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FINALLY, AN UPDATE ON THE YEAR'S
mail AND MOSI MYSTERIOUS GAME
wg ‘a NINTENDO 5
( bameLube!
» New Screens
» Secret Info
> Plus: creator Hideo Kojima
comes out of hiding to talk to us hid
about GameCube, a Metal Gear af MM
movie, bouncing breasts and why =, WA
Japanese gamers hate him
REVIEWED INSIDE:
| _A TALE OF Two VAMPIRES:
, | VUL AL 4 v ER l
» Madden 2002
» Pokemon Crystal
» World series Baseball 2K2 : are here. We take a look at the
er — k new school af portable gaming.
c REL |
» Ace Combat 4 a. ea October 2001 $4.99/$6.50 es
> Tony Hawk 3 Be
> Silent Hill 2
> Grand Theft Auto III
> PaRappa the Rapper 2 uta ne
DISPLAY UNTIL OCTOBER 2
THE REVOLUTION
iS HERE
“THE FUTURE OF FIRST-PERSON SHOOTER
GAMES IS SITTING ON STORE SHELVES
IN A PACKAGE MARKED RED FACTION?
—Associated Press
GEO-MOD" TECHNOLOGY ‘THE NEXT STEP IN THE
For the first time ever destroy and
EVOLUTION OF VIDEOGAMES?»
alter the environment in real-time!
immed anni st
first person shooters by opening up
a whole new level of strategy:
—Game Pro Magazine
“Ts GAMES LIKE THIS YOU
BOUGHT A PLAYSTATIONe2 FOR?
—Electronic Gaming Monthly
“RED FACTION IS ONE GAME
THAT EVERY PLAYSTATIONe2
OWNER SHOULD OWN?
—New York Daily News
Don't fight the convoy...just destroy the bridge.
THE VEHICLES MULTIPLAYER
YOUR ARSENAL
Unleash 15 weapons of
mass destruction.
Hijack 5 fully armed land,
Wage war in 2 player split
sea and air vehicles.
screen death match!
Use infra-red weapons to blast enemies through walls!
ALSO AVAILABLE ON:
WINDOWS°95/98
Violence
Blood and Gore CD
WINDOWS °ME
www .redfaction.com .
Red Faction—Game and Software © 2001 THG Inc. Davaloped by Volition, inc. Red Faction, Volition, Geo-Mod, THQ and their
respective logos are trademarks and/or registered trademarks of THQ Inc. Al Rights Reserved. “PiayStation” and the “PS” Family
logo are registered trademarks of Sony Computer Entertainment inc. Mac and the Mac logo are trademarks of Appie Computer, Inc.,
registered in the U.S. and other countries.
_www.thg.com
SP Riphnreblenaenmnnnnannnniy
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A/C
™ When car shopping, some people will tell you to look for safety. Whatever. It’s all
about the options, baby! Like, for example, air conditioning. And koopa shells.
“te And lightning blasts on command. Introducing Mario Kart™: Super Circuit™ for
“s" Game Boy® Advance, a no-holds-barred race with all your favorite characters and over
20 new tracks. And with 4-player action off one game pak, say goodbye to those annoying backseat drivers. | LIFE ADVANCED™
EDITORIAL
Cover Happy (or, “How many times can | use the word ‘cover’ in one paragraph?”)
ast month, our cover story was on Final
Fantasy X, one of the most anticipated
PlayStation 2 games of next year, and our
cover art was drawn by famed FF artist,
Yoshitaka Amano (for a few limited editions, any-
way). This month, our cover story covers (sorry,
left my thesaurus at home) one of the most antic-
ipated PS2 titles of this year, Metal Gear Solid 2.
To help celebrate that, MGS artist and character
designer Yoji Shinkawa graced the cover with a
piece he designed just for us (well, for you, real-
ly). That means the book you are holding in your
hands is another collector’s edition, with MGS2
art you won’t find anywhere else. So please don’t
hand this issue to your greasy-pawed little broth-
er when you’re through with it.
That’s not even the best part. Hideo Kojima,
the man who’s reaching superstar status in our
industry along the likes of Shigeru Miyamoto
(father of Mario) and Yuji Naka (Sonic’s papa),
granted us a world-exclusive interview, even
though he’s “underground” and not speaking to
any press. Hey, we must be doing something
right if Metal Gear’s creator and director is willing
to give us an update on his now-secretive game
when he’s turned down Newsweek, other gaming
mags and sites, and...well, everyone else in the
world so far. Read all about the man, his private
life, “the game,” and more, starting on page 118.
So what are we doing right, exactly? It’s no
secret, really. We report on games and the gam-
ing industry with absolutely no fluff, no bias and
certainly no BS. A lot of Net folks with nothing
better to do than to bitch and whine all day long
just love going on message boards and claiming
that our reviews are catered toward our advertis-
ers. OK, whatever.
Chris Baker
questions for us? Just ask!
Kevin Gifford
news site www.video-senki.com.
By Dan “Shoe” Hsu ¢ shoe@ziffdavis.com
This month, Chris contributes another
head-scratcher for our award-winning
series, Ever Wondered. Got any more
Kevin, who penned this month’s wire-
less gaming feature, works on transla-
tions for Japanese games and runs the
TN OI NIN
Electronic Gaming Monthly has a proud tradi-
tion of staying editorially independent of any and
all things having to do with ads. | remember a
long time ago, Acclaim pulled spots from the mag
because they were p-o’ed at my review (5.5 out
of 10) of Turok for the Nintendo 64. You know
what? Our publisher and sales team never said a
single word to me about it. No pressure to apolo-
gize, change my score, or give favorable coverage
later. | only found out about this loss of ads a
couple of years later, by accident. Other major
advertisers have pulled ads from us for this rea-
son or that (one company because we didn’t like
their rehashing of certain zombie games, another
because we mocked a certain toy soldier fran-
chise). It don’t bother us none! They can leave,
they can come back...we will continue to be hon-
est and straightforward with our readers, even if
it means losing all of our advertisers in the
process and going out of business. For EGM,
integrity is paramount.
Speaking of being up front with you, in this
issue, we’re covering some games with which
most parents won’t want their kids to be involved
(Silent Hill 2—page 74, Grand Theft Auto IIl—
page 70). We support and encourage parents’
rights to monitor the media their kids are
exposed to, so I’m giving you that warning now,
before you reach those pages.
..!
Eat My Shorts!
Look around this issue for quotes from
The Simpsons or a famous movie. Find
one, e-mail it to us at EGM@ziff-
davis.com (subject: Eat My Shorts—
October Issue), and you may be one o
five lucky winners (chosen at random
who will win a copy of this month’s
Review Crew Game of the Month.
Some quotes/references from Sept. issue:
e“ is a perfectly cromulent word.”
(Simpsons, pg.22)
e“ hiding in his ‘Hidden Fortress’...”
(Hidden Fortress, pg. 140)
e“If you miss this, you better be dead or in
jail.” (Simpsons, pg. 156)
Winners from the August issue:
eLon Diamond—Encinitas, CA
eSteve Karig— Bridgewater, NJ
¢Donnie VandenBos—Great Falls, MT
eJose Acero— Goodyear, AZ
eArtie Vierkant—Boise, ID
No purchase necessary.
For full legal crap, go to
www.egmmag.com
ELECTRONIC GAMING MONTHLY (ISSN #1058-918X) is published monthly by Ziff Davis Media Inc., 28 East 28th Street, New York, NY 10016. Periodicals Class Postage Paid at New York, NY 10016
and additional mailing offices. Single issue rates: $4.99. The one year (12 issue) subscription rate is $24.97 in the U.S. and $40.97 outside the U.S. Checks must be made payable in U.S. currency only to
Electronic Gaming Monthly magazine. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Electronic Gaming Monthly, P.O. Box 55722, Boulder, CO 80322-5722. For subscription service questions, address changes, or to order, please con-
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obtain a permission request form at www.icopyright.com/ziffdavis/, or have a form faxed or mailed to you by calling (425)430-1663. Copyright © 2001 Ziff Davis Media . All Rights Reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part with-
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All materials listed in this magazine are subject to manufacturers’ change and the publisher assumes no responsibility for such changes. The Canadian GST Registration number is 140496720 RT.
Printed in the USA.
Audit Burra of Groulations
ELECTRONIC Number 14.10
GAMING
—— MONTHLY
October 2001
Editor in Chief : :
Dan “Shoe” Hsu * shoe@ziffdavis.com
| Managing Editor : :
Dean Hager * dean_hager@ziffdavis.com
| Executive Editor : ; :
Mark MacDonald ¢ mark_macdonald@ziffdavis.com |
| Features Editor oe : :
i Geno Boyer ® crispin_boyer@ziffdavis.com
| News Editor
Chris “CJ” Johnston © chris_johnston@ziffdavis.com
| Previews Editor : :
Gree Sewart * greg_sewart@ziffdavis.com
Senior Associate Editor : : :
Kraig Kujawa ® kraig_kujawa@ziffdavis.com
Associate Editor : : :
Jonathan Dudlak ejonathan_dudlak@ziffdavis.com
Associate Editor/Art Director. :
_ Jeanne Kim ¢ jeanne_kim@ziffdavis.com
Tricks Editor . : : :
Terry Minnich ¢ tricks@ziffdavis.com
West Coast Editors. : :
James Mielke © james_mielke@ziffdavis.com
Che Chou ¢ che_chou@ziffdavis.com :
Contributors: — : 4
Chris Baker, Kevin Gifford, Ethan Einhorn, Dan Leahy, |
Shane Bettenhausen, Gary Mollohan, John Ricciardi |
japanese Correspondent
Yutaka Ohbuchi
eurgpeat Correspondent
Axel Strohm
Senior Art Director : :
Cyril Wochok @ cyril_wochok@ziffdavis.com
Art Director. i : ‘ :
Mike Reisel ¢ mike_reisel@ziffdavis.com
Managing Copy Editor
jennifer Whitesides
Manufacturing Director
Carlos Lugo
Senior Production Manager
Anne Marie Miguel
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Dave McCracken
Pre Neate Technician
Mike Vallas
Assistant Production Manager
Teresa Newson
Project Leader
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Customer Support Analyst : :
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Vice President/Game Group
Dale Strang
Business Director
_ Cathy Bendoff
Circulation Director
_ Joan Mcinerney
Circulation Director
Shirley Viel
Senior Newsstand Sales Manager
Don Galen
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| Founder Steve Harris
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MIDWAY
www.midway.com
COMING THIS FALL.
PlayStatione2
NHL® Hitz™ © Midway Home Entertainment Inc. All rights reserved. HITZ is a trademark of Midway Home Entertainment Inc. MIDWAY and the Midway logos are trademarks of Midway Amusement Games, LLC. Used by permission. NHL, the NHL Shield and
Stanley Cup are registered trademarks of the National Hockey League. Ali NHL logos and marks and team logos and marks depicted herein are the property of the NHL and the respective teams and may not be reproduced without the prior written consent of NHL
Enterprises, L.P. © 2001 NHL. All rights reserved. © NHLPA. Officially Licensed Product of the NHLPA. NHLPA, National Hockey League Players’ Association and the NHLPA logo are trademarks of the NHLPA and are used under license by Midway Home
Entertainment, inc. NINTENDO GAMECUBE is a trademark of Nintendo, © 2001 Nintendo. “PlayStation” and the “PS” Family logo are registered trademarks of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. Microsoft, Xbox, and the Xbox logo are either registered trademarks or
trademarks of Microsoft Corporation in the U.S. and/or other countries and are used under license from Microsoft
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CONTENTS
RET RTD RRO RDI OHI NTY
MONRO OIIOTY
Advance Wars
Alien Front Online
Armored Core 2: Another Age
Batman Vengeance
Bomberman Online
Capcom vs. SNK 2
Capcom vs. SNK Pro
Dance Dance Revolution Disney Mix
Dead or Alive 3
Digimon Digital Card Battle
Doom
Dragon Warrior VII
Ephemeral Fantasia
ESPN Golf
Extermination
Gradius Galaxies
Grand Theft Auto III
Guilty Gear X
Hot Shots Golf 3
Jade Cocoon Il
Jak and Daxter: The Precursor
Legacy
Lady Sia
Last Blade 2: Heart of the Samurai
Le Mans 24 Hours
Ka
Kessen II
Kingdom Hearts
Madden NFL 2002
Mario Kart: Super Circuit
Mat Hoffman’s Pro BMX
Maximo: Ghosts to Glory
Mobile Suit Gundam: Journey to
Jaburo
MotoGP 2
NFL GameDay 2002
NHL Hitz
Okage: Shadow King
Ooga Booga
Outtrigger
Pac-Man Collection
Pokémon Crystal
PaRappa the Rapper 2
Piposaru 2001
Propeller Arena
Rune: Viking Warlord
Shaun Palmer’s Pro Snowboarder
Shrek
Silent Hill 2
Silent Scope 2: Dark Silhouette
Smuggler’s Run 2
Soul Calibur 2
Spider-Man: Mysterio’s Menace
Syphon Filter 3
Tales of Destiny 2
Tekken 4
Test Drive Off-Road—Wide Open
Tetris Worlds
Time Crisis 2
Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 2X
Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3
Twisted Metal: Small Brawl
Victorious Boxers
World Series Baseball 2K2
Yanya Caballista City Skater
RRR MUP NO NPD EN NPPPONON I PP MN PN NI IONE
October 2001 Issue 147
OOOO NOHO
Metal Gear Solid 2 When Konami announced that Metal Gear Solid
creator Hideo Kojima was “submerging” and thus refusing to grant
interviews, there was only one thing we could do: infiltrate Konami
HQ in Japan for the full scoop. After we got stuck in his office air ducts
for the sixth time, Kojima admired our persistence and granted us this
exclusive look at his PS2 masterpiece. Page 118
Will Grand Theft Auto III
Kick You In The Ass?
The game that politicians
love to hate is back. This
ambitious and gratuitously
gory gangster simulator is
Senator Lieberman’s worst
nightmare come true.
Check out the ol’ ultra-
violence on page 70.
Soul Calibur Slashes Back
At long last, Namco’s landmark
fighting game is back! Order up
your arcade fighting sticks and
tighten up your gi to prepare for
EGM’s tantalizing world-exclusive
first-look at this amazing sequel.
Page 34.
Heartless and Soul With not one but two vampire sequels in the
works from Eidos and Crystal Dynamics, who can tell these blood
brothers apart? We expose the jugular on Legacy of Kain: Blood
Omen 2 and Soul Reaver 2. The bloodletting begins on page 140.
Wireless Gaming !n Japan
and Europe, gamers are
already playing on-the-go
versions of Resident Evil and
Dance Dance Revolution on
their cell phones, but when
will we get to dial up these
games in the good ol’ USA?
Please hold while EGM
investigates. Page 132
staadaaasnpnaanacaneasananancasauaantiaey RON RMON PHN MOE
LNA IHD PIN POPP RIO PA HO I NP I I EP NOP INN POI ARAN ND
RON DPMP IMA MOI
Editorial 6
Letters
9 Press Start
OQ Maro Gass
A:
3
“3
a Tricks
@ The Final Word
20
od
Got storage space? We find out if
the PS2 hard drive is all it’s booted
up to be. Also: We answer more of
your burning questions in Ever
Wondered? And what drives GT3
boss Kazunori Yamauchi?
xg
Previews 66
This month we take Tony Hawk for
a grind on the PS, PS2 and Xbox.
For those of you who crave a little
more blood than action-sports
provide, check out Silent Hill 2 or
GTA3. If you simply want to beat
your enemies into submission,
Capcom vs. SNK Pro on the
Dreamcast is where it’s at.
Review Crew 144
Gamers have some tough decisions
to make. Should you buy Madden
or GameDay? Is Time Crisis 2 or
Silent Scope 2 the best shooter? Is
online play enough to save World
Series 2K2? And the toughest of
all—is Pokémon Crystal worth
buying? We have answers.
162
168
The Crew ponders how they’re
going to find the cash to buy all
the new systems and games
coming this fall.
i == PlayStation 2
GameCube |
Xbox |
Dreamcast
PlayStation
Nintendo 64
Game Boy Advance
Game Boy Color
Arcade
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AGENT ORANGE
i mee bined NE) a
"tne best BMX game on the market.”
-gamespot.com, May 01
"ts a blast and it lures me back time and time again...”
-PlayStation Magazine, June ‘01
ug,
Animated Blood
Mild Animated Violence
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“This is pick-up-and-play at its finest...”
- Official PlayStation Magazine, May ‘01
© 2001 Activision, Inc. and its affiliates.
All rights reserved. Published and
Distributed by Activision, Inc. and its
affiliates. Developed by Runecraft, Ltd.
Developed by HotGen Studios Limited.
Activision is a registered trademark and
Activision 02, Mat Hoffman's Pro BMX
and Pro BMX are trademarks of Activision, Inc. and
its affiliates. Mat Hoffman is a trademark of Mat
Hoffman. The ratings icon is a trademark of the
{interactive Digital Software Association. Licensed by Sony
Computer Entertainment America for use with the
PlayStation game console. PlayStation and the PlayStation
logos are registered trademarks of Sony Computer
Entertainment Inc. Licensed by Nintendo. Game Boy Golor
and Game Boy Advance are trademarks of Nintendo. All
rights reserved. Sega, Dreamcast and the Dreamcast logo
are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Sega
Corporation. All other trademarks and trade names are the
property of their respective owners.
“eww _ “MAT BUSTIN’ HI
DROPPING IN THIS FALL
GAME BOY ADVANCE
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— Dreamcast.
} SPORTS REVOLUTION }
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CONTENT RATED BY
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100% GAMES _
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1999, 2000, 2001. [ecmo® is aregistered trademark of Tecmo LID: Tecmo, inc. PMB#5553.21213-8 Hawthorne Wa, Torrance, GA 90503 (310) 994-5005 71310) 946-3344.
~ Microsoft, Xbox and the Xbox Osta either registered trademarks of trademarks of Microsoft Gorporation if the US. and/or in other cauntties and are us@d@ under license from Microsoft. The ratings icomis a trademark of the Interactive Digital Software ssotiation.
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EGM@zifidavis.com
E-mail us your thoughts, your wishes, your gripes,
your innermost weirtiness...or your pictures, crazy
screenshots or photos of bizarre game-related
moments. By the way, “daring” us to print your letter
is the quickest way to get it thrown in the trash.
LETTERS
ERS RRR RHR DARROOORRT:
We have it on good authority that
local editor Jonathan Dudlak
purchased one fuchsia GBA for a
lady friend who allegedly lives “out
of state” (uh-huh). He’s been
prancing around the office lately
asking the other editors if different
shirts “make him look fat,” so we’re
starting to wonder...
Positively Revolting
| was sitting in my room, when my
mom comes up the stairs and says, “1
think it’s time to clean!” |’m like,
“Noooooo!” So | thought maybe | can
start a revolution. It’s time to realize
the conditions in my room will not
improve. It’s time to stand up and
clean! Wait for my signal, then strike
hard and strike fast. If you join, you
have a chance of being part of the
revolution! If you survive, you will go
down in history forever!
Bryan Danilchuk
Stoneham, MA
Looks like someone’s been playing
a bit too much Red Faction. Though
we applaud your revolutionary spirit,
we can’t help but wonder if not
cleaning wouldn’t be the way to go,
since maintaining a spotless pad is
the oppressive mandate of your
motherly dictatorship. Besides,
you’re bound to get more volunteers
if there’s no actual work involved. Oh,
and if mom finds maggots inhabiting
your messy but morally justified
room, you didn’t get the idea from us.
Viva la resistance!
Having Issues
| already know God loves me, but
you must love me too. On Thursday |
opened up my mailbox to see if the
latest issue of EGM had arrived yet.
When | took a gander at the cover,
PPP RRR APPR OPIATE POLE L OES ES DEE SPE ERDE SED DE SLO STEOPBERSEOSIDOODIE TOPE DSOOPPSSPESEREESELEESILES SEEEDOCCE DEEDES SOLC LCE IEIED ELE ELELELEPIER EDI EELLED PLES EDEL REPEL ELLE ELE L EAL ELLA PELE BD LLEE EDEL IEE IE EEEIR POLE LPIA LRP PELE AIL REL ELLIE TOLL ELLA OA ETE LIN ATT
what did | see? The limited-edition
cover featuring artwork by Yoshitaka
Amano! Oh man! | must be the luckiest
guy in the world. My friend got the
normal cover, which still looks cool.
Reggie
WRITINGGUY@aol.com
Truly the gods have smiled upon
you, Reginald. See, everyone?
Subscribers did indeed get the
Amano cover (Reg, your big bag of
money is on the way; thanks for
covering us). We wish it could have
been everyone, but if you’re clear on
the concept of “limited edition,”
you'll understand why it wasn’t.
Divine Intervention
| received the September 2001 issue
of EGM today and was looking forward
to reading it. As | was thumbing
through it, | came upon a response to a
letter on page 26. Apparently, the
writer must have thought referring to a
Game Boy that is sitting in the toilet as
Jesus was cute and funny. However, to
a loyal EGM reader who holds Jesus
Christ in the highest possible regard,
this is not funny and is very offensive.
| would like to know what Ziff Davis
will do to make sure this will not
appear in magazines again. Again, |
have been a happy patron of EGM and
its Sponsors for years now. It appears
this sort of garbage could ruin what
has been a great magazine. Maybe the
time has come that Ziff Davis does not
care about the segment of its readers
that fall into the “religious” or
“Christian” category. Has it?
Drew Baxter
Daphne, AL
Well, Drew, our intention certainly
wasn’t to jest about anyone’s
religious beliefs. In fact, we didn’t
even think about it being in the toilet
when we made the resurrection
reference. The whole thing was just
an attempt to find an element of
youth culture that everyone could
relate to. But even we slip up
sometimes (especially during crazy
deadlines!). Please accept our
apology; we hope this hasn’t
Summer’s over,
so we're clearing
out lots of shorts
this issue.
| was wondering why
those Got Milk
commercials aren’t in
3D? It would be cool
if they made a Zelda
one.
Sk8board Masta
That’s exactly
what we’ve been
saying all along!!
Actually, they did
make one with
Mario. It was
pretty cool fora —
milk ad, we
guess.
\ "eq
| object to the
excessive use of the
word “niggling” in
your Review section.
Aeneman@aol.com
What do you
mean excessive?
We only used it
once. Relax, it
just means
“petty.”
Why don’t companies
make stuff right out
of games, like Sonic’s
shoes or Mario’s hat?
I’m sure they would _
sell.
Rodolfo Lopez
Memphis, TN
If they sold
Sonic’s shoes, he
wouldn’t be able —
to run anymore. |
is that what you
want? Is it?
My mom is tougher
than any game girl.
youhavel
Haylee Benn
Age 10
When Jeanne Kim
saw this, her
eyes went ablaze
with girl-gamer
rage. Please, for
our sake, don’t
antagonize her!
PORN ETON TEA
Question of
the Moment
What Is Your Favorite
Final Fantasy, and Are
You Excited For FFX?
Of course I’m excited about Final Fantasy
X; it’s one-third of the way to Final
Fantasy XXX.
JustReg@hotmail.com
No, I’m not excited about FFX. | played
FFVII and it freaked me out. | had to start
seeing a therapist because of it!
jpeninger@msn.com
My favorite Final Fantasy is FFIX because
it tells the story better than any of the
previous FFs. | always like each FF better
than the last, so you bet I’m looking
forward to FFX.
Justin6121@aol.com
| fondly remember destroying Chaos
when | was only six, and the series has
only gone uphill from there for me. Final
Fantasy VIII, however, was the climax,
and IX was just the cigarette after.
matt@rgsd.org
FFIIl was definitely the best. And X, er...|
about lost interest when Square started
pulling their lead characters from the
boy-band reject pool.
matt_e@saber.net
Final Fantasy VII. Cloud was my idol; |
would copy every one of his animations
and basically just try to be like him.
CHU5344@aol.com
My favorite Final Fantasy is Tactics. What
can | say, I’m a sucker for customization.
With that in mind, I’m not even thinking
about FFX. Now FFXI is another story...
gregoryjranson@email.msn.com
Final Fantasy ||| is hands down the best
FF game. Any game that makes you sing
opera has got to be good.
pmstroud2@hotmail.com
Next Month’s Question
of the Moment:
Do you feel like you are or will be
missing out on a lot of good
games this year because of
Mature ESRB ratings?
Send your short but sweet
responses to: EGM@ziffdavis.com
with the subject heading:
Overrated
* ¥
Toonami’s in TROUBLE
and ONLY YOU can save it..
A WEEK-LONG EVENT STARTING SEPTEMBER 7TH AT Spm ET/PT
SEE IT ON-AIR. PLAY IT ONLINE. nae
QDEdGworRE
AOL Keyword: Toonami
Toonami.com ae
TM & © 2001 Cartoon Network. An AOL Time Warner Company. TM, @ and the Nintendo GameCube iogo are trademarks of Nintendo.
ALATLJOL
_ PlayStation.2
GENT i) tt. SE ASRIVRMSA RY ERT
PlayStation.2
PiayStation.c
PROMe AU M IN cRRie mee
NayStation.c
(M) Mature Audience
©2001 Target Stores. The Bullseye Design is a registered
trademark of Target Brands, Inc. All rights reserved.
You can write EGIV! at:
EGM Letters
Please note: We reserve the right to edit any correspondence for space
PO. Box purposes. If you don’t want your name, city/state or e-mail address
ae B al printed, tell us so (but please include your phone number, mailing address
é ak BOO - and system preference for Letter of the Month prize consideration).
0522-333
Also note: Although we can’t respond to every letter, as far as you know, we do
e-mail: EGM@ziffdavis.com __ read them all. Also, everything you send us is ours to keep!
lessened your opinion of the mag—
we’ll be more careful in the future.
Two-Gent Refund
| have a Dreamcast and | buy games
often. Sometimes when | buy a game,
the retailer says something like, “You
wasted your money” or “You shouldn’t
have gotten a Dreamcast.” | think this
is because Sega is not making more
systems, but that doesn’t mean that
Dreamcast isn’t a good system.
Chris Brimer
Florien, LA
Chris, it’s time you learned that the
world is full of ignorant people. You
go on buying whatever the heck you
feel like buying, even if it’s Atari
Jaguar games. Well, OK, not Jaguar
games, but Dreamcast is definitely in
the clear. And if anyone tells you
differently, you let them know that
your friends here are gonna run
compromising photos of ‘em in EGM.
You Win!
| just got your September 2001 mag,
and on page 16 on the left it says,
“Congratulations. You win an InterAct
GameShark.” What do | do?
Nobrain439@aol.com
What you do, Nobrain, is go back
into the mag, look above that text
where it says, “Letter of the Month,”
and realize that we were talking to
the guy who sent in the letter. Don’t
sweat it, pal, you weren’t the only
one to think he had won something
for nothing. Kids these days...
header Fails to Read
Since subscribing to your magazine, |
realized this mag is all about Game
Boys, Sega, etc. Do you ever review or
discuss the dependable PC?
jjob@mediaone.net
Way to subscribe before knowing
anything about the mag. We’d cover
PC stuff, but all of our dependable
machines have General Protection
Faults and Errors Type 11.
We could have sworn we heard SSX characters
cursing in the game, and referenced the presumed
foul mouths in issue #145’s Letters. Turns out the
profanity was just Shoe losing at Street Fighter; our
apologies for leading you all astray.
In our review of ESPN X Games for PS2, we said that
there was no multipiayer split-screen mode
available. Turns out there is—it’s a bit buried under
the “others” menu, but it’s in there after all. Our
apologies to you and Konami for the oversight.
Letter Art of the Month WINNER
Chris Kau ¢ Canadensis, PA
Congratulations, Chris Kau! Your
prize is on the way~an InterAct
GameShark for PlayStation 2,
PlayStation, Dreamcast,
Nintendo 64 or Game Boy Color.
AS sie
" a: gat
Close, but no controller
Bad luck to this guy.... Better luck next time.
Sol Henderson
Eastsound, WA
SOPOPSIOORIIRIT ONES HRNN DORIS ONAL NORIO IO AIAN AINA MIM RDN NMR ANNO GIDEA HARA MRO ONO INI NOHO RNIB PIICS
Put your creative skills to the test by decking out a #10 envelope
(the long, business type) with your own unique touch. Send your
letter art to:
EGM Letter Art, P.O. Box 3338, Oak Brook, IL 60522-3338
(or e-mail EGM@ziffdavis.com)
Be sure to include a mailing address, and tell us what system you'd
like your prize for, in case you win. All entries become the property
of Ziff Davis Media Inc. and will not be returned!
For Letter of the Month and Letter Art of the Month contests, no purchase is necessary. If you're really bored and want to read the complete contest legal rules, please visit www.egmmag.com or write us at: EGM Contests-Legal Rules Request,
P.0. Box 3338, Oak Brook, IL 60522-3338, After reading the rules, please get a life. Don’t forget to tell us what system you'd like your prize for, and don't forget to give us your physical mailing address as well...or else, no prize for you!
get mtol iy
axa T
©2001 Target Stores. The Bullseye Design is a registered trademark of Target Brands, Inc. All rights reserved.
heal
ain
Twisted Metal: Black ‘is a trademark of Sony Computer Entertainment America Inc. © 2001 Sony Computer Entertainment America inc. “PlayStation” and the “PS" Family
‘
5% ee
Comic WN
and Violen
ere is hope. A brave young warrior Toan, armed with only a magical gem, faces Mealinnaig tah ee era
of reb Iding he wo id. Ven ure with him deep underground to discover clues and gather vital elements of stad ahaa veaw Sal
Fees - mes oe ee . Entertainment inc. © 2001 Sony Computer
Entertainment Inc. “PlayStation” and “PS”
oe fer he See Flee A ee oo Sa ; Family logos are registered trademarks
. rescues lie before you : | i of Sony Computer Entertainment inc.
The Hottest Gaming News on the Planet
WORLDIEXGLUSIVE
SOUL CALIBUR 2
By Chris Johnston chris johnston@ziffdavis.com
& Jonathan Dudlak jonathan dudlak@ziffdavis.com
The World's Best 3D Fighting
Game i is s Getting a a and
From the arcade version...”
~G) Nameo Limited. These scr een “shot iS are in progress.
t’s not a huge secret that Namco is working on an arcade sequel to their
critically acclaimed Dreamcast/coin-op hit, Soul Calibur, a title many
consider to be the best fighting game ever. (The DC version is the only
fighter in history to score straight 10’s from EGM’s Review Crew.) We recently
“acquired” some inside info, a handful of screens and a confidential video
tape that revealed Soul Calibur 2 is in the works for Nintendo’s upcoming
console as well. Namco will release Soul Calibur 2 for the GameCube
sometime in the spring of 2002 in Japan. No word yet on when the arcade or
U.S. editions are due, or if Namco is making this game for any other
consoles besides the GameCube.
The three hi-resolution shots you see on these pages are from the arcade
version of SC2 (and are labeled as such). The rest of the images in this story
- Sri,
were taken off a VHS tape, which showed actual Soul Calibur 2 gameplay
running on GameCube hardware. Note, because we took the GameCube
screens from a video tape and not the machine itself, those pictures are
rather blah in quality. Also, it’s obvious that a lot of stuff you see here is
placeholder junk (like the Mario Paint-quality energy bars and win-count
circles). You can expect the GameCube version of Soul Calibur 2 to look
practically the same as its arcade counterpart. Everything will get several
face lifts and tummy tucks before the game gets released,
Another note: Scan these pictures to put up online and we'll kill you. Then
we'll force you to have a nice “sit down” with our lawyers.
So with those pleasantries out of the way, let’s get on with talking about
Soul Calibur 2.
Electronic Gaming Monthly - 384 - www.egmmag.com
(According to a long and painful staff 1. Soul Calibur (DO)
“discussion” about which games we’d 2. Street Fighter Ill: Third Strike (DC)
take to a desert island with us— 3. Street Fighter Alpha 3 (DC, PS) :
assuming we had a TV and game 4. Virtua Fighter 2 (Saturn) OP
systems and electricity, that is.) 5. Tekken Tag Tournament (PS2) “ te
a —
ee
Soul Calibur (Dreamcast)
| ——
From the artade version. . A ei arcade version. | —,
(C) Namco Limited. These seréen shots are in-progress. ? (C) mco Limited. Thes reen Shots are in-propress.
Fighting Engine
What we know: SC1’s famed 8-Way Run is back. This allows full 3D
freedom of movement, unlike the side-stepping Virtua Fighter or Tekken
games, which are still essentially played like any ol’ 2D fighter. Also,
SC2 has something called “Avoid!!” and “Break!!” These are probably
temporary terms, but the word “Avoid!!” pops up when the defender
makes a quick side-step and narrowly misses an incoming attack.
What we don’t know: What “Break!!” is. It doesn’t appear to be the
Same weapon-breaking feature in Soul Calibur 1’s predecessor, Soul
Blade (where weapons can be destroyed when used to block or “turtle”
too much), though it does happen when weapons clash.
ra
e
=
Be
BS
a
E
&
A quick sidestep of the Sword “Break!!” seems to happen when
Buster attack gives Taki (inthe red | weapons get locked then broken
outfit) the “Avoid!!” message anda __ apart, but that’s just us taking a
chance to give Siggy some payback. stab at this new fighting system.
See the steps-and the P<.
| different elevations? : oe
ao an 3 j
Several things, the most important one being the
arenas now have walls in them. With SC2, you can avoid being
cheaped out of victory via a nasty ring-out. We didn’t see an entirely
enclosed stage yet, so the game still has room for characters like
Astaroth to use their superior ring-out skills to force an early victory.
The levels now have different elevations (like in Virtua Fighter 3),
and uneven and more realistically textured floors (like in PS2’s
Tekken Tag). Also, the arenas are much bigger than the small
“islands” in Soul Calibur 1.
What How the walls work. In the video, we didn’t
see one character get knocked through the barriers. Do they break
away? Do the warriors get bounced off of them? We’re not sure yet.
This spacious
library is one of
the many new
Stages. It’s clearly
bigger than the
previolis games’
arenas. Check out
|..the-watt"of b oks
We saw a lot more showy sparks and flames
when the weapons clanged together. The combatants on the
character select screen are now animated, and the fighters are a
lot more detailed; you’ll see more realistic shadows, muscles and
hair. Also, Ivy (below, left) really likes to flaunt her stuff now.
How else this game improves visually over the
amazing Dreamcast version. It’s hard to tell from the grainy video.
When you see Siegfried’s blond
locks flowing like Fabio’s mane
on a windy day, you’ll thank the
lord for GameCube technology.
Selss START
What we know: Namco’s brought the sound quality up a notch. The
clanks and bangs of the weapons are more distinct now, and you
can hear different effects when the players are tromping around on
various surfaces. (You can tell when a warrior walks off of the
cobblestones and onto sand, for example.)
What we don’t know: Rumored by our sources in Japan but
definitely unconfirmed, the U.S. version may have English
voiceovers, So maybe we'll get to finally understand what the Soul
Calibur fighters are saying.
ow | oyivl)
ad fb or. ’
‘ 1 Titi’
» TIO eI
F The character
© select screen is
-.. partially blacked
out, so we can’t
show you the
whole crew. These
are temporary
names, by the way.
AVAILABLE AT YOUR
LOCAL SKATEBOARD SHOP.
TORIND 4 LOCATION NEAR VOU, SEE THE LATEST NEWs:
TEAM INFORMATION AND SHOES, VISIT OUR WEB SITE AT
WWW. DCSHOECOUSA.COM
MODEL FEATURED,
THE TITAN.
CARL HYNDMAN PHOTOS.
ROR R ONT RR OTN IDAN ETI OHI NITION
| Dreamcast Newswire
PSO Ver. 2 Pay2Play Debacle
Good news, Sega
fans. Phantasy Star
' Online Version 2
will be released in
the U.S. in mid-
September. But
before you start
jumping around with schoolgirl glee, note the
fine print: To play online in Ver. 2, you have to
buy a $15 Hunter’s License (via credit card)
that gives you three months of play. Compare
that to Japan, where you pay 1,000 yen (about
$8) for the same amount of game time. Seems
like a rip-off, eh? Sega wouldn’t spill the
details on whether or not the game’s MSRP
would be lowered (from $39.99) in the U.S. to
offset the higher Hunter’s License fee. Oh, and
One more thing—we wanted to review PSO
Ver. 2 this issue so you’d be able to read our
take on it before it’s released, but Sega’s
holding reviewable U.S. copies from the press,
| anew trend with the company. So look for the
full review next issue.
Dreamcast Price Slashed
In late July, the Hollywood Reporter ran a
story that the DC price would be cut to
More GameCuhes
Than You Can
Shake A Stick At
If the number of units a company
Ships of a new game system is any
indication on their belief it’ll
succeed, then Nintendo is ready to
take over the world. The company
will deliver 500,000 units for the
system’s Sept. 14 launch in Japan,
and 1.1 million (!) for
the U.S. on Nov. 5.
