classic NES games, also on sale that same day (for $20 each), including Xevious, Bomberman, Pac-Man, and these four classics (oh, and Ice Climber): "Wed To aso PAPER MARIO 2 GameCube • Late 2004 f you missed the original Paper Mario years ago on Nintendo 64, imagine the recent GBA adventure Mario & time, Mario is taking full advantage of his two dimensions: He can fold himself into an airplane to fly, roll up into a tube and bounce to out-of- reach areas, or turn sideways and slide through tight passages. Combat is once impresses the crowd watching him again focused on quick reflexes, with fight, he gains power for stronger айас) 69х00) players timing button taps for special attacks, defensive moves, or extra damage. The twist for the sequel is audience participation—if Mario Luigi: Superstar Saga—RPG elements, a lighthearted story, minigames—and pho- tocopy it. The 3D graphics here are made up of layers of flat 2D characters and objects, giving the game a unique yet retro feel (hence the "Paper" moniker). And this Nintendo in-jokes abound—recognize world 1-1 of Super Mario Bros, here? Майа сап travel with different side- Kicks, each WIEME own ES, Feelin’ feisty? Take on your fellow elves in the multiplayer shadow bat- tle combat mode. c c № Ice Climber Eu THE LEGEND OF ZELDA: FOUR GameCube ® June 7, 2004 t's perfectly natural to be skeptical about The Legend of Zelda: Four Swords Adventures. After all, it seems like а devious money-making scam: Nintendo slaps an old GBA game on à GameCube disc, forces players to control it with link-cabled Game Boys, then frolics in a giant pile of money. Your wariness world of Hyrule. The visuals are a product of style and functionality: "We really think that each new Ze/da game needs a unique look to distinguish it,” explains Producer Eiji Aonuma, “and it's very diffi- cult to show multiple players onscreen in three dimension: And even though you and your linked-up buddies are all work- will fade, however, as soon as you (and, if you're lucky, three GBA- bearing comrades) give it a shot—Zelda works shockingly well as a multiplayer gam: Four Swords' gameplay offers all the familiar Zelda staples, like tossing boomerangs, bombing walls, exploring labyrinths, felling bosses, and thwacking innocent chickens with swords; only now, you've got four Links in on the action (you can play solo, but expect diminished thrills). Surprisingly, the old-fashioned graphics actually look pretty sharp. While the basic look mimics that of Zelda: A Link to the Past for Super Nintendo, a cavalcade of wild special effects tilt, ripple, zoom in on, and explode the familiar THE POKEMON REMAKES); AND MORE HANDHELD TITLES— MARIO PINBALL, ing toward the same ultimate goal, a little friendly competition tends to break out. “We try to balance elements that force play- ers to cooperate with chances for them to compete,” says Aonuma. “For example, all four players might have to stand on a switch to activate it, but doing so causes one huge [treasure] to drop, so suddenly everyone scrambles to go grab it.” If EGM's Four Swords experience is any indication, the infighting can get a bit out of hand, with several Links charred beyond recognition and/or tossed into chasms. Perhaps we should take Aonuma's stern advice: “Heroes must not fight amongst themselves—they are allies of justic & E НН инн Тн sortent cna ne E Super Mario Bros. КО 2, MARIO TENNIS, AND DONKEY KONG COUNTRY 2—ALL DUE SOMETIME LATER THIS УЕАК.... >> ELECTRONIC GAMING MONTHLY • www.1UP.com • 25 © press start: nintendo рошег i o Á o PIKMIN 2 GameCube ® August 2004 he astro-baby stars of Pikmin 2 are a lot of things—thimble tall, in tune with flora, at odds with fauna—but right now, more than anything, they're late. Captain Olimar, the original game's wee pro- tagonist, and his new assistant were origi- nally supposed to touch down on GameCube in fall 2003. So if you're foggy on this sequel's setup, here's a refresher: Pikmin 2 takes the grow- a-plant-army concept and adds two-player splitscreen play and nixes a time limit, so you can explore the randomly generated dungeons and hunt down treasure all the livelong day. You get two new Pikmin plant creatures to wrangle—a burly purple guy and a poisonous white one—plus, more than 60 different enemy critters to beat to death with your flower-powered army. FIRE EMBLEM GameCube Late 2004 ired of squinting at your GBA, trying to tell if those pixels you're about to attack are a brigand or a mercenary? Give your weary eyes a rest—Fire Emblem is on its way to the (relatively) big screen. This Cube version of the handheld strategy RPG has the same basic setup as its little brother—turn-based movement, advantages given based on terrain, and a rock/paper/scissors-like weapon hierar- chy. Nintendo promises flashier battle effects ('natch), and you can now watch your characters fight on the usual sepa- rate combat screen or right on the map itself. Also expect added complexity from expanded stats for each character in your army, including the weight of their items. Let's just hope the graphics improve before release. DONKEY KONGA GameCube • September 2004 ou don't wanna work—you just wanna bang on the drums all day. At least that's what Nintendo's hoping with Donkey Konga, a made-in-Japan game-and-bongo-drum combo that's so odd- ball, we figured it would never come to the U.S. M But here it is. Codeveloped by Namco, the game has you hammering on the included bongo-drum controller—with up to three other players, via their own bongos or just regular joypads—in time to more than 30 tunes. You'll jam to pop hits, kid-stuff medleys, and familiar riffs from Nintendo games. The drum gizmo even has a sound sensor to register hand claps, which you'll have to mix in with your bongo bashing to progress through the game's three modes. Or you can just forget the rules and choose free mode if you want to go all Matthew McConaughey on the thing. Just put on some damn clothes when the cops show up. dh 26 • ELECTRONIC GAMING MONTHLY • www.1UP.COm |) 7 PAYERS, PAYERS, CE VIDEO. GA Too many trades to keep track of? You can download ros- fest RIBASERAIE ter updates to save ЕКЕШ BEEK fave FUNFACTASB05featurestwo yourself the hassle. commentary Options: Steve Lyons) and Thom) Brennaman handle the English; While Oscar Soria offers fans If you have your Spanish) play-by-play. best hitter on deck, don’t swing for the fences. Get on base and let him drive you in. ARE YOU AN SEE IT ALL FielderCam sets the camera behind) the fii your perspective just like a real outfield TAKE OVER’ ш, а YOU'RE THE BOSS 7 A + Deepest Franchise Mode available includes S| Training, Expansion Mode and|Create-A-Teaim. HISTORY REPEATS $ Relive historic moments from 2003 — like Game 6 of the NLCS — and unlock media extras with the TWIB (This Week In Baseball Challenge. SEE WIN ОДА = GOT REALISTIC ANALYSIS The game's commentary, from Vin Scully, Dave Campbell and Matt Vasgersian; adapts” to reflect your season’s results. TOTAL CONTROL Pressure-sensitive pitching and throwing let you put some- thing extra on the ball: FACE OFF With EyeToy, you can create a player with your own mug: Take a snapshot of yourself and you'll be inside the game! PLATFORM: PS2 FUN. РАСТ Amazingly. realistic ballparks feature city-specific details like, haze aid fireworks, plus real- time scoreboards, JumboTrons апа`ашиепнс signs. LOOKING GOOD New fluid'animations make this year's edition look great. A homer has never looked better! PREPARED BY THE PUBLISHING DEPARTMENT OF MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL PROPERTIES. =) Pi) d Opponents learn your tendencies, So keep track of Hot and Cold zones, and keep them guessing. Set your fielder before he has the ball. He'll carry his momentum into his throw. PlayStation.2 B The MLB Avthentic Collection" by w т m а 3 s а Ч [т] è z now, and they'll run Wü out of town if you allay " == Г.и [ЇЙ (a BASEBALL < ¥ Playstation.2 ры (- aS)PASEBALL Backyard Kids and Backyard Teams, as eup of MLB All-S laying as kids. Tons of different modes, inclüding/mini-games like Baseball Darts and a full Tutorial) N k small, but power to all Derby. CHILD'S PLAY With outrageous power-ups and surprises, smash long- balls, throw clutch strikeouts „бай unlock six bonus pros. PLATFORM: PS2 FUN FACT kt А A 2 popular title younger gamers, this is Backyard Baseball’s first appearance on the PlayStation 2. Explore loads of stats and options so that you can figure out how to unlock hidden items and players. If you’re confident in your infield’s ability to field grounders, then keep your pitches down in the strike zone. FUN FACT MLB Slugfest: Loaded has two) different gameplay options, allowing fans to play in Pro Mode, which simulates the Majors, or stick with the name of the game, which features enough monster homers and trick pitches to keep anyone entertained. online capabilities allow you to go online with Remember that in tation2 and Xbox Live for head-to-head play. franchise mode you're playing a full season, so use players wisely. Baseball Моди! engine. Fans can now guide y Sosa and the Cubs to the World Series, With the options available, don't be afraid to take chances. Risks = ice of Midway Sports — апа Jim Shorts. pay off huge for smart managers. ENS XBOX, PS2 © ® ® © © ® for each select PlayStation 2, Xbox or GameCube game you trade-in toward an officially- licensed MLB™ game. >? | зоог № жхөзх @ ikê [^ Backyard Some titles will not be accepted for trade toward this offer, Boxes and instructions must be included. Limit one per customer. Cannot be combined with any other offer or promotion. Not valid on previous purchases. Customer is responsible for sales tax in some states. Selection may vary by store. No dealers please. While supplies last. No rain checks will be issued. No substitutions can be made. See sales associate for complete details. Typographical errors are not the responsibility of EB Games. Offer valid 4/1/04 to 6/1/04. Sales associate: Please scan barcode for customer to receive trade-in bonus credit. 3004 Major League Baseball Trademarks and Copyrights are used with permission of Major League Baseball Properties, Inc. Visit the official EBC website at MLB.com. © MLBPA-Official licensee, Major League Baseball Players Association. Visit the Players Choice on the web at www.bigleaguers.com. 538 *ESGAMES electronics boutique Yorv.ebgames.com We take games seriously " REDUX Forget the first one ever happened ince time travel's not an option, Nokia’s doing the next best thing to repair the tarnished image of its N-Gage Swiss-army cell phone—it's releasing a slightly smaller, slightly cheaper model that addresses the criticisms that plagued the first one. The N-Gage QD—Nokia says the QD doesn't stand for anything—launches in early June. Though an exact price has yet to be announced, Nokia says it will be less than the original's $300 debut. Just by picking it up, you can tell the QD's a more practical game machine. A dedicated cartridge slot at the bottom of the unit (covered by a rubber hatch) means you'll never touch the battery case again when switching between Tomb Raider and Tony Hawk. And when you do >> IN EARLY APRIL, MASTIFF RELEASED THE $20 GAMECUBE TITLE SPACE RAIDER: Swap cartridges, the QD will load the new game automati- cally. The keypad's been tweaked, too, to make it easier to use, and the machine's Still got the platform's promising Bluetooth and online multiplayer features. Naturally, it's still a phone—but sidetalkin’ is a thing of the past. You hold the QD as you would a normal cell phone (ссоре the earpiece right above the key- pad). The original's МРЗ player and radio functions and compatibility with foreign cellular networks (a Euro version will be available across the Atlantic) didn’t make the cut this time around, but the QD's superior design should make up for that. All N-Gage needs now are more games we wanna play. Now with cartridge slot! GRUDGE MATCH Battle of the Bonds JAMES BOND GOLD BOND 007 has nifty gadgets and looks great in a tux, but can he relieve your jock itch in just one application? When the cornstarch settles only one will remain stand- ing; will it be the secret agent or the anti-fungal agent? We're itchin’ ta find out! WHAT THE CRITICS SAY “feels even more like a Bond adventure than some lesser chapters in the film series."—EGM Advantage: James Bond WORKS BEST... “All the guys in my fraternity use Triple Action Gold Bond Medicated Powder— it's a daily experience!” —Actual testimonial! Where your gener- ously proportioned thighs keep rubbing each other raw Advantage: Gold Bond SOMETIMES MISTAKEN FOR... Around time bombs and bombshells Gold bond reserve notes (in case the dollar deflates, your money's backed by a shiny mineral) Advantage: Gold Bond COMMONLY FOUND... On most major consoles Advantage: James Bond TOUGHEST ADVERSARY Evil mastermind Nikolai Diavolo Advantage: James Bond WINNER: JAMES BOND Poorly animated, cocky SOB James Bond Jr. In medicine cabinet, sweaty crevasses Athlete’s crotch We'll know soon enough whether these fan-made creations from the Internet look anything like the real DS. FUTURISTIC SURVIVAI JORROR-ISH UPDATE OF TAITO'S ARCADE CLASSIC SPACE INVADERS... >> ELECTRONIC GAMING MONTHLY • www.1UP.com 27 | HAVETHE POWER TO TAKE EVERYTHING FROM YOU. INCLUDING YOUR LIFE. REWRITE THE RULEBOOKS OR STEALTH GAMING.” EXB) IS BACK AND BE Visit www.esrb.org ШШ Z — c ‚омкс. Thief: Deadly Shadows(TM) Eidos Inc. 2004. Developed by lon Storm LLP. Published by Eidos Inc. Thief: Deadly Shadows and the Thief: Deadly Shadows logo are trademarks of Eidos Inc. lon Storm and the lon Storm logo are trademarks of lon Storm LLP. Microsoft, Xbox, and the Xbox logos are either registered trademarks or trademarks by Microsoft Corporation in the U.S and/or other countries and are used under license from Microsoft. The rating icon is a registered trademark of the Entertainment Software Association. DEADLY SHADOWS. REGISTER FOR MORE INFORMATION AT THIEFGAME.COM Га qi E NS Sh sud ME | / | 3 Г La 3 E / < ; ; f é BREAK & ENTER Е __ е س‎ оне. fjs AMBUSH 5 © press start >> RAINBOW SIX 3 FOR XBOX WILL SOON BE EXPANDING: THIS 30 « ELECTRONIC GAMING MONTHLY e www.1UP.com sk the guys in cammies and A combat boots; Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon will make you a virtual veteran. “Опе U.S. Army Special Forces soldier told me the game's tension and lethality blew him away. I've also had the privilege of playing cooperatively with Marines,” brags Designer Christian Allen, himself a former leatherneck. "They break into fire teams, use their actual forma- tions, positions, and assigned weapons to tackle the scenarios." The sequel, set to deploy on Xbox this fall (and possibly assault PlayStation 2 sometime after), aims to immerse couch commandos in even more convincing combat. Until now, novelist Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon unit hasn't seemed all that differ- ent from his Rainbow Six squad. Sure, Rainbows specialize in counterterrorism and hostage situations while Ghosts com- bine infantry tactics with cutting-edge military technology on the battlefield. But so far, the guys in green have been restricted to covert skirmishes with tin- pot generals and third-world guerrillas. "This time it’s all-out war,” says Allen. He and the other higher-ups aren't saying who's involved just yet (apparently, intel is on a need-to-know basis, and we don't need to know), but when world powers butt heads, it's the Ghosts who make sure it's not Uncle Sam's noggin that buckles from the blow. You are an army of one, but you're not the only one. "Your squadmates will sup- port you with crucial information and sup- pressing fire,” says A.l. Engineer David Hamm. "They'll flank enemy positions and Т, LOOK FOR RAINBOW SIX 3: BLACK ARROW, AN EXPANSION PACK THAT ADDS A NEW SINGLE-PLAYER CAMPAIGN, E ا‎ @ ê Reboot Camp The original Ghost Recon is getting on in years. To main- tain operational readiness and meet tomorrow's stan- dards, it'll take more than routine rifle cleaning. “Our new graphics features take full advantage of Xbox's power and allow us to make gorgeous, natural-looking characters and environments," Lead Artist Brian Tate explains. "On top of that, we're improving special effects and adding destructible elements like collapsing build- ings and crashing helicopters." Say good-bye to the sim- ple, blocky scenery of Ghost Recons past (above). Meet the Elite Ghost Recon 2's new infantry and airstrike features will shock and awe the enemy, but it's still your squadmates who'll save your ass in the thick of combat. Get to know the guys who've got your back: "© — take out tango’s tanks.” Your targets won't be soft, either, and they will “coor- dinate to stop the Ghosts, analyzing the terrain for advantages and making use of available cover.” A streamlined squad-command inter- face lets you be all that you can be even amid the confusion and chaos, but Lead Sound Programmer Jeff Wesevich is quick to point out that gamers will have more reason to care about their fellow Ghosts than their willingness to follow orders: ^We're completely revamping our Nick M. Salvatore Mike Kim Sergeant k: Staff Sergeant Gunner Marksman Armed with the M249 Squad A specialist in accurate long- | Automatic Weapon (SAW), range fire, Kim eliminates tar- Salvatore provides a high vol- ume of fire, pinning enemies down as the Ghosts advance. gets from afar. Unlike a soli- tary sniper, however, Kim's an integrated part of the team. і Derrick Parker Master Sergeant Grenadier Parker brings heavy indirect fire against large concentra- tions of enemies and dug-in hostiles with his M16A4 and mounted grenade launcher. approach to the game's dialogue with the goal of filling out the polygons with real, three-dimensional personalities. That goes for the wide variety of belligerents you'll meet as you make your way through the campaign as well.” In fact, with developer Red Storm Entertainment's military budget at an all-time high, Wesevich and company are overhauling, upgrading, and substantially improving their armed force in every way for the coming conflict (see Reboot Camp box- out). Don't be surprised to see this gener- he а ә ation of 615 in а Humvee or a Blackhawk. "I can't comment on с specifics yet, but MM we've got some very exciting plans for vehicles," Allen — hints. "The > Ghosts will defi- nitely have a chance to try out some of the newest ў military hardware." б. А —Shawn Elliott ЕСМ INTERNATIONAL Two weird games, one weird country Vib Ripple explores the darker side of photography Dark, nasty, yet oh-so-cute gremlins inhabit every photo you've ever taken. But fear not— there is a way to exterminate this menace from your Kodak moments: Buy Sony's Japanese PS2 release Vib Ripple, import your digital pictures, and have Vibri the doodle-art bunny (star of Japan-only PS1 oddity Vib Ribbon) hop on them trampoline style. You see, Ripple takes whatever picture you give it—from your mom lounging poolside to you in the bathtub (or worse)—and turns it into a level for Vibri to jump about on, picking up gremlins and avoiding other baddies. What's more, some gremlins appear only in certain types of photos (black-and-white pics, for example), making gathering a complete photo-critter collection a formidable challenge. >> ADDITIONS ТО GAMECUBE'S PLAYERS’ CHOICE LINE IN 32 * ELECTRONIC GAMING MONTHLY ® www.1UP.com There's something fishy going on within Uo Uo (pronounced “whoa”) is the latest PS2 project coming to Japan this summer from the maker of the Sega Bass Fishing series. You'd expect some kind of angling sim then, right? Wrong! Uo puts you in the fish’s role, running errands for the local “water spirits” in a quest to save sea life everywhere. You'll also get to munch on the game's 100 types of wildlife—locking on with the L1 button, lunching with O, and using the analog sticks to thrash your prey around for the kill. If you've got a death wish, you can even nib- ble on the lures at the end of those nasty land- walkers' fishing lines. Snap the wire, and you'll earn unlockable bonuses and prove that once and for all that evolution is highly overrated. OLD SCHOOL 10 years ago in EGM © On the Cover: Virtua Fighter Sure, it doesn't look like anything special now. But back in '94 when we were all drowning in a sea of Street Fighter knockoffs, Sega's groundbreaking 3D arcade fighter was the bee's knees. Do bees even have knees? Game of the Month: Super Metroid Nintendo's Super NES classic walked home with the prize this issue, scoring four nines (out of 10) from our crew. Reviewer Al Manuel called Super Metroid "quite possi- bly the greatest action-adventure game ever created." Ten years later, many argue that this is still true. 3D Graphics = $100 Sega's 3D-enabling SVP chip spiffed up the graphics for the Genesis version of Virtua Racing, but it also doubled its price. Racing hit stores in late spring '94 with a $99.99 price tag. It Makes So Much Sense Genius. That's all we have to say about the Video Jukebox. Pure genius. Stick six carts in this baby and switch between them with the touch of a button. No more car- tridge mess! ОЕ F-ZERO GX ($20), WARIO WORLD, AND MARIO GOLF (BOTH $30). PREVIOUS INDUCTEE METROID PRIME IS NOW $20... >> 0013500 м. go Go hack to Mega Man's beginning with these special game compilations. Save the planet from 18 years worth of evil villains! Mega fun awaits with 10 action- packed games for the Nintendo GameCube™ and PlayStation® 2 computer entertainment systems and 5 infectious games on Game Boy® Advance. © CAPCOM CO., LTD, 2004 © CAPCOM U.S.A., IN RESERVED. CAPCOM, the CAPCOM LOGO and МЕ trademarks of CAPCOM CO., LTD. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. registered trademark of the Interactive Digital Software Associ Cartoon Violence and the 'PS' Family logo are registered trademarks of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. Licensed by Nintendo. Nintendo, Nintendo GameCu! H Boy, Game Boy Advance and the Official 9: ета of Nir PlayStation. о EVIL HAS ONE NAME TO FEAR THE GAME Blood and Gore P ySta ion.2 Violence SEE THE MOVIE VIVENDI | VAN HELSING IN THEATRES MAY 7, 2004 "Van Helsing” interactive game © 2004 Vivendi Universal Games, Inc. Van Helsing ™ & ® Universal Studios. Licensed by Universal Studios Licensing LLLP. All Rights Reserved. "PlayStation" and the "PS" Family logo are registered trademarks of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. ™, ®, Game Boy Advance logo is a trademark of Nintendo © 2001 Nintendo. Microsoft, Xbox, and the Xbox logos are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Microsoft Corporation in the United States and/or other countries. The ratings icon is a trademark of the Interactive Digital Software Association. Vivendi Universal Games and the Vivendi Universal Games logo are trademarks of Vivendi Universal Games, Inc. The Saffire Logo is a registered trademark of Saffire, Inc. Parental Advisory: A Note to Parents: Please consult www.filmratings.com for information regarding movie ratings in making viewing choices for children. NE VAN HEL Т | www.vanhelsinggame.com THIS YEAR'S Sony eambles on a massive mascot trifecta his fall, your PlayStation 2 will be hopping and bopping itself into a frenzy when Sony deploys a deadly platforming pay- load—three colossal sequels to best- selling franchises—in a whirlwind three-month span. Yikes. First, pre- pare for the wallet onslaught with our The Game: The Hero: п 3 BAND OF THIEVES September 2004 October 2004 \RATCHET & CLANK: UP YOUR ARSENAL November 2004 >> NAMCO REVEALED A PARTIAL LIST OF 2004 TITLES, INCLUDING BREATHTAKING FLIGHT SIM ACE COMBAT 5 (PS2), 36 * ELECTRONIC GAMING MONTHLY • www.1UP.com handy chart, which compares Sly Cooper 2, Jak 3, and the third Ratchet & Clank outing. Then try your best to work through those copies of Sly Cooper, Ratchet & Clank: Going Commando, and Jak Il that you kept meaning to finish. — Shane Bettenhausen Obligatory Sidekick(s): * The world's greatest thief returns to hijack more valuables at various globetrotting locales. But he’s not the same cuddly fur- ball you knew in 2002: “Sly is more in control,” explains Madan. “He’s also a little more buff, a little more angular...he’s grown into his skin now.” In Band of Thieves, Sly’s previously non- playable buds no longer stand idly by in the face of crime...instead, they join in the thrill of larceny. You'll get to control both demolitions expert Bentley (a curmud- geonly turtle) and headstrong brawler Murray (a large pink hippo). d P. <4 р: Poor, beleaguered Jak never catches а break. After saving Haven City at the end of Jak Il, the ungrateful citizens blame him for rising civil unrest and banish him to a parched desert wasteland. He counters with a snazzy haircut, thuggish threads, and a new surly attitude. Lovable lombax (some sort of furry thing) Ratchet must once again protect the galaxy from evil. Unlike the other heroes here, Ratchet hasn't really changed much—other than donning some new clothes, he's the same vaguely innocuous nice-guy hero he's always been. Wisecracking ottsel (otter-weasel hybrid) Daxter returns to offer companionship and comic relief. Developer Naughty Dog plans to include more mini-levels in which you control Dax, along with a full explanation of his role in Jak's heroic three-game quest. "Clank is finally stepping out of Ratchet's shadow." While he hasn't gotten his own game...yet, Ratchet's erstwhile robotic backpack Clank now stars in a popular TV Spy drama, where Ratchet plays his bum- bling sidekick. 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Cut out the cards, and stash them in the game cuse so yov can really get nto the game. Check out www.Getintothegame.com to download a coupon for $5 off any game shown here and check ovt more codes for the latest hot titles. Check out www. getintothegame.com to download a coupon for $5 off any game on this card. While you're there, get the scoop on all the hottest games and accessories. NINJR GRIDEN GET INTO THE GAME.COM ©2004 Target Stores. The Bullseye Design is a registered trademark of Target Brands, Inc. All rights reserved. VAN HELSING NINJA TIPS This tactic is especially useful against unarmored foes as you don't have to aim very accurately to have the desired effect. * Watch Ryu! He will automati- cally look toward oncoming danger, giving you a heads up of an impending assault. — ' eTo speed through sequences like Ryu opening doors and such, press [X] to keep the game moving along. Be sure and tap [X] every, time you spot а Kunai Scroll nearby. Important gameplay tips and information are _ contained within. XBOX SURVIVAL SKILLS isn't even a pistol or your night vision. No, it's a trick you can learn from the game camera that follows Sam Fisher around on his missions. When you come to a new corner or open doorway, and don't want to risk harm or detection, press close to the edge and "swing" your cam- era ovt to view the other side. Most of the time you can manipu- late the camera angle to spy on a certain area that you really should- n't be able to see from your current position, which means special sur- veillance that you can't get through any legal methods of operation. pu и E т _ E get into dangerous situations— some of which you may not Бе able to get out of[EM]by trying to engage each enemy in hand-to-hand combat. It's very difficult, maybe even impossible, to slip across a lit room and subdue ‘that single guard looking straight at you. So how do you beat the situation? Rely on the sticky shocker. The agent's best non-lethal weapon, the shocker works just as effectively as your SC-20K but zaps your target into a painful unconsciousness, rather than triggering the alarm at the sound of SC-20K gunfire. PS9, XBOX MONSTER MASH your weapons slay monsters and they hold the key to some puzzles. Maybe you searched an entire room with a statue puzzle and found nothing. You may have even searched the statue itself, but did you search it with the correct weapon? By aiming and shooting a weapon like the Crossbow.into a slot too small for your fingers, you can release a reward you might not have found otherwise. The same holds true for any of the energy based puzzles throughout the game that can be charged up with your Electric Gun. е * Soften up im AED. ed 10 Sa кош PUZZLE BREAK- FIRE THE BOSS „onrushing foes oer, est Ep EE ESN viven THROUGHS Bosses are the toughest mon- using your bow. SIE етв у In Van Helsing, sters on each mission, the mon- sters that can-usually eat you for ‚ lunch if you don't serve them up a lead sandwich. Certain bosses, like the werewolf Velkan, will grapple with you and may catch you in a devastating move like his famous chokehold. It doesn have to end there, however. Rather than suck up the damage, you can break some of these moves by firing your Pistols as * fast as your trigger finger will go. If you're good, all your shots will inflict damage and you'll avoid going splat at the end of the boss’ maneuver. ri The Look: Sly 2 sports the same hip look as its pre- decessor, but be careful about how you describe it. "I don't think it'd be fair to call it toon shaded,” says Designer Dev Madan. "We're going for a more illustrat- ed, painterly look.” Expect some truly arty visuals from the rebuilt engine. AS Jak spends the first two-thirds of the game exiled to Spartus City, a low-tech burg deep in a vast wasteland. This mas- sive area (four times larger than Jak II's Haven City) lends the game a bleak, des- olate feel, setting it apart from the com- paritively lush worlds of past games. Up Your Arsenal's visual style doesn't stray far from the previous games' win- ning formula: You hop across more com- plex, candy-colored worlds rife with wacky architecture. Don't be surprised if a few stages from the previous games reappear in multiplayer mode. Sly gently taps foes with a vaguely fop- pish cane. Luckily, his comrades help increase the group's street cred: Bentley sows mayhem with a bevy of powerful explosives, while Murray causes hurt with fierce punches and a bone-shattering belly flop. Jak's gun rack expands with a plethora of new modifications to the four basic gun types from Jak Il: You'll be emitting homing "lasers, lightning blasts, and ricocheting bul- lets with reckless abandon. Of course, if you are protesting the NRA, you've still got your trusty spin-and-punch maneuvers. This series has always delivered a fantastic array of weaponry, and this third install- ment truly ups the arsenal with more than 20 new guns, 14 of which can be upgraded four times each. Notable standouts include the Infecter (which causes enemies to kill one another) and the searing Plasma Whip. Biggest Innovation: Band of Thieves offers a slew of brain- busting multipart puzzles for breaking up all that tense platform-hopping action. You'll have to use all three heroes’ differ- ent abilities in tandem to successfully pull off awe-inspiring “Ocean’s Eleven meets Shirt Tales” heists. The random carjackings of Jak Il are his- tory—now, you steer souped-up dune buggies across the desert while avoiding Mad Max-style hooligans. Also, expect some additional Dark Jak moves, along with a full set of defensive moves for Light Jak, a new wild, winged transformation. Would you believe...full online play? Yep, get ready for intense eight-player team warfare packed with head shots, control- lable land and air vehicles, full voice-chat support, and plenty of good-natured mas- Cot fragging. It’s oddly like Halo—just much, much cuter. Proof That the Developers Listened to Criticism: Everyone loved the original Sly Cooper...for the four hours it lasted! Developer Sucker Punch took all the nasty comments about the game’s brevity to heart: Expect Sly 2 to be at least twice as long, thanks to sprawling environ- ments like the Paris level (shown here). Design Director Amy Henning knows everything that was wrong with Jak Il. “Many people said that backtracking through Haven City just wasn’t much fun and that the difficulty spiked too errati- Cally, causing tons of frustration,” she explains. “We're fixing all of that.” Many gamers complained about the repetitive, overly long spaceship-piloting sequences in the last Ratchet game, so Insomniac scrapped ’em. Look for all-new spaceflight bits here as you take control of a gargantuan USS Enterprise-style craft. ё DEATH BY DEGREES (PS2), AS WELL AS THREE RPGS: XENOSAGA EPISODE II (PS2), TALES OF SYMPHONIA (GC), AND BATEN KAITOS (GC). SADLY, NO WORD YET ON SOUL CALIBUR ИИ... ELECTRONIC GAMING MONTHLY • ww AFTERTHOUGHTS: Talking the ways of the warrior with Тесто ninja master *m not a controller thrower, never have been," writes jun- gleroom x from the 1UP.com message boards, “But my [Xbox pad] hit the wall a few times and the televi- sion once...really hard.” Yep, Tecmo's Xbox epic Ninja Gaiden and its legion of unrelenting foes can send even the most tranquil gamer off the deep end. In fact, it seems like just about the only guy who doesn’t think the game is too tough is Gaiden director and developer Team Ninja headmaster Tomonobu Itagaki (what а surprise—he made the darn thing). Never afraid to speak his mind, Tecmo’s resident assassin had this to say about the game's stiff chal- lenge, a sequel, and more: EGM: Just for the record: The game's main character, Ryu Hayabusa, dies at the beginning, right? How'd he come back to life after being cleaved in half? EGM: What percentage of players do you think can complete hard mode or, to go even further, very hard? I'm hoping that everyone can clear Ninja Gaiden in the normal mode, 50 per- cent in hard mode, and less than 10 percent in very hard mode. EGM: What do players need to know before tackling Ninja Gaiden on the higher difficulties? You need to extend the life gauge, and to do that, you have to find all the items. The game has eight battles where the enemies seem to spawn endlessly. Fight to the end—through 80 enemies in hard mode and 100 in very hard mode—and you'll get some very important items. | hope you'll challenge yourself. EGM: How about some pointers for peo- ple competing in the online Master Ninja Tournament? «€ » —Team Ninja's Tomonobu Itagaki Yes, he died. Do you remember the falcon staring at his dead body? That falcon’s spiritual power resur- rected him as a soldier of revenge. EGM: ОК, that clears that up. Now let's talk about how tough this game is. Did you make Ninja Gaiden difficult because you see most action games today as too easy? [No.] | don't care what other games are doing. | personally directed the А.