® PUTER & VIDEO GAME MAGAZINE MARCH 2009 WwodaWojuaWweb MMM US $5.99 | CAN $5.99 | UK £3.99 Blood and Gore Intense Violence Strong Language “PlayStation,” “ Inc. Killzone is arks and "PS3" is a tradem -urope. Developed by бие! Station Network logo is a service mark of Sony Co “5 out of 5 stars. Editor’s Choice.” “A guaranteed stunner for the PS3. 5 out of 5 stars" — PlayStation: The Official Magazine — GamePro Magazine From your first step off the landing craft, you’re thrown into the most intense Only On PlayStation. PlayStationsNetwork battle of your life. Facing an overwhelming enemy on their own toxic planet, this is | war at its best. And worst. And it’s only possible on the PLAYSTATION®3 system. p MATURE 17+ CONTENT RATED BY ESRB Blood and Gore Partial Nudity Strong Language Suggestive Themes Violence =RETRIBUTIC INL www.myresistance.net The Chimera have taken Europe. And for Et. James Grayson, the EVERYWHERE JUST GOT BETTER™ battle just got personal. The fight for mankind continues in the newest Resistance chapter, and it's only on the PSP® system. This action-shooter features unique 8-player multiplayer and an advanced third-person — | — JE targeting system. Connect your PSP to your PS3" with Resistance 2" А FT| and unlock additional features to help give humanity a shred of hope. < ә PlayStation.Portable PSEA The Resistance is now everywhere. Alcohol Reference Mild Language Violence HIGH ALTITUDE WARFARE LULULU.HfRLUX Gamte.com © 2008 Ubisoft Entertainment. All Rights Reserved. H.A.W.X, Ubisoft, Ubi.com, the Ubisoft logo, and the Soldier icon are trademarks of Ubisoft Entertainment in the U.S. and/or other countries. "PlayStation", "PLAYSTATION" and “PS” Family logo are registered trademarks of Sony Computer Entertainme Inc. Microsoft, Xbox, Xbox 360, Xbox LIVE, and the Xbox logos are trademarks of the Microsoft group of companies and are used under license from Microsoft, Software platform logo (TM and ©) EMA 2006. UBISOFT under license from Microsoft. The ratings icon is a registered trademark of the Entertainment Software Association. All other trademarks are owned by their respective owner. p Я 2 $ 8 8 s E E Б E E á g E] 3 H 2 E 8 # g. E] g E Е Е Е Е 5 El Е 8 & в 5 & Ё 8 E E] * 2 @ E 3 E Еа а (А a b g = = & z E Е РА E в E ag ES El ШЕ od 5 as eg EI is gs NS a= 5g 88 88 Ss as OE Blood and Gore "x Ain > Intense Violence 3 | Strong Language XBOX @ XB0X360. cive | FEAR YOU CAN'T FORGET 313.09 ara will 2 ETE RESIDENTEYIL COM ALL—-NEW/ са MOYIE E Tet en ee ERS ALSO AVAILABLE NOW DROP А ‘D’ PLEASE ANDY McNAMARA EDITOR-IN-CHIEF For the past year, | have experienced the same exhila- ration every time | look at Street Fighter IV. The first feeling | get is one of awe, as the game's flawless ani- mations go through a beautiful ballet of fighting preci- sion. A rush of old-school adrenaline quickly follows as 1 realize that even though the graphic presentation is modern in every sense, the game captures all the glory of its 2D past. | stare at the game's powerful presenta- tion, and after a quick expletive, | utter the words, “If only other publishers would put this kind of effort and art into all the great 2D hits of gaming's past.’ | write this letter as a simple wish and request. The wish is easy: | hope that gamers appreciate Street Fighter IV for all that it is, and that Capcom reaps the rewards with gigantic sales that indicate to the rest of the industry that 2D is not, despite all reports of its passing, dead. The request is perhaps a little more dif- ficult, but a man can dream. | want the effort this kind of pseudo 2D artwork and animation demonstrates put toward some of my favorite games of all time. Imagine Metroid with this level of detail. I'm not talking about some handheld game either. I'm talking big-budget, high-definition masterpieces. Just the thought of pick- ing up a controller with a fresh, new, and gorgeous 2D Samus Aran blazing across my HDTV with thunderous surround sound setting the mood makes the hairs on the back of my neck tingle. But let's not let the dream end there. Picture Castlevania...or Mario...or Zelda (in all its top-down glory), getting the Street Fighter IV treatment. It simply blows the mind. Think about it, publishers (especially you, Nintendo), because | know I'm not the only one out there. In fact, | think there are millions of gam- ers just like me who would trade their sisters for a chance for these classics to return to their roots (I'm speaking figuratively here readers, so please don't end up on some nightly news trading your sister for 2D HD Metroid). Cheers, Andy >> andy@gameinformer.com Handle: The Game Hombre Expertise: RPGs, Action/Platform, Driving, First-Person Shooters Interests: Sharks, Planet Earth (| Just Can't Stop Watching Reruns), 30 Rock, Dexter Dislikes: Patch 3.08 Was A Disaster (I Expect Better From You, Blizzard) And PVP Is Still An Unbalanced Mess, Teeth Bleaching Current Favorite Games: World Of Warcraft, Gears Of War 2, Fallout 3, Street Fighter IV 8 GAME INFORMER — "t S | Al People Who Actually Get Paid To Play Video Games Reiner >> reiner@gameinformercom Handle: The Raging Gamer Expertise: RPGs, Action, First-Person Shooters, Strategy, Sports, Fighting Interests: Burn Notice And Psych, Devoting A Full Week To Leveling Up My Character In Killzone 2 (Hot Pockets, Here | Соте!), The Chicago Cubs Landing Milton Bradley (Boardwalk & Park Place = World Series) Dislikes: PlayStation 3's Home (| Have To Wait In Line To Play Arcade Games?), My Xbox 360 Red Ringing Again, Paying $10 For One Hour Of DLC In Games Current Favorite Games: Killzone 2, Fallout 3, Resistance 2, Street Fighter IV, Chrono Trigger, Skate 2, Left 4 Dead Matt >> matt@gameintormer.com Handle: The Original Gamer Expertise: First-Person Shooters, Action/Platform, Action/ Adventure, Action/Sports Interests: The Smithsonian Anthology Of American Folk Music (Weird Old Dudes From The 1920s Rule), Minnesota Golden Gophers Basketball, Finally Finishing My BA (Took Almost As Long As Chinese Democracy), A New President Dislikes: The Cardinals Making The Super Bowl (Seems Unnatural), Brian Baldinger (Carrying On In The Dierdorf/Millen Tradition Of Meathead Announcing), Waiting For A Dance With Dragons Current Favorite Games: Burnout: The Ultimate Box, Afro Samurai, God Of War, Marble Saga: Kororinpa Kato >> kato@gameinformer.com Handle: The Game Katana Expertise: Sports, Racing, Action/Adventure, Action/RPG Interests: Frost/Nixon, Five Guys Hamburgers, Winter Classics, Fleet Foxes, George Har- rison - Living In The Material World, Innocence Mission, Hollywoodland, Raphael Saadiq -The Way | See It Dislikes: Being Accused Of Not Being "From Around Here" - I'm Very Much From Around Herel, Keebler Screwing Up А Chocolate Cookie, Buyer's Remorse For Almost Anything Over $30 Current Favorite Games: Fallout 3, Left 4 Dead, Burnout: The Ultimate Box, Stoked Adam >> adam@gameinformer.com Handle: The Alpha Gamer Expertise: RPGs, Strategy, First-Person Shooters, Fighting Interests: Heirloom Items (Because Leveling My Retadin Was Тоо Hard Before?), Headphones That Don't Suck, Canned Tuna (It’s So Delicious In So Many Dishes) Dislikes: Joe's Misguided Love Of Brokencyde, My PS3 Deciding It Doesn't Want To Talk To Any Bluetooth Devices Any More, My 4850's Inadequate OEM Heatsink, The Twins’ Pitiful Offseason Current Favorite Games: World Of Warcraft: Wrath Of The Lich King, Halo Wars, Warhammer 40,000: Dawn Of War Il, FEAR. 2: Project Origin, Minotaur In A China Shop JOE >> joeGgameinformer.com Handle: The Real American Gamer Expertise: RPGs, Adventure, Action, Strategy, Puzzle Interests: Gran Torino, DM Power Trips (All Of You, Make Fortitude Saves), The Stack Of 40-Hour Games | Want To Play, Cheap DLC (Thank You, Castle Crashers), Hadokens, Shoryukens Dislikes: The Academy Snubbing Gran Torino, Admitting Childhood Classics Don't Hold Up (Poor Voltron), Dhalsim, Waiting For God Of War Ill Current Favorite Games: God Of War Ill, Street Fighter IV, Castle Crashers, Star Ocean: The Last Hope Miller >> miter@gameinformer.com Handle: The Once And Future Gamer Expertise: RPGs, Action/Adventure, Platform, First- Person Shooters, Music, Puzzle Interests: The Wealth Of Single-Player DLC This Year, The Return Of Lost And Battlestar Galactica, Things We Think About Games By Will Hindmarch And Jeff Tidball, Marvel's Dark Reign Dislikes: Joe's Repeated Attempts To Squeal Like The Guy From Brokencyde, Final Crisis (You Deserved So Much Better, Bats), Snow Shovels (An Annual Dislike) Current Favorite Games: Halo Wars, PixelJunk Eden, Lumines Supernova, Champions Online, LittleBigPlanet, Afro Samurai, Prince Of Persia Bertz >> mattbertz@gameinformer.com Handle: Lord Gamington Ill Expertise: First-Person Shooters, Sports, Action, RPGs, Strategy Interests: Double Down Saloon, Andrew Bird — Noble Beast, GTA IV DLC, Lucid Absinthe, The Black Lips Playing The Turf Club, Mickey Rourke's Amazing Comeback Dislikes: Industry Layoffs, The United States Of Tara, Antony And The Johnsons (Seriously People? Like Dane Cook, l'Il Never Understand The Allure), Minnesota Weather (Truly The Worst Of Both Worlds) Current Favorite Games: Left 4 Dead, FEAR. 2: Project Origin, Fallout 5, NHL 09, Rock Band 2 Ben >> ben@gameinformer.com Handle: Your Friendly Neighborhood Gamer Expertise: Action/Adventure, Action/RPGs, Platform, Survival Horror, First-Person Shooters Interests: Bringing Down The House By Ben Mezrich (Now I Know How To Destroy Vegas), Doctor Who Season 4, Oddworld Munch's Oddysee (By The Way My Faithful Readers, Joe Hates It. Can You Believe That?) Dislikes: Тасо Bell's Bacon Cheddar Gordita Crunch (Don't Worry | Double Checked, | Really Don't Like It) Current Favorite Games: Fallout 3, Dead Space, Beyond Good & Evil, Mirror's Edge, LocoRoco 2, Left 4 Dead Bryan >> bryan@gameintormer.com Handle: The Gamer's Advocate Expertise: Action/Adventure, RPGs, Survival Horror, First- Person Shooters, Music Interests: Remembering Kevin Larson (1984-2009), The New Lost Season, АВС сот! Episode Player (The Whole Lost Series Is On There For Free In Hi-Def!), Avoiding The Noid, Having A Reliable Girl Scout Cookie Dealer Dislikes: DVRs Crapping Out During The Lost Season Premiere Current Favorite Games: Resident Evil 5, LocoRoco 2, Wanted: Weapons Of Fate, Fable ll, Star Wars: The Force Unleashed, LittleBigPlanet GAMEIN FORMER MARCH 2009 Volume XVIII * Number 3 • Issue 191. PUBLISHER Cathy Preston EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Andrew McNamara EDITORS Executive Editor Andrew Reiner Senior Editor Matt Helgeson Senior Associate Editor Matthew Kato Associate Editors Adam Biessener • Joe Juba • Matt Miller Ben Reeves • Bryan Vore Content Manager Matt Bertz Mascot Arthur PRODUCTION Art Director Thomas Blustin Production Director Curtis Fung Graphic Designer Jeff Akervik CONTRIBUTORS Photographer Sarah Kerver Inter John Ondrey GAME INFORMER ONLINE Online Editor Jeff Cork Media Editor Nick Ahrens. Associate Online Editor Meagan VanBurkleo ADVERTISING SALES MINNEAPOLIS Rob Borm Associate Publisher (612) 486-6155 • Fax: (612) 486-6101 rob@gameinformer.com WEST COAST Damon Watson West Coast Advertising Director (310) 450-3260 • Fax: (310) 450-3571 damon@gameinformer.com Janey Stringer West Coast Advertising Associate (612) 486-6104 * Fax: (612) 486-6101 janey@gameinformer.com EAST COAST Suzanne Lang East Coast Advertising Sales Director (718) 789-0162 * Fax: (612) 4866101 suzanne@gameinformer.com MINNEAPOLIS Ату Amold Advertising Coordinator and Online Sales (612) 4866154 • Fax: (612) 486.6101 amy@gameinformer.com Rachel Nimerfroh Marketing Coordinator (612) 486-6059 • Fax: (612) 486-6101 rachel@gameinformer.com CIRCULATION CUSTOMER SERVICE DEPARTMENT For renewal, address change and Edge card details: Visit: www.gameinformer.com Email: customerservice@gameinformer.com Or send correspondence to: 724 North First St., 3rd Floor Minneapolis, MN 55401 * Attn: CIS Dept For subscription inquiry ONLY: 1 (866) 844-GAME (4263) Circulation Services Ted Katzung * (612) 486-6107 ted@gameinformer.com Information Systems Manager Paul Hedgpeth paulhedgpeth@gameinformer.com In memory of Paul Anderson Manufactured and printed in the United States of America The Editor welcomes company product information for all video games. Such materials should be addressed to: Editor, Game Informer® Magazine, 724 North First St, 4th Foor, Minneapolis, MN 55401. Unsolicited manuscripts cannot be retumed or acknowledged. Entire contents copyright 2008, Game Informer® Magazino. All rights reserved; reproduction in whole (rin pat without permission is prohibited. Game Informer is a trademark ol GameStop, Inc. Products named in these pages are trade names, ог trademarks, of their respective companies. PUBLISHER LIABILITY FOR ERROR The publisher shall not be liable for sight changes ог typographical errors that do not lessen the value of an advertisement The publisher’ labity for other errors or omissions in connection wih an advertisement is limited to repubicaton of the advertisement in any nt issue ог the refund of any monies paid for the advertisement. subseque INDEMNIFICATION The advertiser andior Advertsing Agency agrees to defend and indemnity the publisher against any and ай labity loss, ог expense arising from claims of фе, unfair competion, unfair rade practices, infringement of trademarks, copyrights, trade names, patents, or proprietary rights or violation of rights of privacy, resulting кот the publication of the Advertiser's statement © Member Audit Bureau of Circulations INTRODUCING LIVE WIRE. BODY WASH. MOISTURIZER. STRIPED TOGETHER. IT'S TWO PRODUCTS IN ONE AWESOME PRODUCT. Alcohol Reference Mild Suggestive Themes Violence CAPCOM U.S.A, INC. 2008, 2009 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. Street Fighter is a registered trademark of CAPCOM U.S.A., INC. CAPCOM and the CAPCOM LOGO are registered trademarks of CAPCOM CO., LTD. “PlayStation”, "PLAYSTATION" and "PS" Family logo are registered trademarks of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. Microsoft, Xbox, Xbox 360, Xbox LIVE, and the Xbox logos are trademarks of the Microsoft group of companies and are used under license from Microsoft, The ratings icon is a registered trademark of the Entertainment Software Association. All other trademarks are owned by thelr respective owners, one \ BES Tor ЕЗ( GB WINNER Bes Е ) = S v j ps е [Best of E LET'S DO THIS! STREETFIGHTER.COM > CLASSIC MOVES. COOL CHARACTERS. IN A NEW, BIGGER, BADDER STREET FIGHTER: 3 PLAYSTATION 3 Ж) XBOX 360 BOR wt UNSER C 0 N | Ё М | © The “Never Mind The Economy, Here Comes Kratos” Issue cover story features departments GOD OF WAR III uyou see our world-exclusive first reveal of Kratos’ next adventure, it'll be easy to believe in the PlayStation 3 again. This final chapter in the trilogy picks up right after the events of God of Wat 11, and pits.Kratos against bigger and nastier foes than ever. He'll need all of the new itéms and powers in this massive adventure to succeed against his worst odds yet — including the truly gargantuan titans that put make anything to date in gaming-seem puny in comparison. Staff Read the team's latest favorites GI Spy Silly pictures of our life and times Dear Gl Your chance to fire back at us! Connect Where news, talk, and technology collide Impulse Your guide to the world of downloadable games 12 GAME INFORMER ed Nobody likes to sit through 20 minutes of scrolling text to see if there’s a hid- den bonus at the end of a game. We dig in and try to figure out why video game credit sequences have gotten so out of control. Interview Dave Shippy, vice president of Intrisity and one of the core designers behind the CPUs of all three current consoles, gives his thoughts on video game hardware Gear Geeky gadget stuff for the masses Calendar Get hip to this month’s happenings Previews 2009 already looks awesome, and we have the previews of Resident Evil 5, GTA IV: The Lost and Damned, and Briital Legend to prove it 3e We decipher reams of arcane tech- nobabble and high-minded rhetoric to find out what the state of 3D technology is, and what it means to gamers. You may be surprised to learn that the future is closer than you think. Reviews Game of the Month: Street Fighter IV for PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 Charts Retail Sales Data and the Gl editors’ Top 10 Games Secret Access Codes, strategies, and passwords Classic Gl Reliving gaming's greatest moments Online See what's happening at Game Informer Online Game Over The end...or is it? GAME INDEX GAME PAGE # Afro Запа, „анааан 84 ArGRiSe:FarifaslB:z «sua iani rapa enn 64 Blue Dragon РіЦ5,....................... 95 Boing! Docomodake Brütal Legend. ................ 58 Burnout Paradise: The Ultimate Box . . Champions Online ....................... 76 Deadly Стеайшгес......................... 87 Dragon Quest V: Hand of the Heavenly Bride . 94 Drakensang: The Dark Еуе................. 92 Empire: Total Wet «cc 223 ctor ocn 70 FEAR. 2: ProjectiOrigln.i. uote 85 Grand Theft Auto IV: The Lost and Damned. . . 56 Guitar Hero: Modern HitS.................. 78 FEM srt bein ola СИНЕН 67 Halo Mas; ае oca te seio seres 88 Henry Hatsworth in the Puzzling Adventure... 71 их ЖАЛКА ГҮЛ Г ҮТ 60 КОЕ азана ера dotate esae 86 KONG узшу киши NA араван а 72 egacy of Ys: Books | & 11................... 95 аз үа A us ha wire iic n 94 Lord of the Rings: Conquest, The. ШЦ И i ааа E Major League Baseball 2K9 ................ 75 Marble Saga: Kororinpa .................. 87 Mario & Luigi RPG 3...................... 79 МИИ «s.s ce ЗҮ SESSA 79 MLE OS: The Show... ылыы» жэ. sanns 74 My World My \Мау........................ 95 New Play Control Pikmin .................. 73 Phantasy Stare. Mian Eu uo ket eee te 78 ТӨШ РЁ «iso a ehe 62 Rae: О, ыу» эдин e RR iade 89 Resident VIS... arias slate rir nets ‚54 Rhythm Heaven aac. ыс аши куа» een 75 Star Ocean: The Last Норе................. 90 КЕШ. аа Н КОЛЛЫК УЛУ 89 Street аегына 82 TMNT: Smas 279. TrackMania DS...... UFC 2009 Undisputed . . ‚69 Valkyrie Profile: Covenant of the Plume ...... n Wanted: Weapons of Fate.................. 66 Warhammer 40K: Dawn of War 11........... 91 Watchmen: The End Is Nigh.............. . 67 WWE Legends of WrestleMania............. 68 MATURE 17+ Blood and Gore Intense Violence Language CONTENT RATED BY ESRB SICK TO DEATH OF MUSIC GAMES? 14 GAME INFORMER Candid Photos From The Seedy Underbelly Of The Video Game Industry 1 Ben “Big in Atlanta” Reeves and AOL Games’ Robin Yang compare glasses of...apple juice...delicious, nutritious apple juice 2 Sony Online's Katie Hanson makes the nightlife scene at the annual CES convention with Capcom's Chris Kramer 3 EA's resident musical/ PR genius Pete Nguyen hangs with the best looking man in video games, Will O'Neal 4 A stylish Bertz steps his hat game up and parties down with Namco’s Melody Ann Pfeiffer 5 Matt shows Southpeak's Aubrey Norris and Sandbox Strat's John Kopp the prize of the Game Informer offices, Creepy Robotic Metal Parrot™ 6 Kotaku's Michael McWhertor keeps it gully with 47 Communication's Sibel Sunar 7 Ben and Bryan get their minds blown by 3D gaming, courtesy of Nvidia's Nick Stam and Bryan Del Rizzo 8 SOE's Courtney Simmons hangs with AOL's Libe Goad and CNET's Dan Ackerman 9 It's an international bro-down in the GI lobby with Sega America's Denny Chiu, Sega Australia’s Vispi Bhopti, Creative Assembly UK's Kieran Brigden, Sega Europe's Wouter Van Vugt, and Sega America's Elvin Gee “My Most Anticipated r DS Game Ever" — MTVNews.com GAMING & PUZZLE P I Introducing Henry Hatsworth In The Puzzling Adventure" – Explore 38 levels in 8 exotic worlds with interconnected action-adventure and addictive-puzzle gameplay. IN STORES ат EE MARCH! EVERYONE A NINTEND = DS. www.HenryHatsworth.com ESRB CONTENT RATING mmm © 2008 Electronic Arts Inc. EA, the EA logo and Henry Hatsworth in the Puzzling Adventure!" are trademarks or registered trademarks of Electronic Arts Inc. in the БЛ} | U.S. and/or other countries. All Rights Reserved. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners. Nintendo DS is a trademark of Nintendo. © 2006 Sounds Good | wanted to say how great it is to see the Sound Check column included in the Connect section of your magazine. Being a professional composer/sound designer who made the change from amateur to freelance to finally in-house three years ago, | can vouch for how inspirational and useful these kinds of interviews and spots can be. Nathan Madsen via email We're glad you liked it, Nathan. Music is a facet of video games that is often overshadowed by flashier elements, but it remains a core component of the expe- rience. Sound Check doesn't run in every issue, but alongside recurring features like Interview, Art, and Afterwords, we try to inject perspectives that explore the many aspects of gaming as a hobby and a profession. Cut Some Slack In your last Dear Gl, you printed a letter from a boy named Matteo having problems in WoW. He was being kicked out of par- ties, ignored, and so forth. | don't agree with your response, where you basically assumed he did something to deserve it. There are too many stories, with too many | recently finished Fable Il, and | was kind of disappointed that there wasn't a final boss in the game. Fable isn’t the only recent game that does this; Fallout 3, Halo 3, and Gears of War 2 all could have had amazing last bat- tles, but instead they just have waves of wimpy enemies. Ryne Riesterer via email situations and too many emotions run- ning rampant for you to just make those assumptions. Just like | have no right to assume he didn't do anything wrong. Who knows, right? Anonymous via email Some important details were conspicu- ously absent from Matteo's letter (mainly regarding the reason he was shunned), but you're right. The anonymity of the Internet gives people the ability to act like jerks for no reason, and there are proba- bly more gamers who exercise that ability than we'd like to admit. Users being mis- treated in any online game should notify the proper administrators — just remem- ber that every little in-game spat doesn't necessarily qualify as a flagrant violation of the End User License Agreement. That Voice! I'm not saying that they actually are the same person, but it seems to me that the voices of Reaver from Fable Il and the nar- rator from LittleBigPlanet are the same. Can you hear a resemblance? A. Ballard via email You know the old saying: “Voices dif- This trend is not a good one. The most disappointing thing about the games you mention is that each one sets the expec- tation for an epic battle. Through the storytelling, players are led to believe that the showdowns against the likes of Lord Lucien and Colonel Autumn will be the culmination of all their hard work. Instead, the battles are anticlimactic duds. Depriving gamers of the satisfac- tion of a final encounter just leaves everyone feeling cheated. Games should end with a bang, not with an unceremo- nious fizzle-out. ferent, makes no difference. Voices alike, it's Stephen Fry.’ Okay, that's not really an old saying, but both roles are performed by British actor Stephen Fry. He has been in films like A Fish Called Wanda and V for Vendetta. Oh, who are we kidding? You saw him in Thunderpants. Larster п your interview with Lars Ulrich in your Guitar Hero: Metallica coverage, he says hat when Guitar Hero Ill came out, he called Activision and asked for a copy. Isn't that kind of a double standard? He is one of the most vocal opponents of free music. Yet, his first response was to get — but not ay for — a copy of the game with one of his songs on it. Don't the makers of the game and the rest of the artists with songs on it deserve to be paid, Lars? Didn't you just steal their music? Pernell Marshall via email Your interview with Lars Ulrich made me mad. He asked for a free copy of Guitar Hero III? Remember when he started a fight with Napster because the little people were stealing his music? But, oh no, heaven forbid Lars Ulrich pay for a video game. | called Activision and asked for my own free copy of Guitar Hero and they told me to stick it. Weird, huh? Eighn Cullinane via email Good catch, gentlemen. Of course, you're splitting ethical hairs with a man who has consumed multiple bottles of wine while auctioning off fine art for millions of dollars. The lesson is, um, when you're famous...you can do whatever you want? The Numbers Guy just received the February Issue, with your Тор 50 of the 2008 feature, and was com- pletely confused by your choice of Game of the Year, so | decided to do some math. took each editor's top 10, and assigned points to each title (10 for number one, 9 or two, etc). The clear overall winner by a andslide was Fallout 5. Your Top Five, accord- ing to this equation, broke down like this: Fallout 3 (57 points), Metal Gear Solid 4 (44 points), LittleBigPlanet (43 points), Braid (41 points), and Rock Band 2 (41 points). GTA IV was seventh, scoring only 36 points. Explain! Sean Raleigh, NC Every year we get a few letters like this, and the explanation is pretty simple. You can stack the numbers however you want, Send your comments to Game Informer. Snail Mail: Game Informer Magazine • Attn: Dear GI • 724 North First St., 4th Floor e Minneapolis, MN 55401 Email: deargi@gameinformer.com 16 GAME INFORMER GI co M MU М ITY Game Informer has a thriving online community, and this is where they can sound off about issues facing the gaming industry today THE QUESTION: What is the worst video game-based movie you have seen? Doesn't get a whole lot worse than Super Mario Bros. It didn't even resemble the game in any meaningful way (although Princess Toadstool was hot). Dennis Hopper had perhaps the dumbest hairstyle of anybody, anywhere, at any time in that film, Halbred tis a huge tragedy that the great actor Raul Julia's last movie was Street Fighter: The Movie. What's an even bigger tragedy is | got a VHS copy of Street Fighter: The Movie for my birthday instead of The Street Fighter staring Sonny Chiba. not a bumblebee Resident Evil: Apocalypse is pretty awful, unless you watch it on basic cable. Then the awkward censoring gives it a life of its own: "That big motivator's got a rocket launcher!" ThelnvisMan Postal. Although it is the only video game movie | saw, it was in fact the worst movie | have seen in my entire life. It is nothing more than failed Political satire and a whole bunch of urinating. Animan Of WoW Spliced in scenes from the games, a party with a ton of girls, and even the lovable mug of Clint Howard couldn't save House of the Dead from being the flop that it was. SmackeyTheFrog The worst video game movie that | have seen is Dead or Alive. This movie was awful, with its terrible story and acting. The actors playing the characters didn't even fit them at all! датег009 Bloodrayne. That is all. bpfx2 16 Do you want to make your voice heard? Weigh in with your opinion at www.gameinformer.comy/forums 22 “an аро {ип racer, with a highly original twist..." - -— — Official Nintendo gazine, Oct. 2008 p DS is the | st heart-pounding, stunt-filled racing game ever to burn rubber on the Nintendo 051“! Challenge up to 4 players locally or up to 8 in Hotseat Mode Over 100 tracks loaded 2 €! و‎ a жор 5, y More than 300 unique pieces " ; let you createyshare, апа гасе ТЕ, nf У Available fi Visit: www.atlus.com/trackmat Ч à Voss End ett à o ^ fine retailers: power to the players: HOME INTERACTIVE NINPENDET 3S: us firebrand AN E Visit www.esrb.org for ratings information. WWW.ATLUS.COM © 2008-2009 Nadeo and Focus Home Interactive. All rights reserved. TrackMania, Nadeo, Focus Home Interactive and their logos are marks or trademarks of Nadeo and/or Focus Home Intera All other copyrights or trademarks are the propriety of their respective owners. Developed by Firebrand Games Limited. Licensed to and published in North America by Atlus U.S.A., Inc. Nintendo and the Nintendo DS logo are trademarks of Nintendo. € 2006 Nintendo. The ratings icon is a trademark of the Entertainment Software Association. but Grand Theft Auto IV scored a 10 in the main review and a 10 in the second opin- ion. As the highest scoring game of 2008, it was awarded Game of the Year. The editor's personal lists, on the other hand, аге not related to how a game scored – they just represent the games we played and enjoyed individually. The Lone Gamer What's with all these new games being made with so much attention to co-op campaigns and multiplayer? Left 4 Dead, Resistance 2, Call of Duty: World at War — (©) they all are apparently better in co-op or multiplayer. As an offline gamer, am | to be left out of the best content my favorite JOSE DIAZ Send to: games have to offer? I'm afraid that soon It isn't often that Link Game Informer games will be entirely multiplayer, with a ы клы ш two-hour campaign that has no story or con- looks this awesome. vsum tent. l've always been a bigger fan of single- He's not even wearing 724 Ist St. №, player than anything else — please tell me there's hope for my gaming future. 4th Floor pajamas! Mpls, MN 55401 Luke Garber via email There is hope for your gaming future. Enter Gamers are enjoying online play in greater d : numbers, but that doesn't indicate an fe a e | | 1 3 m industry-wide migration to exclusively Ee РО АЙ б ОЛ multiplayer titles. Developers will con- a [ | ЖЕШИН а Шеше tinue to make single-player games. Online E j ас options don't negate excellent offline content, they just provide a more social avenue of gameplay, with an emphasis on competition and teamwork. Those features © | SAHRA GIERTZ @ | JACOB HOUSER 't ily better, ially if 8 ede playing, Бу ан г Е е | It's the witch! Run, you fools! Run! Someone's about to get Scorpwned gamers have more options in front of them than ever before: plenty of great systems, a wide selection of games, and numerous genres to fit any taste. Online games only represent a portion of that whole. Every Time | noticed how on your Sonic Unleashed review you pointed how the major downfall of the game was the Werehog levels, with their bulky, repetitive, and slow gameplay style, but nevertheless how does that mean the whole game itself deserves a 6.5? That's below average! The least you could've done was round it up to a 7. But a 6? That is an amateur rating for professional game review- ers like you. | say this with all do respect, please don't take offense. pli (© | MELINDA HALL © | JOSEPH TREVINO 5 А Hope you've got some red blocks on After he killed the Sun, Mega Man Oh, don't worry. We stopped being hand. You're gonna need them absorbed its power: being the Sun offended by upset Sonic fans a long time ago. We've just seen the pattern too many times: A new Sonic game comes out, it isn't very good, and Sonic fans write half- defending/half-conceding letters. It's just lost all impact at this point. ттт San mT TT REINS @ | NOAH SUMMERS That dude from Marathon is popu- larly known as the Marathon man 18 GAME INFORMER * qe X PN. OF GAS, LOW GN BULLETS ` AND THESE FREAKS WANT TO STEAL NY RIDE TO WORSHIP. Ш as A 580 4 и = m АШ ТИГР кз, f E \ i а = = dO ORE С. A x > ы PAS EY = Айы 2 „ May contain content FALLEN EARTH © 2009 FALLEN EARTH, For information on free stuff, contests, live dev chats and more, visit inappropriate for children. Inc. All Rights Reserved. FALLEN EARTH = — | Visit www.esrb.org for DVD-ROM i û trademark or registered trademark of | A ICARUS rating information. FALLEN EARTH in the U.S. and other A " N 25 f [SOFTWARE countries, and is used with permission. CONNECT OPEN HOUSE SONY OPENS HOME BETA’S DOORS TO THE PUBLIC After the initial download and character customiza- tion run-through, you're dropped into your private Harbor Studio space. In the Home mall you can also purchase the Summer House for $4.99 if you want. You can use this space to host friends, but for now there are no video or photo viewing capabilities. Feel free, however, to rearrange your furniture. OUT AND ABOUT Home features a handful of spaces where you can meet people or, in some cases, play arcade minigames. Unfortunately, each space must be downloaded the first time you enter it. This will be required whenever Sony makes significant upgrades to Home. You can, however, queue these downloads in the background. Wr One aggravating feature is that you have to wait in line to use arcade or parlor games 20 GAME INFORMER CENTRAL PLAZA - This is the main com- mon area from which you can get to other locations like the bowling alley and the theater. One corner features a listening sta- tion where you can vote on tracks to hear, and the plaza's big screen hosted a Capcom Resident Evil Degeneration quiz for an exclusive t-shirt for your avatar. Breaking News, Views, And Technology From The Cutting Edge Of Gaming Sony's PlayStation Home social network open beta finally start- ed, and we've recently spent some time with it. While showing plenty of promise, there aren't a lot of interesting things to do yet in the service. Here's a rundown of the what's going on and what's coming up. MALL — Here's where — you guessed it — you buy stuff. Home features some free clothes and items, but you can also spend $1.99 for shirts at the Diesel store or get a table from European home fumishings store Ligne Roset for the same price. There is a chess game on the upper level if you're looking for less materialistic pursuits. Areas like the Far Cry 2 game space must be downloaded before they can be visited You can cover your walls with free wallpaper, buy furniture, or even buy a new place UNCHARTED GAME SPACE — Featuring Sully's Bar, this game-themed area contains three rooms that were initially locked until the Home community solved the puzzles to open them. The artifact and film rooms upstairs let you look at art and items from the game, as does the Smuggler's Den downstairs. The bar also includes cabinets of the Naughty Dog-made game called Mercenary Madness. pad) or choose froi text. You can also pi gestures, including di dancing options ARCADE GAMES Here's a list of the arcade cabinets in Home so far, apart from the standard games available (like pool, chess, and bowling). Arcade games like Ice Breaker and Echochrome even deliver Home apparel prizes for good scores. CARRIAGE RETURN — A puzzle game like а two-sided Tetris where you have to stack sets of three color-coded carriages into rail cars. ECHOCHROME — This is a simplified, three-level version of the PSP/PSN title. MERCENARY MADNESS — This blocky, 8-bit side-scroller features simple platform- ing and gun-shooting mechanics. ICE BREAKER - It's like Breakout with à few power-ups. BOWLING ALLEY – Apart from featuring bowling, this area also has three arcade games (Echochrome, Ice Breaker, and Carriage Return) as well as pool tables. RED BULL AIR RACE — Here you can play the Red Bull Air Race World Series flight game and post your best time. FAR CRY 2 GAME SPACE - The train sta- tion section contains a count-and-capture mancala game, while Rubin's office features an interactive map for Far Cry 2. connect STRANGERS & FRIENDS YOU HAVEN'T MET YET The social aspect of Home is one thing the service's director Jack Buser says has been a success. Buser says that gamers are using Home to find new people to play online games with instead of just populating their friends' list with people they know. It wouldn't be an online space without some grief, and Home's open social interaction certainly exposes you to some jerks. Interacting with others is up to you, and your desire to do so will go a long way to deter- mining how interesting Home is to you. If you want to make things more exclusive, you can start or join a club. Unfortunately, starting one will cost you a one-time fee of $4.99, followed by a monthly upkeep charge to be determined at the end of March. For this you'll get a Clubhouse location where up to 52 members can meet in private. THE WAITING GAME Sony carefully clarified that at this point Home is considered a work-in- progress beta open to the public. However, Home director Jack Buser doesn't anticipate the service having a set-in-stone grand opening when the beta training wheels are officially taken off. Instead, we can expect new features and fixes to roll out on a continual basis. One aspect of Home that perfectly symbolizes this in-flux state is the fact that to play any of Home's minigames you have to physically wait in line at the finite virtual representations of the arcade games in order to play. Buser said this kind of logjam simply didn't happen in the closed