By the end of
the year,
Nintendo will
Ship another
900,000 units in
Japan, bringing
that country’s
total to 1.4 million.
All we can say
is...that’s a lotta
systems at once.
JAPAN USA
Cliartenanic Camime RAAR Phy
Ri€citrOTic Uc Hie WIOTLAHY -
20°
|
per minute
LORE IRESS
ce
The number of Game Boy
Advance units continuously
being sold since the June 11
launch. Also the average number
of times the GBA gets cursed at
due to sucky ene
Reverse PBR PDE RDO PDORO DOU TOOT HP PRE NPDES IRR SRR RPE DADO S ORDO IDO HED ANA HB PO ORO DO c COO EER OHR RIEU RNR IORI
LL NA TARA
$79.99 (from $99.99) in mid-August. Sega
wouldn’t confirm with EGM whether or not
the report was true, but quotes from
Electronics Boutiques and Babbage’s Etc.
executives lend credence to the story. A
further drop (to $49.99) is expected as early
as the beginning of 2002 if hardware is still
left over. Don’t have one? Go get one (or two)
when the price’s right.
SegaNet Closes ISP Service
About a year after it started, SegaNet has
closed its doors as an Internet Service
Provider (ISP). Its servers will continue to live
on as a place to play online games, but Sega
will no longer provide the dial-up access.
Previous SegaNet users were shifted over to
Earthlink, who will offer users Internet access
at the same monthly fee ($19.95/month). If
you got in on one of the deals Sega was
offering (like the DC free with two years of
SegaNet) you’re hereby let off the hook and
can cancel the Earthlink service at any time.
And you get to keep the refund check.
Hooray, money!
RL Rhtee tee ee eee teeect Tea teteetreeete eitentrtte ttathietnttnteneterehttentheteet tet teeteetteeeteeees
OANA NSORO SSSI OSNNSLOASEOBRIARINOORESIAGSBONSENAAANAROSSOESRENNADNSAASNISANAOORSE SISTA RIND EN ATRESIA ESSENSE SIRS D OSES SNONRACLESENSERSNOOLEESIERSAASOOLLE oben
Ubi Does 19 for GC
Ubi Soft has 19 GameCube titles
in the works. Tarzan, based on
the Disney animated movie,
will make it out first, with a
projected December release
date. Other games will follow
in 2002, including Batman
Vengeance, which is also coming
for PS2 (see preview this issue).
WWE Body Slams Cube
Can GameCube smell what The Rock is
cookin’? Yes! THQ is bringing the action
of WWF wrestling to Nintendo’s boxy
system in 2002. It doesn’t have a name
yet (it might be an extension of the
Wrestlemania line that started on N64),
but it will be a series exclusive to the GC,
like SmackDown! for PS2 and Raw Is War
for Xbox.
Tron Gets Back Online
In 1982, Tron was the first movie to get
“inside” the video game world, and in
the near future we'll be able to get
| Want My VGTV
Video gamers will soon have their own
cable channel, called G4 (Games, Games,
Games, Games?). Comcast, the same
group who turned E! from a channel that
covered movies into Wild On Boobies, will
do the honors. It’s set to go on the airona
cable box near you in 2002.
Electric Playground
Can’t wait ‘til 2002 to watch a TV show
about games? Then check out Electric
Playground (Discovery Science Channel,
Fridays @ 7:30 p.m.), a weekly half hour
covering the latest and greatest, hosted by
Victor Lucas and Tommy Tallarico (below).
Photo by Dave Buzzard Photography
inside the world of Tron, too. A Tron
video game is being prepped for a 2003
release on PC/
Xbox/other platforms.
That'll come just
before the movie
sequel hits theaters,
tentatively called Tron
2.0. Finally, on Jan. 15,
2002 we'll see a re-
release of the original film on DVD with a
plethora of special-edition features.
End of line...
Take Lara for a Ride
We know it, you know it. You’ve always
wished you could take Lara Croft for a,
uh, spin. And by that we mean travel
with her on her adventures. Soon you'll
be able to, as Tomb Raider: The Ride will
hit Paramount’s King’s Island near
Cincinnati, Ohio, in 2002. Guest
adventurers will strap in for a wild ride
of deja vd as the ride re-creates scenes
from the video games and the Tomb
Raider movie.
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RRR HARA PEN IA PO ELA NATION GEOR ENON IH IE GEENA NEPA AARNE EON.
>UTER ENTERTAINMENT’S |
EOPLE’S CHOICE AWARDS’
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of tricks, including Ice and ‘ eee : EL EC TRO
Taser-Webbing!
SKIN | KF?
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Super-Villains Galore
Electro has been joined by Sandman
and others in a nefarious scheme
to bring the city to its knees.
You Are What You Wear . _
Create-A-Spider let i
Spidey with the right tools for the VOU DON’T JUST PLAY IT... YOU LIVE IT.
right job by mixing and matching
suits and powers.
ACTIVISION.
activision.com
MARVEL, SPIDER-MAN and ELECTRO: TM and © 2001 Marvel Characters, Inc. All rights reserved. Published and distributed by Activision, Inc. and its affiliates.
Activision is a registered trademark of Activision, Inc. and its affiliates. © 2001 Activision, inc. and its affiliates. Developed by Vicarious Visions. All rights
reserved. All other trademarks and trade names are properties of their respective owners. Licensed by Sony Computer Entertainment America for use with
the PlayStation game console. PlayStation and the PlayStation logos are registered trademarks of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. The ratings icon is a trade-
mark of the interactive Digital Software Association. All rights reserved. Ail other trademarks and trade names are properties of their respective owners.
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Blood and Gore
Violence
missing brother, |
=a RISIDENTEVIL®
=== CODE Ver
CAPCOM beers: ‘es
©CAPCOM CO., LTD. 2001 ©CAPCOM U.S.A., INC.
“PlayStation” and the “PS” Family logo are ri
AFTERTHOUGHTS:
In each installment of Afterthoughts, EGM takes a game that’s already on store shelves
and asks the developers for their thoughts, post-release. This month, we chose Sony’s
Gran Turismo 3: A-spec. After he finished meeting and greeting a couple hundred of his
biggest fans at Rockefeller Center’s Electronics Boutique (NYC) for the U.S. launch on
July 10, we caught up with Kazunori in a little café outside his hotel. Between cigarettes,
he gave us his thoughts on his latest creation and the future of the series.
Kazunori Yamauchi: Ever since GT1 we’ve never
been super confident about the titles’ launch.
We’ve never just thought “we’re better than so-
and-so.” There’s always that little worry in the
back of our heads. | don’t think that feeling will
ever go away. Luckily, so far, when we’ve
released the GT games, the users have caught
on to what we’ve provided.
KY: I’d like to in the future. There are two main
hurdles we’d have to clear for that to happen.
One is to obtain car manufacturers’ approval to
include damaged cars. Normally, they don’t want
to see their cars busted up.
If they do say yes, the next problem would be
that, because GT is a series that emphasizes the
realism of driving and the feedback of the car,
we would have to implement what happens to
the car when it’s damaged. That has to be real.
We don’t want cars just banged up or blowing up
in the end and burning. It’s not that simple. You’d
have multiple ways of destroying your car, and
we’d want to simulate that.
KY: As you pointed out, there is a slight
“We made a new
discovery that made
racing on the dirt feel
much more realistic
and exciting.”
difference. But even in the Simulation mode, as
you proceed in the game there are different
leagues: Amateur, Beginner and Professional.
In the Professional League— probably more than
halfway through the game —the difficulty level is
very close to the Professional mode in the
Arcade section.
However, | do admit that the Al is not at a
level where it’s more human. It’s not emotional,
trying to block you, cut you off, whatever.
That means there is room for improvement in
the future of the series. That’s an area we’re
obviously studying.
To add to that, the level of the Al has
increased incredibly in the sense that the
computer cars are in the same exact
environment as the players as far as road
conditions. lf the car slips, they have to counter-
steer and get the cars back online and on track
like the players do. We know of no other game in
which the computer Al calculates that far for all
the other competing cars. In those terms, | think
the Al has advanced quite
significantly.
A-spec 3
KY: Honestly speaking, it was a time aspect. In
order to allow all cars to have standard and
modified versions, you’d have to create double
the amount of car models. We have roughly 200
cars in the game, so we’d have had to create 400
models. In future games, I’d like to bring that
feature back.
KY: When users buy a car brand-new and the
odometer says zero, the car is not at its full
potential yet. They have to break it in. So it
Starts at a certain level, then gradually increases
up to 100% potential. It stays there for a period
of time, then gradually starts to slide down.
KY: Yes. Even though we took out the used car
aspect in terms of buying, the theory is still
there. By adding the odometer and having to get
your car broken in, users will have to decide on
their own if a car is getting a little too old or has
too much mileage. Then they decide if they have
to buy a new one.
KY: | like the Mazda RX-7, the Mitsubishi Lancer
Evolution V and the winner of Le Mans in 1993,
the Mazda 787B.
KY: Yes.
“| was in the office testing the Rally mode heavily. Then |
went and drove the actual car on the dirt and realized
how close we were. Only then did | realize, ‘Ah! | finally
got it.’ I'm quite happy with it now.”
EGM: Is that something you meant for GT3?
KY: The network issue was not in the original
game plan. From my point of view, | wanted GT3
to be the ultimate stand-alone software title.
EGM: That said, are you happy with GT3?
KY: During the GT series, there was never a time
when | was completely happy. Even with GT3,
there were many issues | was not satisfied with
up to the very end. So even when it is complete,
there’s never a time that I’m 100 percent sure
about the title. There are always aspects that I'll
look back and say, “Maybe this, maybe that.”
EGM: The rally racing in GT3 is noticeably
better. Is that something you concentrated on?
KY: Yes, we did spend a lot of time developing
the Rally mode. Compared to GT2, which was
based more on theory, we redesigned the
physics behind the car feedback. We made a
completely new discovery—| can’t give you the
details—but a new discovery that, when added
to the car’s feedback, made racing on dirt feel
much more realistic and exciting.
Later, | got a chance to drive a Lancer
Evolution VII on the dirt. Before this experience,
| was in the office testing the Rally mode heavily.
| went and drove the actual car on the dirt and
realized how close we were. Only then did |
realize, “Ah! | finally got it.” I’m quite happy with
it now.
Start Your Engines
“I’ve been in line since 8:30 last night for this
game, and it was all worth it!” beamed
Brooklyn’s Bill Diver as he proudly displayed
his copy of GT3. Diver was the first of over 200
people to buy the U.S. version of the game on
July 10 in New York City.
The real treat, however, was the opportunity
for gamers to meet with GT3 Producer Kazunori
Yamauchi and 2001 Indy 500 champion Helio
Castronevez (both pictured at right). The two
Electronic Gaming Mo - 43 -
EGM: Speaking of testing the cars in the game,
did you actually test out any Formula 1 cars?
KY: Actually | haven’t had the chance to drive
one. | think that because of the physics and
calculations we have for the game, it’s probably
closer than any other game in terms of a
Formula-type car. But, it’s probably not right.
There must be something wrong with it. That’s
also an area I'd like to study and improve. The
current fantasy Formula models are kind of an
experiment in the early stages.
EGM: There was a rumor that finishing GT3
100 percent might unlock either Motor Toon
or Omega Boost. Any truth to that?
KY: Honestly, we did think of it. We have all the
data of past games, and we can always go back
and dig it up. We were even talking about adding
segments of games we’ve developed to run at 60
frames per second to see what they would look
like, just for fun. In the end we ran out of time.
But we haven’t given up on the idea. Maybe in
the future it might pop up again.
EGM: How come you can’t race backward on
Laguna Seca or Cote d’Azur?
KY: | just wanted to pay respect to the real-life
courses, so | didn’t want to fiddle with them.
At a real-life course, going reverse is the ultimate
taboo. So that’s why | didn’t include reverse
mode for those two courses.
(©
CG
R)) S)
even put on a show for the fans when they
competed for bragging rights at Laguna Seca.
Yamauchi squeaked by Helio on the final turn
to take the victory.
Following the race Kazunori was quite
pleased with the experience: “It made me
realize how good the simulation in the game
is. A professional driver could warm up for five
minutes and have a pretty good battle with me.
It’s exactly what | was aiming for in the game.”
as
www.egmmag.com
REVIEW FLASHBACK
GT was born before the PS2 could help
realize Yamauchi’s vision. Here’s what
we said about the first two GTs:
Gran Turismo
John Ricciardi said: “Get used to this
quote, ’cause you’re gonna hear it a
lot: ‘Gran Turismo is the best racing
Erme of all time.’”
Gran Turismo 2
John Davison said: “Every time you
play it and try something new, it
amazes you even more with its
intricate attention to detail...”
EGM: Did any of the manufacturers have a
problem with racing on actual streets in the
Tokyo Course?
KY: So the players are not mislead into thinking
it’s real-life street racing, there were some
requests to make it obvious that although we’re
in a real city, this track is designed as a race
course and that blockades are clearly placed.
There were fences, grandstands and billboards
to make it look like a circuit that’s designed off a
Street. More like the F1 Indianapolis or Le Mans.
Unfortunately that’s all the space we have for
Afterthoughts this month. But Mr. Yamauchi
loves to talk about his game. So you can find
the answers to the rest of our questions —
such as why used cars were taken out of GT3
and what real-life courses might be included
in GT4—at www.egmmag.com.
—Greg Sewart
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Visit www.esrb.org
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eee te Sor eee eae etic ne pe Ne CONTENT RATED BY
~ www.interplay.com —
appeals ~
to spirits
ight about the time Final Fantasy X arrives
in the States next spring, Japanese gamers
will be taking Square’s flagship franchise
online with Final Fantasy XI. New information on
the game and the PlayOnline network that will
support it has surfaced in the form of a
promotional disc packed in with the Japanese
FFX. From the gameplay shots we saw, this
sucker’s a whole new ball of wax.
The most drastic change in FFXI, apart from
going online, is the game’s more serious
medieval style. In contrast to the fantastic
Settings and cutesy characters Square is
notorious for, FFXI’s world is teeming with
traditional dragon-slaying knights traversing an
earthy countryside. That’s not to say that Square
won't have its share of oddities and
abnormalities, though (take a look at the
Pikmin-eating beast of blue pictured at bottom,
OR EI OPP
eooano0o ooo!
0 oo co ae
center). However the game looks, with producer
Hiromichi Tanaka (Xenogears, Chrono Cross) and
FF mainstay Hironobu Sakaguchi on the project,
it’s probably not going to suck.
First things first. It’s tough to play Final
Fantasy with your international friends without a
network to support it, so Square is launching
PlayOnline with FFXI. This subscriber service will
allow you to hook into FF servers and perform
basic functions like e-mail and Web browsing via
an exclusive browser (included with the game).
While Square’s original plans called for more
mainstream applications as well, such as
downloading music and sports scores, it now
looks like PlayOnline will keep its sights on
supporting the potentially huge FFXI userbase.
The service will support a number of minigames,
including the Tetra Master card game from Final
Fantasy IX. Nice, now how about some Chocobo
Final Fantasy has been around forever, and its characters |
are some of the most memorable in any game series.
_ Ever wonder how the team gets fresh inspiration for
names and character development? Run on down to
http://s3.rpgclassics.com/ffcompendium/h/ name.shtml
for some oe and moe oe |
st SSSOSSS SS SSOSUAMSSSS NI SSSA OSS SANSA a ge ects idskcsscanesceisinsseensisisascooniseiiol
racing online?
Phantasy Star Online players may be a tad
skeptical—is PlayOnline going to be around long
enough that we should invest in all the gear, or
will it be the Dreamcast/SegaNet fiasco all over
again? Well, Square says that PlayOnline needs
300,000 subscribers to stay afloat (PSO has
200,000), So if you consider FF’s relative
popularity, it’s not time to worry yet.
With all the competitive shenanigans going on
between next-gen hardware makers, we may
just see FFXI on a Box or a Cube, but it’s only.
been confirmed for PS2 and PC so far. Let’s hope
Square and Nintendo patch things up, at least,
SO we Can go online with PSO2 and FFIX without
everyone having to buy seven different game
consoles. Meanwhile, FFX! and PlayOnline go
into test this fall in Japan, so we’ll have updates
as they come.
Oe ooo
Meet Natsumi:
exciteable Japanese
student and FFXI player
who longs for...
i det amen warn he Qed?
i PROFLE DATA ~
i 001257
naleerss ool con
...their log-in screens,
which is how players
hook up to play FFX!
after a quick...
this guy, the studly
young man who also
plays FFX! online and
works p
part time..
7)
..phone call, but ih ttle
does Natsumi know the
online friend she calls to
set up a game is...
A sorceress tries hard to fit j
in with the other humans. .
actually the same dude _...the
from the pushcart, but
neither catches on
until...
..at this fast-food stand,
and can somehow still
afford to scrape up rent
for...
The Japanese Final Fantasy X comes with a pretty cool promo for
Final Fantasy XI and the PlayOnline service. It tells a toucl —_ tale
of love online, which we’ve outlined in the pictures and caption
below. So play Final Fant
pW ana thie enc
asy Al, and this could nappen to ye ou!
...this swan
where he retir
evening to play
with Natsumi and..
K ie HORSE) ...guys like this geeky
y bump paths. .and our heroine
Nat: sul ni makes the r refle cts on her fi:
connection, the physical date with the
relationship blooms... mystery FFX! man.
Call it whatever you want, but Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within’s
Showing at the box office was less than stellar. As of this writing, FF
had barely cleared the $30 million mark. Considering that its
estimated production cost topped $140 million, it’s safe to say this
one was a bit of a letdown. Perhaps because of the movie’s
Slide down the box-office charts, Columbia will
} $41.1 release it as a two-disc special edition on DVD on
Oct. 23. That’s separate from the special PS2
edition of the movie, which is scheduled to
hit stores next year.
Final Fantasy: TSW
Tomb Raider
+ ACQUIRE NEW SOUL
ENHANCEMENTS, PHYSIC
AND RELICS.
‘aie
jt
i
“a ee
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" inaisi
RP or cal 1-800-771-3772
for more info.
Visit www.esrb.org
_ CONTENT RATED BY
-ESRB
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BYNAMICS
FGM Takes Sony’s PlayStation 2
Hard Drive for a Spin
On July 19, Sony CEI released the PS2 Hard
Disk Drive (HDD) in Japan. Ten-thousand
drives—7500 external and 2500 internal, at
$150 and $145, respectively—went out to
those lucky enough to place their order via
PlayStation.com. Why an external model? Early
Japanese PS2s have a PCMCIA card slot in the
back instead of the expansion bay seen on
U.S. and newer Japanese-model systems.
Since our Japanese PS2s are the old type,
we picked up an external drive and headed for
a secluded location (my cube) to test it out.
One look at the external drive and you can
tell it’s going to be a tough customer. It’s big,
bulky, and has another power cord that you’re
gonna have to find a plug for. Thankfully, the
internal model that the U.S. gets will run on
the PS2’s power. It’s also heavy —the internal
will add a healthy amount of weight to the
system.
Installing the drive was a fairly painless
process. That is, once | figured out that the
HDD turns itself on only after you’ve loaded up
the included Utility Disc. The disc updates the
Browser and system file on your memory card
so that the HDD powers on when you boot up.
The HDD is then visible in the Browser.
OK, so what do you use it for? Right now,
games like FFX, Capcom Vs. SNK 2 and some
Konami music games use it for data caching;
you install the game on the drive so the
system reads it from there and not a CD,
cutting the load time down significantly
(depending on the game). Take the A-Train
2001 is the only current Japanese) release to
use it for game customization and data.
_ Do you wonder what a trip to EGM’s offices would really be like? Hsu
_& Chan creator Jeremy “Norm” Scott recently lived that dream. And if
his trip is any indication, you'll want to stay the hell away (that
| means you!). You can read about Norm’s recent visit here by pointing
your browser to http://www.ape-law.com/evilmonkey/hsuchan.htm
§
Reoceoonenensscecanoennsenansnaqsescocoocoesonsensssncconsqtondasssstedacasosassocnsaesseocecosesoscosasosanansaeacesessencbaneneeseaseoonecnnonsess
ieee
A big drawback is that (at this point,
anyway) you cannot store memory card saves
on the drive. That would’ve been nice for those
of us who have multiple memory cards.
As for networking abilities, the Japanese
drive only includes the ethernet plug (the U.S.
Network Adapter will have an additional 56k
modem), which is the part of the card that
Slides into the PCMCIA port. You’re also
assigned a Multimedia Access Control code,
which will protect your information once
network gaming and browsing are available.
The HDD will become a valuable tool once
more games actually use it for saves and
customization. Is faster loading enough of a
benefit to justify the cost? For FFX, the
difference is negligible (see below). The HDD
will be cheaper in the U.S. since the Network
Adapter is sold separately (for $40), but | hope
games Start using it for more than data
caching. —Chris Johnston
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The HDD comes in a red box (top left),
distinguishing it from the PS2 system,
controllers or memory cards. You install it
using the handy lil’ Utility Disc (top right).
Once you boot up the Utility Disc, you can for-
mat the drive, install the new browser software
(so it’ll recognize it), and download the newest
version of the DVD Player software. The inter-
face will probably be slightly different when
the drive is released in the U.S. in November.
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SPORTS)
EA SPORTS" 2002. THE ULTIMATE ALL-ACCESS SPORTS PASS
Down here, momentum swings on a pendulum. Pain is part of the
uniform. And sweat is a form of currency. EA SPORTS"2002 presents
unprecedented access to the wide,wide,wide-eyed world of sports
This is opportunity knocking. On your forehead. With a skillet
©2001 Electronic Arts Inc. EA SPORTS, the EA SPORTS logo, “It's in the game“ and John Madden Football are trademarks or registered trademarks of Electronic Arts Inc. in the U.S. and/or other countries. All rights reserved. ©2001 NFLP. Team names and logos
are trademarks of the teams indicated. All other (NFL-related marks) are trademarks of the National Football League. Officially licensed product of PLAYERS INC. The PLAYERS INC logo is registered trademark of the NFL players. www.nflplayers.com ©2001
PLAYERS INC. Nintendo 64, Game Boy and Game Boy Color are trademarks of Nintendo.. NASCAR is a registered trademark of the National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing, Inc. ‘Jeff Gordon" name, signature and likeness; "DuPont' trademark, and likeness of #24
Hendrick Motorsports car used under license granted from J. G. Motorsports, Inc. #21: The ‘Motorcraft’ trademarks, Wood Brothers Racing and Elliott Sadler's name and/or likeness used by authority of Roush Racing, Livonia, MI #36: ©2001 MB2 Motorsports/KSR,
Inc. ®"M&M's’ , “M’ and the "M&M's" Characters are the trademarks of Mars, Inc. and it's affiliates. OMars, Inc. 2001. #8: The name, signature and likeness of Dale Earnhardt, Jr. are licensed under the administration of Dale Earnhardt, Inc. #97: The Papermate,
Rubbermaid, and Sharpie trademarks are trademarks of Newell Rubbermaid, Inc. or its subsidiaries and are used by permission. Roush Racing and Kurt Busch's name and/or likeness used by authority of Roush Racing, Livonia, Michigan. ©2001 license for
driver, helmet, car and uniform granted by J. G. Motorsports, Inc. Chevrolet, Monte Carlo, Pontiac, Grand Prix, the Chevrolet "Bow Tie" emblem, the Pontiac "Arrowhead" emblem, and vehicle model body designs are General Motors trademarks used under license to Electronic
Arts, Inc. All other car, team, and driver images, track names, trademarks, and other intellectual property are used under license from their respective owners. NHL, National Hockey League, the NHL Shield and the Stanley Cup are registered trademarks of the National
Hockey League. Used under license by Electronic Arts. All NHL logos and marks and team logos and marks depicted herein are the property of the NHL and the respective teams and may not be reproduced without the prior written consent of NHL Enterprises,
L.P. ©2001 NHL. All rights reserved. Officially Licensed Product of the National Hockey League. National Hockey League Players’ Association, NHLPA and the NHLPA logo are trademarks of the NHLPA and are used, under license, by Electronic Arts Inc. Officially
Licensed Product of the NHLPA. NHLPA, National Hockey League Players’ Association and the NHLPA logo are trademarks of the NHLPA and are used, under license, by Electronic Arts Inc. ONHLPA Licensed by Sony Computer Entertainment America for use
with the PlayStations 2 game console. “PlayStation’ and the "PS" Family logo are registered trademarks of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. The ratings icon is a registered trademark of the Interactive Digital Software Association. Microsoft, Xbox and the Xbox logo
are trademarks of Microsoft Corporation in the U.S. and/or other countries and are used under license from Microsoft. The logos and other indicia of NIKE, Inc. reproduced on this product are the trademarks and copyrighted designs and/or other
forms of intellectual property, that are the exclusive property NIKE, Inc. and may not be used, in whole or in part, without their written consent. EA SPORTS™ is an Electronic Arts™ brand. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.
easports.com
EVERYONE
It’s In the game-
PC
PlayStation.e
NASCAR |
, ao ©
Each month, we solve the gaming mysteries
that keep you up all night and scratching
your noggin all day. It’s just like the TV
show Unsolved Mysteries, except without
that gravelly voiced old dude from Airplane!
No-Play Zone
Q: Why do I have to
turn off my Game
Boy on planes
during takeoff and
landing?
A: Regulation
121.306(a) of the
Federal Aviation
Administration
explicitly limits your
right to operate “any
portable electronic
device on any U.S.-
registered civil
aircraft.” Why the
airborne buzzkill?
Your Game Boy emits a tiny blip of radiation
that could potentially screw with the plane’s
instrument systems and radio chatter with the
control tower. In fact, the FAA has logged more
than 45,000 mid-air anomalies— everything
from phony warning lights to planes veering
off course—linked to passengers fiddling with
Panelists for the event, which took place at
the SF Museum of Modern Art, included
Nolan Bushnell, founder of Atari; Will Wright,
mastermind behind PC-game phenomenon
The Sims; and art theorists Lev Manovich
and Brenda Laurel. The discussion ranged
from video games as representative of the
21St-century epic, to its lack of irony—a
characteristic that’s intrinsic to modern art.
Wright concluded the evening to hoots and
hollers when he used the evolution of art
history as an allegory for where gaming has
been and will hopefully go. Afterward, we
couldn’t help but feel the whole occasion
was kind of like E3 meets Sprockets. And
now we will dance. — Che Chou
Video Games As Art?
Are video games a valid form of art? And if so, where do art and games intersect? To explore
these and other academic issues, the San Francisco Media Arts Council held their second
symposium, titled Artcade: Exploring the Relationship Between Video Games and Art.
Atari founder Nolan Bushnell gets artsy.
laptops, Walkmans and, yes, portable games.
So don’t ask questions; just find something
else to do during those agonizing 20 minutes
of gamelessness while your plane ascends
above 10,000 feet, the minimum altitude at
which you can
power on. Why
not read a
fascinating article
in the latest issue
of EGM, available in
all finer airport
bookstores.
Empty Pocket
Q: Why didn’t the
PocketStation
come to the U.S.?
A: After all, the
little gizmo—a
cross between a
memory card anda
Tamagotchi—was a
nifty device. Sony was planning a U.S. release
for March 1999, but the PocketStation was so
popular in Japan that there weren’t enough
units to go around in its home country, let
alone worldwide. By the time supply caught
up with demand and a U.S. release became
feasible, the PocketStation ran into a rocky
: 51 _ \ARARAS OQGOMmMao cnr
_Klonoa 2 just came out for PS2, but if you missed the first
| one you’re going to pay a pretty penny for it. A new or mint-
_ in-box copy of Klonoa: Door to Phantomile (PS1) will run you |
_ over $100 on eBay, with some auctions just for the disc
| getting well over S5o. If you’re gonna bid on one, beware:
SR RRO
road of hurdles that doomed its Stateside
chances. For starters, Sony was readying the
PS2 and had other things to worry about. The
PocketStation also suffered from short battery
life (you’d be lucky to get two days out of it).
And developer support a. ae
dwindled because
the gizmo had
been so rare for so
long. Then there
was the lack of a
U.S. killer app. The i.
virtual-pet title
Doko Demo Issho
may have moveda —
mountain of ’ :
PocketStations in .— cH
exactly the Kind of Fevitr’s Chocobo World
game that would
PocketStati
sell big here. So ocketStation game
despite support in a few U.S. games (such as
Final Fantasy Vill and Ridge Racer Type 4), the
little sucker never saw the light of day. Still,
rumors of a color PocketStation 2 do persist...
— Chris Baker
Got a gaming mystery? E-mail it to
EGM@ziffdavis.com with the subject header
“Ever wondered?” and we'll solve it for you.
Activision Publishes Report
Next summer, we’ll all be enjoying the
Tom Cruise/Steven Spielberg sci-fi flick,
Minority Report in theaters. Soon after,
we'll be able to play the game at home.
Activision has landed the rights to the
game, which will be published on PCs and
consoles. Written by Philip K. Dick (who
also penned Blade Runner), the story
follows a cop who has been accused of
committing a crime in the future and
must figure out how it will happen so he
can stop it in time and clear his name.
Tomb Raider: The Apology
in other news, Eidos, proprietors of the
Tomb Raider games, made a public
apology to French archeologist Jean-
Yves Empereur for accidentally using his
likeness in Tomb Raider: The Last
Revelation. Maybe they’ll apologize for
the game next.
Japanese pilot wannabes who like to drive their jets with something heftier
than the dual shock can spring for this special flight-stick controller from
peripheral manufacturer HORI, which will be released simultaneously with Ace
Combat 4. Tough luck for U.S. flyboys—the stick ain’t coming here.
Namco's
Photorealistic Flight Combat on PS2
rmchair jet jockeys who get their
Top Gun kicks on towering PCs
might look down their nosecones
at us console gamers, just
because our flight-combat games are
heavy on arcade action and light on
realism. But you know what? Screw
them. We might not know a velocity-
vector doohickey from an angle-of-attack
whatsit, but very soon we'll have a plane
game that licks PC sims in one crucial
department: the visuals. Namco’s Ace
Combat 4: Shattered Skies, due in early
November for PlayStation 2, looks better
than anything those PC players drive
around the virtual sky with their fancy
joysticks and rudder gizmos.
These screens tell the tale. Fully 3D
volumetric clouds billow in the sky. Lush
hills and mountains roll into the hazy
distance. The hyper-detailed plane
models stream contrails behind them
during dogfights (which are best viewed
via the multiple-camera-angle replays).
Sunlight glints off the ocean’s surface —
and even off the glass
of your heads-up
display. And wait until
you see the game in
MACH-1 motion. AC4
delivers a smooth
and speedy flight
experience rivaled only
by PC sims running on
the most up-to-date
hardware.
But make no mistake:
The AC series—by far
the best-selling flight
franchise on the
consoles—still emphasizes arcade-style
action over true-to-life simulation. “We
believe it’s extremely fun to fly freely in
the 3D environment and experience the
sensation of being an ace pilot,” says
Namco project director Hiroyuki
Ichiyanagi, who previously worked on
Klonoa for the original PlayStation and is
new to the Ace Combat series. “But if we
pursue this concept too far, there would
be many difficult and complicated
Me
controls that require more skills on the
player’s part, which would mean only a
few people could really enjoy the game.
We wanted to make sure we extracted
just the fun aspect of simulators.”
And basically, those fun aspects equate
to lots of adrenalized dogfights and plain
ol’ blowing stuff up. AC4’s 20 missions
vary from simple intercept sorties (“Take
out those incoming bombers!”) to deep-
Kaboom! with a view:
Ace Combat 4 is the
first game in the
series to feature a
visible virtual
cockpit, complete
with animated
gauges.
Strike air raids in
enemy territory. And every
level features varying
photorealistic terrain in all
manner of weather conditions. One
mission, for instance, has you
screaming over an enemy beach,
blasting tanks before your ally’s
landing craft can reach shore. It’s
set during a blinding downpour,
with raindrops whizzing past your
canopy. If you throttle up into a
Straight vertical climb, you can
break through the storm clouds
into a dazzling blue sky, then
rudder hard Earthward and plunge
into the pea-soup storm again.
Another mission is a sneak attack
on oil rigs and an enemy seaport at
night. It’s all similar to the stuff you did
in previous PlayStation installments,
except with more room to search and
destroy. “The PS2 hardware allowed us
to use larger amounts of aerial and
ground objects,” Ichiyanagi says, “so we
could feature larger campaigns.”
Runway and carrier landings, used
sparsely in the last two AC titles, factor
heavily into the gameplay now. Any time
you’re running low on weapons, you can
turn tail and flee the danger zone. Every
mission area offers a return zone—
marked on your map by a dotted line—
where you can land for re-arming and
by hy
PNP LD REN AME MEY ON PRM ON LOR AI NA LOLOL) ok St <
repairs. Cross the line and your plane
automatically drops its landing gear. Your
heads-up display kicks into an
instrument-landing system to help you
line up with the airport runway or carrier.
All you have to do is guide your plane in
for a soft touchdown. Once the ground
crew has done its thing, you can power
up for takeoff and rejoin the battle.
AC4 also features much better sound
effects than any previous game in the
series— mainly because the team broke
out their microphones and went ona
field trip. “We visited the [Japanese Air
Force’s| air base to record the sounds of
jet engines, explosions, gunshots, etc.,
Who Wants To Be A Pilot?
If life really imitates art, isn’t it high time you
were buzzing control towers and nude beaches
in a plane of your own? Here are three ways to
earn your wings...
To fly small planes...
The cheapest way into the mile-high club, a
private pilot’s license will run you about $4,000,
which covers the cost of the month-long ground
school and 4o hours of instructional flight time
required by the FAA. You gotta be at least 16
years old to take lessons—and you'll need to
earn additional certificates to fly multi-engine
planes or in bad weather—but hey, imagine
picking up your prom date in a Cessna! “Allow
me to tighten your flight harness, Heather.”
To fly commercial airplanes...
Get ready to empty your bank account if you’re
really serious about this whole flying thing.
More and more specialized schools—such as
Comair Aviation in Sanford, Fla.—are offering
what’s called “ab initio” flight-training
programs, which’ll take you from a wee
groundling all the way to a full-fledged airline
flight captain who can point out dull scenery
from 30,000 feet with the best of them. Expect
to shell out about $30,000 for a pro-pilot
program, which can last several years. But then
some of those stewardesses are pretty hot.
“My tray table’s in its fully upright and locked
position, Linda.”
——
Tatoo eee Cons OU A Cte PRONE,
5
4
during their drills,” Ichiyanagi tells us.
On top of all the screaming afterburners
and rocking explosions, the team layered
an impressive amount of radio chatter.
You now go into most missions with a full
flight of seven or more wingmates, who
bark orders, offer updates on their
mission objectives, and warn you when
bogies close in. You can even listen in on
enemy radio transmissions. It’s the most
chatter in a console sim yet, and it adds
a lot to the you-are-there experience.
Unlike Ace Combat 3, which packed
such a complex universe and cast of
intertwined characters that Namco
essentially nixed the game’s entire story-
line for the U.S. version, AC4 offers a
streamlined plot. It’s set in the dismal
near future on a fictional war-torn
To fly fighter jets... |
Here’s the toughest ticket of all. To turn and
burn for the U.S. Air Force or Navy, your best
bet is to get into their respective military
academies, which ain’t easy (heck, you need a
congressman’s recommendation to get into the
Air Force Academy). The other route is to get a
four-year college degree in a technical field, join
your campus ROTC, get excellent grades, brush
your teeth three times a day, keep your room
tidy, and maybe, just maybe, you’ll be plucked
from the Air Force or Navy’s Officer Candidate
School to become a bona-fide fighter jock. And
chicks dig fighter jocks. “Permission to buzz
your tower, Mona?”