І. pro- gramming, so its difficulty is a reflection of my own sense and taste. EGM: We got the feeling you wanted players constantly moving forward and discouraged backtracking to get more health or get to an earlier save point. Is that the case? Charging forward [in Ninja Gaiden] is not the only courageous way to play. If you have to backtrack, | would not call you a coward. Only if your skill level is high enough will you be able to [forge onward] without backtracking. >> CRASH BANDICOOT IS SET TO MAKE ANOTHER APPEARANCE LATER THIS YEAR IN CRASH TWINSANITY FOR PS2 AND XBOX. THE 3D PLATFORMER STARS FIVE PLAYABLE CHARACTERS.... >> 38 • ELECTRONIC GAMING MONTHLY ® www.1UP.com Try pushing down the left stick after pressing down the white button. A timer will pop up, and it shows how much time you have left to fight the enemies. You should practice beating all the enemies within the given time. It's true—wear- ing black really does make Ryu look slimmer. EGM: One complaint most players seem to have with Ninja Gaiden is the cam- era. Why not give the player more con- trol over it? Feedback and requests from players will be reflected in the next [Ninja Gaiden game]. However, you need to understand that in order to implement more control into the camera system, we would have to cut the speed of the game in half or change it to a more static camera. Don't forget—you're addicted to Ninja Gaiden because of the dynamic high- speed action, possibly because we did not slow the camera speed and did not create a static cam- era. Do you get my point? EGM: Yes, but we still > wrestled with it in a few spots. So, do you think PlayStation 2 could handle Ninja Gaiden? Ti: Why even ask a question that you know will disappoint PS2 fanboys? [grins] EGM: We'll take that as a “по,” What's the coolest feature you considered implementing but, for whatever rea- son, didn't? Tl: There are tons of things [we wanted to Retro Gaiden do]. Опе of them is a battle on water. This was an interesting idea, but it was too dif- ficult from the strategic standpoint, so we removed it at the end. This [sequence can't] be explained in words. If enough people are interested in it, РИ consider implementing this feature in the next [Ninja Gaiden] game. EGM: Why not let Hayabusa switch weapons in midcombo? No, that empty arcade machine in Han's bar isn't just for show. You can use it to play the original 2D Ninja Gaiden games—1, 2, and 3. First, give shopkeeper Muramasa 50 scarabs to open up the original Ninja Gaiden. To play the second game, shoot the clock face in Tairon near Muramasa's shop. And lastly, in Chapter 10's ceremoni- al room, triangle-jump your way to the golden scarab on top of the broken pillar for Ninja Gaiden 3. To play these old-school titles from the main menu, beat the game with them in your inventory. Ё TI: If we were not limited to the Xbox's 64 megabytes of memory, we could do that as early as tomorrow. But if we were given additional memory capacity, we might end: up using it in other ways. [grins] EGM: Is it just us, or is Alma (the. creepy demon lady at the end of Chapter 7) the hardest boss ever? Ti: Alma is an important character that. symbolizes Ninja Gaiden. | put three times. as much effort into designing and tuning her than | did the other bosses. I'm very happy with the result. EGM: We were happy, too—after she stopped kicking our ass. Speaking of ass-kickin’ women, Alma’s sister, Rachel, has the right assets to be a Dead or Alive gal. Might we see her in a future installment of the fighter? Ti: Hmm, | wonder. Even if | did what you're suggesting, a female character that's in love with another male character (Ryu) would not be popular, you know? EGM: Now that Ninja Gaiden's out the door and DOA; Ultimate (the online Xbox fighter) is soon to follow, what's next for Team Ninja? Ti: Dead or Alive: Code Cronus [for Xbox]. EGM: And a Ninja Gaiden sequel? TI: Yes, | am planning a sequel. But first, I'm implementing some of the requests from the fans into the game program of the Master Ninja Tournament. #% —Chris Johnston press start: afterthoughts Zonet ithe Enders: The Second Runner Itagaki's Playlist So which games does Gaiden Director Tomonobu Itagaki respect in terms of visuals and gameplay? “Zone of the Enders: The Second Runner (PlayStation 2) by [Metal Gear Solid creator] Hideo Kojima really stirs my soul,” he tells us. “I must have watched the trailer for ZOE more than 100 times, and I'm still not tired of it. After | told Kojima about it, he asked me to make a sequel to ZOE. But | would want to enjoy it as a player, so | turned down the offer. Another one is Final Fantasy: Crystal Chronicles (GameCube). Its stage and character design is great, and it's a game the entire family can enjoy." MICROSOFT'S NEW XBOX BUNDLE (OUT NOW FOR $169.99) INCLUDES A TRANSLUCENT GREEN SYSTEM AND GAME PAD, A COPY OF HALO, AND A DVD FEATURING HALO 2 FOOTAGI ELECTRONIC GAMING MONTHLY • wi om ® 39. THE TARGET RATING PENDING Visit www.esrb.org or call 1-800-771-3772 S a PlayStation. MOBILE for more ratings eos аудите information. —— | BY SORRENT | ШИК © 2004 Atari. Inc. All rights rese: есте owners. “PlayStation” end th either registered trademarks ed. Created and developed PS" Family logo г 3dernarks of Microsoft Corporation in the Lus single ive: Шав E Atar! г Согуш Bn irre ШТ ла ос: 1 эге the property of thei soft x and the Xbox Logos are lense from Microsoft 1 REFLECTIONS fran re registered trackegad or AMBITIOUS. RUTHLESS. DEADLY. . © press start REALITY CHECK Experts explain what happens when videogames get real n games we are giants. We are thugs and hit men and cybernetic killing machines. We blast through thousands of enemies, leap 20 stories, and carry weapons twice our size. Herbs restore our health. So do prostitutes. In reality, though, we're not so plucky or lucky. We die from the flu, trip while walking down the sidewalk, and scream about spiders a fraction of our size. But we're curious. So we rounded up experts—an NFL quarter- back, a fighter pilot, and a female beach volleyball pro among them—to explain what would happen if we tried this stuff in real life. The short answer: nothing pretty. The long answer: Well, you can read for yourself below... —Lauren Gonzalez THIS IS YOUR BRAIN ON POWER-UPS What are the medicinal proper- Is it even possi- Q ties of mushrooms, and would Q: ble for quarter- any let us grow to twice our . backs to nail a normal size—like ’shroom-popping 50-yard pass while plumber Mario—in real life? backpedaling, as т extreme football series like NFL Blitz and NFL Paraphysical voyagers, take A note: "Eating a mushroom will . not affect your physical size," says David Bienenstock, tech and Web editor for recreational-pharmaceuticals mag High Times. It may, however, "spark a growth in consciousness." Bienenstock notes that a Mario-like adventurer under the spell of certain mushrooms may "see the obstacles around hin—fireballs, rotating maces—with a fresh perspective, which could help him encounter [the obstacles] in a new way." Of course, experimenting with any recre- ational substance might deep fry your noggin in а new way, too, so just say no, Mario. Street? FANTASY FOOTBALL Not only does such a feat defy physics—a move this desperate would get you on the coach's bad side faster А: than high-stepping out your best Super Bowl Shuffle. Duante Culpepper, quarterback for the Minnesota Vikings, says he'd be on the bench if he tried this fancy V footwork in the NFL. "That's exactly why 1 love NFL Street,” he says. “1 can drop deep into the pocket and toss the ball behind my back 50 yards downfield, racking up style points and lighting up the scoreboard." Mustrations by Jon Rogers PAINT THE TOWN BROWN Q What if a radio- active spider really did sink its fangs into you? Would you go all superhero, like Peter Parker’s Spider-Man? "| suspect you'd have the [squirts] and an upset A: stomach for weeks,” says arachnologist (uh, that’s . "spider expert" to you) Rick C. West of www.bird- spiders.com. "The last thing I'd want to see is a guy in skin- tight red-and-blue Danskins swinging around the city with upset bowels!” On a less scatological tack, West adds, “I am curious, though: After Peter Parker changes to have spider qualities, does he mate with his hand? All male spiders do.” Speaking of eight- Q . legged freaks, the 9 mutant arachnids of the Resident Evil series are so big, they step on you. An exaggeration? And how would you escape such a menace? Theraphosa Blondi (below), a Birdeater Tarantula from South America. "It has an 11-inch leg span," he says, “and the [heft] of a McDonalds’ Quarter Pounder.” А mega-spider, sure, but not mega enough to make a Happy Meal out of you. In fact, West ate one of these monsters. “They taste like smoky prawns,” he 5 Says, suggesting that the best way to escape a monster spider is to "get the best flame thrower money can buy, then invite your friends over and tell them it's an all-you-can-eat prawn feast." A Arachnologist West says the world's largest spider is e KNOWLEDGE IS POWER—FOR REAL: WE'RE MAKING REALITY CHECK A REGULAR MONTHLY THING. SO SUBMIT GAME SCENARIOS У 42 © ELECTRONIC GAMING MONTHLY • www.1UP.com. LIKE TO SEE TESTED IN REAL LIFE TO THONG The ripped-abs stars of Dead or Alive: Xtreme Beach Volleyball compete in some of the skimpiest bikinis—one of them’s even pelene imom to butt-floss science. Is this officially sanc- tioned pro-vol- leyball attire? And could real athletes even EEDE к = үг Not unless they plan on not moving, says AVP Pro Beach ' Volleyball player Angie Akers. “When you play beach volley- ball at the level we do, you want to wear something you feel comfortable in,” she says, “something - — that stays in place, has no sharp or hard objects hang- ing or sewn to the suit, and some- thing that keeps you covered where it counts.” Akers adds that diving into the sand with all of your body weight makes | семзопко P the wrong outfit dangerous, 'As a general rule,” she says, ЕИ”, “you should not have to worry about your suit inflicting injury upon you or others.” Blah...time to take beach volleyball off our TiVos. OF ONE Games like Halo and the Medal of Honor series often have you taking on regiments of enemies all by your lonesome. Has that ever happened? Let's ask a guy who's been there, done that. Captain Jason L. Amerine's 11-man special-forces team was protecting an Afghani town in November 2001 when he suddenly faced between 500 and 1,000 Taliban poised to we “retake the town and slaughter its Tes inhabitants in retribution,” he tells us. With no time to organize sup- port from the locals, his unit called for backup. "Within minutes, the sky was swarm- SS ing with F-18s and F-14s,” he says, “with every pilot in the air trying to get to our location to help us put warheads on foreheads.” So while the town was saved by 11 men, // "and one man can make a difference on the battle- field," Capt. Amerine says, "it's teamwork that wins the day." WING AND Could a dude fly with a bird strapped to his back- pack, like in that cartoony Nintendo 64 hit Banjo-Kazooie? Sure—you'd just need a feathered friend that makes Big Bird look like Chicken Little. Aeronautical engineer and USAF pilot Don Thoman crunches the numbers, saying a full-grown eagle with a wingspan of about 80 inches can carry a 15-pound rabbit in the air. “Proportioning that out, you'd need a wingspan of 73 feet to © carry а 160-pound person," Thoman says. His research on personal helicopters reveals that you'd need an even longer wingspan: 84 feet per 160 Ibs. "Maybe your game bird is of a futuristic mutation that has wings that are inflatable, like life rafts," he says, "so he can be carried in a backpack." d Super Joe's bionic arm Ghost cameras from the from NES classic Bionic Commando Last year я Jesse Sullivan, a Tennesee- based survivor of a limb- destroying electrical accident, received the first brain-controlled bionic arm, which will let him handle complex tasks like fish- ing again. “New nerve-induction tech- niques,” reports the Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago, “allow a full-arm prosthesis to be driven by the user's own thought-driven nerve impulses." Simon Belmont's invisibility potion from Castlevania Gerina Dunwich's book Magick Potions will help you cook up an invisibil- ity potion made from wine and poppy seeds. But brewers beware: “There is по potion to reverse the effects of this spell,” says online group Garden of Witchery. “Whether the invisibility effect wears off on its own accord or after a period of time, [or if it] is per- manent or can be controlled by the magician's will is not known." Cybernetically enhanced soldiers from Halo The University of Southern California has been working on brain- implanted chips to assist Alzheimer's disease and stroke survivors, essentially turn- ing people into cyborgs. "[They see] potential commercial and military applications for the brain chip, which is partially funded by the [U.S. govern- ment's] Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency," quotes Popular Science magazine. Oh boy. Fatal Frame series You don't need a special cam- era to capture ghosts on film. A Field Guide to Spirit > Photography author Dale David Kaczmarek suggests, however, that budding ghost busters use infrared film—since ghosts are "associated with heat, [not vision], so you won't necessarily see anything." When asked if a camera exists that, like the one in Fatal Frame, will actually capture spir- its, Kaczmarek says, "Nope." EGM@ZIFFDAVIS.COM, WITH THE SUBJECT “REALITY CHECK.” NEXT MONTH, FIND OUT IF YOU COULD SURVIVE A DIP IN LAVA IF YOU JUMPED RIGHT BACK OUT, LIKE THAT MARIO GUY... >> ELECTRONIC GAMING MONTHLY • www.1UP.com • 43 he wait is officially over. After nearly a year of keeping gamers in the dark about PlayStation Portable (PSP) software, Sony unveiled the first-ever title for its eagerly awaited hand- held— Death, Jr., a cartoony 3D action- platformer from developer Backbone Entertainment (formerly Digital Eclipse, maker of Spider-Man: The Movie and the Spyro the Dragon series on Game Boy Advance). The video, shown at the annual Game Developers Conference, featured the game's main character, the son of the Grim Reaper, running and jumping in vast indoor and outdoor environments, as well as hunting down fiendish creatures with his trusty scythe and pint-sized rocket launcher. (Head to our website, 1UP.com, to check out the minute-long Death, Jr. gameplay video for yourself.) Unfortunately, Sony didn't bring an actual model of PSP to the conference. BY THE NUMBERS SOCOM II's first 100 days < Simultaneous ti REVEALED Plus other news and notes from And in other GDC news: W PSP will connect to your PlayStation 2 and computer, enabling you to exchange data such as music and movies. According to Sony, 89 developers are already working on PSP games. W On the Zelda front, Wind Waker Director Eiji Aonuma hinted that the franchise is coming to Nintendo's upcoming dual- screen portable, Nintendo DS. W Sony is working on five new titles for its EyeToy camera peripheral, including a yet- to-be-named racing game in which players control with their body movements a char- acter grinding on rails. № Sony CEA Vice President Andrew House told attendees that "competitive move- ment will not be a factor on when we release our next-generation console. Translation: Sony doesn't care when Xbox 2 and Nintendo's next system come out— PS3 can wait. isers-during, 5 peak hours (three times: Percent chance SOCOM III 44 o ELECTRONIC GAMING MONTHLY ® www.1UP.com öfa n Фп ве пе ones running away? >> FROM THE FRONT LINES OF THE CONSOLE WAR: MICROSOFT HAS RECENTLY DROPPED THE PRICE OF XBOX TO $149.99. THAT'S HALF OF WHAT THE SYSTEM ORIGINALLY COST IN 2001... >> W The next Oddworld Xbox game (a Western-themed shooter of sorts) should arrive on store shelves before the end of the year, but Microsoft will no longer be publishing the title. № Remove the word "Xboy" from your vocabulary. Peter Moore, Microsoft's cor- porate vice president, reiterated that the company has no plans to compete with Nintendo and Sony in the portable-gaming sector. Shucks. W Tetsuya Mizuguchi, the man behind Space Channel 5 and Rez, wants to create his next game for PSP or Nintendo DS. He mentioned it would be similar in style to the PS2 musical shooter Rez. W At the fourth annual Game Developers Choice Awards (held during GDC), LucasArts’ Xbox role-playing game Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic won three awards, including Game of the Year honors Shouldn't the people without the CHARTS TOP 10 BEST-SELLING GAMES FOR FEBRUARY 2004 o О. =: NFL Street PS2 • EA Sports Big Metroid: Zero Mission GBA • Nintendo Need for Speed Underground PS2 * EA Games 0 for questions regarding ti James Bond 007: Everything or Nothing PS2 • EA Games Rise to Honor PS2 * Sony CEA Champions of Norrath PS2 ® Sony Online Entertainment Halo i XB * Microsoft M PS2 • Take-Two Interactive ео Games Service. Ci = TOP 10 GAME RENTALS FOR THE WEEK ENDING 03/21/04 S R3 'ake-Two Intera M PS2 • Take-Two Interactive James Bond 007: Everything or Nothing PS2 ® EA Games NFL Street XB * EA Sports Big Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon: Jungle Storm PS2 ® Ubisoft Metal Gear Solid: The Twin Snakes GC • Konami Ninja Gaiden XB * Tecmo The Suffering PS2 • Midway True Crime: Streets of L.A. Source: Blockbuster Video, 3/21/04 я Comic Mischief Mild Fantasy Violence ntendo.com Meet UP @ 1UP.com The all-new 1UP is here, and it's exploding with new features! Ше'уе still got all of that great daily content you've come to know and love, but we're now the first-euer destination for gamers to meet, Play, get informed, and show off. Check out the cool new stuff uou can do! a place for uou to put it. mea au ге | 1 = TÉ " | ES || If uou haue a GameFace, we have 1 = В: Show off uour game collection т and trade games with others! YOUR NAME HERE YOUR FACE HERE YOUR GAMEFACE YOUR GAMES MON 2 Get YOUR GameFace on. | & | "t EI P: | = 2 P ы. < Get clubbing! Join clubs or create your own and invite all of your friends. MY CLUBS (7) JOIN THIS CLUB Shoe's World = CES SOCOM II Club = gc YOUR CLUBS o a ee | Make friends with other gamers - including us editors. You Share 3 Fri John Davison Oakland CA Mff» Dan Hsu Т Honolulu HI P Sam Kennedy » Ѕап Јоѕе СА = 33,250 > YOUR FRIENDS ТМ You've got а voice, let it be heard! Tell everyone what you're playing or doing. DAN'S 1UP JOURNAL My day at the office YOUR JOURNAL & 2 zx Д = ’ di $- Ue're all here. Join us at 1UP.com. YOUR FACE HERE © press start SQUAD We set our sights on five sharp-looking shooters аё ОМКЕА Xbox • Microsoft • Fall 2004 — "We're bringing a sword to a gunfight,” says Unreal Championship Il Lead Designer Cliff Bleszinski. "Whether you prefer dual pistols or à pointy object, it's about freedom of choice, and UC // gives play- ers plenty of options." The ability to pop from first- to third-person perspective at | CHAMPIONSHIP ЇЇ: THE LIANDRI the push of a button spices up marks- manship with mobility and melee moves. Out of ammo and wondering what to do about the guy launching rockets at you? Don't write your last will just yet; now you can close the gap with а cartwheel and lop off his head. Each character has his or her own arsenal of CONFLICT hand-to-hand combos, complete with trademark adrenaline attacks, new defensive options (you can block or bat bullets back at foes), and gore-splatter- ing, Mortal Kombat-worthy finishing moves. Fragging season opens this fall on Xbox with splitscreen, LAN, and Xbox Live online play. Terrifyingly good graphics pave the 48 • ELECTRONIC GAMING MONTHLY • www.1UP.com Men of Valor са N — Killzone | ] eet ا‎ E> —— — Battlefield. LTA — Unreal Reinforcements Enjoy the calm before the firestorm while you can. The first-person shootout into full auto this holi- day season with Cold Winter (see the beautiful mess above), Far Cry, Halo 2, TimeSplitter: Shellshock: Nam '6; Call of Duty: Finest Hour, and a still- unnamed Medal of Honor sequel. A robotic. ттт skeleton? With ы guns? Genius! spe] 1 PT. e DOOM 3 Xbox * Activision * Fall 2004 — Set a course for hell, space marine—the Satan- obsessed shooter that started it all is about to plunge back into the pit. Doom 3 ditches the pentagrams and tacky bogey- men of past installments for a date with true terror. This time, the tension is palpa- ble as you confront critters in claustropho- bic corridors—walking cadavers clutching their exposed bowels and burst eyeballs, imps skittering through ventilation shafts, and hulking hellknights out to tear you in two are among the game’s demonic menagerie. Along with more gruesome monsters, slower, less-predictable pacing heightens Doom’s fear factor. In the dark, sometimes your own shadow is all it takes to scare you. АЦУНООЕО HALO KILLER, KILLZONE) THAT PlayStation 2 « EA Games ® Fall 2004 The drone of aircraft and the thunder of guns and exploding bombs are deafening. A Soviet-made T-72 roars toward your outpost as the men in your company hammer on mounted fifties and prep the antitank missiles. In every cockpit, at every turret, and behind every pair of eyes is a human player desperate to make it out of the maelstrom in one BATTLEFIELD MODERN COMBAT piece. Battlefield Modern Combat is not 30 much a first-person shooter аз a blitzkrieg on the point-and-shoot status quo. From flyboys to sharpshooters to mine-laying mechanics, there's a spot in EA's army for soldiers of all stripes, and while the final player count is still up in the air, we expect to wage 21st century war over land, sea, and air with 16 or more online hard cases. m Private Cream Soda earns his stripes. Take cover or no more boom боот for Private Joker. MEN OF VALOR | Xbox ® VU Games * Fall 2004 — The jungle got fun and games, but it’s also enough to bring you to your sha-na-na- na-na-na-na-na-na-knees. Set in 1965- era Vietnam, Men of Valor (made by some ex-Medal of Honor staffers) fol- lows raw private Dean Shepard through Y three years of first-person Commie | blasting, from water buffalo—ridden Da | Nang to the bombed-out brothels of Saigon. It's Xbox only, but for a reason— the amount of stuff happening at once, from planes buzzing to soldiers shouting at each other to lines of napalm lazily flaming.off in the distance, taxes the big black box to its limits. Expect 16-player matches online, too, in arenas where Metal Gear Solid—style stealth and strategic use of environmental cover win out over Rambo-style bravado. PlayStation 2 • Sony CEA * Fall 2004 Expectations for Killzone continue to balloon to astronomical levels—if you listen to the hype, this game's already obliterated Halo for the best-shooter- ever crown. Can it possibly live up to its buzz? Maybe. Developer Guerrilla promises a dazzling single-player adventure with four selectable charac- ters (each with different weapons and abilities), a bevy of teammates to fight alongside (and protect—if they die, your missions will be much, much harder), and spectacular CG cut-scenes to advance the plot between levels. All that might be enough to snatch the PS2 shooter throne, but Killzone ups the ante with full online multiplayer support (with real-time voice chat) for up to 12 players over broadband. GIVES SONY EXCLUSIVE PUBLISHING RIGHTS TO ALL OF THE DEVELOPER'S FUTURE GAMES. CONSIDER IT AN INVESTMENT IN THE FUTURE, AS SONY WILL NEED A SHOOTER FOR PS3....>> ELECTRONIC GAMING MONTHLY ® www.1UP.com • 49 © press start T SHOW AND TELL: AME: 7 MINDGATE СОМЅРІВА Midway explains how mission ѕисо 55 requires more brains than brawn 4% , mind is a terrible thing to Splinter Cell's Sam Fisher jealous. H 5 A waste, but telling that to gam- And if Scryer expects to successful- ing’s latest stealth-action stud у infiltrate and stop a power-hun- ۹ Nick Scryer is like preaching to the gry terrorist organization, he’s choir. The secret agent in Midway's gonna need to put his noggin Psi-Ops: The Mindgate Conspiracy (slat- ^ into overdrive. We've called ed for release on PS2 and Xbox this upon the game's project June) is equipped with psychic abilities Іеай, Brian Eddy, to illustrate that would even make sneak-n-shoot how Psi-Ops’ brainiac will vets like Metal Gear's Solid Snake and save the day. |A Burning Sensation | | "Via Nick's pyrokinesis psi-power, he clears | | this hallway with a wall of fire, leaving behind only the | | toasty remains of his enemies." | No Strings Attached “Оп nice days, Nick loves to head outside and fly a human kite, only he uses telekinesis instead of string and | makes sure this enemy has a crash landing." | Catch a Sneak Peek "Thanks to his remote-view | Puppet Master | “Locked in a gas chamber and | choking to death, Nick notices а | guard outside and uses mind control | to take over the poor sap's body, | then proceeds to let himself out." I head in the process." | "After quietly sneaking up behind the enemy, Nick drains the | psi-power out of him to recharge his own. The guard will also lose his | | out of his body and through а locked door to recon the ambush | awaiting him on the other side." | | Your Brain is Mine | | | | | | | I | | | psi-power, Nick temporarily travels | PC GAMING UPDATE Into the blood pool! Just in time to save PC gamers from the brain-melting drought of quality games come two of the biggest titles of the year, games that both excel in one of the things the PC does best: gi-frig- gin-normous online multiplayer action. Battlefield Vietnam isn't a full-on sequel to the digitized crack that is Battlefield 1942 —that will be released late this year or early next. No, Vietnam is a "brand extension," but unlike most of these aberrations it actually enhances instead of cheapens the brand. The sprawling, foliage-choked maps of Vietnam’are some of this bud- ' ding franchise's best, including a ruined temple and, my favorite, a bombed-out town the North Vietnamese have to hold against an onslaught of enemy armor crossing a bridge. Interface enhance- ments and play tweaking (including about a gazillion new air, sea, and land vehicles) make this team-based shooter and its huge online battles practically mandatory for any serious gamer. But how to find enough time for the gritty Vietnam when the muscular, adrenaline-drenched glory that is Unreal Tournament 2004 has finally, finally been unleashed? This year’s model rocks so hard it threatens to open up a slew of new fault lines. There are 10 modes of combat in the game, including the triumphant return of the beloved assault mode. There are vehi- cles, insanely balanced weapons and maps, and more eye candy than the rods and cones in your orbs can handle. It makes Halo seem like a Blue's Clues Java game. If you've got a PC, you owe it to yourself—and probably to mankind—to buy this game. — Robert Coffey, Computer Gaming World Unreal Tournament 2004 NOKIA'S N-GAGE WILL GET ITS FIRST MASSIVELY MULTIPLAYER ONLINE RPG LATER THIS YEAR WHEN SEGA RELEASES POCKET KINGDOM: OWN THE WORLD FOR THE HANDHELD... 50 • ELECTRONIC GAMING MONTHLY • www.1UP.com PRESS START olan Pflug has made Metroid Prime star Samus Aran his bee- yotch. The Pennsylvania-based gamer—who goes by the nickname Radix—beat the GameCube game with 100 percent completion in one hour and 37 min- utes, a world record (few of us finished in less than 10 hours, let alone reached 100 percent). Radix is a speed gamer, one of a breed of players who snoop out how to beat games pronto, then record their feats online for others to try to top. The concept of speed gaming has been around for years, zipping back to 8-bit NES classics such as Mega Man and Super Mario Bros. 3. But the Internet gave пзе to a new global community. "People love to compete against each other," says Jonathan Coley, who runs nintendoinsider.com. His site hosts public speed runs, which have helped build a tighter online community. Metroid2002.com also lets speed gamers connect to swap strategies and videos. Today's speed runners prefer PlayStation 2 and GameCube to classic systems, but any game with a time-completion rating— Such as Prince of Persia: Sands of Time (PS2/XB/GC) and Viewtiful Joe (GC)—is а likely candidate for speed play. Participants dedicate several hours per week to their "craft." Watching videos of speed freaks in action offers a new perspective on how we play our games. A Contra: Shattered Soldier (PS2) speed run at www.rouven-rult.de, for example, reveals how precise pattern recognition and perfect timing are required to get through the game in just 28 minutes. You can peep Pflug's Prime performance at www.planetquake.com/sda/mp in a QuickTime video that shows him bouncing FREAKS Enter the play-for-speed undereround, where the fastest gamers get the glory Smell my feat: A simple video-capture device like the Dazzle Video Creator 80 ($70) will let you connect your console to a PC to record your speed run and post it online. through the levels like a speed demon on crack, dodging the most difficult enemies and felling boss monsters faster than developer Retro Studios ever dreamed. But be warned that while speed gaming may be fascinating to watch, it takes an obses- sive personality in addition to quick reflex- es. Pflug practiced his speed run for sever- al months before recording the video files. He pinged second-place finisher Nathan Jahnke and former record holder Henru Wang for ideas, then practiced his moves. "My 100 percent in 1:37 probably took over 100 hours to make,” says Pflug. Not as easy as it looks, is it? —John Brandon four records cruising for a bruising TIMI 37 minutes WHERE TO SEE IT: planetquake.com/sda/ other/metroid.html 1 hour, 51 minutes WHERE TO SEE IT: planetquake.com/sda/ >> EA IS FUNDING A GRADUATE PROGRAM FOCUSING ON THE CREATIVE AND BUSINESS SIDE OF THE GAME INI TIME: Metal Gear Solid: The Twin Snakes (GC) TIME: 1 hour, 10 minutes WHERE TO SEE IT: planetquake.com/sda/ other/mgstts.html of Time (PS2/XB/GC) TIMI 2 hours, 10 minutes WHERE TO SEE IT: planetquake.com/sda/ her/popsot.ht DESERT ISLAND GAMES: PETER MOLYNEUX Each issue, we ship game designers to sea on a rickety boat, then make "em pick the three console games they'd want on their desert island. Now, we pester Peter Molyneux, whose Lionhead Studios is readying Stone Age adventure B.C. and epic RPG Fable. He cheats with one pick, but we let it slide. —Marc Saltzman Advance Wars (GBA) "This [strategy] game would remind me of my last holiday when | spent all of the time on the beach playing it, occasionally glancing up to stare out to sea." The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time (Nintendo 64) "| would also have to take Nintendo’s Ocarina of Time— as opposed to Wind Waker—as | think it still remains one of the most complete games ever made.” Iam going to destroy}! “Lastly and most cheekily, I'd have to take the entire Square Final Fantasy series, which | think would keep me going until either | was rescued or dead.” Y AT THE UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA.... >> ELECTRONIC GAMING MONTHLY « www.1UP.com e 51 SILENT BUT delivers cat burelary with a murderous twist ou can have your Sam Fishers, your Solid Snakes—they re all charlatans in the eyes of Garrett, the 0.6. medieval felon who's been reigning king of the stealth-action genre since 1998. If you owned a PC, that is. Otherwise, it's unlikely you've even heard of the Thief games he stars in, something creator Warren Spector (of Deus Ex fame) wants to change when Thief: Deadly Shadows hits Xbox in early summer. Basic gameplay in Deadly Shadows remains unchanged from the PC titles— Garrett infiltrates buildings solo, sneaks past or dispatches any guards he runs into, uses assorted thieving tools to bypass security, and gathers other peoples’ loot. So what's new? The viewpoint: You can switch between first-person view (ideal for making pinpoint archery headshots) and a more Sam Fisher-y (Splinter Cell) behind-the-back perspective at any time. Spector resisted the change at first. “Third person was a little hard for me to swallow,” he says, “but once the develop- ment team hacked that view into the game and made me play it, it felt like | was really grounded in the game world.” As Garrett, you'll need to flip between the two views frequently to one-up the guards, which are far smarter than anything encoun- tered in other sneak-em-ups. Everything from missing valuables to doors left ajar could put them on your trail, making the ol’ blackjack- to-the-head shtick harder to pull off. Killing a sentry and dragging his corpse elsewhere won't work, either; someone else could Notice the grisly blood stains on the floor. Solution: Do what 0.J. shoulda done—wash away the gore with special “water arrows.” —Kevin Gifford Sneak up like, well...like a thief in the night. Breaking and Entering Garrett can fight off guards in Deadly Shadows with a variety of weapons from the standard dagger, arrows, and blackjack to 007-like mines and flashbombs. This is a change in design philosophy from the last two games, in which Garrett was mostly helpless against concentrated enemy attacks. "You can't get through this game by killing everything," Spector says, "but when you're spotted by a guard, | wanted another option for the player besides run- ning and hiding for a minute and a half." 52 • ELECTRONIC GAMING MONTHLY • www.1UP.com >> AGETEC PLANS TO RELEASE WILD ARMS: ALTER CODE Е, A SPRUCED-UP REMAKE OF THE ORIGINAL PS1 WILD ARMS WILD-WEST-THEMED RPG, FOR THE PLAYSTATION 2 THIS FALL... >> GOOAAALLLL!!T! BE A TRUE WORLD CHAMPION IN WORLD TOUR SOCCER 2005 Football. Futbol. Whatever you call the world’s most popular sport, no other videogame offers a deeper simulation than World Tour Soccer 2005 from 989 Sports. With twice as many teams as competing soccer franchises—that’s over 900 total!