beta, so Sony didn't anticipate it being a problem. However, Buser promises that these kinds of kinks will be worked out in the future. "You're going to see us bring more minigames that can accommodate more people. You're going to see more minigames in general.” The trophy case, being able to post photos or stream music from your hard drive, and other promised features are still on their way, and should help the service fulfill people’s expectations. Buser says that the Home team is listen- ing carefully to the Home community to see what it wants and what it thinks needs to be fixed. In general, Sony plans to roll out more contests, tournaments, events, exclusive content, and even opportunities to meet and talk to famous people via Home. More interaction between the service and games is also on tap. Buser tells us that Home will feed off your game save data and that there will be things you do in a game that will unlock things in Home and vice versa. “What you see now is only the tiniest fraction of where we're going to be moving towards the end of the year.” à FIFA 09 FIFA 09 ; Te: HE eme | "i. m The EA Sports arena will feature a bunch of different sports minigames, including poker, an F1 driving course, basketball court, and a golf driving range. Sony's Home director Jack Buser expects such multi-game or franchise-based game spaces to grow in the future GAME INFORMER 21 AS EARTH FALLS, A NEW BREED or HERO ARISES. Alcohol Reference Fantasy Violence Mild Language Suggestive Themes T LAS TAOS, NA.SQUARE-ENIX.COM/STAROCEAN 1 D. ES U tri-Ace SQUARE ENIX. © SQUARE ENIX CO., LTD. All Rights Reserved. Developed by tri-Ace Inc. SQUARE ENIX and the SQUARE ENIX logo are registered trademarks or trademarks of Square Enix Holdings Co., Ltd. STAR OCEAN and THE LAST HOPE are registered trademarks or trademarks of . Square Enix Co., Ltd. Microspft, Xbox, Xbox 360, Xbox LIVE; and the Xbox logos are trademarks of the Microsoft group of companies and are used under license from Microsoft. The ESRB rating icon is a registered trademark of the Entertainment Software Association. $^ connect You just finished wiping out remnants of the Covenant and Flood forces, only to see Master Chief make the ultimate sacrifice to save the human race. Halo 3 is over, Master Chief is dead, and the credits start roll- ing. Game over, right? That's what many players thought, until their friends who were patient enough to sit through the credits told them of a new beacon of hope deliv- ered through the post-credit cutscene that clearly shows that Master Chief survived the shipwreck. п E id nie», Pedestrian ç dialogu ichael U rego о o EU nford ER Qce Vincent ens III 'eld àn ышта now reaching into the realm of biak ading to black and rolling the credits no longer means the show is over. If anything, it now tells theatergoers and gamers to sit tight, hold the bladder for a few minutes longer, and prepare for some bonus footage. Some movies and games effectively use the lengthy credits scroll to establish the passing of time in their stories. For instance, the underap- preciated PlayStation 2 adventure ICO con- cluded with a heartfelt goodbye. Had gamers turned the game off then, they never would have seen the post-credit reveal of true love being reunited. All that crying was for naught. Conversely, Gears of War 2 uses the time divide provided by the credits scroll to tease the plot of Gears of War 3 — a reveal that would have been out of place if it were incorporated into the Gears of War 2 story. Credits are also used to deliver light-hearted content, such as Marvel Ultimate Alliance's super hero prank calls, The Movies’ home videos, and Freddy Pharkas' character outtakes. Call of Duty 4's credits show us that lead ani- mator Mark Grigsby has talents outside of creat- ing realistic grenade throwing animations. The game's credits sequence is accompanied by a Grigsby rap that paints the game in a new light with lines like, “Sgt Griggs reporting for duty/ Some say this belong in a movie/ But this the third installment of Infinity Ward sh--/ Don't soil your drawers, because it's deep and it's hard, bi—" This amusing rap was just a primer for the best post-credit reward of all — a bonus level of high-altitude excitement. Just knowing that there's a possibility of an additional level, new cutscenes, or a sequel tease has most gamers sticking around to pay their respects to the people who make the games. But how much time are we willing to devote to the outside chance of there being bonus material? As the technology in games improves, credits sequences seemingly get longer as more names are added to the scroll. Many credits running times are the absurd. You can watch an episode of The Office in the time it takes Resistance 2's cred- its to conclude, and several credit scrolls in Xbox 360 games activate the system's built-in screen dimming functionality, triggered by an inactivity timer. ls it unfair to suggest that gamers in the United States shouldn't need to sit through 20 territories worth of localization credits? Do we need to know the publisher's entire corporate structure? Gears of War 2's lead designer Cliff Bleszinski believes that the potential problem of credit length could be solved by developers separating the names into primary and second- ary lists. "Hollywood studios have dealt with the issue of billing for years now,” he says, "and we're starting to sort through these issues as we grow. My advice would be to make sure that game developers are listed primarily fol- lowed by contractors and then publishing part- ners." Bleszinski's proposed "secondary" credits may not make the cut for the game, but could conceivably still find life in the game's manual. Newsweek's N'Gai Croal adamantly believes credits shouldn't be cut just to save the gamer a few minutes of his or her day. "I don't think that credits getting longer and longer is a prob- lem," Croal says. "The first and most important function of credits is to acknowledge everyone who worked on the game. Credits should be as long as they need to be in order to perform that function" Selective or all-inclusive recognition may not be the answer. Maybe game developers should ask themselves the question: why are video game credits mimicking motion picture credits? Interactive mediums allow players to absorb action and storytelling in different ways than cinema allows, and this unique experience translates well into credit sequences. "Video game credits should be interactive," Croal says. "That would persuade more people to view them rather than skip them, and it provides another level of gameplay" Super Smash Bros. and Guitar Hero both embrace this idea with playable credits sequences. The only draw- UARD 2 GI OPINION Whether we like it or not, the possibility of hidden con- tent makes watching credits a necessity. If developers intend on hiding content at the end, there's no reason credits shouldn't be enter- taining. The Oscars cut off long acceptance speeches, and the same should hap- pen to game credits. Rather than rolling our eyes the next time we hear, "Make sure you watch the cred- its," developers need to find new approaches that make us say, "Don't worry. | wouldn't miss them.’ A more simple solution could be a collective agreement between all developers to not hide anything after the credits. If this impossibility ever came to fruition, you could watch them if you wanted to, or skip them without the fear of missing something.— REINER PHILIPPE CATOIRE ; ING KING back is from the creator's perspective; gamers likely can't read more than a few names while DragonForce's "Through the Fire and Flames" is kicking their asses up and down the fret board. Critics praised the recently released Prince of Persia on numerous fronts, but one area that deserved mentioned was its handling of credits. Players retain control of the Prince, but rather than bouncing off of walls and flip- ping across caverns; his acrobatic prowess has been reduced to a slow shuffling of feet. As the Prince inches forward, the credits begin to roll on the side. The action is subdued to a point that players can soak in the name of each contributor, and the action isn’t second- ary, as there is still a goal to complete. The PlayStation Network title Flow also strikes a balance in maintaining gameplay and readable acknowledgements. Obviously, not every story is geared for a playable credits sequence. Croal points out, "As the cost of game development contin- ues to rise, | suspect that a lot of publishers and developers will find it hard to justify the expense of creating a separate playable level solely for the purpose of having an interactive credits sequence.’ The interaction can be as simple as manual control over the speed of the credits scroll — something Star Wars: The Force Unleashed offers. If you want to take the time to memorize every programmer's name, you could pause the scroll. If you just want to get through them in a minute or two, hold down the analog stick to make them fly by at a breezy clip. But does the credit acknowledgement always have to be after a game's conclusion? Books and magazines get the names out of the way before you reach any content. Games could do the same. “This is certainly an interesting option that must be figured out on a case-by-case basis,” Bleszinski says. “GTA IV's in-world open- ing credits were very compelling and well done, and I'd like to see more developers taking this sort of risk when appropriate.’ IM IN IN FREDERIC CERDAL JULIETTE Wow GERARD DESSALLES EMMANUEL GRADE MARTIAL LE MING DEBORAH PERRET PHILIPPE ROULLIER NATHALIE SPIT SERGE THIRIET PINE MARIE ZIDI : FLIKA vs ITALIAN VERSION BY ME ү | SYNTHESIS INTERNATIONAL SRL PROJECT MANAGEMENT LEONARDO GAJO g TRANSLATION AN DAD APTA ION PIETTRO DATT& A GAME INFORMER 25 2° connect DATA FILE More News You Can Use CAPCOM INKS U.K. MMO DEV Capcom signed a development deal with U.K.'s Monumental Games for a multi-platform game scheduled for release later this year. Monumental has already done back-end work in the MMO space. UBISOFT'S FRANCHISE FARM Ubisoft CEO Yves Guillemot revealed that through March 2010 the company will release “seven franchise titles." Guillemot went on to mention four of them: Assassin's Creed 2, Splinter Cell Conviction, Red Steel 2, and a Ghost Recon title. Splinter Celt Conviction MORE SPORE SPAWNED The Spore franchise is evolving with three new titles: Spore Hero (Wii, fall), Spore Hero Arena (0S, fall), and Spore Creature Keeper (PC, no telease date). Spore Hero features more of an adventure bent, Hero Arena sounds like a Pokémon-influenced title, and Creature Keeper is aimed at the younger audience. SONY AND MICROSOFT FEEL THE PINCH Both Sony and Microsoft have admitted that they are going to have to scale back in the face of the current world economy. While Sony is cutting back in а variety of areas, it appears as of the time of this writing that the video game portion of its business will not see any dramatic changes. Microsoft, meanwhile, is cutting 5,000 jobs over the next 18 months, with the bulk of them reportedly coming from the Entertainment and Devices division, which is responsible for the Zune, Windows Mobile, and the Xbox 360. MASS EFFECT 2 ROLLING OUT We all knew BioWare would be making a Mass Effect 2, and it'll make its first public appearance at the Game Developers Conference in late March. A session featuring the game's level design is on the conference docket. 26 GAME INFORMER THE MOST . DANGEROUS GAME AS RECESSION DEEPENS, GAME PUBLISHERS AND DEVELOPERS FACE TOUGH CHOICES ast year may have been another record year for video game sales (see page 30 for more), but not everyone is celebrating. The dark side to the industry's success is that 2008 was also a year second project on a tight budget while your team is stretched to the limit trying to finish the current project can be like trying to squeeze blood from a rock" The second project itself often suffers as a result. that saw a significant number of development studios close their doors or be absorbed into larger publisher structures. Scarily, some of these developers were making top-flight games. Is this the new reality or just a cyclical aberration? Iron Lore developed the well-liked PC title Titan Quest for publisher THQ, but that didn't stop them from having to close up shop in 2008. Arthur Bruno, ex-Iron Lore lead design- er (now with Crate Entertainment), tells us that a game's success can unfortunately have little to do with a studio surviving. "Well, 1 think people assume that because a game is good, the developer must have profited from it. This isn't necessarily the case. When an independent studio signs a publishing deal, they're taking advances on royalties to cover the cost of development. Depending on how the development deal was structured, the publisher may have to earn back the cost of development and marketing before the developer receives any royalty payments. With the average full-scale console or PC title now costing around $14 million to develop, plus additional marketing expenses, a game could potentially sell a million copies without the developer earning any royalties.” Bruno explains that due to the time that elapses between when a project ends and when royalty payments — if any – аге finally paid out, how a developer transitions between two projects can mean life or death. Perhaps they're burrowing into potential profit, cash reserves, or an upcoming advance just to retain staff members before the next project gets off the ground. Bruno says that trying to juggle multiple projects can simply be too much. "Trying to put together a proposal for a Business isn't about fair compe- tition. You don't get a handicap for being small and poor. - Former Iron Lore lead designer Arthur Bruno Wedbush Morgan Securities analyst Michael Pachter believes this rash of studio closures would have hap- pened with or without the current economic recession. He points to companies such as EA and THQ and their failed efforts to grow their business by putting out more titles as one part of the reason why we're seeing the con- traction of some developers. Overall, Pachter believes that this will force snake-bitten publishers to take fewer chances and simply make fewer games. "The econom- ics of publishing are now to the point where it doesn't make sense even to outsource a game - the reward is just not great enough, so you just don't make it” This trend has already started — this year companies like Sony and EA announced the closure of both announced and unannounced projects. Moreover, Pachter thinks that things will get worse before they can get better. “Fewer overall games means less internal development, and that means consolidating studios, closing studios, and letting people go” This is something Halo Wars’ Ensemble Studios has already experienced (see page 88 for our review). Microsoft disbanded Ensemble for financial reasons before the game was even released. Age of Empires’ creator Bruce Shelley of Ensemble posted on his blog that he thought the developer was “immune to shut-down talk” because of the success of the Age of Empires series and that the team was prof- itable. “We thought we were among the best studios in the world, and that may be true, but we don't fit in the future plans of MGS [Microsoft Game Studios] as an internal studio, so we're out.” PINK SLIP BLUES It's been a rough year for many studios. Below is a sample of some of the developers that have closed their doors. ENSEMBLE (Halo Wars) Ensemble head Tony Goodman is starting a new independent studio which indudes former Ensemble employees. EA BLACK BOX (Need for Speed) Black Box's projects and some employees were brought internal to EA Canada. As many as 200 employees lost jobs during the restructuring. FREE RADICAL (TimeSplitters, Star Wars: Battlefront Ш) See page 34 for more. FACTOR 5 (Lair) IRON LORE (Titan Quest) Ex-Iron Lore members just started Crate Entertainment. They are shopping an Xbox. 360 action game titled Black Legion. PARADIGM (Stuntman: Ignition) MIDWAY AUSTIN (BlackSite: Area 51) STORMFRONT (The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers) PERPETUAL ENTERTAINMENT (Star Trek Online) Perpetual originally was handling the Star Trek MMO before it changed hands to current developer Cryptic. Perpetual was also working оп Gods & Heroes. PSEUDO INTERACTIVE (Full Auto Franchise) К з QUEM Am SUN COURS — eo T L М LEAD WITH RIGHTEOUS FURY. Í 4d. YA A NVIDIA WWW.DAWNOFWAR2.COM Blood and Gore Violence Warhammer 40,000: f f до, GW, Games Workshop, the Games Workshop logo, Space Marine, 40K, Warhammer, Warhammer 40,000 Device, the Double-headed Eagle device and all associated тап ү gnia/devices/logos, 3 с s units and unit insignia, characters, products, illustrations and images from the Dawn of War Il game and the Warhammer 40,000 universe are either ©, TM an s ably registeret K orld, and used under license. All Rights Reserved. Developed by Relic Entertainment. NVIDIA, the NVIDIA logo, GeForce and “The Way It's Meant to Played" logo e t and their respective logos are marks and/or registered trademarks of THO Inc. All rights reserved. All other trademarks, logos and art button are trademarks of the Microsoft group of companies, and ‘Games for Windows’ and the Windows Vista Start button logo are used under license from Microsoft. for Windows IVE 8%: connect THE GOOD, THE BAD, THE UGLY When You Want Your News Categorized With A Sarcastic Editorial Spin Tomb Raider: Underworld отїп up with som s faster and prettier to be sufficient. * г – Robbie Bach, president for Microsoft's entertainment and devices division, on the The White House has become the House of Wii. First daughters Sasha and Malia Obama got a Wi for Christmas, and now it's hooked up in the White House. Luckily for him, the president says his bowling score in Wii Sports is better in the game than it is in real life. next console generation - Japanese publisher AQ Interactive have cancelled the Xbox 360 RPG Cry On. The game was being developed by Blue Dragon and Lost Odyssey development studio Mistwalker — featuring Final Fantasy creator Hironobu Sakaguchi. Dublin's Jolt Online Gaming is bringing back the text-based adventure Zork in Legends of Zork. This title is a persistent browser-based game where you'll explore the Great Underground Empire for loot. A release date for Legends of Zork has yet to. be announced. Electronic Arts has put Command & Conquer Red Alert 3 for the PS3 back on the map. The Ultimate Edition of the game will appear exclusively for the system in March. This version of Red Alert 3 features bonus content, better graphics, and an unspecified promise of improved performance. EA Partners agreed to distribute newcomer Red Eagle Games’ line of titles (including an MMO) based on of Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time book series. Red Eagle's entertainment wing also plans on producing films based on the franchise. The series’ final book, A Memory of Light, is expected to come out this fall by Brandon Sanderson based on notes from the original author, the late Robert Jordan. 28 GAME INFORMER CROFT'S MAKEOVER EIDOS MULLS SERIES CHANGES ara Croft is famous the world over, but Lara as we know her may never be the same again. “We need to look at everything as we develop the next game,” says Eidos CFO Robert Brent. Brent attributes the oncoming change to worse-than-expected sales of Tomb Raider: Underworld, which reportedly sold 1.5 million copies worldwide in its first six weeks on sale. According to U.K's The Times, this is half a million fewer units and over $25 million dollars less than what was expected. Brent points to waning interest in the adventurer's exploits in the U.S. as the culprit. "Europe was fine, but America was not as anticipated. You would nor- mally expect Tomb Raider sales to be split half and half between Europe and North America, but this time America was considerably below that” Eidos is reportedly considering changing Lara's curvaceous look to apparently make her more friendly to female gamers, as well as changing the gameplay. We contacted Eidos for confirmation on this point, but received no reply as we went to print. Ironically, it is Lara's last makeover — when the series was handed over to Crystal Dynamics (Legacy of Kain) for Tomb Raider Legend – which helped resurrect her in the video game realm. Legend sold over three million units worldwide. 2531: UNSC MILITARY TRANSMISSION FROM THE PLANET HARVEST ° <<>> on your phone, SNAP this tag Mild Blood Mild Language Violence XBOX Э Get the free app for your Live, Microsoft ° xBOX.COM/HALO phone at http://gettag.mobi санайды: ГНЕ ҮЕАВ IN L] Console price cuts are often fodder for N U M 5 | RS rumors, and in this month’s installment, industry analyst Michael Pachter takes а stab at not one, but two, price cuts. N Р [) В E L EA E S Pachter believes that the 80GB PS3 will drop $100 in April to $299, with the 60GB "5. eemi YEAR-END TOTALS йоу; Т he economy might not be great, but don't tell the video Nintendo leads the way this year with Wii Play and Mario Kart game industry. Sales tracker The NPD Group released its con- sole sales year-end totals (PC games are a separate list released later), and — no surprise — it was another big year for Nintendo. Even if you exclude Wii Play for being a free pack-in title included when Wii owners buy an extra Wii Remote, Mario Kart and Wii Fit hang tough with Grand Theft Auto IV — whose multi-console sales 1 numbers put it at 5.18 million units sold. |. Nintendo has a patent in the works, Although both Nintendo and Microsoft boast console | which if implemented (many patents exclusive titles in the top 10, Sony was not so lucky. aren't), would take the company's casual Neither LittleBigPlanet nor Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns ша ane ере of the Patriots made it onto the list. | Code, this would be a way for players to М | jump in and out of action within a level Á like the scene-selection option of a DVD. The skipped portions of the game would then be watchable via pre-recorded footage, although you couldn't save after watching these clips. This new. Rank Title Units in Millions mode would also include an in-game Mara BE wii Play with Remote (Wii) 5.28. Ê vario kart wii wii) 5 оз wi Fit (wi) 4.53 а | Super Smash Bros. Brawl (Wii) 4.17 2008 Fast NPD Facts [5] Grand Theft Auto IV (360) 3.29 Total U.S. sales of EN Call of Duty: World at War (360) 2.15 hardware, software, and accessories in 2008: Gears of War 2 (360) BE 2 tilion up 19 BED Grana met auto iv (PS3) 1.89 percent from 2007 го Madden nFL '09 (360) (О > Game software sales in то vario kart (os) 1.65 2008: $10.96 billion - up 26 percent from 2007 *Wii Play is a pack-in title included with the Wii Remote All of Sony's systems sold fewer units in December 2008 than in December 2007 ОМ THE NEXT RO PS2 PS3 PSP J UN INE AR M or "m Over the past year or so we've heard various predictions about the next round of consoles – everything from 2007 1.1 million 798 000 1 06 million rumors that Nintendo wanted to come out of the gate first to the gossip that Microsoft was already talking to 2008 410,000 726,000 1.02 million , , . developers and trying to sketch out the next Xbox. Now, Ubisoft CEO Yves Guillemot says that the company is anticipating the next round of home systems to hit in 2011 or 2012. Speaking on Ubisoft's positioning for the future, Guillemot said, “...we have now enough to help us to grow the company for not only next year but to get ready for the coming of the next generation consoles that are probably going to happen 2011, 2012." ш Grand Theft Auto IV's combined console sales are getting within striking distance of Nintendo Got some insider info? Email us at loosetalk@gameinformer.com and we'll be all ears. Test Your Sight This game, published by Working Designs, is an action- RPG featuring real-time combat for the PlayStation. Released in 1997, it casts you in the role of the titular main character who is a Releaser - a person who can enter people's dreams and free them from their nightmares. Apart from the top-down action, the game also features a number of Zelda-esque puzzles, (Answer on page 34) 30 САМЕ INFORMER Up, Up, Down, | own, Left, Right, Left, Right, B, A, Start Was there any question when you first saw this list that the Konami Code wouldn't be number one? No other code has been influential or popular enough to appear on bum- per stickers and T-shirts. It's also the Sure it's lowdown, rotten, and dirty, but sometímes being a cheater is just plain fun. With the advent of game saves and downloadable con- tent, video game cheat codes have become less prolific, but that doesn't mean they aren't an important part of our industry's history. Here's a list of some of the most important and useful codes that helped us get to that final boss. most utilized code in history. From giving extra power-ups in Gradius to granting extra lives in Contra, the full list of games that support Konami's code runs a hundred deep, and has even expanded into non-Konami titles. AU Н 1 SUI ? Enter Justin Bailey at the Password menu Ё Few codes were as eye-opening as this one. Even though Е Metroid has several different codes — some of which are actually more useful than this one — back in the late ‘80s there was only one that people actually knew about. This code let Samus start the game outside of her suit and with a handful of upgrades. At the story line screen, press: A, B, A, С, A, B, B. Mortal Kombat created such a fuss over violence in video games during the ‘90s that when it hit home consoles the blood had to be hidden behind a code. Nintendo wouldn't allow blood on its console at all, which only helped boost the Genesis sales of the title. In a way this code helped turn the console tide — if only for a time — in Sega's favor. 3 OMG - Doo IDDQD Id wasn't the first developer to use god mode, but it was the company that popularize the invincible state with its iconic first-person shooter. Rumor holds that the ООР stands for one of its programmer's col- lege fraternities (Delta-Q-Delta), a group where each mem- ber would quit a class before receiving an F. 00 ООО НІ, L2, 1, дод Grand Theft Auto III influenced gaming in many meaningful ways, but it also helped carry the tradition of cheat codes into a new console generation. One of the favored pastimes in GTA has always been rack- ing up a high wanted level then running from the feds as they tear apart the city coming after you. The best way to even the score — and add to the chaos — is to hop behind the wheel of the game's heaviest armored vehicle. °, connect n Hedc )2 Enter 1,9,9,2,1,1,2,4 in sound test mode Debug mode was one of the wildest codes we had seen in the early age of the Sega Genesis. No only did it allow you to place any object inside one of Sonic's levels, but you could then play the level to take advantage of your generous redesign. The code also happens to coincide with the game's release date. о Т There is No Cow Level This code was unique in the fact that it was created in response to an internet rumor about a secret cow level in the first Diablo. As the rumor snowballed, Blizzard decided to add an actual cow level to Diablo Il. Before that, they poked fun at the message boards with this instant victory code for the original StarCraft. Jump repeatedly ona Koopa's back Super Mario Bros. was famous for all the hidden secrets it š packed into a level, but there is one special cheat that rises above the others. Ironically it isn't one the developers inten- tionally added. At the end of World 3-1, continually jump on top of a koopa's back as he comes down the stairs and watch the 1-Ups start racking up. = TORIGHT'S MATCH-UP 7 MEY ry e — 10 Enter ARK as your name This arcade phenomenon had a bunch of great codes, such as big head mode and being able to play with your ballers always on fire, but none were more bizarre or amusing as playing as our 42nd president. By entering certain letters at the name select, gamers got to play as Bill Clinton, Hillary Clinton, and Al Gore. Hold right on control- ler number two before jumping to your death Mega Man was already super in our book, but this code turned him into a superman. While holding right on control- ler number two, if Mega Man jumped into a pit he essen- tially became invincible. This cheat also gifts Mega Man with a super high jump and the ability to walk over spikes, mak- ing the rest of the game a cakewalk. GAME INFORMER 31 connect World of Warcraft ccording to Dreamworks Animation CEO Jeffrey Katzenberg, three revolutions have ocurred in the film industry: the introductions of sound, color, and now 3D. Katzenberg stumped for the 3D cause in a worldwide tour in advance of this spring's Monsters vs. Aliens. Starting with this movie, all Dreamworks animated features will be made and released in 3D (Pixar has made a similar vow). But for all of the campaigning to get the industry and the public behind 3D in theaters, he also looks further down the road to 507 further widespread acceptance in the home, proclaiming that “3D in the home will be led by gamers” James Cameron, director of the blockbusters The Terminator, Aliens, and Titanic, has been beating the 3D drum for years with his long-in-production epic, Avatar. He, too, is championing video games as the next level in 3D, calling them “the ultimate immersive media.’ He adds that the Ubisoft-developed game based on Avatar is already running in 3D on standard Xbox 360 development kits. Despite all of this talk about the 3D future of gaming, many PC gamers have been playing in 3D for quite some time. “In the news, 3D is talked about like it was just invented yesterday, but in practice it's been around in gam- ing at least for well over 10 years," says Neil Schneider, CEO of Meant to be Seen, a 3D gaming advocacy organization. For years, graphics vendor Nvidia has offered drivers that automatically create the illusion of depth on most games, and are compatible with a wide variety of specialized moni- tors and glasses. In its most basic sense, simulated 3D is made pos- sible by layering two slightly different images (one from 32 GAME INFORMER a left eye perspective and one from the right) on top of each other. Some type of filter either onscreen or in glasses ensures that each eye gets its intended separate message. The brain combines these mixed signals into a single stereoscopic 3D image. In the midst of higher resolution, decreased cost, and faster LCD refresh rates, two major hardware players have emerged with varying approaches to 3D: iZ5D and Nvidia. Over the last couple years, iZ3D has gained steam with its custom polarized LCD monitors and passive glasses. Its 22-inch display has recently dropped from $999 to a more mass-market friendly $399. The company's own library of drivers is compatible with most modern games, and iZ3D is able to run its tech on both ATI and Nvidia graphics cards. Nvidia jumped into the hardware game with its own GeForce 3D Vision shutter glasses in January ($199). Due to its long history of crafting 3D drivers, over 550 modem games already feature 3D effects using this technology. However, there is a clear difference between driver-cali- brated 3D effects and games developed with 3D in mind. "The driver is, | think ‘hack’ is a strong word, but the driver is a stop-gap measure to make 3D possible today," Schneider says. "Long term, we want to see the game developers support 3D right out of the box without additional drivers being necessary.” World of Warcraft developer Blizzard recently issued a patch for Nvidia's glasses to smooth out how 3D effects are presented. This approach allows for out-of-screen effects, whereas driver-crafted 3D is more like looking into a dimensionalized world through a window that can't be breached. We played г T. Mass Effect WoW and several other games with Nvidia's shut- ipu Geth Shoc k Trooper JEDE. ae - Mirror's Edge SX ter glasses and Samsung's 120Hz display, and the effect is impressive. Full high-resolution textures, spot-on colors, and a complete lack of flicker (a problem with older shutter glasses) make you feel like you've taken a step closer to the in-game world. Highlights include looking through the sniper scope in Mass Effect, taking that ateful car trip in Call of Duty 4, and riding a zipline between two buildings in Mirror's Edge. While the native 3D support gives WoW an obviously more sophisticated ook, all of the games suffer from the same double-edged sword. To get a more satisfying 3D effect, it's tempting to bump up the depth settings. This puts you at a higher risk of double-image ghosting and going cross-eyed while switching from jar away viewing to looking at something close up (i.e. shooting from the hip to iron sight aiming). While the experience wasn't perfect, we did find ourselves missing the depth when returning to normal gaming. Stereoscopic 3D could be an option or console gamers as soon as this year; iZ3D had 3D prototypes at the most recent Consumer Electronics Show run- ning on PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, and Wii. The company plans to release the Е console-specific polarized monitors іп late : summer. “It's exactly the same monitor : that you see right now [for PCs], but the only difference is it will have a special : board built in to make sure it's compatible : with consoles,” says David Chechelashvili, iZ3D's marketing VP. “Basically, the biggest obstacle we have with game consoles is that they have just one output. With PC : you can get the graphics card with two 1 outputs. So we need a way to design a board to take one signal and to extract it to two” This monitor-integrated board will contain iZ3D's library of 3D drivers to make it work out of the box with most already released console games. iZ3D has reached out to all three major hardware manufacturers to mixed results. "Microsoft is being the most responsive out of the three. We are talking with them and they are ready to support us," Chechelashvili says. "Sony also realizes it's the future, but they're working alone on that," Indeed, Sony showed 3D videos of Gran Turismo 5 Prologue, Motorstorm: Pacific Rift, and Wipeout HD at CES using protoype displays combined with RealD's polarized glasses, but declined to comment . 3D Pitfalls * NO UNIVERSAL STANDARD. While PC has always been a wild frontier, home console 3D will have limited applications until Sony, Microsoft, and Nintendo declare 3D stan- dards for their systems. PRICING. Nvidia shut- ter glasses bundled with the required monitor cost $600. 3D-capable DLPs start at $1,500. iZ3D monitors with three sets of glasses cost $400. COMFORT. People who wear glasses may not be : interested in adding а : second set of glasses atop : their original spectacles. — : Adding decent headphones : into the mix creates quite — : the apparatus. Я CONSUMER FATIGUE. 