Hey, importers: All the dialog
and displays in ACg are in
English, in case you plan on
nabbing the game when it
hits Japan in September. : —-
continent pocked with asteroid impacts. folks. The rest of the game’s cutscenes have the option to buy specialized
You play a pilot hellbent on revenge after unfold in these paintings along with the weapons for your jet. Why not load up
his parents were killed when he was narration of your character. cluster bombs for your run over enemy
young, the dumb-luck victims of a fighter You start your quest for revenge in the oil fields? And in another first for the
plane that crashed into their house. The clumsy Vietnam-era F-4 fighter. But as series, each fighter has its own virtual
game opens with watercolor images of you progress through the missions, you'll cockpit, from which you can peer around
your character watching the jet crash, earn money you can put toward more with the right analog stick. (As in AC3,
then spying the plane that shot the advanced fighter jets. AC4 packs 20 holding the Triangle button will lock
fighter from the sky. You vow to one day planes in all, including the brutal A-10 enemy targets in your view.) Switching
kill this fighter pilot who has just, tank killer, the nimble F-16 and the on the virtual cockpit limits your view—
however inadvertently, murdered your overpriced F-117 stealth fighter. You'll also especially in jets with bulky airframes —
but it adds a touch more realism to the
Straight-To-Video Mood Movies game (your canopy glass even filters the
— 3 sunlight with a dull tinge).
| Sure, you could watch Top Gun on TBS to get into the Ace Combat mood, :
, q but we’re not letting you off that easy. Instead, we’ve prepared this list of Namco has Mie plans to include online
+374, video-only flops that happen to involve jets shooting stuff. Why ride into modes for this installment, but the game
| the crap-flick danger zone? Goose would have wanted it this way. _ will support the upcoming hard drive for
faster loading times, as well asa
THE FLICK... THE GIST... widescreen mode for gamers craving a
panoramic view of the action. AC4 even
A U.S. aircraft carrier runs into a “time storm” and is wooshed makes use of the PS2 controller’s analog
THE FINAL back to the day before the Japanese bomb Pearl Harbor. We
COUNTDOWN get one nifty dogfight between our jets and Japanese Zeroes,
but then the movie wusses out: The crew heads home before
splashing the enemy strike force. Talk about a cockpit tease.
buttons. Varying pressure on the Square
button, for instance, will zoom the map,
while pressing the shoulder buttons with
all your might applies hard rudder for
A squadron of WWII vets stage an air raid on a cocaine tighter turning. OK, so maybe the PS2
: factory in a daring mission to wipe out all ’80s movie pad isn’t as authentic as the high-end
. — villains once and for all. Sounds exciting, right? So why flight yolks PC gamers use for their flight
{ does Lou Gossett Jr. look so unhappy on the box? Doesn’t games, but when those guys show us a
he see the cool explosion or hot Rambo girl nexttohim? | —- Sim that looks this good and runs ona
$300 machine, we'll shut up. se
Thank goodness Hollywood listened to the tens of dozens — Crispin Boyer
THE PHILADELPHIQ of the first flick’s fans and made this sequel, probably the :
EXPERIMENT 2 third or fourth greatest movie ever made about a stealth
fighter sent back in time and used by the Nazis to win
World War II.
Rapper, actor and part-time pimp Ice-T plays a Naval pilot
turned mercenary who highjacks a Stealth Fighter and
bombs military installations for the highest bidder. Let
this be a lesson to you: Never leave the keys in your
stealth fighter.
DEVELOPER PROFILE
Vicarious Visions
Year founded: 1994
Location: Troy, NY
Web site: www.vvisions.com
# of people: 60
Worked on: Polaris SnoCross (PS/N64),
Spider-Man (GBC) and Tony Hawk’s Pro
Skater 2 (GBA).
Current projects: PS1: Spider-Man 2 Enter:
Electro; GBA: Spider-Man: Mysterio’s
Menace, Power Rangers: Time Force, Crash
Bandicoot Advance and THPS3.
We heard THPS2 GBA has such excellent
visuals because it overclocks the
system...but that this sucks the juice
from the batteries faster. True? |t’s
true that THPS2 GBA sucks the batteries
faster than most other games, but it’s not
because we overclocked it. Tony uses every
last ounce of the CPU. Most games don’t do
this so the power consumption on average
is lower. But because Tony constantly
pushes every available CPU cycle, battery
power is consumed faster than most other
GBA games.
What game needs a 32-bit monkey
buffer? (see Web site) All of our GBA
games use VV’s patent-pending 32-bit
monkey buffer! Monkeys make ‘em better!
Will you be working on any next-
generation systems like PS2, Xbox or
GameCube? Yep. We’re proud of developing
for all platforms. We currently have a
PS2/Xbox title in the works and we're just
starting up GameCube development.
Which are you most excited about?
Each platform has its advantages and
disadvantages. But many of us are looking
forward to working on GC. There are some
interesting gameplay possibilities with
the GBA-GameCube connectivity and it’s
something we'll be working on in the
near future...
a re
sty Didn’t score one of the limited edition
og Amano covers of EGM’s September
ce issue? Head over to www.egmmag.com/
e Contest/ for a chance to win one of ten
_ free copies. Or you can pay upwards of
: | Sa5f for it on cs if you prefer Se:
Quartermann - . Game Gossin 8 Speculation
Welcome back to Q-Mann’s rumor
confectionary. I’ve been bakin’ up some fine
morsels this month, Game-oids. Time for
The Q to get his groove thing on and spew
forth the chewy nougat. Is this thing on? OK,
here goes:
... ime to steamroll right into this month’s
juiciest of rumors. Enter Xbox...publishers have __.
been alerted that/hardware shipments in the
first three months will be around 750,000
units, not the 1 million number being thrown
around earlier. The number of games available
on day one (and the exact starting lineup) is ©
constantly changing too. Instead of the PS2
mentality of last year (throwing as many titles
as possible at the wall to see what sticks), a
front tier will launch with the system; with a
handful of additional titles hitting stores every
week in November’s launch period.:.
...Word from deep inside The House of Bill
indicates that there isn’t time to fix the
problems with many.games (*cough* Azurik) ©
that were pushed ahead-for launch. The gold-
rush mentality is apparently taking its toll on !
the development teams, who are now worried
their products won't “be all they can be” come
Nov. 8. The best-looking games may end up
being Dead or Alive 3 and (if they make it)
Sega’s titles.... An Xbox-enhanced DVD for
Spielberg’s A./. that included the movie and a
bunch of neat lil’ extras, which yours truly
thought was fab to the max, was in the works
but has been mysteriously yanked. At this |
point, the release of the A.I. Xbox pate sid
RRO EE TONITE NTT EL TOTNES SION TION
Paging | Mr. Belmont
When we previewed the import
of Castlevania Chronicles (PS1)
last month, we had suspicions
Konami would release it
Stateside. It seems our hunch
was right. You can pick up the
remake of the X68000 version
in the U.S. in October. Also
confirmed: a new Castlevania
to follow up Circle of the Moon.
EA Nabs LOTR Gold
Electronic Arts is set to dance all over the grave
of J.R.R. Tolkien. The company just signed a deal
with New Line Cinema to develop multiple games
based on the upcoming Lord of the Rings movie
trilogy. Bilbo Baggins B-Ball Mania anyone?
~~reportedly been
-order to give the
caliictane Cenifice (PSi)
~ also bein trouble. Let’s all be honest with each
other, did the idea of an A.l. game make much
sense? No...OK, don’t think it’s all bad news.
We stitthave a few months to go, and just like
the PS2 launch there is a handful of games
tai mighty fine Malo, Munch.. .uh...yeah).
ithe GBA version of Tekken that’s coming
xite fall is gonna be rad. Based on the third
-game and Tag Tournament, it’s\got pseudo-
rendered visuals soit looks like\3D but isn’t,
just like Tony Hawk. S’nicel... ToeJam & Earl HI,
sequel to one of the — , |
Series The Q loved on
Genesis, has .
pulled from
Dreamcast in
game life on other
next-gen
platforms.... Raven
Blade, Retro Studios’
ambitious GameCube action-RPG, is a fresh
victim of the axe. The remaining members of
the development team were moved onto the
troubled Metroid Prime project. Miyamoto is
apparently still not'pleased with its progress;
we could find out more about its fate come
Space World in late August...
..and, I’m spent. Another month, another
bundle o’ rumors. If you have something to
say to The Q, drop me at line via e-mail at
quartermann@ziffdavis.com. Until next time,
: el -maniacs...
er
Yu-Gi-Oh h My!
Every time you turn
around, there’s
another Japanese fad
poised to possess
Our young, and this
time it’s Yu-Gi-Oh!
Konami’s bringing the
card battle GBC game
to the States in
November. But don’t
worry—a TV show
will hit Kids WB before then, as will trading
cards and other merchandise. Yu-Gi-Oh! is the
story of Yuugi, a spiky-haired brat who holds
something called the “Millennium Puzzle.”
Hide your children now and prepare for the
“Yu-Gi-Oh is evil” stories.
C
C
at
istered trademark of KONAMI CORPORATION.
i a tfademark of the interactive Digital Software Association.
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AH, HELLO, VIDEO GAMERS!
I'M HSU TANAKA THAT'S MY
BROTHER CHAN, WE ARE VIDEO
GAME DESIGNERS, AND, DESPITE
APPEARANCES, WE ARE
ACTUALLY WORKING
RIGHT Now!
CAN'T SEE ME
VERY WELL,
CAN You,
VIDEO
GAMERS?
\'M WEARING A
STEALTH Suit,
WHICH RENDERS
ME NIGH-INVISIBLE
THE DRIVING FORCE BEHIND
THIS FIASCO WAS THE REAL-
YLATION THAT, IF YOu wanTeD
TO MAKE A PROFITABLE KNOCKOFF
OF A TOP-SELLING, MEGA-HIT
STEALTH-ACTION Game, YoU
HAD To TWINK LIKE A ToP=
SELLING, MEGA-HIT STEALTH-
ACTION GAME CHARACTER!
ARR I FEEL THE
CALL TO ADVENTURE!
ALL RIGHT, LAST-
MINUTE creck!
How's YouR
EQUIPMENT?
FUNCTIONAL,
BUT THE DoctoR
AS ' SHOULD
DRINK MORE
FLUIDS!
Yes, WE KNOW
HOW DOMB THAT
SOUNDS, BUT WE
HAD SOME EXTRA
CASH IN THE
BUDGET, $o We
FIGURED WED
TO THE NAKED
ds EXE! ey,
COMES IN REAL
ANDY AROUND
THE OFFICE!
STEP ONE:
INFILTRATE
VESSEL.
STeP Two:
RECOVER
CARGO.
STEP THREE:
EXIT VESSEL,
WREAK HOLY
HECK UPON THE
MINIONS OF
DARKNESS,
TIME
PERMITTING.
ONE MORE TIME,
CHAN -- REPEAT
THE MISSION
OBJECTIVES.
GOOD
SOLDIER!
OKAY TIME To MOVE!
THOSE ARE VERY POWERFOL
: You FEELING OKAY?
TRANQUILIZERS, CHAN!
THEY CAN PUT A GROWN MAN
TO SLEEP FasTER THAN WATCHING
SOMEBODY ELSE PLAYING “TOMB
RAIDER 3." pico, THEYRE NOT
ESPECIALLY LEGAL, SO USE THEM
ONLY AS A LAST RESORT!
NO RECREATIONAL
SHOOTING!
yM COLD AND
WET AND MY
BOOTS ARE
SQUISHY,
GOOD ENOUGH!
GO GET EM,
SLUGCER!
COPS! MY MISTAKE, OKAY, CHAN, FoR LACK OF “REMEMBER,
CHAN! You WERE
SUPPOSED To BE
ON THE OTHER
A BOAT, Gov SHALL NOW
BE INFILTRATING THE
SIMILARLY MAKITIME—
THEMED STRONGHOLD
STEALTH
CHAN, YOURE IN
move
HERE-- LET NO
ONE SEE YOU!
THiS 15
COMPLICATE
THINGS. IMPERATIVE '
“cagin BLY's SEAFOOD
RESTALRANT.”’
"YOMGRY SAILOR" MEALS,
AnD AN AMPLE SUPPLY oF
\ THINK THERE'S Snes inte
A FISH IN MY
PANTS,
GAMAnmMe A
MINUTE.,
TWO "HUNGRY SAILOR" MEALS
EXTRA KETCHUP! FOR THE
FERN! DON'T ASK ANY --
wisyD
CoT THat OvT,
WOU LITTLE Poors!
On, YES,
1 LEARNED THAT MAN'S
DESTINY 16 HIS TO
FULFILL... OR CHANGE,
ANY THING
we COULD
Use, |
MEAN.
“WHAT WAS THAT SOUND?
15 EVERYTHING OKAY?”
pa |
SORRY 1'm LATE --
THERE WERE UNFORE-
SEEN PERILS.
HERE'S
THE STUFF,
EXCELLENT
CHAN --
AND DID
You LEARN
JUST PANDY:
ENTERING
PHASE Two!
\ LEARNED THAT A
SOLDIER 15 A HERO
ONLY AFTER THE
BATTLE 1S DONE, AND
THAT A BULLET
KnIOowS NO ALLIES,
1 LEARNED THAT TRUE
STRENGTH COMES FROM
THE SOUL.
DIDN'T SCE THAT comin
DID You? oo! steauneny
Gamer _ [amp and
Visit www.esrb.org
or call 1-800-771-3772
for more info.
MT. GARRICK, ONCE A PEACEFUL
MOUNTAIN RETREAT. IN A STRANGE
TURN OF EVENTS, THE SECRETIVE
CHIEF O'LEARY HAS RECENTLY
CLOSED IT OFF TO VISITORS.
COMING THIS FALL...
radical
entertainment.
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SAVING PRIVATE
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AMERICAN GRAFFITI 2520807 2591402 COLLECTOR’S SERIES 2431708 COLLECTOR'S EDITION 2412104
(COLLECTOR’S EDITION) 2223808 TAX! DRIVER- WHEN HARRY MET
ANTZ- GONE WITH THE WIND 2258309 ‘eaeah , COLLECTOR'S EDITION 2338903 § SALLY-SPECIAL EDITION 2551406
SIGNATURE COLLECTION 2324507 THE LEGEND OF CHARLIE’S ANGELS | iain SCOOBY-DOO’S 10 THINGS
STARGATE- DRUNKEN MASTER 2587509 | SPECIAL EDITION ORIGINAL MYSTERIES 2438703 —_‘ | HATE ABOUT YOU 2413706
2582609 THEGREEN MILE | ee eee Sree oo
SPECIAL EDITION 2410702 LITTLE NICKY- 2467009 THE BEST MAN (1998) _ 2438208 REINDEER GAMES 2512309
STEEL MAGNOLIAS- PLATINUM SERIES 2983102 HEAVY METAL- GHOSTBUSTERS 0174201
SPECIAL EDITION 2499606 CONAN THE BARBARIAN- FRIDAY 1434406 COLLECTOR’SSERIES 2430106 EYES WIDE SHUT 2429603
28 DAYS- COLLECTOR'S EDITION 2462406 = NEXT FRIDAY- BAD BOYS (1995)- THE PRINCE OF EGYPT 2381705
SPECIAL EDITION 2513406 ENTER THE DRAGON- PLATINUM SERIES 2469203 SPECIAL EDITION 2478907 CRUELINTENTIONS 2363703
STIR OF ECHOES 2425502 25TH ANNIVERSARY- THE USUAL SUSPECTS 1479401 ESCAPE FROM NEW YORK 0311308 § ROMEO MUST DIE 2495406
_, NURSE BETTY 2573004 SPECIAL EDITION 2208205 = MALLRATS- FINAL DESTINATION 2503407 + ~—s THE ROAD TO EL DORADO-
™ THE CONTENDER (2000) 2556306 SHAKESPEARE IN LOVE- COLLECTOR'S EDITION 2355006 THE PRINCESS BRIDE 0125005 SPECIAL EDITION 2553204
™ SUPERMAN III 0604009 COLLECTOR’SSERIES 2434801 —y_§. MARSHALS DUMB AND DUMBER 1374107 =‘ THE WATERBOY 2321404
co INTERVIEW WITH (SPECIAL EDITION) 2234201 STUART LITTLE 2464501
= THE VAMPIRE- BIG DADDY 2409803 GLORY-
re SPECIAL EDITION 2469906 STARSHIP TROOPERS 2207306 SPECIAL EDITION 2448900
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= ue aa eat fn ssgzagg | COLLECTOR'S EDITION 2411908 THE MOVIE-SPECIAL VACATION 0603902 ANIMAL HOUSE- =
5 THE WHOLE NINE YARDS 2480507 _COLLECTOR’SEDITION 2399400 —yaTiQNAL LAMPOON'S COLLECTOR'S EDITION 2253904 | S
- FINDING FORRESTER 2594703 | “THE BL UES BROTHERS THE CIDER HOUSE RULES 2512200 | CHRISTMAS VACATION 0952507 ge map —e E
= | pay IT FORWARD 9596708 | (COLLECTOR'S EDITION) 2233203 —_ END OF DAYS- HIGH FIDELITY 2512507 SURTY PHUPESEOIIT =
< LINER 9573103 | THE EXORCIST: COLLECTOR'S EDITION 2452407 = MENACE Il SOCIETY 1200609 THE KLUMPS-. z
= THE VERSION YOU'VE THE CELL- ERIN BROCKOVICH 2495307 COLLECTOR'S EDITION 2550705 | =
2 gaa — NEVER SEEN 2551802 PLATINUM SERIES 2545002 PRETTY WOMAN-10TH GOOD WILL HUNTING- =
rs CHICKEN RUN- PINK FLOYD-THE WALL- ANNIVERSARY EDITION 2436608 COLLECTOR'S SERIES 2515104 | =
= | THE FUGITIVE- SPECIAL EDITION 2520708 DELUXE EDITION 2425205 CASINO 1922707 DIRTY DANCING- =
= |_ SPECIAL EDITION 2611309 | BLADE 2294809 THEFIFTHELEMENT 2145506 = 101 DALMATIANS 2057503 COLLECTOR'S EDITION 2420206 | X
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2557601 2587400
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2924700
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2497303
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FAST TIMES AT
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COLLECTOR’S EDITION
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FRANK HERBERT'S
2596104
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DISNEY’S THE KID 2557700 PLATINUM SERIES CLERKS- SIGNATURE COLLECTION 2035509 BOYZ N’ THE HOOD 4423300
ANY GIVEN SUNDAY- Zoe weil) COLLECTOR'S SERIES _—2351609 +~—_ BILLY MADISON 1389402 THE CORRUPTOR-
SPECIAL EDITION- JAMES AND THE GIANT BLAZING SADDLES 0001206 PLATINUM SERIES 2364701
DIRECTOR'S CUT 2908109 — BEN-HUR 1510205 PEACH-SPECIAL EDITION CARLITO'S WAY 1229301 DESPERADO 1485101
PSYCHO (1960)- THE REPLACEMENTS 2540300 (WIDESCREEN) 2588101 = THE DEER HUNTER 0212407 DUNE (1984 0211102
COLLECTOR'S EDITION 2201309 += MONTY PYTHON AND BOOGIE NIGHTS- FIELD OF DREAMS- GROSSE POINTE BLANK 2137909
LED ZEPPELIN: THE SONG THE HOLY GRAIL 0192005 — PLATINUM SERIES 2469302 SIGNATURECOLLECTION 1932300 ‘1A. CONFIDENTIAL 2184901
REMAINS THE SAME 0605907 = POKEMON: HALF BAKED 2223907. = HOUSE ON HAUNTED LABYRINTH 0323907
BICENTENNIAL MAN 2490308 THE MOVIE 2000 2523405 = = MYSTERY, ALASKA 2484202 —_HILL (1999) 2459709 = THE OUTLAW
CATS-COMMEMORATIVE URBAN LEGENDS: THE WAY OF THE GUN 2546109 INSTINCT 2428407 JOSEY WALES 0616607
EDITION 2528008 FINAL CUT 2556207 = YOU'VE GOT MAIL 2331205 ONEFLEWOVER ROUNDERS (1998) 2318707
LIFE 2399202 #THEMASKOFZORRO 2281509 BATTLEFIELD EARTH 2516409 THE CUCKOO'S NEST 0653402 = SUICIDE KINGS
GALAXY QUEST 2476307. + THEIRON GIANT 2421105 CASABLANCA 2274702 + THE PLAYERS CLUB 2232908 (SPECIAL EDITION) 2295608
FORLOVEOFTHEGAME 2438109 THEWEDDINGSINGER 2234300 DAZEDANDCONFUSED 1188606 | RUSHMORE 2352201 SWINGERS 2081107
THIS IS SPINAL TAP- BOILER ROOM 2481208 THE GAME 2176709 SHE'S ALL THAT 2352003 TRUE ROMANCE
SPECIAL EDITION 2340404 = THE WATCHER 2556405 THE JACKAL SLEEPERS 2055002 (DIRECTOR'S CUT) 2149409
BLUE STREAK 2434405 FARGO 2497600 (COLLECTOR’SEDITION) 2184307 = wHaTDREAMS MAY THE LEGEND OF
BORN ON THE SCREAM JERRY MAGUIRE 2071207. | COME-SPECIALEDITION 2341204 BAGGER VANCE 2582906
FOURTH OF JULY- (DELUXE EDITION) 2301208 § MAGNOLIA- WILD THINGS 2247609 RED PLANET 2585305
SPECIAL EDITION 2507200“ pretiny's CHILD: PLATINUM SERIES 2469401 = ACE VENTURA: 2001: ASPACE ODYSSEY 2637007
GIRL, INTERRUPTED 2470201 THE PLATINUM’S THE REPLACEMENT PET DETECTIVE 1242908
GETTYSBURG 1213305. ON THE WALL 2596401 —sKILLERS 2213908 ANALYZE THIS 2355204
MY DOG SKIP 2481406 DEUCE BIGALOW: BACKDRAFT 0559005 AS GOOD AS IT GETS 2206605
THE INSIDER 2471001 MALE GIGOLO 2490704 THE 13TH WARRIOR 2435907 — JAWS ANNIVERSARY-
CON AIR (WIDESCREEN) 2167302 BLADE RUNNER: FREQUENCY- COLLECTOR'S EDITION 2489706
HEAT 2005809 + THEDIRECTOR’'SCUT 1097906 PLATINUM SERIES 2521201 OURLIPSARESEALED 2523306
THE BONECOLLECTOR 2449700 = RUSHHOUR 2301505 AMERICANHISTORYX 2320604 BOUNCE (2000) 2587608
Columbia House DVD Club, Dept. 7DR,
P.O. Box 1173, Terre Haute, IN 47811-1173
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R-OCT01-EGM
How do the
graphics in
Silent Hill 2
stack up
against some of
the most
grimey things
in the world? % -10%
beissaakcauks
dK
2Y99GBDVUIOL
minor tweaks, however, and you'll find that SH2
plays a lot like the first game. What’s more, it
continues to feel like an extension of Resident Evil,
with its cumbersome rotate-and-walk gameplay,
hold-the-button-and-run technique and the 180-
degree quick snap-around move. What’s new is that
strafing and side-stepping is now much faster than
the ridiculous baby steps you took in the first SH. In
terms of gameplay, there’s nothing here any
survival-horror junkie hasn’t already seen before.
But this is where similarities between RE and SH
end. What makes SH2 unique is how the game preys
on your sense of sight, sound and even touch (with
the Dual Shock) to generate fear; how it masterfully
combines these elements to give the player a
psychological spanking.
Beyond sight and sound, the thing that unnerves
me the most about SH2, however, is its potentiality.
More often than not, the game’s sinister ambience is
just a hollow threat. But that sense of tension, the
implied threat, the feeling that at any moment,
things will go from bad to worse, and that some
time soon, the game will suddenly intensify its
depravity, makes this an excursion into our own
heart of darkness. Take the perilous journey at your
own risk.
Too dark and inaccessible for the casual
Blockbuster gamer? Probably. SH2’s unrepentant
swagger and Mature rating will no doubt alienate
wary parents and frighten off the young, but its
uncompromising stance to deliver the most twisted
adventure yet is great news for horror-game fans.
—Che Chou
a!
Is SH2 horrifying to play? You bet your
Fangoria subscription it is. While SH2 is
heavily influenced by contemporary
Hollywood horror, it also draws inspiration
from classic Italian gialli cinema of the 1960s
and ’7os. The gialli flick, as defined by
seminal directors like Dario Argento, Lucio
Fulci and Mario Bava, is a sub-genre of horror
defined by its stylized mixture of
sexploitation, gore and ambience, the likes
of which Hollywood rarely sees. In fact, when
we asked SH2’s producer, Akihiro Imamura,
what was the scariest movie he’s ever seen,
he retorted that it was easily Argento’s
masterpiece of gothic horror, Suspiria (1976).
If you’re a movie lover with a masochistic
streak, you owe yourself a weekend binge of
Italian horror.
Even if you’ve finished the
first Silent Hill, you
probably still have a ton of
unanswered questions about
its incredibly convoluted,
Rosemary’s Baby-inspired
storyline. Well, for all those
who chickened out from
Silent Hill, not to worry —
the sequel isn’t directly
related to the first game,
except that they both take
place in a small midwestern
town called Silent Hill.
While the first game dealt
with evil cults, drugs and a
demon named Samael, the
sequel tells a tale of
mistaken identities. James
Sanderland, shattered over
the death of his wife Mary,
travels back to Silent Hill
after receiving a mysterious
letter from someone
claiming to be Mary. It goes
without saying that
something’s hit the
proverbial fan, as the town
is completely deserted and
crawling with mutants. It is
there that he meets Maria, a
woman with an uncanny
similarity to his Mary. To
compound the mystery,
Maria even knows details
about private moments
between James and his wife.
We won’t spoil too much
more here, but you can be
certain Silent Hill 2’s story
will be just as deep and
metaphysical as its
predecessor. In the
meantime, we recommend
you check out Hitchcock’s
classic movie of mistaken
identities, Vertigo.
aT ee TCT TTT EN NT Nerrrr Treen rns rere rrr se ecsseicesumsemeeeeueeeneeeieeeeinoeemeeeenmmeneemeemeeemneemeeeereeeee eee eee teenmnemmmeinemeeiammiemmemeemmeeaieee
NOAA CREAN IIE
pe
PREVIEW
ann LN ENS Ci re ENE ET ETUC YSLETCTEOROTERTCEEOSOV ERED
Capcom
Capcom Digital Studios
Action
30%
January 2002
A dish best served cold.
WWW.capcom.com
Solid, old-school
gameplay, striking visuals.
Achille is a bad mans.
Maximo's heart-covered
boxer shorts. Fortunately you can buy
a different banana-sack.
PORTO ROD EEE TOE
pecovocconeononoooooon
enone
ee
| @ TO/CONTINUE
_ As with everything in the
| game, even “continues”
| subscribe to a certain,
__ baffling logic. Nifty! Since
_ Maximo was sent to meet
| Death firsthand (thanks to
_ Achille’s backstabbing
PRMD ODIO DON RO DORR OPI eee rereceecene
treachery), he took the
opportunity to strike a deal
with His Royal Darkness.
It seems Death isn’t too
pleased with having the
souls of the dead uprooted
by Achille’s black magic, and
suggests Maximo reclaim
them in exchange for a
reprieve from the long dirt
nap. So, for every 50 souls
Maximo collects from
| various tombstones littered
| around the game, he staves |
_ off the icy mitt of Death once |
£
a
RA ROAR PICO ONO
ea EY DSP ENERO
more and continues on his
merry way. But come up
_ short at the soul register and |
__ it’s cement shoes for you.
You'll know you've reached the end
of level one when you see this
Frankenbeast storm you way. Hint:
aim for his toes.
Ahh, the cemetery at night. So
peaceful, so...where’d those skeletons
come from? Oh god! I'M NAKED!
et’s face it. Aside from a few notable
exceptions (and you know who you are),
Western software developers, in direct contrast
to their Japanese counterparts,
pale when it comes to producing the same level of
high-quality software. It’s this factor that makes
Maximo scream like a bolt out of the blue,
prompting most anyone who picks up the controller
and gives it a spin to say, “Wow!” Created using only
the freshest ingredients, and not a borrowed
technology or game-engine, Maximo is being
brought to life by the newly formed Capcom Digital
Studios, which is composed of a select team of
industry veterans like David Siller (Crash Bandicoot),
Mark Rogers (Mission: Impossible) and William
Anderson (Abe’s Oddysee). Those years of combined
experience show in Maximo from the instant you fire
up the game.
Inspired by the Ghosts ‘N Goblins series, CDS set
out to create the perfect next-Gen G’NG homage.
Siller says, “We wanted to invent an all-new ‘King
rescues the Queen from the creepy monster’ game,
and then decided to add those clever tributes from
(Capcom’s) library of classic games!”
The story centers around the title character
SEADREAM, " “ " m SSMASO DASARI MANARtd NANA tM tb NA Sn ENtt eA!
OSOSMEESEEMAAREANEANNRRANESN A ARSOSANOESSLOREMAISESSDEDMSESSANISESANNDAHLSANNSSSEDMDSYSSAOSIBONSESELAESAAAEESILEMMAGSAANEAAEBAALOONSMDISAOSOSES IAS
(designed by renowned illustrator Susumu
Matsushita), a gladiator returning home from war
only to find himself ensnared in a trap. Incredibly,
Maximo’s most trusted advisor, Achille, has taken
not only his kingdom, but swiped Maximo’s woman
as well! Rather than the usual James Bond
trap/escape situation, Achille simply disposes of
Maximo using that ol’ black magic and sends our
hero on a one-way trip to Hades. As it happens,
Death is in a generous mood, and decides to give
Maximo another shot at Achille and a chance to set
things right. It seems Achille has been raising the
dead, and that pisses Death off.
By embracing that G‘NG legacy, Capcom has
forged a run, jump and slash platformer that
impresses. The camera is superb, allowing Maximo
to jump, double-jump, double-jump sword slam,
crouch, shield-block, and shield-throw virtually
frustration-free. In addition to the nonstop combat,
there is also peripheral treasure hunting and
collecting to be done (see sidebars). Unlike the
typical fetch quest that has you gathering items
for gathering’s sake, the hundreds of gold coins
Maximo collects buy him upgrades, whether it be
additional armor, death coins or clean underwear
for that matter. The dev team has gone to great
lengths to make you feel rewarded for your efforts,
and every item you purchase or pick up is reflected
on Maximo’s in-game polygonal model.
Just like Arthur
did in Ghosts ‘N
Goblins, so too
does Maximo go
from full armor
~ to heart-laced
boxers when he
suffers enough
damage.
PlayStation.
Bx
e is
MORE DYNAMIC BATTLES, MORE DRAMATIC ACTION
New “Agent Technology” allows for 500 rs Experience battles firsthand - control
generals and give orders at the squad level!
rs 30 new stages! Besiege castle walls, battle
Devastating new Elemental Attacks aboard moving ships, and stampede across
including tornadoes, lightening strikes, and open piains!
meteor showers!
soldiers on screen - 5x more than the
original!
New weapons, tactics, and troops including
Elephant Cavalry!
Visit www.esrb.org
or call 1-800-771-3772
3) for more info.
www.koeigames.com ges
Kessen Il is a trademark of KOEI Corporation and KOEI Co., Ltd. © 2001 KOEI Corporation. All rights reserved. “PlayStation’and the “PS” Family logo
are registered trademarks of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. The ratings icon is a trademark of the Interactive Digital Software Association.
Each time Maximo gains a power-up badge, it goes into his “belt,” which keeps track of his acquisitions. There
| are over 40 power-ups to be found in the game, and as many as you find, you can carry simultaneously on
_ that belt. But if you get killed you'll lose all but three of them. Why? Because you can “lock” any three
| power-ups “permanently” to your belt, so even if you get your sorry ass killed, your favorite three will still be
there when you respawn at the last checkpoint. The Shield of Midas, for example, may be your favorite
because it keeps you out of dangerous places while sucking up coins. Experiment, baby, it's the only way!
+ @, 44
) SHIELD OF MIDAS.
The bearer of the Midas shield can
Collect treasure, from hard te reach.
If you buy a new shield, he’ll strap it to his arm. If
you pick up a key, he’ll wear it on his hip, etc. In fact,
the graphics on a whole stand up there with the likes
of MGS2 or Devil May Cry. Hi-res, fast-moving, and
lush in color, detail and design, Maximo’s world is a
truly spooky place. It’s like having a frat party (with a
soundtrack supplied by Tommy Tallarico, the Danny
Elfman of the video game world) in a graveyard on
Halloween, except that this is a party frequently
interrupted by Achille’s army of darkness.
Producer Mark Rogers even notes that Maximo’s
“Creepy Cam” (the term CDS uses to describe the
tilted camera angles in the game) was inspired by
Sam Raimi’s Army of Darkness. Combined with the
spooks in the game, the whole aesthetic feels
1: e becomes i
a devastating Magical attack — i
Press & @& then press OM i
i upon your foes
to rain destruc
remarkably complete.
Speaking of spooks, the enemies in Maximo are
classic Ghosts ‘N Goblins, with skeletons of
increasing aggressiveness and skill erupting from
the ground at almost every step. If that wasn’t bad
enough, there are especially nasty goons that can
transform Maximo into an “Old Man Maximo” or a
“Baby Maximo” leaving him vulnerable for a short
duration. Basically, as with the Ghosts ‘N Goblins
games, Maximo Is a stiff challenge, and finding
each section’s considerable cache of secrets is
something not easily achieved. Simply beating the
levels is one thing; mastering them is something
completely different.
Depending on how much of the game you
complete (as indicated by the end-of-level
Stats chart), you will receive different endings
based on your performance. Since the game features
five expansive levels (each with multiple areas), over
which Maximo must rescue four princesses and
eventually, his lost love, finding 100 percent of the
game’s secrets is going to take serious effort.
While the game is still at a relatively early level
of completion, Capcom has no doubts that CDS
will have the game ready for January 2002.
Want maximum Maximo? Check www.egmmag.com
for further coverage of the next evolution in
Ghosts ‘N Goblins. Hh
—James Mielke
!
-
a
u
‘
3
;
=
And continue with the VIDEO GAME and TRADING CARD GAME. |=<: 5 -
Official web site: Games.com
©1996 KAZUKI TAKAHASHI 2 ;
: : —— = A , ‘ : /
aig ae ee 3 oe ~ SLA a L, Le rg
PREVIEW
See LL LLL LLL LLL LLANELLI AIEEE AA LELLEEL SESE EEA DAEARALALLAAAALALAL AA DELLA RA ELLE LEELA LEELA LLL ALAAERLERLDRLLELELRALALELEI LALLA OLLIE E ARNEL LRN CAN UiNSiN iN IstenebEstnessbsebeeeseanesebssesabisesatessstasnteseeshetenecesenteancecassseesusesaécessonstodssccnsenaneesesnatoninessnnssennbensneasscenshoanreenseneent
Publisher: — UNmsraje
Ce Ubi Soft
Players: ot
Cee Action/Adventure
LT 50%
CEES winter 2001
CL Xbox
8) www.ubisoft.com
Never accept an invitation to a
barbeque if the Joker is hosting it...
BLL " WP) Captures the spirit of
DC's coolest comic-book character.
LL Jumping is a bit
- Hand-to-hand goon battles will remind
awkward at times.
you of the action sequences in
Neversoft’s Spider-Man games-
punch, punch, block, uppercut.
mY
Guu A Watching Batman
repeatedly fall off of skyscrapers.
he Dark Knight has had a rough ride in the
world of electronic entertainment. Over the
past decade there have been dozens of
Batman games, but barring the two original
Sac NN tc masters
$
o
i
mes panne ae
titles on the old Nintendo and the Genesis, most have
a been pretty awful. Atari, Konami, Sega and Acclaim
have all managed to produce lackluster games that
never did this great franchise justice.
Enter Ubi Soft. After having farmed out their
recently acquired Batman license to external
programming teams for a couple of average-to-poor
N64 and PS1 games (Batman Beyond, Gotham City
Racer), the house that Rayman built is putting the
finishing touches on their first internally developed
game featuring the winged vigilante.
| 4. Adam West defined
| Batman for TV audiences.
_ 2. Frank Millerreinvented
_ him for comic-book fans, and |
3. Michael Keaton re-jump-
started the character’s |
contemporary popularity. In
_ like form, Ubi Soft’s new
| game sets the standard for
| future Batman video games.
/encecceaeceseoseesceneceoseeooecoocenneceneecdeconeccasecodeeeecsdsesoecosseseceeneecoe cnseaneseaaceodeannesnnteoneendesenacenescesseanscccoosdt
The progress they’ve made looks good so far. These
guys know action platformers, and their expertise
Shows in this exciting, visually cool 3D adventure.
When playing, you ARE Batman—gliding through the
air, firing off Batarangs, and grappling from building to
building is a total rush. Covertly sneaking around the
city Solid Snake-style is perfectly in sync with the
character’s combat methodology, as is “cuffing” every
enemy you knock unconscious. Remember how well
Neversoft and Activision captured the essence of
Spider-Man last year? Ubi Soft looks like they might
be able to pull off the same feat here. These designers
are definitely Bat-fans; they understand the
fundamental nature of the character.
Better still, the team has gone the distance to
ensure that the game retains the look and feel of the
animated television series. The show’s voice actors
have been brought on board to record the game’s
dialogue, and the program’s writers have been
tapped, too. This creative group has broken the
structure of the game into an anthology form, so
every level plays as a totally distinct “episode.” Just
as you think you’ve saved the day by taking the Joker
back to Arkham Asylum, you'll be enlisted to star ina
new tale, where another of the fiends from Batman’s
rogue gallery is wreaking havoc in Gotham City.
If you’re the kind of reader who wears Batman ties
or boxers, we’ve found your favorite PS2 game.
—Ethan Einhorn
TAKE FIGHTING TO NEW HEIGHTS —
Ta,
Y
Fight as 10 X-MEN from the original roster Perform signature mutant moves-even Go solo or take on a friend as you fight to
and 6 new X-MEN: Rogue, Nightcrawler, Havok, stunning aerial combat—in 10 of the dominate the arena. Enjoy 4 modes of play:
Forge and 2 secret characters. original arenas, plus 6 new locations. Academy, Training, Arcade and Versus.