—you might find it hard to choose just which club to choose. Do you select a powerhouse like France, Brazil, or Germany? Or is taking an underdog such as Tunisia, Angola, or Uzbekistan more your speed? Then again, maybe you'd rather just create your own club, then evolve it from a team of nobodies to the one dominant force in the world. You can even play as the greatest teams in the history of the sport with classics like 90's Barcelona, 80's Milan, and 70's Liverpool. But what good is a plethora of teams without soccer's trademark atmosphere? World Tour Soccer 2005 delivers, not only with obvious touches like loud, impas- Sioned crowds, but also such subtleties as commentary in four different languages. Fans chant as they cheer you on, waving your country's flag with vehement pride. Show all other North American countries who's boss in the America's Cup. U.S.A.! U.S.A! EVERYONE You want Rafael Marquez? You've got Rafael Marquez. Plus more than 18,000 other players. Things aren't any tamer down on the field. Players fight for ball possession in any way they can. They kick. They head. They tackle. Sometimes their aggression might even net them a yellow or red card—to which they argue profusely. You'll see joyous melees after scoring a goal, as well as looks of disgust after blowing a golden opportunity (maybe even some angry teammates to deal with in such occasions). In short, there's а Cup to be won—one of nine to shoot for in World Tour Soccer 2005—and all 18,000 players in the game will do whatever it takes to get it. Do you have what it takes to lead them there? The game's motion-captured animations will stun you. Every move is incredibly realistic. г А G "cora PUN PlayStation.e World Tour Soccer 2004 Sony Computer Entertainment Europe. 989 and the 989 Sports logo are registered trademarks of Sony Computer Entertainment America Inc. The names and brands of FIFPRO and its Member Associations are trademarks of FIFPRO and/or its player associations. “FIFPRO” is a trademark of the International Association of Football Players Unions. The ESRB logo is a trademark of the Electronic Software Association. CELEBRITY GAMER: MICHELLE RODRIGUEZ. She $ US Crazy H 3 5 $ $ š 3 5 i З & ver since she came out swing- ing in 2000's Girifight, we've seen a lot of actress Michelle Rodriguez—in Вше Crush, Resident Evil, and The Fast and the Furious, to name a few of her films. But recently, we've heen hearing a lot of her too, as a character in Atari’s Driv3r and Activision's True Crime: Streets of L.A. But does this tough chick really know her games? We decided to sit down with her and find out... EGM: What attracted you to Driv3r? Well, when)! get asked to be a character in a videogame, all I ever get is a gist of the story line. | have no idea what the graphics will look like, what features the game will have.... They really don't fill you in on much, But | liked [the original PS1] Driver, | trust Atari, and | liked the Donnie Brasco-ish story of Driv3r, $0 | really just went on that. EGM: You had only a supporting role in True Crime. Do you get any real action in Driv3r? Nope. But | really don't саге— just wanted to be in these games. | can smell when a game is going to be good. EGM: Are you any good at fast and furious-style driving games? love driving games. | even have a steering wheel for my PlayStation. But ту favorites are tactical games like Rainbow Six and Splinter Cell. | used to love role- © In Driv3r, Rodriguez plays Calita, the leader of a Miami car-theft ring. playing games, but the stories got so bad that I’m over it. That's why I'm getting into game development. EGM: Wait, wha...? You're starting your own videogame company? Nah, I’m going to do it through my production company. We're already work- ing on a game that's like Contra, but in 3D, with motion-captured characters. It's called Dream Fighters...for now. But it won't be out for a while because | want to take my time and make it kick ass. EGM: As in a lot of your movies, you play the tough chick in Driv3r and True Сите. Do you ever worry about being typecast? Not really. | already am. But if I'm not doing that, Га have to spread my legs for some twit in some movie about romance or be the girl who gets captured and she's saved by some guy. I'm really not missing itat all. EGM: So are there any games you'd like to Бе in the movie version of? Did you ever play Parasite Eve? There was a Japanese movie, but Ра love to be in a Hollywood version. | liked that game. EGM: Is that why you starred in the Resident Evil movie? Yeah. What a dork, eh? EGM: Nah. Besides, you got to be a zombie... Yeah, that was pretty cool. && — Раш Semel >> TECMO'S DEAD OR ALIVE ULTIMATE, AN XBOX COLLECTION WITH ENHANCED, ONLINE-ENABLED VERSIONS OF THE FIRST TWO DOAS, HAS BEEN DELAYED UNTIL LATE SUMMER... >> 54 * ELECTRONIC GAMING MONTHLY • www. 1UP.com % < TRACY McGRADY ©2004 AMERICA’S DAIRY FARMERS’ AND MILK PROCESSORS Great for dunking. My friends told me, “T-Mac, you’re gonna be big some day.” Must’ve been the milk. About 15% of your height is added as а teen and the calcium and vitamin D can help. Will drinking a cool glass of milk make you the hottest scorer in town? Hey, it couldn’t hurt. © press start _ Vendetta 2 will remain a story-driven in the first game—this time you're on brawler, but it's moving away from his side) busts outta jail and has to take take a page from Grand. down Crow, a new guy who's moving in Auto's much-copied book and i ‚оп the action. Bare-knuckled retribution free roamin’ on us. Not so, says our ensues. Characters can now master one man on the inside at Electronic Arts of five fighting styles (kickboxing, street Mad Accessorizin’ It's not Def Jam without powder blue tracksuits. Vendetta 2 promises a whole crapload of unlockable licensed gear from the likes of Rocawear, Sean Jean, Phat Farm, and Fila, to name a few. Minorly famous “Jacob the Jeweler” will also be on hand to peddle iced-out baubles. Protect Your Neck If bustin’ fools with your bare fists gets old, you can knock over a toolbox and pick up a wrench, then commence “fixing” your foe’s skull. Vendetta 2 will have dozens of weapons, including single-use items like a bottle you can | grab off the top of a speaker and more devastating armament like a two-by- four. Although those are so WWE. | heart of hip-hop than its predecessor. | More than 35 artists will be in the | Carmen Electra and Kimora Lee Forget wrestling rings; Vendetta 2's altercations take place in more impromptu venues. And the environ- ments often play a key role in the battle—on the sub- way platform stage (above), you'll need to knock Joe Budden into the path of an oncoming train to stun him. Rappers have hard heads, apparently. dx fighting, the ambiguously named “mar- tial arts," wrestling, and submission) or combine two or three into a hybrid fighting technique. Drunken Dogg, per- haps. (Oh, and the big image here is a ‘screenshot, for real.) ^ —Demian Linn Guess Who’s Back Vendetta 2 digs even closer to the game, including newcomers Snoop, Lil’ Kim, Busta Rhymes, and old-schoolers Flava Flav and Slick Rick. Slick! Rick! There'll be a large roster of non- rhyming characters as well, although Simmons are the only names EA Big as dropped so far. Ah, catfights. 2 2 IN APRIL, NINTENDO ALTERED ITS GAMECUBE HARDWARE, NIXING THE DIGITAL AV OUT (FOR COMPONENT VIDEO) AND REMOVABLE LID NAMEPLATE ON ALL FUTURE UNITS PRODUCED.... >> 56 * ELECTRONIC GAMING MONTHLY UP.com А Perilous Quest... for Adventure and Survival. In a dying world called Sylvarant, legend has it that one day a Tales of Symphonia features one of the fiercest, most action- Chosen One will appear from amongst the people and the land packed battle systems ever created. An exclusive real-time will be reborn. After a fierce attack by a mysterious race leaves combat engine puts you in full control of your characters to their town in ruin, the Chosen One and her friends set out on a wage war using hundreds of special attacks, spells, and combos. perilous journey to unlock the seals between two interlocked Experience this epic adventure with lush 3D scaling and worlds and restore the mana that flows between them. custom anime cut scenes by renowned artist Kosuke Fujishima. Enter to win a special collector's Nintendo GameCube"! Go to Tales.Namco.com for more information. (Use code: EGXM) Visit www.esrb.org for more ratings information. NINTEND GAMECUBE. @KOSUKE FUJISHIMA TALES OF SYMPHONIA™&©2003 NAMCO LTD., ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. ТМ, ® and Nintendo GameCube are trademarks of Nintendo. ©2001 Nintendo. The ratings icon is a trademark of the Entertainment Software Association. Manufactured and printed in the U.S.A. м DVD VIDEO PLAYER & PC Gi АМЕ CONSOLE 1 Upstart console ApeXtreme's got games—lots and lots of games—but should you care? e don't feel like we need to beat the big three to succeed,” says Curtis Kaiser, whose company is powering a new console to compete with Sony, Microsoft, and Nintendo. "Sony's domi- nating, but there’s room for others—the only way in is with a big library of games.” And that’s the kicker about new console ApeXtreme (say it “apex extreme,” although gorilla mascots are in the works should the obvious pronunciation take hold): When it hits this summer for $399, this system—built by DVD-player maker Apex Digital—will have а launch library of more than 2,000 titles. No, these aren't hundreds of versions of Tetris like you'll find on junk-mail "computer game" systems. ApeXtreme plays off-the-shelf PC games, which it installs automatically to its ApeXtreme too wussy? Monster-PC rigger Alienware is using DISCover's drop-and-play tech in its high-end Media Centers, which hit in early summer. The catch: Prices start at $1,800. hard drive the first time you pop them in. Coding created by Digital Interactive Systems Corporation (DISCover for short) powers the process, guided by installation scripts the system downloads at night via its built-in broadband and dial-up Net connections. "There's no human interaction—no hitting a ‘next’ button—when you install а game," Nvidia GeForce4 graphics chip—are peppy enough for now, and games we tried ran fine (we'll review the system next issue). But what about upcoming tech-pushing titles like Doom 3 and Half-Life 2? "If you want a qual- ity PC gaming experience you can play on your TV at a good price, look at Apex,” says Kaiser. “If you want Doom 3 іп all its intricate “ » —DiSCover Marketing Director Curtis Kaiser says Kaiser, DISCover's marketing director. Once installed and automatically config- ured for optimal play, games load whenever you insert their disc. "You can even pop them out in mid-play and the unit resets,” Kaiser says. "It's a very console-like experience." DiSCover will have more than 2,000 installa- tion scripts—for everything from new PC hits to budget titles—ready when the system launches. "There won't be any top PC games that aren't on [the system],” Kaiser says. The big question, then, is how will the games play? The ApeXtreme's specs—which include a 2 gigahertz processor with an Phantom Menace: The Other "Other" Console Infinium Labs, creators of the Phantom gaming system, wants some damn respect. Dismissed as hucksters for a hoax system, the Florida-based company is set to show off a very real prototype this May and has landed Kevin Bachus, one of the founding members of Microsoft's Xbox team, to run the unit's fall launch. So what makes the Phantom a contender? "It's all about the distribution," says Bachus. The plan is to apply the pay-per-view model to gaming. Forget pesky game CDs or surly GameStop clerks—the Phantom lets you download games directly via broadband. Infinium promises a huge library—most of them PC titles, but exclusive content is also suppos- edly in the works—available for download at launch, all for a $15 monthly subscription fee, plus an initial outlay of *no more than $300" for the console. >> HUDSON IS MAKING DINKY, CELL-PHONE VERSIONS OF CLASSIC GAMES BOMBERMAN, ADVENTURE ISLAND, AND MORE FOR VERIZON, MIDWEST WIRELESS, AND AT&T WIRELESS... >> 58 • ELECTRONIC GAMING MONTHLY • www.1UP.com glory, you should be looking at Alienware." (That company is making a pricier, peppier DiSCover-powered system.) Ultimately, Kaiser hopes that PC-game makers will code their titles to run smoothly on mid-level machines like the ApeXtreme and other DiSCover-enabled consoles (more are in the works). "Our goal is to open the PC to a broader audience," says Kaiser. "If the [DISC-enabled] consoles are as successful аз we think they will be, game publishers will look and say, 'Hey, we have several hundred thousand Apex systems out there. Do we want to leave them out?" —Crispin Boyer —Matt Maier The unit, which ships with an “Xbox-like” joypad, can also record TV on its hard drive. Your First Four? Of the 2,000 PC games available for ApeXtreme on day one, try these for a gaming experience you won't find on consoles. (Fear the unknown? You can always stick with PC ver- sions of familiar hits such as Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic or Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time). Civilization 111 (Atari) You oughta invest ina third-party wireless mouse for this strategy epic that has you guiding your tribe from the Stone Age to the space race. Gangland (Whiplash) Think of this strategy game as a thinking man’s Grand Theft Auto. Play with a cutthroat business sense, and the Sicilian mob will like your moxie. Call of Duty (Activision) See why all " the snooty PC gamers are raving about this squad- based WWII shooter now instead of waiting for the console version—which'll be a differ- ent game—to hit this fall. WarCraft 3: Reign of Chaos (VU Games) е You won't find a strategy experience this deep on the consoles. You can challenge players online, too. Again, just be sure you splurge for a mouse. ЫСТ х1" № ) Blood and боге Intense Violence Mild Language И T. эй ч © TOURNAMENT 2004 © 2004 Epic Games Inc. Unreal and the Unreal logo are registered trademarks of Epic Games Inc. All Rights Reserved. ‘All other trademarks and trade names are the property oftheir respective owners. Unreal Tournament 2004 was created by Epic Games Inc. and Digital Extremes. "UNREAL TOURNAMENT 2004 15 THE NEW KING OF ONLINE SHOOTERS." GameSpot.com E IGN.com lup.com YAHOO! GamesDomain.com АЯ ] а. 5 Download the demo at www.unrealtournament.com E Check out the special extra-large-print edition of Electronic Gaming Monthly, popular among the elder residents of Pioneer 2, ONLINE THIS MONTH EGM arrives on Pioneer 2, film at 11 e'd be lying if we said we weren't addicted as hell to Sonic Team's GameCube card battler Phantasy Star Online Episode Ill: C.A.R.D. Revolution, and it's not just cuz it's got the longest game name of the year. Now, Sonic Team's giving a little bit of the love back. Starting May 15, you can download an EGM-themed quest that'll score you a special rare card. The story of the quest goes like this: EGM editors Shane and CJ have been mysteriously missing for days. The maga- zine won't get done without them, 50 valiant columnist Seanbaby sends a brave warrior (aka you, cuz who else would save our magazine?) down to the planet to recover them. Finish the quest, and your reward is—a special EGM card! Now, you're probably wondering just what that does for you. Playing this card (it costs just one point, so why not?) gives you a timed EXP boost, which means after eight turns, your EXP will increase by nine points. Naturally, if the card is destroyed before that point, you don't get any boost (and you may as well just forfeit, cuz you suck). Keep in mind our card’s got only one hit point, so be sure to put some shields up to protect it. And if you're strappin’ in for a long battle in which gaining dice points is going to be key (i.e., you've got weapons that are gonna cost a lot to cast), then you'll want us in your deck. Should we help you win any particularly decisive bat- tles, be sure 'n' tell us about 'em, eh? Your opponent will get more than paper cuts when you use the EGM card. On 1UP.com Be sure to hit our website the week of May 10 for all the news and hands-on impressions of games you won't be play- ing for months from the annual Electronic Entertainment Expo trade show. And stick around to check out 1UP.com's continuing Essential 50 fea- ture, this month looking back on classics Larry Bird vs. Dr. J One-on-One (Commodore 64), Super Mario Bros. (NES), and Gauntlet (arcade). ONLINE NOW A guide to what's online...now Xbox Star Wars: Knights of the 014 Republic So that Xbox Live logo on the КОТОВ box wasn't just a clever ruse after all. Nab the recently released free down- load, and you'll gain access to a new area, Yavin Station. There, you'll meet a new race, the Trandoshans, and be able to purchase additional previously unavailable weapons and items, like an advanced bio-stabilizer mask that makes you immune to poison. Rainbow Six 3 We turn our backs for five minutes and bang—three new maps and a host of bug fixes for Ubisoft's tactical shooter show up. The major fix is the elimina- tion of a bug that allowed cheaters to peek through walls. New maps include a multiplayer version of the Meat Packing Plant level, plus Scharins and Close Quarter. All are free, so you have о excuse not to download them. PlayStation 2 SOCOM И: U.S. Navy SEALs If you haven't logged on to SOCOM II in а while because of rampant cheating, you might wanna give it another shot. In early March, Sony released a patch that fixes a lot of the game's major glitches (walking through walls, double mines, wall jumps, etc.). >> LOOKS LIKE YOU WON'T HAVE TO BUY THAT REPLICA OF THE GENERAL LEE AFTER ALL—UBISOFT IS MAKING A DUKES OF HAZZARD GAME FOR PS2 AND XBOX, DUE THIS OCTOBER... >> 60 • ELECTRONIC GAMING MONTHLY • www.1UP.com www.gamefly.com/egm THE An unlikely duo takes center stage in ackie Chan and Chris Tucker...Eddie Murphy and Nick Nolte...the unforgettable Stop! Or My Mom Will Shoot's Sly Stallone and Estelle Getty—bizarre team-ups often equal action gold. But you haven't seen anything yet. Coming to PlayStation 2 this May, Onimusha 3: Demon Siege stars two heroes who couldn’t be more different: Samanosuke (of Onimusha 1 fame) returns as the soul- sucking samurai from whereas newcomer Jacques Blanc wields the long arm of the law in modern-day Paris. The protagonists of the slice-n-dice series finale do have a common enemy: Nobunaga Oda. Onimusha's resident baddie invades both heroes’ respective hometowns, and before the two can eliminate Nobunaga’s hellspawn, a wacky time warp transports Sammy and Jacques to each other's zip code. So to prepare you for the escapade, here’s the 411 on this radically alternative tag team. —Bryan Intihar SAMANOSUKE Series Debut: Onimusha 1 Nationalii From: The 16th century Profession: Samurai-for-hire Character Cloned From the Genes of: Japanese actor Takeshi Kaneshiro Weapons of Choice: An oversized katana, a bow and arrow, a battle-ax, and dual swords Places He'll Visit: The Arc de Triomphe, Notre Dame Cathedral, and several other French landmarks Incentive For Returning Home: The sushi (a samurai can't stay a lean, mean fighting machine munching on France's fine breads and cheeses every day, now, can he?) When Onimusha 3 Is Over: Will probably start a petition for yet another Onimusha game...starring him, of course >> LOOKING TO IMPRESS THE LADIES WITH YOUR BLADE? DROP A COOL $150 ON HORI'S ONIMUSHA 3 SOUL CONTROLLER, A FULL-SIZED SWORD THAT YOU AC 62 * ELECTRONIC GAMING MONTHLY • www.1UP.com - Japanese {- > JACQUES BLANC Series Debut: Onimusha 3 Nationality: French From: The 21st century Profession: Army officer Character Cloned From the Genes of: French actor Jean Reno (The Professional, Mission: Impossible, Rollerball) Weapons of Choice: An assault rifle, a pistol, an electric whip, a double-bladed staff, and a nasty, whiplike sword similar to Ivy's from Soul Calibur Il Places He'll Visit: Japan's beautiful tem- ples, villages, and backcountry Incentive For Returning Home: Reunite with his son Anil and fiancée Michelle (Onimusha 3's third playable character) When Onimusha 3 Is Over: All signs point to Jacques leaving the military. Jean Reno, however, will begin filming a super- sexy sequel to The Professional. Really. ёф LY SWING ТО USE.... >> THE RUMOR MILL Ý Gossip that runs with scissors 50 Cent to dodge digital bullets So maybe 50 Cent isn't gonna be in the next Grand Theft Auto (as | may've told you a few issues ago), but he'll apparently be landing in a game this year nonetheless. On a recent fact-finding mission, yours truly learned that a publisher has indeed locked in the chart-topping rapper to headline a new game for all the major systems. Noyce. q-mann Xbox 2: Wait for it OK, so Xbox 2 was a no-show at the recent Game Developers Conference. Now Тһе Q is hearing a lot of “wait "til ЕЗ 2005.” А debut at the annual trade show next year makes sense—in this biz, you don’t want to tip your hand too early; your competition could trump you with newer tech. So in the end, this delay of game isn’t really that big of a setback after all. It also gives Quartermann a little sumpin’- sumpin’ to look forward to in '05. Metal Gear Smallish Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater isn't the only place you'll see Solid Snake in the near future. At least, it won't be if The Q's sources are passing on cor- rect information. A PSP game based on the megapopular stealth-action franchise is supposedly sneaking onto the scene in time for the hand- held's launch. Now, wouldn't it be cool to see MGS3 and MGS PSP. pioneer some kind of PS2/PSP con- nectivity features? | think | could really dig on that. "We're not blind to the fact that the Rare name lost some of its lustre to many people after the move to Xbox ana while that's sad, it doesn't auto- matically make us a sinking ship." —hesponse to a letter оп ex-Nintendo developer Rare's website, rareware.com L^ “When I picked that thing up, | «227 knew it was a dog—it just feels stupid: —John Riccitiello, president and chief operating officer of Electronic Arts, apparently not a big fan of the N-Gage handheld 7 Rare don’t fear the reaper. This Joe is anything but average. A sequel so Viewtiful If you loved Viewtiful Joe (and why wouldn't you? Capcom + cartoony visuals + arcade action = love), then you'll be happy to hear what ol’ Q is gonna impart upon you next. Word is that Capcom's got a sequel in the works. Will Viewtiful Joe 2 be another GameCube-exclusive title, or will it make the multiplatform leap? Well, | dunno yet. But either way, it puts a smile on my face. Sega's dragon not grounded Despite a recent Internet hoax and Panzer Dragoon Orta's less-than-stellar sales on Xbox, The Q hears that yes, the dragon will fly again. A new title, allegedly much closer in style and tone to Saturn's cult hit Panzer Dragoon Saga, is expected to surface soon Expect some role-playing elements in the next Panzer Dragoon. 2 “ love playing Xbox games ana believe that the system’s cultural influence as a social entertainment brand has only just;beguri." —Rapper, producer, and social-entertainment- brand-cultural-influence watchdog’? Diddy >> WAITING FOR NFL FEVER 2005? SORRY, BUT MICROSOFT HAS CANNED ITS ENTIRE FALL XBOX SPORTS LINEUP... >> посве PLAY. COMPETE. WIN Register online Register offline GAMES Жаска boutique ar GF )GAMEFLY™ Miami, FL Orlando, FL New Orleans, LA Houston, TX San Antonio, TX Dallas, TX Atlanta, GA Nashville, TN Charlotte, NC Baltimore, MD Philadelphia, PA New York, NY Jersey City, NJ Boston, MA Columbus, OH Detroit, MI Indianapolis, IN Louisville, KY Chicago, IL Milwaukee, WI Kansas City, MO Denver, CO Seattle, WA Portland, OR San Francisco, CA San Jose, CA Las Vegas, NV Phoenix, AZ San Diego, CA Los Angeles, CA © press start t—both Look st annahe jet jocks who get their wW Mach 1 kicks with Namco’s Ace Combat series will ogle its most realistic visuals yet in the fifth chapter; due for PS2 this fall. Plus, they'll radio orders to four fellow jets. «Wingmates will cover your six, dis- perse from the formation to attack on... their own, or go after the same target to assist with extra firepower,” says < Localization Producer Hiroshi Tanaka. “[Slicker visuals] add more realism to the jets and their surroundings, par- ticularly landscape when viewed up close,” says Namco's Hiroshi Tanaka. Ace Comba | ity № No online pilots here; wingmen are all A.l. LI'L PREVIEWS: SEQUELS, SEQUELS, AND...OH YEAH, MORE SEQUELS KARAOKE REVOLUTION VOLUME 2 PS2 • Konami • July 2004 — Would-be American idols, take note: Konami's planned Revolution add-on disc has been scrapped in favor of a full-featured sequel. Expect fresh characters and arenas, a mic- passing NN O SRT Ey multiplayer medley mode, and 35 new songs, including "I Will Survive.” PAC-MAN 25TH ANNIVERSARY PS2/GC • Namco • Fall 2004 — It’s official: Pac-Man can now rent a car. He's also too old to be cast on MTV's The Real World. Still, he's taking his age in stride—in this Pac-Man World-style platforming romp, you'll team up with the ghosts to chomp pel- lets, collect doodads, and hop around. 6:000 ULTIMATE MUSCLE: GALACTIC WRESTLING PS2 • Bandai • June 2004 — The wacky wrasslin" high jinks of the Fox Box Saturday-morning cartoon invade your PS2 in this enhanced update to last fall’s GameCube hit. Bandai ups the ante with new characters, enhanced visuals, and a deeper grap- pling system but leaves the oddball humor mercifully untouched. SONY ONLINE ENTERTAINMENT ANNOUNCED CHAMPIONS: RETURN TO ARMS, SEQUEL TO THIS YEAR'S HIT CHAMPIONS OF NORRATH, FOR PS2. LOOK FOR IT IN EARLY 2005... >> 64 © ELECTRONIC GAMING MONTHLY • www.1UP.com Introducing Sync — Its not about the gadget. It's what you do with it. Sync Magazine shows you the ultimate digital products out there, new ways to live with them and how to get the most out of them. Don't miss this opportunity to get your FREE TRIAL to Sync! SIGN UP NOW TO TRY THE PREMIERE ISSUE FREE. GO TO: http://tryitfree.syncmagazine.com THE TEN The biggest, prettiest blips on your gaming radar Disagree with the list? You’re the ones who created it. Rock your vote at гут Наю 2 XB • Fall 2004 [ \ ij Resident Evil 4 GC • Fall 2004 Fable XB * August 2004 Final Fantasy XII PS2 ® Spring 2005 Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater PS2 ® Fall 2004 Jade Empire XB • Fall 2004 Star Fox И GC • Fall 2004 Kingdom Hearts И PS2 • Spring 2005 StarCraft: Ghost PS2/XB/GC • Fall 2004 >> YOUR COMMUTE JUST GOT MORE DANGEROUS—EA GAMES WILL BRING A SEQUEL TO LAST YEAR'S BEST-SELLING NEED FOR SPEED UNDERGROUND ТО PS2, XBOX, AND GC THIS FAI 66 * ELECTRONIC GAMING MONTHLY ® www.1UP.com Fable’s enigmatic hero doesn’t have a name or personality of his own—you define him. XB e Microsoft • August 2004 — Once upon a time, the main character of Microsoft's wildly ambitious RPG was to be aided in his quest by other players in the form of “alter egos.” Alas, when the time drew near for the hero to depart, his friends had dallied and were not prepared for the journey. Instantly, they were struck down by thunderbolts from the heavens. The moral of the story? Due to time constraints, Fable's planned multiplayer options had to be axed. Pity. FINAL FANTASY ХИ PS2 • Square Enix • Spring 2005 — Buck up for some ill tid- ings: Rumor has it that FFXII won't hit Japan until late 2004 or even early 2005, possibly pushing back a U.S. release as far as late 2005. Yeah, not exactly the best of news... To cheer yourself up, head over to Gametrailers.com and watch some fresh, sweet footage of the epic roleplayer in motion. (Although watching the clip might just make the wait even more excruciating....) STAR FOX І Ji GC • Nintendo • Fall 2004 — In previous Star Fox titles, Slippy, а giant talking frog with a voice like that of an 8-year-old girl, spent most of his time whining and getting plugged in the rear by enemy fire. The Slipster may finally be of some real use in Nintendo's upcoming flying/third-person-shooting hybrid Star Fox Il—you'll be able to stick your buddies outside your ship or tank to provide extra firepower, or go splitscreen for co-op missions. E 7 THE NEW DAW + 0! STEALTH ACTION, NOW ON YOUR CELL PHONE "M Available on all consoles and PC Check out splintercell.com PPORTED PHONES AT WWW.GAMELOFT.COM eatured Phones: Nokia 3560, 3595, 3 ў à 00, 6200, 6800, 6820; Motorola Т720, 1730, V300, V400, V600, 190, 19501; E Ericsson T610, T616, T637; Siem 400, vx4500, vx6000; Sanyo 5300, 5400, 5500, 8100; Samsung A600, 20, A660. x426; Audiovox 8900. S veri ONwireless == дт Wireless хс! ngular 4G Ai Reserved. Gameloft, and the Gameloft logo are trademarks of Gameloft in the US ai ** -Mobil other countries. © 2004 Ubisoft Entertainment. All Rights Reserved. Splinter Сей, Sam Fisher, |. isoft, ubi.com, and the Ubisoft logo are trademarks of Ubisoft Ent tai iment in the U.S and/or other countries. All Rights Reserved. Get It Now and Verizon Wireless. LLC. Get It Now requires network connection in Verizon Wireless digital service areas. Airtime & other service fees apply. Application availability varies by phone: © press start COMING SOON What better way to beat the heat? Front Mission 4 PS2 * Square Enix — Wage mechanized war one turn at a time in this sequel to the PS1 sci-fi strategy classic. Combat Elite: WWII Paratroopers PS2/XB * Acclaim — Drop behind enemy lines and give it to the goose-steppers Gauntlet style. Green Beret is about to die. of Azkaban PS2/XB/GC/GBA ® EA Games — Help young Harry as both Ron and Hermione. Crash Bandicoot Purple: Ripto's Rampage GBA * VU Games — Crash smashes crates on the purple dragon's turf. MLB SlugFest: Loaded PS2/XB e Midway — Loaded injects online play into the S/ugFest series. Who says steroids aren't good for the game? XB * Atari — Track down a stolen nuke as the leader of a counterterrorism unit. Don't forget your passport. NAA NASA NS Sonic Advance 3 GBA * THQ — Sega's blue blur returns to the portable scene with a partner system similar to Sonic Heroes. MTV Music Generator 3 seed riers ote Л PS2/XB ® Codemasters — Whip up Cher’s next club hit with a few key presses. Vocorder not included. ShellShock: Nam 67 PS2/XB • Eidos — Visit the heart of dark- ness and see why war is hell in the grisli- est of this season's Vietnam shooters. Spider-Man 2 PS2/XB/GC/GBA/N-Gage • Activision — Our spidey sense detects open-ended, Grand Theft Auto-like gameplay. 