3D proponents face an : uphill battle against poor — : consumer experiences q during 3D pushes inthe — : ‘50s and ‘80s. It didn't take : then. Has the technology — : improved enough to win over weary consumers? for this story on any future 3D plans involving the PS3. “The Wii has always been the most simple out of the three, so its games are not as graphics intensive [which makes them] a little bit behind in 3D," says Chechelashvili. “In my opinion, it's most impressive with the games that are more graphics intensive. However, we had a frisbee game on the Wii and it was very impressive. The disc was coming out of the screen.” With or without support from the big three, iZ3D can move forward with its plans regardless since all of the 3D tech is outside of the consoles themselves. Blitz Games is taking a different approach from the software angle that would write 3D into the games themselves. Blitz co- founder and CTO Andrew Oliver describes the tech behind the company's 3D demo that was running on PS3 and Xbox 360 at December's 3D Entertainment Summit in Los Angeles. "We developed the game in normal 3D, but then rendered the whole view twice from two slightly offset cameras," Oliver explains. "These two views were then converted into one view in the required display format" Blitz's tech requires 1080p resolution to work and games must run at 60 frames per second. On top of this, gamers must be sure they have a 3D-ready DLP TV from Mitsubishi or Samsung that supports shutter glasses or certain 3D PC monitors. "We do hope to be releasing games with 3D as a feature in the menu option," Oliver says. "However, with 3D screens fairly new to the market and many different standards available, it is extremely complicated. We're talking to all the major players about how to best tackle these issues" He says that Blitz is already developing a 3D game adaptation of an upcoming animated 3D movie, and that other developers are i already licensing its 3D tools. i It looks like this March's Game Developers Conference in San Francisco could be the unofficial coming out party for 3D console gaming. Oliver is giving a talk titled “Console Games are Entering a New Dimension,” and Chechelashvili will offer a tease of iZ3D's plans. "| cannot talk a lot about this, but there are a couple of game developers that will be supporting 3D natively” M шш POLAN : WHAT IT IS: You may have already tried out polarized "passive" glasses just like these to see movies like Beowulf and My Bloody Valentine in 3D. These particular specs come courtesy of RealD, whose 3D tech appears in over 1,400 theaters worldwide. Each lens in the glasses is polarized to only let in specific light from the display intended for each eye, achieving the stereoscopic effect required for 3D. HOW IT'S USED: 1730 uses polarized glasses like these in combination with its custom 22" monitor to deliver 3D effects in PC games. This display requires two video cables (DVI or VGA) connected to the same PC. These separated images are shown on two separate LCD displays within the monitor that are layered on top of each other. GLYPH WHAT IT IS: These two-color, paper glasses have been around for decades and their less- than-stellar color distortion and ghosting are what many people associate with 3D. Cyan and red (or green and red in this case) images are overlaid and slightly offset. While using these glasses, each eye only sees one, which the brain translates to 3D. HOW IT’S USED: Anyone play Rad Racer on NES with these bad boys? Blech. While this is the easiest form of 3D to pull off, it isn’t much of a factor in modern 3D gaming. WHAT IT IS: These “active” glasses receive a signal from an infrared emitter synched to the screen refresh rate that tells the lenses to alternately darken and become transparent so that only one eye receives information from the display at any given time in imperceptibly rapid succession. HOW IT'S USED: Nvidia's recently released GeForce 3D Vision setup utilizes this tech in combination with specialized 120Hz monitors from Samsung and Viewsonic to provide 60 frames per second to each eye. Shutter glasses also work with many currently available 3D-ready DLP TVs from Mitsubishi and Samsung. AUTOS WHAT IT IS: See 3D without using glasses! Using a parallax barrier or len- ticular lenses, displays direct the light from alternating vertical columns of pixels to either eye to simulate 3D. Think of it kind of like vertical blinds where every other slat aims sunlight at your left eye and the others point at your right. HOW IT'S USED: Some autostereoscopic monitors have appeared on the market, but the viewing angle is limited and vertical resolution is essentially cut in half to accomplish the 3D effect. To counter this, Phillips has unveiled a 56-inch Quad Full HD 3D Display (above) that features an over-the-top 3840x2160 resolution to counter the vertical loss and a wider 160-degree viewing angle. Phillips’ display was built mainly to show off 3D ads to passersby in airports, malls, and other public places where users can't be expected to have polarized glasses on them at all times. The estimated $25,000 price tag will scare off even the most tech-sawy gamer. GAME INFORMER 33 ? connect TOP FIVES Favorites From Industry Pros And GI Readers i; DEVELOPER i і E ROBERT SIWIAK This Star Wars: Battlefront III character art from 2007 was created by artist Richard Smith. The game and the art likely went through changes since that time, but here is a look at one of the title's new characters = BATTLEFRONT 115 LAST STAND = EX-DEVELOPER FREE RADICAL’ STRUGGLES WITH PROJECTA te 1 X-COM: UFO Defense - PC 2 Chrono Trigger - SNES 3 Battlefield 2 – PC 4 GoldenEye 007 - N64 5 Warcraft II - PC | READER *. JOSEPH MARTEL | Clinton Twp, MI 1 Final Fantasy XII - PS2 Pokémon series - Multi 3 Јак 3 - PS2 4 Blue Dragon - Xbox 360 5 Halo 3 - Xbox 360 Send Top Fives and a photo of yourself to: Game Informer Magazine/Top Five 724 N Ist St 4th Fl Minneapolis, MN 55401-9022 email: topfive@gameinformer.com (attach digital picture) TOP TEN Lists...Everybody Loves Lists... Top 10 Things To Do In The Home Beta 10 Ask everyone “т u gir?" If yes, follow up with “r u hawt” 9 Wait patiently (Whooo!) 8 Watch trailers readily available in better resolution on the Internet 7 Dance in celebration of finally getting to play an arcade cabinet 6 Hang out in game-themed rooms instead of playing those games 5 Buy fake furniture for your fake house... It with real money! 4 Have stilted text-only conversations with other losers 3 Watch Netflix streaming movies while downloading the Central Plaza (on another TV hooked up to Xbox Live, of Course) 2 Try to make a guy that doesn't look like he belongs at a Panic at the Disco concert 1 Log out Name That Game Answer: Alundra 34 GAME INFORMER ondering what might have been is an easy question when talking about the closing of famed U.K. developer Free Radical. The now-defunct studio behind the TimeSplitters franchise was well regarded, and our interest was piqued all the more since they had been working on Star Wars: Battlefront III for close to two years when they closed their doors. Recently a video surfaced showing gameplay from the title, but despite the excitement it generated, a source close to the project told Game Informer that all was not well. The video that was leaked online — as poor quality as it was — highlighted the series' emphasis on wide- open battles and seamless transitions between ground and air combat and exteriors and interiors. Battlefront Ill would have spanned a wide range of characters and locations throughout all six of the movies (in both first- and third-person camera perspectives), including Jedi duels, a rancor, and epic space battles. Early artwork for the game even depicted an old Obi-Wan Kenobi who had turned to the dark side of the Force. As tantalizing as all this sounds, Free Radical's Battlefront III dream was having trouble being real- ized. The video footage leaked online was supposedly captured from the PC version of the title, and even that wasn't an accurate portrayal of the true state of the project. It was, in fact, a mess. The design was said to be overly ambitious, aiming to support 100-player online battles with the ability to seamlessly transi- tion between ground and space combat. Free Radical shrank this number as development progressed due to the technical limitations it encountered, and Game Informer has heard that this number fell to 16 players, but even this was too much for the console versions to handle. To counter the falling number of human- controlled players, Free Radical tried to implement an AI NPC system that also proved too unwieldy. Regardless of the state of the project during Free Radical's tenure, we may yet see some version of Battlefront 111. Rumor is that Oxford studio Rebellion — developers of Star Wars Renegade Squadron for the PSP — has been handed the development reins. We shall have to wait and see if Rebellion's vision of the project succeeds where Free Radical could not. Gamers EverQuest Apprentice Fisherman Tnexus the Riftwalker of the Planes, Scoundrel of the Oathbreakers Accomplishments: The text above is not a typo; Ryan Tirrell has accumulated that many titles for his Ranger in EverQuest, Tnexus. A hardcore EverQuest player for over 10 years running, Tirrell was named 2008 Player of the Year by Sony Online Entertainment. This netted him complimentary airfare, limo rides, and an all-access pass to that year's EverQuest FanFaire. He is a longstanding figure in the EverQuest community, being recognized as a class correspondent (and later a com- munity leader) for the Ranger class on the official community site, as well as a Ranger class administrator on the popular unof- ficial EQOutrider fansite. For years, Tirrell has been an officer in his guild, the Hand of Ka, and led successful raids on much of EverQuest's prodigious raid content. Tirrell's main character, Tnexus the Ranger, boasts an impressive collection of rare items, including a Mosscovered Twig, Sceptre of Destruction, Mask of Tinkering, and a Staff of Forbidden Rites. Sticking To EverQuest: "After 10 years, | still have so many friends and a lot of people that | see as family. We still play. We still have adventures together. We still try to gear up," Tirrell says. “Even if we don't go out and adventure somewhere, we just talk and hang out and chat. It's something to do, and it's practically free. And even after 10 years there is still stuff | haven't completed in the game that | still want to do” Ninja Looting One day in 2001, Tirrell randomly came across a rare spawn, Lodizai, that drops a quest item he wanted. Unfortunately, the rest of Hand of Ka was deep in the Plane of Sky and couldn't make the trip to help him „ connect Game Informer scours the leader- boards to find the best of the best, uncover the people behind the handles, and learn their strategies. So, if you get a pesky message over Xbox Live or PlayStation Network from GamelnformerMag, please don't delete it. You could be the next featured gamer. Name: Ryan Tirrell Hometown: Los Angeles, CA Age: 25 Guild: Hand of Ka Server: Ryan Tirrell EverQuest: Seeds of Destruction : Prexus i ] панинин : Playtime: Favorite Raid Best Moment: : 80-40 hours/week Encounter: Of all the memories created ү Portal of War by 10 years of EverQuest, шоона Tirrell fondly recalls the week [current] battle against Overlord ОИС Mata'Muram. "He's one of the toughest encounters in Other Games: destroy the beast. Tirrell looked on as rival groups formed and engaged the monster. However, they failed and the last of them ell as they were luring some hostile gnolls to assist in the battle. By random chance, he monster fled due to low health just as it wiped out the gnolls. With little to lose, Tirrell finished off the boss's last sliver of health by himself and claimed rewards intended to be split among 40 or more players. Naturally, the rival groups were rather upset at this kill-stealing. "At first people thought I had stolen their kill" recounts irrell. When he handed over the loot (minus the quest item he was primarily after, of course), all fences were mended. Tirrell laughs, “They gave me a nice dagger as a thank-you for that" Life Outside of EverQuest: Tirrell is pursuing a career in technical theater, where he works with electrics and dabbles in stage management. The hours are inconsis- tent at times, which suits Tirrell's EverQuest binges just fine. "In theater, since a lot of the stuff happens at night, there are points where | can't really raid for like two months, but then I'll have the following two months to raid and play to my heart's content,” he says. the game, so when you actually beat him it's a huge accomplishment” Everyone cur- rently in that expansion's areas learns of this heroic exploit, as well. “It's announced that you've beaten him. We've only done it once, but it was one of my very favorite moments in EverQuest," Tirrell says. “When you feel you've lead 50-some other individuals to all work together as one collective unit to beat a final boss or big raid encounter, it's just very satisfying" What Should Be In The Next Expansion? "I'm hoping that they would continue some of the lines they've done with the dragons and such," Tirrell declares. “I'm kind of open. | like a bunch of the lore, and they could take it in a whole lot of other ways. | do also hope they eventually come back and revisit Firiona Vie and that whole storyline. There were some events a couple of years ago and you don't quite find out what happened, but they leave the door open for some big battle at some point" Tirrell primarily enjoys console games in his non-EverQuest gaming time, including Zelda, God of War, BioShock, and Super Smash Bros. "| tried out a few other MMOs, like City of Heroes and Guild Wars, but I just kept coming back to EQ," he notes. Tnexus GAME INFORMER 35 »* connect f impulse > BY MATT MILLER Ту “ле, Fallout travels to LH A ex Pitt te Each month, this is where you'd normally look for the lat- : " 258 est news оп Live Arcade, PlayStation Network, and WiiWare : Pittsburgh, Mirror 5 Edge titles. — the Madrid. library of — He goes surreal, and the content includes another major component in the form of expanded content for existing retail releases. This month, : Prince makes amends. I'm highlighting my favorite downloadable packs from recent : : я weeks, as well as some exclusive first glimpses of content : DLC 18 on the ise. coming in the next few months. While prices are still in flux, most of the download packs fall around $10. W Fallout 3 Fallout 3 Xbox 360, PC Beneath the Ashes, the frequently rumored first expan- sion to Lara Croft's latest adventure, will release in world was blown up give the gameplay a totally different vibe. February 10. The level is set in a newly uncovered The second pack, called The Pitt, is set in the irradiated city of Pittsburgh. The city avoided a direct nuclear bombard- labyrinth of caverns beneath the destroyed ruins of Croft ment, but decades of decay have taken a heavy toll on the once industrialized metropolis. Raiders now govern a slave- Manor. Along with the sprawling level, Lara gets six new fighting ring in which the player gets involved. Perhaps the new AutoAxe weapon (shown above) will help solve any costumes and another 125 achievement points. disagreements that come up. The other 125 expanded points are likely being saved Little is known about the third DLC pack entitled Broken Steel, but it's not hard to imagine a conflict involving the for Lara's Shadow, a second expansion set to release on familiar Brotherhood of Steel. Apparently, this third pack somehow alters the original game ending, and offers a new March 10. Rumors indicate a new playable character for continuation of the story through some intriquing twist. We do know Broken Steel will expand the current level cap up this second pack, but further details remain under wraps. to 30 — a welcome announcement for players who've maxed out their existing character's abilities. Yor тиз мб 2004 Burnout Paradise - Playstation 3, xbox 360 Castle Crashers - xbox 360 Far Cry 2. xbox 360 This long-lived racer is showing no signs of slowing down. The downloadable party Last year's most played Live Arcade game has received its first piece of expanded The four new multiplayer maps packed into Ubisoft's first expansion to their African pack updates your old copy of Paradise to gain the new content otherwise only found content. While there are no new levels, you finally get to play as the blustering King, epic should be worthwhile for dedicated skirmishers, but even single-player devotees in the new Burnout: The Ultimate Box (see our review on page 85). What's up after whose magic can heal characters. The new sword and lollipop make greatlevelone may want to check out the three new vehicles and four new weapons (including the that? Big Surf Island, а new area featuring crazy jumps and insanely fast races, is set weapons, and a baby seal is available as а new animal orb. silenced shotgun and crossbow) that come with the pack. to release in the first half of this year. udorumzea 36 GAME INFORMER Knothole Island released several weeks ago, and is worth a look for big fans of Lionhead's stellar action/ RPG. While the pack only takes a couple of hours to finish, it includes a gorgeous new landmass to explore and three major new quests to complete. The addition of new clothing options (including an armored knight option) as well as new weapons, augments, and appearance-altering potions should give you some cool accoutrements to drag back into Albion. Xbox 360 Two downloadable multiplayer map packs entitled Flashback and Combustible dramatically expand the number of multiplayer maps for the game, and a recent title update adds 175 new achievement points for the new content. Combustible delivers three totally new environ- ments. Our favorite is a battlefield called Flood, where dangerous pools of emulsion overwhelm the stage, forcing the action into pitched con- flicts near the center of the board. Meanwhile, the Flashback pack (which came with the game if you purchased it new) adds five clas- sic maps from the game's predecessor into the mix. Perhaps more importantly, the free title update has addressed a wealth of exploits and balancing issues, making a return to the game a worthwhile proposition if you were frustrated by early cheaters right after launch. > Grand Theft Auto ІУ. xbox sco The Lost and Damned pack is such a sweeping expansion to the existing game content that we opted to cover it in a more complete preview later in the magazine. Make sure and check out the full write-up on page 56. > Rock Band 2. Playstation з, xbox 360, wii For many players, their favorite part of Mirror's Edge didn't unlock until they completed each level to earn its time trial. DICE got the message, and released a wild-looking new pack of content focused on nine races spread over seven surreal maps at the end of January. The abstract colors and shapes of the new pack look almost like a whole new game, but one that is drawn in the artistically minimalist style of the original game. PlayStation 3 players will receive one addi- tional map for free as well. PlayStation 5, Xbox 360 The end of February promises an expansion to both the storyline and gameplay of Ubisoft's fantasy adventure. The Underground Palace is a brand new region to explore, and I'm told it should amount to at least two full hours of new platforming and combat. The two luckless protagonists find themselves locked in the corrupted compound, and must seek an escape. Elika gains a new power that lets her temporar- ily reconstruct shattered structures, and the Prince has an added sprint attack to help confront the new shape-shifting enemies he'll run into. Complete the expansion to unlock the prototype character models of both the Prince and Elika for use in the game. of this printing, 56 songs (20 for free) were available for download, including every- i thing from Boston to Nine Inch Nails. Meanwhile, the 360 and PlayStation 3 have had пем level also comes packed with several new character skins, including favorites some classic hits show up recently, including the Steve Miller Band and Roy Orbison. > Star Wars: The Force Unleashed - Playstation s, xbox 360 At long last, owners of the Wii version of Rock Band 2 can download new songs. As Тһе Jedi Temple expansion sends Vader's apprentice back to the ruined remnants of the Jedi Temple on Coruscant, searching for clues to his father’s identity. The great like Mace Windu and Darth Maul. GAME INFORMER 37 : onnect CAREER HIGHLIGHTS 2009 v Shippy receives his bachelor's degree in electrical engineering from the University of Kentucky: Upon graduation, Shippy gets a job working on designing mainframe processors for the computer giant IBM in New York Higher Ed While at IBM, Shippy completes his master’s degree in com- puter engineering at another basketball powerhouse, Syracuse University Home Computing Shippy moves to IBM's Austin, TX facility to do pioneering home PC work on the com- pany's new RISC PowerPC chip. architecture Big Mac 1989 v 1988 v 1997 Y Still in Austin, Shippy helps. design the powerful PowerPC G3 chip, which was used in Apple's very popular line of Macintosh desktop and later the stylish iBook laptop. The chip is used to this day, in adapted form, in the Nintendo Wii Into the Cell After leaving the company for a few years, Shippy is recruited back to work on a joint venture between IBM, Sony, and Toshiba to develop the Cell processor for the PlayStation 3 Author! Author! 2001 V THE RACE FORA NEW GAME MACHİNE Shippy publishes a book, The Race for a New Game Machine, which details his team's struggle to develop the core processor that was used in both the PS3 and Xbox 360 38 GAME INFORMER inter AVESHIPPY VICE PRESIDENT, INTRINSITY >> At IBM, Dave Shippy lead the team that designed Sony's Cell processor. Two years in, a shocking deal between Microsoft and IBM resulted in the team's chip being also used to power the Xbox 360, Sony's biggest rival. This tale of corporate betrayal and technological derring-do is detailed in his new book The Race for a New Game Machine. << What was the appeal of taking on such a huge and ambitious project as the Cell? | looked at it and it was really a once-in-a-career opportunity. | knew that it was a high visibility prod- uct and that it would be leading edge technology. We'd be pushing the edge. | could really put my name on history, working on a start-from-scratch design that was this supercomputer on a chip. The way that the Cell was designed was a different approach from conventional chips. Could you talk a little bit about how that developed and how successful it was as a design? It really started with Sony. Ken Kutaragi came to IBM and we showed him all the processors in our portfolio, including the Power4, which | had worked on. Ken said, “I don't want anything you have; | want something new" That led to us investigating new technologies at IBM to push this high frequen- су at a low power, but also develop a multi-core solution. What ultimately got designed was this new multiprocessor environment where you have the PowerPC core, which has its own set of instructions, and you have the SPUs, which have a brand-new instruction set. | think, in the end, the Cell architec- ture was very unique and successful in what it set out to achieve. it definitely changed the dynamics of the design center. There were a lot of secret IBM meetings at that point. As soon as it was announced pub- licly that IBM had been awarded the Xbox 360 contract, our partners at Sony and Toshiba started catching on that they may be designing their competition's processor chip. Then they started having a lot of secret meetings. There was an air of distrust in the design center. Ultimately though, since the chip was started as a collaboration between Toshiba, Sony, and IBM, those employees really did do a lot of work on their biggest competitor's system. They did. It was a joint effort. There were IBM, Sony, and Toshiba engineers working on the initial PowerPC core. That was designed for the Cell. But when Microsoft came in and said, “We want something similar, but with all these extra enhance- ments,” we convinced the Sony and Toshiba partners that we wanted to do this one, common core that had these new features and they agreed to that. Those same engineers that had been work- ing on that original design worked on this new common core that went into both processors. The interesting thing was that, even though they even- tually figured it all out, they were really great about it. They just wanted to deliver a high-quality, lead- | think there were compromises and tradeoffs. It was pretty equal. It was a tough road of serving multiple masters. We actually formed this commit- tee within IBM that had people representing the PlayStation side and people representing the Xbox side. Requests came into the committee saying they needed this new feature for the Xbox or a new fea- ture for the PlayStation. We weighed it out, and all in all, it was pretty equal in terms of what got in and what didn't, but there were certainly compromises. Towards the end of the book, the atmosphere at IBM seemed pretty poisonous, with differ- ent factions being for Sony or for Microsoft. How difficult was that experience and what did you learn? It was a very complex corporate environment and there were a lot of politics within IBM. | would say that it was a fairly painful time. We got to a point where we literally had a product status review every single day with somebody. We had a status review for the Xbox executives, for the PlayStation execu- tives, for the IBM executives. | came out of it with the understanding that it's very difficult to serve multiple masters. The amazing thing is that we still delivered this high performance, new technology in a record-breaking schedule in spite of these issues and all these people watching our every move. All of a sudden, this Microsoft thing came in. For a lot of us, it felt like we were betraying our partners. The dramatic turn in the book happens when your boss comes to you and says that IBM has agreed to allow Microsoft to use the core you were developing for the PS3 Cell chip in their Xbox 360. Suddenly, you're working with Sony's main competitor. How did you feel about that personally? Did it cause dissention in the team? Absolutely. The initial reaction was shock. We'd been working for two years with Sony and Toshiba in the design center. They were our partners and friends. All of a sudden, this Microsoft thing came in. For a lot of us, it felt like we were betraying our partners. They were asking us to design a chip for our competitor. | had to shift out of that very quickly, because | had been given a job to do. That was to satisfy both these customers. | went to my team and said, “Hey, let's get over this. It's no different than when Intel has a chip and they sell it to HP and Dell and it goes into two different personal computers" I tried to get my team in the mentality that this was the best thing for IBM. But ing edge design and it really didn't matter whether it was for a Sony box or Microsoft box. They put their 100 percent effort into it, despite knowing that it was going into their competitor's box. Microsoft used your processor in a more traditional way than the Cell. Looking at how the processor was used in both sys- tems, which one was the more effective or powerful? | think they're fairly equal. The interesting thing is that the PowerPC that's common to both is used in completely different ways. If you look at the CPU chip for the 360 and PS3, and the program- ming models and architecture, they came up with completely different solutions. And yet they use this same common core. Did having to serve two companies’ needs – Sony and Microsoft - result in compromises that negatively affected the chip's perfor- mance for either console? Having dealt very closely with Sony and Microsoft's executives, how would you char- acterize their differences in philosophy and approach in the game console business? Му first interaction with Microsoft and Robbie Bach, who was head of the division, was when he came in. Bach was maniacally focused on Christmas of 2005. They were very willing to take risks. They had backup plans upon backup plans. They always said, "Anything you can't fix on hardware, we'll fix in soft- ware" They were aggressive and they hit Christmas 2005. On the Sony side, they started two years ear- lier and had plans to get it out on Christmas 2005, and we delivered the CPU chip [in time]. That really wasn't what held up the launch, there were other factors that came in, including the graphics chip and Blu-ray and not having games that caused it to slip to Christmas 2006. | would say they were more conservative in management style. That led to some of the delays. Photo: Sarah Kerver Bi Dave Shippy played an instrumental role in developing the chips that power all three of the major consoles in the marketplace GAME INFORMER 39 5° connect | gear 40 GAME INFORMER HORI REAL ARCADE PRO.EX Hori has always been an exceptional purveyor of arcade sticks, and it hasn't changed its tune recently. In fact, that may be the problem. The joystick is smooth and its eight face buttons feel solid, but it lacks the bells and whistles serious fighting fans are looking for like turbo and programmable buttons. The headset jack, which juts out too high from the board, is posi- tioned so close to your left hand that you might smack into the cord a few times while playing online. It may lack some the extra features the Mad Catz stick has, but if you are looking to save a few bucks the Pro.EX is a perfectly functional arcade experience. „үү єл WATCHMEN PROP REPLICAS With all the hype surrounding the new Watchmen movie, it's reasonable to want to own a piece of the action. DC Direct has three high-quality pieces of memorabilia ready for comic fan consumption: a framed set of the Comedian's guns and dogtags, a 1:24 scale model of Nite Owl's Ship, and a replica of Rorschach's grappling gun and mask created from the actual digital files used for the movie. $295.00-325.00 * www.dccomics.com/d maga MAD CATZ ARCADE FIGHTSTICK: TOURNAMENT EDITION The Mad Catz officially branded Street Fighter IV stick beats Hori in nearly every category. The joystick feels tighter and the buttons have a slightly shorter throw, which makes them seem more responsive. While this stick also lacks a programmable feature, we appreciate Mad Catz's sleeker, modern design, the cord hideaway, and its turbo functionality (complete with a lock so you don't tum it on or off accidentally). The only thing that might annoy some is the location of the start button (it was moved to the back of the box), but we liked having it out of our way. Mad Catz is the way to go if you're looking for that true arcade feel without leaving the house. For those not worried about the authentic arcade guts, Mad Catz also has a trimmed-down model avail- able at a reduced cost ($70 for PS3, $80 for 360). $149.99 * www.madcatz.com absurd 3RD SPACE GAMING VEST Peripheral makers manufacture all kinds of gloves, goggles, pads, and rumble devices in an attempt to make games feel more immersive. TN Game's 3rd Space Gaming Vest uses a compressed air system to deliver up to five pounds of force feedback across your torso, and it already works with dozens of games including Call of Duty 4, Crysis, and World of Warcraft. The effect is jolting but not painful, and the system syncs up well with the onscreen action. Too bad the vest comes with such a hefty price and is so noisy, cumbersome, and ridiculous looking. If you don't mind gearing up before you play, the 3rd Space Gaming Vest isn't as bad as many of the other gaming gimmicks out there. $169.99 • tngames.com еїс. REDBUBBLE T-SHIRTS If you haven't checked out redbubble.com yet, you should. The site is filled with all kinds of crazy t-shirt designs. Each shirt comes in a variety of sizes and colors. We recommend You Can't Park Here Sir! and Arcade Henge, both designed by the talented rubyred. $26.53 * wv dbubble.com peripheral PLAYSTATION 3 AC ADAPTOR It's about time we got one of these handy little chargers. Sony's new first-party AC Adaptor works great for charging PS3 controllers, Bluetooth head- sets, Sony's new wireless keypad, or any other compatible device that uses a USB connector. It also lets you charge two devices at once without tuming on your PS3. The full set includes a 4.92- foot mini-USB cable and a 6.56-foot AC cord. ff $24.99 * www.us.playstation.com А аана toys | STREET FIGHTER IV FIGURES It's Street Fighter madness. You probably have a dozen Street Fighter figures bur- ied somewhere in your house already, but like versions of the second game, you can never have enough Street Fighter. This Series One set from NECA, based on the new game, includes Ken, Ryu, and Crimson Viper. Each figure stands 7" tall. We only wonder why NECA didn't include the best character from the Street Fighter mythos, Dan. $14.99 * www.necaonlir THE VENTURE вас, Dragon Age: The Stolen Throne After his mother's assassination, a young rebel rises up to free his country from the tule of a foreign tyrant in this paperback prequel to BioWare's hot new RPG. $14.95 • www.tor-forge.com Guinness World Records Gamer's Edition 2009 Bone up on your useless video game trivia with this game-specific version of everyone's favorite record book. $21.98 * gamers.guinnessworldrecords.com Mystery Science Theater 3000: Volume XIV The only time talking during a movie isn't annoying is when the boys on the Satellite of Love are aping cinematic classics like Final Justice and Manhunt in Space. $59.99 • www.shoutfactorystore.com The Venture Bros.: Third Season on Blu-ray The third season of Adult Swim's hilarious parody of Johnny Quest delves deeper into the histories of its goofy but lovable characters. $44.98 • www.adultswim.com GAME INFORMER 41 e-e ee e NEW RELEASES + BattleForge – PC * Brain Challenge Deluxe - DS * Brave: A Warrior's Tale – 360, Wii, PSP * Brave: Shaman's Challenge - DS + Damnation — PS3, 360, PC * Eat Lead: The Return of Matt Hazard – PS3, 360 + Empire: Total War - PC * EndWar - PC * Gardening Mama - DS * Halo Wars – 360 * HAWX. — PS3, 360 + Jumpgate — РС * Littlest Pet Shop: Spring - DS * Major League Baseball 2K9 - PS3, 360, Wii, PS2, PSP * MLB 09: The Show – PS3, PS2 * Peggle - DS * PopCap Arcade Hits Volume 2-360 * Scrabble – PSP, DS * Shellshock 2: Blood Trails - PS3, 360, PC * Star Ocean: The Last Hope – 360 * Storm of War: Battle of Britain – PC * Wonder Woman (DC Animated Movie) – Blu-Ray, DVD Hironobu Sakaguchi, the mas- termind behind Final Fantasy, Chrono Trigger, and Lost Odyssey, is hard at work on his next project. Fans can follow along with the creation of this game on Sakaguchi's blog at wwwmistwalkercorp.com/en. The blog chronicles the challenges of game development, and also shows us how he unwinds - by playing with LEGOS. Be sure to check out the gallery for what is believed to be concept art for his new endeavors. NEW RELEASES * Company of Heroes: Tales of Valor - PC * Docomodake Boing! – DS * Grey's Anatomy – Wii, DS, PC * MadWorld – Wii * Mario Tennis – Wii * My Horse and Me 2: Riding for Gold - Wii, DS * My Sims Party - Wii, DS * New Play Control! Pikmin – Wii * Resistance: Retribution – PSP + Samurai Shodown Anthology - Wii, PSP. * Sonic and the Black Knight ~ Wii * South Park: Season 12 – Blu- Ray, DVD E * Trivial Pursuit — PS3, 360, Wii, PS2 * Zubo - DS ll Bruce Wayne is dead, fried crispier than Colonel Sanders original recipe. His death is bring- ing an end to all Batman series, induding related titles like Robin and Nightwing. A new three-part series, titled Battle for the Cowl, will take their place, leading up to what is rumored to be a different character wearing the Batman suit. Will it be Dick Grayson? Jason Todd? Catwoman? You'll have to read this series to find out! Zack Snyder's super hero epic Watchmen will give theaters nerd cred today. We hear that DC Comics is spinning this movie off into a comic series or something. Неге» hoping that they get the rights to use the likenesses of the actors. They better not change the story too much. 13 Holy crap! Resident Evil 5 releases today for PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360! Shut down the schools! Board up your doors! Stock up on red and green plants! If you're not playing this game throughout the weekend, you're obviously stupid. ARS n» inatown Wars + 03/17 ш. NEW RELEASES * Cardio Boxing - DS * Dream Day: Wedding Destination – DS * Flower, Sun and Rain - 05 * Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars - DS * Henry Hatsworth in the Puzzling Adventure - DS + Heroes Over Europe — PS3, 360 * Legends of Wrestlemania – PS3, 360 * Lux Pain - DS * Marble Saga Kororinpa - Wii * My Pet Shop - DS 17 * Pro Evolution Soccer 2009 — Wii * Ready 2 Rumble - Wii * Rune Factory: Frontier — Wii * Spore: Galactic Adventures - PC » Suikoden Tierkreis - DS * Trackmania - DS * We Ski & Snowboard ~ Wii * Valkyrie Profile: Covenant of the Plume - DS * Yu-Gi-Oh! 4D's Stardust Accelerator - DS Square Enix's long-running Play Arts series returns this month with three figures from Final Fantasy: Crisis Core — Aerith, Zack, and Cloud. u 20 Nicolas Cage, who has a lot of experience with disasters (Ghost Rider, Next, Bankok Dangerous), stars in the disas- ter movie, Knowing. Apparently he can foresee the deaths of people. Maybe someday he'll learn how to read so that he can avoid bad scripts in the future. You know what they say: knowing is half the battle. The other half is Nicolas Cage. à Dragon Age Origins — 03/24 5 u^ Tj Final Fafitasy: Crystal Chronicles: HE 2531262 (й MP" 115 / 156, s = 03/31 ж NEW RELEASES * Broken Sword - Wil, DS * Dragon Age Origins - PC * Dynasty Warriors: Gundam 2 — PS3, 360, Р52 * Dynasty Warriors: Strikeforce — PSP. * Heroes Over Europe - PC * Imagine: Family Doctor - DS * Infinite Space - DS * Jake Power: Handyman — DS * My Fashion Studio: Paris Collection - DS * Ninja Blade - 560 * Phantasy Star Portable - PSP * Pokémon Platinum Version - DS * Sacred 2: Fallen Angel – PS3, 360 * Stormrise - PS3, 360, PC * Wanted: Weapons of Fate- PS3, 360, PC 25 Secret Invasion was awesome, and the follow-up event Dark Reign is proving to be just as tasty. The best part of the series thus far is unexpectedly found in the new Punisher series. Frank Castle wants Norman Osborn dead. How far will he go to see this through? Issue three hits stands this month, so snatch it up, but not before picking up the outstanding back issues. 