EVERYONE
Violence
PlayStation SR a ret | Aé I SION.
nn CMAN RETR RATERS A TRATREOR STR ORE LOR EEE RD CRT RCE TRE OE RIE REBT EERE CEE RE TR TTR SA RR
MARVEL and X-MEN: TM and © 2001 Marvel Characters, inc. All rights reserved. Published and distributed by Activision, Inc. and its affiliates, Activision is a registered trademark of Activision, activision.com
Inc. and its affiliates. © 2001 Activision, inc. and its affiliates. Developed by Paradox. Licensed by Sony Computer Entertainment America for use with the PlayStation game console. PlayStation
and the PlayStation logos are registered trademarks of Sony Computer Entertainment inc. The ratings icon is a trademark of the Interactive Digital Software Association. All rights reserved.
All other trademarks and trade names are properties of their respective owners.
= =
PREVIEW
GALLERY
Smuggler’s Run 2
Angel Studios is working to make Smuggler’s Run 2 a more wild experience than the original. Is that cop
getting too close for comfort? Then drop an explosive canister on his ass. Or maybe you’re running neck and
neck with the dorky ATV guy (don’t laugh, he’s in the game). Simply hit the turbo and leave him in the dust.
A handy radar navigation screen will help guide your way. In addition to those helpful features, a new Bomb Tag
mini-game will keep you entertained for days—it’s that good. Because the original was a tad bit frustrating, the
difficulty’s been toned down a bit as well. Rockstar Games plans to release SR2 this November.
gatypet gs
ing
Known in Japan as the equally strange-titled Boku to Maoh (literally “Me and Satan King”), Sony’s Okage is a
traditional RPG about a boy who calls upon a powerful spirit to help find a cure for his sister, who has been
cursed. Instead, he conjures up Stan, a wisecracking, wimpy devil who occupies the boy’s shadow. Stan agrees
to cure the sister if the boy helps him regain his evil power. The graphics are surreal and beautiful, with quirky
character designs reminiscent of those in The Nightmare Before Christmas. The import features lighthearted,
funny dialogue, which will hopefully stay intact in the U.S. release; we’ll find out in October.
We're not sure what the deal is with Shaun’s freaky Cadillac fetish (EGM
#146), but his game is shaping up nicely. Playing more like Cool
Boarders 2001 than SSX, Pro Snowboarding (even in its current state)
handles like butter. The Tony Hawk control scheme is like an old, familiar
friend. Linking tricks is surprisingly comfortable, thanks to forgiving
physics and a softer balance meter. Look for SPPS this October.
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=
PREVIEW
GALLERY
OROAEELAEEMNRONNIEAN REA SR NESUSSRSCESELLSESSNSASDSNESS SASS ESSESRNNNCL OGRE NAEESSESESLESSESSSANDSE SSBC SSESEES
NHL Hitz
Just because developer Black Box
is known for the more sim-like NHL
2K doesn’t mean they can’t poke
fun at the sport. Hitz glorifies
everything that’s exciting (and fun)
about hockey: intense speed,
crushing body checks and fisticuffs.
Like the other “z” titles in
Midway’s stable, Hitz features a
paired-down squad (4-on-4), the
ability to catch on fire, and a break-
neck game pace. The physics and
control are mighty competent as
well. To top it off, the darn thing
looks fantastic. Check out NHL Hitz
this September.
AMANO SONIOONSRNNSEDAOAS ASSO EMBNSSNASHKIEOSDNSOONEENSHAAHANEDSIKASDASOESADNSSEBINIDENSS EMS OBESSBESSDESNOEONIAAORANDRODERSAOARSORISNOORRACARHAADHLADABAOHDE
Victorious Boxers
Ever punch a grizzly bear square in the face and live to tell the story? In
Victorious Boxers, coming in October from Empire Interactive, you will.
Based on a popular Japanese comic, the game follows Ippo as he
realizes his dreams of becoming a champion prizefighter. You don’t get
Stamina bars or a clock, nor do you have to tap buttons to get up when
you get knocked down— gameplay is all based on fighting technique.
_ Rodney Alan Greenblat, the designer of the worlds and characters
| presented in the PaRappa games, is one of the most respected
_ graphic artists in America. For a peek at his gallery work, drop by the
following Web site: http://www.whimseyload.com.
&
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MotoGP 2
Superbike racing doesn’t get a
whole lot of love from the video
game world, but Namco won't let
that stop them from releasing a
sequel to one of the better PS2
racers thus far.
Look for this baby to sport
all the upgrades you’d expect:
more tracks, more setup options
and a complete 2001 roster of
riders and bikes. No word on
whether Klonoa will make an
appearance again. (You DID
unlock him in the last game,
right?) Namco hasn’t announced a
U.S. release yet.
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PaRappa teat
the Rapper2 |
In PaRappa’s first PS2 adventure,
he joins forces with his friends
(including the cast of UmJammer
Lammy) to battle a new enemy—
The Noodle Group. First he’s got
to brush up on his rhyme-busting
Skills with the help of some
new teachers. Aside from the
polished graphics and interface,
now you get a practice round
before each master’s challenge.
Sony CEI will release PaRappa 2
in Japan on Aug. 30; a U.S. release
= The Dispatch
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Lo ere | Om poe : www. 989s ports. .com Major League Baseball trademarks and copyrights ar are used with pe permission of
ESRB cae HALORLEACUNeRSRERN © 2001 by STATS, n
ic. Any commercial use oF distribution of the licensed Materials without the axpress written consent
You have .72 seconds to make a decision.
Major League Baseball Properties, Inc. Visit the official website at www.MLB.com. © MLBPA, Official Licensee-Major League Baseball Players Association. www.bigleaguers.com.
bf STATS is strictly prohibited. 989 Sports and the 989 Sports logo are trademarks of Sony Computer Entertainment America Inc. © 2001 Sony Computer Entertainment Americalnc. :
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Jeremy Jones casually tweaks a
switch 1440 stalefish over a 70
foot+ cliff band.
‘Amateur rider Trent covers huge
distance with this late 180 tail
grab in Canada.
Cool Boarders” 2001. Ride massive arcade style courses against
real world class pros like Todd Richards, Tara Dakides, Kevin
Ae
eox
es and Michele Taggart. Rest up. Its gonna be a long
—
PREVIEW
GALLERY
DOOR RROD SPOR TOT ITIP ION ID
Koei is coming back for seconds this fall. Kessen || offers up most of
the same gameplay, but features more fantasy-based elements,
including fierce elemental magic attacks such as lightning storms and
tornados. A major change from the first Kessen is that the story now
takes place during the Romance of the Three Kingdoms period, detailing
the conflict between historic generals Liu Bei and Cao Cao.
pepeeemasenarensorasposinsssnssenarmesee
+ LTRS RMN ea ap SRadeH Sled ied ee
F3a-hyePpii
~~ J tit
on RRR OOD RIOR IIOP OR RPO ARONA OOOO OPORTO NI A OAR ASO
Jak and Daxter: The Precursor Legacy
The guys at Naughty Dog are hardcore programmers and it shows. The game throws around some of the most
beautiful, hi-res habitats and lighting effects yet seen on the PS2. Truly a next-gen action-platformer, J and D
has you adventuring in some rather innovative ways. And while the beefed-up Crash-like gameplay revolves
around Jak and his ferret-like pal Daxter, the rodent isn’t actually playable; he provides a comic foil to his
buddy’s stoic facade. Adding to the game’s balanced diet is 50 minutes of Disney-caliber animation, an
excellent camera system, loads of special effects and multiple endings. SCEA ships J and D this December.
Capcom Us. SNK 2
PS2 owners who crave 2D fighting action are going to have a good
month in October, when Capcom releases Capcom vs. SNK 2. This
sequel adds more than 10 new characters (Dan, Joe Higashi, Haohmaru,
Athena, Kyosuke, etc.) to the returning cast and increases the amount of
grooves (fighting techniques) from two to six. The game also features
hi-res 3D backgrounds similar to those in Marvel vs. Capcom 2.
BRON MYT
KONAMI
ROTAGGEIME era ie:
=
‘ Pot ay
Silent Scope 2 Dark Silhouette brings heart-stopping, single and two player arcade action to
the PlayStation@)2 computer entertainment system. You'll be armed with the latest hi-tech
sniping equipment like the X-Ray Scope in order to thwart terrorist attacks throughout Europe.
With stunning graphics, multiple story lines and four modes of play, Silent Scope 2 delivers
hours of sharp-shooting suspense. When there's no place to run all that's left to do is fight.
MATURE
Blood
Violence
haath 5 www.konami.com
SILENT SCOPE Dark Silhouette™ is a trademark of KONAMI CORPORATION. ©1999 2001 KONAMI. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. KONAMI@ is a registered trademark of KONAMI CORPORATION.
"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.
Hey, Ape Escape fans—can’t get enough of your favorite primates? Check out
_ the “Everybody Loves Monkeys” Web site (http: //themonkeys.8m.com/). It’s
PREVIEW [a _ the best place on the Web to find monkey-related pictures, stories and news.
I ee eee ee ee ec
Did you know Disney’s using this RPG to launch a new franchise? That’s
one of the reasons they’re letting Square use the official Disney voice
actors for Donald and Goofy (in Japan). Those classic characters team
up with the two main, Square-designed protagonists to travel through
various worlds and fight a bunch of old and new Disney villains. A
release date hasn’t been announced, but expect it around mid-2002.
Pe
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| REA
The plot in this Ape Escape sequel is just like Planet of the Apes: A lone
hero wanders a harsh future world populated with monkeys, using a
giant vacuum cleaner to suck off their pants, so they can finally be
laundered. OK, maybe it’s a bit different than the movie, but they do
both have monkeys. And pants. A simpler game than the original, P2001
is still enough fun that we hope Sony brings it to the U.S. soon.
, ARR YS -
If the title threw you off, GGX is Sammy’s glitzy new 2D fighter, and it’s
one pretty piece of work. Developed by Arc System Works, GGX sports
anime-style arenas and 16 fighters with some of the most beautiful and
impractical moves you'll ever see (an anchor is one fighter’s weapon of
choice). EGM contributor John Ricciardi is working hard on the English
translation for the fall release, so it’s bound to be good!
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Monster Rancher 3™ and Monster Rarichs at 199
“PlayStation” and the "PS" Family loge are regist
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PREVIEW
GALLERY
Hot Shots Golf 3
The PS1’s premier golf series is headed to PS2 this October from Sony and developer Clap Hanz. Just released
in Japan, Hot Shots Golf 3 features the same “real physics, silly characters” play style that graced the first two
titles, but with a much prettier graphics engine and a host of new modes, options, characters and mini-games.
There’s a new Item Shop for purchasing gear, caddies and other extras, and there’s even a new password-
based Internet Ranking feature for posting your scores to the Net. Best of all, pressure-sensitive control is
supported (it’s all about precision, baby!). No word yet on U.S. release.
The sequel to Genki’s PS1 monster-breeding RPG is headed to PS2. Ubi Soft is handling the localization duties
this time. Jade Cocoon II takes place 100 years after the first game and features a similar graphical style,
though now the game world is entirely 3D (the original used prerendered backgrounds). The battle system of
the first game has been completely revamped and is much more complex in the sequel, with more monsters
and a unique rotation system that requires more strategy during fights. Fans of Pokémon-style RPGs will no
doubt want to check this one out, as it contains many similar elements. Watch for it this winter.
Introducing the current favorite for EGM’s prestigious “Totally Fed Up
Yet Oddly Entertaining Import Game of the Year” award (previous
winners include Pepsiman and Vib Ribbon). Ka Japanese for mosquito)
puts you in the role of the title bug for an indoor flight simulator...of
sorts. You buzz around rooms, collecting hidden bonus items and such,
waiting for an opportunity to feed on the hapless Yamada family.
Sometimes you need to lure your victims out into the open; try flicking
off a lightswitch, or hitting the power button on the stereo or TV remote.
Once you land on your host, push in the analog stick to bite, then twirl it
in a circle to suck precious blood. But be careful—sip too fast, too slow,
or for too long and splat! You’re modern art. Better stay out of sight,
too, or else you’ll enter Battle mode, where the hunter becomes the
hunted. It’s bizarre but at times hilarious (including a Resident Evil-
spoof warning “This game contains scenes which make you feel itchy”).
There’s no chance in hell of Sony flying this mosquito over to America.
sit-at-home contestant who faces mind bending
questions, orders in Chinese food and then, while
taking a bathroom break to ponder the advantages
of certain lifelines over others, realizes that you
could always just push pause and look up the
answer on the Internet, but knows that because
you're at home, there’s no need to worry about
making a fool of yourself on national TV and
besides, just like on the actual show, you really
don’t stand a chance of ever becoming a
EVERYONE
=> t
i VI STA CONTENT RATED BY
®
WWW.SC@a.COM ©2001 Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. PlayStation and the PlayStation logos are registered trademarks of Sony Computer Entertainment inc.©Valleycrest Productions Ltd. www.buenavista.com
J p J | F J
948 Junkyards
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happy to advance in the game.
e BATTLE THE EVIL BARON MALODOROUS
stop his evil kittens from taking over the junkyard.
“A © PLAY GAMES & SOLVE PUZZLES
Accumulate points by playing games with Moigle.
Points can later be exchanged for favors.
‘ e REAL ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE
Watch the Floigan Brothers learn from their mistakes.
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Visit us on the “World Wide Web” @ sega.com/floiganbros
THE FLOIGAN BROTHERS., ®
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MOIGLE’S SECRET PROJECT
PREVIEW
(ees RARER SSS SARA RE
Capcom
Capcom
Players: ie’
Fighting
Out Now (Japan)
WWW.Nncsx.com
Street Fighter Ill
ss www.capcom.co.jp
The Good: New characters,
Stages and play mechanics for
hardcore SF fans.
It's basically CvS
with a new coat of paint.
Joe Higashi’s one
super move. Lame.
‘Where's the Beef?
|
| OK, we realize you’ve got a
| magazine to read and just
want to know what’s so
different about CvS Pro, so
| here’s the breakdown:
Two New Fighters
Dan Hibiki and Joe Higashi.
Dan is faithfully reproduced,
but Joe is near-useless.
Four New Stages
Actually quite cool. Not a
fun addition.
Secrets Unlocked
Morrigan, Nakoruru, EX and
“evil” fighters, and ratio
adjustment are all available
from the start.
Altered Gameplay
All characters have been
adjusted for better balance,
particularly ratio 1, 3 and 4
fighters, and earning groove
points has been made
slightly more difficult.
PEAS NAORLOSECAS OSES LEDESMA AS RROSE AAS STTONAISOORSDS RNR RIEESSSSSRSSSOSSESEAEIS NOSSO SAA CAGE
_ Soar PO PS SO IED
reason to buy the game, but a
chao eaRRIRORRaRIORERII IR
SSROORDADSN AOSTA ARSRASA RASS DANSE OSEDSENN SENN ANNAN NASR
ither Capcom is striving for perfection or they
Saw a Way to bank a few extra yen under the
‘vs.’ banner. The first Capcom vs. SNK was no
Slouch, earning a silver award from us in issue
#139. But the game sure left room for improvement —
did Capcom use it? Well, sort of.
Capcom doesn’t know if this version will ever hit
American soil, but the fact that it’s so geared toward
hardcore gamers won't help. Heck, it makes you feel
like a poseur for looking at the title screen the wrong
way. You'll only recognize the two new fighters if you
have a strong history in Street Fighter Alpha or Fatal
Fury, in which case you should know why this is the
perfect game for Dan Hibiki to guest star in (if not,
check the page topper). He’s thankfully retained all
three of his super moves (including the hilarious
super taunt) for this version. In contrast, Joe (the
other new character) is one of the most worthless
guys in the game, thanks to his overall weakness and
Dan (left) and
Joe (corner)
debut, while
Akuma (below)
and Morrigan
(far bottom
right) represent
two of five
formerly hidden
fighters.
= Ca SS
Cooked up for Street Fighter Alpha to poke fun at Art of Fighting characters,
_ Dan Hibiki was Capcom’s friendly jab at SNK. Sporting a pink gi, a couple of
near-useless moves, and a super taunt, he’s been made weaker and weaker as
__ time goes on, and now he’s back for one more feeble round in the nee
SbeccaccannennesnnasnnsAscnisiniOntSRtOSiAOAsScANASnASAARGASAeSEAE SSS ANONOLOBOSSABSSSAASIASBASSSSOSABASEEESSANSEE NADAS EE SROLLEDOE LODE EAE ALR L RIS SLED LDEEELESL ADEN NACL LLL ELE SSPLD ANDO rs
- Cancom VS. SNK Pro |
LLORES LINEN ERENT TRANS RN iene sR
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faves you ever ‘ened what it
would be like to touch a star? Guile
finds out via Evil lori. You won't need
to unlock the strung-out lori this
time-he comes standard in CvS Pro.
You call that an uppercut? Now THIS is
an uppercut! Welcome back, Joe Higashi!
solitary super move.
Fortunately, new fighters aren’t all you’ll get from
CvS Pro. All of the secrets from CvS are unlocked,
including the EX (enhanced) versions of many fighters
and the five hidden warriors. The real prize, however,
is the adjustable ratio system, which you had to earn
in CvS. The original game gave you four slots to fill
with fighters who occupied anywhere from 1-4 spots
each, based on their strengths. In Pro, you can make
any character as strong or weak as you wish by
changing the ratio level. For example, you can play as
a weaker level 1 Sagat (normally level 3) and still have
three spaces left to fill in your lineup!
Without getting into too much detail about
technical tweaks, each fighter’s relative strength has
been recalibrated. Level 1 fighters are far less potent,
while those occupying three or four slots are
accordingly more powerful. I’d go into the minutia of
how Capcom made it harder to earn Groove Points,
but unless you’re on a Street Fighter team or
something, you’d probably rather hear me talk about
microeconomics.
CvS Pro is what CvS should have been—a better
balanced game that gives you the freedom to play
any combination of fighters you wish. While those
who fronted the cash for CvS might be grinding their
teeth about now, don’t blame yourselves, Capcom
does this all the time (remember SFIII: Double
Impact?). We'll let you know if it comes stateside.
—Jonathan Dudlak
pc ore
— ——— . hh
) (Foe
Return this coupon or call:
815-734-1204
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Allow 4-6 weeks for delivery, U.S. funds only. No foreign credit orders. at ees
a
i, cere, secant
meres ieee crm oor
SI NE Ren
» = es eo
——*
PREVIEW
GALLERY
ODOOSRONEESINESSOOSESDEBENOENAEDSESSSAODEOSOODESNDSSSODIS AES NESCELESSSESSSOAEASAOSSSSSESIEDSISL SHANE LEAS NSBOSCESSEELSSI ALS ARBSESEEDSISEE SSAA SSOALECONANSD SELLA SAASSLSSSCOSSCOSOOEII
If ever there was a game screaming for online support, it’s Bomberman.
Let’s face it—over the years, Bomberman has been the ultimate party
game. This September the party will include thousands of SegaNet users,
bombin’ each other four at a time.
Bomberman Online is far from a stale retread of previous editions. In
fact, it’s got a number of new features sure to satisfy long-time Bomber-
man fans and newcomers alike. New play modes include Submarine
Attack, in which players send bombs underwater to their opponents’ side
of the play field; Hyper Bomber, in which players try to clear a pathtoa
gate and escape; and Panel Paint, in which players change the color of
floor panels with their bombs.
In addition to a new oversized map in Internet Battle mode that might
allow more than four players to compete (we’re not sure yet), there’s also
a new character editor that lets you create your own custom Bomberman.
(No, Sega didn’t include a Ted Kaczynski face—we checked.)
MMMM NANT NANOS OLAS SASSSTSAARBSEASES SESS ASNRSMAASRASSASSOSSSoSnantaBsadbnacesnnennsseAsenenet
The Dreamcast may be on its last legs, but Sega seems to be making
good on its promise to deliver at least a few more network-compatible
games, such as Propeller Arena: Aviation Battle Championship. If you’re
looking for a realistic flight sim with loads of complex missions, better
look elsewhere; Propeller Arena is an arcade-style free-for-all set in the
not-so-friendly skies.
Choose from one of eight oh-so-wacky characters and dive headlong
into an online or offline multiplayer dogfight. The game’s eight Oro Ke) Ti NT) Me sevacis N -y
arenas seem intentionally small and claustrophobia-inducing, ,
ensuring lots of frantic action. They’re also littered with weapon
power-ups and environmental hazards, such as erupting volcanoes
and launching rockets. ’
Propeller Arena also includes plenty of challenging mini-games and ~~ Vang
real-time, in-game chat, perfect for talking trash to online foes. The
bullets start flying in September.
Time -
ats —
1 —c;
me
aming Monthly - 100 - www.egmmag.com
Everyone’s favorite
bomb-toting Hero
returns, delivering
@ © the addictive gameplay
you (crave, along with
frantic/new/modes
and [online play!
Fast and furious online
multi-player mayhem!
New gameplay modes
like Hyper Bomber,
Ring Match, and more!
Create your very
own Bomberman!
Dreamcast.
Mild Violence
CONTENT RATED BY
ESRB
Sega is registered in the U.S. Patent ar 3 of Sega Corporation. - SEGA CORPORATION, 2001. Bomberman is a registered trademark of Hudson
Soft. ©2001 HUDSON SOFT. Ali Right
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more info.
ies ©2001 Core Design, Ltd. Core Design, the Core logo, and Project Eden are registered trademarks of Core Design, Ltd. Eidos, Eidos interactive, and the Eidos interactive logo are all registered trademarks of Eidos
Interactive, Inc. ©2001 Eidos Interactive, Inc. “PlayStation” and the “PS" Family logo are registered trademarks of Sony Computer Entertainment inc. The ratings icon is a registered trademark of the Interactive Digital
Software Association. All rights reserved.
Due TO SEVERE OVERPOPULATION, THE
EARTH’S DIAMETER !1S INCREASING
WITH THE GROWTH OF TOWERING MEGA-
CITIES. AS CIVILIZATION CLIMBS HIGH
INTO THE SKY, iT SBURIES BELOW ITS
REFUSE; CRIMINALS, THE WRETCHED AND
THE DERANGED. NOW, AMIDST REPORTS OF
VIOLENCE AND ATROCITY IN LOWER
LEVELS, A SERVICE GREW HAS
DISAPPEARED WITHOUT A TRACE.
LEAD A TEAM OF SPECIALISTS INTO AN
ABYSS OF VAST CAVERNS, SNAKE*LIKE
PASSAGEWAYS AND LURING DEAD-ENDS.
TREAD LIGHTLY. THE DEPTHS BELONG TO
TWISTED GULTS, MUTANTS AND HIDEOUS
_ GREATURES THAT WERE NEVER MEANT TO EXIST.
PLAY IN SINGLE PLAYER MODE, OR
WITH UP TO 4 OTHERS IN MULTIPLAYER.
PlayStation.
WWW .PROJECTEDENGAME.COM
PREVIEW
GALLERY
Pro Skater 2K
Activision was kind enough to let us play more levels of THPS 2x,
which is due in November. After the shock of holding the massive Xbox
controller wore off, we were reminded why we love this game so much.
It’s smooth, chock-full of tricks, and controls like a champ. The fact that it
contains every level from THPS 1 & 2 and five bonus levels doesn’t hurt
either. The new revert move and the four-player modes are great as well.
> BONELESS + Heelflip.
1050 x2
Team Ninja’s Tomonobu Itagaki insists on using the most powerful
hardware, and that’s why Tecmo is putting the third installment of their
voluptuous, multi-tiered fighting franchise on the Xbox. Super hi-res
textures, larger, interactive environments, and an improved camera help
keep the new fighters and original crew duking it out as bone-
crunchingly fast as they can. DOA3 ships this November.
= .
4 : i
DEAD OR ALIVE 3
COROLLA AMADONAOODNOLESOSSESEEOLICESEONSOOH
In November, TDK Mediactive picks up the story of Shrek where the
movie left off. Our green ogre buddy must search Fairytaleland for
pages missing from the book Princess Fiona wrote, detailing their
adventures. To find them, he has to solve puzzles, lend a helping hand
to the inhabitants of places like Cinderella’s Castle and Mother Goose
Land, and defeat enemies via flatulence (like we do in real life).
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When you’re looking for the perfect digital TV, go to BestBuy.com first. Then,
when you come to the store for a closer look, you'll feel, well, totally at home.
_ Dragon Quest Vil, the Japanese version of DWVII, holds the high honor of being the
best-selling PS game ever in Japan, selling over 4 million copies. This should tide
Enix over until the next Dragon Quest is ready, probably around 2010 or so.
PREVIEW
LSOSSAORO DN CLAN SR NERNADOSSOSNODSENIRESSSESSSOSSEOGS LADS SSSSA SISOS ORESROODROBSE RA SOOSSERDDSORAORSAASSNNAANS SA Ccnannnnnnansnanacannansnonnnnes STEEPED EEN T EET OSERE RETO TULEOUEE ET OREEOEENS EES SNTREEEEN
——
Players:
Genre: ile
85%
November 2001
Cee pwisi, 11 (GBc)
www.enix.com
180+ hours of classic
The Good:
DW gameplay.
The graphics are
pretty “classic” too.
The CG cutscenes are
truly horrible.
Foresters attacked!
t’s hard to believe, but it’s been nearly 10 years
since an original Dragon Warrior game was
released in the U.S. (it was 1992 when DWIV hit
the first Nintendo). Finally, the decade-long
hiatus is almost over, as Dragon Warrior VII is about
to make its long-awaited debut in America.
The story starts out simple enough. You play a
fisherman’s son who lives in a small village on the
only island in the entire world. One day, you and
your friends stumble upon an ancient ruin that
houses the secret to the disappearance of the rest
| of the world. By collecting special stone fragments,
| known as Mysterious Shards, you can utilize the
:
‘The Lost DOs
i
i
i
ruins to travel back in time to other lands and free
the inhabitants of their troubles, allowing them to
exist in the present. This is the basis for the game’s
massive quest, which reportedly spans 100 hours.
Upon popping in Dragon Warrior VII, long-time
fans of the series may be surprised to notice that,
graphically, things haven’t evolved very much over
the years. Sure, the game world is now fully 3D, but
it’s still viewed from a top-down perspective (you
can rotate and zoom out the camera, at least), and
the characters are still minimally animated 2D
sprites. But while DWVII may not be the most
visually stunning RPG to hit these shores in recent
times, the game makes up for it in another, far more
important area: gameplay.
DWVII is loaded with deep, engaging RPG play. It
| U.S. gamers missed out on
an entire generation of
| Dragon Warrior. In Japan,
Enix released four Dragon
| Quest games for the Super
Famicom (Japan’s Super
_ Nintendo): Dragon Quest V,
Vi, and enhanced remakes
_ of Dragon Quest I, II and III.
| The remakes have since
_ been ported to Game Boy
_ Color and released in
| America, but DQV and DQVI
remain exclusive to Japan.
Hopefully Enix will continue
with the handheld remakes
and bring IV, V and VI to
Game Boy Advance.
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In true DW fashion, the dungeons are
filled with well-designed traps and
puzzles.
Battles now feature animated monsters
and practically zero load times.
has tons of lands to explore, huge, well-designed
dungeons, and the usual assortment of diversions,
like the Casino and a new Monster Park where you
can befriend and collect monsters. The battle
system is mostly unchanged from past games (first-
person, turn-based, menu-driven combat). Monsters
now animate, and you can talk to your partners to
get advice, but it’s mostly familiar territory.
The Job system, on the other hand, has been
vastly improved. Similar to Final Fantasy V, your
characters can take on various Jobs, each of which
allows you to learn a variety of Spells and Abilities.
Once learned, these stay with you forever and can
be carried over to new Jobs, where you can learn
even more Skills. Eventually, you can combine Jobs
to create new, more advanced professions and work
your way up to the most powerful of character
classes. In addition, you can collect Monster Hearts
from defeated enemies, which, when equipped,
allow you to learn that monster's abilities and stats,
providing for even more variety in your arsenal of
techniques. It’s really addicting.
With a game as big as DWVII, we could go on for
days explaining all of its features, but alas, you’ll
just have to wait to experience it this November.
This game could end up being a perfect argument
for never judging a book by its cover. Hopefully the
massive quest and intricate story will make the
dated graphics a moot point. th —John Ricciardi
Winner of IGN's Best of
2000 Reader's Vote Award!
Yi ¥
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atin,
EVOLUTION ONLY WORKS IN THE WILD.
Vist www.esrb,org or call
1-800-77}-3772 for more info
CONTENT RATED BY
The 4x4 Evo logo, 4x4 Evolution, Terminal Reality, and the Terminal Reality logo are trademarks of Terminal Reality, Inc. Microsoft, Xbox, and the Xbox logos are either registered trademarks or trademarks
of Microsoft Corporation in the U.S. and/or other countries and are used under license from Microsoft. Godgames, the Godgames logo, and Gathering of Developers are trademarks of Gathering of Developers,
All other trade-marks and trade names are properties of their respective owners. ©2001 Gathering of Developers.
Inc.
Surprised to see a high-profile title like Syphon Filter 3 debut on the PS1?
3
_ You shouldn’t be. The system was the best-selling piece of hardware during the
2000 holiday season. According to EBWorld.com, 59 new PS1 games are
| expected to be released between August and November—not bad for a unit
PREVIEW
GALLERY
§
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SoS RISHRORNTOON INT DOCU oD EES ERD LET PROTO
aeoonoCRRRORIORT “ oo APOC OC UR SDE
“Think of THPS3 [PS1] as the little brother of the PS2 version,” says Jeff Poffenbarger, associate producer at Activision. “You don’t actually see the
earthquake [which you trigger in your career objectives in the PS2 incarnation]—it’s like you’re there the day after it’s triggered.” So while Tony 3
on the PS1 lacks many of the interactive objectives of its PS2 big bro, the two versions share many traits in the level-design department. “In some
cases, the levels are the same size as in the PS2 version,” Poffenbarger says. “In others, they’re two-thirds the size, but we add new areas to make
up for it.” The game does pack many of the new moves, including the “revert,” which allows you to continue linking tricks after landing from a
halfpipe. In addition, a new balance meter keeps you on the high side of a grind. Activision has this pup slated for a November release.
SLOPPY ANELON +
We Geo melon REVERT + NOSE MANUAL
5910 X2 , 432 X3
We’ve been playing the final PS1 installment of Sony’s action-adventure series, and, as you can probably tell
from the screens, it looks a lot like the first two games (despite some slightly improved cinemas). The
flashback-driven story picks up right where Syphon 2 left off, only this time you'll not only control Gabe and
Lian, but Lawrence Mujari and one other mystery character as well. Those thirsty for quick action will love the
new mini-games, where you can choose from five different themes (target shooting, disarming bombs,
assassination, kill everyone, or steal a briefcase) in any of 10 unlockable levels. SF3 is due late September.
Areas Cate eeeiT
S518. TERMINATOR
Twisted Metal:
If you thought your neighborhood bully was mean, try having Twisted Metal’s psychotic ringmaster steal your
milk money. Sony’s Small Brawl (due in fall) is a prequel that gives a glimpse at how a young Calypso
wrangled 15 other teens (Sweet Tooth, Mr. Grimm, etc.) into honing their homicidal driving to prep for the big
leagues. This RC car brawler isn’t as dark as the PS2 version, but don’t let the colorful graphics fool you into
thinking that only diaper wearers will enjoy it. Sure, bottle rockets and explosive fireworks are more tame
than machine guns and hellfire, but they’ll knock the crap out of those miniature vehicles just as efficiently.
UU Pla aver’ aract I
que personality and attacks!
f)
‘story line
and 1
strals, Doowt [sli tdby-seyele
istrals have again been resurrected and
www.e.natsume.com CONTENT RATED BY
Serious Fun is a trademark of Natsume Inc. Natsume is a registered trademark of Natsume Inc. Developed by Nev
= Just as we went to print these new shots of Mario
* | Advance 2 were released. Right now all we know is this —
is basically Super Mario World on the GBA. We should |
_ know more about this game next month, following
_Nintendo’s Japanese trade show, Spaceworld.
as eee IPOH RNR ERIK RHR ORR DOCEIRO HARRIE RINE
PREVIEW
GALLERY
H
3
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=] PlayStation. N64. Saturn. 3DO.
Jaguar. Even the 32X, fer cryin’
out loud. id software’s classic
first-person shooter has
Hot on the heels of Activision’s
Stellar GBA version of Tony
Hawk’s Pro Skater 2 comes Mat appeared on plenty of systems
Hoffman’s Pro BMX. , , over the last decade, so why do
Rip it up on six different aOR we give a flying frag about the
street, vert and dirt courses as JAUME XE = GBA version? Well it’s portable,
“The Condor” himself, or one of of course, but check out every-
Seven other pro riders. Each thing else it’s got: two-player .
maze-like level is filled with co-op or four-player deathmatch -
secret areas, interactive objects (each GBA needs a cart), 32
and items to collect, and an levels, plus the save-anywhere
, Be SP ee ae
SOOCGeE06)
easy-to-learn trick and combo and auto-map functions from ee :
system lets you shred with the the PC game. And, just when | 900 8
best of ’em in no time. you thought you might go blind : a cb sed zal
from squinting at that dark GBA
Screen, you can adjust the
brightness (hallelujah!) and
turn the cool dynamic lighting
on or off (See bottom screen:
left half dynamic, right half
normal). It runs smooth, and
the sounds are perfect—we TO SA) ae oe
can’t wait ’til September. 650 seatea = = Jah
While the game lacks Tony
Hawk’s graphical prowess, it
does have some nice visual
effects, including lens flare and
motion blur, seen when you
pull off a particularly gnarly
Special. Game Boy Advance
owners will be catching mad air
this fall.
ss ai iim iinet ls ss si i acters - —
Tetris
The day when a Nintendo
handheld system doesn’t get a
Tetris game is the day hell
freezes over. THQ is delivering
the series, pumped up on
steroids, to GBA owners this
fall. You’re not only getting the
classic puzzler, you’ll also be
getting a host of new games.
Sticky Tetris. Fusion Tetris.
Hot-Line Tetris. Square Tetris.
Cascade Tetris. What does it all
mean? It means this cart will be
the ultimate time waster, like
others before it.
Create squares instead of
lines. Let pieces cascade to
form combos. Stick similarly
colored pieces together. Throw
your traditional Tetris way of
thinking out the door, ’cause
new strategies and gameplay
await you. If you’re too set in
the classic Tetris-style of play,
however, this cart isn’t for you.
a
Aa
Heh
Kudos to Konami. First
Castlevania, and now a brand-
new Gradius on the GBA.
They’re taking respectable
2D franchises and giving them
new life where they belong.
Developed by Mobile 21, a
joint venture between Nintendo
and Konami, this is an entirely
new Gradius adventure with
eight original levels. Gradius
Galaxies is undeniably old
school. The methodical, slower-
paced game speed, the
customizable weapons system,
and the familiar level motifs all
return to give GG a classic look
and feel. The game even offers
a “hint mode” for those
stumped by a particular level.
Like all good things in this
industry, GG comes out in
November.
Ciarct wim (mma are RAMA!
Fioctran?: f,23aming BRAiontnig: - ~ WHAARMAL OOMMAG car
PI@€CLGHiC Wa iTHiS FViOTililly - 11 VV VV YN. SissibiG a Utes!
www.enix.com
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EVERYONE
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PREVIEW
GALLERY
Tekken —
Jonathan Dudlak and James Mielke have their way
with an early version of {e!\en © in the arcade.
Check out the detail on the water
and Yoshimitsu's garb as he gets a
leg-up from Hwoarang. The game
runs on PS2-based hardware, so you
can expect similar graphics at home.