4 Full Spectrum Warrior 18 Driv3r’s wheel man wants you to free Willy. PS2/XB • Atari — The latest carjacking simulator has you burnin' rubber on the streets of Miami, Istanbul, and Nice. XB * THQ — Just because you're not a member of the U.S. Army doesn't mean you can't train like one. The modified military simulator puts you in charge of two four-man SF. the Dark Dragon GBA • Atlus — ...And this tactical role- playing series’ cult celebrates. Spyro Orange: The Cortex Conspiracy GBA * VU Games — Spyro crashes the bandicoot's party. Just the thing to hang over baby bro's crib. squads, and mission success involves more strategy than itchy trigger fingers. r = D Showdown: Legends of Wrestling PS2/XB * Acclaim — Snap into old-school wrestling with beefeater-turned-rapper Randy "Macho Man" Savage and more. The Chronicles of Riddick: Escape from Butcher Bay XB * VU Games — A convict who can see in pitch black? That's ridiculous. 68 * ELECTRONIC GAMING MONTHLY ® www.1UP.com 611500 NVS WAHL 40 310$ ANM AHL NI- "Tiii naWO9 NO'SNDINOM 11087 1002 0S S.LVHM, preview Feature: movie games 2 S ALN) Dodge the paparazzi, rent a tux, and inject some Botox, 'cause you're invited to EGM's star-studded movie-game extravaganza oO et's pause to celebrate the pass- utter trash. These days, titles like Star Wars: Contents M Summer Games Wl Retro Games ing of an era. Aside from the Knights of the Old Republic and Lord of the occasional ugly exception (cough, Rings: Return of the King are taking home M Spider-Man 2 Enter the Matrix), nearly all of today's awards—change is definitely good. x Reece i ed OS movie-licensed games are resoundingly So step up and buy your overpriced ticket п RERS pe d nonlethal. Back in the day, you'd gleefully to the year’s biggest tie-in games. Some are Prisoner of Azkaban асын ТЕ return from the opening-day screening of, based on this summer's blockbusters, others 8l Catwoman E Shark Tales say, Timecop, only to discover that the on films hitting next year, and a few on clas- Bi Van Helsing E Lemony Snicket game based on your new favorite flick is Sic properties. Enjoy the show... 70 • ELECTRONIC GAMING MONTHLY ® www.1UP.com E Spidey 2 offers open-ended, ореп- legged gameplay. PS2/XB/GC • Activision • June 2004 In a world where spi- der and octopus battle for supremacy, the world's fate hangs by a gooey, sticky thread. That thread belongs to Spider-Man, aka Peter Parker (Tobey Maguire). With funding from Peter's longtime friend Harry Osborn, Dr. Otto Octavius (Alfred Molina) has inadvertently transformed himself into a diabolical mad- man with metallic tentacles. To make things worse, Pete's sweetheart, Mary Jane, is dat- ing the son of his boss, J. Jonah Jameson. That's one tangled web. Thanks to quicker, slicker webslinging, "doing whatever a spider can" includes freely navigating the accurately re-created urban sprawl of Manhattan, zero- ing in on random crimes, and swinging low to stop them cold—someone should turn this guy loose in Vice City. In addition to tangling with his film nemesis, Dr. Octopus, Spidey also goes toe-to-toe with comic book baddies like Electro and the Lizard. On the celeb front, Tobey didn't have time to record voice work, but luckily, the lovely Kirsten Dunst did. HARRY POTTER AND THE PRISONER OF AZKABAN PS2/XB/GC * EA Games ® June 2004 CHRONICLES OF RIDDICK: ESCAPE FROM BUTCHER BAY Xbox • VU Games • June 2004 Sometimes you've got to break the rules to free your heart. You might also have to break a few faces. Antihero Richard B. Riddick (Vin Diesel) goes up against the despotic Lord Marshal and his army of necromongers in the sequel to Pitch Black. This movie-prequel action game has you brawling, bribing, sneaking, and shooting your way out of prison. The first-person fisticuffs look like they could be uniquely satisfying, and the whole thing looks freaking amazing. You may never have seen corpses look so thoroughly dead. The hotshot boy wizard's third year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry isn't nearly as happy as his previous two—an escaped serial killer, mysterious werewolf, and countless soul-sucking monstrosities all hinder his homework. Plus, our heroes shirk their school robes in favor of street clothes. Shocking! The basic concept hasn't changed much since the last game, Chamber of Secrets—you still scurry about Hogwarts, solving puzzles, exploring cata- combs, and engaging in a little Zelda- esque combat. This time, though, it's not just Harry’s game: You can also play as his best pals, headstrong Ron and kinda-hot- for-14 Hermione. ELECTRONIC GAMING MONTHLY • www.1UP.com » 71 preview feature: movie games PS2/XB/GC • EA Games July 2004 They say dog is man's best friend. But for a woman named Patience Prince (Halle Berry), a cat turned out to be a real lifesaver. After discovering a cosmetic company scandal and being bumped off by her boss, it's good-bye to mousy Patience and hello to feral sexpot crime-fighter Catwoman. Oh, and this isn't the Catwoman from Batman...just some other Catwoman. Really. As a healthy, active feline, this kitty craves action—and lots of it. Expect sexy stalk- ing and all manner of catlike acrobatics. “Catwoman is quite special in the way she uses her special abilities to move and hunt like a cat," explains Executive Producer Richard Leinfellner. "[There are] more than 100 moves, and she fights in a low-down capoeira style, just as she does in the movie." You'll scratch up the bad guys using your time-slowing cat sense, whip flicks, and high-heeled groin kicks. Me-ow! VAN HELSING PS2/XB • VU Games • June 2004 In the year 2004...Hugh Jackman...will...kill...Dracula. And Frankenstein. And the Wolf Man. While Uma Thurman needed two separate movies to take down some dude named Bill, badass monster hunter Van Helsing (Hugh Jackman) hunts down Universal's three famous movie monsters in one fell swoop. 72 • ELECTRONIC GAMING MONTHLY • www.1UP.com Taking a few cues from the “stylish hard action” genre, Helsing snuffs the walking dead and shoots down swarms of vampire babies with weapons like a rapid-fire crossbow, handheld buzz saws, and his trusty grappling gun while unearthing the mysterious backstory involv- ing him and Dracula. \ \ | NN i King Arthur Nw sih) 4 Also Playing That's not all: Cue the highlight reel... Star Wars: Yoda's well of licensing never runs dry: Look forward to squad- based Episode Il action in Republic Commando (XB), epic online multiplayer combat in Battlegrounds (PS2/XB), and a slew of Episode Ii! titles in 2005. Lord of the Rings: Prepare for the most ambitious LOTR game to date—a colossal role-playing affair in the vein of Knights of the Old Republic, complete with customizable characters, variable alignments, and apocalyptic battles. Look for first screens of this PS2/XB/GC effort in next month’s issue. Everything Else: Also look for games based on King Kong, Batman Begins, Pixar’s Cars, The Punisher, Alien vs. Predator, King Arthur, and Blade: Trinity. > L] ` Major Motoko Kusanagi and the officers of а m es * Section 9 аге highly skilled and trained to deal with criminal activity in both the real and online worlds, but when the lines between two realities collide, a series of events will set in motion their most chilling and dangerous case of all. The + fight for the future of humanity begins now. albo sen l-ent.com. [бока | GITAL © 2003-2004 SHIROW нлзаноме вооот 1.G/KOD eo po M. o ot preview feature: movie games TRON 2.0: KILLER APP Xbox • Buena Vista • Fall 2004 Disney's oddball epic famously captured the zeitgeist of early '80s arcade fever with its programmer-sucked-into-game plot and trippy CG effects A rogue interloper threatens to destroy the computer world in Killer App’s all-new, 20-years-after-Tron plot. Expect first-person shooting, disc tossing, and lightcy- cle riding in wild neon environs, along with Xbox Live multi- player support for deathmatches and cycle racing. 13: REDEMPTION PS2/XB/GC * Atari * Summer 2004 He's а middle-aged man with an Austrian accent. She’s a young, sexy blonde with a seri- ous thing for machines. They've got only one thing in common: They're both deadly cyborgs from the future The first 73 game was actually a plot from the future to ruin gamers’ lives...and it almost worked. Thankfully, this appropriately titled third-person shooter lets you fight back with cool Cyberdyne vehicles. LIGHTS...CAMERA...REACTION! The man behind the worst movie game ever rates recent flick-based hits and misses FIGHT CLUB PS2/XB • VU Games • Fall 2004 Underground boxing, schizophrenic masochism, and soap rendered from human fat collide in this, the only Brad Pitt movie your girlfriend probably hates. The Fight Club game zeroes in on one aspect of the film—the fighting. A handful of the film's main char- acters (and somewhat less-memorable ones like, uh, some guy named Raymond) will beat each other to bloody pulps using street boxing, wrestling, and martial arts moves. E Warshaw: Also Let’s see Spielberg throw together a mas- terpiece in six weeks. No less was asked of Howard Scott Warshaw, designer of the Charlie’s Angels Ubisoft « GameCube Scott Warshaw: "Argh! Atrocious cut- scenes don't capture the stupid action and cheesecake feel of the flick. Simple button mashing lies at the heart of this stinker. Given that all the real action takes place during cine- matics, you can think of it as a poor man's Mortal Kombat. As a movie con- version, the game's quality is on par with the crappy movie that spawned it. Thumbs up...Charlie's butt!” 74 © ELECTRONIC GAMING MONTHLY • www. 1UP.com much-maligned E.T. The Extra Terrestrial (Atari 2600), the world’s crappiest movie- based game. Are today’s titles any better? Enter the Matrix Atari * PS2/XB/GC ‘SW: “Focus commands and other abilities reflect the films. Extra video footage is a cool bonus, although peo- ple aren’t paying 50 bucks to watch another movie. Still, the program bor- rows both liberally and sensibly from its source material. The elaborate hint system used in place of a tutorial is clever, too. Although once you discov- er the best way to blaze through a level, the title loses some charm.” weighs in... Lord of the Rings: Return The ever-colorful Warshaw (find his game documentary at www.onceuponatari.com) — Scott Steinberg of the King EA ® PS2/XB/GC SW: "Like the [movie], it conveys a sense of being involved in a com- pelling quest. It's hard to keep track of your character, and the difficulty ramp-up can be frustrating at times. I'm not fond of the restrictive camera model, either. However, the balanced Story structure and beautiful graphics really do hook you in. It's hard to stop playing this title, and as gamers sure- ly know, that's most important." made good games. Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines Atari • PS2/XB SW: "Forget the movie tie-in: This is essentially just a licensed twist on [first-person shooter] Red Faction. Controls are irritating and actually prove more fearsome than adversaries in certain places. The system feels particularly cumbersome during battle. Seeing as the visual payoff's poor at best and environmental interaction's on par with first-generation PS2 titles, why should anyone bother?" The Future: Hollywood gaming from the semidistant future PS2/XB • TKO « Summer 2005 Оп the Silver Screen: Since Indiana Jones seems unable to stage a comeback, Paramount has another dashing young hero to fill his shoes—Sahara’s Dirk Pitt (Matthew McConaughey). He's less of a whip-cracking scholar and more a skull-cracking brawler, but Dirk's adventures through Africa's arid expanses should capture that same swashbuckling /ndy spirit. Оп Your TV: Upstart developer ТКО (founded by ex-Medal of Honor veterans) is already hard at work crafting next summer's blockbuster tie-in. Expect a jaw-droppingly handsome brawler that lets you pummel foes with envi- ronmental objects (for instance, a stuffed marlin hanging оп a wall) and smash punks through tables. SHARK TALES PS2/XB/GC • Activision • Fall 2004 ~ - Im eee THE INCREDIBLES PS2/XB/GC ® THQ ® Fall 2004 On the Silver Screen: Pixar's Finding Nemo follow-up busts out in a much darker direction, focusing on a family of superheroes who must balance their will to do good against a desire to remain anonymous while fitting into normal soci- ety. Expect the usual spark of Pixar humor, but also some killer fights—enough to warrant a shocking PG rating. Gasp! On Your TV: The game expands upon the events of the film, serving up a cavalcade of platforming levels heavy on the variety. You'll take control of the entire family: Mr. Incredible, a somewhat out-of-shape Superman wannabe; Elastigirl, his superstretchy wife; ultraspeedy son Buddy; and daughter Violet, a moody teen who creates impenetra- ble force fields. LEMONY SNICKET PS2/XB/GC • Activision ® November 2004 On the Silver Screen: This CG-animated fish story is less Finding Nemo and more...finding Nemo’s head in your bed "cause you wronged the Don. OK, this light- hearted gangland fable isn’t actually that violent, but voice work from Robert De Niro, Will Smith, Jack Black, and most of the Sopranos cast should make it adult friendly. On Your TV: You control Oscar, a spirited young fish (voiced by Will Smith) working his way up the food chain in the gritty, underwater world of organized crime in Reef City. While Shark Tales is not quite as brutal as, say, Vice City, you'll still careen around corners in aquatic cars and bust up some fools with expert fish fu. On the Silver Screen: Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events holds the dis- tinction of being the most popular kids’ fic- tion series that isn't Harry Potter. The movie adaptation of the first three Snicket tomes (book 11 hits this fall) stars Jim Carrey as Count Olaf, a greedy miser eyeing the for- tune willed to his nieces and nephews. On Your TV: You assume the roles of the tragically unfortunate Baudelaire kids— Violet, Klaus, and Sunny—who must combat their dastardly uncle's schemes to murder them and collect their inheritance. The youngsters battle Olaf's henchmen with bizarre inventions, solve puzzles, and try their damndest to avoid getting offed. ё% ELECTRONIC GAMING MONTHLY ® www.1UP.com • 75 ay cover story: IGHT STALKERS doing Jedi strike back in Knights of the Old Republic: y Jennifer Tsao ot everyone had a good feeling this guy's seemingly dissing a title that we З about Star Wars: Knights of.the declared Xbox Game of the Year and that T 1 ‘Son of a b****! They did that Old Republic, \ast year’s superb sold more than 400,000 copies. Avellone is after Avellone tossed his joypad Xbox role-playing game that came along lead designer for its.sequel, Knights of the in frustration, he asked, "How are just in time to wipe our memory banks of Old Republic: The Sith Lords, due on Xbox \ 1 — wẹ supposed to do a sequel?" the blah Episode Гапа Il flicks and bantha- апа PC in February 2005. The original was f Six months later, he has his answer: Wars games like Super Bombad built by a dream team: publisher (and у “We don't want to reinvent the wheel just threw my controller down,” keeper of all things Star Wars) Lut to reinvent the wheel," Avellone says. "We Chris Avellone says of the first time he and developer (and PC RPG hea e want to concentrate on what made the tried the RPG, set 4,000 years before BioWare. It was a match made...oh, some- fc would be a Death Star-size ^ first game great—story, characters, ап Anakin Skywalker donned a dark helmet. where between Tatooine and Korriban. But challenge. "We had a huge list of fea- epic Star Wars feel—and expand and But now's a good time to qualify why with BioWare too swamped with Chinese- — tures," Chief Development Officer Chris. improve wherever possible." ж. 76 • ELECTRONIC GAMING MONTHLY * www. 1UP.com The Force Runneth Over... Once you've learned the ways of The Sith Lords from our cover Story, grab a copy (use that Jedi-mind thing if you have to) of sister mag Computer Gaming World, in stores now. Their cover Story exposes the PC version of KOTOR: The Sith Lords, with exclusive info and screens we don't got (don't worry—we have just as much exclusive stuff). The only way to get the whole picture is to read both cover stories. Sneaky bastards, ain't we. ELECTRONIC GAMING MONTHLY • www.1UP.com ® 77 PS cover story: Rotor: sith Lords hing. You should —tLead Designer Chris Avellone + Sith Lords picks up five years after the end of the first KOTOR. (If you haven't beaten that game, you might want to skip to the next section to avoid minor spoil- ers.) The Republic is in shambles, reeling from the aftermath of the Jedi civil war and the scourge of Darth Malak. The Jedi LucasArts Producer Michael Gallo there'll be new lightsaber colors in tl (although they’re not shown here). Order has been disbanded, and you—a veteran of the Mandalorian war who was conveniently in exile during the recent civil war—are the last known Jedi, left to piece together a future for yourself and the Jedi Order. Since the story is such a crucial part of an RPG like this, the team doesn’t want to reveal too much more. “If we start BS. de giving away too much stuff too early,” says LucasArts Producer Michael Gallo, “it could ruin the experience for people.” But we do know that you won't play the . same character and that the story does not pick up where the last game left off. This was a tough but necessary design choice, according to Avellone, because the first game gave players such freedom in devel- oping the story. “I didn't want to stomp all over anyone's decisions from the first game,” he says. “Whatever resolution you chose in that game should factor into this one.” So whether you played a valiant Jedi pursuing the light side or a dark lord IF YOU'RE A RABID FAN OF... Fear not. The Force is strong with these guys. Even as they booted up the game for us and sat back to watch the signature introductory text crawl across the screen, Star Wars music blaring in the background, the developers kinda lost their cool (but in a good way). “That music is so inspiring,” says Lead Designer Chris Avellone. “I feel like I'm 7 again.” G giant BioWa Fear not, again. Chris Parker, Chris Avellone, Feargus Urquhart, and a few others founded Obsidian after toiling away on illustrious RPG after illustrious RPG (Planescape: Torment, Icewind Dale, Baldur’s Gate, and Fallout to name just the big guns) at Black Isle Studios. In other words, they've done this BioWare spin-off thing before. In fact, the team came recommended by BioWare joint CEOs Ray Muzyka and Greg Zeschuk. “We've known Feargus and the crew for a long time," Muzyka says. "They know RPGs.” Zeschuk concurs: “From everything we've seen, things are going extremely well.” © Combat will look much like it did in the original game—which isn’t a bad thing. Wi Why is this Jedi so angi She probably had a crappy childhood like the rest of "em. The team is hoping you'll get more use out of all your weapons this time, not just the lightsaber. wreaking havoc all around (or even if you didn't play the first game at all), this one will make sense to you. Early in The Sith Lords, you'll have various conversations that explain and address key plot issues from the last game—you'll tell the game how you believe things went down—and the dialogue choices you make will affect story development in the rest of the game. "We tried to slip it in subtly,” Avellone says, but clearly, the freedom to customize the story—such a beloved and important aspect of the first game—will be alive and well in this follow-up. Though you're not the same character, somehow you pilot the same ship as in the first game, the Ebon Hawk, which finds itself on the mysteriously deserted asteroid mining facility of Peragus at the beginning of the game. You start out as a Jedi—no more training with Yoda look-alikes, as in the original—but that doesn’t mean you’ll have all your powers (being in exile tends to put you out of touch with the Force) or even a lightsaber right away. “The lightsaber’s the thing,” says Avellone. “You should have to work for it—it makes you feel that much better once you actually WHAT EVER HAPPENED TO... Lead Designer Chris Avellone knows, but he ain’t tellin’. “About a year after the end of the first game, Revan took off to the Unknown regions and hasn’t been heard from since,” he says. “Revan does have a specific fate, and it will be revealed,” he says...just not until you play The Sith Lords. IT AIN'T WARIOWARE, BUT... The gambling card game Pazaak, swoop racing, and (unfortunately) turret-man- ning minigames will return in The Sith Lords—but they'll be completely optional this time, and the team is working on improving all of them. “Swoop racing was good for a while, but it got a little one-dimensional,” admits Producer Chris Parker, “so we're trying to add things in to make it more interesting.” Also, arriv- ing just in time for Valentine’s Day 2005—new Pazaak cards! have it.” Jedi classes in this game will be the same as in the last, but you'll find new Prestige classes you can choose at higher levels—Sith Lord, Sith Marauder, Sith Assassin, Jedi Master, Jedi Watchman, and Jedi Weapon Master (see page 81). The Sith Lords will, as expected, have different endings depending on whether you choose the dark- or light-side path. But this time the choice won't rest solely on your shoulders. "You're not the only one getting dark-side and light-side points,” says Avellone. “Some companions idolize you, and if you start falling to the dark side; they start falling to the dark side, too. Or if they don't like you, the opposite happens.” So treat that droid buddy nicely if you want him to do your bidding. The fate of the universe could depend on it. Structurally, the game is similar to the first KOTOR. The Sith Lords is mostly linear but with a lot of freedom to choose what specifically you do next. In all, you'll visit seven worlds (most of which have lots of separate game areas within), including ‘Dantooine from the first game. But don’t expect Dantooine to look like the peaceful grasslands where you killed kath hounds of yore. Remember, the planet was rav- aged by Malak’s army and the Jedi Academy was destroyed, so this Dantooine looks a lot different. “We don’t want KOTOR 1 players to think we're re-using > dk. cover story: Rotor: sith Lords / i | Wip SOON Stuff," says Gallo (a veteran of the original KOTOR team). "We want to hearken back to the first game...but we want it to be a different experience for them." The other worlds will be totally new; the team, how- ever, is keeping the identities of these worlds under wraps for now. We do know, though, that you'll visit Telos, home planet to the first KOTOR's Carth character. LucasArts and Obsidian know the design of the first game was pretty impeccable, ѕо you won't see any huge interface or combat differences. You'll still control up to three characters, and the controls will work basically the same. Inventory- and character-management screens will also look familiar. “Ме don't want to mess with HELLO, MY NAME IS... Of the 10 characters that will be available for your party at any given time, we met Kreia, an older Jedi; T3-M4, the droid you knew in the first game; and manly man Atton Rand. lunatics you'll | with 4 80 • ELECTRONIC GAMING MONTHLY • www.1UP.com How can any villain be badder-ass than KOTOR 1’s Malak? “There’s a reason [the game is called] The Sith Lords,” says Producer Michael Gallo. “We have plural bad guys.” The Sith soldier fighting alongside a Jedi here isn't an unexpected new alliance; the team juSt fast created new costumes yet. functionality too much," Gallo says, "because we felt it was pretty good." Instead, the theme here is refining what's in the game and making better use of everything that's there. For example, you'll now have quick-key slots for two different weapon configura- tions. "In the first game, certain weapons worked really well against certain oppo- nents,” says Avellone, "but the effort of going to the Equip screen and switching to the right weapon meant most players probably just didn’t bother. If you just had a quick button, you'd see a lot more mileage out of certain weapons that were really cool." Upgrading equipment, a fun but underdeveloped aspect of the first KOTOR, will also be redesigned so people will get to do more of it. “In the first дате,” Gallo adds, "you wound up with a ton of items you might not ever use." Now, the workbenches where you upgrade items have many more options. You'll be able to deconstruct existing items, then use components to build up new, more powerful ones. You'll even have more upgrades for your lightsaber and more lightsaber colors. Your charac- ter's unique balance of skills will also affect your upgrade options. If you have a really high Repair skill, for example, you'll see more armor types, or if a char- acter in your party has a high Security Skill, suddenly your workbench options will go sky-high. The intention is that you'll end up using the many options available to you instead of sticking to a few weapons, pieces of armor, and party members for most of the game. If you were expecting a totally new graph- ics engine and knock-your-socks-off visu- als that many say the first game lacked, you can keep waiting. “Technically, this is the first КОТОВ,” says Gallo. But he promises that the visuals will be opti- mized and says the team has actually learned how to do more with the same graphics engine—especially with lighting. "We're trying to improve the graphics as WHAT EVER HAPPENED TO... Your Lightsaber? You don't start off the game with it, because apparently Jedi aren't allowed to keep their lightsabers once they've been || exiled (who'da thunk?). Recovering your lightsaber is one of the optional quests in the game. W You won't he. able to. import. your character from your KOTOR 1 savegame. (SO you better just go write mofe fan fiction about your guy at www.kotorfanfic-com....) “We don't want KOT we're reusing ' stuff." OR I players to think —Producer Michael Gallo HIGHER LEARNING These high-level prestige classes are new in The Sith Lords... much as possible,” says Parker, “but our focus is really more content driven than technology driven.” Weather effects and slicker attack ani- mations are a couple examples of the visual content Parker hopes will bring the environments to life. “I played the first game using [the] Critical Strike [feat] basi- cally the whole way through,” he says. “So by the end of the game, | was pretty sick of that animation.” Now, as your character gets higher-level feats, the accompanying animations will become more complex, giving players a more visually satisfying . sense of progress. A whole new crew Many characters you knew from the first KOTOR will make appearances (if only cameos) in this game. But don’t expect to see everyone (Gallo says they “had to be Careful about who died and who lived”), and don’t expect them all to play major roles. The only recurring characters we know for sure will have sizeable roles are the R2-D2-esque droid T3-M4 and another "bot who bears a suspicious resemblance to the original’s irascible “теафад”- loathing HK-47. Gallo says that’s inspired by the movies, where “the droids are the common element.” But here, too, the team is focusing on enhancing what you have instead of going for a wholesale redesign. They want to make sure you get up close and personal with your buddies, rather than just letting some of them hang out on the Ebon Hawk soldering lightsaber hilts. > LIGHT SIDE DARK SIDE Jedi Ma : Much Sith Lord: What they like Yoda, you know call you after you your Jedi s***, recov- graduate from Darth. ering Force points faster and inspiring those around you. Like the Emperor, you crush enemies" wills and corrupt minions. Jedi Watchman: Sith Marauder If Watching over a spe- rage is your middle cific planet or space name (as, clearly, sector is a tough job, but if old Ben could do it, so can you. Г Jedi Weapon Master: Better pain tolerance, lightsaber deflection, and all-around ass- kicking? You'll make Mace Windu proud. Darth Maul's was), channel it to become the ultimate warrior. Sith Assassin: You'll Strike from the shad- ows like Mara Jade. She was so stealthy, she didn’t even show up in the movies. ELECTRONIC GAMING MONTHLY • www.1UP.com • 81 ` Three against one? That monkey thing must have ‘some mad Force powers. » "|n the first game, we had all these cool characters,” says Gallo, “but some of them were underutilized.” Besides each character’s optional personal quests (something Avellone “loved” about the first game), the designers promise more sub-missions in which you choose one particular party member to help you (as in the first game's Leviathan level). Each party member will also have a unique special ability, and the team is working оп more quests that can be fulfilled only by one particular member of your group. When in doubt, the team looks—of course—to the movies for inspiration. “In the Star Wars movies, your friends all split up and do various things,” Avellone Your first mission will be to repair your ship, the Ebon Hawk from the original game. 82 • ELECTRONIC GAMING MONTHLY • www.1UP.com T m s says, and he wants this game to create a similar experience. About that Force thing One thing all players loved in the original KOTOR was how they developed their own Force powers and used them when and how they wanted. The Sith Lords will give you more to work with, though we learned of only a few new powers: Dark Sider Rage and Battle Meditation. Force Sight is a new stealth ability that will let you see through walls, plus assess a character’s alignment (dark siders show up as red; light siders are blue). Force Clairvoyance will help you see other parts of a level without being near them (a la Prince of Persia's glimpse-of-the-future visions). Unfortunately (as these screenshots show, they're using the art from the first game), new armor, weapons, and other cool loot wasn't part of our three-hour tour. The designers recognize that these items are a high point of the game, but they did- n't have a lot to show. What's their excuse? That the game is still a year away. In fact, Avellone jokes, they reserve the right to change anything that they showed us. "There's like a little asterisk next to every- thing we've said that says, ‘Year away from launch,” Avellone says. © | GRAND PRIZE: | TWENTY (20) WINNERS A copy of LucasArts’ Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic: The Sith Lords for either Xbox or PC. THE FUTURE OF ONLINE “We will be taking more advantage of Xbox Live,” says Producer Gallo (though that wouldn’t be difficult, seeing as the first game didn’t have Xbox Live content until a good eight months after its release). Next time, the team promises, you'll have to wait only a couple weeks for downloadable goodies. You'll likely see new armor and weapons—the same sort of stuff that’s been added for the first KOTOR. Sadly, you'll get no multiplayer co-op options (“The Sith Lords will never, ever have multiplayer,” insists Gallo) or whole new planets and missions—the team claims that continuing the story online is too tricky. “[But] the fact that we have Xbox Live on our minds now means the experience for KOTOR 2 will be that much more exciting,” Gallo says. “Frankly we added [online content] very late in the schedule for KOTOR 1.” SAVE THE GALAXY ON OUR DIME Don’t get your Jedi panties in a bunch—we know Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic: The Sith Lords’ arrival is a long way off. But that doesn’t mean we can’t have a Sith Lords giveaway. Electronic Gaming Monthly and Computer Gaming World (did you read their Sith Lords cover story? Do it!) are teaming up to offer you the chance to win a copy of the sequel as soon as it’s available. Just go to and tell us which version you'd prefer to own. Twenty lucky winners will be randomly selected to receive The Sith Lords—for free! m 2^ HOW TO PLAY Point your browser to Fill out the form and tell us which version of the game you want. ill enter all correct entries into а ing for the prizes. Only one entry per person is accepted. Don't believe us? Send multiple entries disqualify your ass. No game for you! Full legal rules at GET THE IGUIDE, Rock TGUIDE OFFICIAL DVDS GRANT YOU THE ULTIMATE MASTERY. OF YOUR FAVORITE GAMES, AND DELIVER TONS OF EXCLUSIVE GAME-RELATED ENTERTAINMENT AND BONUS CONTENT. IN EVERY: 1GUIDE YOU'LL GET: + VIDEO WALKTHROUGHS THAT SHOW You TRULY KILLER GAMEPLAY. *- THE BEST TIPS, SECRETS, AND sm : ILLUSTRATED WITH GAMEPLAY VIDEO | ¥ SPEED TIPS™ THAT MAKE YOU A MASTER IN A MINUTE. ¥ BACKGROUND SECTIONS THAT BRING THE бАМЕ`5 STORY TO LIFE. ¥ PRINTABLE “CHEAT SHEETS” THAT PUT THE KEY INFO IN YOUR HANDS. ¥ LOADS OF EXCLUSIVE BONUS ENTERTAINMENT EXTRAS. Bi EXTRAS, EXTRAS, AND MORE EXTRAS! SO MANY EXTRAS! AVAILABLE WHERE GAMES ARE SOLD. SEE MORE AT WWIGUIDES ET © g-NET Media, LLC. All Rights Reserved. g-NET Media, the g-NET logo, and the iGuide Official logo are all property of g-NET Media, LLC. Distributed by FUNimation Productions, Ltd. Hitman: Contracts © 10 Interactive A/S 2004. Published by Eidos. All rights reserved. Manufactured and marketed by Eidos Inc. DRIV3R ©2004 Atari, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Created and developed by REFLECTIONS Interactive Limited; an Atari Studio. Manufactured and marketed by Atari, Inc. New York, NY. All trademarks are the property of their respective owners. BACK SELECT BACK SELECT Jser'selectable One button control of themes spin, aim and power d NICE TRY j васк SELECT васк SELECT Live multiplayer Realistic bowling scoring physics $9*4 JAMDAT Solitaire Tony Hawk's The Return Multiplayer JAMDAT SPORTS’ Underground of the King Bejeweled NBA 2004 See the best games go mobile at jamdat.com. ¢ JAMDAIT mobile 2 us at ЕЗ Expo -Booth 2116, West Hall wireless.1UP.com R bonus supplement to Electronie Gaming Monthlu AHEAD OF THE GAME ЕВЕ ON THE 60 Did you know? Mega Man, Castlevania, Bomberman, and more are available for your phone ALSO IN THIS GUIDE: >Five ques- tions with Trip Hawkins »N-Gage tries again with a [ »Mega Man redesigned Our favorite system and blue hero new games returns! ыш [ CHECK OUT WIRELESS.1UP.COM FOR GAME DOWNLOADS, I RINGTONES, AND MORE Г aul CONNECT WITH OTHER WIRELESS: GAMERS: IN: OUR 1UP MOBILE. CLUBS L WIRELESS GUIDE wireless.1UP.com A bonus supplement to Electronic Gaming Monthly [N-GAGE TRIES AGAIN>> With а redesigned system and a better lineup of games, Nokia takes another stab at the Nintendopoly Nokia’s redesigned N-Gage QD is, by any measure, a much improved system—it’s got а stronger battery, buttons you can actually press, and (gasp!) a freely accessible cartridge port. All this effort, though, is useless without better games, something the Finns have faced problems with ever since the portable game deck launched last year. Workit Girl He was there in the early days of Apple. He founded EA. He launched the 3D0 game console and later the publishing company. Now, Trip Hawkins sees the wireless games market as the future and recently founded his own wireless studio, Digital Chocolate. We sat down with the man to see why he’s so excited by the wireless medium. 