27 Animated films not made by Pixar are usually garbage, but this one has a shot at not sucking. It's about — surprise, surprise — monsters fighting aliens. It's basically the plot of Hellboy with a few poop jokes thrown in to make your idiot kids laugh. 3l NEW RELEASES • Don King Boxing - Wii, DS * Final Fantasy: Crystal Chronicles: Echoes of Time - Wii, DS * Guitar Hero: Metallica – PS3, 360 * Touch Mechanic - DS * Velvet Assassin - 360, PC For more information on the: А se games and others go to / Am www.gameinformercom 42 GAME INFORMER HELLSHOCKZ COT E TRAILS Blood and Gore vi М) р س‎ Intense Violence Strong Language $39 99 be ° 439.99 829.99 w/ МЕН eidos™ 2 | XBOX E PLAYSTATION 3 4 Games for Windows ®› XBOX 360 LIVE > e cover story f= i The Wall of Tisiphone is а massive gate in Tartarus that requires combat and puzzle gameplay to open 66 WE WANT THIS TO BE THE GAME THAT SHOWS PEOPLE WHAT THE PS3 CAN DO”? TIG ASMUSSEN GAME DIRECTOR This is Kratos’ in-game model. Fans will notice evidence of God of War II is still visible on his body: He still carries the Golden Fleece, and the scar from Zeus runs across his abdomen керег CONTINUED FROM PAGE 46 approximately 70 percent of the original God of War staff is working on God of War Ill; Asmussen himself — was the lead environment artist on the first game. Remember the time when you first see the enormous — Ares wrecking armies in the distance? That was Asmussen's handiwork. He then became art director for the second installment. As a longtime member of the team, Asmussen knows Kratos inside and out, and recognizes the high standard set by his predecessors. “Dave created the series, and Cory pushed it even further. For me, it's good and Баа," Asmussen reflects. _ “It's good because those two guys have set this thing up with so many rich, incredible ideas. There are so many things that have already been figured ош. But it's bad because the expectations are so high“ Asmussen and the God of War team are up to the challenge. “My goal is to make this the best God of War game,” he clarifies. "You're going to see a lot of things that we weren't able to do in the past that we thought would be natural to the gameplay and the experience. We aren't going to be doing anything that seems like spectacle for the sake of spectacle. It's all a part of the story" . — God of War Il ends with ¡| .. two murdered gods, a ў | : wounded Zeus, and Greece on the brink of repeating an ancient war. Riding atop the titan Gaia as she climbs Mount Olympus, Kratos leads the offensive to end the reign of the gods and have his ultimate vengeance...and then the credits roll. While many fans were stunned by the diffhanger, Kratos' bloodthirsty roar also served to promise an epic beginning to the third and final installment of the trilogy. The sheer scale of the battle is amazing — minions are attacking, gods' jaw-dropping powers are being fired off left and right, and the enormous titans are ascending relentlessly. Asmussen states: "The best way 1 can describe it, since there are these big titans involved, is that you take the battle of Normandy, combine it with the movie Cloverfield, and throw Kratos right in the middle of it” Increasing the game's scope to a point where the protagonist routinely kills deities may seem difficult, but the inclusion of titans provides an avenue for God of War III to expand to daring heights the previous games were unable to reach. "Do . you remember the big chamber where you _ fought the fat medusa in God of War II?" asks Asmussen. "That room could fit in the palm of пе of the titan's hands.” The titans, who lost their war against the gods long ago, are far more than static background - elements. They will rock and heave as Kratos - fights atop them, and some will even aggressively attack him as he traverses their bodies. Action sequences involving the titans were previously the realm of tendered cinematics, but they are now integrated into the moment-to-moment gameplay. “it's something we've always wanted to do – and we've had Atlas and Kronos — but they've always been static,” laments Asmussen, "It's not just a set-piece anymore... = 48 САМЕ INFORMER its a living, breathing character" ^We consider the titans moving levels,” adds design director Todd Papy. “What we did in God of War I, with Kratos climbing on the back of Kronos, that was all faked. Now we can do it for real” We saw the proof of this technology in action with one of the titan character models, which had a tiny white dot on its chest no bigger than a few pixels. "See that?" asks Caterson, pointing to the dot. "That's Kratos" The camera then zooms in and we see the Ghost of Sparta slowly scaling the gigantic torso in real time. As the view continues to get closer to Kratos, we see tendons moving and flexing under his skin as he makes the arduous climb. To say that God of War III has impressive graphics is an understatement. The level of detail on Kratos’ in-game model is breathtaking — even his teeth are individually modeled. “Kratos on PS2 was probably about 5,000 polygons, and now he's 20,000,” elaborates art director Ken Feldman. “We wouldn't even be able to load him on PlayStation 2. His total memory footprint is more than we were ever able to load at any one time for any asset” This level of fidel- ity extends beyond Kratos as well. One of Poseidon's minions — a cross between a horse and a giant insect — has a body made of water that flows beneath its skin with amazing realism. The visuals only get better with the additions of fluid animation and dazzling effects. While raising the graphical standard is expected on the PS3, there is another reason the team wants to make sure Kratos looks fantastic up close: All of God of War III's movies are handled with in-game assets. The line between = жтт а m r VIE: Я of ће new m You will face drastically more enemies at one time, giving the sensation that Kratos is fighting an entire army what can be accomplished in hi-res tendered cutscenes and in God of War Ill's engine is blurry, so the team | opted to keep the visuals consistent © throughout the entire experience. Though it is undeniably beautiful, > God of War III isn't just a bigger, | prettier version of God of War Il. The gameplay makes strides forward in all of the areas fans could hope for. Kratos once again wields his signature 3 Blades of Chaos, but he also acquires © | new weapons during the adventure. I. This may bring about mixed feelings from fans who still remember the Blade of Artemis or the Spear of Destiny — weapons from previous games that gave players little incentive to use anything but Kratos' standard chain blades. "We want to make it feel like if you have a different weapon, you have a different play style, not just a couple different attacks," says lead combat designer Adam Puhl. One of these new weapons is a pair of massive gauntlets called the Cestus. This brutal weapon was briefly visible in an early trailer for the game, but it takes on a new dimension in the heat of battle. | Spiked balls on chains extend from the toothy maws emblazoned on the front, though they don't extend as | far as the Blades of Chaos. This makes the powerful F Cestus great for close-quarters combat, and they have | the added advantage of emitting a small shockwave with | every impact. On any hit, the metal rings that extend up Kratos’ forearm come together with concussive force, keeping nearby enemies at bay. The ability to repel advancing enemies would not ш Riding beasts like the cyclops gives you even more options in battle, and you can just dispatch them when they've served their purpose i 35 The Cestus is just one Kratos wields. The team is putting special effort into giving players a reason to use weapons besides the Blades of Chaos se cover story have been incredibly useful in previous God of War titles; Kratos’ normal arsenal was usually enough to deal with any number of foes he faced at one time. Players no longer have this luxury in God of War Ill. “We maxed out, in God of War II, around 12 or 15 enemies,” Asmussen tells us. “We did a lot of other stuff to make it feel bigger than that. Now, we can probably get 50 guys out there.” The increased numbers result in a variety of new combat situations facing the player. When confronted with a swarm of grunts, they may jump up on Kratos, burying him under a heap of undead soldiers and forcing the player to wiggle the left analog stick to break free. Enemies can also coordinate their attacks; if several shield-toting soldiers come together, they can make formations that make them nearly impervious to damage in addition to blocking Kratos’ progress. THREE’S A CROWD The God of War series’ outstanding gameplay is the main reason for its success, but it has the dubious honor of another signature element: sex minigames. All three installments (including developer Ready at Dawn's God of War: Chains of Olympus) have included one of these sequences, so it stands to reason that God of War III will continue the trend. “The sex minigame is an interesting thing, because you're damned if you do and you're damned if you don't," game director Stig Asmussen laughs. ^A lot of that stuff, we've got to worry about the ESRB. If we don't add something to it, then people are just going to say 'Oh, they just did that again' and it's going to be silly. But if мге don't do it at all, then people are going to say ‘Where the hell is the sex minigame?' So I can say that there is a lot of planning going on in the sex minigame right now” E God of War II (PS2) GAME INFORMER 49 Improved Al behaviors like these occur naturally during the course of combat, but certain enemies will act as commanders, further enhancing the tactics and making encounters more dynamic. A group of regular grunts won't be too difficult to tear through, but when: a centaur shows up and orders them all to attack at once, the threat level increases significantly. Kratos skill-set has expanded as well, giving the players do options aimed at dealing with his foes’ newfound ў intelligence — and sometimes even subjugating them. to his will. excitin is the a creature you can control is the cyclops. After wearing down its health with normal attacks, a familiar prompt will appear over ‘its head, but instead of performing a context-sensitive atos will hop aboard. Once you're in charge, п attack button will make Kratos deliver a ‘Stab to the cyclops’ neck, causing it to roar ind lash out with its weapon — a motion that 19 їп a ferocious attack on nearby foes. Besides eing fun, this technique also has applications in pedes and navigation. he Door of Tisiphone, where Kratos is faced with an enormous armored door that retreats into a defensive position as soon as he draws near. On either side of the mechanism stand huge chains, but hordes New items, like the fire bow, use a regenerating power Баг so they don't ; 50 GAME INFORMER Kratos moves won't be drastically changed, but expect to see some updates, tweaks, and additions to your favorite combos Context-sensitive events might be pervasive in modern games, but God of War is responsible for popularizing the mechanic in its current form. It is not surprising that these vicious kill sequences are making a return in God of War Ill. “In God of War Il, there was still room left for us to keep pushing the [context-sensitive] moves forward in the direction we had set in the first game,” game director Stig Asmussen says. "Now, in GoW III, I think we need to enhance them and be more clever with them and move them in a slightly different direction in order to stay clever.’ The team is cur- rently experimenting with variations on the old pattern, like branching paths through the sequences and the use of Sixaxis controls to mimic ripping and pulling actions. We saw two brutal examples of these kills that put a new spin on what gamers have seen in the past. In one, Kratos approaches a soldier on the ground and, with a foot planted in the small of his back, grabs the poor sap's head and begins to pull. As players tap circle repeatedly, the scene becomes a gruesome showcase for the PS3's visual capabilities. The guy's neck slowly splits and his tendons break as Kratos rips off his head. The other example literally offers a new perspective on the kill. As one of the bosses — who appears to be an old man (though gods have been known to change forms) — nears death, the camera switches to first person. Kratos approaches and begins to beat the boss with his bare hands. While players still enter the button inputs as normal, the entire scene is viewed and heard from the perspective of the victim, complete with the wet crunches of every solid blow. If this is what the team has completed at this phase of development, we can't wait to see how the other sequences shape up. of skeleton knights guard them by forming ã barrier with their enchanted shields. Then enemies start Pouring in. A cyclops lumbers among the ranks of undead, so Kratos jumps on top of the beast and barrels toward the guarding skeletons, crushing them with the cyclops’ oversized maul. This allows Kratos to get close enough to the chains to pull them down, but the door remains closed. In order to reach the final lever, Kratos grabs the feet of a nearby harpy — another monster you can control — and makes it carry him upwards by dishing out repeated punches to the creature's underside. As fun as it is to get back at these perennial God of War enemies, the process of adding or changing mechanics in a popular series is not something to take lightly. If too much stays the same, diehard fans complain about stagnation. On the other hand, if too much changes, developers risk disappointing their core users — not to mention that steps should be taken to bring new fans into the experience as well. “Fan expectation is an interesting conundrum,” Caterson muses. “On one hand, we really focus in on the things that work, and we don't try to rework them. The combat system is great example of that — it's straightforward, easy to pick up and play, and very enjoyable. But it also has a layer of depth. That helps the more hardcore players Se cover story Е njoyment without alienating the mol casual player.’ In God of War Ill, much of the additional depth is delivered through bread-and-butter combat mechan- ics. Improved environmental interactions (bashing enemies against walls), combos (including more ways. to get Kratos and his foes airborne), and grapples an just a few new tricks. Others involve rearranging the way previous elements of the game functioned = like — separating the resources used for items and powerful magic. “In the Pa we would | have the bow that, tive," Puhl remembers. We want people to feel more free with that, so now that meter regenerates” For instance, Kratos has а bow that shoots burning arrows that you can fire repeatedly until the meter is depleted. After a short break, the: weapon is ready to go again without eating into your precious mana reserve, making ranged combat tactics a more viable option in any fight. The fire bow is a good reincarna- tion of a familiar weapon, but not all of Kratos’ tricks are new ones. GAME INFORMER. 51 нне) as Тоган наара N Unlike games like Zelda and Metroid, God of War Ill lets players retain | тапу abilities acquired in 7 the previous installments. The Golden Fleece and Icarus Wings are returning, and there may be others. Don't expect to begin with the might of an end-game character — the team still wants room to introduce cool new powers — but you won't be faced with a contrived all-your- powers-are-gone scenario. "You're not going to have the exact same powers, but you're going to have a lot of them,” Asmussen assures us. The team remains conspicuously quiet on the subject of God of War Ill's magic system and how it carries over to the latest entry. We definitely saw a blue bar in the upper-left corner of the screen, but it will adhere to a slightly different concept. “You can expect Kratos to do ethereal stuff" Asmussen confirms. "There are things beyond brute force, and at the end of the day, they function like magic. It's not handed down, so we had to come up with a different way for Kratos to gain his powers.’ That makes sense, considering that Kratos eventually finds himself fighting against the titans and gods in the war. It's unlikely they'll want to pass any more magic to him directly. In fact, they are more likely to attack him on the spot. “In God of War you fought Ares. In God of $6 M NOT GOING TO SAY WHETHER HE'S ALIVE OR DEAD, BUT THE STORY IS DEPEN- = DENT ON KRATOS, e m RIGHT? AS FAR AS Tisi NÎ CONCERNED, sex . THIS STORY IS - ya WRITTEN TO CLOSE н м im: o RPE x «IHE BOOK ON THE TRILOGY.?? SS Se‏ مد 3 STIG ASMUSSEN x UN =: So < ; 52 GAME INFORMER ~ ux 3 x У & ТЕ: SSS HORE ы War Il you fought Zeus. Now, this is going to be the epic climax,” Publ tell us. "You're going to be taking down gods beyond just the final fight" As if that weren't promising enough, not all of the boss characters are taken straight from the Greek pantheon. “You can look at the cast of characters from the end of God of War Il, and you can kind of deduce [the bosses] from that," hints Asmussen. “There are a handful of gods, and there might be some other ones waiting in the wings. There are obviously a lot of titans, and Gaia. There are going to be more people that you aren't expecting involved in this as well. Its safe to say we aren't going to have as many boss battles as God of War Il. In God of War | we had three or four...we're going to be somewhere between the two games" One confirmed boss is the god Hades, who has appeared in the series before. At some point, Kratos' quest takes him to familiar territory: Tartarus. This section of underworld, Hades' seat of power, also appeared in God of War: Chains of Olympus. Fans of the first God of War needn't worry; there aren't any spinning blades to tiptoe across in the land of the dead this time. However, that is a small comfort considering Kratos must contend with Hades himself. The fight against the lord of the dead takes place in a dark, circular chamber as he whips his own chain blades (used at the end of God of War II) at Kratos. The chamber starts to crumble as you deal damage, and chunks of Hades’ skin — which resemble half-cooked meat — will fly off and then try iggle their way back to their master. Attacking these : of flesh plays a role in ultimately defeating Hades, though the team didn't want to reveal the trick to beating one of the coolest fights in the game. "You can expect to see boss fights more in line with the Minotaur or the Kraken, where you're using environment- sok Baal HTH — —————— P P А W Enemies like these undead grunts will have randomized factors that.affect their appearance and animations. The dead flesh will show 4 varying levels of degradation, and they will use different weapons and armor based stuff more than technical stuff,” discloses Asmussen. "Though we will have technical battles, like [God of War II's fight] against the Sisters of Fate" We witnessed another confrontation set late in the game that demonstrates how God of War III builds on the already over-the-top action. Kratos enters a white rotunda built into the architecture of Mount Olympus and confronts Zeus. At first, the battle appears similar to the last battle from God of War II...until Gaia shows up. As Kratos and Zeus exchange attacks, the titan violently tears the rotunda from the face of the mountain and turns it sideways. As the arena goes vertical, Kratos digs his blades into the floor as control seamlessly shifts to the wall-fighting mechanics, with Zeus floating freely in the air behind him. The odds don't stay uneven for long, since Gaia flips the structure yet again, this time grabbing it by the pillars and delivering repeated head-butts that send Kratos and Zeus reeling. The events occur without a single break in the combat, making players feel like they are in control as an action-packed cutscene unfolds. “That would have been a fairy tale on the PlayStation 2,” Asmussen admits. “People would have laughed if we wanted to do this before. Gaia is six times the size of the Colossus [from God of War Il]. She's taller than the Empire State Building” As the size of the God of War universe increases, many fans have wondered whether another player might fit somewhere in the action. Rumors of multiplayer have dogged God of War III since its announcement, but you shouldn't believe them. "It is a solo experience,” confirms Sony Santa Monica's director of internal development John Hight. "In Kratos' world, there isn't room for some- body else" However, that does not mean God of War Ill won't Ir E E ES EJ El EE —Á—— са mmm se cover story HIDDEN GEMS The first God of War had an array of special features, including the gaming equivalent of deleted scenes. These outlined a series of concepts that didn't get included in the game, including the Icarus wings and the revelation that Zeus is Kratos' father (both of which made it into the sequel). Others, like the possibility of Kratos having a brother, remain non-canon. We asked game director Stig Asmussen about the chances of these elements being incorporated into God of War III: "They're definitely cool ideas, and we always look at them," he admits. “I think you'll find some parallels — there's good stuff there, no doubt” E God of War (PS2) support the PlayStation Network in some capacity. "I can't give you specifics on what God of War has in store, if anything," Caterson teases, "but we recognize where the industry is going and what is being deemed valuable. We've heard what a lot of fans have asked for and we've heard what's been said, and we're going to have to leave it at that" Even in the face of its gorgeous visuals and numer- ous improvements, God of War IIl may be а bittersweet moment for action/adventure fans; the game marks the end of an era for Kratos. "The story we started telling with God of War is over at the end of this," asserts Asmussen. “I'm not going to say whether he's alive or dead, but the story is dependent on Kratos, right? As far as l'm con- cerned, this story is written to close the book on the trilogy" Obviously, Sony isn't eager to abandon one of its most popular and acclaimed series. Hight adds: "We're not interested in killing the franchise, but we're also not going to run it into the ground. We're looking at ways to leverage the brand, but we really care about the consistency of this world. Our job is to represent the fans...they don't want some bull— coming out that doesn't make any sense that just has Kratos slapped on it. Sony has respected that and passed up financial opportunities because they believe in our right to create this brand over time" Whatever the future holds for Kratos beyond the trilogy, God of War III serves as the conclusion to a saga that took the gaming world by storm, redefined cinematic gameplay, and made "visceral" a ubiquitous adjective in the gaming media. Thankfully, due to the efforts of the dedicated team at Sony Santa Monica, Kratos is getting a send-off fit for a god. IN INL INI f Ге: e балч еше Real eas ٤ا کے د کے ا‎ i: GAME INFORMER 53 PLAYSTATION 3 | XBOX 860 Resident Evil 5 > STYLE 1-PLAYER ACTION (2-PLAYER ONLINE OR SYSTEM LINK) : "CUR > PUBLISHER CAPCOM > DEVELOPER CAPCOM > RELEASE MARCH 15 е. * N ALMOST THERE... : | 4 \ е don't usually like to tease our readers about the hot new games we're playing. But holy crap, we just played through the first half of Resident Evil 5! We're going to keep this mostly spoiler-free and focus primarily on new mechanics and features, so just relax, fanboys. The game begins with a Chris Redfield voiceover as he rides into in a small African village. He explains that despite Umbrella's end, the company's technology has filtered down to bioterrorists. As part of BSAA, an anti-terrorist strike force, Chris travels the world putting down potential flare-ups in order to prevent another Raccoon City incident. He meets up with co-op partner Sheva Alomar right away, and it doesn't take long before they're blasting zombies — we mean Manjini. Remember the creepy merchant from Resident Evil 4? Capcom has replaced him with an out-of-gameplay shop that appears between every level and after every death. Here you can buy extra health spray, ammo, and guns to help power through what's to come. A new ranking system also appears between levels that judges accuracy, kills, lives lost, and clear time. We earned up to 1,500 points on one stage from an "S" ranking. These points can apparently be spent on unlock- able bonus content like costumes. For some insight on big moments from the game, check out some of the gorgeous screens on these pages. We'll be back next month with a full review. IM il I This bruiser is just a mini-boss, but you'll get some sweet treasure if you can take him down before time runs out aem You'll have to protect Josh, the man at the console, from an onslaught of Manjini 54 САМЕ INFORMER AN > T ° ne ij %7. JA ~ = S › « (С achievements J ` n LJ a ` e Trophies i P Resident Evil 5 has a nice mix of things you'll do naturally during your first play-through and other objectives that take serious skills. Here's a small sample of what's in оге: - Separate rewards for completing chapters 1-1 through 6-5 - Beat the game on "X" difficulty - Buy all alternate costumes Be Bi These puppies don't play nice - Get all weapons - Shoot all BSAA emblems - Save partner 10 times - 30 longbow kills - Deflect an arrow with your knife - Kill three Manjini with one grenade Bi An extended turret sequence adds some variety to the gameplay 5 ш You'll have to pull levers and turn valves while... iL m ...this jerk is after you GAME INFORMER 55 XBOX 360 Grand Theft Auto: The Lost and Damned i > STYLE 1-PLAYER ACTION (MULTIPLAYER TBD) > PUBLISHER ROCKSTAR > DEVELOPER ROCKSTAR NORTH > RELEASE FEBRUARY 17 EXPANDED CONTENT? MORE LIKE A NEW GAME f you had to pick one innovation that defined a generation, the Wii's motion-based gameplay would be the choice most people would jot down first. But does it define this entire generation or is the real story download- able content? Music games Rock Band and Guitar Hero are updated weekly with new content. Burnout Paradise’s expanded con- tent kicked cars to the curb in favor of new experiences on bikes and in airplanes. The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion received numer- ous updates, including Shivering Isles, a content expansion so large that it could easily be called The Elder Scrolls V. Grand Theft Auto's first downloadable offering, The Lost and Damned, could be the title that sends DLC through the strato- sphere. From the content included in this download, this title could be Rockstar's new way of releasing sequels like Vice City and San Andreas. Rockstar representatives say that The Lost and Damned's new story will offer roughly 10 hours of gameplay for seasoned СТА vets, and around 20 hours if you want to see everything included in this campaign. Niko Bellic, GTA IV's protagonist, makes his return, but only in a cameo role. This new story is seen though the eyes of the meat-eating, beer-chugging, hog-riding American biker, Johnny Klebitz. Since this story runs parallel to Bellic's, you will see him periodically as missions from The Lost and Damned intersect with those from GTA IV. In one mission, which you see from a different perspective, you'll run and gun with him — a hilarious reminder of how foul-mouthed this Eastern European can be during a firefight. Unlike Bellic, Klebitz's journey isn't a personal one. He's a part of a bike gang, and his actions are usu- 56 САМЕ INFORMER ally made in unison with his leather-clad cronies. This dynamic has a profound effect on the gameplay. For many of the missions, when you travel to a destination, you'll be asked to ride in formation with your buddies – a task that rewards the player with a health boost. The sight of six bikes rolling down the highway as a flock is the definition of badass. Klebitz isn't a reskinned model of Bellic. He has his own animations, attitude, and way of carrying about his business. His per- sonality is also reflected in the look of the game. Rockstar dirtied up the HUD, altered text in the menus, and applied a grainy film-like filter to the entire presentation. His phone is also a pile of junk. In terms of real estate, The Lost and Damned uses the same game world that Bellic blazed a trail across — although new interiors, such as a biker bar, have been added to fit with Klebitz's story. And no, Bellic won't be able to enter them if you go back and play GTA IV again. The new content you stumble across is strictly for use with the expansion. In addition to the new interiors, play- ers will be able to drive a handful of new vehicles and wield a powerful new arsenal that includes a grenade launcher, auto- pistol, and sawed-off shotgun, a weapon Rockstar thought fitting as it can be fired while riding a bike. When Klebitz downs a foe from the seat of his one-of-a-kind bike, there's a chance that he'll celebrate with a fist pump. All of the radio stations from GTA IV return in The Lost and Damned, and all of them have been updated with new songs, talk radio, commercials, story-related DJ chatter, and promos. Players can also kick back with new activities like arm wres- tling and card games. The TV boasts new shows, the Internet has been updated with additional websites, and even the comedy clubs offer new laughs. Klebitz, of course, has different friends he can call for favors or a night on the town. The Lost and Damned's coding show- cases a number of improvements, such as greater draw distances, improved stream- ; ing, and new techniques for recording TÉ | the actors. Rockstar hasn't revealed any à i multiplayer details, but it is believed that The Lost and Damned will offer a variety of new multiplayer modes, maps, and co-op missions. Rockstar did confirm that all of the new vehicles and weapons are shared between single and multiplayer. You'll need to have a GTA IV disc spin- ning in your Xbox 360 if you want to venture back into Liberty City. As of press time, Rockstar seemed confident that this exciting DLC will be ready for download on February 16 for roughly 20 dollars. I II E fig Li я A Klebitz starts the game as an в 4 “established character in Liberty City. i a of From the outset of play, he has a i " + handful of friends and contacts е2 Ñ W In addition to the story-based missions, players should keep an eye on their map for new pedestrian missions iia EE ш Klebitz isn't the free spirit Niko was. He rides in formation, and usually has a gun or three to back him up W Playing "Pipe Bomb Panic" while driving? Not a good idea he : г p 8i Johnny Klebitz is the vice president m New clothing options are available of the Lost Brotherhood biker gang... to Klebitz, although we doubt he'll i ever lose his jacket E 8 ...and may not see eye-to- eye with president Billy Grey UNLIMITED ENABLED 5 "TE YSTATION XBOX 360 і А G pn t's all been going exactly accord- ing to plan," Tim Schafer jokes. Т ^| think a lot of developers don't really think of the multiple pub- lisher plan when they're first starting out, because it sounds hard. But trust me. It's the best way” Schafer has a lot to feel jovial about; after months without a publisher, the recently announced deal with EA Partners assures that Double Fine's tale of a heavy metal roadie's epic adventure will see the light of day. We talked with Schafer about the chal- lenges of the past year, and asked about the interesting journey the game has made over the last several months. "We were suffering from the same lack of information that everyone was for a long time,” Schafer explains. “We'd heard there was going to be a merger, and we thought, ‘Oh, there'll be shenanigans around the bend’ Sure enough, shenanigans came.’ The Activision/Vivendi merger saw numerous game casualties, among them Ghostbusters and Briital Legend. With no publisher but an increasingly polished game already in hand, Double Fine opted to buckle down and continue building the game even as operating funds became B Eddie is going to shred | this rock, and from there head out to find some roll. 58 САМЕ INFORMER increasingly scarce. "We'd been through something similar to this before, and we got through it that time, so we knew we could get through it again," Schafer says. "So we mostly just kept our nose to the grindstone and kept working on the вате" As Eddie Rigg's rock n' roll journey con- tinued to take shape, Schafer and his team set to work finding a new business partner. He told us about the strange experience of shopping the game around a second time, with a far more polished and clear vision of its potential. "The second round of showing the game to publishers was so different from the first time. The first time we had this crazy idea; it's an action game about rock. Remember, this was before Rock Band or anything came out. People didn't really want to talk about hard rock. Now, all of a sudden, rock and heavy metal are cool again," he says. "What is the real pitch? It's really about Eddie, and the story of this roadie. Whereas when we first pitched the game we might have had a million other ideas, too. But now it is focused. It's about a man, his axe, his guitar, and his car" At long last, Double Fine struck an arrangement with EA Partners, and the game should finally hit store shelves in the Е - A CT li Sorry Eddie, the studs and leather don't make the soul patch any cooler second half of this year. In the meantime, the game has entered a stage of polishing and balancing that can best take advantage of a helpful publishing partner. "Ideally, publishers are really help- ful in tuning your game, and honing in on what is fun about it," Schafer tells us. "But it's great to do that after the game has had a chance to figure out what it is. Games need a little space to thrash around and pursue some dead ends before they figure out what they're really all about” Regardless of the setbacks the game encountered throughout 2008, Double Fine avoided shutting down production, though Schafer admits the potential was looming in the final weeks before the deal was struck. Even so, he remains upbeat about the experience. "I never felt like Brütal Legend wasn't going to happen. As soon as rumors went around that we were available, there was a lot of inter- est," Schafer says. "Although, looking back, it was probably scarier than | wanted to admit at the time. But it couldn't die. The game is just that good. The universe wanted it to happen. Metal prevailed in the end, as it always will” M Ii I LP Vals т Time to set some cities on fire with rock and roll ш Eddie finally gets to play the big arena show he'd dreamed of ie n = E NB Deer ЧА حن‎ жа. AMAA ANI ix n Ы EPIC DISASTERS Epic disasters get your blood flowing? Maybe THE DAY AFTER TOMORROW (2004) INDEPENDENCE DAY $ This eco-conscious film isn't a narra- tive masterwork, blockbuste of the mos out there. THE TOWERING INFERNO (19745 A dedication ceremony turns sour simple electrical flare-up turns orld’s tallest skyscraper into a Int Am Alive, your biggest enemy is the environment. Aftershocks continue to rock the city, causing the few remaining buildings to tumble down An earthquake has turned Chicago into an urb where violent gro! their own laws these disaster films will help wet your appetite for the game's release. INDEPENDENCE DAY (1996) The big budget disaster that started the fate ‘90s rush. When aliens finally visit Earth, they don't just blow up one city, they blow up all of the CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD C1896) Carrot Top tried to make a film. This is the biggest disaster of them all. In this post-disaster PLAYSTATION 3 І XBOX 360 | Am Alive > STYLE 1-PLAYER ACTION > PUBLISHER UBISOFT > DEVELOPER DARKWORKS > RELEASE LATE 2009 OR AM I? anuary 23, 1556, an earthquake presumed to be over eight on the Richter scale shattered the Shansi Province in China, racking up a death toll of more than 800,000, April 18, 1906, another earthquake register- ing 79 tore through the heart of San Francisco, igniting a fire that lasted four days and razed more than four square miles. Thousands ended up missing or dead. History is marked with devastating events like these, but what would happen if an epic quake tore through an American city today? What would happen if the city was filled with millions of inhabitants and unprepared for such a tragedy? What if it happened to be the biggest earthquake in human history? In| Am Alive, an earthquake registering a phenomenal 10.9 erupts underneath Chicago in June 2009. The city — one of the most important financial centers in the country that features some of the loftiest and most impressive skyscrapers on the planet and is home to more than 8.7 million people — falls to its knees. Adam Collins, a 27-year-old junior executive, spends three days digging himself out of a buried street comer. He emerges into a city that's getting worse by the hour. Chicago has pancaked into a massive pile of rubble, and it contin- ues to fall apart as aftershocks rock threugh building husks. Surviving the initial quake was just the beginning; Adam is now caught inside a city-sized sinking deathtrap. | Am Alive's hero sets off on a joumey to find his ex-girl- friend Alice, a girl for which he still has feelings. As the game progresses he'll have to band together with several other survivors if he wants to make it out alive. The earthquake has turned Chicago into a chaotic no man's land. Ordinary every- day people — manic with survival instinct — are killing each other over water. Ubisoft remains tightlipped on many of the game's mechanics, but throughout this first-person adventure, players gather information and explore for tools needed to survive. Word has come in over the wire that a rescue attempt will be coming in seven days, so Adam must make sure all the survivors are unified in one base camp and gear up to fight off those who are more interesting in saving themselves. Meanwhile, the city is still falling apart around them, so the most dangerous enemy in the game is often the ground under their feet. IBI 88 IN. Chicago, a bottle of water can > buy.a;bag of gold ЖЖ PICK UP EINE ALERT}! ae roe YER CERE EVERYDAY Text Orderword To Number Below I taught | that | zour thing | giritrign, B mp?) Qu lie :) I taught Good friends don't let you do stupid things... alone STEP mrkEvWoRD W STEP REPLY 1] e.g. WALL9186 OK to the received message р Ga CLICK ON LINK Want to order from Canada? Check out www.jamster.ca бик | Soulja Boy Tell Em - Kiss Me Thru The Phone song4101 йа Boy Tell Em - Gucci Bandanna. songs 102 The Game - Camera Phone song4103 | wali?203 loading http://jamster.com/ coolwallpaper/love са MEN м = ce previews PLAYSTATION З | XBOX 360 | PC Prototype > STYLE 1-PLAYER ACTION > PUBLISHER ACTIVISION > DEVELOPER RADICAL ENTERTAINMENT > RELEASE SUMMER WHAT’S GOING ON? he last time we heard anything new about Prototype, it was in our August 2007 cover story (#172). During the prolonged merger period when the new йБег- publisher Activision Blizzard was deciding which games to keep or set free, all Prototype info went dark, just like every other Sierra title swept up in the mix. Prototype was one of the few titles to remain under the Activision umbrella. We spoke with Radical executive producer Tim Bennison to find out what happened when the game went dark. What has the last year been like for the Prototype team in light of the big merger and uncertainties in regards to having a publisher? We've had a big year — no doubt about it. Even without the events of the past 12 months happening around us, we would have had a challenging time simply because of the scale of Prototype. We're now somewhat heading into the home stretch with the game planned to launch this summer, so it's definitely nice to be moving from “hard work" to “hard work plus a little fun mixed in” now that we are back out there showing off the game in action. What is it about Prototype that helped it survive the Activision merger when other games were cut loose? | think there were probably a few contributing factors. First off was the amazing level of support it had garnered from the video game press and fans prior to the merger, so that’s definitely something we truly appreciate. The fact that we're offering something different from the typical “hero saves the day" scenario also makes Prototype interesting — the chance to play an anti-hero where nothing is black and white. Finally, | think we've got something unique with the level of visceral, balls-to-the-wall action that you just typically don't see in many other games. In our original story on Prototype, the game was said to feature two-player co-op, only to have Radical announce that wasn't going to be the case. Has the extra develop- ment time allowed you to reintegrate this feature? Bi Look closely and you can tell that's not just a car blowing up ч 62 САМЕ INFORMER Unfortunately, the answer is still по. As we announced last year, we're still focusing Prototype solely on the core single- player experience. Are there any features you have added to the game with the extra time? Yes, definitely. It's been a phenomenal opportunity to con- inue to hone and polish Prototype's fundamentals. We've added to the range of Alex's over-the-top locomotion abilities to include things like gliding. Additionally, jacking vehicles like the Apache helicopter can now be done via unlocking an upgrade to Alex's tentacle-like "whipfist" power. We've also been able to really put some key focus into the game's side missions like the events that happen outside of the core story arc experience. One of my favorite events is where Alex inds a grenade launcher with unlimited ammo and has to withstand an all-out Infected assault for 60 seconds. Rumors spread across the Internet that Prototype was being adapted to a more traditional superhero property like Spider-Man. Was this ever the case? No. Prototype has always remained firm to its goals of deliv- ering an over-the-top action game with an anti-hero at its core. | think the world of Spider-Man and Prototype in terms of flavor, morals, and choices are best kept separate from each other. What did you think of the recent Incredible Hulk movie game that may have taken a few things from Ultimate Destruction (Radical's 2005 hit)? Heck, even the film stole your car-metal boxing gloves! It was really cool to see that up on the big screen. Our designers and animators were amazed. | think this clearly shows how games can influence movies to some degree, rather than exclusively the other way around. By the way, since we're on the subject, we'd love to collaborate on a movie based on Prototype...any takers? Wi ii m Bi Somthing tells us this won't be rated "E" TRULY METAL WITHOUTTHESECONDPEDAL. GETA FREE DOUBLE BASS DRUM PEDAL WHEN YOU PRE-ORDER GUITAR HERO METALLICA, ONLY AT GAMESTOP. Game: c; Power to the players ESRB CONTENT RATING www.esrb.or The world of Fulheim is filled with many wild beasts, but the most dangerous mon- sters are Contaminant Dragons, lumbering behemoths who pose an extra deadly threat since their bodies poison the air the second they die. Players take control of a " E. we M а + motley crew of characters, including an 7 a 8 „ае imperial soldier named Bright, the second i z = d i s T prince of Meridian named Alse, and an IC ISe an asla — | nd lg me Eee Д | unnamed mystery girl with a secret past. 2 2 Rp men. à | © "When word comes that dragons are bear- > STYLE 1-PLAVER ROLE PLAVING GAME > PUBLISHER MARVELOUS ENTERTAINMENT i lie | à ing down on the capital city, this crew of > DEVELOPER IMAGE ЕРОСН> RELEASE SUMMER d [ 4 " ia ~ * younglings must repel the beasts and find By THESOOK т a ^ 2798 ای‎ E ET- a way to heal the land. : m Frag х mamans 1 = 3 LT —— M Ü——€ р, intendo seems to have all but abandoned traditional 2 MU MS ; Bons Japanese RPGs. During its the NES and SNES hey- i : А Pay m Arc Rise looks to appeal days, the consoles were the go-to destinations for > il pus Ф, 500gr XI. to fans of turn-based RPGs turn-based battles, stereotypical fantasy characters, — and worlds full of airships, dragons, and children who save the world. But in this industry it only takes one generation for things to change. Where the genre was once as virile as rab- bits on Nintendo consoles, they are now as common as the flightless dodo on the Wii. Nintendo owners who are still fans of the old genre should take note of Image Epoch's new title, Arc Rise Fantasia. Arc Rise is set in the colorful world of Fulheim, a land where humanity has prospered thanks to a mysterious tech- nology called leys — ancient luminescent artifacts that serve as the source of all magical energy. This idyllic society is on the verge of political turmoil, however, as mysterious mon- sters are tearing apart the surrounding land, crystallizing the environment in their wake. While the story is torn from the annals of Generic RPG 101, the battle system is unique. The system is turn based, but unlike traditional RPGs, every character draws from the same AP well. This is the crux of the battle strategy. Players have the option to use one character to dish out a single large attack or to spread the love by having the whole group participate in a longer string of attacks. P Summoned monsters also play into action. While details 5 SEN T 2 9-33 DAP P0 1 are limited, we hear these summon creatures will be good J f problgm with setting ? га bigs ay your Knives on fire is that 7 ۴ à for more than just causing havoc in battle. They provide E the handles get really hot useful knowledge to help players outside of combat. With its : traditional narrative and game mechanics Arc Rise Fantasia certainly won't appeal to everyone, but hopefully it will strike enough classic RPG chords to satisfy old school fans. RI i w А COP WITH AN ATTITUDE! A MYSTERIOUS AGENT! A STRIPPER WITH TWO DEADLY WEAPONS! - THE HOUSE OF THE DEAD MATURE 174 7" “M Г Ж] ESRB CONTENT RATING мині Wi l. WWW.HOUSEOFTHEDEADOVERKILL.COM © SEGA. SEGA, the SEGA logo, THE HOUSE OF THE DEAD and THE HOUSE OF THE DEAD: OVERKILL are either registered trademarks or trademarks of SEGA Corporation. Headstrong Games Ltd. is a registered subsidiary of Kuju PLC, part of Catalis NV group company, and is a trademarkof Kuju PLC in the U.K. and other countries. All Rights Reserved. Wii and the Wii logo are trademarks of Nintendo. © 2006. STARRING SPECIAL AGENT G AND DETECTIVE WASHINGTON se previews PLAYSTATION 3 | XBOX 360 | PC Wanted: Weapons Of Fate > STYLE 1-PLAYER ACTION > PUBLISHER WARNER BROS. INTERACTIVE > DEVELOPER GRIN > RELEASE MARCH | WANT THAT f you haven't seen the movie Wanted yet, go watch it and come back. Finished? Great, no one can com- plain about spoilers. The game is both a sequel and a prequel to the film, jumping back and forth between Wesley as he goes after the French chapter of the Fraternity and his absentee father Cross as he presumably unearths Sloan's cor- ruption in the Chicago branch. We played a preview version of Weapons of Fate that included a few snapshots of levels with almost the entire story excised out, but plenty of action left in. The tutorial scenes have players curving bullets around hanging bodies while Wesley delivers a suitably snarky voiceover courtesy of surprisingly accurate fill-in Jimmi Simpson (see sidebar). The first stage we sampled looked to be a vaguely European town that was straightforward enough to allow us to get used to being an assassin. The intriguing Fans of the Wanted comics will recognize Wesley's snazzy assassin suit that he inherited from his father „ч 66 GAME INFORMER cover system allows players to stick to most any flat surface, peek out for pot shots, and easily zip to the next cover point with the flick of an analog stick and press of a button. After killing just one enemy, you'll have enough adrenaline to perform the signature bullet curve. Holding down the right bumper brings up what looks like a laser pointing at the red outline of the closest target. Maneuver the bullet arc with the left stick until the line turns white and then let go of the button. The whole process feels really smooth and allows you to take out foes firmly entrenched behind cover with ease and style. Outside of straight combat, we also enjoyed turret and sniper sequences where we protected a woman named Alyse from an army of hooded goons. The next stage places you back at the ruined Chicago Frathouse and includes an inter- esting take on the overused bullet time/ Difficulty settings include “The Killer,” “Assassin,” or a third amusingly derisive substitute for "Easy" that we can't print in a family magazine Sorry, fellas, a digital Angelina Jolie doesn't seem to show up in this one timed button press mechanic. Wesley enters a warehouse full of SWAT guys and you'll watch him perform all manner of fancy kills interrupted by playable slo-mo scenes where you must shoot a number of enemies (and their midair bullets!) in a matter of seconds. The final sample stage placed us in a hijacked jetliner that progressively falls apart the further you get into it. The two narrow aisles don't offer much route flex- ibility as you move to take down masked gunmen, but fortunately the drink cart serves as an adequate form of mobile cover. The thugs themselves also make a great human shield if you can get your hands on one. This quick taste of Weapons of Fate has us hungry for more, so hopefully we'll review the full game in our next issue. MN Ш Wesley REPLACED Jimmi Simpson - Liam McPoyle in /t's Always | Sunny in Philadelphia, - roles in Zodiac, CSI, and My Name is Earl | Cross | RETURNS Thomas Kretschmann – returns both in likeness and voice acting, appears 1 in Valkyrie, King Kong, and The Pianist Sloan REPLACED | Tom Kane - accomplished voice actor did a spot- on imitation of Morgan Freeman on Robot Chicken, longtime voice of Yoda after Frank Oz y Pekwarsky RETURNS | Terence Stamp – respected * | actor is back as the wise Y bullet-maker, also voice - of The Prophet of Truth in Halo 5 ~ | Brummel | Common - famous rapper | returns to the Wanted uni- | verse as a new assassin | Paz Vega - bigtime Spanish | actress plays a femme 2 fatale, known for roles in $ тһе Spirit, Spanglish, and Talk to Her PLAYSTATION 3 | XBOX 360 Watchmen: Most of the story is told in animated graphic novel cutscenes, which is probably the only place you'll see cameos of heroes like The Comedian and Silk Spectre The End Is Nigh > STYLE 1 OR 2-PLAYER ACTION > PUBLISHER WARNER BROS. INTERACTIVE > DEVELOPER DEADLINE GAMES A/S > RELEASE MARCH WATCH OUT hough the Watchmen film may have had its legal battles, the downloadable game is still taking the fight to the streets. For $20 (or 1,600 Microsoft Points), players can don the masks of Nite Owl and Rorschach in a series of six co-op beat-'em-up chapters. The game takes place in 1975, 10 years before the movie's setting, when masked heroes have yet to be banned by the Keene Act. However, it seems anti-hero sentiments are already in the air. The first mission involves the super-duo responding to a prison riot, and the warden couldn't be more contemptuous of your offers for help. Throughout our hands-on time with the first three chapters, we beat up angry convicts in a burning penitentiary, angry thugs in rainy back alleys, and slightly different-looking angry thugs by the docks. Two attack buttons can be combined to form various combos, but we found that throwing dudes and kicking them while they're down is the most efficient means of disposal. Eventually, enemies learn to block this attack, but then you can simply switch over to unstoppable counterattacks. The two heroes have only marginally different abilities. Nite Owl tazers people and utilizes luchador-style acrobatics, while Rorschach beats thugs with crowbars and bottles and occasionally flies into a blind super-powered rage. They also differ in how they get around. Nite Owl uses a grappling hook, while Rorschach can climb drainpipes (woo!). There are quite a few situations where players are separated from each other. One will run off, fight dudes, and pull a lever while the other player... just sits there doing nothing. Sure, there is still some time for polish before The End is Nigh is released, and we've only played half the game, but we'd recommend Watchmen fans think twice before throwing down the cash. If you're playing this around kids, parents, or anyone with a sense of decency, you'll want to put the TV on mute. Enemies spew an endless stream of swear words at all times Se previews PLAYSTATION 3 | XBOX 360 H.A.W.X. > STYLE 1-PLAYER ACTION (UP TO 8-PLAYER ONLINE) > PUBLISHER UBISOFT > DEVELOPER UBISOFT ROMANIA > RELEASE MARCH TRADE IN YOUR GLAWX FOR H.A.W.X. fter some extensive hands-on time with the latest addition to the Tom Clancy franchise, it looks as if Ace Combat finally has some competition. HL.AMX. may not have been our name of choice for Ubisoft's new air combat arcade/sim, but it's hard to argue with the polished gameplay we saw on display during our early play through. An initial test flight with the controls feels familiar. Basic control over pitch and yaw are accompanied by an absurd load of missiles and bombs to unload onto enemy forces. It's the small adjustments that really spice up the experience. For instance, a single button press will over- lay an interception path onto the HUD, revealing the most advantageous course to zero in on your current target. This fea- ture comes in extremely handy, especially when tracking ground units obscured by Skyscrapers or mountainous terrain. The game's real innovation lies in the "Assistance Off" feature. By disabling your jet's safety features, you enable high-speed turns and wild adjustments in speed and trajectory, but with the added risk of increased stalls. To communicate the clever mechanic, Ubisoft Romania pans the camera into a wide third-person angle on your plane during this mode, where you can watch as your fighter drops into ill-advised dives and wild 180- degree turns. It's an exhilarating addition to the standard formula, especially during heated dogfights. H.A MX. is on track for its March release, which should come as welcome news to anyone hankering for another entry in the genre since 2007's Ace Combat 6. With some added polish and some tweaks to the mission balancing, we have high hopes that H.AWX. may be the flier to beat іп 2009. M ШШ Clancy Unive | сөе СЫН E a У " Expands Again niverse . ‚ is set in the Clancy military г after the year 2015, when pri jump in/jump out cooperative play throughout the campaign, Awesome INFORMER 67 H.A.W.X. includes four-player | and eight-player versus modes. егпогу is a funny thing. A big event can seem larger ] than life when viewed through the lens of nostal- PLAYSTATION 3 | XBOX 360. Ш gia. A hero's legacy may enlarge to 10 times its former size in a fuzzy childhood recollection. This 2 А ~~ dus is the very reason why THQ's new Legends of Wrestlemania "m ge g e n © 0 M O ét 4 3 character models look so outrageous. Legendary wrestler Hulk Li 4. p! Э Hogan is more beefed out than normal because he's not sup- Е posed їо be the Hulk Hogan from history, he’s the Hulk Hogan " r es eman la < е from our childhood. Ж — $ ; Legend's gameplay holds true to its over-the-top look. > STYLE 1 TO 4-PLAVER FIGHTING (UPTO 4-PLAYER ONLINE) : E. 4 * 4 4 The streamlined interface uses the four major face but- > PUBLISHER THQ > DEVELOPER YUKE’S YOKOHAMA > RELEASE MARCH А a" fo | tons to control all the action, resulting in some easy to pick i ESAE WT up, arcade action. To further break down the action, mini- HISTORY BUFFS r — YE "М objectives are scattered within each match. Completing Э : these objectives, which are based off real historical events, шп ' { = determines the winner's score. For example, you might be i $ asked to scoop slam Andre the Giant as Hulk Hogan, just like it happened in their 1987 Wrestlemania III match. This was a notable historic feat, as it was the first time the Giant had ever been taken off his feet. Wrestling managers also play an important role in the outcome of each match. You'll see flamboyantly dressed gentlemen like Jimmy Hart and Bobby “The Brain” Heenan interrupting submission holds and doing other things to Ма a правас и interfere with their wrestler's opponent. Pace use ses i \ 3 It's clear even after just a few minutes with the game that ш Action figure Hulk is about to ( ће developers want Legends to be a tribute to the sport. blast off into space and fight Skele- With its arcade action and silly atmosphere, this tightly tor (He did a lot of that in {һе 805), focused fan service title might be one of the first wresting ү. у games that appeals to non-wrestling fans. йй i i The Rs of Wrestiing Bi Can you smell what the Rock is cook – *sniff* Legend's feature game mode is called Relive, Rewrite, aie маца тайце. and Redefine. The basic premise allows players i to relive all the classic matches from yesteryear's Wrestlemania events. Want to take down The Rock as Stone Cold Steve Austin in their classic Wrestlemania XV match? That's one option. Maybe you didn't tike how Shawn Michaels beat the tar out of Bret Hart back in Wrestlemania XII — this is also your chance to rewrite that page of history by taking control of Hart and mak- ing sure the match swings back in his favor. Things get even more interesting when you change the rules of the matches. With certain bouts you can alter the battle con- ditions. For example, you could turn Andre the Giant's 1985 brawl against Big John Studd into a steel cage match and see if that affects the outcome. The wrestlers and the venue will always stay the same, but otherwise wrestling history is ripe for the changing. m The call out com- mentary is being handled by legends Jim Ross and Jerry "the King" Lawler if Three's a Crowd... Think Wrestlemania started out small? Think again. In March of 1985, the original The Grandaddy of Them All packed 19,121 people into Madison Square Garden. By the time Wrestlemania Ш rolled around, the pay-per-view event had exploded to 93,173 attendees, filling the Pontiac i í Silverdome in Michigan and making M Legends will also have | it the largest recorded attendance = an import mode, allowing for a live indoor sporting event in you to bring over your а ё wrestlers from SvR 2008 American history. айыы PLAYSTATION 3 | XBOX 360 UFC 2009 Undisputed > STYLE 1 OR 2-PLAYER FIGHTING (2-PLAYER ONLINE) > PUBLISHER THQ > DEVELOPER YUKE'S OSAKA > RELEASE SPRING THE NEW KID few Ultimate Fighting Championship titles have come and gone over the last decade, but none of them had the fighting chops to survive. With UFC continu- ing to rise in popularity, THQ stranger to the ring with its Smackdown vs. Raw series — is stepping up, and might have what it takes to weather more than a few rounds in the Octagon. Thanks to developer Yuke's impressively detailed character models and animation system, these fighters look real. The developer has worked hard to ensure that each fighter's body moves and reacts like it should in combat. These digital reconstructions sweat, breathe, and bleed like the real deal, and they also interact well with each other. Limbs no longer Fignüng Style d UFC isn't made up of any one fighting style; the sport covers a wide range of disciplines. Any fighter worth his weight class mixes and matches a few techniques to come up with a style uniquely his own. Here's a breakdown of some of the major styles found in the sport that Yuke's is specifically including in the game. * Boxing - The gentleman's sport's history goes all the way back to ancient Greece, and uses elaborate foot maneu- vers and quick jabs to mount a powerful offense. Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu - Developed to take down larger oppo: nents, this Brazilian spin-off of Japanese judo focuses on grappling and ground fighting. clip into the body or stop just short of connection. Every impact looks firm. When a fighter blocks a devastating kick, his arms press back against the body and face realistically — jaws snap back with force after an uppercut. The animation holds up even as these brawlers battle back and forth with athletic speed. The control system is easy to pick up, with the face buttons handling all the basic attacks while the left and right buttons handle modifying basic attacks and blocking. Anyone who has watched UFC knows that eventually most bouts devolve into a rolling match on the floor, so plenty of effort has gone into making sure the ground game is just as deep as the traditional fighting. A new grapple system has been created H IB “What happened to the Twister board?" Se previews using the right analog stick, so fighters will have to strategi- cally position themselves in the best spot to put a submission hold on their opponent while dealing with his attempts to block, counter, and escape. Like most wrestling games, UFC features robust career and create-a-fighter modes. Joe Rogan and Mike Goldberg also provide hours of commentary. The final release will pack an extensive roster of 80 of the best mixed martial arts fighters in the world. Across five weight classes you'll see names like Wanderlei Silva, BJ Penn, Frank Mir, Rashad Evans, and Quinton "Rampage" Jackson. Undisputed looks promising so far, but we won't find out until later this year if it really lives up to its name. Bi Ili 8 The goal is to ensure that the whole game runs smooth at à speedy 60 frames per second, and so far it looks on track to do just that Judo - In competitive judo, striking is not allowed (some- thing that's not a problem in the UFC), as this Japanese martial art emphasizes throwing your opponent. Kickboxing - A broad descriptor that that can cover a vari- ety of martial art forms, but generally ones that integrate g punches and martial arts kicks. Muay Thai - Also known as Thai Boxing. Thailand's most popular spectator sport, this form of kickboxing utilize elbows, knees, and low kicks. Wrestling - Quite possibly the world's oldest sport, con testants down their opponents using hand-to-hand maneuvers and no striking blows. GAME INFORMER 69 „° previews РС ju и mpire: Total War " > STYLE 1-PLAYER STRATEGY (UP TO 8-PLAYER ONLINE) > PUBLISHER SEGA > DEVELOPER CREATIVE ASSEMBLY > RELEASE MARCH 3 TRE WHITE GLOVES ARE OFF 70 GAME INFORMER Temy : Total War shares many similarities with its critically praised predecessors, for all intents and purposes Creative Assembly has rebuilt its strategy series from the ground up. The addition of gun warfare, naval battles, and more intricate diplomacy from the age of colonization practically necessitated it. One of Creative Assembly's larger focuses for improving Total War is to streamline the experience by reducing micromanagement chores. Tax, trade, and government decisions are now handled at the faction level rather than at every city. Faction leaders can also recruit new troops directly from generals instead of doing it city-by-city and setting waypoints to guide them to the frontlines. More so than any other Total War game, politics is paramount to success in Empire. Players must be careful how they go about Protecting your trade routes ж from blockades and hijackings - will be paramount to your economic success renders every musket ball and Me к handles large-scale battles up Ё to 10,000 troops, Empire: Total War's skirmishes are nothing short of spectacular diplomacy, as their populations will react to every decision. Declaring outright war is messy, but sophisticated leaders can use the black arts to prompt enemies into declar- ing war on them without firing a musket. The agents from previous games are now replaced by two more useful new classes. The rake is your devious tool for spying on cities, assassinating enemies, and sabotaging important buildings. The gentlemen, on the other hand, grant productivity bonuses to cities and can challenge enemy gentlemen to a duel, Zell Miller style (watch it, Chris Matthews!). This is a great apolitical way to weaken your enemy by eliminating the bonuses his gentlemen impart. With 12 playable factions and 50 total factions vying for supremacy, economic and political relationships can get hairy in a hurry. To better recreate the intricate level of gh diplomacy during the era, Creative Assembly completely scrapped its Al system. Enemy factions now have two intertwining brains. An over-arching Al handles long-term, turn- based campaign objectives, while the sup- plemental logic handles more goal-oriented action planning during real-time battles. In addition to the popular global conquest mode, Total War is spreading its wings with a dedicated narrative campaign called The Road to Independence. These three mission- centric episodes focus on the creation of Jamestown, the French and Indian War, and the Revolutionary War. This campaign is a great way for new players to learn the nuances of Total War without feeling the pressure of taking on the world. All of this adds up to one of the most promising strat- egy titles to date. ШШШ To The Poopdeck! Previous Total War games featured naval battles resolved by Al, but Empire allows gamers to take to the seas themselves to control the outcome of each battle. You can build your naval fleet out of 25 ships, each offering a unique tradeoff between firepower and maneuverability. Each sloop, brig, and frigate has been historically researched and rendered down to each plank of wood, These seemingly minor details become critical during naval battles, as every mast, hull, and sail has been modeled with realistic physical properties. Cannonballs deal massive damage to hulls, chain shots weaken sails and masts, and grape shots are perfect for targeting on-deck crews. You can also completely destroy a ship by landing a critical hit on its gunpow- der magazine. Considering the massive value of ships, however, it's often better to send your scalawags aboard the enemy ship to commandeer it in the name of your nation, NINTENDO DS Henry Hatsworth in the Puzzling Adventure > STYLE 1-PLAYER PLATFORMER/PUZZLE > PUBLISHER ELECTRONIC ARTS > DEVELOPER EA CASUAL STUDIOS > RELEASE MAI THE POMPOUS PLATFORMING PUZZLER f Mario and Luigi attended Oxford ing them with a ranged weapon. But as he instead of plumber school, chances are dispatches the various beasts that stand in they'd end up like Henry Hatsworth. This esteemed explorer also dons a fabulous moustache, but you won't find overalls in his refined wardrobe. His Bond Street sensibility prefers indubitably classy his way, they relocate to a rising box puzzle on the bottom screen of the DS. Hatsworth must split his time between the puzzle and the platforming to prevent the enemies from returning to the action realm. By swapping boxes with the stylus to align three or more blocks of the same color vertically or horizontally, they disappear and charge Hatsworth's super meter. Filling the super meter allows Henry to trigger a special Tea Time mode where he dons a robot suit to make quick work of his foes. Eliminating boxes with special power-up signs can also replenish Hatsworth's health or grant other bonuses. In the platforming realm, Hatsworth haberdasheries like bucket hats, bowties, and monocles. As a member of the Pompous Adventurers’ Club, Hatsworth spends his days platforming through exotic locales looking for long-lost artifacts. His latest exploit entails finding a golden hat said to have powerful magical properties. Hatsworth is far too educated to believe in hocus pocus theories, so he's in the hunt purely for the sport. But when he locates the hat, it indeed reveals itself to be a collects coins and gems from dispatched magical creation granting its wearer untold enemies and treasure chests, which he can powers. Hatsworth then sets out to find the еп use to upgrade his melee, ranged, rest of the golden wardrobe. and puzzle-solving abilities. Ladies and gen- Hatsworth's quests unfold on two tlemen can join the Pompous Adventurers’ distinct planes. Like Mario, Henry spends Club to experience this unique genre much of his time jumping from platform to ^ mash-up in March. IB шш platform while stomping enemies or shoot- ¢5 previews NINTENDO DS Valkyrie Profile: Covenant of the Plume > STYLE 1-PLAYER STRATEGY > PUBLISHER SQUARE ENIX > DEVELOPER TRI-ACE > RELEASE MARCH 17 FEATHER IN YOUR CAP he Valkyrie Profile series has forged its identity by doing things differ- ms ently. Unique battle systems and * attacks, bittersweet storylines set the first Bs ps two games apart from their peers, and the eI. ws m oR A third entry is already shaping up to surprise o attacks 0), AES > gamers with its unorthodox approach. Set UM, (B). A attacks before the first Valkyrie Profile in the time- [МЕ line, Covenant of the Plume (formerly sub- titled "The Accused Опе”) abandons most of the RPG trappings of its predecessors in favor of grid-based strategy warfare. Covenant of the Plume stars a warrior named Wylfred who has sworn to get ven- ARCET geance on the valkyrie Lenneth. To accom- p plish his goal, Wylfred makes a deal with a goddess of the underworld, who gives him : a feather as a symbol of their pact. As the Sy battles unfold, this plume becomes one of the key weapons at your disposal. You can use it on allies to grant them superhu- man strength, virtually guaranteeing victory for that fight. However, any ally that uses the power dies after it fades, permanently removing them from your party. This forces the player to weigh the importance of immediate success against the long-term cost. The number of times you use the feather will also affect which of the multiple endings you receive. Combat is structured like most grid-based battle systems, with your army and the enemy's taking turns advancing and attack- ing. The major difference is that once you А are in position, your attacks take place using a combat system similar to the first Valkyrie РЯ Profile. Allies are mapped to one of the four face buttons, and you time your presses to maximize damage and initiate powerful super moves. Though only four characters can attack at a time, more than that can join Wylfred’s cause, and some will tag along as guests. You can forget about using the plume on one-shot guest characters, Castle Courtyard though. We tried it, and the game clearly ; states that the plume can only be used on Wylfred's trusted friends, because sacrifice without significance is meaningless. With its combination of strategy and story, the time we spent playing Covenant of the Plume has us eager to dig deeper into the experience. Valkyrie Profile isn't one of those RPG series that sees multiple iterations every console generation, so a new entry is something to keep an eye on. B Ш INI LL attacks Ally Turn à sire, Lam Ailyth d forth from Niflheim i ed xi GAME INFORMER 71 Surely there will be no mine cart rides = What the heck kind of animal is Klonoa, anyway? Something tells us that the giant spike ball is immune to being picked up 72 GAME INFORMER Wii > STYLE 1-PLAYER ACTION/PLATFORM > PUBLISHER NAMCO BANDAI > DEVELOPER NAMCO BANDAI > RELEASE 2009 NO GIMMICKS, JUST GAMEPLAY t may not have the name recognition of Mario or Sonic, but Namco Bandai's Klonoa franchise quietly delivered top- flight 2D platforming action on Sony's first two PlayStations, as well as the Game Boy Advance. Klonoa hasn't seen a new release since a 2005 entry on GBA, but is now poised to give gameplay-starved Wii owners a respite from mindless waggle. Klonoa is faithfully carrying over the plat- forming formula established by earlier titles in the series. The anthropomorphic cat-like hero can grab enemies and use them for a variety of purposes, including flinging them downward for a double-jump or tossing them forward to take out an obstacle. Klonoa can perform a whirlwind maneuver that i B This-is 100 percent 2D | gameplay, clever visual. } Ø tricks notwithstanding slows down nearby enemies, and his weird floppy wing-ears can be used for brief mid- air glides as well. Several interesting ideas are at play in the game's level design, with 2D platforming staples like slides and flowing water making appearances, among many others. There appears to be an exploration mechanic as well, where curious and skilled players can take creative routes to hidden doors and secret areas. Gamers will be glad to know that Klonoa features no mandatory motion controls; it is designed to play well with any of sev- eral