Jon “Glass Jaw” Dudlak, Associate Editor
ack in college, we played Tekken 2 night after night because it
was the best 3D fighter on the PS: at the time. As time went on,
though, | lost interest in the game because it felt so stale—the
combat wasn’t fast and the fighters all felt the same. Going in to
play Tekken 4, | was anticipating destroying Milkmaid with the same |
rehashed gameplay, but was instead surprised to find a lot of cool
changes. The arenas are still gigantic—you can walk around in them |
almost endlessly, but I’m glad they finally made them finite. It adds so
much more to the gameplay. You can whack an opponent up against a
window and shatter it, or slam him into a brick wall for some extra-
impact damage. And there’s something satisfying about being able to
just walk up to a phone booth and level it with a few side kicks, or
Milkfat’s body, for that matter. My personal favorite was sending three
bodies into the air with Steve’s uppercut when Milkpants stumbled too
close to the maddening crowd. Speaking of which, all the environments
and background animations look amazing—they’re more realistic than
Tag Tournament’s, as are the character models. | had reservations about
the new reversal move (where you grab and trade places with your
opponent), but after | used it to send Milkdud into a wall for some
damage, | was hooked. The sidestep from T3 has also been preserved
as a major tactical move. T4 ain’t Soul Cali 2, but it made a jaded 2D fan —
like me take notice long enough to annihilate Milkbone’s sad Xiaoyu. i]
The arenas in Tekken 4 are huge. Hide behind palm trees on the beach (left)
or wrestle far off shore (right) without ever leaving the stage! You'll have
ele recipe ren, in Tie BE ae mad ? meee) ee Pe
kiectronic Gaming Monthly -
tiy
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Putting your opponent through a glass phone booth is just one of the ways to
get busy with the arenas in Tekken 4. Don’t worry, it’s all part of the act.
james “Muffin” Mielke, West Coast Editor
ffbbtt! Jon’s lanky off-balance kicks sliced hot air as my Xiaoyu
ducked under his stuff and broke off many a Lotus Palm in his
junk. | too feel as if Tekken’s backgrounds benefit from the
newly finite dimensions, and now that Tekken 4 has adopted
Virtua Fighter 3’s environmental strategy, it’s a much better game. The
environments gave me a harder time than Dudslap though. Like the time
| stuffed him in a corner, but couldn’t see exactly where or how | was
pounding on his ass, because the camera obscured my view while he
ran off to lick his wounds. Speaking of running away, Tq still has the
sidestep dodge move, but it’s no Soul Calibur-styled 8 Way Run. Quite a
few times | attempted to dodge and work a side-throw into the mix, only
to get slapped en route. Throw moves don’t always result in a damaging
attack now, either, but often whip your opponent (like Dud’s simpering
Steve Fox) around 180 degrees, leaving his backside exposed. Needless
to say, D-lak took a caning on more than one occasion. The characters
are beefier, but Cuddley Dudley’s dreaming if he thinks they look
“amazing.” On the whole I’d say the graphics look marginally better than
TTT’s, which was a port of a System 12 game (TTT arcade), which was an
enhanced version of a PlayStation game (Tekken 3), which was a port of
a system 12 game (Tekken 3 arcade). Basically, | expected a lot more out
of Tekken 4 (and Mr. D-sak). Hopefully the PS2 version will address at
least a few of the game’s “issues”; J-diddy is hopeless. ait
Notice who Kazuya is attacking there (left)? It's not Yoshimitsu; he's on the
floor building up his power while an observer takes it on the chin in the
highly interactive “Fight Club” stage. (Right) King loses to Law the hard way.
pers
PEP RALLY, AD
“Rah!”“Go team!” These are difficult things to hear over tank fire, so you will understand
why cheerleaders are not among your legions of troops to command in new Advance Wars for
Game Boy® Advance. Instead, make use of your wits and a tasty array of weaponry to humiliate up to
three other people dumb enough to stand in the way of your path to glory. © LIFE ADVANCED.”
Violence © 1990-2001 Nintendo. © 2001 INTELLIGENT SYSTEMS. ™, ® and Game Boy Advance are trademarks
of Nintendo. © 2001 Nintendo. Game Boy® Advance, Game and Game Boy® Advance Game Link® cable sold separately. www.gameboy.com
DETHILS. DETAILS.
: : . @| = NUMBER OF BOARD SET-UP
NUMBER OF RAMPS ON THE [im ® Bag 8 fv COMBINATIONS AVAILABLE.
xX GAMES STREET COURSE. | |
2 ar me POINT VALUE FOR GRINDING
NUMBER OF . ii = ACROSS A SUBWAY STATION.
KICKFLIP — ae —
COMBINATIONS §@ = NUMBER OF LOCATIONS TO
| SKATE AND COMPETE IN.
ESPN X Games Skateboarding is the first skateboarding action sports event in the world. Ride as one of 8 incredible
game for the PlayStation®2 computer entertainment pro riders and choose all of their sponsored gear and
system that puts you right in the middle of the largest boards. Progress through nine mind-blowing action/arcade
| NUMBER OF PRO'S YOU CAN PLAY AS. jinn hk ela
USED TO MODEL
fm RICK MCCRANK, LINCOLN UEDA, KERRY GETZ, COLIN MCKAY, | BOB BURNGUIST.
. CHRIS SENN, CHAD FERNANDEZ, CARLOS DE ANDRADE, BOB BURNQUIST
Qt)
Oe eae EY SENS
| NUMBER OF ATTENDEES
4 | AT THE 2000 X GAMES
} TOTAL NUMBER OF | | IN SAN FRANCISCO.
} TRICK COMBINATIONS.
BRYCE KANIGHTS
levels from the X Games to the decks of a passenger liner
with hidden challenges and secret areas. With ESPN X Games
Games
\ a Skateboarding
Skateboarding, it’s the details that count.
EVERYONE
2 a Mild Lyrics,
cori | Micbrics
CONTENT RATED BY
the games eSshe
Visit www.esrb.org
or call 1-800-771-3772
for more in
CONTENT RATED BY
ESRB
«Moby
*Fatboy Slim
* Propellerheads
and more
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Haul ass in ruthless, multi-player
combat racing.
Thwart opponents with traps,
trickery and explosive attacks.
for the Xbox™ video game system.
Race a motley crew of characters through
treacherous, obstacle-filled terrains.
An original game design created specifically
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BIG BOSS
Famously skilled warrior and former leader of Fox-Hound,
_ he was also secretly behind the plot to build a Metal Gear
i. both of the first two games. Before Snake killed him at
__ the end of MG2, B.B. told him (Empire Strikes Back style)
__ he was Snake’s father. In MGS we learn the details: Solid,
__ Liquid and Solidus Snake were alt clones of Big Boss, cre-
-atedina government experiment to build the ultimate sol-
_ dier. The Big guy's remains were even part of Liquid
‘Snake’s demands from the U.S. government—he wanted
_the leftover pieces of his “dad” to cure genetic defects in
himself and his soldiers.
LIQUID SNAKE: \~ ~~
Solid Snake's genetically engi- .
neered “brother,” Liquid joined Fox-
Hound after Solid retired. He was the
leader in that whole messy “Hijack a
nuclear weapon and threaten the world” inci-
dent on Shadow Mosses Island in MGS. But
his technically superior genes didn't save —
him from a serious ass-whoopin’ and
some really bad tuck, evidenced by
the fact that only his right hand
returns for the sequel.
100% GAMES
TECMO
ee
YOU DON'T HAVE TO PRETEND ANY MORE.
Gallop Racer 2001 is so realistic that you don't have to get your fingernails dirty to feel like
you're in the race. Feel the burn in your legs, the pounding of your heart and the wind in your
face as you compete against other horses and players. Battle against the forces of nature as you
race through snow, rain and mud during the day and at night. Play as a tournament jockey,
master breeder, or betting spectator in the stands. With an all-
new gambling feature, Gallop Racer
2001 puts you into the game!
Gallop Racer®2001 Tecmo, LTD. 2000, 2001. Tecmo, Inc.. PMB#5553 21213-B
Hawthorne Bivd., Torrance, CA 90503 p (310) 944-5005 f (310) 944-3344 “PlayStation”
For more information, go te = and the “PS” Family logo are registered trademarks of Sony Computer Entertainment . Cc
www.tecmoinc.com inc. The ratings icon is a trademark of the Interactive Digital Software Association. PlayS fa Cl O ie .
sanalinannieaiaantanailinimelaiaara
PlayStation.
RATING PENDING (mmm
. Visit www.esrb.org
or call 1-800-771-3772
for more info.
World Wrestling Federation, its
gos and all character likenesses are trademarks 0
Pacific, (UE JAKKS Pacilic and the JAKKS Pacific loge are trademarks of JAKKS Pac
ett
World WheSt ling Fedel'ation® 7
be
KS
af
di
Ur
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ff
i
and Software
COMMAND THE EXPLOSIVE G-6I155
INTERCEPTOR TO ESCAPE AND
EVADE T
A 58
iiss are
*
BLAST THROUGH MISSIONS WITH AN
ALL-NEW INTENSE ARSENAL OF
COMBAT WEAPONRY.
ane.
ON-THE-FLY MORPHING TRANSFORMS
THE INTERCEPTOR FROM LETHAL
STREET MACHINE TO DEADLY,
JET-POWERED MARINE VEHICLE.
PlayStation.c —
TULIIN (re.
PREPARE TO BE HUNTED.
‘ PlayStation.
ak Preview at www-spyhunter-midway-com
| ee with him. | make up for all of it after
this project is completed. As vice president
_ of Konami Japan, | cannot take a long
vacation until after the game is done.
EGM: From the trailers, the game
looks like it’s done. What's left to do in 2
the last couple of months?
HK: My battle still continues. Showing the :
game as footage and finishing mupasa
playable game are very different tasks.
Putting together completed building
blocks, making, modifications, putting
them together again.. At Ss a long cycle.
i _ | EGM: What do you plan on doing
once MGS2 for the PS2 is complete?
HK: The theme will be “parent and child.”
___ And | would like to work with GameCube.
) _ EGM: There was an announcement
_ recently that MGS2 would come to
/ the U.S. first, before Japan. That’s
__ ineredibly rare for such a huge title—
_ why was that decision made?
HK: MGS was very well received in the.
_U.S.—even better than in Japan—so we
_ wanted to reward that dedication by bring-
ing the game out in the U.S. first, since we
couldn't work it out in our schedule to do
THE SNAKE
WHO ARE THEY?
| the whole incident in MGS.
_ Ex-popular glam-rock (or Rock
“hair metal”) band from
the 80s, with such mem-
| _ orable hits as “Here | Go
J Again’ and “ls This Love.”
the worid.
are happy.
PIT
AMBITION CAREER HIGH POINT
Ex-special forces soldier Save Single handedly foils terrorist
and world savior. the world. plot to threaten the world
Now member of with nuclear weapons (on
“Philanthropy,” an anti- three separate occasions).
Meta! Gear fringe group.
Ex-whole human being, Blackmail Successfully leads plot to
now just his arm remains, — the world. take and activate Metal Gear,
grafted onto fellow villain fooling Solid Snake into help-
Revolver Ocelot. ing him with PAL key errands.
Ex-president of the Control Elected 43rd President of the
United States of America. the world. United States, despite sib-
He was ulfimately behind lings that make Roger Clinton
look like Mother Teresa.
Self-titled 1987 album sells
10 million copies, lead singer
weds hot actress/model
Tawny Kitaen, boasts about it
to the world by having her
spread her legs on his car in
music video.
Japanese fans are not too happy about
a __ this. But we're glad that the American fans |
_ simultaneous launch. | have to say that the :
CAREER LOW POINT
Runs around for an hour in
MGS heating up and cooling
off PAL key, only to discover
all his work was to activate
Metal Gear for Liquid. D’oh.
As Ocelot’s arm, he’s forced
to assist the middle-aged
Russian in bathing and
relieving himself.
In the incredibly popular
Metal Gear Solid game, his
role reduced to only a short
mention at the very end.
See career high point.
: Electronic Gaming Monthly - 128 - www.egmmag.com
MEMORABLE QUOTE
“All my heroes are either
dead or in jail. 'm no hero.
lm just a man who's good
at what he does—killing.”
“You have served your put-
pose. You may die now.”
eR
wee
(never heard him speak).
"(Whitesnake album Slip of
the Tongue) explores the
themes of love on different
levels, mostly horizontal
and perpendicular knee-
trembling levels.”
Metal Gear Solid 2 pits all of the biologically engineered “Snake” triplets against one another for the first and last time. Who will come out
on top? Heres a rundown of the three contenders, along with a fourth Snake to serve as a control group (for the sake of scientific validity).
THE HAIR
Feathered battie-mullet, con-
tained only by studly head-
band. Bad attempt at beard
completes the look.
Once a long flowing mane.
now, in his present “arm”
form, short, bristly hairs along
length of (what's left of) him.
Unknown (since we've never
seen him), but since he was
president, we're guessing its
not jong or muileted.
Teased, spritzed and fluffedto | ~
the point where they make —
Fabio look like he just rolled
out of bed. Each member of
the band looks like he has a
trying to eat his head.
EXPLORE VAST WORLOS IN SEARCH OF
POWERFUL POTIONS, WEAPONS AND CLUES,
2030 g 1730\3 1438" 1380 ©
f£
"210 “232 201 *305
ree?
eee
ase SpeLL$ OR STEEL. 1
PLAY MINI-GAMES AND UNCOVER
INCREDIBLE SUB-WORLOS.
‘ii
FATE MAdE TheM FRIENDS
dESTINY WILL Make Them LEGENDS,
A mysterious girl arrivea from the heavens with a message of impending doom.
: Mild Animated Violence
And ao begina the adventure for friends Reid and Farah. But it will not be easy. pear ori
an cono
CONTENT RATED BY
PlayStation
ESRB
The heroes muat battle not only the challenges of an unknown force,
but also the demons that exiat within themselves.
Tales of Destiny® il & © 2000 Namco Ltd., All Rights Reserved. OMutsumi Inomata. PlayStation and the PlayStation logos are registered
trademarks of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. The ratings icon is a registered trademark of the Interactive Digital Software Association. WWW.NAMCO.COM
SENALS
a SF Rep
MeTAi GEAF
eee Se, 5
- Hi ‘ ~ ‘ grrgs anys ; 4
(ete i De Seaman nna oo ee a ai
oy
Pa
i tat te ak
Pa ats
are) eS
LA
Sige
ni
Calling all gamers: Cell phones are
revolutionizing the way gamers play on the
will we get to dial up Resident Evil on our
phones? Please hold while FGM investigates.
_ or such handy little gizmos,
cell phones sure seem like
the scourge of humanity.
They squawk in movie theaters. We
nearly lost supermodel Niki Taylor
in an accident attributed to a
phone-distracted driver. And now
that our bosses or parents or in-
laws can reach us anywhere at any
time, we’re ready to flush our
Nokias down the can.
But before you give up the little
beeping things for good, consider
this ultimate redeeming factor: cell
phones are the game industry’s
number-one growth field, at a time
when software companies are
starved for profits. Across Europe
and Asia, wireless phones have
quickly become standard issue for
the young and hip, who use them
to peruse the Web, send instant
messages and, yes indeed, play
games. The wireless gaming
revolution hasn’t kicked off here in
_ the States just yet, but it’s coming.
We only need to look overseas for
a preview of this next big thing in
the game biz.
The concept of the “cell phone”
_ (definition: a mobile phone usable
under a small service area, or cell).
dates way back to the 1940s, but tc
wasn't until 1982 that the FCC
finally authorized cellular networks
in the U.S. The industry hasn’t
looked back since, snatching up
more than 75 million American
wireless users. Still, the phones
most of us use are just that—
phones. You talk into it, then put it
back into your purse, pocket or
Power Rangers fanny pack. The
idea of a truly interactive cell
phone wasn’t realized until i-mode
took over Japan two years ago.
A product of NTT DoCoMo, a
mega-profitable subsidiary of the
Japanese telecommunications
giant NTT, i-mode is the closest
anyone’s gotten yet to cramming
the entire Internet into the palm of
your hand. Press the button
marked “i” on a compatible phone,
and you’re taken to i-mode’s main
menu, with over 700 official (NTT-
sanctioned) sites at your fingertips.
You don’t have to be “official” to
be in, though: |-mode sites are
written in a subset of good old
HTML, the same language used to
build regular Web pages.
Thousands of unofficial sites have
popped up, covering everything
_ from horror flicks to horoscopes.
In Japan, your phone is always
“connected” to the i-mode network
(there’s no need to dial up), so all
you shell out for is the amount of
information you download. The
base rate is 0.3 yen per 125 bytes;
this translates to a few pennies to
download the average i-mode page
(at a truckin’ 9600 baud). Most
game sites are “premium” outfits;
they charge an extra monthly fee
(usually a few bucks) on the
Japanese gamer’s phone bill.
How deeply has i-mode
pervaded Japanese culture? Let’s
just pretend that you’re one of the
22 million i-mode users NTT
DoCoMo claims it reaches in Japan.
(Let’s also say you have a
girlfriend, which isn’t a given, we
know, but bear with us.) You wake
up one sunny Saturday to the tune
of your phone’s alarm; your
girlfriend downloaded a Hello Kitty
alarm clock onto your phone just to
Spite you. You get dressed, then
tap out a message to her to meet
up near the rail station. After
checking Japan Rail’s i-mode site to
find out when the next train to
Shinjuku is due, you decide to
meet at precisely 3:07 p.m. to
catch the express. Until then, you
kill time by playing Net Battle
Royale, a silly yet addictive text
game based on the Japanese cult
violence film, where you must
assemble weapons and kill other
Electronic Gaming Monthly - 182 - www.egmmag.com
human players as you tour a
tersely described virtual island.
Once the appointed hour comes,
you head for the station, hook up
with your girl, and head for Tokyo’s
city center. Oh, but what will you
do once you get there? |-mode to
the rescue: You fearlessly bring up
Sites listing hot cafes, walking
tours and club dates.
The ingenuity of some i-mode
Web sites is astounding. Didn’t get
to the station in time? There’s a site
that has 800 excuses to give your
girlfriend. Need something to read
on the train? Another site has
hundreds of out-of-copyright
novels to read, one very tiny screen
at a time. Always arguing over who
takes the check at dinner? Use an i-
mode site to play Russian roulette
to see who gets stuck with the bill.
WHAT ABOUT THE GAMES?
In the beginning, most i-mode
games were by necessity very
simple, action-free affairs. The first
major early believer was Hudson
Soft, which released Miracle Quest
last September. Reminiscent of
Kevin Gifford
early Nintendo
Entertainment System RPGs, , ,
Miracle Quest has the player ‘ _
exploring a somewhat twisted
version of Japan, fighting cute
monsters, building up levels and,
in every nuance of the phrase,
having a good ol’ time. New area
maps and quests are added to the
game every month by Hudson, and
despite redefining the term “bare-
bones” with its visuals, Miracle
Quest is both strangely alluring
and a lovely way to kill 20 minutes
of otherwise useful time.
Despite Hudson’s best efforts,
though, it wasn’t until the debut
this past January of i-appli, NTT
DoCoMo’s new generation of
mobile phones, that other
software houses began taking a
Serious interest in wireless.
Offering a larger, full-color screen
* ME * I . ; i = Things to come: Japanese
A} ntl snue G 4+ VY == gamers have seen a revolution
in their cell-phone games, from
simplistic stuff like the i-mode
sensation Miracle Quest (far
left) to the fancier i-appli
version (left) that hit earlier
ng , EE ’ soe mw Fay ‘ this year. Now they’re playing i-
rs] od 4 cy Ne ik Ld Smee ow Oe S appli-powered incarnations of
Lv. SEP I + h ah biog “ane : ft | hot arcade franchises like
" Tekken Battle Command
Brass reg + 2 iS (right). So when do we get to
. hy) le tk : = 1s r - ___ play? Expect games like these
mt f {275 T L 3 + | : ts ke ; to hit the next wave of U.S.
_ phones in 2002.
and 16-voice FM-quality sound, i-
appli phones are Java-compatible,
which enables developers to finally
make wireless games that don’t
just look like some tripped-up Web
page made by a 13-year-old before
bedtime.
The result has been an explosion
of games from nearly every top
Japanese software house. If you
thought the Game Boy Advance
had a lot of launch titles, then it’d
be best to sit down for this: Nearly
100 different online game services
now use i-appli, with hundreds of
titles already shooting across
Japanese airspace to happy cell-
phone gamers. If Nintendo doesn’t
think it has a rival in the portable
department, they’ve got to be
kidding themselves.
If there’s one disadvantage to
the wireless wave of game
distribution, it’s the hit-and-miss
factor of the software. Most cell
phone-game distribution outfits
advertise their wares via NTT’s i-
mode menu (which is quickly
achieving maze-like complexity)
and via their official sites. Konami
may offer a couple of dinky screen-
shots of Dance Dance Revolution
action on their page, but actually
jabbing at the phone keys with
your gigantic thumbs to play it can
require a little endurance. Sure, the
games are cheap (never more than
two or three bucks a month, plus
download fees), but is forking over
real dough to play what are
essentially simple Java applets the
best way to blow that meager
McDonald’s paycheck?
But that’s just it. These aren’t
just Java applets—done well, they
can get under your Skin in a way no
other genre can. The first inkling of
the medium’s true power came
when Bandai released Love by
Mail, a game where you exchange
messages with one of five virtual
girlfriends and try to keep your
relationship healthy for as long as
possible. Despite being completely
text-based, Love by Mail has
attracted nearly 50,000 paying
customers and is one of i-mode’s
most well-known success stories.
Wireless gaming is about more
than just staring at a screen—it’s
interacting, posting up your high
scores, talking with other people
(virtual or real), and just living the
200d life online. Sony and Sega
may go on about how networked
gaming will storm the industry,
but NTT DoCoMo and others shut
their traps and are just doing it.
In Japan, at any rate.
Any U.S. Web-
enabled phone,
such as the
$200 SCH-8500
from Samsung,
can play simple
WAP titles like
Unplugged
_) Games’ Mage
Duel (below).
WHEN'S OUR TURN?
In Japan, everybody uses cell
phones. The country may have 120
million people and “only” 60
million keitai denwa (portable
phones), but in reality this
translates to everybody. Ifa
Japanese friend asks you what kind
of phone you have, “Oh, | don’t
have one” is most definitely the
wrong answer. Girls will look at you
as if you just dropped your pants in
front of them. The wireless
epidemic is so fierce that some of
the younger members of Japanese
society have forgotten how to use
a pay phone.
Although similar conditions exist
in Korea and parts of Europe
(especially Finland—must be
something in the arctic air), mobile- |
phone mania has completely failed
to penetrate American shores. The
U.S. commands a measly half of
one percent of the world’s wireless
users, and that’s including Palm
Pilots and other Net-ready PDAs
(see sidebar). The cause of this
wireless lethargy is the subject of
heated debate within the industry,
but here are several major reasons:
¢ The U.S. wireless industry’s
transmission standards. While i-
mode uses a pay-per-download
system, most services here use
WAP (Wireless Applications
Protocol), which charges per
minute of online time. American
consumers hate being charged per
minute. They hate it to bits.
¢ There are too many different
competing standards. |-appli
exists because NTT can use its
semi-monopoly to dictate wireless
standards to Japan’s handset
manufacturers. The result is a
friendly coding environment that’s
breeding new games and
Like most i-mode
phones in Japan,
Sony’s SO503i has
an “i” button (see
circle) you jab to
access a world of
online content
and games. Yep,
“=m, even good ol’
}) Space Invaders.
Cutting-edge
FOMA phones,
now on test in
Tokyo, even
offer video
conferencing.
You can chat
with a support
rep face to face,
seen below.
applications every day. It’ll be
much more difficult to pull that off
here, where Motorola, Nokia, AT&T,
etc., each has its own bright ideas
about how a wireless network
should function. Without any
central company to run the show,
it’s hard for one standard to
emerge from the pack.
e U.S. companies haven’t quite
figured out how to make money
yet. All official i-mode sites are
approved by NTT DoCoMo, which
plucks out a percentage of the
earnings from the developer.
Meanwhile, American mobile
content providers are making like
their dot-com brethren and either
relying on venture capital to
Survive or suddenly going bye-bye.
¢ Cultural differences. Some
experts think wireless will never
become truly universal in the U.S.
They point out how consumers are
too used to free local calls to pay
for the same service on their cell
phone, and how they drive cars
instead of ride trains (and hence
don’t need to kill time sending love
mail to virtual girlfriends). Cont. on page 136
‘ The other
Wireless White Meat
Nintendo may have the handheld market locked up tighter than Calista
Flockhart’s fridge, while cell phones represent the new frontier of gaming
on the go. But that’s not stopping companies that make PDAs (Personal
Data Assistants) from nabbing a piece of the portable pie. The Palm Pilot
has been an incubator for developers who churn out simple games by the
dozens. And while a souped-up Solitaire won’t put
the Game Boy Advance to shame, a new wave of
PDAs known as Pocket PCs could.
Compaq’s color iPaq (right, shown playing Turjah
from Jimmy Software) is the first Pocket PC to ship
with a control pad as its input device. Running at a
hearty 206 MHz, this gizmo can compete with the
GBA’s visuals and do so much more. Game makers
such as ZiOSoft are releasing dozens of titles
(including PC stuff like Need for Speed and SimCity
2000), while underground arcade-ROM player
MAME lets you play coin-op
classics, thus turning iPaq
into a mini-game museum.
Still, Pocket PCs face
hurdles. At an average price
of S400, they won’t make a
dent in the gaming market
(but those prices will fall
in time).
— Kraig Kujawa
{ * 9 commag o &
PRCRRN a
1
i
Jimmy Software’ ne ZiOSoft’s Metalion
Doom4CE
Pctronic Gaming Monthly - 184 - www.egmmag.com
SOURNEY TO _SABUR
Marvel at the detailed battlefield scenes
and mobile suits with breathtaking digital
graphics as seen in the movies! Experience
firsthand the thrill of guiding your allies in
their mission to conquer the enemy in
mobile suit warfare. Relive scenes from
the TU series or implement your own
battle strategies to create whole
new story lines.
© SOTSU AGENCY * SUNRISE. TM & © Cartoon Network. Program © 2000 Bandai Co., Ltd. Distributed
by Bandai America Incorporated, 5551 Katella Avenue, Cypress, California 90630. Ali Rights Reserved.
Used under license by Bandai America. incorporated.
Animated Violence Licensed for play on the PlayStation 2 computer entertainment systems with the NTSC U/C designation
only. "PlayStation" and the "PS" Family logo are registered trademarks of Sony Computer Entertainment
Inc. The ratings icon is a trademark of the Interactive Digital Software Association. Manufactured and
printed in the U.S.A. THIS SOFTWARE IS COMPATIBLE WITH PLAYSTATION 2 CONSOLES WITH THE
NTSC U/C DESIGNATION. U.S. AND FOREIGN PATENTS PENDING.
So, despite great potential, the
wireless marketplace outside of
Asia has simply not taken off the
way companies would like it to.
Nokia, the wireless behemoth from
Finland, won’t even disclose how
many phones using the WAP
Standard are out in Europe. “We
are in the early stages. Expansion
will come later,” one vice president
spins it. WAP has more companies
behind it right now, but i-mode is
the only system so far that’s
actually shown results in terms of
solid games.
Not that we Westerners aren’t
trying. Digital Bridges, a Scottish
outfit whose games grace the _
online portals of more than a
dozen manufacturers’ handsets, is
launching a multiplayer strategy
game based on Star Trek that
features a persistent world that
continues to change even when
you aren’t playing. “You can be ina
boardroom, classroom, cab, bus,
wherever, and your phone can tell
you that you've arrived at the solar
system you set out for a couple of
hours before,” says Brian Baglow,
Digital Bridges’ communications
manager, “or that there was a
Klingon Bird of Prey waiting for you
and your ass is getting kicked.”
They’re not stopping there. Digital
Bridges has all sorts of ideas,
including a giant game of tag that’d
use the global-positioning
receivers included with some
handsets. If you’re “it,” for
example, your phone’s display
points the way to the closest
participating player, who you can
sneak up to and “tag” with a close-
range phone call. You’d never step
away from the game!
Meanwhile in Japan, NTT is
working on FOMA, the next
generation of wireless Internet
access. Allowing transfer rates of
up to 350 kilobytes per second, the
project’s announced goal is to
make applications like streaming
video and the picture phone from
Pee-Wee’s Playhouse a reality
within 2001. We unlucky Americans
won't be seeing this technology
until at least 2002, however,
thanks to massive foot-dragging
and a general lack of funding
among the companies that own
the licenses to broadcast
information across the needed
bandwidth. Plus, handset
manufacturers still
need to agree ona |
standard for
mobile games in
North America.
They’ve taken
baby steps: Nokia,
Motorola, Ericsson
and Siemens have
already formed a new
Mobile Games
Interoperability forum to help
establish such a standard, and
AT&T claims it will have an i-
mode-like infrastructure by the
end of the year here. Then it’s
up to developers to start
cranking out games like
the ones previewed on the
next two pages.
ee 4 = ; ,
boardroom.
| c ] a a
PLLS, WitTerteVeCE,
ala ' OULT
. .
WiOMWe Cal
release the Adapter GB here.
Japanese gamers too old for
Mobile Golf, Camelot’s latest
download new courses and p!
a ser nd ct
we but the revolu tio 5;
Take on the toughest S.0.B.s in the
comfort of your own living room.
Just try not to bleed on your mommy's floor.
Come see fhe Acfion af
wuuthrustmaster..com
Compatible with all PlayStation® consoles.
© Guillemot Corporation 2001. Thrustmaster®, is a registered trademark of Guillemot Corporation.
FightingArena™ is a trademark of Guillemot Corporation. PlayStation® is a registered trademark of
Sony Computer Entertainment, Inc.. All rights reserved. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.
the G
Plaved in the JS /A\
Using the WAP standard
Although it’s nothing compared to the fancy-pants stuff in Europe
and Japan, wireless gaming is already making waves in the good ol’
U.S. of A. Now don’t expect spectacular graphics— these WAP-based
titles load on your Web-ready cell phone one screen at a time. Also
note that not every network provider (Sprint PCS, AT&T, etc.) offers
all these games. For some, you may need to log onto their sites
through your phone’s Web browser to access their WAP titles.
Gladiator
JAMDAT Mobile
No Russell Crowe here—just
stick figures wielding ASCII-
character swords, bows and
maces in this simple game,
one of the most popular titles
on the Sprint PCS network.
Pick your fighter’s class,
give him a weapon, and pit
him against thousands of
other online players. It’s a
regular ensticklopedia of
Roman warfare!
(Fab SF RTE EREESSCATORCLETVLE CHAT NETE
Void Raider
Unplugged Games
War has once again reared its
ugly head in space, and asa
privateer aligned with one of
the two major powers, you’re
trying to make it last as long
as possible. While keeping
your crew hardy and happy,
you'll be traversing the
stars, running escort
missions and raids while
trying to raise your rank all
the way to Fleet Admiral.
Click on the “How to find
Void Raider” link at
www.ungames.com/
tmpl.php/games/vr for
info on playing the game
on your phone.
tee 16 MIDAS motvie Garning cer
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WAPRSILON sinwiator now!
{does not support offline
garres | ond may break up the
Tryb tie. you 4 buys Want an ides a ion these? WAP games iy but
_ you don’t want to waste expensive online time on your phone? Log
on to www.wapomanic.com with your PC and try their virtual WAP
_ simulator. The games may not be all that impressive yet, but
they're getting better.
Electronic Gaming Monthly -
Sorcery
Digital Bridges
It’s a standard role-playing
game, based on the old book
series by unplugged game
guru Steve Jackson. (If you
were addicted to Fighting
Fantasy and all the other RPG
books of the ’80s, then
welcome home!) The land of
Shamutanti is yours to romp
about in, as you whip
enemies in turn-based
battles and select your
next path from an on-
screen menu. Go to
www.wirelessgames.com
and click on the phone
guide to see if your
wireless provider offers
the game.
Lifestylers
Picofun
——\Verner See etees
After picking one of 10 different
character types, you bop around a
virtual city and interact with other
human players in real time.
Depending on the actions you
perform on others (and their
responses), your personality
stats go up and down; the object
is to make it to the high score
listings for each trait. Will you
be the top Casanova or just a
big geek like in real life? Check
www.picofun.com/|sweb for
availability info.
Lifestyle: Average Joe
peas
"War 3D
Midas Mobile
NY PAT ‘
SS
NANG SP Sy! *
One of the first 3D cell-phone
games available on this side ef
the world, War 3D has you
driving a tank through a
monochrome desert, blasting
away at enemy targets and
searching for the opposition’s
base. Run out of ammo or ©
shield strength and you’ve
failed your country. All the
graphics are generated on
Midas’ servers, meaning the
game’s compatible with
pretty much any WAP phone.
Log on www.wapomanic.com
with your phone’s browser to
play (and note that you’ll
have to pay whatever per-
minute fee your network |
_ charges for online time).
DataClash
nGame
——No Comprende? —— :
i om wit
Options
Proving just how far you can take
basic dice rolling and still keep it
fun, DataClash is a hacking sim
in the classic cyberpunk style.
Build up a suite of attack
programs and start bombarding
other users with your cunning
setup, but make sure your
defenses are just as well- |
equipped, or you might get
hacked and take a blow to
your online cred. Hack into
www.dataclash.com for info.
GuardDog-2
did 4. au aF (ileflefetoiek ti
8 ~—
al
: vardDog: ‘
Tia: ee
le tions ;
138 - www.egmmar. ii
Plaved
Using i-mode
and i-appli
To see what lies ahead for
cell-phone games in the U.S.,
you gotta look to Japan,
where big-name developers
have embraced the i-mode
and i-appli standards with
gusto and made games much
flashier than the WAP stuff
we can play over here. Once
the handset manufacturers
and network providers settle
ona U.S. standard, we’ll be
dialing up games like these...
Dance Dance
Revolution
Konami
SURE
Pac-Man
Namco
You can’t call i-applia game
platform until good ol’ Pac-Man
gets ported to it. You'll need a
microscope to see which way the
ghosts are headed, but at least it
doesn’t scroll like the original
Game Boy version does. Namco
has ported the classic Galaxian
to cell phones too, along witha
set of Vegas gambling sims.
-_
Sau “7 ie ON
Space Harrier
| Sega
Anyone over 20 has probably
played this. You’re the Harrier
himself, a strapping blond boy
who Can fly, as he hurtles across
a checkerboard landscape and
blasts away at a menagerie of
surreal monsters. This i-appli
version isn’t a bad port at all,
although the 3D graphics lack
the arcade version’s force on
such a small screen. Sega also
has versions of OutRun,
Fantasy Zone and even Samba
de Amigo available.
Resident Evil:
Robo*Robo
. St
EHEDSADES~
eeseesese Ls WP i
Communicating with actual
people is too messy. Why not
bring up a cute little ‘bot
instead? All you have to do is
talk to it now and then,
answering any questions it
might ask you. After a while,
once your conversation partner
knows enough about you, you’ll
be able to interact with other
Robo*Robos and their real-life
masters. It could all lead to a
beautiful relationship...or a
restraining order.
Battle Gear
Taito
ity,
(ta)
BATTLE |
GEAR |
; TIME §
0:38:29 |
“4 ocp-1 sf
0:25:01
ae ee ep crore rere nec ren i oh abr oer Mears era STS TehY eee WaT eR A pnp A eh she AB TH yh Ar "
It’s been
ported to
every other
Japanese
system, so
why not
Japanese
phones,
too? The
simple
gameplay’s
true to the
MOOAIL
original: You follow the on-screen
arrows and try to keep in rhythm with
the tune. The music sounds much
better than you’d think (thanks to the
power of i-mode), and if you do well
enough it’s off to the nationwide high-
score table with you.
Zombie Buster
Capcom
Capcom has jumped on the
i-mode bandwagon big
time, porting all its key
franchises to Japanese cell
phones. For starters, take
this Resident Evil title, a
simple shoot-em-up + ; feces
i osts
version of the survival- me :
horror classic. Oryoucan = 7 Goblins
download anRE-themed [| | ! | 219
watch for your phone’s
screen if you don’t wantto a
play. Japanese gamers can {4 o-8&
also choose from simple ae
i-mode versions of Street « & -
Fighter, 1943, Ghosts ‘n’ pi Mis rial
Goblins and Mega Man. — Ryw’s Tile
Breaking
Me Electronic Gaming Monthly - 189 - www.egmmag.com
Wouldn’t it be cool if
there was a fast
overhead racer like
Super Sprint of yore,
with a set of Gran
Turismo-like
customization options MCIVIC Type-R
to fiddle with in your COIR fH4S800p
spare time? Battle Gear -
offers allthat andreal- 2 =
time multiplayer battles to
boot. You can even set up i
your own face icon and battle |
message (for example, “My |
73 AMC Gremlin’tl rock your
world!”). i
Heartless
Can't tell the difference hetween Crystal Dynamies’
hlood brothers Kain and Raziel? Fear not: We interview
the two vampires* and expose the jugular of their new
Blood Omen and Soul Reaver sequels...
hy Jonathan Dudlak
* Editor's Note: Our vampire interviews were not
endorsed by Eidos nor Crystal Dynamics. We made
them up based on official Nosgoth mythos.