1UP: Why the move into the mobile market? Trip: It's the computing frontier. Entrepreneurs need to be on the frontier, where there is opportunity to blaze some new trails. It is early This situation could be turned on its side once Nokia launches the QD this summer alongside a wave of new, original games that take advantage of N-Gage's nat- ural strengths. Top among them is Pocket Kingdom: Own the World, a strategy title from Sega that will unfold before players on a truly global scale. You use your forces to invade other players" 5 QUESTIONS UITH TRIP HAWKINS>> 4 Electronic Arts founder sees wireless as gaming's new frontier enough in this industry to pioneer many new ideas and to work hard to improve quality standards. 1UP: You've compared the mobile market to your early days at Apple and EA. How is this so? Trip: When I founded EA, there were over 100 small game publish- ers in a cottage industry. Technology was very primitive, and development costs were low. There was room in the market for experiments and innovation. Prior to that, | was at Apple in the early days when the industry view was that only data-entry clerks and IT professionals could use computers in an office, that the general public was incapable of using a comput- er, and that there was no way any- one would ever buy computers or software in a retail store. These kinds of issues are typical in new media, which is what makes it so much fun to pioneer and change the world. All of these syndromes apply to the mobile space, where the prevailing view is on the device pock- et king- doms via wireless Internet, waging war against their army and raising your rank with each victory. The ultimate object: to be on top of the worldwide heap. If Sega can make Pocket Kingdom's battles addictive enough, it may just have the N- Gage killer app Nokia's been waiting for. That's not all N-Gage as a phone, not as a mobile com- puter. As such, the best is very much yet to come. 1UP: How did you come up with the name Digital Chocolate? Trip: The thinking is that names like Apple Computer and Electronic Arts are memorable and can define new categories because they combine words that do not initially appear to belong together. Words like *apple," "art," and "chocolate" have a lot of emo- tional brand value, and the con- cept of their digital versions intrigues people and makes them more approachable. And in the case of Digital Chocolate, we view the mobile consumer as someone who has a slice of time to indulge in a moment of indulgence with a digital snack. Chocolate is the champagne of snacks! 1UP: What do you see as the future of mobile gaming? Trip: Mobile networked communi- ties. Stand-alone applications like games and ringtones will be a has coming out this summer, though—EA is porting over The Sims: Bustin’ Out, and Nokia is working on Ashen, a horror-themed shooter with four- player deathmatches via Bluetooth wireless connection. Will Nokia turn N-Gage around this year? That's up in the air, but at least the company is trying harder. LG 956000 growing market, but we have to focus on the fact that the primary ÔT reason that peo- У ple carry a mobile “Ҹ phone is to be social- ly connected. Most mobile com- puting applications that are inter- esting in the future—including future games—will have signifi- cant server-side components and social interaction 1UP: Which phone do you carry? Trip: Of course, | now have many of them, but | primarily use two. One is a nice new feature phone with camera and color display, the LG VX6000. Since it does not yet have the hands-free car kit that want for use in my car, | have an older digital phone that was state of the art when I got it. It's the Motorola StarTAC, which already looks like a dinosaur! WIRELESS GUIDE A bonus supplement to Electronic Gaming Monthly We're taking it back to the old school Ah yes, the classics. They never get old. They're easy to pick up, fun to play in brief spurts—why not carry them with you at all times? 1UP takes a look at some of the best vintage titles currently and soon-to- be available on your mobile phone. э Bde Ее Capcom's top-down shooter comes to the BREW mobile plat- form courtesy of Upstart Games. The mobile experience of throwing grenades and shooting your way through enemy forces is available now to Verizon subscribers. It's the classic, totally addictive, simple 8-bit Bomberman—sans multiplayer, but without many com- plicated extras either. Blast down walls, bomb a maze of monsters, and collect power-ups to build a better Bomberman. The coolest thing about this mobile port of Capcom's WWII plane shooter? The still-intact inverted rolls. Also carried over from the original are the weapon power-ups and accuracy counters. It's avail- able on BREW handsets. Master Higgins lives, and the jun- gles of Adventure Island don't look half bad on the mobile platform. This remake features eight areas, sizable bosses, and the Master's powered-up fireball attacks. Only you can save Higgins’ girl, Tina. Both the original arcade mode and a new mode with enhanced graph- ics are available in Upstart Games" mobile port of Frogger. AT&T mMode subscribers with Nokia handsets can try this out, but not in traffic, please. Since this game has shown up on every platform ever conceived, a mobile port was bound to come out at some point. Good thing, as it’s tons of fun. Drill and fill an unending series of mazes to trap pursuing monsters and gather treasure. The greatest food-themed maze chase ever. Why animated fried eggs and hot dogs are chasing this chef across a Donkey Kong ladder rack isn’t quite clear, but why argue with a good time? One burg- er to go, please. The Blue Bomber is back! All six of the original levels and weapons are present in miniature here for Mega Man fans with nothing to entertain them but their phone. Our big question: Will it still have the Elec Beam pause trick? Take control of Simon Belmont and venture into Dracula’s castle once again in Upstart’s port of the NES classic. Unlike recent Castlevania installments that have relied heavi- ly on RPG elements, this one is all about good ol’ whip-em-up action. Square Enix hasn’t formally announced much for the States yet, but it just bought mobile developer UlEvolution, and they'll be showing off the Japanese ver- sions of Final Fantasy and Dragon Quest at E3.2+2=_? ON SRLE NOW Advance "РС = 85 консы ORDER THESE BRCK ISSUES ТО МЯКЕ SURE THRT YOU HRVE Я COMPLETE LIBRARY OF THE MOST VALUABLE TRICKS, CHEATS, AND CODES FOR ALL THE TOP GAMES ON YOUR CONSOLE. From the same people who bring you Electronic Gaming Monthly, Computer Gaming World, Official U.S. PlayStation Magazine, GMR, and Xbox Nation. These special magazines can be found only on newsstands or through back order. Look for these magazines at Borders, Waldenbooks, Barnes and Noble, B. Dalton, Babbages, GameStop, Funcoland, Walmart, Kmart, Target, Walgreens, CVS, Kroger and Safeway. On-Sale NOW! On Sale NOW! On-Sale 06/04! On-Sale 07/04! HOW TO ORDER: Simply check off which magazines you want and send in the order form (photo- copies accepted) along with a check made payable to Ziff Davis Media, for the amount indicated for each magazine plus shipping and handling—add $3 for U.S., $3 for Canada and $5 for foreign orders— in U.S. funds only, for each maga- zine. Orders should be mailed to: ВЯСК ISSUES 1411 Opus Place, Ste. 340 Downers Grove, IL 60515 Price and availability subject to change without notice. Buying a Video саше ош ap D ENTERTAINMENT SOFTWARE RATING BOARD CONTENT RATING Comic Mischief Mild Lyrics www.esrb.org revieu Crew kicking the tires and spotting the Lemons DIRECTORY MULTIPLATFORM PLAYSTATION 2 90 Hitman: Contracts 94 92 Alias 92 МВА Ballers 96 World Tour Soccer 93 Serious Sam: Next Encounter 97 La Pucelle: Tactics == | PS2/XB HITMA Silent but violent Agent 47’s first console foray, Hitman 2, grabbed our attention with its third-person stealth/shooting gameplay, creative assassinations, and the importance of the right outfit for every situation—long before the clotheshorse gals of Final Fantasy X-2 made it trendy. Hitman: Contracts feels similar to its predecessor, which, while disappointing on the innovation front, still means we've got a whole lot of assassinatin’ to do, for both fun and profit. Contracts starts with ol’ baldy in a dingy apartment with some lead in his gut. During his. recovery, he has flashbacks of his most memorable hits, which is when you take over. You're given objectives, as well as the freedom to accomplish them as you see fit. Want to bump Captain Hook Agent 47 likes 10 think outside the (pine) box when it comes to weaponry. Death by pool cue and fire poker doesn't really push the envelope, but the meat hook is pretty cringe- worthy: Once you've skew- ered your foe, you then flip him over your shoulder. That'll leave a mark. 90 • ELECTRONIC GAMING MONTHLY • www.1UP.com Syphon Filter: The Omega Strain 98 96 Destruction Derby Arenas Final Fantasy XI Online 100 Resident Evil Outbreak 102 Samurai Warriors 103 Transformers Someone's got a case of the Mondays. a guy off the old-fashioned way and poison his drink? Or steal a guard's uniform and walk right past security? You can do it. And if you choose to play through that mission again, you can pick none of the above and do something totally different. Decisions, decisions. As amazing as this open-ended gameplay is, the poor enemy A.l. quells the thrill somewhat. CPU characters often do strange things like ignore gunfire in the next room or give up on a chase far too quickly. Also, as brilliant as the first seven levels are, the last five—some of which are remakes of original (and PC-only) Hitman missions—seem much less inspired. But the good Stuff more than outweighs the bad; Contracts is clever, brutal, and ultimately satisfying. 105 Siren Н: CONTRACTS ® Not much has changed since they gave Agent 47 a number and took away his name, but committing the unconscionable for cold hard compensation ain't quite the crapshoot it was in the last Hitman. The A.I. is still iffy, mind you—your cover remains blown even after you blow away your only witness, and whether they’re spotted or not, bodies left in the open automatically alert guards—but you won't scratch your bald head as much after inadvertently tipping off a target. And even though it's easier than before to bail yourself out with plan B and a submachine gun if you do get caught, the subtler assassinations are usually worth the trying and dying. Anyone can put a bullet in his quarry, but it takes a true artist to drop a gas сап down a fireplace and into a kidnapper's face. № Worlds collide as Stephon Marbury (МВА Ballers) jams all over an unwitting Resident Evil Outbreak denizen. | XBOX 106 Steel Battalion: Line of Contact 106 TOCA Race Driver 2: The Ultimate Racing Simulator For those who haven't skulked a mile in Agent 47's bloodstained shoes, this is probably the best place to start. But for experienced assassins, Contracts feels more like a coolly refined expansion rather than a wholly new game. Super old-school fans may or may not be excited to see larger and more open-ended versions of classic missions (such as Traditions of the Trade and The Lee Hong Assassination) recycled here. Good: Open-ended mission structure Bad: Dumb A.l. enemies Messiest Assassination Tool: Industrial-strength laxative At EGM, we evaluate only games THE RATING Sy TEM that have been deemed final and reviewable by their publishers. FA JÎ Three editors rate each game [Mell independently, and we use the whole scale: 5.0 IS AVERAGE. AWARDS Q GAME OF THE MONTH Gold — for Silver — The highest- games with for games scoring an average with a mean бате each score of 9.0 | score of 8.0 | month gets or higher. or higher. a star. SHAME OF THE MONTH The lowest- rated game with unani- Platinum — straight 10s. For games that are life- changing. GAMECUBE 108 Custom Robo ESRB KEY (Also check out www.esrb.com) Saccharine fun for the whole family: dancing elves, rampant sharing, and possibly Smurfs, Like PG-13 movies, Teen games often feature fisticuffs, mild violence, and madcap antics. For the 18-and-over crowd. Intense violence, gore, pixilated sex, drugs; parents no-likey. Greatest Hit Hitman: Contracts' best mission has to be Beldingford Manor. It's set on a large estate complete with mansion, Stables, and wine cellar, and your job is to take out Lord Winston Beldingford and his son, Alistair, and rescue some punk kid. Hmm, what to do? You can toss a gasoline tank down the chimney, suffocate the napping Winston with a pillow, poison Alistair's whiskey, dose the horses' water supply 50 that they aren't alarmed by your presence...and, well, lots more. It's open-ended gameplay at its best. And though these reworked levels vary in quality, Contracts is still filled with some excellent assassinations (Deadly Cargo, Rendezvous in Rotterdam, and the awesome Beldingford Manor stand out). Even with occasional А.І. goofs and graphics glitches, as well as not too much revolution over the previous games in the series, Contracts is well worth the time if you fancy yourself a “professional,” à la Jean Reno. Posto Developer: 10 Interactive Players: 1 Publisher: Eidos ESRB: Mature. THE VERDICTS (OUT OF 10) G.FORD SHAWN SCOOTER www.eidos.com ELECTRONIC GAMING MONTHLY • www.1UP.com • 91 review crew: multiplatform PS2/XB ALIAS Good: Nifty voiceovers by the real actors Bad: Brutally busted combat Better Than: That V.P. game for PS1 SHANE: Alias is one of those rare TV shows that treads a delicate line between melodramatic soap opera and over-the- top action-thriller: Guys and gals can both watch it...even if they're secretly a little embarrassed (like me). Fellow fans of ABC's guilty pleasure will be thrilled that Acclaim lined up nearly all of the voice tal- ent (and the show's composer) for this game—hearing the real voices lends the game startling legitimacy. Likewise, Agent Bristow's supersexy in-game disguises and cool op-tech gizmos wouldn't be out of place on the show. Unfortunately, Alias completely fails to impress from a gameplay standpoint. The concept is fine—you explore mas- sive levels looking for intel, utilizing all manner of cool spy doohickeys to avoid detection. Disaster hits, though, when you actually attempt to be stealthy. With no Metal Gear-style radar or Splinter Cell-ish shadow meter, it's impossible to discern if you're visible...and you usually are. So missions degrade into mindless, clunky combat, in which imprecise fisticuffs and useless, fragile weapons abound. Don't bother. @ 5 02 5 > ш ЗЕ Е ЗНАМЕ JENNIFER JENNIFER: | don’t watch the spy show Alias, but I'm willing to bet it's a whole lot more action-packed than this game. Janky fighting, opt-out stealth seg- ments (it’s easier to run past guards than sneak), and dim-witted missions wouldn't go down well with the Nielsens, and they don’t with me. There is one little redeem- ing factor, though: The game has way more save points than you could possibly need. It’s as if the designers knew the game was kinda lame and added those in so it wouldn’t be both lame and annoying. GMR—ANDREW: То my great shock, Alias the game manages to successfully cap- ture the feel of Alias the TV show. Almost all of the principle characters appear, mis- sion locations and situations could have been lifted right from the show, the plot and script are well written, and even the voice acting is spot on...right down to Marshall's pointless rambling. Sadly, the combat is completely fouled up—Sydney kicking ass in a fluid, ballet-like manner is one of the biggest draws of the show, but in the game her herky-jerky, button-mash- ing kung fu is the biggest repellent. Publisher: Acclaim Developer: Acclaim Chatham Players: 1 ESRB: Teen ANDREW www.aliasthegame.com 92 • ELECTRONIC GAMING MONTHLY ® www.1UP.com NBA BALLERS | Captain Fancy Vince Carter wouldn't last three seconds with Ben | Wallace if this were prison rules. “Off the hizzle,” indeed. Good: Robust single-player experience (PS2 ОМУ) Bad: The long load times (even on Xbox) will put you to sleep Missing: His Airness, Michael Jordan BRYAN: Man oh man is the virtual bas- ketball court crowded these days (Live, ESPN, and Street, just to name a few). And now here comes МВА Ballers, the tricked-out Escalade (with dubs and spinners, of course) of basketball games. Midway's visually striking b-ball title doesn’t follow the norm of arcade-style sports games—and that’s a good thing. For starters, the 1-on-1 (and sometimes 1-on-1-on-1) gameplay is surprisingly deep. Seasoned sportos will welcome the challenge of mastering special moves like gravity-defying alley oops, as well as learning the precise timing for defensive counters. Secondly, Ballers offers a wealth of options to the lone gamer. The addictive rags-to-riches mode enables you to build an MTV Cribs—worthy resi- dence, while competing in tourneys unlocks NBA superstars and other sweet pads. There’s more than 30 hours of action for the guy or gal who prefers playing solo. Ballers does shoot a few air balls, though: Computer opponents perform irritating catch-up antics on occasion, and the game suffers from ridiculously long load times. Still, no true fan should miss out on Midway's all-new hoopster. АА ICK: It's nearly impossible to review NBA Ballers without using the term “bling,” so I'm just going to get it out of the way now. Ballers’ fairly basic game- play means just about anyone can pick up a controller and go, while the three- player 1-on-1-on-1 provides a nice varia- tion of your standard 1-on-1. The player models—especially the detailed faces—look amazing, right down to Allen lverson's tats and Larry Bird's disturbing- ly tight shorts. The deep-n-dope rags-to- riches mode is where you'll spend most of your time, starting as a playground scrub and hoopin’ your way to worth- while rewards: chromed-out cars, new clothes, and your own grossly ostenta- tious Xanadu. A cool b-ball single-player experience like this is truly a rare treat. OFFICIAL P: ARL ; MAG—6 0: Midway's latest arcade b-ball game includes everything that made the МВА Jam games entertaining—like over-the- top dunks and getting “on fire"—along with new (and counterable) dribbling moves, upping the strategic element of 1-on-1 basketball just enough to make it interesting. There's also а great career- type mode where you can earn some serious bling for your player. Unfortunately, like Ballers' predecessors, the A.I. can be ruthlessly cheap late in the game, but don’t let a little challenge scare you away from the court. "Ium Only PS2 owners can hoop it up online, but gameplay options are limited to 1-on-1. THE VERDICTS ОЛОР) BRYAN PATRICK GIANCARLO Publisher: Midway Developer: Midway Players: 1-3 (PS2: 2 online) ESRB: Everyone www.midway.com What, knife-wielding circus monkeys and {ооу green blobs again? PS2/GC SERIOUS SAM: NEXT ENCOUNTER It's a no-brainer ZALMAN Zalman ЦЗА, Inc. A A [ Good: Lots of slick shooting Bad: Not much else Also Known As: The Pride of Croatia G. FORD: Oh Sam, the memories we have. Who can forget our epic battle against the roomful of lightning-shooting cacodemons or our after-school visits to the strip club? Oh, wait, wrong hero. But not by much— Sam's latest console adventure seriously smacks of classic shooters such as Doom and Duke Nukem. 15 that bad? Well, how's this sound to у very time you enter a room, you'll need to dispense of a wave of enemies. Every time you pick up a shiny object, another wave appears. Every time you grab a cannonball gun, oh you better believe that's another wave. Don't get me wrong, this can be fun what with the fast action, simple yet smooth graphics, responsive controls, some multiplayer and online shenanigans, and big, tough bosses. But things certainly get repetitive, and while the first half of a level may elicit that corridor-shooting thrill you first experienced in 1994, the second half will undoubtedly drag. Serious Sam: Next Encounter isn't a great game—it's a homage to the games we thought were great a decade ago. CRISPIN: Boogers with legs? Awesome! Exploding nerds? Haha! Gameplay creakier than 10-year-old Doom clones? Brilliant! Serious Sam—a shooter as cutting edge as a calculator wrist- watch—has all those things. But it's still fun in that I-hope-no-one-sees-me-playing- this kinda way. It's just a dumb, colorful, hyperactive experience that lulls you into a never-stop-shooting stupor with its goofball enemies that swarm from every direction, even dropping from the sky. And it's only 20 bucks—you get exactly what you pay for. CJ: Serious Sam tosses atmosphere and ambience out the window in favor of a sim- ple rule: Shoot anything that moves. It won't take long for more cannon fodder to arrive, either. Hordes of ill-conceived ene- mies seem to spawn every 20 paces, lock- ing on to your jock like mice to a buffet of delicious cheeses. Ten years ago this balls- out approach might've been considered fresh, but today it feels like an empty stereotype of the genre's past. Some might dig its old-school vibe, but I'll take a pass. Publisher: Global Star Developer team Players: PS2: 1-2 (2-8 online); GC: 1-4 6. m emm ESRB: Mature www.globalstarsoftware.com Theatre 6 FINALIST Аи С роте IESE ) ааа ف‎ LH Model: ZM-RS6F ЖЕРЕ уты SOMM CALM ‘Awards and Recommendations | FastLaneH Perfect Score 10/10 "You feel like you are in the middle of the action. You can easily tel from which angle a sound is coming from." "You can pinpoint the location of the various background noises (cars, rain, wind, etc.)" LZ "Zalman's Real Surround Sound Headphones are definitely cool. If you ‘want surround sound without waking up the neighbors you might want to check them out.” [Zalman Tech Co., Ltd. ] Tel : +82-2-2107-3232 / Fax : +82-2-2107-3322 / www.zalman.co.kr [Zalman USA, Inc. ] Tel: +1-714-693-8880 / Fax: 714-693-8890 / http:/www.zalmanusa.com (2) review Crew: playstation 2 w Just Rewards Like taking down targets with a shot to the head? Or is hosing the place down with hot lead while scream- ing “Get some!” more your style? Depending on your strategy, Syphon Filter rewards you with different gear and guns. Sharpshooting, for instance, will earn sniper rifles, whereas playing the wild man is more likely to get you sub- machine guns. PAUL: In videogames, terrorism is the new kid- napping. Used to be, when game developers needed to whip up an antagonist in a hurry, they just had a couple of beefy thugs sucker-punch the main character's girlfriend and carry her away. These days, they have some militia-like organiza- tion try to blow stuff up. Syphon Filter doesn’t dress up the cliché—the game is full of bombs to disarm and villains with silly accents to shoot, and that’s just fine. Straightforward run-and-gun action gets the blood pumping. ... Until you have to stop to check the map, which is all the time. That's a problem, because looking at the map doesn’t suspend the action. Bad guys will shoot you dead while you figure out whether your objective is on the second floor or the third. (Poor sportsmanship!) As irritating as that is, it's manageable; just be sure you've killed all the enemies in the area before you plan a Multiplayer Remix All of Omega Strain's required missions can be played cooperatively online with up to four players. Level layouts and most objectives are the same as in the single-player game, but bringing friends along does allow for a few new tricks. For instance, in the first stage, your teammate can boost you on top of a parked truck (pull him up afterwards), letting you reach the second story of a nearby building—a wicked shortcut into the terrorists’ stronghold. Good: Cooperative online play Bad: Tons of pointless mission objectives The Cold War Is Over: Why are so many villains still Russian? 94 • ELECTRONIC GAMING MONTHLY • www.1UP.com SY PHOR FILTER: THE OMEGA STRAIN: Straining to keep up with the times route to the next goal. But what's with all the busywork? Every level has at least one painfully repetitive tacked-on objective. Set five C4 charges. Collect six data samples. On one mission you're asked to lock the four entrances of a terrorist-held building so that the local police don’t wander inside and get killed. Is that a job for a supersecret agent? The game would have been stronger without so much pointless padding. Thankfully, once you've accom- plished any part of an objective, it stays done even if you die. In fact, dying is hardly a setback in Omega Strain. Kicking the bucket hurts your score (which unlocks optional levels and better weaponry), but it doesn't slow your progress through the story. It's a pretty clever setup, actually. Casual gamers can blast through this adventure in a weekend, while more serious players will want to hone their айр | тт PAUL. SHAWN skills and improve their score in order to see everything the game has to offer. SHAWN: Omega Strain displays all the initial symptoms of a smart shoot-em-up but degener- ates into a low-fever game of good guy/bad guy. After lying dormant for years, the series should show visible signs of improvement, and in that respect, Strain doesn't disappoint. Around the world in 17 scenic and exciting missions, you'll visit (and violate) the palaces of tin-pot gener- alissimos, slip through dusty Middle Eastern marketplaces in disguise, and duel snipers in Russian snowfields. A few too many missions. ask you to play errand boy—plant explosives here, and here, and, oh yeah, over here too—but you'll have some say over your itinerary and can see the story through even after scrapping sev- eral of the less interesting objectives. ША lock-on targeting system helps you work around Omega Strain's outdated control scheme, but it's use- less against the tougher enemies later in the game. SHOE Publisher: Sony CEA Developer: Sony CEA Players: 1 (2-4 online) ESRB: Mature www.us.playstation.com Ivan’s vodka-infused and highly destructive joyride finally comes to an end. It's the controls, however, that'll get under your Skin. Auto-lock is so useless that enemies will ask for seconds even when it looks like you're force-feeding 'em whole magazines. The rest works, just not very well. For instance, Strain maps aiming and movement to the same analog Stick, so you can't shoot accurately without stop- ping to bring up your scope. Splitting up your duties with three other germ warriors in co-op quadruples the strategy and takes the sting out of backtracking, but sickly controls still contami- nate the online experience. SHOE: This game feels so piecemeal, and | mean that in the most unflattering way possible. | imag- ine part of the development process went some- thing like this: "Hey, how come some of the levels are full of extra paths and real estate that don't necessarily Where's Gabe Logan At? The hero of past Syphon Filters ain't your avatar this time out, although he is an unlockable character. Instead, you create your own agent, setting parameters for skin tone, hair color, body type, etc. There are just two problems: No matter which settings you choose, your agent will be ugly with a capital F, and they all look near- ly identical in-game. (But everyone gets a name tag on the display, so you can tell your teammates apart.) make sense?" "We had extra memory." “What about controls? We do have this archaic control scheme leftover from pre-dual-analog- stick days..." "Done and done." “Oh crap, we ran out of buttons on the controller. How will the players change weapons? Ooh! Light-bulb moment! How about the weapon-select on...the Select button! But that would be very awk- ward for players. Plus, if they run out of ammo and have to switch weapons in the middle of a fire- fight, they'll have to let go of the analog stick and become immobile—a total sitting duck.” “Hey, then God shouldn't have named that but- ton ‘Select.’ Do it...do it.” 1 abuse because | care. The Omega Strain had so much potential, with a great rewards system that gives you lots of stuff to unlock and four-player cooperative online play (which, by the way, gives us yet another button that creates a sitting-duck situation: Up on the D-pad to voice chat, so forget about talking to your human teammates while the action’s hot). But sloppy game design and cumbersome controls filter out almost all of the fun. ELECTRONIC GAMING MONTHLY • www.1UP.com 95 | A QUFVARA review crew: playstation 2 First rule of soccer club: Grab your goolies, 1 DONOVAN BÎ PlayStation 2 WORLD TOUR SOCCER 2005 Shanks one off the crossbar 2 In a perfect world, this would be NASCAR and we could watch it instead of play it. PlayStation 2 DESTRUCTION DERBY ARENAS Driving for dummies -— у š; M 187K. With next to no offensive weaponry involved, strategy equals hitting the other guy but good. 96 * ELECTRONIC GAMING MONTHLY ® www.1UP.com Best Team Name: Al-Ansar Chronic PATRICK: 2004 is for babies, according to 989 Sports—it’s decided to leap straight from World Tour Soccer 2003 to World Tour Soccer 2005. Unfortunately, despite the time warp into the far-flung future, World Tour hasn't changed enough to take a seri- ous run at the competition (Winning Eleven and FIFA). While the other guys make sig- nificant gameplay and graphical improve- ments, World Tour pretty much stays the course and even moves a bit more to the arcade end of the simulation/arcade spec- trum. World Tour may be easy to play, but you won't feel the same elation when you score a goal, nor will it look as nice. World Tour does pack in an astounding 900-plus club and international teams, hail- ing from all around the globe (Iraq versus Bahamas? Let's get it on!), including MLS squads (unlike last season). | just wish 989 had implemented some of the same fea- tures it added to MLB and GameDay, like online tournaments and USB headset voice commands to direct players and change strategies. Oh, and another thing: Why do all soccer coaches sport mustaches? Is that some kind of rule | don’t know about? PATRICK BRYAN Good: 20-player online matches Good: Easy to play, with tons of club and international teams Bad: Laggy controls, no online multiplayer DEMIAN BRYAN: Patrick’s right; World Tour simply can’t compete with soccer behemoths Winning Eleven and FIFA. The game comes up short in several areas (it has lackluster visuals, a recycled career mode, no online play), but these inadequacies aren't the real problem. That dishonor goes to World Tour's unresponsive controls: Passes and shots occur long after you've pushed the appropriate button, which in turn severely handicaps your ability to score and shut down the opposition. You’re better off leav- ing this soccer match on the store shelf. DEMIAN: If | didn't know much about soc- cer, Ра like World Tour all right. It's very easy to pick up and play, and even score— unlike some of the more hardcore competi- tion. But Winning Eleven 7 and FIFA are tough at first because they're so deep. World Tour is easy because it's ultimately a pretty shallow version of soccer. Sadly, that's not even the biggest problem; as Bryan noted, there's way too much lag between button presses and actual onscreen action. Rabid soccer fans whistle instead of boo, so here it is: pfweeeeeet. Publisher: Sony CEA 1-2 (2-8 w/Multitap) www.989sports.com Bad: You can beat the single-player game in about an hour We'd Rather Play: Twisted Metal Black | like smacking into other cars. Sure 1 do. But Destruction Derby Arenas takes an exciting Sunday-driving pastime and turns it into a thoroughly unexciting game. It's easy to beat the 16-event sin- gle-player championship on your first try, and then all that's left is to go through it over and over again with different cars. | did, and now I'd kinda like those hours of my life back. Unlocking a handful of new vehicles and maxing out my upgrades isn't much payoff, even if they are a cake- walk to earn. The 20-player online (broadband only) battles are fun at first, but human oppo- nents, even a whole lot of 'em, can't make up for Arenas' fundamentally shallow gameplay and dated graphics. (By the way, there's voice chat in the game lobby, but not while playing. Bleh.) The Destruction Derby franchise may have had а good rep in the PS1 days, but now it's a rusted-out beater best left up on blocks. People attend demolition derby events for one reason—to catch a glimpse of highlight-worthy fender ben- (OUT OF 10) THE VERDICTS DEMIAN BRYAN ANDREW ders. But don't expect any E> spectacular pileups in Arenas; even crash-test dummies would yawn at this wreckage. And that's not the only prob- lem here: The game's visuals are circa PS1, and the bare-bones championship mode offers little challenge (you'll unlock the majority of the cars and tracks during your first sitting). Now | give Arenas props for heading online, but c'mon, do you really wanna drive around in jalopies that resemble your little bro's Matchbox collection? | sure don't. If not for the online play, Destruction Derby's lasting appeal would clock in at a little over an hour. It's far too easy, due to the odd balance of the championship mode: The early cours- es are ripe for both high placement and destruction points, while the latter events are so fast, they present little opportunity to smash and crash. But scoring tens of thousands of points in the final arena level—a task easily accomplished—often makes up the difference and renders the previous races irrelevant. Publisher: Gathering Developer: Studio 33 Players: 1-2 (2-20 online) ESRB: Teen www.godgames.com PlayStation 2 LA PUCELLE: TACTICS. A religious experience for strat buffs Good: Rewarding, complex combat Bad: Sadly outdated visuals Tangentially Related To: Disgaea: Hour of Darkness If you played last fall’s cult hit Disgaea: Hour of Darkness, you'll experience an odd bout of déja vu with La Pucelle: Both games hail from the same developer and fea- ture similar-looking characters, ene- mies, items, and battles. And tragi- cally, in this case, “similar-looking” translates to “looks like a Game Boy Advance game.” Just as with Disgaea, however, it’s worth the effort to look beyond the antiquated exterior to discover a surprisingly rewarding strategy-RPG. La Pucelle's story line can't quite measure up to the devious hilarity of its acid-tongued cousin, but it’s still pretty easy to get wrapped up in this anime-influenced tale of ass-kicking holy crusaders battling a rival church. While the narrative's great, combat provides the game's true source of addiction—coordinating team attacks, monster recruitment, and a wild series of Dark Energy Rain of Fire Magic power increases with use, so don’t be overly frugal. Alouette summons makes every tactical melee a blast. Plus, this seemingly little game belies massive depth: Questing after each chapter's “good ending” and exploring the entirely optional Dark World stages will keep completists in the fray for eons. Just as | was doubled over, puking because of this game's sick- ly sweet, made-for-idiot-toddlers dialogue and characters, the story line jammed an ice pick in my back with terrifying plot twists, including murder victims with their hearts torn out. Is this a kid’s game or not? No matter—the gameplay will keep hardcore gamers sated for weeks, long after the sugar-and-spice candy coating has numbed their brains to death. This game has it all: monsters to capture and raise, upgradeable items and spells, and incredibly rich character customiza- tion. | got sucked in to this as badly THE VERDICTS (QUT OF 10) Publisher: Mastiff Developer: Nippon Ichi Players: 1 е 9 ө ESRB: Teen as | did with both Final Fantasy Tactics, so that's saying a lot: 50-some great hours, lots. Developer Nippon Ichi has found its calling: wacky-tobaccy strategy-RPGs for hardcore gamers. La Pucelle is no exception—despite its age (it was released in Japan in 2002) and goofy story, it's every bit as cute and addictive as Disgaea. Really, it’s hard to find a game in which the normally tedious process of raising your party’s stats is such unbridled fun. What's the secret? A mixture of innovative game rules (the “dark tiles,” like Disgaea’s geo panels, turn some battles into miniature puzzles) and nearly end- less army customization. Of course, you'll be completely befuddled for the first hour or two, but once it all Clicks, you'll find La Pucelle difficult to put down. www.mastiff-games.com Move over 007... Alex Rider is here Enter the Alex Rider sweepstakes for a chance to win À Microsoft хеох video game system The Alex Rider Adventures are available now, wherever books are sold. Philomel Books А division of Penguin Young Readers Group NO PURCHASE NECESSARY. Void where prohibited. Open to legal U.S. residents ages 12-16 who live in the continental U.S. Sweepstakes ends July 30, 2004. For complete rules and entry information visit www.penguin.com/eaglestrikesweepstakes © 2004 Microsoft Corporation. Microsoft, Xbox. and the Xbox logos are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Microsoft Corporation in the US. and/or in other countries, ы Final Fantasy XI is finally here, and damn, is it a 10,000 hit-point monster. But be warned: This isn't your little bro's Final Fantasy. Chocobo trappings aside, it shares more similari- ties with massively multiplayer online role-playing games like EverQuest Online Adventures and Asheron's Call (PC) than it does with classic Fantasy titles. And that means it may not only threaten to take over your life, but also frustrate the heck out of you. Yet, you'll find few games as rewarding (and addictive), provided you're the kind of person will- ing to put in the time. Just don't expect to hit the ground running. You ain't gonna save the world from Armageddon (or Sephiroth), fight three- story-tall hell spawns, or pilot a state-of-the-art flying galleon—at least not at first. Rather, you'll perform the occasional delivery mission for a шор =m auto-attack, Select a target ` Faustoona misses tho S Fausteena starts casting (Mm on the Goblin Thus. The Goblin Thug raadios Bomb Toss, Target Faustoona hit Goblin Thug for 7 Goblin Thug. Points of domi тә Tho Goblin Thug hits Faustoona for 4 points of. E 98 • ELECTRONIC GAMING MONTHLY • www.1UP.com FINAL FANTASY XI ONLINE Hold on to your moogles— it's finally here oo. Yep, it's kinda cute. Now kill it. beleaguered townsperson, kill dozens upon dozens of lowly (and often cute) critters, and hawk animal parts in the game's virtual auction house. Sound like fun? Well, it is. Every tiny success in Final Fantasy XI—be it selling a valuable item at the auction house or completing a mission you've been gnawing at for days—brings with it an immense feeling of accomplishment. And soon enough, your character stops being a total chump, and you're able to explore the enormous, beautiful world of Vana'diel at your leisure. Two big factors keep FFXI from being the online RPG of my dreams. First, after about 15 hours of play, it becomes basically impossible to get anything done without a big group, which usually takes some time to assemble (though usually less time than in EverQuest). And second, Bug exterminator: It's a sensible career choice. it's a pain in the ass to play with your friends. You have to buy an expensive in-game item called a World Pass and give your pals the pass number, and then they have to create all-new characters on your server. Ouch! Still, Руе been playing FFX/ since it came out on PC last year, and | picked up the PS2 version just so could play it on my couch. Call it psy- chosis, call it true love, call it whatever. Now if you'll excuse me, | have a chocobo to ride. Ever since EverQuest Online Adventures tried (and failed) to do it on PS2, I've wondered whether it’s possible to create a vibrant, massively multiplayer role-playing com- munity on consoles. With the Stateside PS2 release of Final Fantasy ХІ, | see clearly now that the answer is yes. FFX/ does something brilliant: ) (OUT OF THE VERDICTS Publisher: Sony CEA Developer: Square Enix Players: 1-co (online only) ESRB: Teen www.square-enix-usa.com It throws console gamers right into the mix with а community that's been brewing now for over a year in Japan and many months on PC. The results are astonishing. | was never at a loss for a good group—in fact, | had to fend off eager role- players itchin' to score with me (loot and experi- ence, | mean!). Whenever | had a question, veter- an players were always willing to take a minute to show me the ropes. Even beyond the community aspect, FFX/ is awesome. Exploring the huge, beautiful world (with the help of an excellent map system) is exciting by itself. Tons of quests make it easy to find your next goal, and the immersion into the Final Fantasy world is complete, from classes and races down to the nonplayer-character dialogue and music. | just worry that nonfans won't make the time-consuming leap. After weeks on the bumblebee-slayin' treadmill (have | lost weight?), I'm finally getting to dig in. But why does it have to take so damn long? Readers with long memories and even longer back-issue collections may remember that EGM called FFXI "Final Fantasy...with a few thou- sand of your closest friends" half a year ago. This statement, while nice and snappy, isn't complete- ly accurate—you'll need a lot of friends, yes, but this game will cause serious culture shock in die- hard Fantasy fanatics. If you aren't familiar with large-scale online RPGs, your first few hours with FFX/ will be more than a little daunting. There's lingo to learn, a new and alien battle system to master, and a game world almost the size of real-life Earth to explore. Trouble is, as a level 1 questling, there's not much Final Fantasy XI Newbie Handbook So you're dying to be a real-deal, stone-cold player, but right now you're a green, whiny п00Б-Бигдег. We're here to help. ———— ны — — Fiddle around: As soon as you land in the world, screw with all the menus and figure out what they do. It's not like you can die in your starting city. And if you somehow do, you'll make a little bit of history. Explore: Learn the lay of the land. Find the auction houses and shops, and talk to every NPC you see. You'll have a log full of quests in no time. And ask questions—everybody was a newbie once. The Internet is your friend: Use online resources to help you make the most of FFXI. Start here: www.somepage.com/ffxi. M Moogle sez: Don't be a jerk you can do besides hug the outskirts of town and whap away at butterflies all day. In other words, FFXI starts out very, very slowly and stays slow for hours—that's where the culture shock comes from. Join a party, though, and the world suddenly becomes far more accessible. Grouping up is the only way to build your character rapidly in FFXI, and high-level heroes gain access to powerful jobs and items, exotic missions, and, well, more ways to earn experience points. But you won't mind the minor hassle of joining (or starting) a. group, for some reason. That's what makes FFXI seem special in a way EverQuest Online Adventures isn't: While there's a learning curve so steep you need а рисках to climb it, the “we're all in this together" play mentality is unique and, yes, terribly addictive. DON'Ts Don’t beg for money: This is the quickest way to be branded an undesirable by 99 percent of the playing population. Insi а people politely how they got so filthy stinkin’ rich, and if they aren't tools, they'll share their wisdom. As long as уо! Don't let your mouth run: If you have question, use a private Лей. Sure, the occasional /shout is easy enough to ignore, but it's more considerate (and productive) to converse in private. Hot tip: Nobody cares about your thoughts on today's geopolitical climate. Don’t spoil the party: Word travels fast on Vana'diel jerk to others, you'll get a bad rep. When that happens, good luck ind if you're а finding.a party. Or meone to sit with at the lunch table. ELECTRONIC GAMING MONTHLY ® www.1UP.com • 99 © Black slingshot netted briefs— what all the tyrant monsters will be wearing this season. PlayStation 2 Bits of levels from previous Resident Evil games pop up now and then in Outbreak. Remember this scene from RE2? RESIDENT EVIL OUTBREAK | Have No Chat, and | Must Scream One thing РИ say for Outbreak—it is absolutely gorgeous. Its fully 3D environments allow for dramatic camera pans and zooms, yet Still somehow pack in all the detail of RE's tradi- tional flat, prerendered backgrounds. In terms of gameplay, this is classic RE—grab keys, mix chemicals, conserve ammo, solve puzzles—with the story line removed and multiplayer added. Branching paths, tons of unlockables, and secrets galore encourage replay—so what's the problem? Communication. Or rather, a lack thereof. The stiff difficulty, branching levels, and especially your severely limited inventory (most characters have only four slots for items) make cooperation among players essential, but the inexplicable lack of voice (or even keyboard) chat completely destroys all hope of real teamwork. Once the game starts, the only way to communicate is with 10 preset phrases ("Go!" "Help!" etc.). Even after you master this соп- voluted system, deciding simple things like which floor everyone will take an elevator to, much less implementing real strategy like "Let's split up, you do this, we'll do that,” is impossible. So instead of fostering the teamwork and camaraderie that makes online gaming special, Outbreak has every- one quietly going about their own business, only occasionally working together in the most obvious ways. Single player is nearly as frustrating, thanks to A.l.-controlled teammates who have a talent for doing exactly the wrong thing. | don't think Americans have proven they can handle an online game that demands team- work (anyone get Ра in Phantasy Star Online?). But even if we did learn to play nice, Outbreak still wouldn’t be that fun. It has familiar enemies, weapons, and locales reworked into a handful of cool-but-predictable RE adventures that are actu- ally quite good offline, but fraught with logistical issues on the Net (finding lost teammates without chat, battling zombies with lag). | also much pre- fer the old control style—the new 3D-style move- Trade Deficit Since most characters have only four slots for hold- ing weapons, ammo, healing items, keys, etc., you'll ment is much more confusing. And though the large cast is nice, only a few characters are invaluable (big-sack Yoko), while others are a novelty at best (fix-it man David, doctor George). The greatest evil residing in Outbreak isn't the hordes of zombies out to go all Dawn of the Dead on your ass—it's the shoddy online play structure. Capcom claims. that not being able to speak or type to others makes the game scarier, but this and things like having to wait minutes—maybe even hours!—for others in the lobby after you die really just make it less fun to play. Single-player action redeems the faulty online setup with five unrelated scenarios (would it have been that hard to link them some- how?) in which you really have to work with the A.l. characters to succeed. Whether offline or on, facing zombies with some backup adds an inter- esting gameplay mechanic to the RE formula. If only the online setup weren't so disappointin need to trade items often in Outbreak. Trouble is, the game was built for online play, so it doesn't pause when you bring up your inventory to trade or use items (even in single player). What's worse, the item menu closes if you take damage. Imagine trying to hand a dying player a healing herb over and over, only to get attacked over and over, eventually ending up dead yourself. It happens! A lot! How "bout a little fire, scarecrow? Publisher: Capcom Developer: Capcom Players: 1 (1-4 online) ESRB: Mature THE VERDICTS (ОТОР МАКК JON D. CHRIS www.capcom.com 100 • ELECTRONIC GAMING MONTHLY • www.1UP.com PlayStation.? playable demos ° inside the game ° videos ° replay ° track СТД ° extras ON SALE NOW PlayStation Ё: PlayStation 2 You and what army Sushi replaces dim sum, and Samurai, rather than Chinese swordsmen, spill blood by the gallon. Dynasty Warriors’ cast of thousands may be got up in different garb, but the song remains the same in Samurai Warriors. On the surface, the series is simple: If it moves, stab it, and when it stops, find something else to Skewer. Each of the game's 15 or so playable fight- ers specializes in a specific pointy object and wades through rivals with a repertoire of pokes. But it's the behind-the-scenes strategy that puts the art in Samurai's otherwise mindlessly fun war. To thwart a warlord, you'll have to maintain your army's morale, know when to attack and retreat, and work in concert with allied commanders. While the Sun-Tzu slant gives Samurai Warriors an edge over most slashers, so little has changed since the series' inception that its shortcom- ings—namely, repetitiveness and choppy perfor- mance—are starting to show. Interior stages aren't cutting it; set in booby-trapped castles, 102 • ELECTRONIC GAMING MONTHLY • www.1UP.com they take away the trademark tactics, the cavalry charges and clashing armies, and go back to the genre’s grindstone with mazes and monotony. A few made-in-Japan heroes—like the ninja Hanzo, who swings a sickle and chain—put a faster spin on the bloodletting, but most of the cast aren’t much different from their cousins in China’s Three Kingdoms. Of course, diehards won't care—they'll be content maxing the stats of each officer in their entourage, collecting every last weapon and power-up in the warring states. I've hacked and slashed so many Asian people in these Warriors games that I’m develop- ing a guilty conscience. You know, what with me being Asian and a non-mass-murderer and all. I'm also growing numb to all the killing—which means Samurai Warriors doesn't provide any big- time thrills but still satisfies my occasional need for a mindless action game. In а way, l'm surprised that | like this game. It's Sashimi for Two Split the screen, and two can slice through Samurai Warriors’ story mode together or compete in several challenges. To claim victory in showdown mode, simply slay your opponent and his army. Strike mode's object is to slaughter 1,000 enemies, while pursuit pits players in a race to capture the lard- assed Goemon, who’s hiding in a fortress full of look-alikes. Finding fatty is the most fun, but in all cases, the action slows to a crawl with too many characters onscreen. Samurai Warriors’ primitive graphics offer a better his- tory lesson than Из subject matter. SAMURAI WARRIORS really not that different from the hundred Dynasty Warrior games before it. Character development (skill and stat raising, leveling up, etc.) is improved, and the new ninja and samurai styles of fighting are cool. The sense of déjà vu here, however, will smack you black and blue, Die-hard Warriors will enjoy Samurai, but only halfheartedly, knowing rev- olutionary new gameplay is still MIA. Taking out 500 enemies or more іп a single battle could've become dreadfully repetitive, but Samurai Warriors stays sharp, thanks mostly to RPG-ish character advancement (including lots of new moves to master). This war won't be over in a weekend, either—five branching campaigns provide plenty of opportunities to earn honor in battle. A somewhat confusing interface and dis- jointed midbattle cut-scenes make keeping track of allies and major enemies a chore, occasionally shrouding the path to victory, but otherwise, Samurai Warriors slices and dices. Repetitive work is best performed with a pal. THE VERDICTS (OUTOF 10) SHAWN Publisher: Koei Developer: Omega Force Players: 1-2 ESRB: Teen SHOE www. koei.com PlayStation 2 TRANSFORMERS Optimally Primed First things first: Yes, this game's robo-heroes do make that “er-ah-ee” noise from the old car- toon when they quickly change from autos to battlebots. But even if you never spent after-school hours zonked in front of the show (musta been one of those PBS kids), Transformers is still a supercharged, Halo-inspired shooter with slick exploration and custom-robo tinker- ing elements bolted on. Credit goes to the Mini-Cons, lit- tle-buddy ‘bots strewn across the sprawling levels. You snap them to your Autobot hero four at a time to gain new weapons and abilities (shielding, invisibility, yadda, yadda). And since later-level enemies and bosses—especially a maddeningly frustrating aircraft carrier that morphs into a robot bigger than the Mall of America—require experimen- tation to topple, you'll need to revisit HES Clevelandbot: Don't make it angry. THE VERDICTS CRISPIN SHAWN Good: Fun-to-explore levels, robo-customization Bad: Ну control, some bosses fight dirty Nostalgic? The game's based on the new show, not the old "toon earlier stages to find as many Mini-Cons as you can to improve your combat skills. It's not as tedious as it sounds, especially once you find glider wings that let you reach previ- ously inaccessible areas. Unfortunately, you only get three Autobot heroes to choose from, and they all handle awkwardly as robots. But if you're a Transformers fan, | had you at the er-ah-ee part anyway. Fun toys—like machines that transform into trucks, meeting your robot and Tonka needs with one purchase—don't guarantee a good game, but Transformers taps the franchise without feeling forced. Granted, | still don't know what business a big rig has in the Amazon basin or any of the other gigantic, way-too-good-looking-for- a-licensed-game levels, but who's complaining when you can roll out Publisher: Atari Players: 1 ESRB: Teen DEMIAN www.atari.com Quick-change artist: Tap Triangle to transform anytime. Vehicle mode is best for running down enemies (left) or long road trips across the huge levels. and roll over other robots? (Never mind Crispin's fuss about the controls; a little clunkiness is excus- able when you're a walking car.) Plus, the collectible Mini-Cons are actually cooler here than the cheap- S0-poor-kids-can-play-too Transformers are in real life. Kinda like last year's Metal Arms, this over-the-shoulder robo-shooter totally ambushed me with how unexpectedly awesome it is. Though | wish more Autobots were playable—Optimus, Red Alert, and Hot Shot are so vanilla, robot- wise—the Mini-Con collecting and upgrade system encourages explo- ration and keeps combat interest- ing. The unlockable '80s public ser- vice announcements are gold, too. Fans of transformable robots, your ship (which also turns into a robot) has come in. Developer: Melbourne House ро WHAT (YOU | LOVE Ld BELON A < COLLINS COLLEGE Game Design Animation informi all г coru 1.888.356.7777 THE rwr AMES GUARANTEED IN STOCK uy! TRY BEFORE YOU B PlayStation 2 Scared stupid Bad: Boring trial-and-error gameplay Even Worse Combat Controls Than: While Siren's story and voice acting are well above par for a sur- vival-horror game, it commits many of the genre's classic mistakes— difficult controls, boring enemies— and invents a spectacular blunder all its own. The game's most interesting fea- ture turns out to be its biggest prob- lem. The characters you control can "sightjack" zombies, telepathically seeing what they see. From that, you're supposed to guess where they are, then avoid them while you figure out how to reach the level's exit. То that | say: fat chance. Locating ene- mies by sightjacking is like trying to draw a map of Hawaii using only strangers’ vacation photos. There's no way to corroborate your guesses, since zombies don’t appear on the game's map (neither do your charac- ters, incidentally), and by the time you make visual contact, they've already popped out of the dense fog, eaten your heart, and paid the check. After being killed 15 times or more оп many of Siren’s levels, | wasn't con “l could have.sworn 1 left the old nurse's shoes around here somewhere... Good: Innovative brains-over-brawn approach crackshot undead riflemen will. review creu: playstation 2 ® Ёї Resident Evil afraid of zombies anymore. | was afraid | was wasting my time. As with Silent Hill, the ele- gant, haunting atmosphere in Siren makes it a hell of an interactive hor- ror show. But Siren strips your defenses and puts you constantly on the run—with virtually nothing to steer you on the right path. So you're actually supposed to ignore that combination lock, find a bucket to stand on, and climb a nearby shack? Sure thing. Piecing together the correct tasks while treading water in a sea of red herrings means running recon a couple of times through every stage before you'll find success. It's a promising start, but Рт hopeful a Siren 2 will emerge to work out some of the title’s annoying kinks. Siren is an experiment gone awry—a confusing fog-sacked combination of stealth and survival- horror that'll drive you batty with frustration before it can creep you out. What the hell does a phone card, old nurse's shoes, and a power line have in common? Why, you use all this crap to escape zombified hayseeds, of course. Siren's mis- sion-based levels are full of such random junk that you must mix non- sensically. Don't worry about pesky logic; if trying to solve puzzles the smart way doesn't kill you, the and/or othe fon and th 5.0 7.0 PAUL JON D. (QUTOF10) THE VERDICTS Publisher: Sony CEA Developer: Sony СЕ! Players: 1 ESRB: Mature | i N Tights 1 E) Content suitable for persons age Û and old CRISPIN етой age 13 and older. [M] Content suitable % revieW Crew: xbox 1, Capcom is adding to the Line of Contact experience every week, unlocking new mechs and maps as the war rages оп. шт STEEL BATTALION: LINE OF CONTACT We're sorry, your line has been disconnected Good: Gritty realism, ultradeep robo-combat Bad: Aggravating connection problems Find Mech-Saving Tips Online At: sbc.pippin.us TOCA RACE DRIVER 2: THE ULTIMATE RACING SIMULATOR Oh! In your face, Gran Turismo! In your face! Good: Huge variety of racing types all done well Bad: Career mode follows a rather linear path Secret Joy: Inflicting six-figure damage on a six-figure car CRISPIN: Line of Contact's target audi- ence—mech obsessives who lived on ramen for a month to afford the required 200-buck controller—will find lots to like in this online-only follow-up. Survival in the evolving campaign requires militant commitment, exactly what you want from а simulator that demands as much hand- eye savvy as driving a stick shift while programming your VCR. Do you pick a featherweight robot and play recon? Should you lock on to ene- mies—thus alerting them to your pres- ence—or play stealthy and use trickier manual aiming? Is powering down your electrical system to spoof pursuers worth the risk of running out of air? We're talk- ing a fighter-jet level of complexity. But it’s all a big cockpit tease, because online play is busted. You'll twiddle your sticks for half an hour waiting for enough players to start a match, and hefty con- nection-speed requirements make for laggy play in games with more than six people. It’s a shame, because when this game works, it works. Capcom insists it's still tweaking—we'll let you know if this jalopy gets fixed up and flies right. № Customize your bot with logos. Recognize ours by its totally sweet airbrushed unicorn. CRISPIN MARK MARK: To paraphrase the saying, Line of Contact is long periods of intense boredom interrupted by moments of sheer excitement. Maybe, maybe 10 percent of the game is actual combat. The rest is spent finding a good server (a frus- trating trial-and-error process, thanks to an awful interface), waiting for others to join, outfitting your mech, and moving into position. The actual fighting is thrilling— both overall strategy and reflexes on the 40-button controller are important—and the campaign mode is brilliant. But when you've fought only three battles in two hours, you start to wonder if it's worth it. XBN—CHE: Line of Contact is a poorly conceived, terribly executed piece of crap—but those who already own the original $200 game have almost no choice but to buy this full-priced addendum. Anybody who isn’t a member of the deca- dent gaming elite, steer clear. If you can even establish a game on Xbox Live, bar- ring connection issues, you'll have to con- tend with an appalling online user inter- face, mountainous learning curves, and impenetrable lag. Spare yourself the pain. You've already spent $250 on the controller and game, so what's another $350 for this custom cockpit? Burn that money at www.fareast gaming.com. Publisher: Capcom Developer: Capcom Players: 2-10 (online only) ESRB: Teen www.capcom.com 106 * ELECTRONIC GAMING MONTHLY • www.1UP.com Га call TOCA a 30-car pileup if Cars were racing genres and massive accidents got me really hot. It's a smooth, sexy sampler of every driving type and terrain imaginable—from open-wheel rac- ing to rally to big rigs in Africa (no foolin’). Online or offline, it's much more diverse and organic than the sterile Gotham or redundant RalliSport, though not as deep as either. Details like the turbos whining as they spooled volumes of boost through my Skyline’s engine until | let up to а sat- isfying chuff from the blow-off valve, as well as keen physics—exaggerated just a touch to make the skids, flips, and spec- tacular piece-by-piece damage more dynamic—sucked me right in. It's a great title for beginners and seasoned vets looking for a not-too-serious commitment. | found the linear progression pretty limiting—1 couldn't stray much from the beaten path—but nothing else really turned up to crash my TOCA party. Sorry, folks, but here's yet another Xbox racer you may have to buy this year. TOCA delivers the ultimate in hardcore gearhead bragging rights: a clutch button. You don’t have to use it, but it's there. This is Codemasters’ Gran Turismo, with less tinkering, garage put- tering, and a little less polish, but far more diverse race classes (from Formula Ford to...semitrucks?) and a career mode that, while silly at times, actually tells a story. It's tough but rewarding if you have the skill and patience. ТОСА also offers 12- player online racing (with optional CPU cars to round out the field), though it lacks the extra Live features that made Project Gotham Racing 2 so great. TOCA differentiates itself from a crowded genre by covering, quite literal- ly, the gamut of motorsport competitions. For a jack-of-all-trades-style racer, TOCA plays surprisingly well in all categories, mostly due to the game's brutal, yet addictively realistic physics and collision system. Whether you're driving a Subaru WRX on ice in a rallycross face-off or doing laps in a NASCAR-like oval, TOCA feels, on a gameplay level, fundamentally consistent within its own automotive reality—-on and off Xbox Live. This ornery-but-heart-of-gold Scottish stereotype is your pit hoss in career mode. (ОЛ OF 10) DEMIAN | THE VERDICTS JON D. Publisher: Codemasters Developer: Codemasters Players: 1-4 (2-12 online) ESRB: Everyone Www.codemasters.com DEFINING А CULTURE, CREATING A NATION x à £ ye THE ADVANCED XBOX MAGAZINE : ү Y / P € t Ces] _ ir = get | ™ Gamecube £ CUSTOM ROBO Hot robo-on-robo Call it Robomon or Pokébot; | do. Custom Robo is similar to Nintendo’s monster-training game, except you've got a robot and an ever-growing collection of unique parts instead of a roster of fire-breathing puffballs. The bit where you van- quish evil (bots, in this case) in the name of truth and justice (cue victory pose) is about the same. This simple, no-frills approach to mechanized wrasslin’ works: The battles are fast, the action is packed, and there’s just the right amount of strate- gy, thanks to each holosseum’s (your virtual battle- grounds) varied terrain. Customizing your bot with new weapons to fit your particular combat style is easily the best part, and the game is balanced well enough so that no one robo is all-powerful. But like Capcom’s recent robo-fighter Gotcha Force (GC), Custom Robo is a single-player snooze- fest. The story mode feels like it’s just there to keep you busy while you're unlocking new parts— itis well written and has a few laughs, but it never breaks from its boring, formulaic nature. You'll spot 