control schemes. A single Wii remote, remote and nunchuk configuration, a GameCube controller, and the Classic con- troller should work equally well. Though the gameplay takes place in two dimensions, everything is modeled in 3D. As in many so-called "2.50" titles before it, this gives Klonoa a great combination of old- school platforming gameplay with a modern visual look. The colorful, inviting art style shouldn't scare off more mature gamers, either. If this Klonoa is anything like its pre- decessors, it'll offer plenty of challenge to dedicated players. No specific U.S. release date has been announced yet, but Klonoa has already released in Japan. We expect it to easily land in the top tier of third-party Wii titles when it launches Stateside this year. IBI Ill HB NINTENDO DS Rhythm Heaven > STYLE 1-PLAYER MUSIC > PUBLISHER NINTENDO > DEVELOPER NINTENDO > RELEASE 2009 LET THE RHYTHM HIT ‘EM ame Informer has a very low opinion of Wii Music, so when we received another Nintendo music game that claimed “If you can tap your finger in time to music, you'll get the hang of Rhythm Heaven in no time!” we weren't exactly stoked. Which is exactly why you shouldn't judge a game by its cover — Ог its press materials. Upon getting a playable build of the game, we were pleased to find a title that uses two simple mechanics — tapping and flicking the touch screen in rhythm — achieve surprisingly interesting music gameplay. The game combines the best elements of Elite Beat Agents and Wario Ware, resulting in a charming collection of rhythm-based minigames that keep you in the groove and constantly interested in what's next. While the mechanics are fairly standard, the visuals for each stage are wildly varied. Whether you're playing a game of table tennis in time to the music, filling robots with fuel on an assembly line, or making Easter Island statues harmonize, the game constantly presents you with both amusing eye candy and challenging syncopation. Even better, the original soundtrack is very catchy, evoking styles from J-pop to Russian folk music. The art style is as varied as the soundtrack. One level might be made of nothing but simple geometric art, while the next offers animated characters akin to cartoons like Powerpuff Girls. Even better, this game seems to remem- ber the latter half of the adage "Easy to learn, difficult to master" — something too many recent Nintendo casual titles conve- niently forgot. If the finished product lives up to the promise of what's already been done, Rhythm Heaven could be the quirky, engaging music game for everyone that Wii Music was supposed to be. ва Bi m se previews New Play Control Pikmin > STYLE 1-PLAYER ACTION/STRATEGY > PUBLISHER NINTENDO > DEVELOPER NINTENDO > RELEASE MARCH 9 EXACTLY HOW IT SOUNDS hen Nintendo originally announced the Wii, one of the first-party franchises that got fans excited was Pikmin. Nintendo's unique hardware seemed like fertile ground to grow another quirky plant-based strategy title. Now, two years after its launch, Nintendo is finally deliv- ering on those dreams, though it may not be quite as you envisioned. As you can probably discern from the title, New Play Control Pikmin is a re-release of the original GameCube title with revamped motion controls. One might think that after being ported to the Wii, issuing commands or throw- ing Pikmin around would require some kind of controller motion, but Nintendo chose to keep most of the game's actions mapped to buttons. The only noticeable change in this version of the game is the cursor, which can now be controlled by aiming the Wii remote at the screen. This makes dishing out your army of Pikmin faster and more precise, but it isn't a As you can see in this screen 5 2 the innovation of the Wii's new cursor really...um effects the... oh boy...flow of the action noticeably innovative difference from the 2001 release. For those who need the history lesson, Pikmin is the story of a bug-sized alien named Captain Olimar, who accidentally crash lands on a planet filled with danger- ous wild creatures and oddly earth-like garbage. To help rebuild his ship, the little astronaut enlists the help of some very impressionable ant-like plants, called Pikmin. Olimar must nurture these Pikmin, using all of their unique talents in conjunction to build bridges, destroy walls, and fight local monsters with the ultimate goal to find the missing pieces of his ship before his 30-day supply of oxygen runs out. The fact that this game is being re- released on the Wii might be good news for those who didn't get a chance to play Pikmin the first time around, but it's also a bit of a disappointment for those eager for a fresh release. Let's hope Nintendo is just teasing our appetites for greater things to come. B I I Hey remember that guy? Yep, you guessed it, he's still there, and he's still doing exactly what he did last time you.saw him. What a crazy guy! GAME INFORMER 73 74 GAME INFORMER NATIONAL LEA Wi With the Yankees new lineup, the léague may want to think about implementing | high school's 10-run rule 19 Fielders will now posi tion themselves correctly for incoming throws Bi The presentation extends to recreating the fan experience ш Training dfills will help your player develop faster PLAYSTATION 3 | PLAYSTATION 2 | РВ, -MLB 09: The Show = > STYLE 1 OR 2 PLAYER-SPORTS Q4 PLAYER ONLINE) » PUBLISHER SONY COMPUTER ENTERTAINMENT > DEVELOPER SONY COMPUTER ENTERTAINMENT SAN DIEGO > — MARCH 3 ROAD TO THE'SHOW 3.0 n this preview we won't waste your time with an analytical introduction, or a joke about the Chicago Cubs (100 years, huh?). We know you want us to jump right to the Road to the Show, a mode that reviewers and readers alike have deemed the most rewarding experience in video game baseball. This year's Road to the Show showcases a number of upgrades, including tweaks to the lead-off/steal mechanic, deeper coach interactions (such as manager's evaluating other players against you), and new training minigames that can improve your created player's abilities and performance if you meet the listed goals. If you're the type of player who doesn't enjoy creating a player and would rather just play with the same team you see in real life, Sony has put a ton of work into this year's Franchise mode. This mode introduces 40-man rosters, authentic salary arbitration, Type A and B free agent compensation, release waivers, and September call-ups. The only thing missing is general managers debating trades as they dish up mashed potatoes at a Vegas buffet during the winter meetings. On the field, Sony is paying attention to the little details that fans likely didn't know existed. Pitcher grips and arm angles are being tweaked to simulate the delivery of 17 different pitches, including the knuckle-curve and gyroball. For fielder tags, new player positioning has been calculated for every throw direction to every base. This includes pick off and back pick attempts. In past MLB games, players could gobble up everything hit in their range. This year, players will react realistically to balls that are hit far too hard to handle cleanly. This means that balls will bounce off of your players, and perhaps lead to an error or an amazing play. Jason Villa, producer of MLB 09: The Show, tells us that realism is needed to bal- ance the game. “In order for our batters to reach the correct amount of doubles and tri- ples in our game, we needed a few things to happen. The batter needs to get out of the box appropriately, round the bases correctly, and have his true-to-life times from home to first, first to third, etc. The fielders need to react naturally, the same way they do in real life” Infielders and outfielders track balls hit down the lines and in the gaps just like they do in the majors. This includes outfielders rounding the ball and playing the back angle. The pitcher and batter duel is receiving a year of improvements as well, but we'll have to wait to get our hands on the game next month for the review before we can accurately dissect how it differs from last year's game. Pitcher comfort levels and hit- ting slums and streaks are now factored into the equation. The heightening of the on-field experience extends to the presentation. Players can record their own chants and edit the music that is played throughout the course of the game. To get started, might we recommend, “Hey A-Rod! If you enjoyed dating Madonna, | could give you my grandma's number!” and to inspire confidence, "Hey C.C.! If you strike this batter out, I'll give you my nachos!" Hundreds of new animations are being introduced to further capture the realism of this sport. To round out this experience, online league seasons are available with live drafts for up to 30 players. In the spirit of competition, MLB 09: The Show will once again lau same day as its rival on March 5. 8 mi Visual Concepts has accurately captured Tim Linceum's seventeen "mum year-old look PLAYSTATION 3 | XBOX 360,4 Wi i PLAYSTATION 2 | PSP > STYLE 1 TO 4-PLAYER SPORTS (2-PLAYER ONLINE) > PUBLISHER 2K SPORTS > DEVELOPER VISUAL CONCEPTS > RELEASE MARCH 3 STATS, CONTROLS, & THOSE DAMN YANKEES n 2003, The Onion ran a satirical article titled “Yankees Ensure 2003 Pennant By Signing Every Player in Baseball" Flash forward six years and this article has suddenly lost all of its humor. For the 2009 season, the Yankees cleaned up on the free agent market, signing C.C. Sabathia, Mark Teixeira, and АЈ. Burnett for a com- bined $423.5 million. Note to Bud Selig: Maybe a salary cap wouldn't be a bad idea. The Yankees are poised to make a run for the pennant, but not necessarily in Major League Baseball 2K9. With improved control mechanics for both pitching and batting, casual and hardcore players alike can witness David versus Goliath-like miracles, such as the lowly Baltimore Orioles winning the divi- sion, or the Kansas City Royals playing at a major league level. The one complaint every player had about last year’s game was the difficulty balancing for pitching. If you weren't grooving your fastball and placing your breaking balls in the perfect spots, your starter would be tagged for at least three blasts a game. This year, balls will remain in the park thanks to the new two-step “hold and gesture” pitching system. The odds of serving up a meatball are greatly reduced with this simplified system, but at the same time, precision is still required for a Cy Young-like performance. For batting, players no longer need to blindly guess a pitch's location. The new Zone Hitting mechanic places a bat icon, which players freely move to the location where the believe the pitch is being thrown, is plainly visible, and also highlights where you sweet spot is in the zone. If you get good wood on the ball, players can use the left stick to influence the flight of the ball. For instance, tapping up will produce a fly ball. These minor tweaks go a long way to giving the game a pick-up-and-play quality. Even in our preview build for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360, the game is running much smoother than the previous edition ever did. The framerate holds steady for the switch between pitching and field- ing, and the linking animations for players have been smoothed out. Some kinks still remain for base running, outfield catching, and home run celebrations. Hopefully Visual Concepts can iron these out between now and the game's March 3 ship date. The biggest addition to the front office is Living Rosters. Much like NBA 2K9, this fea- ture authenticates player attributes to the real MLB season through daily updates. Basically, as the season goes on, Barry Zito will drop 10 points a month, and Derek Jeter's abilities will skyrocket come October. Franchise mode is now open to multiple users. If you live in a frat house with 30 people, you can set up a league with 30 user-controlled teams. In the clubhouse, player ambitions are finally factored into the mix. Some players are look- ing for fat wallets. Others want to play for a contender. This should put some strategy into the free agent signing game. To further bypass the uncanny valley, Visual Concepts has upped its number of signature animations to 300. Crowds are no longer clap-happy drones, either. They'll move and even put a glove up for a foul ball. The best addition in our opinion is the subtraction of Joe Morgan. He was a hell of a player, but not much of an announcer (at least when it comes to this series). The commentary team now boasts Gary Thorne on the play by play, and Steve Phillips on the color analysis. If you often spend hours a day online dissecting statistical data for fantasy or fun, Visual Concepts has implemented a ton of sabermetric statistics, allowing players to track and analyze almost every number asso- ciated with a game. And for that frat house mentioned earlier, let us know when you are holding that 30-person dynasty draft party. We'll be there! ШШШ Free Torii Hunter strategy guide: Slider down and away Most Worthless Statistic of All-Time: Justin Morneau й is the first Canadian to wi having that in your head! ж — Pictured is one of 25 players who will take this September off Ё їп = the Home Run Derby. Enjoy Ф А E : " uid y ¢ previews GAME INFORMER 75 Players will have enormous flexibility in cus- tomizing their character's powers and appearance Every hero will have a corresponding nemesis created by the player 76. GAME INFORMER INFORMER Champions Online > STYLE MASSIVELY MULTIPLAYER ONLINE ROLE-PLAYING GAME > PUBLISHER ATARI > DEVELOPER CRYPTIC STUDIOS > RELEASE SPRING COSTUMING UP fter months of waiting, we dove into the limited beta of Cryptic's new superhero MMO this month. We were disappointed to learn that the game won't be simultaneously launching on both console and PC, but we did get a chance to chat with design director Bill Roper about the status of the console version. After our conversation, we fired up the game, relished in the insanely flexible character creator, and fought our way through the first several hours. The PC version is still expected to ship by the end of this spring, but the tentatively planned 360 version is now steering towards а fall launch, presuming the business deals get hammered out. Other consoles? Roper keeps hope alive: “We're exploring our options on both the Xbox 360 and PS3. Basically we'd love to get the game into as many players’ hands as possible" As for the slightly more assured 360 version, a delay definitely doesn't imply a lack of focus. "We've done a lot of work ensuring that our engine and game mechanics work well on the Xbox 560," Roper says. "Our design con- siderations have taken console into account, and we spin up a console code build every night" While cross-platform play is still being discussed, Roper assures us the console and PC versions share nearly identical gameplay and mechanics, but may have UI differences to take advantage of the differing resolutions of TVs and computer monitors. As for our time in the game, it was hard to extricate ourselves from Cryptic's highly customizable character creator. You start by choosing a basic power set, including everything from brawling claw fighters to ice blasting powerhouses. With a basic structural build decided, it's time to shape your charac- ter's look. Hundreds of costume pieces and body shape adjustments let your imagination go wild. Our favorite character emerged into the game with cyborg leg enhancements, shock-blasting arm bands, a skintight metallic bodysuit, and towering feathered wings. Once in the game, we began the inves- tigation of a mysteriously crashed airliner deep in the Canadian wilderness. Blasting the ice demons assaulting the plane's sur- vivors, we found the action-based controls mapped quite well to the 360 controller we plugged into the PC. Continuing play, we tapped into our flight travel power, and were excited to see that the game recognized our wings as something more than just a cos- tume piece. Leaping into the air, the wings E ;* previews automatically became our primary means of locomotion, flapping in graceful arcs through the air. Had we chosen a jetpack, the visuals would instead have shown a blast of smoke and fire. During our hours of gameplay, we saw several other cool set-piece areas. Deep in the desert, Area 51 offers up its secrets. Elsewhere, a prison for supervillains was in the midst of a massive inmate escape. We even encountered a strange region that seemed like a town out of the old west, populated only by robots. Like many MMOs at this stage, Champions Online is still hard at work implementing major elements of the user interface, power balancing, and bug fixing. Cryptic is still in the process of imple- menting the nemesis system, which will allow every player to craft an archenemy for their hero. If everything cornes together, this action-focused variant on the MMO formula may steal a good chunk of our time when it releases in a few months. B i mi The game will ship first on PC, but a console version is almost assured at a later date GAME INFORMER 77 NINTENDO DS Phantasy Star f Phantasy Star Universe bombed when it hit home consoles back in 2006, so Sega's taking it back to the more simple PSO days on Nintendo's portable this fall. Up to four players either online or in local parties can team up to take down dungeons. After swapping friend codes, players can communicate via Pictochat-style word bubbles, of which you can save up to 20 for quick and easy access. Strangers can still team up, but communication will be much more limited. Players can create a human, robot, or "Newman" in addition to choosing from three classes and two genders f (duh! — Ed). A separate single-player campaign is available for loners as well, with bots filling in for real friends. NINTENDO DS Guitar Hero: Modern Hits Activision is going back to the well with Guitar Hero: Modern Hits, the third 1 GH title for the Nintendo DS. As the ACC. title suggests, the game's soundtrack im is collected from some of the new | 3 N millennium's biggest bands, including RH E. Fall Out Boy, Tenacious D, The Strokes, аб = 8 - Coldplay, and Weezer. Like the last m^ Wn EU version, it features streaming multiplayer, | Ae 1 Hi while adding new “Fan Request” that | |! NEES DS allows you to win new followers and E Ж-А Lux-Pain unlock challenges like playing songs t in hyperspeed r Hang S ое C2 C9€2 C) == & S'2! ® Fans of Phoenix Wright may have a darker every single held note in a song. Multiplayer is compatible with Guitar Hero: On Tour adventure to look forward to on March 24 and Decades, meaning that you can stream songs from a friend's cart, essentially courtesy of Killaware and Ignition. As part ofa tripling the number of songs available for play. Look for Modern Hits to release later secret high-tech organization of telepaths called this year. FORT, main character Atsuki tracks down brain parasites for a living. These beings, called Silent, cause their hosts to commit strange crimes, and most victims end up killing themselves. Everyone you talk to brings you closer to the original infected person, the key to stopping the parasites. Players will gain access to thoughts by scratching off people's skin (don't worry, it grows back) and pinning down the glowing orbs beneath. The group suicides had the same motive as our target. 3 3 3j E) 4 78 САМЕ INFORMER | елы: a] Se photophile бё (21: NINTENDO DS Boing! Docomodake NINTENDO DS Mario & Luigi RPG 3 Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time hit the DS over three years ago, so it's about time that developer AlphaDream got around to releasing another hilariously whacked- out RPG featuring gaming's most recognizable handymen. This time around a giant Bowser sucks up all the inhabitants of the Mushroom Kingdom, so Mario and Luigi must work together to bust out of Boswer's bowels. But Bowser is more than just a foil for our heroes; he'll also be a playable character. When he's out for battle, players will hold their DS sideways, using the touch screen to issue commands, and blowing into the microphone to perform fire breath attacks. The game just released in Japan, so except it to hit our shores this year. PLAYSTATION 3 | XBOX 360 | Wii | NINTENDO DS | PC Mini Ninjas Hitman and Kane & Lynch developer IO Interactive is changing gears for its next project. Utilizing a cute Kung Fu Panda look, Mini Ninjas puts players in the role of the diminutive Hiro as he takes on evil samurai forces. Blending katana combat and Kuji magic, Hiro will bust up these bad guys and transform them back into the happy forest animals they once were. Look for Mini Ninjas this fall as part of a co-publishing deal from Eidos and Warner Bros. Interactive. Full disclosure: this AQ Interactive/Ignition game is based on a Japanese cell phone mascot. That doesn't necessarily mean, however, that we're wandering into Yo! Noid territory here. We played the first part of the game, and it’s actually a decent platform/puzzle experience. Using a combination of d-pad and stylus control, players must bust their big mushroom into a squad of minis to squeeze through tight spots, throw at enemies, and stack up to form ladders. Things start out simple and cute, but as you gain more minis and the puzzles get more complex it becomes a nice little brainteaser. Expect these ‘shrooms to surface March 10. dud ҮП Б n 09, Wii TMNT: Smash Up A Wii fighting game based on the TMNT franchise being developed by members culled from teams that worked on Super Smash Bros. Brawl, Ninja Gaiden, and Dead or Alive sounds like a strange April Fools’ joke. But it's March, so you'll just have to trust us on this one. This as yet unnamed title features four-player Super Smash Bros.-style fighting, interactive stages, and a robust online mode which promises to be better implemented than Brawl's. Ubisoft hopes to launch this one around September, so we should be getting our hands on it soon. GAME INFORMER. 79 F.E.A.R. 2: Project Origin Halo Wars GANEUWEORMER SM UZ $ Д Street Fighter T LocoRoco 2 This sequel to one of the most charming and original titles on PSP hits a home run with а winning combo of enchanting artwork, tight platforming, and a lovable soundtrack. As if that wasn't enough, Sony packs in a handful of new minigames, loads of unlockables, and some brand new moves for these bouncy blobs. Turn to page 94 to find out why buying this is a no-brainer for PSP owners. After years without a numbered entry, Street Fighter IV marks the return of the classic 2D fighting series. A gorgeous art style blends seamlessly with familiar combat mechanics, creating intense and responsive battles at home and online. Whether you're a fighting fanatic or just an enthusi- astic gamer, Street Fighter IV lets you experience pure competitive bliss without the musty stink of an early-'90s arcade. Our crack (or crackhead, we can never decide which) review team rates games in a number of cat- egories to help you sort out the great from the stuff you'll hate. Most games are reviewed by two staff members, and you will find both their opinions on each review. To make things a little easier we have put together some definitions of what the numbers mean, what we look for in a game, and also a cheat sheet so the newbies can understand our advanced video game jargon. It is important to note that the Game of the Month is determined only by the main review score, not an average of the two opinions. 80 GAME INFORMER THE SCORING SYSTEM == e Outstanding. A truly elite title that is nearly perfect in every way. This score is given out rarely and indicates a game that cannot be missed. Superb. Just shy of gaming nirvana, this score is a high recommendation because the game reviewed is head-and-shoulders above its competition. Very Good. Innovative, but perhaps not the right choice for everyone. This score indicates that there are many good things to be had, but arguably so. Average. The game's features may work, but are nothing that even casual players haven't seen before. A decent game from beginning to end. Limited Appeal. Although there may be fans of games receiving this score, many will be left yearning for a more rewarding game experience. Passable. It may be obvious that the game has lots of potential, but its most engaging features could be undeniably flawed or not integrated into the experience. Bad. While some things may work as planned, the majority of this title either malfunctions to varying degrees or it is so dull that the game falls short as a whole. Painful. If there is anything that's redeeming in a game of this caliber, it's buried beneath agonizing gameplay and uneven execution in its features or theme. Broken. Basically unplayable. This game is so insufficient in execution that any value would be derived in extremely small quantities, if at all. = | N Co | & сл с | NI | Co | Heroes. NBC should follow Ubisoft's lead and stick Kryptonite down this show's pants. > Concept: What new ideas the game brings to the table and how well old ideas are presented. > Graphics: How good a game looks, taking into account any flaws such as bad collision or pop-up. > Sound: Does the game's music and sound effects get you involved or do they make you resolve to always play with the vol- ume down? > Playability: Basically, the controller to human interface. The less you think about the hunk of plastic in your hands, the better the playability. > Entertainment: Flat out, just how fun the game is to play. The most important factor in rating a game. > Replay Value High — You'll still be popping this game in five years from now. Moderately High - Good for a long while, but the thrills won't last forever. Moderate - Good for a few months or a few times through. Moderately Low – After finishing it, there's not much reason to give it a second go. Low - You'll quit playing before you complete the game. reviews REVIEWS INDEX Afro Samurai. Blue Dragon Plus... Burnout Paradise: The Ultimate Box Deadly Creatures Dragon Quest V: Hand of the Heavenly Bride Drakensang: The Dark Eye.. РЕА. 2: Project Origin.. Halo Wars. Killzone 2 Dragon Quest V: Hand of the Legacy of Ys: Books | & II... Heavenly Bride LocoRoco 2 Lord of the Rings: Conquest, The... Marble Saga: Kororinpa .. My World My Way.. Race Pro Star Ocean: The Last Hope Stoked Street Fighter IV... TrackMania DS... Warhammer 40K: Dawn of War Il.. Warhammer 40, 000: Dawn of War Il It's a good day whenever a studio the quality of Relic releases a new title. Dawn of War II is arguably the most intense real-time strategy title to date, with peerless presentation and turbocharged gameplay. There are a lot of new ideas at work here, with only a handful of units at your command and a single-player campaign that goes farther down the RPG road than the genre has previously seen. Relic has can add another resounding success on its resume. For our newer readers, here is a glossary of terms and acronyms that commonly appear in the magazine. Video game veterans should move along (these aren't the droids you are ironing for). 1080i ~ A resolution specification used for HDTV. + adventure ~ A term we use for games like Myst : frontend ~ A game's menus and options 7 NPC - Non-Player Character. Those people and 10801 stands for resolution of 1920x1080 pixels. : апа Escape From Monkey Island ; HDTV - High Definition Television * creatures you see wandering around in games that This is where GI breaks down multi-plat The “i” means that the video is being interlaced : bloom – An effect that simulates the soft, blurred $ HP = Hit Points. A numerical representation of a are not being controlled by actual humans form games. So whenever you see this 1080p - Currently the best resolution for gaming ; glow of bright light reflecting off of surfaces character's remaining life. Common in RPGs particle effects - Things like smoke or sparks logo, there is important multi-system infor оп an HDTV. In widescreen, 1080р generates ; board - A term we use for games like Scene If? : HUD – Heads Up Display. The various status created in real-time mation regarding that product an image at resolution of 1920x1080 in ; and Mario Party ; indicators overlaid on the screen, like mini-maps Platform - А term we use for games like Super : s pogeswefoma ——— : cel shading - A technique used to create 3D. : апа health bars Mario and Ratchet & Clank 480p - Progressive scanning, this option ("p'— + rendered objects that resemble hand-drawn 1 infrastructure - A type of wireless connection that = When objects onscreen suddenly appear, progressive), creates a picture signal with double ^ animation cels : uses the Intemet to connect with other players typically due to poor draw distance the scan lines of a conventional interlaced picture, 2 €G - Computer Generated. Usually refers to : over long distances PS2 - Sony PlayStation 2 Content suitable pu inicr {ск pal cutscenes that don't use in-game graphics 1 1р = Intellectual Property А single game or forpesons 17 | gidureresoufonandeiminatsvulyalmoton + PLC = Downloadoble cime When you hel outs — fondiseencompassng the deas and characters SY б H lecent amount of cash for an experience that lasts : сопіаіпе in ages and older. artifacts in a 640x480 pixel resolution setting less than an hour We're looking at you, Fable: isometric = Three-quarters top down view, like Tap A ei ape eaten cet ior TM i and Force Unleashed ; Warcraft 3 or Baldur's Gate: Dark Alliance. 720p stands for resolution of 1280x720 pixels. The * ES Electronic Entertainment Do A SPI ES a С Content suitable “p” means that the video is in progressive format — : Oe etl Mech ERO SET ; jaggies ~ Graphical lines that look jagged when they Content suitable for persons ages 3 and older. PS3 - Sony's PlayStation 3 console puzzle - A term we use for games like Tetris and Picross racing - A term we use for games like Gran Turismo and Mario Kart RPG - Role-Playing Game. A term games like Final ETRS aanu omy Content suitable for persons ages A i convention held every year since 1995. It is one of : ^ should be straight F id The Elder Scroll ly for adults. 4X - A term we use for games like Civilization : i a : 3 antasy and The GOs Бахр 6 and older. FERA E and Total War. The Мз thea “explore, — : тее ЧЕ n the sane v } LAN - Local Area Network. Connecting computers RTS - Real-Time Strategy. A subgenre of strategy expand, exploit, exterminate” : {рны есы ET ; or-consoles together within a small space to allow games induding titles like StarCraft and Command КЕЛН Content suitable FÎ Product is action - A tern we use or games ке Godof War: Bebes las pm иы cl between them. Provides fast, & Conquer 7 and Devil May Cry simultaneous gameplay shooter - A term we use for games like Ikaruga for persons ages 10 and older. awaiting final : à fighting - i af rating. ad hoc - A type of wireless connection that З ng = Atem wee for games ао E th e esi ERE Kombat and Dead or Alive pus Jon pier Dey Sts you Eden ; FPS ~ First-Person Shooter. Describes games like ii i Halo, Doom, f Duty. Al AI - Artificial Intelligence. Usually refers to how well lalo, Doom, and Call of Duty. Also used to denote t. the phrase "frames per second,” or how many еа» to human opponents or works i animation frames happen in one second give the impression of realistic speed + framerate - The frames of animation used to music - A term we use for games like Guitar Hero generate the appearance of movement + — and Rock Band MMO - Massively Multiplayer Online. Usually applied to role-playing titles, we use this term for games with persistent, multi-user online worlds like EverQuest and World of Warcraft motion blur ~ Phantom frames follow an object to and Gradius sports - A term we use for games like Madden NFL and Top Spin 1 strategy - A term we use for games like Disgaea and Fire Emblem third-party – Something made for a console by a company other than the console manufacturer GAME INFORMER 81 Content suitable for persons ages 13 and older. t Fighter IV > STYLE 1 OR 2 PLAYER FIGHTING (2-PLAYER О > DEVELOPER CAPCOM > RELEASE FEBRUAR THE GOOD FIGHT ome of the greatest moments in video game history continue to live on in the muscle memory of gamers. Who could ever forget the Konami code or where to get the first hidden 1-up in Super Mario Bros.? Among these classic motions bumed into our minds is the Hadoken: A simple quarter-circle forward (plus punch) introduced a new era of precision combat to the generation of gamers crowded around Street Fighter Il arcade cabinets. Street Fighter IV remem- bers those days just as fondly as you do. Even if years have passed since your last fireball, the knowl- edge will come rushing back to you the instant you start playing. With a harmonious balance of nostalgia and innovation, Street Fighter IV triumphantly recap- tures the competitive excitement responsible for so many spent quarters in the early '90s. Bringing together old and new elements is one of the greatest successes of SF IV, and nowhere is it more apparent than the roster of playable fight- ers. You'll see all 12 classic members of the Street Fighter Il crew, each one with a few new tricks to master. This provides an excellent entry point for gamers who have played the series before, since familiarity with a character's moves will ease the transition into the new mechanics. After you learn the difference between a super combo and an ultra combo, check out the four new challengers to see 821 82 САМЕ INFORMER E) > PUBLISHER CAPCOM how they stack up to the competition. They are pretty stupid char- acters, but | love the way they fill combat gaps and force you to learn new tech- niques. Playing as Abel (a grappler) is much more interest- ing than another re-skinned Ryu. Additional charac- ters contribute some depth, but most of Street Fighter IV's longevity comes from its rock solid mechan- ics. The controls feel fluid and responsive on the analog sticks, whether you're executing a precisely timed combo or pulling off a Shoryuken. If you're more of a button-masher (or have never played the series before), SF IV is an excellent place to hone your skills. A set of character-specific training chal- lenges start out by teaching you basic moves, but you'll soon graduate into more complicated tech- niques like combos and cancels. | particularly like the addition of focus attacks, which are essentially strategic counters hat figure into many advanced maneuvers. hankfully, you don't need to master the upper tiers of combat just to enjoy the game; the ighting system accommodates various skill ranges, so a newcomer can have just as much fun as an 8i Lots of fighters from the i istory fill the roste The game looks amazing, | and is even more gorgeous motion m You'll see some pretty ridiculous expressions when your hits connect experienced veteran — providing they aren't fighting against each other. You could spend hours mastering the moves and mechanics in single-player, and you would only be experiencing a fraction of what Street Fighter IV offers. Staying true to the series' arcade roots, the new characters and techniques ultimately just facili- tate outstanding head-to-head battles. With so many other multiplayer games focusing on teamwork and tactics, | love the pure competitive spirit SF IV fosters through its online offerings. You can fight in ranked matches, set up bouts with friends, and even allow other players to interrupt your single-player game to challenge your skills mid-battle. The result is a near-perfect replication of the arcade experience, complete with all of the glory and humiliation that can bring. Fighting games can be intimidating. Many are lit- tered with impossible final bosses, overwhelming character selections, and complicated mechanics, but Street Fighter IV is a distillation of everything the genre does right. It delivers the intensity of com- petition and the thrill of victory, all through elegant techniques that are easy to learn and difficult to master. Street Fighter IV is more than mere nostal- gia — it's the best thing to happen to fighting games in years. —JOE > Concept: Bring back the most influential series in the 2D fight- ing genre > Graphics: Top-notch character models, animation, and an astounding art style make this one of the best-looking games of the generation > Sound: Grunts, shouts, and cries of victory will emanate from you and the game alike > Playability: Controls this smooth and responsive are unprecedented for 2D fight- ing games > Entertainment: Fun to play alone, but an absolute blast to play with others online or on the couch > Replay Value: High „ч