Hy - 140 - www.egmmag.com
AIN
See me in:
Legacy of Kain: Blood Omen 2, due on the
PlayStation 2 in November :
Current Residence:
Nosgoth, near the pillar district
Hobbies: |
Mostly sucking blood and ruining people’s
lives in general. I’ve been looking to scale
back for my latest work, though—just kind of
lurk in the shadows and keep a lower profile
but then really go all out when it comes time
for a meal or thrill kill. | ,
% Greatest Life-Altering Experience:
~~ Getting murdered—that changed everything
for me. See, | was once a nobleman with a
promising future. Unbeknownst to me,
however, | was destined to succeed some
chick named Ariel as the Pillar of Balance and
protector of Nosgoth. The original Pillars
became corrupted, though, so my death was
orchestrated by Mortanius (necromancer and
last surviving member of the original Circle of
Nine) so that a new successor might be
chosen to cleanse the Circle. Following my
death, Mortanius needed a pawn to hunt
down and kill the nine existing Pillars of
Nosgoth, so he revived me as a vampire and
tricked me into complying. What choice did |
have? When | had finally done Mortanius’s
bidding, Ariel begged me to sacrifice myself
so that Nosgoth may be cleansed. | said nuts
to that and decided instead to begin my
quest as supreme ruler of the world. So far,
it’s working out, but someone has stolen the
Soul Reaver. I’m making its recovery the focus
of my next project.
The last good movie | saw was:
Interview With The Vampire, despite its
factual inaccuracies and pretty-boy stars
People Who Knew Me From Blood
Omen Thought | Was:
Kind of a royal pain in the neck, killing scores
of innocents and all...
Three Words That Best Describe Me:
Ruler of Nosgoth. That has a nice ring to it, .
don’t you think? & 3
Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver 2 for the
PS2, due out in September
| move around Nosgoth a lot.
Ingesting the souls of my prey to sustain
my life force in the material realm has been
my bag lately. Throughout my first PS1
project, Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver, | was
really into moving blocks, but I’m looking to
get into some tougher puzzles for my next
work. |’m also getting to know the Soul
Reaver sword a little better and hope to
master some new abilities with it for the
sequel. | think you mortals will like that. |
¢
That’d have to be when v. cast me into
the abyss centuries ago. | wasn’t always
such a mess you know. | was once one of
the Sarafan Knights formed by Nosgoth’s
protectors, the Circle of Nine, to hunt down
and kill the land’s vampires during the
ter | died, Kain revived
blood-sucking minions while he established
his rule over the nine pillars of Nosgoth.
Well, long story short, | grew wings, Kain
got jealous and banished me to the depths
of the abyss, where | remained for a
loooong time. Eventually, | was awakened
in this decaying state to pursue my
nemesis and end his tyranny, and as you
can see, it’s still a work in progress. But the
fringe benefits are topnotch: All the souls |
can SUCK.
| promised fellow Eidos character Lara I’d go
see her in Tomb Raider. \t was...great! Yeah.
Working out some sexual tension—you know,
with all that impaling with long spears. It’s
really just a coincidence.
Sick of Kain
Raziel
encounters
the dangerous
and highly “
elusive Horn-
Mulleted q
Bandersnatch | ty .
\ iat é
a
Electronic Gaming Monthly - 141 - www.egmmag.com
he!
Legacy of Kain: Blood Omen 2
e’re no scienticians, but our
best estimates reveal that
175,000 man-hours were
lost waiting through Blood Omen
load times on the PS1 back in the
day. But if people were willing to
sit through idle screens for an
eternity just to find out what was
around the next pillar of Nosgoth,
you can bet they'll want to check
Out this speedier sequel on PS2,
due in November. Chronicling the
life of Kain some 200 years after
Blood Omen (that’s still a good
while before the original Soul
Reaver), Blood Omen 2 has Kain
tracking down the stolen Soul
Reaver sword over several action-
adventure missions. “It’s fair to say
that, in terms of gameplay, Blood
Omen 2 lies somewhere between
Blood Omen: Legacy of Kain and
Soul Reaver,” says lead designer
Mike Ellis, who previously worked
on Psygnosis’ Colony Wars series.
‘“Blood Omen 2 is much more
-combat-oriented than Soul Reaver,
which is more puzzle-focused.” In
fact, both games are being handled
by entirely different teams at
developer Crystal Dynamics.
It’s true—we sat down to play
Tactical Bloodletting Action
the game in progress and were
pleasantly surprised with the
variety of combat moves and
Stealth-dependent gameplay. If you
thought the blood gout in Legacy
of Kain was graphic, you're sure to’
be floored by Kain’s brand of open-
heart surgery and skillful head
removal. Ellis elaborates: “Blood
Omen 2’s combat system features
a unique Set of attacks per
weapon, including a combo,
stealth kills, grab attacks, a charge
move and a ground attack. There is
also location-based blocking which
sees the defender actually meet
the attacker at an interception
point, rather than hold a static
block frame regardless of the
incoming attack’s location.”
Speaking of stealth kills, we’ve
been hearing a lot about BO2’s
Stealth mode, so we decided to see
exactly how Crystal Dynamics
implemented such an ambitious
feature. The catch is you can only
activate your stealth tricks when
you come to a location with thick
fog covering the ground. It’s a tad
limiting, since you can’t slip in and
out of this mode anywhere you
please, but it’s still a cool
gameplay idea. While stealthy, you
can sneak up on enemies and
innocents, relieving them of excess
blood or simply offing ‘em in the
Style of your choosing. Stealth
mode is just one of Kain’s special
Skills. He’ll also master mind
control, extended super-jumps,
and a handy little number that
makes his target spontaneously
combust. The Nosgoth sanitation
department loves that one.
While much deeper than its
RPG-ish father, Blood Omen 2 will
still be centered on action and
adventure gameplay rather than
puzzles. As the player, you'll be
given a lot of options as far as
exercising your vampiric powers.
“Just how nasty Kain is in Blood
Omen 2 depends on how the
player wishes to play him,” muses
Ellis. “It’s not necessary to terrify a
poor peasant woman and then
Stalk her as she flees. But I’m sure
some players will destroy
_ everything in Kain’s path.” Nah, we”
don’t know anyone like that...
Legacy ol Kain: Soul Reaver
Nosgoth for the Thinking Man
eople were P.O.’ed when Soul
Reaver 2 on Dreamcast was
cancelled. We’re talking peti-
tioning, angry letters and just all
around being vocally pissed. While
the ranting and raving haven't
resurrected Raziel on the DC, it’s
certainly shown just how important
this title is to gamers everywhere.
Now that PlayStation 2 is the sole
means of conveyance for SR2, we
may find DC owners begrudgingly
purchasing PS2s when the game
hits in September to fill the void
that Soul Reaver’s craptacular
ending left behind. “I think the one
big feature that fans are waiting for
is the story,” says Andrew Bennett,
executive producer of the Legacy of
Kain series. “Soul Reaver 2’s
Storyline has a couple of those ‘oh
wow’ moments where the story
elements from all the previous
Legacy of Kain games will fall into
place for the player.” Really? Well,
sign us up—Nosgoth’s back story
thus far holds water like a sieve,
and we’re eager to find out what’s
patching the holes.
The story wasn’t the only thing
that left folks hanging in the
original Soul Reaver, though. Half-
way through the game, players
grew tired of shoving blocks
around to solve redundant puzzles.
Sensitive to SR’s gameplay
shortcomings, the team promises
to try a little harder this time to
make Raziel more fun to work with.
“The programming team has spent
a great deal of time improving
Raziel’s object-interaction
behaviors, allowing us to create
unique contextual, lock-and-key-
type puzzles,” Bennett continues.
“Any object can be flagged as a
‘lock’ and any other object as a
‘key.’ In its simplest form, the key
may be an object won from an
enemy which allows Raziel to open
a door...or as unique as a heart-
stone which must be returned to
the chest cavity of a sacrificial
victim, thus awakening a nearby
stone idol.”
Bennett and the team plan to
plant some of these key items on
enemies along the way, thereby
forcing Raziel to defeat them
before he can move along to a new
area. So does this mean Crystal
Dynamics is revamping the combat
model? Hell’s yeah. Remember all
those times you just didn’t feel like
$
Try jumping. over, these guys and you'tl get a
seatful of pain. Soul Reaver'2.has alot more
mandatory combat than'the first game, so
you won't be able to Skip out‘on fighting.
fighting one of Nosgoth’s periodic
demon sentries, worried that
taking one hit would make you
lose your precious Soul Reaver?
You just jumped over them, didn’t
you? Well, big man, you'll have a
lot more incentive to fight during
Soul Reaver 2. “We’re making the
combat itself more enjoyable with
many more attacks, defenses,
weapons and fatalities,” says
Bennett. “We’re also adding more
areas where the player has to clear
all the enemies before a door or
other blockage is lifted.”
Earning new abilities by defeat-
ing your Sarafan brethren not only
let you progress through the
original Soul Reaver’s world, it also
gave you access to cool, non-
essential areas and new ways to
Electronic Gaming Monthly - 148 - www.egmmag.com
bi
off baddies. The personal upgrades
you receive in SR2 are inspired by
the same ideas, but they’re mostly
channeled through elemental
upgrades to your Soul Reaver
sword. Certain earned elemental
attributes are required for
gameplay progression, but they’ll
also assist you in combat, so you'll
have to choose which ability to use
for every situation.
Just as in Blood Omen 2, the
Soul Reaver weapon has become
the focal point of this sequel.
Crystal Dynamics plans to continue
the series for as long as gamers
Stay interested, so maybe we will
see some crossing plot lines within
both of these games by way of this
Significant sword. Let’s just hope
for a proper ending this time. rs
© We
Review (
een ee
EGM rates games based on how they compare
with other titles on the same system. The highest
Score we'll give a game is a 10. When a game
receives a 10, you can rest assured it’s one of the
best games ever made—a revolutionary title that
truly stands above everything else in its genre for
Platinum Awards go to
games that get all 10’s,
the best and rarest
review a game Can get.
Crispin Boyer
Features Editor
Now that he’s 30, we think Cris is
too old for EGM. “No way,” he says.
“I still break dance to Insane Clown
College or whatever they’re called,
just like the young people. Now let
me solve my game tapes in peace!”
Action, Adventure
Mario Kart: Super Circuit
West Coast Editor
Lactose intolerant? That’s OK! Che
has discovered the joys of soy
cheese, and yummm, pizza is back
in the house. All he needs now is
the Mr. Show DVD box and he’s all
set. “Dude! Suck that s---!”
es: Fighting, Racing, RPG
:: GTA3, Maximo, Max Payne (PC)
“ Associate Editor
After taking a lot of backlash for
ragging on Sum 41 ina review, Jon
- would like to say that he doesn’t
> hate punk bands. Quite the con-
3 trary. He’s actually just a lot more
hardcore than you boys. Bring it on!
Fighting, Adventure, Action
5: Super Street Fighter Il GBA
FGM These are the sports nuts on the Crew, but that doesn’t
mean they’re not into all types of games. It just means you
Gold Awards go to i
games whose average j
score equals 9.0 or :
higher. .
its time. At the other end of the spectrum sits the
lowest score a game can receive: a 0.0. This is the
kind of game you want to avoid at all costs. It’s
pure crap. In the middle lies the average grade,
5.0. We repeat: 5.0 IS AVERAGE. Simple, ain’t it?
Games that average at
least an 8.0 (but lower
than 9.0) receive
Silver Awards.
Illustrations by Norm “Hsu and Chan” Scott
Editor in Chief
Shoe recently decided that Dude,
Where’s My Car? is the funniest
movie in movie history (next to
Deliverance). He’ll now use the DVD
to cheer him up whenever his online
SegaNet games are lagging.
Pretty much anything
Multiplayer stuff on SegaNet
Chris Johnston
News Editor
Legions of the undead have taken
over Racoon City, and Chris is the
, only one left alive. He’s not battlin’
sya zombies, though—he’s alone in his
“i apartment, playing Dance Dance
ist Revolution with the music cranked.
Adventure, Puzzle, Music
Ooga Booga, DDR 5th Mix
Associate Editor/Art Director
Jeasse can’t wait ‘til Halloween!
Jack-o’-lanterns, sweets and days
before the bloody console war hits.
No doubt she’Il be perched in the
rafters waiting to feast on all the
rolling heads! Come here my pretty!
RPG, Action, Adventure
Pokémon Crystal
POST RATUIC C6 FAME RAAT REY . tARBRAS ODMrmmaag cam
MiECuOritc GTS MIOTILERY - 144 WY¥¥VV.CSTHMTN a’ .cOom
Mark MacDonald
Executive Editor
Is Mark’s timing right? Did you save
your love for him tonight? ’Cause he
is hot blooded, check it and see.
Got a fever of 103. C’mon baby, do
you do more than dance? Mark’s hot
blooded, he’s hot blooded.
Action, Adventure, RPG
Advance Wars, Ka, Piposaru 2001
West Coast Editor/Webnaut
Caught between a Dante and a hard
place, Milky May Cry tears of joy as
he lays his Dreamcast to rest and
prepares to play all the wicked cool
PS2 games coming out this fall. Can
you hear the gentle weeping?
Home Cookin’, RPG, Fighting
Devil May Cry, Maximo, Ico
Greg Sewart
Previews Editor
Captain Canada says always eat
your vegetables, say your prayers,
keep your stick on the ice and never,
ever taunt a rabid beaver. Even
though they look cuddly, they’re
not. Seriously. We’re not kidding.
Racing, RPG, Action
GT3, Final Fantasy (NES)
can be sure that sports reviews are being done by the
sports enthusiasts and not by some schmucks.
Armored Core 2:
AnotherAge =
Publisher:
Agetec =f
Developer: From Software
Also Try: Gungriffon Blaze
Players: 1-2
Supports: i.LINK, USB Mouse
Best Feature:
Worst Feature:
Web Site:
Tweaking options galore
Stiff control
www.agetec.com
I’m sure that at some point in the distant future, per-
haps when giant mechs slug it out in real life, From
Software will perfect this series—but it certainly
hasn’t happened with AC2: Another Age. More of an
expansion pack for the PS2 prequel than a true
sequel (you can even use up your old ‘bots), this fifth
installment in the franchise comes with control
tweaks, more missions and...well, that’s about it.
Finally, the developers stepped out of the Stone Age
and supported the analog stick. Funny thing: You still
don’t get true analog control (your robot waddles at
the same speed regardless of how far you twiddle
your stick), and turning is a painfully slow procedure,
even with top-of-the-line mech parts. So, once again,
it’s these upgrades—the vast assortment of mech-
tweaking options—that are the best things here.
Agetec claims you can build a ludicrous 10 billion
combinations of mech parts and custom paint jobs. |
was just pleased to see better mission variety. Sure,
the story is nonexistent, your mech handles like a
100-ton garbage truck, and it’s nearly impossible to
dodge enemy fire, but strangely enough | still felt
compelled to get to that next mission and build up
my ‘bot. You even get a few cooperative sorties for
split-screen play. Agetec did nix the Japanese ver-
Sion’s online mode, but you’d have to wait until the
PS2 network adapter hits this November to access
that feature anyway, so no big ilia
Ne AAA ARI SRNR iE cc aLe ee teste rannocnnnannanonncosnanstisiensenetict ANNAN NI:
It may be rallied rittiex hire, bot as far as I’m con-
cerned, Armored Core has been stuck in time ever
since it appeared on the original PS1. They finally
added analog stick support (welcome to 1998!) but
the controls still feel clunky and slow. It gets better
once you soup up your robot but still, it’s annoying.
As always, building and customizing your mech
down to the tiny details is great, but when that’s
more fun than actually taking it out into battle, we’ve
got a problem. With responsive controls like Z.0.E,
this series could really go somewhere. As is, Another
Age is for Core heads only, and even some of them
will be ehapponies with more of the same. Mark
ecpnaeocecononoEoRoRRRDE CORN RORANDETODEHROAKIRRNIOOSOIHOONIIONIDIHOOTINEION NONI HISERONNODASIORNRRS NM OROORI SOO NOORIOOROOESIONONE
The kid in me mae | me want to ™ big ol nobel
bashin’, but | couldn’t bring myself to enjoy this one.
AC is becoming less of a game and more of a robot
tune-up sim. The depth of the customization is
amazing...almost intimidating. Shame the gameplay
is so remarkably shallow. After juicing up your mech,
you run around in unimaginative, low-detail arenas
that would look more at home on a PS1. It’s hard to
aim and dodge, and battles often degrade into a war
of attrition with little technique. Why bother modify-
ing your robot if you can’t have fun with it? Maybe
they should just dump the annoying “battles” alto-
gether and call this Big Fancy Robot Maker. Kraig
VISUALS SOUND INGENUITY REPLAY
1 : 2 a
Crispin
Extermination
Publisher: Sony CEA at so
Developer: Deep Space
Featured In: EGM #143
Players: 1
Also Try: Resident Evil Code: Veronica X
Best Feature:
Worst Feature:
Web Site:
Wide range of moves
Boring storyline
www.scea.com
On the one hand, Extermination’s got all the survival-
horror clichés: a cheezy plot, ho-hum voice acting,
ammo, notes and healing items scattered about,
guarded by horribly mutated soldiers and dogs
(the victims of an experiment gone horribly wrong,
naturally). Fortunately it’s got some redeeming val-
ues that separate it from your average shoddy
Resident Evil clone: a large, almost Tomb Raider-size
set of moves (you can swing, crawl, roll, jump, climb
and more), an “infection” meter in addition to your
normal health bar, and pleasingly creepy dark areas
you need to use a flashlight to see and aim in.
Problem is the game never. takes true advantage of
these assets, using them only sparingly, and falling
back on the tried-and-true “figure out how to open
the next door” formula all too often. Another disap-
pointment is the enemies; there are only a few dif-
ferent types, and they’re all way too easy to simply
run around (with no real incentive to ever fight
them). Graphics are mixed: A few places, like the
outdoor snowstorm scenes and fleshy mutated
rooms, look cool and convincing, but most of the
game is rather plain, especially next to other recent
second-generation PS2 titles. Overall, Extermination
isn’t horrible by any means, it’s just not particularly
great either. With Code: Veronica X out there and
Devil May Cry on the way, | can’t recommend it as
more than a rental for fans of the poate Mark
Padteerrnitiation aie elbow a into: a vat af SCci- fi
clichés and slaps together a decent (if predictable)
adventure. While the game won’t win any awards
for originality, it is well-paced and does a good job
of keeping the player glued to the tube, But what
holds Extermination back from being a true con-
tender is the obscurity of some of the puzzles. You
don’t ever feel like you’re overcoming obstacles due
to ingenious level design or your tenacity for explo-
ration. In this fully 3D environment, you can occa-
sionally go where you please, but more often than
not, any paths are unnecessarily indirect and com-
‘tae Still, not bad for a weekend rental. Che
Miutarit ‘Wavines,: ViruSs- ssuseittetree tainols an! Aliens
interior decor all serve to tingle gamers’ spines in
Extermination, but the real terror literally lies right
under one’s nose. Demon controls! These heinous tor-
ture tools will enrage Gandhi-patient gamers. Try
shooting down multi-attacking bloodsuckers in third-
person with the behind-the-back camera view; get
used to getting mauled while being forced to stand
still to shoot; and expect to kill mucho gaming ses-
sions (not infectoids) with a completely ineffect-oid
auto-aim. Still, the controls are at least good for one
thing: running—something you will be doing a lot of
to survive. Treadmill-simulator anyone? Jeanne
VISUALS SOUND INGENUITY REPLAY
] 6 4 4
145
Le Mans 24 Hours
Publisher: Infogrames a oe
Developer: Infogrames Melbourne vibes
Featured In: EGM #141
Players: 1-2
Also On: Dreamcast
Best Feature:
Worst Feature:
Web Site:
Loads of races to compete in
The Dreamcast did this better
www.infogrames.com
l'd be more excited about this updated version of Le
Mans had | not played the crap out of its Dreamcast
counterpart a year ago. Unfortunately, a few new
cars and the addition of a Road Atlanta track don’t
make what is essentially the same game worth buy-
ing all over again. Of course, if you never owned or
played the Dreamcast version, you'll find lots to like
here. Cool arcade racing mixed with just the right
amount of sim elements (dealing with tire wear, dif-
ferent weather conditions, pit strategy, etc.) will keep
you up well past your bedtime many a night as you
work to earn every trophy in the game. Insomniacs
will even get their money’s worth with not one, but
two multi-hour endurance races (10 hours at Road
Atlanta and the 24 hours of Le Mans). It’s like a rac-
ing RPG! For those of you who just dirtied your pants,
take heart; you can save your progress every time
you make a pit stop. Allin all, Le Mans is a really solid
product that, while a tad dated, still stands as one of
the best racing games out there. Bearing that in
mind, however, | am a little disappointed that
Melbourne House didn’t try harder when they con-
verted Le Mans to the PS2. The textures on the track
surface are muddy and tend to glitch out every few
hundred feet, causing pavement lines to disappear.
The whole game suffers from some major shimmer-
ing effects, too. Nonetheless, buy this game if you
can’t get the Dreamcast version. Greg
Sarlly — pup isn’t as smuskele? fast as te Bresmneact
version. The graphics aren’t as sharp either. On top
of that, two-player split-screen is grainy-looking and
occasionally slows down. But don’t stop reading just
yet! While it may not be phenomenal (like its DC
brother), it’s still mighty tasty. The vehicle physics
feel just right. I’ve never actually driven an open-
cockpit prototype racer, but | truly believe this game
(both versions) is the next best thing. It’s unreal. You
can almost feel your stomach drop as you fly over the
hills at top speed (the in-car view is best to use). If
you’re too impatient to tackle the monstrous GT3,
Le Mans 24 Hours is a Eine alternative. _ Dean
Orie af last year’s staseh DC racers rresheess its way to thie
PS2 with ho-hum results. The sublime visuals from
the DC original basically arrive intact; however, a few
graphical discrepancies keep the PS2 version from
looking totally polished. Nice graphics aside, the real
strength of Le Mans lies in its superb controls and
physics, a well-balanced system that walks the fine
line between realism and fun. Luckily, taking corners
with the Dual Shock 2 feels just as good, if not bet-
ter, than the DC controller. Tackling one of them iron
man endurance sessions gives you an immense
sense of accomplishment, something only rivaled by
games like Gran Turismo 3. Che
VISUALS SOUND INGENUITY REPLAY
8 7 2 o
Electronic Arts
Publisher: Po eS
Developer: EA Tiburon
Featured In: EGM #146
Players: 1-8
Supports: Multi-tap
Best Feature: Team customization
Worst Feature: Madden’s lethargic commentary
Web Site: www.ea.com
I’ve always wanted a football game that lets me
choose the stripes on my players’ socks, and
thanks to. Madden,.my.dreams have.come true. Hell,
| can even color them flaming pink. After wasting a
day accessorizing my players, | took my:newfound
day-glo team to the gridiron where they (and their
pink socks) got the crap knocked out of them by the
Ravens. It didn’t have anything to do with their
cheeky uniforms, but rather the game’s. realism. In
fact, I’ve never had so much trouble scoring touch-
downs in a video game as } did with this one. After
many failed drives, | tried ae my Madden 2001
money plays.to no.avail. In the fourth.quarter |
resorted to long bombs and twitch skills to break a
long gainer or two, but that landed me a 28-14 defeat
on the tough, but fair All-Pro mode. | realized, to win,
| have to dig in my heels and use my head. | moved
motion men to strengthen blocking, overloaded cov-
erages with receivers, and kept the defense honest
with balanced play calling. You know, genuine. foot-
ball strategy. (if that jargon mak $ your head spin,
| 1uses for learning, If that doesn’t
help, well, there’ *s always the arcadey Rookie mode.)
The point is, there’s something for everyone at no
expense to the gameplay. Madden 2002 is so deep,
SO gorgeous, So realistic and (finally) so fast, every
football fan should own it. Kraig
Madden 2002 is chock-full of amazement. | can’t
begin to describe the number of replays which leave
me slackjawed due to the astounding Al. Watch and
grin as defensive players jump the hot route or jam
your primary. receiver at the line, On.offense, receiv-
ing, downfield blocking and line play have been
p significantly. Outside runs are. still tough
ils, but maybe |’m just a lousy coach (naww).
Once you get past gameplay which is deeper than
a black hole, you'll find an endless list of options
and features. Franchise» mode features league
realignment (Houston Texans) and a better salary-
cap structure. Stellar stuff for sure. Dan L.
Rather than a simple roster upgrade, Tiburon actual-
ly did something that improves Madden in a useful
way: They made it faster. Hardly a minor tweak, the
peppy new speed makes all the difference in the
world. Rec no longer meander down field wait-
ing for a rcing pass to slowly float back to
earth. Now it’s all speed and timing, like it should be.
The revamped Al is equally impressive. If you don’t
know what you’re + the fel will slice you
: ; ul
pressure now 4 Madden is < in full glory. Go
forth and buy immediately. Dean
VISUALS SOUND INGENUITY REPLAY
8 1 1
Electronic Gaming Monthly - 146 -
Test Drive Off-Road:
Wide Open
EVERYONE,
Publisher: Infogrames —T oe
Developer: Angel Studios
Featured In: EGM #141
Players: 1-2
Also try: Smuggier’s Run
Best Feature: Bitchin’ trucks
Worst Feature: Dirty racing
Web Site: www.infogrames.com
For those of you who are excited about driving brand-
name trucks, Wide Open will definitely get your heart
pumping. Angel Studios did a great job of modeling
the Hummers, Jeeps, Fords and Chevies...they look
beefy and ready to tackle any terrain. In the later
stages, modifications make them even more menac-
ing. It’s amazing what a set of big tires and fog lights
will do to a truck. | couldn’t be happier with that part
of the game. | also dig the vehicle physics. The stuff
that happens is far-fetched (running up mountains,
falling off cliffs, etc.), but it sure looks cool. When it
comes to the racing, the early stages are fine. The
tracks are easy to follow and the Al vehicles, for the
most part, behave like little gentlemen. It’s clean and
competitive all the way. It’s also worth mentioning
that the field stays fairly close together—that’s a big
plus. It wasn’t until the later rounds that | felt a
letdown. Instead of each division getting progres-
sively faster (like you’d expect in a racing game), the
speeds stay generally the same. To compensate, the
tracks get harder to follow and the Al racers
become aggressive and nasty, | con't t
vin with Bbeed and finesse than | running
ivers off the road. That’s my only knock on an
otherwise decent game. If you’re OK with that, you
might like it. If not, look elsewhere. Dean
WO makes me wonder if Angel Studios is a one-trick
pony. It’s Smuggler’s Run all over again, right down
to the textures, buildings and foliage on each course.
| could forgive the boring graphics, though, if the rac-
ing was fast and fun. Alas, no such luck. Any excite-
ment provided by this game becor trat
your computer opponents go o ly to
you at every opportunity. You dn’t think a fae
could take out a Hummer so easily, but that’s exactly
how | lostmany a race in Wide Open. | don’t care how
“arcadey” the game is supposed to be. if it’s this
frustrating, it ain’t worth a purchase. Wait for
Smuggler’s Run 2. Greg
Sometimes off-roading games get caught up in real-
ism and forget what makes them fun. Wide-Open
shuns the ultra-realistic mumbo-jumbo to deliver a
rugged adrenaline rush that anyone can hop right
into. What it lacks in grease-monkey f
easily trumped by its roller-coa: f thrills and
gorgeous visuals. A Ford F-150 can’t survive a 100-
foot drop from a waterfall in real life, but here, it’s par
for the course and made me wet my pants on the way
down, especially in first-person mode. With falls like
that, it’s disappointing that the trucks away
without a ding. After all, beating a Hummer to a pulp
would have been the icing on the cake. Kraig
VISUALS SOUND INGENUITY REPLAY
I 6 A 1
www.egmmag.com
Time Crisis 2
Publisher: Namco
ro ee
Developer: Namco
Featured In: EGM #145
Players: 1-2
Supports: Guncon 2, Guncon 1, i.LINK
Best Feature: Shooting bad mans is fun
Worst Feature: Very short
Web Site: www.namco.com
It’s nice to see, in our politically hyper-sensitive cli-
mate, that a company like Namco can “stick to their
guns” and continue to release what has long been a
Staple of video gaming, light-gun shooters. A much
better follow-up to the original than Project Titan for
the PS1 was, Time Crisis 2 is a simple, yet fast-paced
precision-based blaster that’s a short but sweet
arcadey pleasure. If you play with a friend in split-
screen (or in the far superior i.LINK mode, which
requires two TVs, two copies of the game and two
PS2s), the game is great fun. If you’re relying on your
CPU ally, you’ll have to forgive him for being a crap
shot. The responsive Guncon 2 (or regular Dual
Shock pad) feels great, while offering extra buttons
to use for ducking and reloading. (Getting the
Guncon 2 to work with S-video requires a special
attachment, by the way.) Where TC2 falls short: The
backgrounds aren’t interactive enough (see Namco’s
arcade title Crisis Zone for ioe SF there’s little
With TC2 ee Gree levels ote
modes aren’t enough to make t
anyone rein for a a hen ae rent this
one before investing ina purchase. Milkman
Move over Lethal Weapon, a new action-buddy
flick is in town. TC2 is a unique game for two rea-
sons: You team up with a computer or a human team-
mate (via split-screen) to blast thousands into obliv-
ion, and..both. characters look like idiots and wear
ly” denim jackets. The only things mi:
the mullets, lf you play lo
ee -games offer a lot to do | i 1
that is sure to delight NRA members.
From the mightiest pharaoh to the lowliest peasant,
who doesn’t enjoy a good light-gun game? Top three
reasons why this one is better than most: 3) TC2
rewards you for playing. Earn “continue” credits, new
games and more. sont Se arcade-to-home .light-gun
Se, | tive coh Forget
about doing this game with the CPU. Grab a friend
and play this disc the way it’s meant to be played.
Seeing your partner on the screen working with you
adds mucho fun to this style of game. Shoe
VISUALS INGENUITY REPLAY
SOUND
1 6 6 I
Your world. Cubed.
The Pocket Games Guide to Gamecube
Everything you need to know about Nintendo’s new system and games.
On sale 10.30.01
Get into it.
POCKET
games
f.
iz) ZIFF DAVIS MEDIA
Publisher:
Konami
Developer:
Konami CE]
' Players:
1
S | Supports:
es op “ naz Guitar Freaks con-
Worst Feature: Loadtimes __ troller (import)
are nasty Web Site:
Worser Feature: Navigating | www.konami.com
is nearly impossible
are
My head is pounding. Could the plucktastic sound-
track composed by Zamfir and his Mighty
Flutepeckers be the cause? Or might it be the tepid
time-traveling plot that is causing my neck muscles to
contort in Vulcan death-grip style? | think it might be
the horrid translation that is not only lacking strength
and integrity, but is also filled with grammatical
pitfalls Carl Lewis couldn’t jump. Where’s my aspirin?
The mini-games and such are nice distractions from
the rudimentary battle system, and some incorporate
the use of Konami’s Guitar Freaks controller (only
available as an import). But the scale of the town
maps and. the repetitive graphics. make navigating
around the map a laborious chore. And wait ‘til you
get into fisticuffs with the enemy. It looks like they
spent about seven polygons on the whole works,
making EF look like a high-res Aidyn Chronicles. The
best thing about the game is the triangle button
which throws the game into fast-forward. It’s light-
hearted fare, which is a relief from the usual D&D,
but this is not a very good RPG. Milkman
VISUALS SOUND REPLAY
a a 4
INGENUITY
Mobile Suit Gundam:
| Journey to Jaburo
Publisher: ==> > ==
Bandai
Developer:
Bandai
Featured In:
EGM #136
Players:
1
Web Site:
www.bandaigames.
com
Best Feature: Incredibly
detailed mobile suits
Worst Feature: Sluggish
controls, linear levels
I’m frustrated with the reality that Gundam games
almost never live up to their anime counterpart. If
you’re into the old-school stuff like me, then you'll be
disappointed to know that JT) is only a hollow shell
of the landmark 1979 series that started it all. The
game begins promisingly enough; JT} kicks you to the
curb with an incredible CG intro sequence, and then
swiftly moves into the complex storyline. But three or
four missions into the game, you realize it’s all just
fan service. The controls are so sluggish and the ana-
log aiming so sensitive, | have to wonder if anybody
actually played this game before they slapped a
sticker price.gn.it. What’s worse, some of the mis-
sions are very linear. You spend most of your time
prioritizing which baddies you need to cap first, mak-
ing this a tedious excursion into trial and error. Still,
if you’re into Gundam, check out the religious atten-
tion to detail as they bring to life these classic mech
designs. To be sure, JT) is for hardcore fanboys only.
Newcomers wanting a taste of vintage Gundam are
better off just watching the DVDs. Che
REPLAY
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VISUALS SOUND
INGENUITY
4
MEIER TORE DOTTIE ROBO NO ANDO I DOSE DETTE
ARRAN ANNONA AAA RNIN NN RIN OR RROOPSTR
Rune: Viking Warlord
Publisher: —=_f ==
Take 2
Developer:
Human Head Studios
Players:
1
Supports:
USB mouse and
keyboard
Web Site:
www.take2games.com
Best Feature: Ragnar zeal-
ously smashes pints of
mead after downing them
Worst Feature: Bad-funny Al
Vikings. Gotta love ‘em. Tearing mutton right off the
bone sans utensils, donning ever-fashionable pelt-
and-ram-horn outfits, and never letting the smell of
blood leave their nostril hairs, have established
Vikings (to some) as the ambassadors for masculini-
ty at its mightiest. Unfortunately, Rune: VW makes
Tim Robbins from Erik the Viking look like the
hardest Norseman to swing a battle axe. Expect to
laugh out loud when enemies sprint past Ragnar (so
he has to run after them), make a U-ey, then decide
to attack him. Or how about the annoying falling
boulders, oversized carp looking for lunch, and turn-
stiles that remarkably cause instant death. Weapons,
albeit plentiful, aren’t thrilling to behold or obtain.
And cheesy haunted house-style ambient backdrops,
as well as voiceovers that come off amateurishly
pitched down, not ominously Odin-ish, make one
wonder if Human Head’s just being facetious. All in
all, since it’s hard to take R:VW’s action or adventure
elements seriously, it’s snooze city. Shame. Never
thought Vikings could be boring. Jeanne
SOUND INGENUITY REPLAY
4 2 3
VISUALS
Silent Scope 2:
i Silhouette
Publisher: —=_) =
Konami
Developer:
Konami CES
Also try:
Time Crisis 2
uy’ s Players:
Best Feature: Cooperative Supports:
two-character action i.LINK
Worst Feature: Marginal Web Site:
improvement over the first www.konami.com
MATURE
Think of Silent Scope 2 as a highbrow Time Crisis 2
and your life will be fine. Demand anything more of
this mildly enhanced arcade port, and you'll most
likely end up disappointed. The action is tense and
keeps your pulse up as the time limit is more strictly
enforced than in Namco’s shootout. The problem is
that 1) the default controls are too touchy, and 2) the
enemies are often little more than pixels standing
against a pixellated background, making it hard to
target the enemy. This could be construed as “chal-
lenge,” but the game looks so unspectacularly similar
to an N64 game at times, you'll wonder if the PS2’s
graphics chip went on vacation. The.way.SS2 mixes
up the use of night-vision, x-ray scopes and other
sniper-gadgets is nifty, but even these guilty plea-
sures are rudely overshadowed by the wretched
voice-acting (“Now let’s play Metal Gear for real!”)
and weak-ass plot. It’s not a terribly long game either,
but it has enough options to satisfy most purchasers,
including a link-up co-op mode that the well-
equipped (two TVs, etc.) will enjoy. Milkman
INGENUITY REPLAY
a 1
VISUALS
SOUND
Se rR LOPS D OUP ONT URAR eR POT ER RAPS POOP PDP ORO RAS
V¥ PV VV Sitters eis
Yanya Caballista City Skater
Publisher:
Koei
Developer:
Koei
Also Try:
Jet Grind Radio (DC)
*} Players:
= 1-2
Supports:
Finger board (included)
Web Site:
www.koeigames.com
ere
Best Feature: It’s not
another Tony Hawk clone
Worst Feature: That silly
board controller. Pitch it!
|
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The Tony Hawk series may rake in mucho dinero here
in the States, but in Japan it’s much less of a sensa-
tion. And that’s good news for us: It means the decid-
edly made-in-Japan Yanya Caballista City Skater is a
different kind of skating game. And by “different,” |
mean “spectacularly bizarre in a good way.” For
Starters, you get a four-inch skateboard gizmo that
snugs onto your joypad’s analog sticks. Pushing on
its tail makes you ollie, leaning forward extends your
hangtime, twisting the board spins your skater—you
get the drift. The trick and combo system is not as
freeform as in Tony’s games. Pulling together grabs,
spins and kick tricks requires perfect timing, which
isn’t aS user-friendly as THPS’s fill-the-buffer-with-
tricks system. And, to be honest, | ripped. the little
Skateboard off my pad about 10 minutes into the
game: It was just getting in the way. But you get so
many cool training and ramp challenges—not to
mention the oddball main game that has you per-
forming tricks to bewilder alien invaders—that this
game had me hooked from the get-go. Crispin
REPLAY
VISUALS SOUND
6 1
INGENUITY
The Last Blade 2:
ca we of the Samurai
Publisher:
Agetec
; Developer:
SNK
Also On:
Neo*Geo CDZ
Players:
1-2
Supports:
Jump Pack
Web Site:
www.agetec.com
3 EsSRE
ome
Best Feature: Nostalgia
factor
Worst Feature: Sluggish
gameplay
One of the best fighting games for the NeoeGeo back
in the late ‘90s, Last Blade 2 is an excellent com-
promise between old-school SNK fighters and
faster-paced, more fantastic Capcom titles on the
DC today. In typical SNK fashion, the dated yet
endearing gameplay features a simple parrying sys-
tem and is focused on close-range attacks rather
than repeated projectile tossing. What | really like
about LB2 is the overall style and variety of its char-
acters —it’s very much like Samurai Shodown. | spent
a long time just experimenting with different
weapons and thinking up new ways to use them.