100- different guns, ج‎ || bombs, and missile pods ry spunky, spiky-haired anime kid from the future A death-dealing metallic kitten from hell 108 • ELECTRONIC GAMING MONTHLY • www.1UP.com action...for kids the obvious plot twists a mile away, and it’s not even exciting to watch, since the story's told through talking heads and text bubbles. | had hoped Custom Robo would set a high- water mark for robo-combat games, but | hoped for too much. Though the fighting’s great (even when it’s of the slightly confusing four-player vari- ety), | can't help but be disappointed by the rest. Nintendo finally brings this Japanese robo- battling series Stateside, and, well, it's pretty much OK. But don’t be fooled by the role-playing vibe. Custom Robo follows the same pseudo-RPG arche- type seen in Pokémon Colosseum—you explore a limited overworld and talk to townsfolk, but it’s all just meaningless window dressing for spacing out the combat. Some of the dialogue is cute and clever, but the plot redefines predictability, and the quest ends far earlier than you'd expect. Thankfully, solid robot-on-robot combat helps redeem the game. As the name implies, it's all Homemade Rohot Grudge Match BATTLEBOT WEAPONRY TOP SPEED OPERATOR LOOKS LIKE about deep customization: Different weapons, bod- ies, and legs alter your bot's performance tremen- dously. Even so, battles tend to be extremely intense, short, and easy. Multiplayer delivers the game's fiercest thrills...too bad you have to suffer through the talky RPG to unlock all the goodies. CJ and Shane can dog Robo all they want on account of its story, but | thought we'd settled this: It's all about the gameplay. Virtual On's frantic robo-combat mixed with two parts Pokémon does it for me. The controls take a little getting used to, but in the long run, they prove to be even better than Virtual On’s, and the number of customizable parts available is second only to the amount found in the mechanically fetishistic Armored Core series. The presentation skews a bit young in a schoolbook sort of way, but not nearly so much as Gotcha Force. Robo's an amalgamation of oddly similar themes that, in practice, gels as а fun and unique action-RPG. Colorful spinning blades and chin-battering ram -night talk show | wars’ heavy-armor brigade THE VERDICTS (OUT OF 10) { You're dismissed! The rest is up to you!! Your boss would rather show his feelings in pictures. Publisher: Nintendo Developer: Noise Players: 1-4 ESRB: Teen www.custom-robo.com REVIEWS Beneath the radar, in under the wire atch quick looks at the games that didn't make the cut this month or won't show until next issue. Play as Mulder (for shootin’) or Scully (for more puzzles...and autopsies). PS2/XB * VU Games — It’s billed as an “original” episode of the con- voluted conspiracy TV show, and Resist or Serve delivers with all the series’ stars providing voices, a Clever script, and appearances from every major character—including the Lone Gunmen and that nefari- ous cigarette-smoking old guy. But there's nothing original about the gameplay, cloned from Resident Evil and Silent Hill, complete with zom- bies and crummy control. PS2/XB • Rockstar — After lan- guishing in development for years, Western-themed shooter Red Dead Revolver eluded our review posse (on account of the varmints at You cowboys are so transparent... Rockstar not giving it to us on time) and rode into stores. Our impressions, based on a half hour or so with a near-final version? We noticed the aiming system was mercifully simpli- fied from the spazzy controls of previ- ous versions, giving the game a faster, more arcade-like feel. The sweat-stained Old West vibe is defi- nitely in full effect, with music, envi- ronments, and even the game's menus carrying the theme well. We got the sense the gunplay could get repetitive (many enemies behaved like shooting-gallery. cutouts), but some gameplay variety (including a unique quick-draw mechanic using the analog stick and a level in which you ride a horse alongside an armored train) gave us hope. Xbox ® Rockstar — Just so’s you know, Manhunt is out for Xbox, so if you want slightly better graphics when decapitating dudes with gar- rotes and baseball bats, go for it. REVIEW CREW SURVIVOR Think you got the goods to join Electronic Gaming Monthly’s Review Crew? Let us take you down a notch, hotshot. One lucky writer will join the Review Crew on a contributing basis...if he or she can make it through Review Crew Survivor. The rest of you get public humiliation. Send This: WA VHS tape—two minutes with you on camera, telling us why you belong on the Review Crew, and five minutes of you playing a videogame of your choice, demonstrating how hardcore you are. We want to see you playing the game, the action on the screen, and that no cheat devices were used. № Writing samples—two word reviews of two di videogames of your choice (don't forget to include scores using our review scale—see pg. 91) № Your name, mailing address, and phone numb EGM Review Crew Survivor 101 Second St, 8th Floor San Francisco, CA 94105 Entries due Wednesday; C * аъ A rare scene devoid of decapitation. Otherwise, there's little to differenti- ate it from the PS2 version. Mark our words: When politicians catch wind of this game in about eight years, it'll finally bump Mortal Kombat and Doom as the premier malevolent force corrupting our children. Yeah, they're supposed to look dumb. PS2/XB/GC • Crave — Humans fight cartoon orc monsters in this silly take on Final Fantasy Tactics. It's not cutting-edge, but the gameplay's impressive for a $15 title. Though we ran out of space in this issue, we aim to shoehorn a full look at Tactics in next month's Review Crew. 4% n our hands by June 30, 2004 In an upcoming issue, we'll select 15 candidates to participate in a series of writing challenges. Your work will be put up for the world to see in EGM and on egmsurvivor.1UP.com, and that same world will vote to decide who gets kicked off each month. We'll ask the last survivor to be an official reviewer for one issue (or more). Now get writing! „СО р Games Start Making Them ART CREATION produce 2D and 3D art for characters, environments, models, textures, animation and more. LEVEL DESIGN use creativity, knowledge and skill to create game levels that engage, excite and intrigue the most savvy players. SOFTWARE DEVELOPMENT learn to design, develop, document and implement the advanced engines and code that drive the best games. Now Accepting Applications! Apply Online at: guildhall.smu.edu SMU. GUILDHALL REVIEWS ARCHIVE Who needs an oracle when you can just ask the archive? | GAME SYSTEM VERDICT (out of 10) — AWARD greatest hit 1080? Avalanche GC W This snowboarding game is more Speed Racer than Tony Hawk 75 Ог miss? Airforce Delta Strike PS2 т Siow-moving flight sim stalls before it reaches the danger zone 35 All-Star Baseball 2005 PS2/XB W Take us out to the ballgame....just not this one 55 American Idol PS2 W In our best Simon Cowell voice: “Bloody awful" 15 Amped 2 XB W An eye-pleasing boarder with very few patches of yellow snow 80 Armed and Dangerous xs W Looks like butt, but plays better than blasé blasters like Brute Force 65 Baldur's Gate: Dark Alliance It PS2/XB W Painted with dated graphics and rife with dull level design 70 Battlestar Galactica PS2/XB Wi Launched before all systems were go 60 Beyond Good & Evil PS2/XB/GC Ш Shutterbug Jade's picture-perfect adventure was underexposed. Snap it up 85 Boktai: The Sun is in Your Hand GBA WA portable gem in which playing in the sun is an enjoyable requirement 9.0 Breakdown XB W You can practically feel the impacts in this first-person brawler 85 239 MESES Champions of Norrath: Realms of EQ PS2 WA Dark Alliance-style take on EverQuest, complete with online co-op 85 Colin McRae Rally 04 XB Wi Rev your engines for 04's top-notch handling and wicked terrain 85 = E sa Ur R ALLISPORT Counter-Strike XB WA bare-bones first-person shooter that's expendable in the war of the war games 5.0 Crash Nitro Kart PS2/XB/GC W This kart needs a tune-up 5.5 Crimson Skies: High Road to Revenge W A stellar and stylish shooter, Crimson Skies kicks the genre's tires and lights its fires 9.0 W Xbox Cy Girls № Progress-impeding puzzles will make you feel like the butt of a bad blonde joke 7.0 W Released: March 2002 Dance Dance Revolution Ultramix WI Perfect your gimp step and build a pimp rep 85 W Original Scores: 8.5, 8.5, 8.0 Dead Man's Hand Wi Find out how the West was dumb in this oddball first-person shooting gallery — 65 In the United States, rally racing Deus Ex: Invisible War W invisible War's captivating story compensates for its technical shortcomings 80 receives about as much attention as a Dragon Ball 7: Taiketsu GBA W Sucks бай? 55 soda vendor at a NASCAR event. Drake XB E A shooter so horribly busted that it's almost funny. It's mostly sad, though 20 Luckily, you don't have to be a fan to Drakengard Ps2 W Dynasty Warriors meets Panzer Dragoon, only not as good as either опе 75 enjoy Microsoft's off-road ride. RC Dynasty Tactics 2 PS2 W Medieval Chinese generals put on their wildest headgear before going towar 75 sports lush visuals, tight handling, and EA Sports Fight Night 2004 PS2/XB Wi EA returns to the ring under a new name and registers a knockout 85 a newbie-friendly learning curve. ESPN College Hoops PS2/XB W Our own NCAA investigation reveals that ESPN plays too much like a pro game — 65 ESPN Major League Baseball PS2/XB W if MVP is this season's Yankees, then sadly, ESPN is its BoSox 80 ESPN NBA Basketball PS2/XB W Even Kobe Bryant's star-studded legal team struggled finding fault with this one 8,5 ESPN NHL Hockey PS2/XB Wf we were in Detroit, we'd be throwin’ an octopus onto the ice, Goal! 85 EverQuest Online Adventures: Frontiers PS2 Wi Doesn't the front lawn constitute a new frontier to Evercrack-heads? 6.5 EyeToy: Groove ps2 и Don't let looking like a displaying ape stop you 80 Fallout: Brotherhood of Steel PS2/XB W Repetitive critter hunting in a watered-down wasteland 4.0 Fatal Frame Il: Crimson Butterfly Ps2 т Combating poltergeists with a Polaroid is scarier than it sounds 75 FIFA Soccer 2004 PS2/XB/GC № Responsive on-field controls make it a breeze to bend it like Beckham 75 Final Fantasy: Crystal Chroniclos вс п Charming action-RPG so cute that it could give Hello Kitty a heart attack 80 Final Fantasy Tactics Advance GBA W Deep strategy for the on-the-go tactician. Complete with androgynous heroes 9.0 Final Fantasy X-2 PS2 № Yuna and her female friends rock Spira like never before, and we like it 85 Fire Emblem GBA W Deep tactical strategy, but your trip through fantasyland ends too quickly 75 Firefighter FD. 18 PS2 п Fight fires, fireman-hating robots, and trial-and-error gameplay 65 Goblin Commander: Unleash the Horde — PS2/XB/GC № Off-the-leash real-time strategy with a few warts 8.0 Grabbed by the Ghoulies хв и Something seriously stupid this way comes 55 Harry Potter: Quidditch World Сир PS2/XB/GC W Rugby, basketball, and nerds on broomsticks collide with thrilling results 75 Harvest Moon: A Wonderful Life GC W Would you really have more fun watching the grass grow? Find out 6.5 The Hobbit PS2/XB/GC W Bilbo Baggins’ journey just isn't as appealing as his young nephew's 65 James Bond 007: Everything or Nothing PS2/XB/GC W With brains, brawn, bullets, and balls, Bond saves the world again. Splendid 8.0 Karaoke Revolution Ps2 Wi Like real karaoke, except the audience actually boos you offstage for bad singing 8.5 King of Fighters 2000 & 2001 Ps2 т Deep and responsive, but only diehards will choose it over Capcom's 20 fighters 85 Kya: Dark Lineage PS2 W Profoundly mediocre platformer with aspirations of greatness 65 Legacy of Kain: Defiance PS2/XB и Stunningly gorgeous. Let the blood sucking and soul reaving commence 75 Lethal Skies И PS2 № Not even the two-player modes earn Skies any frequent-flier mileage 3.0 Links 2004 XB ША shallow create-a-golfer mode keeps Links a few strokes behind Tiger 65 LifeLine PS2 W Wanna play Resident Evil again, using speech recognition that doesn't really work? 4.5 Lowrider PS2 W Multiplayer mode is the stuff drinking games are made of 5.0 Lord of the Rings: Return of the King PS2/XB/GC W Stick an orc in it, it's fun. Stick a thousand orcs in it, it's...er, funner 85 Lord of the Rings: Return of the King СВА W Legolas gets shrunk to Keebler size and your girlfriend stil thinks he's hot 70 Lupin the 3rd PS2 № Fanatically true to the anime, but fiddly controls and lame puzzles steal the fun 5.5 Mafia PS2/XB W Jack jalopies and outdrive thugs in this glitchy 1930s gangster game 6.0 Magic the Gathering: Battlegrounds XB № The cards say you need а Ме 40 Manhunt PS2 и Videogame-hating Senator Joe Lieberman's dream come true 70 Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga GBA WA polished, thoroughly enjoyable adventure in the same vein as Paper Mario Mario Kart: Double Dash! вс т Cooperative driving spells pure, unfiltered fun 10 Mario Party 5 GC W Buy it, call some friends, and let chaos reign 8.0 Maximo vs. Army of Zin W Despite the clean underwear, it's not as zesty as the original 6.0 Max Payne W Bullet time in your back pocket 70 Max Payne 2: The Fall of Max Payne № Slow-mo bloodshed at its hard-boiled best 8.0 110 • ELECTRONIC GAMING MONTHLY * www. 1UP.com бАМЕ Medal of Honor: Rising Sun Metal Arms: Glitch in the System Metal Gear Solid: The Twin Snakes Metroid Zero Mission Midway Arcade Treasures Mission: Impossible—Operation Surma MLB 2005 Monster 4x4; Masters of Metal Monster Rancher 4 MTX: Mototrax MX Unleashed MVP Baseball 2004 NBA Live 2004 NCAA March Madness 2004 NFL Blitz Pro NFL Fever 2004 NFL Street NHL 2004 NHL Hitz Pro NHL Rivals 2004 Nightshade Ninja Gaiden Onimusha Blade Warriors Pac-Man Vs. Phantasy Star Online: Episode Ш Pirates of the Caribbean Pitfall: The Lost Expedition Pokémon Channel Pokémon Colosseum Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time Project Gotham Racing 2 В: Racing Evolution Ratchet & Clank: Going Commando Rise to Honor RPG Maker 2 R-Type Final ‘Samurai Jack: The Shadow of Aku Sega GT Online Seven Samurai 20XX Silent Scope Complete The Sims: Bustin’ Out The Sims: Bustin’ Out Splinter Cell Pandora Tomorrow Splinter Cell Pandora Tomorrow SOCOM Il: U.S. Navy SEALs Sonic Battle Star Wars Jedi Knight: Jedi Academy The Suffering Super Mario Advance 4 Sword of Mana Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines Tiger Woods PGA Tour 2004 SYSTEM PS2/XB/GC PS2/XB/GC GC GBA PS2/XB/GC РЅ2/ХВ PS2 PS2/GC. PS2 PS2/XB PS2/XB PS2/XB/GC PS2/XB/GC РЅ2/ХВ PS2/XB/GC XB PS2/XB/GC PS2/XB/GC PS2/XB/GC XB PS2 XB PS2 GC GC XB PS2/XB/GC GC GC PS2/XB/GC XB PS2/XB/GC PS2 PS2 PS2 PS2 PS2/XB/GC XB PS2 XB PS2/XB/GC GBA XB GBA PS2 GBA GBA GBA PS2/XB PS2/XB/GC Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon: Jungle Storm PS2 Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six 3 Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six 3 Tony Hawk's Underground Top Spin True Crime: Streets of L.A. Unreal Il: The Awakening Wario Ware, Inc.: Mega Party Game$ Wrath: Unleashed Winning Eleven 7 WWE Raw 2: Ruthless Aggression WWE SmackDown! Here Comes the Pain WWE Wrestlemania XIX Worms 3D. XB PS2 PS2/XB/GC XB PS2/XB/GC XB GC PS2/XB PS2 XB PS2 GC PS2/XB/GC VERDICT WA few stunning set pieces can't save this rough-edged shooter from mediocrity W A surprisingly good sci-fi shooter and contender for sleeper hit of 2003 W The stealth-action classic is still solid enough to make this remake a must-play W Samus blasts back to her first adventure in this surprise-filled remake W With 20 timeless classics for a mere 20 bucks, there's no reason not to buy it и Mr. Hunt could use less-cumbersome controls and quicker-witted foes Жа A quick trip to the minors has made MLB a title contender again Wi Subpar driving won't sate your hunger for mud-caked mayhem W Vast, empty, repetitive dungeons didn't bother all of our reviewers Wi Poor handling has our bike stuck in the mud. Wait, that doesn't smell like mud W Riding Unleashed's off-road crotch rockets is worth the sore coccyx W Like the Bronx Bombers, MVP's new additions will excite all baseball fans W Not even the Laker Girls can compete with Live's stylish on-court moves W it's awesome, baby, with a capital A! ША Madden-like face-lift puts Blitz firmly back in the playoff race и Scant franchise options keep Fever warming the bench WW The gridiron gods have Street-ified football, and, boy, is it good E Beefy dynasty mode, but plays and looks as ugly as a hockey player's smile W Like a porn star's assets, Hitz isn't exactly realistic, but it's sure fun to play with W Our referees slap Rivals with a five-minute major for sucking W 3 Ninjas Kick Back on a scale of ninja-tude Wi Swordplay so sweet you'll break out the split-toe slip-ons W Think Super Smash Bros. (GC) with Bushido instead of butt stomping E Excellent multiplayer makes GBA connectivity worthwhile, Wokka wokka! W This infectiously fun card game got us hooked on PSO's world for a third time W Suffers more glitches than the Disney ride in a thunderstorm W Maybe—just maybe—it should have stayed lost W Good God, change the channel! E Story mode injects some life into this otherwise mediocre Poké-battler W An opium-induced vision in which time moves at the speed of your imagination W Buckle up for the best racer since Gran Turismo 3 W Looks fantastic, but it feels like you're driving on ice W Everything you've ever wanted from an action game. And an absolute must-play W Look, it's Jet Li..in a kinda repetitive brawler with cheap enemies in FUBU gear W No matter how cool the concept, your RPG will look like crap W Pure side-scrolling shooter bliss. Plus, it's only 30 bucks W This samura/'s game is better than expected. but still can't beat the cartoon I The addition of online play and a $20 price tag gets our motor runnin’ W See hari-kari W There's no better way to freak out America's politicians than with this sniper game W Even your lady friend will bust out a controller and play W Surprisingly rewarding for an errand-running simulator W Sam's solo missions take few chances, but the multiplayer mode is revolutionary Wi Packs the stealth gameplay of the big-console version but none of the fun W This is one online war we hope never sees a cease in hostilities E Sonic and pals come to fisticuffs in this love-it-or-hate-it pseudo-3D brawler W Another bland Star Wars third-person action game? Time to drop out W Midway's inmate could've benefited from a few more months of rehabilitation т Undoubtedly stands the test of time as one of history's greatest platformers W Managing your weapons requires a master's degree in metallurgy W No need to come back, Arnold W As hot as Tiger's bride-to-be. Well, almost Wi Online play is OK, but good God, these graphics are uglier than a colon polyp Ol’ Clancy's Rainbow is one of Xbox's sharpest shooters W Too bad the dumbed-down PS2 version misses the mark W Good Lord...he is? Someone get him out! W Here's your only chance to ever score with tennis bombshell Anna Kournikova ША spot-on re-creation of Los Angeles. Too bad the ride is over so quickly W Blast а motley assortment of aliens with a motley assortment of weaponry и Single-player stinks of a quick cash-in—split the bill with four friends 55 8.0 8.0 95 85 6.5 70 45 5.5 6.0 8.0 85 8.0 8.0 70 6.5 8.5 85 75 35 6.0 95 70 8.0 9.0 6.0 6.5 35 70 95 95 6,5 8.5 6,5 55 85 6.0 8.5 3.5 6,5 3.0 8.0 10 4.5 9.0 70 6.0 6.5 9з 6.5 3.5 3.0 4.5 9,0 5.0 9.0 9.0 65 7.0 8.0 75 8.0 55 5.0 20 5.0 9.0 95 6.0 95 65 35 8.0 70 85 35 5.0 8.5 5.0 95 5.0 9.0 5.0 6.5 6.0 90 6.5 3.5 3.0 5.0 75 6.0 9.0 9.0 95 6.5 6.5 W A half-assed strategy game plus a half-assed fighter make... well, you do the math 4.0 7.0 W Soccer action more intense than a David Beckham-Posh Spice embrace W We willingly tap out W ‘Course it doesn't tell you that the pain won't subside for 4 to 6 weeks Better than years past, but a steroid injection or two away from main-event status WI That's an entire extra dimension of caricatured carnage! Great multiplayer fun 95 3.0 7,5 75 75 85 55 8.0 75 7.5 Е твоме = Fight Night 2004 what a knockout EPISODE | W PlayStation 2 № Released: February 2003 № Original Scores: 8.0, 8.0, 6.5 You'll never have so much fun not play- ing a game. Long cut-scenes could've had us counting sheep, but Xenosaga scored with a story too big, too bold, and too far out there to wrap up in a few words. A deep battle system brings the spacey plot back down to earth. GAMING MONTHLY * www 11 Tasty tips and cheats to satisfy your trickster GAME DIRECTORY Splinter Cell Pandora Tomorrow . . .112 Metroid: Zero Mission ..........112 Ninja Gaiden ................. 114 MX Unleashed ... Nightshade .................: 114 James Bond 007: Everything or Nothing .. Hitman: Contracts ... E Xbox SPLINTER CELL PANDORA TOMORROW When you think “tactical espionage action," there's one gameplay element that's usually missing: taking your lone operative online with friends. Forget what you've previously learned about multiplayer battles. When Splinter Cell Pandora Tomorrow's spies and mercenaries go head-to-head, kiss the standard rules of engagement goodbye. Here you will join one of two teams: Shadownet (the spies) or ARGUS (the mercenaries). Like a high-tech game of hide-and-seek, Shadownet coordinates an elaborate plan to destroy or steal highly dangerous research material, while ARGUS (Armed Guardian Services) hunts down the trespassers with a combination of deadly bullets and specialized surveillance equipment. Shadownet strategies As a Shadownet player, you can use shadows and hiding spots to your advantage, but remember that you're dealing with human opponents, not № Spies can hack doors and equipment, but the act will attract the mercenaries. 112 • ELECTRONIC GAMING MONTHLY • www.1UP.com hearty gaming appetite М. № You can rely on stealth as the Shadownet spies, or dip into firepower as the ARGUS mercenaries.| preprogrammed artificial intelligence. When you hide in the shadows, it should be only for a few moments, or you might as well paint a large bull’s-eye on your chest for the mercenaries. Initial tactics W Flick on night vision for short bursts to see more clearly in darkness. Call a powwow with your fellow. teammates at the start of a mission to define your plan of attack. If at all possible, you want to work in tandem with another spy. When you reach an objective point, one spy should neutralize the ND133 canister while the second spy knocks out security measures or provides cover fire against any incoming mercs. While out in the field, it's OK to flip on night vision to clear up the gloom, but don't leave it on. As the spy providing cover fire, you want to stay as invisible a target as possible while assaulting the enemy, and night vision shows up like a bonfire on the merc’s electromagnetic mode. This goes double for the spy neutralizing the №0133; you're only helping the mercenaries zero in as a stationary target with night vision on. Best equipment There are a bunch of options for a spy's initial setup, but the tried-and-true blueprint involves smoke grenades, flashbang grenades, sticky cameras, and spy bullets. Link your smoke and flashbang grenades to your hotkeys for quick access when the mercenaries suddenly appear, and use them to get out of trouble. Smoke grenades usually work best: If you're being fired at, it’s a good idea to drop a smoke grenade and disappear in the commotion. The mercenary may charge into the smoke after you, but prolonged exposure will knock him out. Otherwise, you can slip through while the enemy is blinded by the smoke—or throw a flashbang to opt for a “flashier” escape. Tip Gain valuable extra seconds while neutralizing an ND133 by dropping a smoke grenade to stall approaching mercs. The sticky camera is less about intelligence and more about incapacitation. E For a quick escape from enemies, simply drop a smoke grenade. You can shoot it near a camping mercenary and spray him with gas, knocking him out without risking yourself in the process. The spy bullet does provide intel, letting you listen in on mercs' headset communications and pointing them out on your radar. Just don't be fooled by any misleading chats: Smart merc players may purposely throw you off by saying the wrong things if they suspect someone is listening to them. As far as your gun goes, don't think you can pull a Jesse James and out-duel a mercenary. You can't kill the enemy with your gun; it Should only be used in desperate Situations to stun a mercenary and make a run for it. Keep your gun holstered and worry about completing your team objectives. Head games When all is said and done, your most important tactic is subterfuge. Send one spy to trigger an alarm at a main entrance, especially one close to an ND133 canister, and force the mercenaries to counter with some armed security. While they're busy in that section, a second spy can mount a quick in- and-out assault on another building's ND133. Operate in a timely manner and you'll have the mercenaries pulling out their collective hair. ARGUS Corporation strategies Named after the 100-eyed giant guarding the Golden Fleece in “Jason and the Argonauts,” this private military organization № Don't let the spies trick you into abandoning an ND133 canister. TRICKS IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PRIMA GAMES Craving more from your American special agent/British agent/Japanese special agent/bald special agent? Then be sure to pick up Prima’s official strategy guides for Splinter Cell Pandora T Tomorrow, James Bond 007: Everything or Nothing, Ninja Gaiden, and Hitman: Contracts. That's where we nabbed these juicy tidbits. т While your partner distracts the mercs, you grab the ND133 and run. specializes in contravention and security consultation. ARGUS mercenaries wield the heavy firepower in multiplayer and rack up kill totals quickly. Initial tactics № Use electromagnetic and motion- tracking modes to hunt down spies. The mercenaries go into each level with built-in advantages. Not only do they have guns that kill, but each merc comes with a special ability— pupil adaptation—that simulates the human ability to gradually see better in the dark. If a mercenary remains motionless or moves very slowly, eventually he'll be able to discern shapes, including that spy in the corner who thinks he's pulling a fast one. Memorize each map until you can run through the whole thing in electromagnetic or motion-tracking modes. Once you know all the Stairs, corners, and ND133 locations by heart, you can increase your odds of catching spies without running into walls. Best equipment Your gun blows away the Shadownet spy gun by a mile. You can switch between burst and full auto, and your rifle comes loaded with a powerful grenade launcher to № Load up on grenades, spy traps, and mines to deter the crafty spies. scatter multiple opponents with a single pump. To complement the rifle, your starting equipment setup should be frag grenades, taser, spy traps, and mines. Choose a fragmentation grenade over the phosphorus variety. Phosphorus grenades look cool and sound great in theory (you can track your opponent’s glowing footsteps wherever he goes), but you may confuse friendly footsteps with enemy ones, and if you can hit а spy with a grenade, why not shred him with a deadly frag instead? Lastly, use the taser to stun that elusive spy, especially the one running around trying to break your neck from behind. Try double tapping left or right, then hitting the taser, for a quick 180 degree attack. W Plant your spy traps near entries you know the spies will cross. Looking for the ideal place for a spy trap? Load up near entries close to the spy's spawn points. You know the sneaky buggers will come through there, and this will give you even more time to prepare. Hide the traps near cameras and motion detectors to maximize camouflage. Sure, spies will be ready to deactivate the standard security measures, but you'll probably catch them off guard with a backup trap. Don't bother with traps near the ND133 canisters. Once the spy begins to neutralize the canister, you'll detect the attack, so it’s better to plant a mine near the ND133 to blow the spies to pieces. Resort to laser mines only to cover large areas. In most cases, proximity mines will be more effective since they don't have lasers that can be detected in the Spy's infrared vision. Tip One final trick: Kill your teammate. When you have enough team lives and time's running short, whack your partner so he can restock on mines and spy traps and seed the level even more in your favor. H I | $ LL К Real World Education Game Design & Development Bachelor of Science Degree Program - Associate of Sciehce & Bachelor of Seience Degree Programs eae; Business = sede Arts Г | ction & Tourin a ^ 800.226.7625 fullsail.com 3300 University Boulevard Winter Park, FL 32792 Financial aid available to those who qualify Job placement assistance Accredited College, ACCSCT m Бакан Erichs of the trade № Xbox NINJA GAIDEN If you've uttered any expletives during your Ninja Gaiden battling, then you need a little help. Head back to your local game shop, re-purchase the game, and try again with some sort of commitment this time. This is how difficult gaming used to be, you namby-pamby urchins! Ask your strange-smelling uncle who runs that retro-gaming website...he'll tell you. Secrets of the Ninja Herein you'll uncover a wealth of information that will help you deal most righteously with any unwitting foe who stumbles across the path of Ryu's unerring blade. Dragon Sword: The Dragon Sword will be the weapon you spend the most time with simply because it is the most versatile weapon in your copious arsenal (the others are more specialized implements of persuasion). Therefore, these techniques will become the mainstay of your adventure throughout the Vigoorian Empire. Essential techniques The Final Solution: For lower-level enemies of any stripe, the Final Solution equates to instant death, АН it requires is combining the Guillotine Throw (press Y while near an enemy) with a follow-up Flying Sparrow (press Y while jumping toward an enemy) while your enemy's flat оп. his back. This one-two punch will decapitate just about any low-level enemy in the game and should be a № PS2/XB MX UNLEASHED Crave the smell of both burning gasoline and mud, but wanting teensy hikes or all the bonuses unlocked? Then you've come to the right arena. Simply enter the following MX Unleashed codes at the Character Completion part of the cheats section. Cheat All Bonuses 50cc Bikes Professional physics Code clappedout squirreldog swappin 114 • ELECTRONIC GAMING MONTHLY • www.1UP.com mainstay in your агзепа! even at higher levels of play. Note: You must first find the Guillotine Throw technique scroll, as well as upgrade the Dragon Sword to level 2 before you can access this ability. Deadly Orbit: By itself, the Flying Swallow is one of the most powerful and useful moves in the game. Flying through the air like a self-propelled missile, Ryu can bring a world of hurt on anyone he smites. However, the one thing better than a single Flying Sparrow is multiples thereof—the more the merrier. To that end, the Deadly Orbit merely requires that the moment you complete one Flying Sparrow, you immediately begin another. This is a key technique for dealing with many of the bosses in the game, so learn it well. Note: You'll need to upgrade the Dragon Sword to level 2 before enjoying the benefits this mode of attack conveys. Secret weapons Dabilharo: This massive sword, with its 100-pound heft, makes the War Hammer seem like a child's toy. In addition to shattering walls and barriers just as well as the Hammer, it's also a much more powerful weapon. Note: You'll need to collect 20 golden scarabs to get your hands on this one. Kitetsu: This is Doku's cursed sword, which you'll claim from his fallen (corporeal) form after bringing him down with your "natural" weapons. Equipping this weapon, however, comes with a terrible price: Ryu's life will be slowly drained for as long as he carries this enchanted blade. To nullify the curse, you'll need something more.... Note: You W PlayStation 2 NIGHTSHAD In the other ninja-based action romp, we've set out the weepingly difficult plan to squeeze every last katana slash out of this title. This is officially the month of shouting, weeping, and gnashing of teeth at Japanese stealth assassins. № Ryu, what big weapons you have! must defeat Doku at the end of Chapter 11 to get his sword. Unlabored Flawlessness: Perhaps you've noticed the wooden sword available at the ship. You'll also note that it has far more levels than any other weapon in the game—Unlabored Flawlessness is why. This massive, oarlike weapon is deadly in the extreme. Though it lacks a blade's keen edge, the sheer bludgeoning power of this weapon is more than a match for any foe in the game. Beware, though: Due to its extreme size, it makes for a very