Second Opinion 9.5 p In recent generations, the market share for fighting games has shrunk, leaving the genre dwindling in niche fanfare. Street Fighter IV's nostalgic design acts as a wakeup call, a reminder of what we've been missing. We've lost the spirit for head to-head competitions, and this release brings back the fervor of the arcade scene. The game design shuns a deep single-player experi- ence with the hope that players seek out competition online. But labeling it "clas- sic’ is misleading, as it has all the makings of a sequel = blending the old with the new to make this entry the deepest and most rewarding опе yet. Ultra combos and focus attacks alter the way you use your favorite char- acters, but the newfound depth is exhibited mostly through the new characters who pull the combat in dif- ferent directions without disrupting the series’ delicate balance. The term "arcade perfect" is achieved by the recognition of movement intent, meaning you'll be able to perform your moves just as easily on the stan- dard controller's d-pad and analog as you would a spe- cial joystick. Call this a call to arms if you must, but this game should be spinning in every machine, as this is both Street Fighter and multiplayer at their abso- lute best. —REINER А PLAYSTATION 3 | XBOX 360 | PC F.E.A.R. 2: Project Origin > STYLE 1-PLAYER ACTION (UP TO 16-PLAYER ONLINE OR SYSTEM LINK) > PUBLISHER WARNER BROS. INTERACTIVE > DEVELOPER MONOLITH > RELEASE FEBRUARY 10 > ESRB M DADDY ISSUES ot many daughters had worse fathers than Alma. One could make a case for Josef Fritzl, the incestuous Austrian who kept his daughter under locks for 24 years and fathered six of her children. But outside of that, don’t tell your sob story of neglect and abuse to Alma — she doesn't want to hear it. Neither would you if your ather locked you up for the formative years of your ife, harvested your psychic powers while using your womb for test tube babies in the name of secret mil- itary programs, and left you for dead. Now that she's тее, Alma isn't interested in therapy; she's reached Freud's famous "obliterate city blocks and turn those who oppose her into a bloody mulch" stage. After two moribund expansion games, FEAR. inally returns to its mother studio, Monolith. The stark contrast in quality between the last titles and Project Origin is immediately evident — FEAR. 2 feels much more in tune with the successful first title. The story picks up minutes before the cataclys- mic psychic explosion that concluded the first game. A special forces team is sent to arrest Genevieve Aristide, the president of the company responsible for turning Alma into a supernatural freak capable of turning Delta Force soldiers into oozing piles of bones and blood with her mind. As new protagonist Michael Becket tries to detain the wayward execu- tive, he encounters an older, exhibitionist Alma who, out of the vault after 17 years of imprisonment, is ready to unleash a fury unlike anything the world has never seen. Like the Point Man before him, Becket eventually learns a psychic skill that slows time, which makes dispatching large groups of enemies easier. Using the ability is a must, as your foes are some of the smarter soldiers in the genre. The agile enemies move quickly from cover to cover, create new cover positions when one doesn't exist, and com- municate verbally to indicate your position to fellow squad mates. Thankfully, enemy skirmishes aren't relegated to monotonous offices with crème colored walls like the first game. FEAR. 2 takes its haunting narrative across the ruined cityscape. Becket fights through a luxury penthouse, secret science facility, elementary school, and through the crumbling city blocks and subway system. The new environments also bring about new enemy types, as Becket comes across freakish science experiments gone awry that bring to mind some of the chilling enemies in The Suffering. FEAR. 2 goes about spooking the gamer in a disjointed way. The pacing transitions from halluci- nogenic sequences that wouldn't be out of line in The Ring and encounters with supernatural beings to intense firefights with skilled soldiers. During these pacing shifts, the eerie mood often gets lost in the cacophony of gunfire and explosions. One particular sequence, where you take control of a mech and lay waste to everything around you, completely betrays any sense of horror the game otherwise imparts. There isn't anything frightening about controlling a nearly invincible death dealer. Some of the wince-inducing attempts at humor on the commlink (particularly from the horribly named character Snake Fist) also betray the atmosphere and sense of tension. While this schizophrenic approach robs the game of escalating tension, the game isn't without some frightful moments. One particular poltergeist-heavy moment in the darkened elementary school hallways made me jump out of my seat. Most of the other game faults are minor — the console control scheme is unalterable (the weapon swap system in particular is frustrating), and | wish the game had an option to turn off the sloppy and mildly disorienting movement bounce. The multiplayer seems to be an afterthought. The game smartly uses a unique points-based system for selecting your weapon load, but the six vanilla multiplayer modes, limited weapon selection, and lack of a serious progression system keep this from being a destination. After the embarrassment of The Perseus Mandate, FEAR. 2 should be in consideration for comeback player of the year. While the multiplayer is weak and the mood won't make people forget Dead Space any time soon, the solid action core makes it worth a play.— BERTZ > Concept: Alma returns to wreak havoc on your psyche and feed enemies to your gun > Graphics: Fantastic explo- sions and eerie environments overcome the less impres- sive textures > Sound: Soundtrack alternates between creepy mood- setting effects and uninspired battle music > Playability: Tight controls, save for the annoying move- ment bounce > Entertainment: Not fright- ening enough to make you sleep with the lights on, but a solid shooter > Replay Value: Moderate Second Opinion 8.5 FEAR. 2 avoids the pitfalls of its predecessor while throw- ing in a few tricks of its own. As with the original game, the audio work is superla- tive in and out of combat. Cinematic tools like pacing and lighting are utilized with great skill to evoke moods that range from the creeped- out willies to abject terror. The story is much more interesting and less obvious in its twists. Reasonably intel- ligent enemies will suppress and flank you, if for some reason you let them live long enough to do so. The nicely varied environments are handcrafted to create both fun firefights and intense thriller sequences. FEAR. 2 has all the elements of a great FPS package, but a few very noticeable warts bring it down. The egregious head bob can cause headaches or nausea while playing, and there's no way to turn it down or off. The combat feels great with a mouse and keyboard, but often finicky and annoying on a gamepad. Ultimately, the game never escapes feeling like a re-hash of the original, with the same ideas, themes, and gameplay elements repeated through- ош. Nonetheless, FEAR. 2 does what it does with great skill, and successfully delivers one of the better single-player FPS experiences around.— ADAM GAME INFORMER 83 PLAYSTATION 3 | 360 Afro Samurai > STYLE I-PLAYER ACTION > PUBLISHER SURGE > DEVELOPER SURGE > RELEASE JANUARY 27 > ESRB M BLOOD AND STEEL icensed games rarely exhibit this much style and unique content. Afro Samurai succeeds by delivering on the promise of the work it is based on while expanding the storytell- ing in memorable ways. A few technical flubs and design choices can make the gameplay frustrating, but the experience as a whole is one of the better attempts of transitioning between the anime and gaming mediums. The meat of Afro Samurai lies in its complex sword battles, which require careful timing and astute obser- vation of enemy techniques. Combos unlock over time, and there is an increasing level of skill involved in mastering combat — the hack and slash approach won't cut it. Fast-paced juggling of enemies must be alternated with frequent use of a powerful slowdown mechanic to finish off foes. This technique makes most encounters challenging and enjoyable. Sadly, you'll struggle with the viewing angle a lot, since the developer opted for an approach that sometimes leaves and sometimes snatches it away. The result is that you always have one extra enemy to confront — the camera. Even as combat generally shines, the frequent devolutions into platforming don't hold up to scru- tiny. Falling during simple leaps is far too easy, and the movement controls feel too stiff to provide a sense of freedom and agility that befits the charac- ter. The quality of the boss battles lies somewhere between that of the platforming and the overall the perspective in your hands, nemies.in large groups lenge, ofthe. 84 GAME INFORMER combat experience. Several are genuinely exhilarat- ing, particularly a certain midair meeting. Others are painfully tedious, thanks to some punishing individual attacks that have an arbitrary counter that can take numerous deaths to uncover. These barri- ers to progression feel less skill-based and more like trial and error. Stepping past mechanics, the game hits its stride through its sophisticated script and intriguing story. The main character's quest for revenge feels all the more powerful because he is so unhinged. Teetering on the edge of sanity, he's an anti-hero who you don't necessarily want to see succeed, even as you control him throughout his journey. Anyone who has seen the animated version will enjoy the way this game expands the mythology in meaningful ways, and diverges from the animated story at key moments. With the remarkable hip-hop infused soundtrack and strong voice acting from all the lead actors of the show, the game is worth it for action fans willing to tackle this bloody exploration into the nature of vengeance.—MILLER BOTTOM LINE 7 > Concept: Slice through your enemies in this bloody but imaginative retelling of the stand- out animated show > Graphics: A slick, stylized art style carries the game a long way, Suitably evoking the feel of the original animation > Sound: A fantastic score com- bines hip-hop sensibilities with traditional Japanese themes to great effect, and the voice acting is superb. > Playability: A stubborn cam- era and touchy controls can be frustrating, but the combat sys- tem is intricate and engrossing > Entertainment: This is a great accompaniment piece to the animated show, with a few notable problems that hold it back from greatness > Replay Value: Moderate Second Licensed games get tagged as being “all style and no substance," but let's be honest: most of them don't even get the style right. Afro Samurai, featuring an amaz- ing soundtrack, hilarious (and sometimes poignant) voiceovers by Samuel L. Jackson, and a cool cel- shaded anime look, has style in abundance. Its combat System, which balances button mashing with more precise "focus" maneu- vers, delivers а surprising amount of depth and flex- ibility. Sadly, much of the game doesn't live up to the promise of the plot or the combat mechanics. The level designs flit between pain- fully dull and confusing, and there's usually little more to progressing than killing all the enemies in a particular area, Throw in some cheap boss fights (made worse by the game's odd camera issues), and you've got a title that both captivates and frus- trates. Still, Ато Samurai has enough charm and engaging swordplay to make it worth your while.—MATT EON AN PLAYSTATION 3 | XBOX 360 The Lord of the Rings: Conquest - > STYLE 1 TO 4-PLAYER ACTION (UP TO 16-PLAYER ONLINE) > PUBLISHER ELECTRONIC ARTS > DEVELOPER PANDEMIC STUDIOS > RELEASE JANUARY 15 > ESRB T WORSE THAN A JOB AS A HOBBIT PEDICURIST hen Electronic Arts announced that Pandemic Studios, the devel- oper behind the Star Wars: Battlefront series, was work- ing on a game based on The Lord of the Rings, | rubbed my hands together greedily and whispered "my precious" from a dark corner of my office. On paper, this seems like the per- fect pairing of a franchise and developer. From Helm's Deep to the assault on Osgiliath, most of Middle-earth's battles are large-scale skirmishes, the very foundation that turned the Battlefront series into a run- away success. Aragon replaces Luke Skywalker. Slow-moving oliphaunts take the place of lumbering AT-ATs. Orcs step into the “we're just fodder" boots of stormtroopers. Envisioning a re-skinned Battlefront is easy, but execut- ing on this concept is a dif- ferent story. Conquest retains the Battlefront identity of large-scale conflicts that can be played from the either side. All of the major battles depicted in The Lord of the Rings have been recreated, many placing the player at the pivotal turn- ing points. In these epic wars, players can choose from four different classes: a warrior who charges headfirst into the fray, a mage who can heal troops and cast fire and lightning, a scout who can perform stealth kills, and a fleet archer who can down three foes with a spread shot. When a player performs well, they are granted access to a hero like Gandalf or a balrog. The pieces are all in place, but none of these aspects play out like | had hoped they would. If anything, the turmoil on the battlefield made me want to flee Middle-earth faster than the elves that sailed for the undying lands. Engaging a large group o enemies is similar to playing Russian roulette, in that one out of every six encounters is bound to leave you dead. The reaper visit can occur when your character is yanked off of a ledge by a mysterious force, when the game fails to recognize your move inputs and leaves your character motionless in a sea of hostiles, and when hordes of enemies don't let you get up after being knocked down, As this is hap- pening, your Al teammates do nothing to help, and often seem like they are tripping on acid as they stare blankly at walls and sunsets. These gameplay issues cor- rupt the entire game, be it single-player, the four-player split-screen, or the 16-player online bouts. Had this func- tionality been stable, would it even have mattered? Not really. None of the objectives offer any excitement. Most of the game forces players to stand in a circle until a timer ticks down. When it reaches zero, whether the battle is over or not, the stage is complete. Outside of clips stolen from the motion picture, you won't find any kind of story here, either. Pandemic worked wonders with Star Wars, but couldn't grasp the One Ring. Conquest is a joyless trip through familiar territories, and sadly, nothing more than that. —REINER > Concept: Star Wars: Battlefront meets The Lord of the Rings, only to show us that ewoks and hobbits shouldn't wear the same cloaks > Graphics: The dreary, fore- boding look of Peter Jackson's films is captured within the environments. The characters, however, tap into flashy moves that seem more appropriate for Dynasty Warriors > Sound: An ESPN-like per- sonality commentates over the battles, delivering the sensation that you watching football, and not saving the world ? Playability: Let's just say that spending a few hours on the battlefield will leave your hair thinner than Gollum's > Entertainment: Both online and off, this game brings nothing but frustration ? Replay Value: Moderately High Second Opinion 6 The legacy of developer Pandemic's Star Wars Battlefront history comes through in Conquest. The dif- ferent playable classes used in conjunction with the maps' Spawn points is a welcome feature, allowing you to mix up your attack strategies mid-battle by using differ- ent characters. It also helps that that the classes are fairly well balanced, The gameplay itself, however, is sloppy. The too-tight camera, lack of lock-on targeting or a quick tum, and poor hit detection and command responsive- ness often spell doom for the player. The journey of the Ring Bearer is long, but this game falls on its own sword pretty quickly.—KATO PLAYSTATION 3 | XBOX 360 Burnout Paradise: The Ultimate Box > STYLE 1 TO 8-PLAYER RACING (UP TO 8-PLAYER VIA ONLINE) > PUBLISHER ELECTRONIC ARTS > DEVELOPER CRITERION GAMES > RELEASE FEBRUARY 3 > ESRB E FUEL ADDITIVE ho knew there was so much more to a car? Sure, you can drive it, but this game also proves that you can have even more fun if you slide it, spin it, crash it, jump it, flip it, toss it, and of course, burn it. You can do that with the four new bikes and at night, too. Burnout Paradise: The Ultimate Box combines all the downloadable content so far from last year's hit game into one convenient package. The Ultimate Box's triumph is that it draws even more attention to the game's open world structure, adding 70 Freeburn multiplayer chal- lenges for you and your friends to conquer. A multi-stage chal- lenge might have everyone first meet at a certain spot, and then gun it in reverse down a tricky mountain pass or com- plete 10 barrel-rolls as a team. These challenges codify what already makes Burnout a suc- cess; you simply never know what kind of crazy fun you'll come across from moment to moment. You can take on Road Rules challenges with the pressing of the d-pad, or drive down the street nailing all the billboards and shortcuts you can find. These features are in other games, but Burnout puts it all together (including seamless toggling between online and off) in an open world format that rewards you for constantly prowling around for the next big thrill at break- neck speeds. Ultimate Box also gives you a party mode where you can hit dozens of chal- lenges by yourself or by pass- ing the controller. Furthermore, the game turns the Marked Man, Stunt Run, and Road Rage Event modes into multi- player contests. The Ultimate Box even adds a restart for events, fixing the major annoyance of Burnout Paradise. Although this doesn't pply to the Freeburn or Road Rules challenges, it's a nice concession. Wish you could restart that chasm jump? That's alright, you know there's always another one just around the corner. —KATO e E One of the dozens of party games has players popping barrel rolls > Concept: Criterion bundles all its download content so far to give you an amazing Burnout Paradise package > Graphics: The game doesn't skimp on the details, no mat- ter how fast you go. And this game is fast > Sound: The PS3 version offers customizable soundtracks straight from your hard drive > Playability: The bikes are crazy, but they aren't too wild or impossible to use > Entertainment: You'll get whiplash from the game's speed and all the challenges and events this title throws your way > Replay Value: High Second Opinion Bumout Paradise was one of last year's best-reviewed games. Personally, while | admired the sheer amount of racing goodness, | found the poor navigation system and lack of race restarts to be unduly frustrating. In this new deluxe edition, which compiles all of the free and for-pay online packs that have been released for the game today, Criterion (thank- fully) adds a restart on single- player events. It's a great fix; though the wonky street sign turn indicators are still pres- ent. Still, I'd have to be a real grinch to focus on that when faced with an unprecedented amount of content like bikes, new time and weather cycles, апа а great new offline Party Mode, which provides a load of randomized pass-the- controller set-ups like "land a barrel roll" or "drive the longest distance in reverse." Party mode goes a long way towards replacing the much-missed Crash mode from previous Bumouts. The bikes are almost improbably fast, and like the rest of the new content, go a long way towards making this one of the preeminent racers on the market. Consider me impressed.—MATT GAME INFORMER 85 Se reviews PLAYSTATION 3 Killzone 2 > STYLE 1-PLAYER/ACTION (UP TO 32-PLAYER ONLINE) > PUBLISHER SONY COMPUTER ENTERTAINMENT AMERICA > DEVELOPER GUERILLA GAMES > RELEASE FEBRUARY 27 > ESRB M THE BIG LEAGUES illzone 2 is the best-looking shooter on the PS3, which puts it in the running for best looking shooter ever. Even better, the game doesn't fall back on its visual splendor, but offers tense, polished gunplay that sets it beside the other great console combat games. The campaign is a machismo-laden chest thumper, with a story that exists largely to move the character from one impressive locale to the next. A frequently intense but occasionally frustrating multiplayer component fleshes out the experience. With the exception of its stunning graphics, Killzone 2 doesn't do a whole lot that you haven't seen before in other titles. But what it does do, it does with aplomb. The first Killzone involved an invasion by the vicious, red-eyed Helghast onto the planet of Vecta. This sequel turns the tables, with the ISA military soaring across space to depose the dangerous dicta- tor who started the war in the first place. As Sev, an elite soldier in the invasion, you're thrown into one desperate scenario after another, from breaching a city's defenses to a running firefight along a speed- ing cargo train. While the game tries hard to give some credence to the characters, most of them exist to do one of two things: shout inflammatory curses at the bad guys or get blown up in a dramatic explosion. The campaign never ceases overloading your senses with constant action, and the chaos out- does most games on the market. Simultaneously, 86 GAME INFORMER there's a disregard for any sense of pacing in the gameplay. It's hard for that exploding building to have much "wow" effect when another building just exploded 10 seconds ago. Still, it's hard to level too much criticism at an action game for having too much action. Combat feels tight and the Al is suitably cunning, but too many of the commonly available firearms feel like a machine gun variant. | found myself wish- ing that the more unique weapons, like the electric- ity gun or the brutal flamethrower, showed up more frequently. The enemy Helghast are fast, vicious, and clever, and have the unfortunate characteristic of all looking almost identical to each other. Only a few occasional enemies are fundamentally different, which is frustrating in a sci-fi setting where more imaginative enemies would hardly stretch the fiction. The strong multiplayer game plays out across sprawling levels — it's clear that Guerilla envisions large-scale conflicts as their bread and butter. Objectives are constantly shifting, from demolition tasks to assassination targets to straightforward deathmatch scenarios. Static spawn points are a real drag during some objectives, when a single death sends you back for another two-minute run to get back into the fight. Even so, the PvP combat is solid and engaging, and a robust class and leveling system equals any of its competitors. Killzone 2 is a fantastic addition to the PS3 cata- logue. It makes good on the promise of its original unveiling nearly four years ago through unceasing action and breathtaking visual fidelity. It doesn’t change our level of expectation for all first-person shooters, but it does give us all a good reason to keep playing them.— MILLER Knock-knock jokes go over. poorly in warzones "we 8.75 > Concept: Continue the war against the Helghast in the best-looking shooter on the PS3 > Graphics: Phenomenal visuals shine a spotlight on this System's capabilities > Sound: Sound effect work is a standout success, while the constantly shouted voice acting leaves a little to be desired > Playability: Numerous control schemes and the dean only-shows-up-when-needed HUD are both welcome > Entertainment: Intense, frantic, and technically polished, this is a great addition to Sony's lineup of exclusives » Replay Value: Moderately High Second Opinion 9 Killzone 2 was designed with a singular vision: throw players headfirst into hell- fire, and keep them pinned down until the credits roll. Through thunderous gun- play and a new benchmark for PlayStation 3 visuals, this game never wavers in its abil- ity to produce heart-pound- ing excitement. The intensity is suffocating, making you feel that every shot matters, every move must be care- fully orchestrated, and that it's going to take every bit of your mettle to survive. The single-player campaign story is forgettable, and the squad banter beats you over the head with the stupid-stick far too often, but the weapon play and epic firefights are more than enough to keep you charging into battle. The multiplayer component is equally powerful, offering an extensive ranking system, and the same amazing level of graphical fidelity found in the campaign. The maps are designed to create bottle- neck firefights, but spawn points tend to be too far removed from these loca- tions. Killzone 2 doesn't hit the target with all of its shots, but when it does, it blows the target away.—REINER $ reviews Deadly Creatures > STYLE 1-PLAYER ACTION > PUBLISHER THQ > DEVELOPER RAINBOW STUDIOS 01:24:84 ) Anthony is cute, but not all that helpful. After offering a bit of encouragement, he usually defaults to talking about cookies Marble Saga: Kororinpa > STYLE 1 TO 4-PLAYER PUZZLE > PUBLISHER HUDSON ENTERTAINMENT > DEVELOPER HUDSON SOFT > RELEASE MARCH 17 > ESRB E SOUNDS LIKE NOSTALGIA ike its predecessor, Marble Saga Kororinpa is disarming in its simplicity; players must safely navigate a marble through a maze, collecting gems and items along the way. The formula earned Kororinpa: Marble Mania mild critical praise, and Hudson Soft has added a slew of fresh content to the sequel. The most blatant new feature is the unsuccessful inclusion of a narrative in a game that doesn't warrant one. Instead of being driven by simple fun, you are now motivated to move through Four-person local multiplayer lets you take on your friends from the comfort of your couch the puzzles by an ant named Anthony, whose colony is in peril and can only be saved by securing the mythical Golden Sunflower. While Anthony and his plight are endearing, interaction with him is severely limited. The story merely end caps an otherwise self- contained game. Beyond the fledgling story, Marble Saga: Kororinpa suc- ceeds where its predecessor fell flat. Saga includes more than 150 levels in seven unique areas. Taking advantage of all of the Wii's capabilities, 30 of these levels are spe- cifically designed for the Wii Balance Board, which trades precision for novelty. Online leaderboards allow you to compare your high scores to others worldwide, and a new level editor lets you design your own unique stages and share them with friends. Even Miis are integrated in a small way. The intelligently designed stages offer a well-balanced challenge even without bump- ing the diffi- culty to hard. The intuitive controls react well, tainted only with the occasional perspective issues that turn some tricky corners into exer- cises of luck rather than skill. At times this issue is further aggravated by an inconsistent checkpoint system — they are entirely absent from some levels and over-abundant in others. Still, Marble Saga: Kororinpa's simple concept and complex execution make marbles fun again — no plastic toys needed.—MEAGAN BOTTOM LINE ? Concept: Guide a marble through an array of quirky mazes. Essentially Marbleworks without the training wheels > Graphics: While rich in color and texture, they are kept simple to fall in line with the easy- going gameplay > Sound: Generic music complemented by charmingly realistic marble sounds. Oh, and the gassy panda marble is back > Playability: Aside from infre- quent perspective and camera issues, controls are intuitive and play like other Wii games should > Entertainment: Simple, but increasingly challenging Well-designed puzzles grab your attention, but whether or not they can keep it is a matter of taste > Replay Value: Moderate Second Opinion 8.5 A sequel to Kororinpa: Marble Mania, one of the most overlooked games in the Wii catalogue, Marble Saga succeeds in match- ing that game's exacting tilt-control gameplay while exceeding it in nearly every respect. This is the game Super Money Ball should have become. Aside from a few slight camera issues, the controls are remark- ably precise, allowing you to. accurately maneuver your marble through the game's harrowing courses. While many of the new features, like being able to “fuse” parts for the new level creator and the tacked-on story, feel like little more than bullet points for the press release, the core game adds some cool new wrinkles to an already. great formula, Your ball can now shrink and grow, allow- ing you to access different parts of the levels, which are better designed than the last game. But mostly, it's the same addictive gameplay that made me a fan of the original —MATT > RELEASE FEBRUARY 9 > ESRB T Y а” A REDDER SHADE OF NECK eadly Creatures is a fascinating game. In a lot of ways, it harks back to the N64/ PSone era, a time before the genres in gaming were estab- lished and publishers were more willing to take chances on a left-field concept. The game tells a story of two red- necks, voiced by legendary actors Billy Bob Thornton and Dennis Hopper, who bicker and double-cross each other while in search of a buried case of ancient gold coins. Players experience this tale as a scorpion and a tarantula, two creepy crawlies who intersect with the plot at key moments, altering the events in inventive (and sometimes hilarious) ways. It's definitely a unique concept, and I enjoyed seeing the game from a bug's eye view. The sheer scale of something like a motorcycle tire in compari- son to your onscreen charac- ter is very striking. While the story and prem- ise are strong, the gameplay is a mixed bag. Alternating between the spider and scor- pion characters, you traverse tunnels and up and down walls, occasionally observ- ing snippets of dialogue that further the story. There's no puzzle solving, outside of fig- uring out how to get through the level. The spider has the ability to web-swing up to certain prescribed points, which is about the extent of problem solving in the game. Each character has its unique combat moves (with more unlocked through gameplay), but they aren't radically different from each other. While it's reasonably fun to dispatch various insects and vermin with your venom- ous attacks, too many of the special moves are assigned to Wii remote motions, which are very erratic and some- times frustrating to perform — stop me if you've heard that one before. Too often, the game becomes a muddle of poor camera and unrespon- sive control. While the game builds to a gonzo final boss battle, the pixilated, short end cinematic feels like a huge letdown. Despite my criticisms, there's something genuinely charming about Deadly Creatures that 1 can' quite put my finger on. For gamers looking for something different on the Wii, this might be the ticket — pro- vided that you're willing to cope with the unpolished mechanics.— MATT uw BOTTOM LINE 7 > Concept: Foil the plans of some hillbillies as a scorpion and tarantula while fighting your way through a desert environment (no, seriously!) > Graphics: The gameplay sequences and character models are nice, although the cutscenes are sometimes plagued by scan lines > Sound: The minimal synth soundtrack is very evocative and the often-hilarious dia- logue is delivered in a way that gives you a great sense of scale and space > Playability: The basics work fairly well, especially consider ing the Wii doesn't have a second analog stick for camera control. However, the motion sensitive moves are as wonky as you've come to expect > Entertainment: While it's got some serious issues, some how Deadly Creatures’ unique concept results in a game that feels more compelling than it sounds on paper. Watch the interviews with Dennis Hopper and Billy Bob Thornton in the "extras" menu - they are bizarre comedy gold > Replay Value: Low Second Opinion 7 A Bug's Life, this is not. Rather than give us cutesy versions of shiver-inducing arachnids, Deadly Creatures delivers a tarantula and scorpion that are just as fascinating (or revolting) as the real deal. Rainbow deserves credit for taking chances — telling a tale of greed and betrayal as seen through the pair's multifac- eted eyes — but its execution ultimately suffers from iffy controls and а maliciously indifferent camera. Combat is challenging, but mostly because some of the more powerful moves don't work often enough to bother using. Those issues aside, there's still something won- drous about being a little guy in a great big world, even if you're fanged and covered with bristles —JEFF GAME INFORMER 87 > STYLE 1-PLAYER STRATEGY (UP TO 6- > DEVELOPER ENSEMBLE STUDIOS > RELEASE MARCH 3 > ESRB T A FINAL OPUS ongtime real-time strategy house Ensemble Studios has been shut down by its parent company, Microsoft, much to the dismay of its legions of Age of Empires fans. After playing the developer's last game, Halo Wars, the studio's closure is even more baffling. Halo Wars isn't perfect, but it's a huge step in the right direction for console RTS. For the first time in the sub-genre, I felt like | was playing a game instead of wrestling with a kludged-together control scheme. The beauty of Halo Wars is its simplicity. There are no modifier keys on the controller, no mutable unit Al stances, and no resource collectors to babysit. More than anything else, the game is reminiscent of StarCraft in that it has just enough depth to be inter- esting and lets player strategy take care of the rest. Both the UNSC and Covenant have access to three each of infantry, vehicles, and aircraft (plus über-units, leaders, and special commander-specific units). The tech trees are streamlined but important; upgrades like the marines' rocket launcher and the oo ca 7 B Buildings can only be built into slots on bases, and there is no "peon"-type unit 88 GAME INFORMER W If you can bring out Scarabs, it's pretty much over jackals’ deflector gauntlet are huge. Special abilities and support powers are likewise streamlined. Units have one ability apiece on a cooldown, with no energy bar to manage. Support powers like calling in orbital artillery are also restricted by cooldowns, but also cost resources to use. This all adds up to a gameplay formula that is ight on the boring kind of micromanagement (tech trees, resource gathering, and base building) and heavy on using awesome units to blow the hell out of the enemy. Along with having few interface prob- lems to contend with, this allows your time to be put to use formulating and executing strategies. All by itself, this fact makes Halo Wars the best RTS on console to date, bar none. The single-player campaign is relatively replay- able, with higher scores to attain and difficulties to conquer, as well as black boxes and skulls to col- lect. The 15 missions tell a story that Halo fans will dig, though they often rely too much on gimmicks and endlessly spawning enemies to cover up for a lackluster Al. Offline skirmishes are a disappointment, with that same lame Al (1 should not be able to crush a Legendary opponent 100 percent of the time with ease) sapping the mode of its potential. Using skulls to up the difficulty helps offset this, but it's no sub- stitute for a challenging, fair match. Online, however, is outstanding. The maps are varied and well-designed, and the factions and commanders seem balanced. Against human opponents, Halo Wars’ excellent gameplay is free to shine without annoying campaign gimmicks or bad Al to hold it back. Co-op campaign play is fun as well, though all it does is let both players control the same units — nothing else changes in co-op. Though Halo Wars is a vanilla RTS at its core, it's a solidly made one that proves that traditional genre mechanics can work on console. This is a fitting send-off for one of the best-loved RTS studios in the world.