While the combat model allows you to develop a few
cool combos on your own, don’t expect it to rival a
game like Street Fighter III for creative latitude. LB2
| vith the emphasis on
ornate animated backgrounds and guttural Japanese
voice acting common to NeoeGeo fighters. If you
don’t care much for flowery presentation, you proba-
bly won’t get into LB2 because it’s just not as deep as
most modern 2D and 3D fighters. Jonathan
SOUND INGENUITY REPLAY
a 3 ]
VISUALS
WO) YOAOOZ MMM ° YVIH IM LVHM UVIH © 39S IM IWHM 33S © LNI9V JINVSSIVNNODIY JONVE SNOT WYOA OOZ © VI8NOD ANOHINY
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. VErICL 2S tare
; i HDVEENG VBS E
>
Publisher: Sega
Developer: WOW Entertainment
Featured In: EGM #145
Players: 1 (1-8 online)
Supports: Jump Pack, Wheel, Microphone, SegaNet
Best Feature: Online play
Worst Feature: Single-player game
Web Site: www.sega.com
Let the title of this game give you a big fat hint about
its best feature: Alien Front Online is an experience
you want to share with others. The solo-player stuff
here—the Arcade and Mission modes—kept me
entertained for a few hours. But after five levels, the
the game starts getting damn near impossible. | was
ready to play with fellow humans instead of the
cheapo computer opponents (and note that you’ll
need to go online for multiplay, since AFO doesn’t
offer split-screen modes). Once you’re trading shots
with up to seven other players online, however, the
game earns its stripes. Don’t expect the frantic fun of
Quake Ill Arena; even the lightest, swiftest vehicles
in AFO move at a plodding pace, and dodging is more
a matter of luck than skill. But the big explosions and
massive firefights here are gripping and spectacular.
It’s even cool just to hang back and watch battles
rage from afar. Aside from standard deathmatch,
you get Capture the Flag and a mode called Fortress,
which has the alien team assaulting the Army base
and vice versa. It all sounds like the same ol’ routine
until you factor in voice chat over the packed-in
microphone, Players’ voices often sound garbled and
you can only speak in three-second snippets, but
being able to shout for.help—or just talk smack in
real time—still makes for a revolutionary gameplay
experience. If nothing else it adds to the chaos, and
in this game, the chaos is half the fun.
if Cuiilewers we the och/eciion: gamer who’s
money in the hand-eye coordination department,
then Alien Front Online is for the more casual gam-
ing guy who considers places like GameWorks or
Dave & Busters to be “true” arcades. AFO is just a
Slow, plodding tank game that’s as straightforward as
they come. The novelty is there: eight-player online
play, voice chat, etc. But they’re called “novelties” for
a reason, and once you get past them, you’re stuck
with a simple shoot-em-up (though if you can regu-
larly play big-group online games with your friends,
AFO may be a better value to you than it would be to
the east without such ectlanineenedid _ Shoe
coneante conenanc LOONIE ROOM RNRI NINO ORION
Tete of AF’ S no- Pills offtne comporentsa as more of
a practice tutorial for the real battle online, and you
may have an easier time justifying your purchase. In
eight-player deathmatch, the battles can get pretty
fierce. It’s just too bad the gameplay isn’t all that
spectacular. With all the revolutionary stuff going on
(especially the voice chat) in AFO, the game still falls
short of greatness. Plus, | don’t think I’m nitpicking
when | say that with the popularity of the DC drop-
ping by the day, the omission of a split-screen multi-
player mode is awfully shortsighted. The Fortress
and CTF modes help its longevity, but there’s just not
much here to keep me coming back. Che
VISUALS REPLAY
SOUND INGENUITY
6 6 1 1
_ Crispin
OAR OD RIOD 2008
H
é
EVERYONE
Publisher: Sega
Developer: Visual Concepts
Featured In: EGM #142
Players: 1-4
Supports: Jump Pack, SegaNet
Best Feature: Excellent online multiplayer
Worst Feature: Not enough game types
Web Site: www.sega.com
Ooga Booga’s as frantic, addictive and fun as getting
hopped up on sugar and chasing your friends around
a movie theater parking lot—only a lot safer ‘cuz
there’s no traffic. Similar to other multiplayer battle
games like Smash Bros. or Bomberman, the one-
player game only exists to teach you the basics.
Oooga Booga is best played online against three
other humans. The character designs are classic and
each (including secret characters) has four priceless
victory taunts. Whoever wins will give you a live per-
formance, I’m sure. The island levels are small and
designed intelligently so the action is always in close
quarters. The weapons, animals, tikis and spells are
perfectly chosen and keep the gameplay nicely bal-
anced. Matches almost always come down to the
last few seconds, making each game really excit-
ing. On the down side, it’s a shame there are only
three game types (Smakahuna, Rodeo and Boar
Polo). You can configure every aspect of them, but |
wished there was a Capture the Flag mode or other
types to choose from. On the Net side of things, it’s
missing a few features that would’ve made it even
better: The chat interface is clunky; there’s no online
ranking system that could’ve been done for fixed-
style tournaments; and you can’t password-protect
games. Ooga’s still a great title and one of the DC’s
last. | hope this isn’t the last we see of the Ooga -
sinh tribes.
Seenerereer CORRE RDORIOO NOI sooDete oe
— tori. Gn the « one henl heres: OB’s pera ‘play
which is pretty cool. The different types of games to
choose from are good enough to keep me playing
casually for at least a few months (or until the online
competition. starts to fade). On the other hand, as a
single-system multiplayer game, I’m not too thrilled
with Ooga. | just can’t keep up with the action when
the screen is split. It gets way too frustrating to
search for your opponents on the islands when you
don’t have a full-screen display. | guess what I’m try-
ing to say is Ooga Booga is a decent enough game if
you have a Net connection, but nothing I’d pay full
ae for.
| Mert 4 care 5 wehiat 4 anyone says ery the 4 game’s
dumb name or primitive graphics. Me like Ooga
Booga. Sure, it can be frantic and annoying. At times,
it’s difficult to tell what’s going on, and the sound
effects can drive you to kill. But once you get the
hang of things (make sure you go through the tutori-
al first and not jump right into multiplayer), you’ll
find a competitive and addicting game that’s full of
variety, pep and personality. | even enjoyed playing
through the one-player missions because | wanted to
open up more goodies/options for multiplay. Note: If
you're not planning on playing this with some on- or
offline chums, don’t even bother. Shoe
VISUALS SOUND INGENUITY REPLAY
—
RRR ANNAN ROR OO OO
Outtrigger
&
garedponts
You defeated (oi
You gained points
b) UKK 21
Publisher: Sega
Developer: AM2
Featured In: EGM #143
Players: 1-4 (4-6 online)
Supports: Keyboard, Mouse, SegaNet, Jump Pack
Best Feature: It’s simple and fun
Worst Feature: The slight lag during online play
Web Site: www.sega.com
Because of its arcade roots, Outtrigger pales in com-
parison to Sega’s other online murder simulator,
Quake III Arena. In almost every category, it falls
short. Want more modes, like Capture the Flag? Play
Quake III. Want a wider variety of maps? Play Quake
Ill. Want better graphics and sound? Well, you get
the idea. I’m not just talking about the major features
either. In Outtrigger, you can’t completely customize
the controls; you have to select one of many precon-
figed options (which is bad news for first-person
shooter fans who like to use the keyboard/mouse).
Also, this game has some slight 56k lag. It’s a differ-
ent type of lag from Quake III’s, though. In that excel-
lent game, you can freeze up during inopportune
moments. In Outtrigger, you hardly ever stall (which
is nice), but the trade-off is you have a slight delay
when firing. That means getting your rockets to
smooch your enemies takes a bit of clairvoyance,
not accuracy. So why the good review score?
Despite its shortcomings, Outtrigger is still fun to
play...multiplayer, that is. (The entire set of one-play-
er missions will take you about an hour.) Split-screen
play has no slowdown at all, and online offers six-
player support (vs. Q3A’s four). Also, the game is
simple and straightforward; anyone can get into it,
even casual folks who are intimidated by the more
hardcore shooters out there. SegaNet’s new baby is
fun. Just don’t expect it to floor you. shoe
Ctteearts like Cuake thennatad a Gag the
arcade—it’s got many of the thrills offered by your
average first-person shooter (FPS), just simplified.
As a single-player experience | had fun with the chal-
lenges in Mission mode, and there. are a.few.other
cool surprises (ricocheting shots and the ability to
see through wails in particular), but the gameplay
and especially the tiny levels are so straightfor-
ward | grew tired of them after a few hours. If you’re
looking for a split-screen or online deathmatch DC
game, Outrigger is a distant third in my book (behind
Quake fii and Unreal Tournament), but that doesn’t
mean it’s bad, just for more casual FPS fans. Mark
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Duttrivanr’s daaihonntening ll initially entertain action
seekers, but overall, only offers a bit of arcade fun.
After trudging through an interface that’s got more
layers than a granny convention, expect claustropho-
bic rooms (not big enough to be called levels), online
graphical glitches that snuff out any sign a weapon’s
fired until after the explosion hits, and nonsensically
blind free-for-all death, and teammatching that’s good
for a couple gos, but not much more. If you’re des-
perate for a shooter that’s got absolutely no value
other than just plain shooting, Outtrigger fits the
bill. But expect nothing more than a mediocre expe-
rience from this mediocre game. Jeanne
VISUALS SOUND INGENUITY REPLAY
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Tobacco Company's Youth
Smokctng Prevention Proaram
www. buttoutnow.com
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Publisher: Sega
Developer: Visual Concepts
Featured In: EGM #146
Players: 1-2
Supports: Jump Pack, SegaNet
Best Feature: Franchise mode
Worst Feature: Online batting
Web Site: www.sega.com
reamcast owners were left dumfounded
last year upon the release of WSB 2K1.
Late, incomplete and poorly received,
2K1 was a fiasco for the Sega Sports brand.
Gamers breathed a collective sigh of relief
when Visual Concepts signed on to take the
development reigns for WSB 2K2. VC had
already created two of the best console sports
titles on the market (NFL and NBA 2K series),
and bagging a topnotch baseball game
seemed like a no-brainer.
But as the months went by, release dates
for WSB 2K2 slipped and slipped again. It
was, Sadly, beginning to look like the 2K1 dis-
aster all over again.
Thankfully, WSB 2K2 does not repeat histo-
ry, but it does have some gameplay faults of
its own. Any good baseball game is built
around a solid pitching/hitting interface.
While 2K2’s setup is user-friendly and easy to
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Single-player games vs. the computer are
fun enough, but two-player games (offline)
turn into pure slugfests.
get into, the pitches look slow and lack any
real nastiness. The net result is that, offline,
hitting the ball is far too easy, and pitching
becomes dull and pointless.
It would be nice if VC took a cue from EA
and let the users customize their playing
experiences. A couple of slider adjustments
for pitch speed and break would have made a
measurable difference.
Aside from a high ratio of hits, the game is
a mixed bag once the ball is put in play.
Manual fielding is here but there are some
control issues on ground balls. Also, be
prepared to watch plenty of line drives sail
into your fielder’s back, chest, etc. only to
magically appear in the player’s glove. Can
you Say “collision detection”? It’s a fun term
meaning stuff needs to be close to look
like stuff really happened, and it’s lacking in
WSB 2Ka2.
WSB 2K2 takes some baby steps toward
progress, but fails in a big-picture sense to be
a defining title for the genre.
For better or worse, 2K2 offers a decent,
slow-motion replay option. It's nice they
included such a feature, but playbacks
often reveal (in painful detail) the game's
poor collision detection.
This was supposed to be my baby. An online baseball
game...oh yeah, bring it on. Visual Concepts had
already decimated most of my waking hours with
online football and hoops, and | was looking forward
to taking my beloved Tribe to the World Series of
Virtualand, USA. But while WSB 2K2 is tolerable
offline, it lacks any zest and intensity once you
jump on the Net. Why? Well, the main reason is that
VC dummied down the pitching/hitting interface by
taking out the cursors. Now the guessing game is
reduced, more or less, to timing instead of timing,
velocity, placement, etc. The other factor was that, in
our online tests, we saw a Significant amount of lag.
Hitting became a laughable trial of trying to guess
“how early do | have to swing?” Single-player fran-
chise and season modes offer a fair amount of replay
value, as player contracts and 10-man farm rosters
make for interesting management options. Once
you’re over the slow pitching, hitting is easy and the
results are fun enough to watch, as there are seem-
ingly infinite possibilities for where the ball will go.
Bloop singles, ringing doubles, flares down the
line...they’re all in there. The game also features the
most up-to-date rosters (an upside to the late
release). WSB 2K2 is a contender among this year’s
baseball releases, but it was a bit of a down year on
the console diamond. DC owners will have to wait
I’m sorry to report WSB 2K2 is not the home run we
hoped for. For starters, the animation glitches are so
pervasive, you'll be scrambling for the replay button
again and again. “You’re kidding me, he caught
that? He wasn’t even facing the right direction!” You
get the idea. The batting interface is too easy as well.
You'll be hitting like crazy in no time flat. Online play
doesn’t offer any salvation. When we played (one
week before release), the lag was so nasty that sim-
ply moving a fielder under a fly ball was a challenge.
In closing, if you don’t mind the rough edges, WSB
2K2 is an amusing offline game. Baseball nuts, how-
ever, will find plenty to gripe about. Dean
year’s disappointment, but isn’t the blockbuster |
hoped for. What ruined it is that the pitching and
fielding are so much slower than real life. Almost
like slow-motion, My fastball was..clocked..at 106
mph, yet it seemed to move at half that speed.
Imagine my off-speed change-up—it looked like it
should have been timed with a sundial. The fielders
even get into the sluggish act. | swear, Christopher
Reeve could chase down a fly ball faster. If you don’t
care about realism, you might like this. Otherwise,
it’s time to move past the DC for your baseball fix—
this one isn’t ready for the big leagues. Kraic
VISUALS SOUND INGENUITY REPLAY
90 HOLES IN THE _-
PALM OF YOUR HAND!
EVERYONE
CONTENT RATED BY
a ~ Official
ai ——-
Seai of Llaattite) Ff
—_—— aie
KONAMI ®
Hit the links for the first time Choose from 14 golfers,
on the portable convenience of 5 courses and a variety of clubs.
Game Boy® Advance.
EVERYONE
®
| —— | od 0
GAME BOY ADVANCE oo the games”
www.espnthegames.com
www.konami.com
© 2001 Disney. ESPN and ESPN the games are trademarks of ESPN, inc. © 2001 KONAMI ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. Final Round Golf™ is a trademark of KONAM! CORPORATION. KONAMI@ is a registered trademark of KONAMI CORPORATION.
Produced by Konami Computer Entertainment Osaka, Inc. LICENSED BY NINTENDO. NINTENDO, GAME BOY, GAME BOY ADVANCE AND THE OFFICIAL SEAL ARE TRADEMARKS OF NINTENDO. © 2001 NINTENDO. The ratings i icon isa trademark of the
Interactive Digital Software Association.
Matiden NFL 2002
Publisher:
Electronic Arts
Rumble Pak
Best Feature: Looks nice Web Site:
Worst Feature: Camera could Www.ea.com
follow the action better
The irony here is poetic, as EA’s Madden was a late
arrival to the N64 and now will stand as one of the
last games released for the system. Not a bad last
game, either, but it has very little in terms of
things you haven’t seen before. The visuals are a
bit more polished, but it seems like there’s a trade-
off this year in framerate. It’s not horrible or any-
thing, but I’d give up a few polys for a smoother ride.
The camera also seems to have lost some fluidity and
is especially troublesome on inside runs. Other than
those two knocks, this is the Madden you’ve come to
know and love. New features include the Coaches
Corner and.some expanded franchise options. The
coaching drills are very well-done, actually, and offer
gamers the chance to work on their timing and
knowledge of the game. John will walk you through
every detail of a play, letting you know when to
speed burst, when to throw, and so on. It’s too bad
there’s no way to work on defense other than getting
pummeled by the CPU game after game. | guess
that’s what a learning curve is all about. Dan L.
VISUALS SOUND INGENUITY REPLAY
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Dance Dance Revolution
Disney Mix
me yon . :
VO, a> 5 é dy Zs = Publisher:
Konami
Developer:
Konami CET
Featured In:
EGM #139
Players:
1-2
Supports:
Dance Mat
Web Site:
www.konami.com
Best Feature: “BAU”
Worst Feature: The Disney
tunes get annoying quick
A quick primer: In DDR, you step (Simon Sez-style)
with either your feet on a Dance Mat or fingers on the
control pad, to the on-screen arrows and beat of the
music. OK, now then, Disney Mix is just what it
sounds like: DDR on the old-school Disney tip. Half of
the 20 songs are techno renditions of familiar tunes
from the House of Mouse, and the rest are new tunes
or tame selections from the latest Japanese DDR. On
Normal or Trick difficulty, it doesn’t take long to
become bored of the techno Disney tunes. With one
or two exceptions, the steps lack the feverish energy
of the other arcade Mixes. Maniac mode adds some
much-needed “oomph,” but the song list isn’t big or
good enough to give it staying power. After exhaust-
ing the regular.game, all that’s left is the unbalanced
and short-lived Dance Magic versus mode to toy
around with. If you’re a huge Disney fan or under 10
you'll dig it, and the DDR elite may want to pick it up
to support the series in the U.S. | love DDR, and this
one’s OK, but it’s still the most forgettable game of
Konami’s dance-game catalog. Chris
VISUALS SOUND INGENUITY REPLAY
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EVERYONE
Publisher: Sony CEA
Developer: Red Zone Interactive
Try Instead: Madden NFL 2002
Players: 1-8
Supports: Dual Shock, Multi-tap
Best Feature: Fast-paced
Worst Feature: Sloppy gameplay
Web Site: www.989sports.com
Ever see a bruising running back like Eddie George
get knocked three feet backward by a stray forearm?
How about a fat 300-pound lineman beat the
Olympic record for the Long Jump? Probably not, but
those are everyday occurrences on GameDay’s
wacky gridiron. Something is wrong with a football
title when you spend more time laughing at the
instant replays than actually playing the game.
Hell, this is video gaming’s version of a sports bloop-
er reel. The smile will be wiped off your face, howev-
er, when you’re on the receiving end of the shenani-
gans. Nothing is more frustrating than an invisible
wall knocking down a pass or a wide receiver hauling
in a ball that was nowhere near him. Why should you
bother using your playbook to execute a strategy if
it’s just as effective to throw the ball up for grabs and
hope for the best? Running the ball isn’t much better.
Even if a rushing play has been stopped in its tracks,
you can always use the player’s super-human spring-
board legs to bail out the play by diving forward for
three to four yards. Where’s the skillin that? A few of
these things have always been a part of the
GameDay series and are also the reasons that some
people swear by it. Years ago | could appreciate this
style of play, but now it feels so sloppy that | can’t
possibly recommend it. As a devout football fan, |
must say that GameDay is dead on the PlayStation.
Madden is now the only game in town.
Compared to the last — sal isnt Gamage 2002 is
an improvement. That’s not exactly a ringing
endorsement, but for the legions of fans that reli-
giously buy the series regardless of what we Say, it’s
swell news. Here are a few things you WON’T find in
GD 2002: A) Receivers who suddenly run out of
bounds for no. reason. B) Blockers who magically lev-
itate across the field. C) Players who celebrate after
making a stupid play (OK, it still happens a little).
And finally, D) the ability to pancake receivers with-
out incurring a penalty. Seriously, It’s great they
tightened the Al and fixed some of the flaws, but it’s
still sa the same ‘ol “i and dance. Dean
IORI OEE P LEP R EEI E R I TD IL IOREDTIT RA PI RET TETI ONES
In m sorry, tut 685 Has worn out te a weleantie with this
series. | understand that PS1 owners need a viable
football game, but this is rehash of the worst kind.
GameDay 2002 could be GameDay ‘99, could be
GameDay 2001, etc., save for a few fancy telestrator
tweaks. The same shoddy contrel and gameplay
glitches remain. Look, the truth is you should be
playing PS2 or DC football by now. The end of a sys-
tem’s life cycle is not a pretty thing as far as sports
games go. Innovation and progress hit the wall hard-
er than Ray Lewis hits opposing running backs. If you
must play last-gen football, stick to last year’s ver-
sion or, better yet, play Madden. Ban L.
VISUALS SOUND INGENUITY REPLAY
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Publisher: Namco
Developer: Namco
Also try: Xenogears
Players: 1
Encourages: Good manners
Best Feature: Great battle system
Worst Feature: Voice acting from hell
Web Site: www.namco.com
Unheralded in the U.S. but crazy huge in Japan, the
Tales of Destiny series may yet get its domestic due
with the release of TOD2, a modest yet utterly engag-
ing RPG. Whereas many RPGs suffer from poor pacing
(among other things), TOD2’s simple but efficient
premise (which centers on Reid Hershel’s quest to
help stranded alien Meredy save both of their worlds
from disaster) is enough to keep players moving from
random battle to pivotal storyline event. The secret
behind TOD’s success is the involving battle engine.
Instead of another turn-based snoozer, TOD’s system
is a real-time, side-scrolling slasher that’s almost
Strider-like in its execution. Your Al allies (up to three)
assist you by offering lateral support in the way of
attacks, magic and healing. It all works rather effi-
ciently, and the control is super-responsive. The
graphics, being 2D sprite-based, all have a Final
Fantasy Tactics-level of clarity and detail, while the
backgrounds are reminiscent of Saga Frontier. Still,
there are some nods to new-school technology-as the
world map and some of the mini-games take place in
3D or pseudo-3D, yet never look jarring or out of
place, Occasionally you will find yourself at a loss try-
ing to figure out where to go, but on the whole it’s not
much of an issue. And while the voice acting seems
like it was recorded at a high-school play, consider-
ing the few RPG options this fall, TOD2 is one of
the better genes in town. Milkman
The Srlginal Tales 6} Destiny v was no —— piece a
work, despite its classic RPG style and unique battle
system. I’m happy to say that Namco’s fixed a lot of
what made Tales 1 annoying while preserving its
cooler aspects for their three-disc sequel. Yes, the
Story still has that haphazard feel, with monumental
events and conversations taking place inside of a few
seconds. But the dialogue and voice acting are vast-
ly improved, and the original’s choppy combat has
been smoothed flat. Those of the impatient persua-
sion will enjoy short load times and fiery 2D battles
that make TOD2 part action game. It’s a refreshing
break from turn-based tedium.
ones coeennennoocnecemtecscenncnntetinedneets
If an RPG doesn’t have Final Fantasy in the title, peo-
ple tend to overlook it. It’s too bad; some of the most
solid games in the genre are the lesser-known titles.
TOD2 almost falls squarely into that bracket, if only
the plot didn’t take so long to really start developing.
Even then, you’d think the unique battle system
would make up for it. Alas, it suffers from.the same
problem—it doesn’t really get very good until
later in the game when you’ve learned some of the
cooler techniques. Other than that fatal flaw, TOD2 is
a respectable, if uninspired, game. If you're looking
for something to tide you over ’til FFX, this might suf-
fice. Just don’t expect greatness. Greg
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Publisher:
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Developer:
Bandai
Players:
1
Also Try:
Monster Rancher
Battle Card
Web Site:
www.bandaigames.
com
Best Feature: It’s Digimon!
Worst Feature: It’s Digimon!
Check out Bigmoneymon’s determination as he con-
tinues to suck Gamermon’s piggy bank dry with
another Big Name Brand Blast! Will Gamermon retali-
ate or will Digifanémon turn the tide and side with
Bigmoneymon yet again? Perhaps if Gamermon gets
fed up with trying to decipher DDCB’s extra-convolut-
ed interface, punctuated only by bargain-basement
sounds and generic animations, then maybe a twin-
kle of hope still shines in some oversized eye out
there. Too much melodrama over a couple of cosmet-
ic issues? Fine. Say howdy to Mr. Compu(chea)ter and
sayonara to fun. See, Mr. Compu(chea)ter strongly
advocates winning through trial-by-fire experiences,
not strategy. But how can battling never-before-seen
cards-that-take-action-so-fast-it’s-almost-impossi-
ble-to-anticipate be fun? Who knows. The cold, hard
truth is that unless digi-fans like EGM editor James
Mielke existed, most would not care two digi-bits
about DDCB after playing two digi-seconds. So,
choose wisely fans and non-alike, and don’t just set-
tle. Quality game time depends on it. Jeanne
SOUND INGENUITY REPLAY
3 3 3 2
VISUALS
Madden NFL 2002
EA Tiburon
_ Also On:
— PS2, N64
=f Players:
ESOL LMT LT UMTS TTI TTI 1-8
Best Feature: Classic Supports:
Madden Mode Dual Shock, Multi-tap
Worst Feature: Maddenand Web Site:
Summerall commentary www.ea.com
When | was playing this, passersby rubbed their eyes
and disgustingly spouted, “What in the hell is this?”
After only a year, we’ve been spoiled by next-genera-
tion eye candy, and PS1 Madden is showing its age
worse than Ozzy Osborne. But you know what? People
still pay good money to see Black Sabbath in concert.
I’m not saying that you should buy this instead of the
PS2 version. | am saying that if you can’t upgrade to a
flashier system, don’t worry—this GameDay beater is
so challenging and fun that you shouldn’t feel shame
for sticking to PS1 Madden for another year. | know
ll be playing it on my portable PS one. Just beating
the mini-games.and gathering Madden..Cards_ will
probably keep you busy until you can grab a PS2.
Some of the extras even have exclusive depth, such as
a cool two-player Two-Minute Drill mode, a Mulligan
option (that lets you redo a play) and a retrogamer’s
dream: Madden ‘93 with updated teams and rosters.
Isn’t it ironic that the most notable new mode in this
swan song is a nostalgic game that shows you how far
the series has come? Kraig
VISUALS SOUND INGENUITY REPLAY
Publisher:
Nintendo
Developer: intelligent Systems
Featured In: EGM #145
Players: 1-4
Supports: Link Cable
Also Try: Nectaris: Military Madness (PS)
Best Feature: It’s easy to get into
Worst Feature: Twiddling your thumbs during your
off-turn in multiplayer games
Web Site: www.nintendo.com
Jeanne, Jonathan, Mark and | are sitting in a room,
taking turns, passing a GBA around. We’re playing a
two-on-two battle—Jon’s my partner—and the war
lasts about two hours. We won, of course. (How can
we not, with me on our side?) But let me tell you,
I never had so much fun NOT playing a game. You
see, whether you share one GBA or link several up,
you don’t get to do anything when it’s not your turn.
Even though this was a bit of a downer, | didn’t real-
ly care. The multiplayer game is so addicting, | just
sat around patiently, eagerly awaiting my turn
(though Mark and Jeanne’s slow-pokiness did cause
my blood pressure to rise a little). Why is the game
So good, multi- or single-player? While it has some
Strategic elements (terrain factors, line-of-sight, etc.)
and a healthy variety of units (enough infantry,
boats, aircraft, tanks and more to make the U.S. mil-
itary pee its pants), the game never loses sight of its
mission: to provide an accessible and fun game that
hardcore and not-so-hardcore strategy gamers can
enjoy. The gameplay depth is just right. | play a lot of
strategy games and didn’t find AW too simple. At the
same time, a rookie to the genre won’t find the cart
too intimidating, especially since it features a great
mission-based tutorial system that’s as fun to play
through as the main game itself. AW has plenty of
replay value too, with its large arsenal of maps anda
cool map editor to mess around with.
ORI OOCOHNNO RNID RDOO SONA RIODOGIOO NO a
Advenes aie ieackena: back in the days whan wars
raged on pen-and-paper Ping-Pong table battle-
fields. It’s turn-based strategy with all the land, sea
and air war fixins, but stripped down for easy-to-
learn yet..hard-to-master play—a formula that
works well on GBA and triggers one’s inner addict.
Disappointingly, though, AW’Il test one’s patience to
the ‘p’ during four-play due to the inability to strate-
gize on an off-turn (get used to staring at a black
screen and telling others to “hurry up!”). Still, this
turn-based-combat-meets-handheld combo’ll hook
any war or Strategy gamehead; just don’t get caught
iinet those blam-blam noises out loud. Jeanne
eR U NNR D OUR TRO RII PONTO
Based. on n looks, you “might expect AW to be ‘for the
Pokémon set, and it is: Cartoony graphics and simple
controls are both very friendly and inviting (including
fantastic tutorial missions). But the beauty is this
game can get as complex as you want: With the web
of strengths and weaknesses between land, sea and
air troops, combined with movement, terrain, ammo
and especially devious visibility considerations,
eventually each turn becomes like a sweaty chess
match. Multiplayer is a blast too (including the awe-
some ability to trade custom maps), but | wish AW
updated you on what happened between your turns.
An excellent, well-balanced strategy game. Mark
VISUALS SOUND INGENUITY REPLA
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Publisher:
Nintendo
Developer: Nintendo
Featured In: EGM #144
Players: 1-4
Supports: Link Cable
Best Feature: Multiplayer modes
Worst Feature: Same ol’ formula
Also Try: Konami Krazy Racers, or any of the
other 273 kart racers out there
Web Site: www.nintendo.com
Way before kart-racing was cool, Mario Kart for the
Super NES did the genre first and did it right. So it’s
no surprise this GBA update is solid fun—it’s mostly
a palm-size do-over of the original. | say mostly
because, although the control and track design are
faithful to the Super NES trailblazer, most of the
tweaks here are pulled from Mario Kart 64. You col-
lect coins to boost top speed (as in the original Mario
Kart), but at the same time you can unleash multiple
Shell attacks, as well as turn into a vengeance-seek-
ing bomb in Battle mode (tweaks lifted from Mario
Kart 64). Long story short: Super Circuit combines
the best of the first two games. The 20 all-new
tracks pack clever shortcuts that you can often only
access with the help of a power-up. And the game’s
visuals are crisp, smooth, better than the Super NES
original, and—most important of all—bright enough
to see clearly. But the multiplayer modes are the star
of this road show. Yep, you can get by with one car-
tridge, but then all four linked players can only use
Yoshi and choose from just a few courses ripped
from the original game. Every participant will need a
cartridge to access all the courses, characters and
the battle mode in multiplayer. But is Super Circuit a
must-buy if you already bought Konami’s kart klone
Krazy Racers? Nah. Even though Mario Kart’s a wee
better, the two games are so similar that owning both
would be go-kart overkill. Crispin
ROR TT TION NN TH I PAE AHO I RHI POH APOE POOR PAO HOOD
Konami Krazy Racers beat Mario Kart to retail on the
GBA, and while the latter has a strong tradition on
consoles, it’s not necessarily a better game. Being
comparable isn’t half bad, though, and Mario Kart is
just as solid as.KR. The multiplayer battle and versus
games are what make it all worthwhile, naturally. But
tight controls and gameplay inspired by the seminal
N64 version will appeal to you, even in single-player
mode. Don’t expect the graphics to be much better
than the SNES game, but MK looks pretty nice over-
all, and | can see addiction developing fast with this
game. It’s a solid buy if you don’t look for more
iim than MK has offered before. Jonathan
roa OOO LT TIS DOT ee
rf ve always enjoyed the Mario Kart games, and Super
Circuit is another great one. The problem is it isn’t
much more than the old game with a fresh coat of
paint. |t’s a testament to the quality of the gameplay
that it holds its own against today’s. me-too kart
games. It goes without saying that the multiplayer
modes rock, and the track design is still excellent —
though it doesn’t offer anything new. | expected this
to blow Konami’s Krazy Racers out of the water, but it
doesn’t. The license tests and item power-ups in KR
added a lot to what would’ve just been a good game,
while Super Circuit is the illegitimate child of the pre-
vious Mario Karts. Great, but not “new.” Chris
ISUALS SOUND INGENUITY REPLAY
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Soldier of Fortune® ©1999-2001 Activision, Inc. and its affiliates. All rights reserved. Published and distributed under license from Activision Inc. and its affiliates. Developed by Raven Software Corporation. Soidier of Fortune® is a
registered trademark of Omega Group, Ltd. Activision is a registered trademark of Activision, inc..and its affiliates. This product contains software technology licensed from Id Software, inc. (“ld Technology"). Id Technology ©1997-2001... ;
fd Software, inc. Licensed by Sony Computer Entertainment America for use with the Playstation 2 computer entertainment system. All other trademarks and trade names are the properties of their respective owners.© 20017 Majesco Sales, inc. All.
Rights Reserved."PlayStation” and the "PS" Family logo are registered trademarks of Sony Computer Entertainment inc.
"Publisher: Namco :
Developer: Mass Media ADNAN E
Featured In: EGM #144
Players: 1
Also Try: Namco Museum
Best Feature: Pac-Man Arrangement
Worst Feature: Pac-Attack
Game List: Pac-Man, Pac-Mania, Pac-Man
Arrangement, Pac-Attack
Web Site: www.namco.com
| grew up playing Pac-Man in the arcades of the ‘80s.
(Maybe you know them—they were dark, dingy and
reeked of sweaty socks stuffed with dollar bills and
tokens...I’m convinced pockets weren’t invented until
the early ‘gos.) It’s good to have this collection of
classics on one cart, but a better package would’ve
included Ms. and Super Pac in place of Pac-Attack
and Pac-Mania. | don’t consider Attack (a bare-bones
and shoddy hybrid of Tetris and Pac-Man) to be a real
Pac, and Mania suffers from a limited view and odd
perspective. The jewel of this package is Pac-Man
Arrangement (check the screenshot above for a look
at it). It certainly took Namco a long time to make a
version of this outside the arcade. This is truly the
next generation of their classic dot-gobbler, with a
bunch of new gameplay twists. The additions (a new
ghost that can merge with another to form a big-
ger/powered-up one, jump pads, more power-ups
and a dash ability) bring a new dimension to the
game. The graphics in Arrangement get it right where
Mania went wrong—it’s 3D but keeps the overhead
perspective of the original. All of the games’ graphics
and sound replicate the arcade (and home, in the
case of Attack) experience perfectly, minus the old-
school smells. I’m still waiting for Namco to put out an
all-encompassing Pac collection for a home system,
but it’s worth a purchase just to be able to play the
a and PITaNBemni ene on the go. Chris
Namco. Museum isa great cartridge. Not only dons: ie
have Ms. Pac-Man (which, in my humble opinion, is
better than Pac-Man in every way), but a bunch of
other top games as well. All PMC has going for it is
the original Pac-Man. As far as.|’m.concerned, the
other three games in this collection should never
have made the cut. Let’s face it. Outside of the origi-
nal and Ms, Sequel, Pac-Man games haven’t been
too great. All PMC does is drive that point home. Had
Nameo included Pac-Man, Ms. Pac-Man and maybe
Baby Pac-Man (anything but that crappy Pac-Mania),
I'd be happy, As it is, Namco Museum’s a much bet-
ter way to get au Pac-Man fix. Greg
Nothing reminds me of my youthful days i in video
gaming more than the sound of “wocka wocka
wocka.” If anyone shares this sentiment, then Pac-
Man Collection is right up your alley. While the origi-
nal Pac-Man.is.nice, retro fun, the alternate Pac-Man
Arrangement is where it’s at. Namco added enough
new power-ups and enemies to make it an interest-
ing spin on the classic formula. It’s like ChuChu
Rocket meets Pac-Man, and that’s good enough for
me. Pac-Attack is a weird Baku Baku/Tetris hybrid,
and Pac-Mania is just plain slow. It’s an uneven col-
lection where high scores disappear when the power
goes Off, just like they did in the ‘80s. Milkman
_ VISUALS SOUND INGENUITY REPLAY —
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NNN NSAI NENT NSN NINE ENED REINER IRN SIP BEANSEANESERE SSS SET AAEM SAREE NSBR SSPEARS ANAS A SA A SNR PEI RAYS
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PAIRED RONEN NONIDET OLENA ESET ENOTES:
EVERYONE .