unwieldy weapon. Note: You must upgrade the wooden sword to its maximum level to get this weapon. Windmill Throwing Star (plus, X marks the spot): Ninja Gaiden's massive, boomerang-like throwing star can be used as many times as you want (like the standard shuriken). The difference is that it's much larger and can be used to mow down even powerful foes who would laugh off the stinging barbs your base shuriken delivers. Note: You must go down the street from Han’s bar into a narrow alleyway. Use the narrow blue- striped area to venture into the back corner where this weapon awaits. EX Mission Stage 1 3 Clan Coins EX Mission Stage 2 14 Clan Coins EX Mission Stage 3 24 Clan Coins EX Mission Stage 4 35 Clan Coins EX Mission Stage 5 45 Clan Coins EX Mission Stage 6 56 Clan Coins EX Mission Stage 7 68 Clan Coins EX Mission Stage 8 80 Clan Coins Survival Stage 1 10 Clan Coins Survival Stage 2 21 Clan Coins Survival Stage 3 31 Clan Coins Survival Stage 4 42 Clan Coins Survival Stage 5 52 Clan Coins Survival Stage 6 64 Clan Coins Survival Stage 7 76 Clan Coins Survival Stage 8 88 Clan Coins Lightsaber-toothed Ninja: Once you’ve beaten the game on normal difficulty, hold the left trigger while beginning another game; you'll gain access to an entirely new costume and sword with which to face the enemy again. Though the Plasma Sword doesn’t seem to be any more powerful than the Dragon Sword, it does make a nice whooshing sound when swung. > Time Attack Stage 1 7 Clan Coins Time Attack Stage 2 17 Clan Coins Time Attack Stage 3 28 Clan Coins Time Attack Stage 4 38 Clan Coins Time Attack Stage 5 49 Clan Coins Time Attack Stage 6 60 Clan Coins Time Attack Stage 7 72 Clan Coins Time Attack Stage 8 84 Clan Coins ». While Monsieur Shark unleashes Lupin the Third character costume changes and Romance of the Three Kingdoms IX codes. Herr Replay unleashes Final Fantasy: Crystal Chronicles codes and finishes the chamber with a Drakengard discharge... Final Fantasy: 7PK2-ESAY-6V1MA Romance of the Disposition Document Crystal Chronicles ETH4-U7W2-CUH81 Three Kingdoms IX 04508269 36340788 (GC) (PS2) Drakengard (PS2) IM] [M] Must Be 0n PWPW-8TFO-5YHWB IM] 9400В8ЕО B4EE1064 VR7W-88GB-PYX1Q JF2W-MWU3-VPWAS 1АЕК-667\-Х458Х Create Officer: Infinite Infinite Health: Single TacticP Police Disguise 0450B069 3634D7A8 Inspector Zenigata’s Player 21HN-7PQZ-W5250 TET3-JX34-E856H UQCZ-R9U8-M8GMH W1ZK-KG8M-6YW17 Able To Name Character Anything TGC5-CW71-PHACS YQ8B-MB29-B5W2N Max Hearts F698-9WNW-YG2MR CMGB-MVE9-KGQGJ Super Max Strength 14F3-4U3A-MGNTP EJ1D-ECGT-EQ76F PJ3K-2QCF-0808Z Super Max Defense 64VX-E90Z-V7ZXW DY71-CO4F-WXEN2 Z73B-E56A-MXBXP Super Max Magic W6UE-WDDY-74RUN GRG4-J2BG-WV8U2 D4X9-1MAE-R4BBU Able To Leave Chalice Aura ЭВЕХ-ВЕМТ-ВХ57Е D 90 © 152000 ин 100 100 Chain JDCG-XU2G-TC1K5 T2U7-8DEC-YRDFO Quick EXP Level Up CPTG-T4P7-8P6C7 DOMD-KVKQ-2FRV7 Infinite НР KUY3-QDCC-0J4W7 8CV1-2HF6-ZG8PK Max НР HJHW-4HX8-23R5Y OKEA-439X-JYUCF Infinite МР N35Z-9MWQ-J6UAM MMX9-18YD-3G6T7 Max MP UXPC-TQR8-EANCF 6YMT-JGWR-KHVTT 9999 Kills T1EC-2UQJ-X3461 JUFJ-V502-QGD7P 24129408 3E3C475A All Cities: Max Trust 245005F2 937413EF 24C01DEC 12571300 All Cities: Max Trade 241004F2 937413EF 24801FEE 1257136D А! Cities: Max Farm 241004F2 93F4136F 24801CEE 92D713ED Lupin the Third: Treasure of the Sorcerer King (PS2) Infinite Ammo 2440382E BC7455BA Infinite Dummy Dolls 24003E2E BE74434A Infinite Escape Time 24909068 36340338 Infinite Stamina 2480B97A 3EB49598 Security Manual 0450B269 3634D728 Disguise 0450B369 3634D708 Traveler's Disguise 0450B369 3634D738 Guest Disguise 0450B369 36B4D728 Guard Disguise 0410B069 3634D728 Riot Police Disguise 0410B069 3634D7B8 Raven Kreuz Disguise 04108369 36340718 Digimon Battle Spirit 2 (GBA) [M] Must Be 0n 9884376255DA 902092654B34 B7DE85D1472F Unlock All Characters 22FF65770CAA Unlock Digimon Shoot EF64596DC165 Have All Tamer Tags Е70010Е4СВ20 ЙА. Q4191CFCO2FA “ЖЖ” — The People Who Own This Shop "A truly admirable anime collection." —Student from O-Chem Class "A Japanese marvel." —Old Kid on the Block “Two thumbs up.” —Smith and Tanaka from Gym “A delightful anime resource” Video Store Manager “The must-visit site of the year.” — Guy Who Surfs a Lot “Anime toys, books, figures...you name it!” — The Die Hard Collector tricRs of the trade W PS2/XB/GC JAMES BOND 007: EVERYTHING OR NOTHING № As always, Agent 007 does Her Majesty proud. TOP TEN BOND MOMENTS Bond moment 10 Level: A Long Way Down Sure, Bond could kill a man with precision and tact, but why settle for normal convention when you can get the same results with a little panache? The No. 10 Bond moment brings the house down, dropping the ceiling onto unsuspecting foes. Near that second steam valve is a large, burned-out room. Use Bond sense to find weak ceiling points. Shoot the ceiling when soldiers run underneath— incapacitate at least one enemy using this method to achieve a Bond moment. Bond moment 9 Level: The Platinum War Driving the most technically advanced and suave vehicles has always been a staple for 007. The No. 9 Bond moment follows suit, with Mr. Bond at the helm of a heavy artillery tank with the firepower to crumble archways. After destroying the wall as you begin the mission, look for a tank lying underneath an arch ahead. Shoot a nano shell at the arch so it collapses, crushing the tank below. Bond moment 8 Level: Death's Door Gadgets are just plain cool. The No. 8 Bond moment uses the insect-like Q-Spider gadget to access a much- needed armor vest. Upon entering the hotel at the start of the level, head to the right where you'll find a stack of boxes. Near the boxes is a Q-Spider hole. Send in your six-legged gadget and you will discover a small nook with an armor vest. 116 • ELECTRONIC GAMING MONTHLY • www.1UP.com Bond moment 7 Level: Everything or Nothing Ammo conservation often plays а key role. The No. 7 Bond moment finds James able to do the job of a whole clip with a single shot. When navigating through the large warehouse filled with metal freight containers, look for one suspended in the air. When enemies appear underneath, use Bond sense to shoot the glowing Switch that holds the container to crush the enemies below. Bond moment 6 Level: Death of an Agent Even when faced with saving the life of a fellow agent, James Bond makes a statement with one of Q's gadgets before leaping into the arms of danger. The Q- Spider makes quite the explosion when falling to the ground in Bond moment No. 6. Danger averted. At the start of the mission, deploy a Q- Spider. Take it down the hallway to find a spider hole. Navigate that hole upward, then have the Q-Spider fall to detonate over unsuspecting guards. Bond moment 5 Level: Dangerous Descent The Q-Spiders sure do come in handy. The No. 5 Bond moment uses the gadget once more, only this time to blow up a security system, preventing Mr. Bond from unneeded laser surgery. Before rappelling down, make sure to disable the security lasers with a Q- Spider bomb. Send the Q-Spider into the room with the red flashing computer and destroy the machine. Bond moment 4 Level: Death's Door Bond has faced many a nemesis throughout his career, but has never seemed to miss a step. With no signs of slowing down, Agent 007 once again delivers in the duel with Le Rouge by taking some focus off of his weaponry and using the environment to heat things up. While fighting Le Rouge, use Bond sense to target the gas-vent switches on the walls and ceiling of the room. If Le Rouge takes damage from the flames, you'll earn a Bond moment. There are four switches to target: two in the ceiling and two on the back wall. Bond moment 3 Level: Vertigo Once again our favorite gadget, the Q- Spider, finds its way into the top Bond moments at No. 3. The fun-to-control little gadget gains access to a cache of weapons and armor, not to mention it opens the door for a little surprise on a couple of guards. Can you ever get enough of the Q-Spider? When you reach the enemy that carries a rocket launcher (where you have to push a train cart forward to get within range), look for a side alcove that appears walled off but is accessible using a Q-Spider. Navigate the spider through a hole and up a series of wooden planks to reach a supply room with armor, a battery, and weapons. Open the blue door nearby to surprise the guards and trigger a Bond moment. Bond moment 2 Level: Mardi Gras Mayhem Anyone can drive and drive well, but only the great James Bond can pull off moves like in No. 2. Not only does the unparalleled agent cause high-flying mayhem through the Mardi Gras celebration, he manages to keep the car in one piece (sort of). You are a hero to us all, Mr. Bond. After talking to Mya on the phone, head toward the van by exiting the park to the right. Once you reach the brick walkway, you'll find a ramp that sends you over the pretty Mardi Gras floats and into a building. Bond moment 1 Level: Kiss Kiss Club The No. 1 Bond moment also happens to be the easiest to accomplish; simply let England's most eligible bachelor be himself. As 007 rappels into the club, a lovely female awaits and is in need of a hand (or two). Let Bond do his thing and soothe her needs. Ever the ladies' man, James proves there is always time to stop and smell the roses. № PS2/XB НИМАМ: CONTRACTS Being a hitman is no easy job. Being a bald hitman whose last assassination outing had the Sikhs up in arms makes matters even worse. Brutally murdering people—even the scum of humanity—has a way of taking its toll on the body and mind. But the hits must be carried out, and the following tips help make your job easier. Unlocking normal weapons Upon completing a mission, all of the weapons in your possession are automatically unlocked and Stored in your weapons cache. When replaying a mission you've already cleared, you're able to access the weapons cache and Choose from the list of weapons you've collected up to this point. You can bring as many weapons as you wish into the mission to help. you attain a higher rating. Unlocking secret weapons There are also hidden weapons for you to unlock in each of the 12 missions in the game. You automatically unlock a mission's secret weapon if you're able to achieve the Silent Assassin rating at the end of the level. Becoming a silent assassin No matter which mission you're playing, earning the Silent Assassin rating is always a challenge. To achieve this coveted rating, you must fulfill all mission objectives without killing anyone except the specific target(s) you've been hired to assassinate. You're also restricted to one silenced bullet per target. (0f course, you may also use stealth-kill weapons, like the classic fiber wire.) Furthermore, you cannot earn the Silent Assassin rating if you receive too many alerts during a mission. They don't call it "Silent Assassin" for nothing! Most missions don't start you off with a silenced gun, but one can usually be found somewhere in the level. Even if you never have the option, there's always a way for a silent assassin to make the hit. Using the environment Some hits are best made using no weapons. For example, in Traditions of the Trade, one of your targets occasionally steps into a sauna to enjoy the steam. You can get close to him if you're wearing the proper disguise and trap him inside the sauna, which suffocates him. The hit is easily carried out without firing a Shot or raising suspicions. Environmental objects can be useful as well. If you stumble across a package of rat poison, for example, then you know you're able to somehow poison at least one of your targets. A bit more Here's what you get for earning the Silent Assassin rating on each mission: Mission Sanitarium Aftermath Slaughterhouse Two Snow Job in Siberia Beldingford Manor Ruckus in Rotterdam Gunrunners Amok Traditions of the Trade Kowloon Triads in Gang War Ambush at the Wang Fou Restaurant Massacre at Cheung Chau Restaurant Lee Hong Assassination Fournier's Folly Reward CZ 2000 Dual Pistols Micro Uzis Silverballers Silenced Pistols Magnum 500 Dual Sawed-off Shotgun Dual M4 Carbine Assault Rifle SG220 .S Dual MP5 Submachine Gun Silenced AK47 Assault Rifle GK 17 Dual Micro Uzis Silenced PGM Sniper Rifle Silenced recon, and you'll know how the hit Should be made. Stealth and deception Stealth kills aren't always easy, but they're often necessary when attempting to earn the Silent Assassin rating. To perform a stealth kill, you've got to sneak up behind an inattentive target when no one's looking and make the hit with a close-combat weapon, like a kitchen knife, meat cleaver, meat hook, or Or’ Reliable (the fiber wire). You begin each mission with the fiber wire and never need to drop it, so stealth kills are always an option—provided you're able to get close enough to the target without raising suspicions. This task can often be simplified by disguising yourself as somebody else—a police officer, a bodyguard, or anyone who's allowed access to the areas surrounding the target. Once you're in disguise, there's nothing stopping you from moving in for the kill. Syringes are your friends While a change of clothes can be found in several of the missions, you sometimes need to locate a person and steal his clothing in order to disguise yourself. You can't kill anyone except for your contracted target(s) if you want to achieve the Silent Assassin rating, but you can use a syringe to silently disable others. Syringes can be used only in a stealth-kill fashion. Sneak up behind a person, pump him full of drugs, then hide the unconscious body. Your path to a target is often complicated by some sort of human obstacle, be it a watchful bodyguard or whomever. Syringes are ideal for these situations as well. Try knocking out the guard with one to make your approach easier. ё / COME AND Archer Maclean Dresents POOL PARADISE ‚ YOU WANNA yere Go ahead - play pool J ina panoramic paradise! It's 6 Ball, _ 7 Ball, 8 Ball, bunch... a whole bunch more in Pool Paradise. NINTENDO J GAMECUBE. EVERYONE amblin ESRB CONTENT RATING wwwesrb.ong CD-ROM [SOFTWARE о! GNITION awesome www.ignitionent.com THE REST OF THE The glass is half full, but it sure ain't water help me e 3 Manly Red Riding Hood beats up Gollum? In recent years, movies have been so bad that their merchandising has overshadowed the films themselves. For example, remember when Star Wars: Episode | came out and the R2- D2 Taco Bell cup was four times more entertaining than the film? Well there's no chance of that happening here. Even if the new Peter Pan movie is 90 minutes of colonoscopy bloopers, this game will make it look like a compelling masterpiece. Young men, if you're having trouble coming out to your parents, just leave this game lying around where they can classic crap find it, and let the magical wonder of Peter Pan explain it for you. IUNANCY. нат A HOUSE MI. CHARLIE. YOUMUST АСОТ о молк ON SUCH A BIG HOUSE. ч: ннат DO YOU THINK IS CAUSING ALL THE RCCIOENTS? Haunted Mansion is kind of like an old-time text adventure, but with twice the dorks. This has got to be the most realistic mys- tery game marketed to nostalgic 80-year- old women I've ever played. Most mystery titles tend to get bogged down with puzzle solving, even though real spooky investi- gations rarely require a detective to yank levers until a birdbath spits out a blue key. In this groundbreaking game, the develop- ers strip the detective work down to its essence: wandering empty hallways and calling Nancy's friends on the phone. You'll sometimes come across items you can actually interact with, and what's great is that these moments are so far apart that even a simple lamp you can switch on and off might blow your mind with sleuthy excitement. A. Dance for Uncle Sam, boy! | sometimes wish that 1 played good videogames, so it would actually mean something when | say this: Holy crap, this is the best game 118 • ELECTRONIC GAMING MONTHLY * www.1UP.com I've ever played. In fact, calling it a game isn't fair. This is more of a tiny Special Forces squad parachuting into your skull on a covert mission to kick its ass. It's like your basest adolescent revenge fantasy gets locked in a tool shed with the A-Team and they build a fleet of combat bikes. And when you meet the boss terrorists, everyone drops their weapons and you solve it the way God intended—with karate. | LOVE this game. ) In the special fea- tures, there's a video of a guy dancing like a robot and freestyle rapping about killing Osama bin Laden. Ра nor- mally use an adjective here, but I wouldn't dare try to describe how rad this is without screaming it from a back-flipping dirt bike. = { iid We apologize if this scene of a dog carry- ing a human is too outrageously funny for some readers. I was scared away from this mystery almost immediately. Look, Velma might want to stick around to find the bag of flour reflecting off the lava lamp that created the illusion of the phan- tom train robbers, but I’m controlling Scooby and Shaggy, and we're willing to accept that train robbers rose from the grave and want us to leave them alone. It sounds a lot less ridiculous than someone creating an elaborate system of pulleys to trick high school kids and a damn dog into believing in ghosts. This Scooby-Doo game is about hiding from ghosts, but more impor- tant, in Fugitive Hunter, the rapper is all robotronic and going, “Озата bin Laden! Where you been hahdin’!” | already reviewed a Shrek game that was identical to this called Shrek: Reekin’ Havoc, and if | could remember anything about it, I'd regret the hurtful things | must have said, only because they couldn’t have been hurt- ful enough. Reekin’ Havoc is more than awful: It's awful from beyond the stars. The Fugitive Hunter’s subtle geopolitical com- mentary should appeal to the Cabella's crowd. CUL کک دنو‎ > Гоо 10000300 Фі w Shrek proves he’s ugly on the inside, too, by slaughtering children and bearded men. fact that it got published twice, however, proves that even if you never learn from your mistakes, you can still make a good living selling videogames to stupid children. If you loved the other Shrek game and wish you could play through it again with all the ene- mies slightly moved around, you...you know what? Рт going to stop right there, because you don't exist. great moments in bad box art Bla selt The Mega Cartridge ACROSS 1. 5. 8. 2 2 WarCraft Il grunts Like a Zelda -force or PSO -fluid Yankees’ World Series Baseball league (abbrv.) . Silent Hill's audible radar . Primary Castlevania soundtrack instrument? . Like Metal Gear goggles (abbrv.) . Tekker's Kuma, south of the border . KOTOR racing . Real Pool 2 billiard game . Like Tom Clancy's Splinter „ KOTOR: Sith Lords developer . Starcraft (N64) commodity . Jack Skellington's new game, for short . D&D decision maker . Renegade's (NES) main dude . 1/8,000,000 of a megabyte . Like Mortal Kombat's Quan . Dreamcast Wyrm-cult game . The body part you'll often find Virtua Fighter 2's Lion kicking . КОТОВ squiddy alien race . Pitfall: Lost Expedition rock launcher . In Japan, Mega Man is to Rockman as Battle Network is to _ . On the sidelines in Madden NFL 2004 (abbrv.) Wrath Unleashed Frost or Fire behemoth . Missing emulator software (two words), or backwards dimwit . Console gamer's must-have „ Level-up criterion (abbrv.) . Quina's Final Fantasy IX occupation 2. 3. 28. 33. 34. 35. 37. 42. . СТАЗ mass-transit target . Double Dragon (NES) mop-top + If you're not lookin! Phantasy Star Online planet Like GameCube Hulk's "Sonic" attack . What it does on the deck of the Metal Gear Solid 2 tanker . Famed. calculator company; once made a home/gaming computer (abbrv.) . MLB 2005 Newbie . Energy or remaining life . КОТОВ character class . Gran Turismo handling specific j. What you're playing in a game like KOTOR . Recent Crimson sequel . KOTOR character attribute (Han Solo would be maxed out) . ISP, for one . FFVIII Guardian Force, for one » Kenobi, for Wan One of dolphin Ecco's pals . NARC, State of Emergency developer . Dreamcast first-person slasher EGM's Xbox Game of the Year in 2003, for short you're looking for th Eternal Champions’ (Sega CD) robotic dude Star Wars: Phantom Menace planet featured in an N64 title Boba Fett’s ship _-1 KOTOR's Jedi opposition Like Spec- or Psi-, but singular On the eve of an invasion by a soulless army of aliens called the Zeravire, the enigmatic billionaire Klein Sandman gathers the world's leaders at his castle to unveil the ultimate weapon that is Earth's last hope, a gravity-powered god of circuits and Steel known as Gravion! The latest masterpiece from GONZO (Ful Imagica (Azumanga Daioh) launches www.advfilms.com AVAILABLE AT THESE AND OTHER FINE RETAILERS: Game SUNCOAST ye; ‘The store for movie lovers. ADVII91 GRAVION © BARI e KAZU e GONZO / GRAVION PROJECT e ADV FILMS дате ouer (зай! 21-Feb. 19) Like Mario scrubbe the squalid Isle Delfino in Mario. Sunshine, it's time for outa high-powered nozzle — um self. But the cleaning you crave is more spiritual: Are you sure King of Fighters is the only brawler worth playing? That z^ j Virtual Boy was just misunderstood, not ved fundamentally crap? Atone for your ||, thought crimes on.the nearest game- ' related message bortis, [ш Бн “and apply it to your own: _ = — D Pisces, | think yoi -| -could be dropping а „| whole heck of à lot . | more double entendres (don't know that term? Ask a clergyman!) in your gaming, discourse. Possible jumping-off points: Growlanser, Solid Snake, Bard's Tale, Front Mission, Jigglypuff, Dragon Ball. Just imagine the winces and dry, heaves you сап |. induce with allusions to Kirby's Mustache Ride. Run with it. А -summon Ifrit is cock of the walk * | since he started -` taking Cialis. You, 3 however, have been kird of." droopy lately. You need a confidence boost, but you won't find happiness in a bottle—you'll find it in the biopic that will be made about you after you shatter the world record for Missle . Command. Specifically, in the Peter | Cetera-scored training montage. ^| doesn’t judge. If you" + (Apr. 21-May 21) — - Yoù may have а'бай; У "bald, bullheaded E E _ | Taurus, but | kno ] inside you're plági i “doubt. It's OK, Clitoria . really think Mario Party is mo IE game ever made, go ahead and say $0..; If you'd rather collect leg warmers and ` |-* headbands in Virtua Fighter 4 than play Soul Calibur Il, then go accessorize. I'm giving you permission to be completely, utterly, laughably wrong, and | promise ' to only ridicule you ‘in private. Я 4 а GEMINI: 7 (May 22-Jiine.21 Anger management: not the movie—thé concept. Get to know it. I've had trouble with yo Gemini in the past, what ‘Hayes picks off every pass you send his way in NFL Street. Why don't you try ie’s all about the ground attack silly. Go start a support group with your controller-i throwing antics and. serial pouting. It's not my fault Lestér. - (ипе 22-July 22)” -| -Metal Gear's Snake 1, can't stay in that bo: Я | forever, you know. опе -- | day he'll have to pop- 7 ‘out and slaughter the legions of guards hunting him, then hide their `- ^ bodies in conveniently located бес While | don't want you to follow his exanjple literally, you should face your problems head-on: Girlfriend be damned, you need that $200 Steel ‚ Battalion controller. Because without it, [-4 „you a message:Crank thi When Bob Barkér-yap: “about neutering ` ‘housecats, he's sending ісу cold. Just ose jiggly” xi 4 fighting-game catfights. -~ Chun Li versus Cammi, Ivy versus Taki, Hitomi versus Tina versus Leifang in a royal rumble of 38-22-36 double-D proportions—get you all hot to trot doesn't mean every chick will . appreciate an impromptu flying elbow. ‚ | Try spiking your Red Bull-with saltpeter., "| excited—they’re the” . | itself—suck on that, Barron's! pie talk, I've до! . some sizzling-h A investment tips for you; ‘Virgo. Don’t get too kind nobody goes to jail · - ~~ for. Gold, pork futures, and hedge- whatever-the-hells are a mug’s game; the smart money is in old Rampart* arcade machines. Buy every last one . you can get your filthy handson.| — heard this straight from the cosmos г d you're half a man. Te sag half. NA lar crap, it's al very scientific. Anyway, you've together, stays together"? Total iie (see Gemini) propagated by non-astrology- owing armchair psychologists. It а ре, “The couple that plays тез in separate rooms or at least оп _- ‘separate televisions stays together,” ‘though | admit that’s not very catchy. heard that line, “The couple that plays = ut SCORPIO ` (Oct! 24-Nov. Я tome up around. over here!" was Scorpion's ' | (Mortal Kombat) origin _| catchphrase, until | _ suggested he shorten it. Not to toot my own ` horn, but I've been > -~ doing this star thing longer than you know. Like Scorpion way back when, you need to simplify. ideally, you should = — `| SAGITTARIUS: ` (Nov. 23-Dec. 22) Never trust an élf-o { а тап with two first: "4 тате. Also, don't ү | wear tights in ar, - . | rainstorm. I'm gonna “| run with this theme ûf . stern admonishment and'| letyou finds. D 0... never play Dr. B in Tekken 3; бше (Street Fighter) is also ultrascrubby. Ignore princesses; they ain't worth тесип. And leave all . other people doing =: the cosplaying, ар, ап "that's where you come. `| If you're a COS (customer of size—a little airline. lingo for ya) like to suggest something, involving hotpants; 21 offers you nothinigif not possi Leatherette vests, ripped fishnets, | whatever—it’ за look that only a NEXT MONTH: JULY 2004 - ISSUE *180 ON SALE JUNE 1 Sudeki XB) Rumble Roses (Р! inter Cell Paridi т Full Spectrum Warrior (XB) № Onimusha 3: Demon Siege (PS2) № Rallisport Challenge 2 ( № Red Dead Revolver (Р52/ХВ). № Mario vs. Donkey Kong (GBA) IN THE DRIV3R SEAT DRIV3R’s dealer package boasts chases galore, glorious crashes that'd make a test dummy cringe, and а car-theft cartel willing to break more than speed limits. But can it pass our multipoint inspection? Our Review Crew takes an exclusive, first under-the- hood look at Atari’s high-revving, drive-anywhere, shoot-anything title. And driver's ed doesn't end there; we'll catch up with wheelman Michael Madsen and carjacking queen Michelle Rodriguez. We've also got the goods on a garage full of other GTA- inspired games like Mercenaries and NARC. Plus, from tactile feedback to holographic displays, we'll talk to experts about the gadgets that could change the way you get tomorrow's game on. (All planned editorial content is subject to change.) A.D. Vision Ignition USA Sony Computer Entertainment v www.adviilms.com ...................1 119 — www.ignitionusa.com . .. wwwiscea.com .... 10-11, 53 Atari JAMDAT Mobile, Inc. Sony Online Entertainment . wwwatari.com . . . www. jamdatmobile.com . . . www.sonyonline.com . . . Bandai Entertainment Koei Corporation Take 2 linteractive Software. zm www.bandai.com ........... ........13 WWWKOGLOOM .................... 2-3. winwatake2games.com ....... Blockbuster, Inc. Microsoft Target Stores. wiwwiblockbuster.com ... ...104, 105 . www.microsoft.com .... Midway Games, Ine. The Guildhall at SMU wuww.midway.com ....................8-9 wwwguildhall.smu.edu ...............109 Milk Processors Ubisoft Entertainment www.gotmilk.com . wwwubisoft.com .......... MLB Properties US Army Accessions Command. wiww.majorleaguebaseball.com . Full Sail Real World Namco Hometek www.fullsail.com .................... 113 www.namco.com .... G-Net Media LLC Nintendo of America www.nintendo.com ..... Penguin Young Readers Group www.penguin.com/youngreaders .........97 www.zalmanusa.com ..................93 Hirameki International Group ELECTRONIC GAMING MONTHLY (SSN 41056-9185) is published monthly by Ziff Davis Media Inc., 28 East 28h Street, New York, NY 10016. Periodicals Class Postage Paid at New York, NY 10016 and additional mailing offices. Single issue rates: $4.99. The one year (12 issue) subscription rate is $24.97 in the U.S. and ‘$40.97 outside the US. Checks must be made payable in U.S: currency only to Electronic Gaming Monthly magazine. 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For article REPRINTS and E-PRINTS, contact FosteReprints at Tel: (866) 879-9144, Visit www. fostereprints.com to obtain quotes and order reprints online. Electronic Gaming Monthly and EGM are trademarks of Zitt Davis Media Inc. TM and © for ай other products and the characters contained therein are owned by the respective trademark and copyright owners. All materials listed in this magazine are subject to manufacturers’ change and the publisher assumes no responsiblity for such changes. The Canadian GST Registration number is 140496720 RT. Publications Май Agreement No, 40009221. Return undeliverable Canadian addresses to P.O. Вох 503, RPO West Beaver Creek, Richmond Hil, ON LAB 4R6. There's noting like beating а dead horse and riding it through a ghost town. Printed in the U.S.A. „Ө ELECTRONIC GAMING MONTHLY ® www.1UP.com • 121 Ө game over HSU AND CHAN'S OFFICIAL WEBSITE — WWW.APE-LAW.COM/EVILMONKEY GREETINGS, VIDEO GAMERS! LOOK FOR FULL-LENGTH HSU & CHAN COMICS AUYOUR LOCAL COMIC SHOP! (OR ORDER ONLINE AT WWW.SLAVELABOR.COM.) HELLO, VIDEO GAMERS, „ OR MAYBE IT SO, BROTHER CHAN-- THAT WAS "LORD OF WHAT? ТМ HSU TANAKA, THATS. MY BROTHER CHAN, AND {ISU ^» HAV GAME DESIGNERS ARE... THE FORLE.. 15 EVERYWHERE. SUST SOME CRAP REGULATED, BY LITTLE BUGS IN YOUR BLOODSTREAM, DEPENDS ON АВЕ Чоо EXCITED ABOUT “ER SODE IT”? THE RINGS,” CHAN, Gov SERIOUS? 7 A, CRIPES T DEPUTY DRoIDS! FAR AWAY OE У’ Чоо KNOW WHAT | THINK THE PROBLEM WASWITH THE SECOND TRILOGY ? Y THINK GEORGE LUCAS PUT ALL THESE VAGUE REFERENCES To ME PAST IN THE ORIGINALI MOVIE, PLANNING TO FLESH "EM OUT LATER... WELL, 20 YEARS PASS, AND ВАМ! THEN CALL HIS BLUFF AND, OF COURSE, HES BEEN GOOFNG OFF THE WHOLE TIME, 50 HES GOT NOTHIN’! THUS, IT ENDS UP BEING A LAST-MINUTE SCRAMBLE To THINK Uf SOME CONCEPT, ANY CONCEPT, To ATTACH TO SOME ©0974 PHRASE HE PROBABLY DOESN'T EVEN REMEMBER WRITING IN THE FIRST Place FOR EXAMPLE, “THE. CLONE. WARS WARS FOUGHT WITH CLONES, SOMEHOW, THAT DOESN'T SAY “Zo YEARS OF THOUGHT WENT into THIS" To МЕ!* WERE BASICALLY тац, RoBonc "d ^ ALSO, WHAT KIND OF IDIOT NATION EL. То RULE THEM? Come ON. он, NOSTRADAMUS OR cRisWELL OR ‘SOMEBODY. Gimme THE CLOWN HAMMER, TIME, THE" STAR, WARS" VIDEOGAMES HANE GOTTEN "THE ONE" |5 THE PERSON. PROPHESIED ^o UNITE THE Two AND BRING BALANCE ^o THE FRANCHISE! THERE HE \5! X OR. IT'S A CRAPPY MoviE STARRING SET Li. WITH THE BAG? DID Чоо PEE IN IT? \/ look! А SALE ON SLAVE=GARL OUTFITS АТ ^ Micro ME HUTS SECRET! SHOULD TAFFY HAVE CRUNCHY THAT WAS EASIER THAN ANTICIPATED! WHICH MOVIE You WATCH он, HECK Gear THAT PART WHERE FRODO ABANDONS SAM ОМ THE STAIRS? \ WEPT, МАМ. POWERFUL STUFF. LEMME PUT IT THIS WAY: 1 THINK үт CAN BE CONSIDERED А MASOR FLAW IN YOUR FILM'S STRUCTURE WHEN THE AUDIENCE FINDS THE ROMANTIC TENSION BETWEEN TWO STAR-CROSSED TEENAGE LOVERS To BE MORE STIPE AND UNNATURAL THAN THAT OF A BROTHER-SISTER PAIRING IN THE FIRST TRILOGY, \75 THE SoRT ОР THING THAT MAKES Чоо WANT TO TAKE А Нот SHOWER AND. N SPEND THE REST OF THE DAY SITTING QUIETLY IN А DARK неч, BUDDY, V THINK WERE GONNA STOP: AT THE (HOP Чоо WANT ANYTHING? OLD SED! MIND тес: LEGS, BROTHER? 1 VIVIDLY RECALL SEEING poo GOLLUM, SHAN, QopA/S THE ONE THAT SOUNDS LIKE GROVER. GOLLUM SOUNDS LIKE GURGI FROM "THE BLACK CAULDRON.” CAP'N p PLE Ее HIPPIES SporTED! EXTERMINATE ! HALF-BAKED чогы, A WRETCHED Wye OF Ec. үле! МЕ ARE HERE Хо SEEK OUT “HE ONE! AND Fossil A COURLE of BREWTowSKIS, м [o HANG ON, THINK THERE'S A LIGHTSABER IN HE, GLOVE COMPARTMENT... HEY, SALT WATER TAFFY! BETTER ВЕ. THIS ONE'S STILL CHASING: AFTER US WITH A SUCK, HIT THE GAS. SUPFICIENT CRAPAMADOODLES IN Bits? Чооң BLOODSTREAM 122 • ELECTRONIC GAMING MONTHLY • www.1UP.com EVERYONE gamexstudios Take racing to the extreme as you spin out, fishtail, hydroplane, and skid your way through every environment you've always wanted to drive in. Choose from 91 tracks‏ و v (== and over 40 powerful vehicles, including every famous rally * car since 1979. Race in 5 different rally sports, like the e Crossover Duel and Ice Racing. Take on the best in XSN Sports leagues and tournaments via Xbox Live. And anyone else who tries to steal your track space. ALLISPORT! $ fi HEIN ALLISPORT | it's good to play together xbox.com/rallisport2 ellectu JEAN RENO AND ТАК КАМЕЗНТВО -TWO HEROES, ONE DESTI 1000 AD ` i nth 2100 AD ь PEN £ L z THE ТНА PlayStation.c BATTLE BEGINS. | aN MATURE 17+ Blood and Gore Intense Violence g €-— PlayStation.e capcom.com/onimusha3 Character Samanosuke by ©Fu Long Production, ФСАРСОМ CO., LTD. 2004 @CAPCOM U.S.A., INC. 2004 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. CAPCOM and the Capcom logo are registered trademarks of Capcom Co., Ltd. ONIMUSHAis a trademark of Capcom Co., Ltd. "PlayStation" and the “PS” Family logo are registered trademarks of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. The ratings icon is a trademark of the Interactive Digital Software Association. All other trademarks are owned by their respective owners. Made with love’ Бу;