Publisher: Activision
Developer: Vicarious Visions
Featured In: EGM #144
Players: 1
Also Try: Castlevania: Circle of the Moon
Best Feature: Detailed graphics
Worst Feature: Frustrating gameplay
Boss List: Rhino, Hammerhead, Electro,
Mysterio
Web Site: www.activision.com
Without giving away the ending of Spider-Man GBA, |
feel it’s my duty to gamers and comic book fans to
mention how ludicrous it is. I’ll just say that the story
begins with Mary Jane calling up Peter, asking him to
pick up a fishbowl, of all things, on his way over. If
you know anything about Mysterio’s appearance,
you can probably take a guess as to where the fish-
bowl comes from. Still, finding out whether or not the
developers would actually try to pull that sight gag
off became my motivation for finishing this mediocre
2D side-scroller. | have to commend the game for its
graphical prowess; it’s pretty nice for an action plat-
former. | was also pleased to see many of Spidey’s
nemeses making it into the game; that’s what makes
Spider-Man more endearing than, say, Commander
Keen. The gameplay, however, suffers from the
same disease as the console versions: Repetitive
Gameplay Syndrome™. Despite the addition of a
flashy jump-kick and uppercut to Spidey’s arsenal,
it’s the same punch-and-kick action throughout the
brief “adventure.” Plus, enemies consistently wait by
ledges, ready to knock you off into spikes or nasty
green sludge as you try to claw your way through,
which is colossally annoying. You'll find yourself just
hitting them with an immobilizing web and running
by, since fighting lands you in worse shape than you
started. Hardly behavior one would expect from New
York’s greatest crime fighter. Jonathan
serooocconeeooneonnaoD 2 EEA R AAR AIA
| haven’t played an old-fashioned side-scrolling beat-
em’-up-like this since the days when | skipped school
to play Super Nintendo. Nowadays, most of these
Slugfests bore me after a few levels, but not this one.
| was Surprised that | had as much fun webslinging
across town and on bathroom ceilings (perching
above a stall amused me) as | did wailing on the
baddies. Don’t expect to be a masterslinger right off
the bat, though. There’s a lot of technique to scaling
and swinging that keeps you on your toes. The early
levels are a pain in the ass when you're learning, and
later ones are loaded with cheap hits, but who said
being a superhero was easy? Kraig
RRR RIE ee
Mysterio’s Menace has that old-school platformer
feel—fun, but frustrating at the same time. While the
first handful of levels are enjoyable (once you’ve got a
handle on the attacks and control anyway), the last
quarter of the game is full of pinpoint, pain-in-the-neck
jumps, Also, enemies just off the screen can shoot or
charge at you, sometimes resulting in unexpected
death. Mysterio isn’t that long a game either; it’ll be a
couple of hours before you're up against the final boss.
Visually, the game imitates a comic book feel nicely,
but the backgrounds are a bit dark. (It takes place at
night so | guess it’s excusable.) Short-lived, but a
decent portable Spidey game. Chris
SOUND INGENUITY REPLAY
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mmag.com
Publisher:
Konami
Developer:
Konami CEN
Aiso Try:
Mario Golf (GBC)
Players:
1-4
Supports:
Link Cable
Web Site:
www.konami.com
Sest Feature: Sharp graph-
ics throughout
Worst Feature: Lacks PGA
license
| love good golf games, and this is one of the better
Ones |’ve seen of late. It’s scarce that a handheld
game can hold my attention for much more than
five minutes, but Konami’s done a great job of repli-
cating some of the old-school fun that made EA’s
PGA series so fun on the Genesis. There’s a tradition-
al three-click power meter which is smooth and easy
to operate. Club selection, shot type and fade/draw
are all right at your fingertips, making for easy
course management. The courses are beautifully dis-
played, and there are even some nice 3D-rotation
effects going on. Great music and rewarding visual
perks such as flying divots make this.a virtual smile-
fest. Modes of play are, pardon the pun, par for the
course, as Stroke, Match and Tournament play are
there for the taking. The only real thing lacking here
is a PGA license, but it’s not really necessary on the
small screen. The ESPN license gives the game an
official feel just fine and offers a nice break for
gamers who tire of “big-head” golf. If you’re traveling
anytime soon, pick this up. Dan L.
VISUALS REPLAY —
SOUND
INGENUITY
Publisher; jxthetey
TDK Mediactive
Developer:
RFX Interactive
Featured in
EGM #144
Players:
1
Supports:
None
Web Site:
www.ladysia.com
< EVERYONE
Best Feature: Crisp graph-
ics
Worst Feature: Poor collision
detection
The GBA is barely a few months old, and we have
already seen enough action platformers to set some
benchmarks. Klonoa set a pretty high overall stan-
dard, and while the graphics in Lady Sia are compa-
rable, the gameplay feels very unfinished. It’s an
easy, easy game, and bosses are a Snap once you fig-
ure out the single obscure trick to besting each one.
The real kicker is that the few difficult points are due
to gameplay flaws, not intelligent design. Wanky col-
lision detection is to blame for most of the issues,
which entail dealing or receiving damage. You flash
lightly for a moment when hit, but there’s no recoil,
no animation, no. sound effect...nothing.to..make it
clear that you’re getting hurt. That may not sound
bad in theory, but it’s frustrating when you can’t fig-
ure out which understated hazard is sapping your
life. | don’t really understand the thinking behind the
elaborate special abilities, either; they’re cool-look-
ing but far more trouble than they’re worth. Despite
good intentions, Lady Sia falls short of every game-
play goal it sets out to achieve. Jonathan
VISUALS INGENUITY REPLAY
SOUND
TITETO
Unique skateboarding/adventure game that pits you
against mysterious alien creatures!
In addition to the 10-stage Street Mode, practice
tricks and combos in the Challenge Mode!
Unlock different parts of the City using 8 wacky
characters!
Mmewed! unidue : Lay music tracks in the Ramp Mode, or
mail (4 ‘| Ge re ig Gone Hid challenge a friend in the Versus Mode!
EVERYONE
KOC! ee
CONTENT RATED BY
® ESRB
WWW koeigames com Yanya Caballista: City Skater is a trademark of KOEI Corporation and KOEI Co., Ltd. © 2001 KOE! Corporation. All rights reserved. “PlayStation” and the
“PS” Family logo are registered trademarks of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. The ratings icon is a trademark of the Interactive Digital Software Association.
KOE ING
Publisher: Nintendo GAME BOY
Developer: Game Freak COLOR
Featured In: EGM #140
Players: 1-2
Supports: Game Boy Printer, Link Cable, IR Link
Best Feature: New Battle Tower
Worst Feature: Same game as before
Web Site: www.pokemon.com
nother year, another version of Pokémon.
You’d think Nintendo was copying EA
Sports’ business model and just adding
minimal new improvements; updated Pokémon
animation, a few new areas, a girl character and
the ominously named “Battle Tower” are the
major additions. Crystal, by the way, is the first
Pokémon that’s not compatible with pre-GBC
Game Boys, because of the graphical tweaks.
The story is the same as Gold/Silver: You play
an aspiring Pokémon champion-in-training (boy
or girl) in the mystical world of Johto. As you
help Professor Elm with his Pokéresearch,
you meet other trainers, wild monsters and
members of the evil Team Rocket. It’s a
wonder the inhabitants of Johto don’t fear
for their lives constantly.
With Crystal, Pokéfreaks just have one
question to ask themselves: Will you catch ‘em
all again?
Poke-Box Office
The games may have stayed popular, hut the movies
have taken a downward spiral.
$85.7 $43.7 $17.1
million million million
Pokémon Pokémon Pokémon
The First Movie 2000 3
11/99 7/00 4/01
Source: Internet Movie Database, www.imdb.com
Pokemon Crystal
CHRIS used the
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lectronic Gaming Monthly - 160 - www.egmmag.com
The ultimate Pokémon trainer challenge
(new to Crystal) can be found inside the
Battle Tower just outside Olivine City. It's
not a piece of cake, though. The Pokémon
you'll see are super-powered, so be ready!
OK. Lin not
Fooling around?
Did you see the third Pokémon movie in the theater?
Of course not—no one did. It didn’t rake in anywhere
near the box-office dough of the other two, signalling
the end of the Pokémon craze. If you missed it when
Pikachu and his friends were all the rage with the
Zany Brainy crowd, you can now play without fear of
ridicule. Overall, this is a better, more polished
game than Gold and Silver (G/S), just like Pokémon
Yellow was to Blue/Red. That doesn’t mean it’s a
must-buy if you already played through G/S. The
additions (new monster animations, female main
character, the battle tower, the roof on the Goldenrod
Dept. Store and others) don’t alter the game-playing
experience at all. Apart from the new stuff, the best
thing about this Pokésequel (same with G/S) is that
if you let it, it becomes a part of your life. When
you’re not playing, the game’s internal clock ticks
away. If you’re not careful, you’ll miss a sale at the
Goldenrod Dept. Store, or (GASP!) the appearance of
rare Pokémon on Route 36. It’s as addictive and fun
as you will allow it to be. This is more of an RPG than
Red/Blue/Yellow; you battle against more human
trainers than random Pokémon to gain experience. If
Crystal’s going to be your first Pokémon experience,
add two points to my score. This is a game that
shouldn’t be missed. Otherwise, Pokémon fans like
me would agree that these changes should’ve been
in G/S to start with. Chris
Aside from Pokémaniacs who are ernie playing
Crystal right now, fresh neophytes and fans who’ve
long surrendered their stuffed Pikachus are the real
targets for this shiny strip in the Poké-rainbow.
Although Crystal may irk Gold/Silver veterans, its
icing-on-the-cake visuals, intro battle animations,
upgraded cell-phone plan, stranger-than-ever
Pokémon, and finally an option to play a girl, will
keep battles long and strong for gamers of all shapes
and sizes, The breakdown? Poké-fanatics: collector’s
item. Poké-fans: straightaway to this series’ best.
Poké-babies: get on it already! Alt around, Crystal’s
got goods for everyone. _ Jeanne
TT REIOOCD
| admit it—| once defended Pokémon to those who dis-
missed it as a kid’s game. Even now, | consider it one
of the best handheld games ever...or at least it was the
first five times | played it. Gold and Silver introduced
the real-time element and new monsters, but Crystal is
just a rehash (like Yellow was), and I’m just plain sick
of it. I’m sick of the battles, I’m sick of the dungeons,
I'm sick of the Pokéballs—and | can’t be the only one.
Crystal may top Gold and Silver (little animations, bat-
tle tower, etc.) but it’s not enough: if you’ve already
played those games (unless you're obsessed or 10
years old), Like a level 80 Metapod, this series is long
overdue for an evolution. Mark
VISUALS SOUND INGENUITY REPLAY
i 1 2 6
- Re _ oe eae
q pre RENSITI YE?
AVAILABLE IN
ATCHING GBA CO
RLU
PLAYSTATION 2
ATV Offroad
Fury
ALL TRACKS AND ATVS
Every Track Open
From the main menu, choose the
Pro-Career Mode option. Select
an empty slot and then put in
your name as CHACHING and the
game will take you back to the
main menu screen. This will
open up all tracks in the game.
ER AL ATVs Available
From the main menu, choose the
Pro-Career Mode option. Select
an empty slot and then put in
your name as WHATEXIT and the
game will take you back to the
main menu screen. All of the
ATVs in the game will now be
available to ride.
Bloody Roar 3
UNLOCKABLE TRICKS
Sudden Death Survival
Unlock this mode by winning
nine fights in Survival mode. You
can defeat your opponent or
your opponent can defeat you
with one hit in Survival mode.
F) No Guard Battle
Unlock this mode by earning first
place in arcade mode. Players
will not be able to defend
against each other’s attacks.
This works in Survival and VS.
modes.
Fe} Hidden Characters
In Arcade mode, you can unlock
these characters by following the
procedures listed below.
Kohryu: Beat the 4th stage with-
out losing a round and Kohryu
will appear as your opponent on
the 5th stage.
Uranus: Beat the last stage of
the game without continuing.
You will then fight Uranus ona
special stage. You must defeat
him to be able to play as him.
Low Speed Battle
Unlock this mode by fighting
once with each character and
THCKs
of the
Trade
By Trickman Terry
tricks @ziffdavis.com
TRICK OF
Tony Hawk’s Pro
Skater 2 yee
FLY MODE
On the main menu, hold
the R-Shift button and
press Left, A, START, A,
Right, Up, START. You will
hear a sound and the
wheel will spin around
when you enter this code
correctly.
@ While playing the game,
“press B to jump and then
press and hold B to begin
floating above the ground.
You can move anywhere
you want with the D-pad
and by holding the R-Shift
button, you can rack up
some massive points. Just
make sure you land on
your board!
Michael LeGere
Salt Lake City, UT
ERR
ie
SelectiVour Gear
b} Moose Yellow
Acceleration
~ #
getting a place in the rankings.
Movements and attacks are at
half the normal speed and attack
power is doubled.
CART Fury:
Championship
Racing
ALL CARS, TRACKS, ETC.
From the main menu, access the
Options. Go to the Cheats
screen and enter the following
button combinations for the fol-
lowing results.
Death Wall
X, Square, R2, Triangle, R1, R2.
Walls will now destroy all cars.
Death Cars
L2, Square, L1, R2, R2, X. Any
hits from opponent cars will
destroy you.
Player Death Car
L1, Square, R1, R2, L2, L1. When
opponents hit your car, they will
be destroyed.
Every Alternate Car Unlocked
Triangle, X, Triangle, Square, L2,
Triangle. You will hear a sound,
but no visual confirmation will
appear on the Cheats screen. On
the Select Driver screen, press
L1 to get access to the alternate
cars. You will see that all of
these cars will be unlocked and
3: =
a STAGE §
Bn Eo 5
1'98° 92 PLEASE RAITT
Rider & alu
available for use.
Every Track Opened
R1, Triangle, X, X, R2, La. You
will hear a sound, but no visual
confirmation will appear on
the Cheats screen. When you
go to the track selection screen,
you will be able to access the
previously locked tracks such
as New York and the Moon.
STREET CHEATS
After choosing your players, the
Enter Cheats screen will appear.
Change the four basketballs into
other symbols by pressing the
buttons the number of times
Shown, and then press Down on
the D-pad. For example, 4,1,3,2,
Down would be Square four
times, Triangle one time, Circle
three times, X two times and
then Down on the D-pad.
4] Summertime Joe “The Show”
1,0,0,1, Down.
Athletic Joe “The Show”
1,2,0,1, Down.
Springtime Joe “The Show”
1,1,0,1, Down.
Player Names
0,1,2,3, Down.
Less Gamebreakers
1,3,4,2, Down.
More Gamebreakers
1,4,3,2, Down.
No Gamebreakers
1,4,4,2, Down.
No Dunks
3,0,1,2, Down.
Mega Dunking
3,0,1,0, Down.
5 Beach Ball
0,1,1,2, Down.
Soccer Ball
0,2,1,0, Down.
Casual Uniforms
1,1,0,0, Down.
Authentic Uniforms
0,0,1,1, Down.
Unlimited Turbo
2,0,3,0, Down.
Harder Distance Shots
2,2,3,0, Down.
No Juice
1,4,4,3, Down.
No Auto Replays
1,2,1,1, Down.
Captain Quicks
3,0,2,1, Down.
NuFX Ball
0,1,3,0, Down.
[S]No Heads Up Display
1.4,1,2, DOWN.
Volleyball
0,1,1,4, Down.
EA Big Ball
0,1,4,0, Down.
ABA Ball
0,1,1,0, Down.
Medicine Ball
0,1,1,3, Down.
Explosive Rims
1,2,4,0, Down.
WNBA Ball
0,1,2,0, Down.
No Cheats
1,1,1,1, Down.
F=] CHEAP TRICK
In the middle of a one-player
game, press and hold
L1+R1+R2+SELECT. While holding
these, press X, Circle, Square,
Triangle, X, Circle, Square,
Triangle. The level will end with
you as the winner. Even if you
are in last place in the rankings,
you will still win, and advance to
the next level.
Twisted Metal:
Black
AWESOME TRICKS
Make sure you have the control
settings on “Classic” before
entering these tricks.
God Mode
In the middle of the game, press
and hold the Li+L2+R1i+R2 but-
tons. While holding these, quick-
ly press Up, X, Left, Circle.
Precise timing is needed to get
the trick to work. Once you do
——
this, the words “God Mode” will
appear on the top of the screen.
You will now be invincible and
have infinite weapons and
ammunition.
[2] Killer Weapons
In the middle of the game, press
and hold the L1+L2+R1+R2 but-
tons. While holding these, quick-
ly press X, X, Up. Once you do
this, the words “Killer Weapons”
will appear on the top of the
screen. Any weapon (including
your machine guns) will be able
to kill an opponent in one hit.
Mega Guns
In the middle of the game,
press and hold the L1+L2+R1+R2
buttons. While holding these,
quickly press X, X, Triangle.
Once you do this, the words
“Mega Guns” will appear on the
top of the screen. This will
increase the power of your
machine guns.
§.®) Weapons for Health
In the middle of the game, press
and hold the L1+L2+R1i+R2 but-
tons. While holding these,
quickly press Triangle, X, Square,
Circle. Once you do this, the
words “Weapons for Health”
will appear on the top of the
screen. This will exchange part
of your health bar for an
increase in your arsenal of
weapons.
TOP 3 TRICKS
The top 5 games of the
last month given the full-
on Trickman treatment:
1. The Legend of
Zelda: Oracle of
Seasons = )""-9
Hidden GBA Area
Using a Game Boy Advance
to play this game will gain
you access to a new area.
In Horon Village, go to the
house of the “Know-it-all
birds” and the door to the
right will be open. Go inside
the door and you will enter
the 100 Rupee Advance Shop.
Everything inside costs 100
rupees. The items include a
Gasha Seed, Advance Ring
and a Magical Ring.
Chicken Attack
The old chicken attack
method works with this game.
Start slashing a chicken with
your sword. Continue doing
this and you will get a barrage
of chickens attacking you!
Remove yourself from the
area to stop them.
2. Mario Party 3 Ww
Super Hard Difficulty
Complete Story mode on Hard
difficulty with any character.
Once you do this, you will be
able to choose the Super Hard
difficulty setting in Party and
Story modes.
3. Pokémon
Gold/Silver “~~
Duplicate Pokémon and Items
WARNING: THIS TRICK
AFFECTS YOUR SAVED
GAMES. USE WITH CAUTION!
First, you must decide on the
Pokémon and item you want
to clone. At any time during
the game, press START and
access the Pokémon option.
Choose the Pokémon you
want to clone and make it
hold an item that you also
want to clone (such as a
Master Ball). Next, go into a
town and find a Pokémon
Center. Move in front of the PC
and press START. Move down
the menu and access the Save
option. After saving your
game, press the A button to
turn on the PC. Access Bill’s
PC and deposit the Pokémon
you want to clone into one of
the boxes. Then choose
“Change Box” and move to an
empty box. Press A and
choose “Switch.” When it
asks if you want to save the
game, choose “Yes.” Now,
this part is very important and
requires precise timing. The
game will tell you that there is
already a save file, and it will
x
TRICKS
, the game, press START to
pause. Turn the Invulnerable —
ask you if it is OK to overwrite
the file. Choose “Yes” and
screen, or the trick will not
status and you should see the
On the driver select screen,
driver. You will hear a bike
bell if you entered the code
picking up passengers ona.
_ bike instead of driving a taxi.
After choosing how many min--
~ “Now Loading” screen will
- appear. Press and hold
R1+START until the driver.
“selection screen appears. You
will see “No Destination
_ of the screen to confirm that
the Cons worked.
eeu &
Invulnerability
_ option. On the “Sign In”
TOP 5 TRICKS
immediately turn off the
Game Boy. Be sure to turn it
off before any words other ~
than “Saving” appear on the
work. Turn the Game Boy back
on again. Check your party
Pokémon you wanted toclone
still in your party. Access Bill’s
PC and look at the box in —
which you deposited the
- Pokémon. The Pokémon and |
_ the item it was holding willbe
_ cloned inside the box, and
_ still in your party! You can
clone up to five Pokémon and |
items at one time by ae,
~ this trick.
4. Gray Tank
: i
Taxi Bike
quickly press L1+R1, La+R1,
L1+R1 and then choose your
correctly. Now you will be
No Arrows
utes you want to play, the
selection screen appears. You
willsee “No Arrows” onthe |
bottom-left side ofthe screen
‘ite confirm that the code ] |
worked.
No Destination Mark
After choosing how many min-
_utes you want to play, the
“Now Loading” screen will :
appear. Press and hold ©
L1+START until the driver
Mark” on the bottom- left side
From the main menu screen,
choose the One Player Game
screen, enter your name as
ROCKSTAR. In the middle of
option to “On” and resume
the game. This will protect you
from gunfire and explosions.
ORS AL SAR ERED A PED RSPEI SAI OO RARER
Sonic
Adventure 2
IPA PK
— the ag Salad Screen,
choose Rouge or Knuckles and
ging the ground until you find a
pumpkin. If you give it to a newly
hatched Chao, it will play with
the pumpkin and then throw it. If
_ you give it to a more advanced
hao, it will put the pumpkin on
its head!
PLAYSTATION
MLB 2002
GR HOME RUN MURRAY
From the main menu, choose
the General Manager option.
On the next screen, choose
Create Player. Type in Scott
for your first name and Murray
for your last name. You can
change any other stats you
want, but it’s not necessary.
Save your new player into the
free-agent pool and trade him
to the team of your choice.
Begin a game with that team.
When Scott Murray comes up
to bat, he’ll be able to hit a 606-
ft. home run!
Rayman Advance
99 LIVES, ALL LEVELS, ETC.
Pause the game during play and
enter these button codes. You
will hear a sound when they are
entered correctly.
Bigo to the Chao Garden. Start dig- = 199 Lives
Left, Right, Down, Right, Left,
R-Shift.
All Levels Open
Up, Left, Right, Down, Right,
L-Shift.
Every Power Available
Down, Left, Right, Left, Up,
L-Shift.
Refill Health
L-Shift, Down, Left, Up, Down,
R-Shift.
Tom Proctor
Woodstock, IL
Namco
Museum
NON-VIOLENT GALAGA
In Galaga, you can get the ene-
mies to stop shooting. To do
this, you must first let all of the
waves of enemies get into for-
mation on the first stage. Once
you do this, you may begin
shooting the enemies, but make
Sure you leave the blue and yel-
low Galaga on the far, lower-left
corner of the screen alone. Finish
off all of the enemies except for
this one. Wait for this enemy to
1-900-PRE VIEW
The number to call for the
164 -
dive at you and shoot, avoiding
its bullets all the while. Wait
until it stops shooting at you
(this will take a long time, so be
patient), and let it pass a
couple more times to make sure
it has stopped. Now shoot it and
end the stage. On the next stage,
all of the enemies will come in
formation as usual, but they will
not fire at you! Now you can play
the rest of the game without
enemies shooting at you.
igh 3 H i
y bs 1 é
BLAZE
WIN FREE STUFF?
If you are given credit for
submitting a trick, you will
win a free game. If your
trick is selected as Trick of
the Month, you will also
win a GameShark from
InterAct, and a controller
from Blaze.
Note: Please include your
real name, mailing address
and what system you'd like
your prizes for.
No Purchase necessary. For complete
contest legal rules, please visit
www.egmmag.com or write us at:
EGM Contests - Legal Rules Request,
P.O. Box 3338, Oak Brook, IL 60522-
3338.
Send your best tricks, ae
and tips to:
Tricks of the Trade
P.O. Box 3338
Oak Brook IL
60522-3338 ©
or send e-mail to:
tricks@ziffdavis.com
| layStation fee
| i Wanted :
| To receive a FREE aor
| demo disc. Must be able to a
| bullets, battle the enemy, even i“ |
nd,oh yean -: _save the W 7 |
Think you can handle it? GO bas
| WWW. playstationdemos: com |
Offer ends October 15, 2001, or while supplies last.
Gamers must be 13 years of age or older to receive the demo disc
PlayStation” and the “PS" Family logo are registered trademarks of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc
GRAN TURISMO |
The Inside Track
Contribute to The Inside Track!
Send all your GT3 tips, tricks and strategies to
EGM@ziffdavis.com,subject: GT3 Inside Track.
. Master Drafter
So you’ve made it to Area C in Arcade mode, and you’ve
come up against the Test Course. If you’re using the standard issue
Arcade cars, this race can be maddening. You can’t simply outpower
your competition for a win on this long, high-speed track.
Instead, follow these simple instructions. First, choose the Castrol
Supra. Now, off the start, work your way up to second and tuck
right in behind the guy in first. Whatever you do, DON’T PASS HIM.
Ride his bumper all the way around the track.
Now, as you come through the final turn on the final lap, drop
back a bit, but stay in the lead car’s wake (if you can hear the wind,
you’re too far back). Once you’re back on the straight section of the
course, jam the throttle all the way down and suck right up onto his
rear bumper again. At the last second, pull to the left. If you do this
correctly, you should pass the leader and get the win.
/.LINK Hubbub
We’ve had a few questions regard-
ing the i.LINK mode in GT3. For those
of you who’ve been getting nothing
but odd looks when you ask for an
i.LINK hub at your local tech store,
we’re here to tell you that what you’re
looking for is better known as a Firewire hub. Hit ‘em with that info,
and they’ll know exactly what you need.
But wait, there’s more. i.LINK hubs
use a Six-pin configuration, while the
PS2 uses a four-pin setup. So in order
to link six PS2s, you need six four-to
six-pin cables like the one in the picture above.
Now you’re ready for some head-to-head action.
Lube it Up
What’s the cheapest upgrade for any é
car? A quick oil change, of course. We’ve
told you before that your car loses power as
the oil in it gets old. But we recently discovered that changing the
oil the moment you get a brand-new car immediately ups its horse-
power by around 15. Weird, we know, but important nonetheless.
got a whole lot easier. All you
Elasticity
Making some extra cash just
need to do is enter the 150-mile me
Super Speedway endurance race lie a 4WD car (we suggest
the Suzuki Escudo). Once that’s done, go to the options screen and
set your throttle to “left” on the right analog stick (see screenshot).
Finally, take a rubber band and wrap it around the two analog sticks
of your Dual Shock 2 (pictured above).
If you did this correctly (and
who couldn’t), your car should
turn toward the outside wall and
ride it around the track for every
lap. Now go clean your apart-
ment, watch dirty videos, or
whatever else you do to kill time. OF)
Check back in about an hour and —
you’ll have won the race. Nothin’ : ces an :
like easy money! :
Acceleration
Professional Mode
Arcade mode not giving you a challenge? Wish you were racing
the other drivers instead of the track? No problem. Start Arcade mode,
and when you get to the diffi- deni
culty screen, hold down L1 and
R1. “Hard” should change to
“Professional.” Now you’ll have
to run 10 laps on whatever track
you choose, with tire wear on
and a much more aggressive
set of computer opponents.
Good luck.
Professions) ©
Gtt Program Yub Yandhara
Art Director Masashi Goto
merece ‘Yuuicbad tater
CaM iat aii
@ for a very challenging competition.. mLotyrniony
Wheel Station 2
Not everyone’s wife or girlfriend will let them drag the kitchen
table into the living room whenever they want to use Logitech’s GT
Force Wheel (not that the EGM boys would know much about wives
or girlfriends). And let’s be honest, you can’t hook that thing to the
coffee table and have any sort of success in the game. That’s where
Kyle Goodknight comes
in. He’s manufacturing
and selling the Wheel
Station 2 (patent pend-
ing) stand you see here
for $50 (plus S+H)
through his site,
www.CapitolDiecast.com.
The WS2 is just about
perfect for sitting on
your couch and playing
GT3 the right way (as our
lovely and talented pre-
views editor demon-
Strates in this picture).
This sturdy wooden
stand has an angled
dashboard where you attach the wheel itself,
and a recessed, slide-proof tray for the pedals
on the bottom. It’s definitely a worthwhile pur-
chase for any die-hard GT3 gamer.
166
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Hints, codes,
Dan “Shoe” Hsu edan_hsu@ziffdavis.com Zy
Jonathan Dudiak ¢ jonathan dudiak@ziffdavis.com
Chris Johnston ¢ chris johnston@ziffdavis.com
ZIFF DAVIS PUBLISHING INC.
Chairman, onel Executive Officer
OL ICSE oe aioe James D. Dunning, .
FINAL WORD ee
Chief Operating Officer. .
and Senior Executive Vice President ..............00 00% Tom McGrat
— President, Business Meld 5. cocci ees ces Al Perlm
High-Class ; Executive Vice President and Publishing Director ........ J. Scott Cryst
: (Consumer Media)
a EEO Frecutive Vice President and Publishing Director .......... Peter Lon
. - usiness Medla
Shoe: | have a problem. This November, perhaps with a side of Ico. That goes os : oo
; ; ; ; ; ; Executive Vice President and Editorial Director......... Michael J. Mill
I’m going to have to buy MGS2, Devil May without saying. Having found this (Editor-in-Chief, PC Magazine)
Cry, Grand Theft Auto 3, Tony Hawk 3, PS2 limitless money supply, though, I’Il aaa Ae ta Business Development .......... Beth-Ann Eas
hard drive, PS2 network thingamabob, probably just buy everything. Whee! a Boe
‘ : , Senior Vice President (Circulation) ...............c. 000s Charles Ma
| and GameCube and Xbox systems and Chris: It’s great that the game companies as oe
re ; nad ‘ Senior Vice President and Publishing Director ............ Mitchell Yo!
DP C.* games and peripherals. How am | are filling one month full of such copious (Business Media)
” 4 fF supposed to afford all of that? Maybe amounts of quality games and hardware,
monte GTA3 can teach me a thing or two about but next time they should spread it out. Vice President (Corporate Sales) ................0...000, Ken Beat
Dan “Shoe” Hisu Vice President (Editor, eWEEK) John Dod
Editor in Chief “supplemental income.” What are you Do any of you guys have time to play the ei ea sis ee
guys going to buy? And no, you can’t games you’ve bought NOW, during the TS Ee dnt vahoo! “tin ee 6. Barry Golsc
have a raise. “slow” time? Maybe Shoe will grant us all Vice President (Chief Information Officer) ................ Kim Hoov
He EE OONE on oa os es in Howard Kaple
Wain Consiaies Media) ae
OS Charles L
ES ere Dl ivess Media) ee
Vice President (Editor-in-Chief, eWEEK) ................ Eric Lundqui:
| Vice President (Jechnology) 2... oe Bill Machror
‘ Jonathan: Hey guys, | just found thisnew raises and proclaim that weekends are ite . — ee
Jonathan Dudlak = way to get all the new stuff that doesn’t five days long (*wish* *wish*). I’m Uff ba Warket Experts)
Associate Editor = cost anything! It’s called a credit card— definitely picking up a GameCube with a Vice President (Editor-in-Chief, FamilyPC) ............... Robin Rask
apparently you just give the sales guy this buncha games. PS2-wise, I’ll part with the Vice President (Marketing. Business Media). :<.......... eukae.
little plastic card and you’re done. No cash for Ico, PaRappa 2 (if Sony’ll release me laooy (General Counsel) ................ Carolyn Schurr Lev
money changes hands at all! I'm definitely _ it in the U.S. soon enough), MGS2 and (Bitbisher Sf Davis'SMART BUSINESS) “SCT on ae
getting a GameCube and Xbox, but think Devil May Cry. | still haven’t seen anything tice President 5. eWEEK) CUCU Sloan Seymot
’ll just pick up a couple titles for each: that makes me want to buy an Xbox, so ; ae
_ , Vice President (Editorial Development) .......... Tom Steinert-Thretke!
. Smash Brothers and Pikmin on NGC, and that’ll at least save me some money. Vice Presideat (Game Grow) ccc Dale Stear
| : ) Munch, possibly Halo for the X. Of course Although maybe | should look into this Vice President (Human Resources) ..............-0.-. Vincent Stabi
na SP Aba ll already have Silent Hill 2 and MGS2, “credit card” thing. det hen Veit
Chris Johnston , - (biblisher 10 hisighf) "vr —.
News Editor Vice Presets (0008S) o.oo Scott Wo
ZIFF DAVIS INTERNET
President and Chief Internet Officer .............. Wenda Harris Millar
Ziff Davis Media
Vice President, Marketing ..........cccccccvecevues Aimee D. Levin
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Vice President, Audience Development ................ Stephen Sutto
Vice President, Advertising Sales ...........cccecaeeves Jason Youn
Chief Technology Officer... ccc cecil. Alan Bourass
Managing Director, Business Development ............ Greg M. Schwart
ZIFF DAVIS MEDIA INC.
tO ee er Pe Mn James D. Dunning, J
Chief Executive Officer and President
Chief Operating Officer. ..... Oe ee a Tom McGrad
and Senior Executive Vice President
President, Business Media «css beigect eee Al Perima
Ghiet Internet Officer and President .............. Wenda Harris Millar
Executive Vice President and Publishing Director ........ J. Scott Cryste
Executive Vice President and General Manager ......... Mark Van Nami
eTesting Labs
Vice President and General Counsel .............. Carolyn Schurr Levi
Vice President, Human Resources ...............0005. Vincent Stabil
Vice President and Controller .............eceesesevecs David Muilel
Vice President and Chief information Officer .............. Kim Hoove
Director, Communications. acc. .ic bei Elizabeth Estrof
Director, (OGEIStONGE 5s oo cl cc cer easnees cack Christin Lawsol
DIFOCIGY, CESLEVE SOTVICES ... 5 cass cc cue ches weciwes Bobby Sutto
Director, Business (Business Media) ..............0000, John Dennehi
Directors, Manufacturing (Business Media) ....... Rhett Hall, Carlos Luge
Director, Design (Business Media) ...................00. Nicole Whit
PURSUING SUIS oo ook an snd ons os obad KS eedac xe ee Chip Blocl
On sale Oct. 2
e WWF SmackDown!:
Just Bring ft (PlayStation 2)
¢ WWF Raw Is War (Xbox)
e Legends of Wrestling (P32)
This fall is going to see several wrasslin’
titles for the PlayStation 2 and Xbox. WWF
SmackDown!: Just Bring It promises to bring
the PlayStation series’ awesome gameplay
to the PS2. Raw Is War may just show it off
with superior graphics. And Legends of
Wrestling will bring back fond memories of
Jimmy “Superfly,” George “The Animal,”
Bret “The Hitman” and others from the
menagerie of the insane old-timers who
have “nicknames.”
Be sure to watch for next month’s feature
Story, which will bust open the heads of all
three games to give you the full, juicy
scoop, complete with color commentary.
PlayStation
MAGAZINE
Oct. 2001 PS2 Demos
On sale Sept 11 This month marks a
hallowed moment
Demo DISG iorthe offciaius.
Video Previews P layStation
e Kinetica Magazine. Why?
e Okage: Shadow Packaged with this
King issue is the first
PS2 demo disc,
which should be
enough to knock
your socks off. Plus,
a look at Konami’s
freaky thriller Silent
Hill 2 (pictured
below).
e Drakan: The
Ancient’s Gate
Playables
e Cool Boarders
2001
e Ico
e Kionoa 2
e Star Wars:
Super
Bombad
Racing
e Legacy of
Kain: Soul
Reaver 2
e MX2002
e Spy Hunter
Besides the wrestling
stuff (left: Raw Is War
for Xbox, bottom left:
Legends of Wrestling for
PS2), we'll also be
checking out some
other swank games,
such as the loooooong-
awaited Shenmue II for
DC (above). Check back
for our impressions of
part two of the epic
storyline, from Sega.
Reviewed Next Month:
© Silent Hill 2 (PS2)
e ico (PS2)
e Bomberman Online (DC)
e Spider-Man Enter: Electro (PS)
e Dave Mirra Freestyle BMX 2 (PS2)
¢ Spy Hunter (PS2)
Previewed Next Month:
e Shenmue il (DC)
e NBA 2K2 (DC)
e NFL 2K2 (PS2)
e Run Like Hell (PS2)
e Baldur's Gate: Dark Alliance
(P$2)
"All editorial content is subject to change.
Oct. 2001
On sale Sent. 18
e Complete blowout on
EA Sports Big’s
smash hit, NBA Street
e Time Crisis 2: tactics
and hints
ico
Anxious GameCube and
Xbox watchers are going
nuts with pre-release
hysteria. “Which system
is better?” “What are the
games going to be like?”
XG actually suggests Ico
for PS2, and they’ve got a
mind-blowing strategy.
Plus, their strategy for
Dragon Warrior Ill on GBC
will have you whooping
all the 8-bit baddies you
can handle.
COMPUTER
Oct. 2001
BAM MT 3 wep eae ? a
ne
Reviews
e Arcanum
e Anachronox
e World War Il Online
e Diablo il: Lord of
Destruction
e Baldurs Gate il:
Throne of Bhaal
e Mech Commander 2
Previews
e Etherlords
e Hidden and
Dangerous 2
Star Wars:
The Force
is Back!
LucasArts’
awesome lineup of
upcoming Star
Wars games—
many being
developed by some
of the best
designers in the
biz—has reignited
our faith in the
Force. The CGW
Staff puts its geek
on big time in this
issue, with in-
depth previews of
the complete
lineup, including
Star Wars Galaxies,
Galactic
Battlegrounds,
Knights of the Old
Republic and more!
ller sol
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PlayStation.e
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