— ADAM BOTTOM LINE > Concept: Build an RTS for console from the ground up, rather than shoehorning a PC design onto a gamepad > Graphics: You can't rea- sonably ask for more than this solid framerate and gor- geous presentation > Sound: Voice cues give needed updates on the strategic situation, and the music does the Halo franchise proud > Playability: Could it be? A control scheme that works reasonably well? Why, yes, it just might! > Entertainment: There is no reason to look elsewhere for console real-time strategy > Replay Value: High Second Opinion 9.25 Halo Wars does for the RTS genre what Halo did for console FPS. This is neither the most nuanced or compli- cated strategy game on the market, but Halo Wars suc- ceeds as no other title before itin building a functional and fun mechanic using little more than a d-pad and some face buttons. Fantastic between-mission cutscenes highlight a story that will please any Halo junkie, and everything from the music to the Spartans’ animations are awash in the familiar themes of that fictional universe. Like its FPS cousin, Halo Wars is equally accomplished in its cooperative and competitive multiplayer. In every instance that the game simplifies a mechanic, it makes up for it through thrilling battles and accessible controls. This is the first console RTS that | can recommend to friends without reservation, and a huge achievement as the final project from Ensemble Studios —MILLER т No single unit dominates quite as badly as the good ol’ days of massed Protoss Dragoons е TBOFBackflip ;700 . XBOX 360 Stoked > STYLE 1-PLAYER ACTION SPORTS (UP TO 8-PLAYER ONLINE) > PUBLISHER DESTINEER GAMES > DEVELOPER BONGFISH > RELEASE FEBRUARY 24 > ESRB T A SOLID START nowboarding games have definitely had their ups and downs. The last few genera- tions had no shortage of titles in the genre, but lately we've suffered through a minor drought. The same could be said for action sports games as a whole, until Skate showed boarders that there is still room for improvement. Developer Bongfish took this to heart and created Stoked, a game that combines core snowboard- ing culture with big moun- tain riding. The focus on huge, open mountains is nothing new to snowboarding titles, but Stoked wisely offers terrain variety instead of repeating one mountain six times. Dropping in from the top reveals a bevy of objectives and lines to ride — one mountain has over 90 objectives alone. As | got to the bottom of the mountains, however, the activities became a little scarce; it would have been a smart place to throw in some park stuff like half-pipes and rail runs. As for the objectives, the basic "do this trick" events are entertaining enough, but the media challenges, which you unlock later, are far more inter- esting. Taking the game online with friends reveals even more challenge types, like the always fun Ground is Lava mode. Induding modes like this could have given the single-player some needed spice. Stoked takes a page from Skate in the control depart- ment, incorporating the concepts behind that title's excellent interface. These basic ideas are solid, but Stoked stumbles in their implementa- tion. The ollie, rail slides, and off-axis spins in particular are all in need of some polishing; as it stands, executing these maneuvers is often harder than it needs to be. The two branching riding styles, Hucker or Styler, change passively based on how you ride. Snowboarding Hucker style means you spin fast and easy, but in a sloppy way. The Styler option requires plenty of discipline to pull off slow, smooth spins and flips. These choices, along with completing challenges, earn you chances to show big sponsors you have the chops to be a profes- sional rider. With all of the cool ideas in Stoked, including the real-time weather and snow types that affect the game, Bongfish has taken steps in the right direc- tion for setting the new stan- dard for snowboard titles. | just would have liked to see more time devoted to cleaning bugs and buffing out the core riding mechanic.—NICK w Patrick [Ж EN Ang ior ш I1 BOTTOM LINE 5 ? Concept: Mix Skate and Amped into a big mountain snowboard title ? Graphics: Average overall, with goofy looking character models but great draw distance > Sound: Huge, diverse soundtrack full of indie bands > Playability: The controls are а step in the right direction, but the user interface is inconsistent > Entertainment: Average implementation, but a fun game that offers a ton of challenges. Hardcore snowboarders should give ita try > Replay Value: Moderate Second Opinion 7.75 When you land face-first into a bank of snow, the only thing you can do is get back up and try it again. Stoked regularly throws obstacles in your way, but persever- ing through them is worth it. Even with its problematic jibbing and inconsistent trick detection, | had a lot of fun with this title. The size and flow of the mountains, along with the passive challenges, makes it easy to get into the groove. | also appreciated the dual-trigger trick system, which offers challenge with- out frustration. More variety among the challenges would have been nice (especially given how inventive some of the multiplayer games are), but the number of runs per mountain spurs your imagi- nation, and in the end, gives Shaun White a snowball to the face —KATO XBOX 360 Race Pro > STYLE 1 OR 2-PLAYER RACING (UP TO 12-PLAYER ONLINE OR SYSTEM LINK) > PUBLISHER ATARI > DEVELOPER SIMBIN > RELEASE FEBRUARY 17 > ESRB E FOUR TIRES AND A STEERING WHEEL never played any of SimBin's previous PC racers, but in this game it's clear that somewhere along the way the developer honed its craft. Race Pro does a good job of handling a number of racing tenants to deliver a simulation-based racer that is fun despite its lack of features. Unfortunately, its bare-bones nature is simply unacceptable in this day and age when racing games are getting more interesting. The only concession Race Pro makes to choice is a contract system that lets you choose a racing series in which you want to partici- pate. Since each car you get handles differently, this isn't a small decision. Thanks to SimBin's physics and car han- dling, take the assists off and you'll have to adjust how you drive each one. Unfortunately, the track rep- etition bogs down the game — particularly early on, which is a shame since it has 15 in total. It's at times like these, or when you notice there's no real car damage, that you want more from Race Pro. Sure, you're challenged on the track, but you also want to be excited off of it as well. Codemasters' Grid does a good job of this in its use of sponsorships and teammates. Race Pro's anonymous- sounding name mirrors a game that you might otherwise forget about. This isn't a crime so much as it is a shame. At the very least, Atari has created a ground floor for a franchise that could have some legs thanks to its bed- rock developer.—KATO E The Hot Seat feature has co-op and versus modes where control ОЁ cars passes between you and a friend. Race Pro also feature tradi- tional multiplayer racing modes, including 12-player online contests ? Concept: Swedish PC racing developer SimBin brings its brand of sim racing to the con- sole for the first time > Graphics: Competent enough to be average, but not dose to eye-poppingly good > Sound: | don't know if the lack of a music soundtrack is good or bad. Do you really need music in a racing game? > Playability: Standard dif- ferences in car handling and car setup options make you alter your approach to the tracks depending on what you're driving > Entertainment: About as much fun as you can squeeze out of a lump of meat and potatoes > Replay Value: Moderately Low Second Opinion 7.25 The pedestrian title should be your first clue of what to expect from Race Pro - a whole lotta closed track, sim- ulation racing and not much else. Outside of a points system based around signing contracts with various spon- sors and deciding to either do a qualifying lap or just pay a higher entry fee, there's really nothing except a series of races. All this said, | really enjoyed the on-the-track experience: The medium (Semi-Pro) difficultly is excel- lently balanced, providing that crucial feeling of being chal- lenging but not frustrating. If Race Pro isn't exactly a steak dinner for driving fans, it's at least a tasty grilled cheese sandwich and a hot cup of tomato soup.—MATT GAME INFORMER 89 Se reviews XBOX 360 Star Ocean: The Last Hope > STYLE 1-PLAYER ROLE-PLAYING GAME > PUBLISHER SQUARE ENIX > DEVELOPER TRI-ACE > RELEASE FEBRUARY 24 > ESRB T A LATE BLOOMER hree hours. This is the approximate amount of time that Star Ocean: The Last Hope nuzzles players under the smelly armpit of protagonist Edge Maverick. Few game introductions drop players into such a repel- lent and uncomfortable atmosphere. Ham-fisted dialogue, character designs that make you say “is he supposed to be taken seriously?” and groan- inducing plot developments (I'm awarded the rank of Captain because the other Captain has a broken arm?) are just a few of the areas where this game gets off to a shaky start. As character introductions are made and the plot starts to take shape, players are thrust into a combat tutorial — a sequence that abruptly breaks up the flow of the story and seems to have been blindly placed by the development team, as the first combat scenario is not to be seen for another 20 to 30 minutes. Adding to the first taste misery, the introductory environment, a narrow- quartered ship, is in exact opposition to the game's bullish camera tracking and lightning quick character movement. | was running into walls and fussing with the camera to track my movements. Three hours. Three long hours. If you weather this storm and don't succumb to playing something else, The Last Hope eventually pulls out of its train wreck state, rights itself on the rails, and gains a nice head of steam for the remainder of the quest. This prequel story, which takes place before Star Ocean: First Departure, tells the tale of humanity scorching the Earth with World War III and in the aftermath searching the cosmos for a new planet to call home. This story fits nicely into Tri-Ace's canon. Although it never loses its knack for delivering pain- fully bad dialogue (including a “pervert claim” that 90 САМЕ INFORMER comes out of nowhere), the plot captivates, mostly because it takes the road less traveled of not high- lighting an antagonist. Like the TV show Lost, The Last Hope keeps its secrets shrouded long enough for players to build theories and invest in the lore. Of the cast of characters, Edge Maverick is the most compelling. The voice actor fits him well, and his approach to situations often reflected my thoughts. Edge is a unique voice, however. The majority of the characters are comical, or worse yet, unintentionally comical, making them better fits for an episode of Aqua Teen Hunger Force than a serious science fiction drama. They manage to pull drama out of the story, but at the same time, give it a fun side, whether it was intentional or not. This tale bounces from one mystery to the next, but the combat in between those events points players down a dear and well defined path. This is the game's heart and soul, and the reason why you'll come back and play more. The hack n' slash combat has evolved significantly since the last Star Ocean game, expanding in areas that bring depth to the mix. New additions like the Blindside strikes, Rush mode, and Bonus Board — a system that grants combat bonuses for specific feats — change the dynamic, allowing players to formulate high end strategies, pinpoint enemy weaknesses, and dictate pne Di&fogue like this isn't even acceptable by Saturday morning cartoon standards M character development. This new combat system is exceptionally well made, and never something | tired of. Unlocking new skills and abilities, such as being able to pickpocket townsfolk or summon creatures, made me want to level up as much as | could. | didn't feel the urge to avoid standard encounters in the field for a change. Combat is also enhanced by the support Al, which is intelligent and just as eager to drop foes as you are. Additional depth rears its head here, as you can tweak the protocols for your teammates. Tri-Ace spares no detail in the character models and texturing. The worlds you visit are varied in design, and nothing short of breathtaking. Unfortunately, the same sentiment cannot be said of the animation. The run- ning and walking anima- tions skip as they loop, and little effort has been made in lining up the lip- syncing. In cutscenes, the characters end up looking like puppets with flap- ping jaws. The Last Hope is plagued by a number of problems, but if you can invest the time needed for this game to blossom (that's a big if), the combat system and mysterious plot reward you well for your time.—REINER BOTT LINE > Concept: A prequel story that details mankind's departure from Earth > Graphics: Sharp texturing and colorful worlds sadly set the stage for choppy animations ? Sound: Decent voice work is joined by a highly clichéd and fairly irritating score > Playability: Combat is easy to handle and loaded with depth. Field movement is far too sensitive, which causes problems in tight areas > Entertainment: It never quite teaches the highs of Star Ocean: Till the End of Time, but this is a nice addition to the series > Replay Value: Moderate shot at the enemy, and will also apply a blue EXP gem to your Bonus Board From Star Wars to Ender's Game, the greatest sci-fi epics roll characters, con- flict, and technology into one captivating story. Star Ocean: The Last Hope does not. Riddled with unbear- able dialogue and awk- ward plot points, The Last Hope's narrative flubs ир almost every opportunity. to forge a connection with the player. A weak story is a critical flaw in any RPG, but Star Ocean makes strides towards redemption with its gameplay. The real-time combat is more than just button-mashing thanks to excellent additions like the Bonus Board and Blindside strikes, and the array of special skills means you've always got cool options available. | also was happy to see the backtracking issue from Star Ocean: Till the End of Time addressed; the sense of progression and accomplishment is now more defined. Once the game opens up and lets you explore its mechanics, Star Ocean: The Last Hope is hard to put down. The real challenge is fighting the urge to give up during some of the more strained verbal exchanges and ludicrous story developments. —JOE ancouver-based developer Relic Entertainment has pushed the evolution of the real-time strategy genre for years. Its last few efforts — Homeworld, Company of Heroes, and the first Dawn of War game — play a large part in defining what we think of as RTS. With Dawn of War II, the company takes that expertise and re-imagines the most basic tenets of the genre. Only letting players control a few squads at a time is a major change, but Relic managed to craft a unique game out of it. At a basic level, the combat in Dawn of War II is just plain fun. It's a blast to give your Assault Marines a combat jump order and watch them use their jetpacks to slam into an enemy formation with liter- ally explosive force. Watching your heavy bolters tear through the most robust of enemy troops is a joy, and seeing your Force Commander go toe-to-toe with a hostile mech is awesome. These examples are of Space Marines, but the other factions' units fulfill largely the same roles. The abilities of the various squads at your command mesh together in a tightly interlocked engine of destruction when used properly, and the low-level tactical gameplay is unmatched. The Space Marine-only single-player campaign offers dozens of replayable hours of entertainment. There is no resource gathering, but ran- domized loot drops allow you to equip your squads with powerful war gear. The Mass Effect-like leveling system strikes a brilliant balance between giving you access to sweet powers and forcing you to make choices as you customize your units. The rating you receive after each mission (which also ties into bonus rewards) constantly pushes you to improve your game. The biggest downfall of Dawn of War II is a lack of variety. Though different enemies populate each mission, you'll still conquer the same handful of maps over and over during the campaign. Despite getting new weapons with better stats, you'll use the same basic tactics repeatedly for the vast majority of the game. Even while fighting on different planets, you'll have the same objectives and fight bosses with carbon-copy abilities over and over again. It's a good thing the basic gameplay is so amusing, because there isn't much else to keep it fresh. Multiplayer is another departure from genre norms, and includes some basic resource gathering via stra- tegic nodes. Compressed forms of the leveling and item systems are also pres- ent. Players have a choice between builder, brawler, and special-ops archetypes, and must work together to secure victory in three vs. three matches. Many interesting ideas are at play here, but l'm not convinced that no base- building and few units per side is a superior model for RTS multiplayer. More maps than the five out of the box (plus three more in the launch-day patch) would be nice as well. It feels weird to me to not be falling head over heels for a Relic title out of the gate, to be honest. Still, this is an amazingly visceral title with a second- to-none presentation that delivers some of the best tactical action we've seen to date. | applaud the developers for moving the staid RTS genre in a new direction, even if | feel that Dawn of War Il stumbles a little bit along the way.—ADAM BOTTOM LINE 8 > Concept: Look at real-time strategy through a different lens, restricting players to a handful of squads at a time > Graphics: Relic has always been a leader in the genre, and this holds up that tradition > Sound: The voice work is outstanding, as are the in-game audio effects > Playability: Powers and tactics are varied enough that controlling only four units is а unique and exciting gameplay model > Entertainment: A lack of mis- sion diversity in the single-player campaign and an unproven multiplayer model are this title’s roadblocks to classic status > Replay Value: Moderately High Second Opinion 8.25 Still not sick of hulking space marines wearing ridicu- lously oversized armor after Gears of War, Killzone, Command & Conquer, and Halo? Check out Dawn of War Il. These testosterone- fueled genetic freaks are facing the gravest danger of all — alien races raiding their recruiting planets. Oh, the horror! Vapid plot aside, Dawn of War II delivers the goods on the battlefield. Commanding several small tactical units with various strengths — such as melee combat, stealth, suppres- sion, and jetpack-fueled surprise attacks — you must crush waves of enemies to Secure checkpoints, com- mandeer strategic targets, and fight the occasional boss battle. Along the way your squad leaders gain experi- ence points that can be used to improve their skills and unlock new traits. This RPG-meets-RTS progression system, which also includes adopting new weapons and armor, kept me coming back for more Ork blood, and even helped me slightly forgive the heavily recycled maps.—BERTZ GAME INFORMER 91 hough The Dark Eye pen-and-paper role- playing system has an extensive following in its native Germany, it has never broken through in the U.S. This title is the latest in over a decade of attempts to bring The Dark Eye to the attention of American gamers. While Drakensang easily exceeds any expectations regarding presenta- tion and scope, the finer points of RPG design — notably combat and player-driven interactions with the game world — are lost on the game. Drakensang's rule set is deep and well balanced, but even players used to delving into the arcane bylaws of Dungeons & Dragons supplements will be hard-pressed to grasp the structure of The Dark Eye. Characters have a whopping nine basic attributes, dozens of talent and spell-casting scores, and access to melee, ranged, and defensive special power 92 САМЕ INFORMER trees. To further complicate things, attempting any roll relies on your talent or spell score, three differ- ent attributes, plus external factors. Oh, and the cost to improve a talent, attribute, or spell is determined by an equation based on its “upgrade classification” and current value. Ultimately, the rule set allows a lot of freedom in how you build your characters, but it's a Byzantine nightmare for newcomers to decipher. After choosing your avatar's class and gender, the incredibly generic fantasy setting of Aventuria awaits you. Archetypical companions, from rough-edged amazons to charming rogues, will join you. You'll meet gruff dwarves, ambitious humans, and aloof elves. You'll kill rats (oh, how you'll kill rats), solve murders, and rescue maidens. Through it all, the experience points and loot flow in. If you've done з itin a dozen RPGs before, you'll more than likely do it here. With one excep- tion, Drakensang's execution of these standard tropes ranges from solid to good, and role-playing fans will enjoy exploring the many side-quests and areas available. That single exception, however, is combat. Though battles play a smaller role in Drakensang than in most RPGs, they're nearly universal wastes of time. Tactics count for nothing, as there is no way to control the positioning or flow of combat, and each character has a bare handful of possible actions. -style öpen world The occasional set-piece battles are fun, but most adventure areas consist of the same environment tiles repeated ad nauseum, and populated solely with hordes of identical foes. Dungeon crawling may only make up a third or so of the game, but it's a terrible third. With its emphasis on non-combat gameplay, one would hope Drakensang had a novel or inter- esting approach to NPC and world interactions. Unfortunately, it does not. Conversing with NPCs is little more than pressing buttons on an information- dispensing machine. Asking the priest why we have to go into the catacombs may fill in a little backstory, but provides no gameplay — and that's the model that nearly all conversations follow. The main plotline is a linear affair that tells a moderately interesting story, but it is hardly the second coming of Knights of the Old Republic. Players who can't get enough heroic fantasy and enjoy exploration and storytelling above all else might get their money's worth out of Drakensang. More casual RPG fans, and those whose tastes run more toward battle and less to deciphering the geneology of the dwarven nobility, should take a pass on this.— ADAM A "Я > many subplots to е) BOTT! LINE > Concept: Adapt a weird European pen-and-paper RPG in the style of Neverwinter Nights > Graphics: Impressive envi- ronments lose little by being incredibly static > Sound: Mediocre-at-best voice acting does nothing to facilitate the presentation, but the score is solid fantasy fare > Playability: The interface is usable, if primitive, but the underlying game systems are needlessly opaque > Entertainment: Some neat moments and interesting plot threads are hidden in this hope- lessly generic medieval fantasy > Replay Value: Moderately Low Second Opinion 7.5 Drakensang embraces the Toots of fantasy gaming rather well. The setting, char- acters, and plot all come off as generic. If these familiar tropes are still enjoyable for you, this could be worth the hefty time investment involved in a play-through. The visual presentation is strong, the quests are fre- quently engaging, and the underlying game system is deep. The game world is large, and numerous class options expand the wealth of character customization that comes as you level. Combat and exploration are balanced in equal measure with conversations and in- town tasks like crafting and shopping. Overly open paths between encounters anda quest structure that involves alot of running back and forth are features that don't combine well; far too much of the game is spent travel- ing between locations you've already seen before. Combat encounters feel overly sim- plistic, and it's only after a. long while that one begins feeling truly invested in the. commands available during a fight. You've seen what this game has to offer before, but that doesn't make it bad by any measure.—MILLER | WAR MAKES GIANTS OF MEN AND EMPIRES OF NATIONS “NV OG Е СӨ 10, ОЕ WAR Engage in intense naval battles Lead your men in massive land battles Control your empire with the across stunning seascapes featuring thousands of troops innovative campaign map PRE-ORDER EMPIRE: TOTAL WAR AT GAMESTOP AND GET A Game DOWNLOADABLE COPY OF ROME: TOTAL WAR GOLD FOR FREE!* www.gamestop.com/empiretotalwar *Limited Time Only $ p RATING PENDING E May contain content " p n = A) “мн GY c EO sear otc ernog HISTORY We ny 2 ssemmv MAR www.totalwar.com сонты ватер rating information. ESRB j^. The Creative Assembly, Total War, Empire: Total War and the Total War logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of the Creative Assembly Limited. SEGA and the SEGA logo are registered s or trademarks of SEGA corporation. All rights reserved. Windows and the Windows Vista Start button are trademarks of the Microsoft group of companies, and ‘Games for Windows’ and the Windows Vista Start button logo are used under license from Microsoft. ©2008 A&E Television Networks. All Rights Reserved. HISTORY and the “H” Logoare Registered Trademarks of A&E Television Network All Rights Reserved. Art and Design ©2008 A&E Television Networks. All Rights Reserved for Windows PSP LocoRoco 2 > STYLE 1-PLAYER ACTION (UP TO 4-PLAYER LOCAL) > PUBLISHER SONY COMPUTER ENTERTAINMENT > DEVELOPER SONY COMPUTER ENTERTAINMENT JAPAN > RELEASE FEBRUARY 10 > ESRB E BEYOND CHARMING he original LocoRoco blended cute graphics, catchy music, and an innovative simplistic control scheme to make it one of the PSP's early greats. With this year's true sequel (the PS3 DLC Cocoreccho doesn't count), fans will find the ulti- mate LocoRoco experience. Newcomers should jump right into the sequel despite the "2" on the box. The core mechanic still consists of tilting the game world with the shoulder but- tons to roll and bounce happy blobs around levels in search of more blobs to merge and grow with. The type and number of LocoRoco onscreen affects the tone and complex- ity of the music, making it somewhat interactive. The hefty batch of new levels offer familiar locales (like a lush garden, frozen moun- tain, or the inside of a giant sick penguin), but the con- stant barrage of new puzzles, platforming challenges, and hidden paths keep things fresh. Throw in new underwa- ter stages or hard shells that these soft blobs can use in dif- ferent ways, and the frequently shifting rules of tilting and grav- The core game is one of the strongest platformers out there, and the mountain of extras pile on the enjoyment. Finding hidden locations or creatures now triggers a quick rhythm game instead of making you just listen like before. These notes contribute to “leveling up" the current stage, which lets you eventu- ally earn easier item collection, resistance to spikes, and a map of the stage with all the power-ups marked on it. Items collected during stages can be used to help fill in puzzles and also contribute to the MuiMui house — basically an ant farm for tiny blue creatures that you can expand and deck out with cosmetic and useable items like a music player or in-game camera. LocoRoco 2 even includes a cannon defense game where you blast attack- ing planes out of the sky. This is just a small sampling of the replay-friendly tasks. Improved minigames (including a traditional shooter) and entertaining boss battles (one involves plucking moustache hairs) round out this great $20 package. PSP owners would be crazy to pass this one by.— BRYAN ity keep you on your toes. 94 GAME INFORMER BOTTOM LINE 9.25. > Concept: Polish the LocoRoco concept to a brilliant shining gem > Graphics: Adorable art design blended with fantastic physics > Sound: Some themes are revisited, but the catchy soundtrack will have you whis- tling afterward > Playability: The tilt control method returns with a few new tricks > Entertainment: Beating the game is only half the fun of this content-packed UMD > Replay Value: Moderately High Second Opinion 8.75 LocoRoco was the most adorable game | actually enjoyed playing. With the sequel, | was looking forward to exploring more secret- laden levels to the hum of rthy music. The skillful level-tilting action hasn't changed, but these little LocoRoco have learned a wealth of new moves that let them swim, jump higher, and participate in musical magme Unfortunately, these little blobs still lie to dance around when they're not being coddled, which means they can get a little too friendly with hungry. enemies. Otherwise, it's all too easy to get infected by LocoRoco's child- like cheer.—BEN NINTENDO DS Dragon Quest V: Hand of the Heavenly Bride > STYLE 1-PLAYER ROLE-PLAYING GAME > PUBLISHER SQUARE ENIX > DEVELOPER ARTEPIAZZA > RELEASE FEBRUARY 17 > ESRB Е10+ f in trouble are a little older, I mean — o our land again. Magic Attack Abilities ' т Boom Woosh — when you > Concept: Find your bride in a beautiful but grind-heavy remake THE LONG ROAD TO ADULTHOOD ike many North American players, this was my first time diving into the world of Dragon Quest V. The DS remake of the Japanese Super Famicom original (and more recently a Japanese PlayStation 2 remake) does a fantastic job of updating the game, with some gor- geous and amusing character designs and a couple of new additions that make the game feel like new. Its quaint and amiliar coming-of-age story doesn't break any ground, but it is well told and it's clear that the localization folks put a ot of love into crafting clever dialogue. The only place the game hasn't seen a suitable adjustment is in its slow and aborious climb through levels. The game demands a devotion that old-time RPG fanatics will be familiar with. Other players may balk at the intense grind necessary to progress. Dragon Quest V was unique at its time for the sprawl of its timeline, and this ele- ment still delivers effective drama. The main character is viewed throughout the passage into his adulthood, and that concept alone helps lend weight and drama to the affair. Combat is par for the series, with monsters appear- of the original RPG classic > Graphics: Toriyama's art style shines through in the colorful ing in a first-person view on characters and monsters the screen, and some basic commands available for taking them down. This installment adds variety through the ability to recruit enemy monsters, a feature that later installments would embrace. Enjoyment is reliant on a willingness to face the game's steep difficulty and unforgiv- ing approach to balancing. Grinding for levels is a basic necessity before moving on to a boss, save points are > Replay Value: Moderately infrequent, and death is both Low common and taxing on the ; bank account. Push through those challenges, and the Dragon Quest V is a game from a bygone era - a time vibrant game world is filled with well-drawn and well- when rampant fantasy tropes and dichéd story points written characters. Р Despite а clear S | were not only expected, but desire to update, Vr neg | үн i: ww games. The legendary B PP REN аы N the childhood crush, and lft ihe flow-of & the pet-tumed-ally are all SIETE NOW, accounted for. In battle, you > Sound: The musical score is a suitable accompaniment, and a newly recorded orchestral ver- sion of the opener sounds great > Playability: Everything works as it should, but expect a painful amount of experience grinding in order to progress the story > Entertainment: This charm- ing but familiar storyline had some firsts for the series, and should be especially welcome to American fans who've never played this installment gameplay much 1 closer to a classic X] RPG than any recent Japanese AS RPG. Old- (AN school fanatics \ should enjoy the gorgeous audio and visuals, but beware the slow crawl to victory. — MILLER “9, W have a spread of predictable (2 monsters that appear in options as you fight the same every Dragon Quest. The line between nostalgia and pun- ishment can get pretty thin at times - especially with all the grinding — but the basic mechanics and cool art style { are still solid, The design may be dated, but this remake of DQ V ultimately succeeds at delivering a faithful old- school adventure —JOE NINTEN| DO DS TrackMania DS > STYLE 1-PLAYER RACING (UP TO 4-PLAYER LOCAL) > PUBLISHER ATLUS > DEVELOPER FIREBRAND GAMES > RELEASE MARCH 17 > ESRB E RallyA2 Firebrand 00:07:13 Target 00:16:51 Best 00:16:65 LOW OCTANE rackMania DS kicks off with some decent poten- tial. Through a mix of F-1, muscle, and rally car arcade races, the game shows off its slick DS engine. Players perform big jumps and loop- de-loops with the goal of landing gold med Block Selected NN oar lals, which are key to unlocking more difficult races. A separate currency can be spent on car skins and oth er bonuses. If you screw up, resets can be triggered instantly so you can grind away until you beat a challenge. Even losses earn you money, so you don't necessarily feel like you're wasting time as you shoot for a new record. always s omething to unlock. There's However, the veneer starts to crack as you spend more time behind the wheel. Racing again: intangibl as fun as a competitor you can slam into. difficulty e ghost cars (basically, the clock) is ramps up very quickly, so you're fo to race perfectly on the line to beat the top time and earn the medals you need to progress If you're even slightly behind the leader, ly not worth finishing the race. You'll be mashing that reset button again and again. further. it's usua This is supposed to be an arcade racer, for Pete's sake! This pl modes as well. Platform mode tasks you wi vering through roads with huge holes cut out of them and maintaining enough speed to make extra long jumps. Even one mistake takes you out of the running in a world that tries to go beyond its physics ies and sometimes is completely unclear on where to drive next. Puzzle mode allows you to build tracks with a limited number of pieces and strict objectives, but manipulat- ing 3D space on the tiny DS screen is an exercise in frustration. You must constantly zoom and rotate the camera to make sure that track pieces line up correctly (especially when it comes to height). These editing problems extend to for gold capabili just can't The st these not rced hilosophy unfortunately applies to the other h maneu- creating your own tracks, which can only be shared locally. In this day and age, you get away with not sharing user-created content online.—-BRYAN Move Block. Change Block Height Rotate Block OTTO LINE 6 5 > Concept: Bring the popular PC racing franchise to DS > Graphics: Simple, yet surpris- ingly smooth > Sound: Zippy engine noise mixed with Euro techno > Playability: Racing controls smoothly. The same cannot be said for the track editor > Entertainment: You'll be fine if you focus on the racing mode > Replay Value: Moderately High Second Opinion 6.5 Trackmania is hit or miss for me. The standard arcade racing is simple, if shallow, fun. The platform levels are а unique attempt to do something different, requir- ing you to navigate tricky tracks filled with sky-high jumps and fifty-foot pot- holes, these levels’ cheap "deaths" are little too frustrat- ing. The puzzle bits allows you to assemble uncom- pleted tracks and make face courses with a limited toolset. The idea is cool, but the level editor is too much of a bear to be fun. While Trackmania gives you plenty of content for your dollar, you might now like how each part of that dollar is being spent —BEN NINTENDO DS Blue Dragon Plus > STYLE 1-PLAYER ACTION/STRATEGY > PUBLISHER IGNITION ENTERTAINMENT > DEVELOPER MISTWALKER/FEEL PLUS/ BROWNIE BROWN > RELEASE FEBRUARY 24 > ESRB E Shadows ы. воттом им | love how Blue Dragon on the Xbox 360 took 5 ү) 5 classic RPG conven- tions and made them feel new again. Blue Dragon Plus also borrows from its predecessors, but the games it emulates are bad ones. Like Brownie Brown's previous RTS titles for DS (Heroes of Mana and Magical Starsign), the botched and imprecise touchscreen interface makes even simple actions like movement and unit selection unpredictable. Once you throw in a crowd of enemies and multiple characters to manage, it explodes into a frustrating mess. The story doesn’t even make the pain worthwhile; after the events of the first game, the plot feels unnecessary and tacked on. As much as | enjoyed the world of the original Blue Dragon, I'm just going to pretend this dismal follow- up never happened—JOE NINTENDO DS My World, My Way > STYLE 1-PLAYER ROLE-PLAYING GAME > PUBLISHER ATLUS > DEVELOPER GLOBAL A ENTERTAINMENT > RELEASE FEBRUARY 3 > ESRB E NINTENDO DS Legacy of Ys: Books | & 11 > STYLE 1-PLAYER ROLE-PLAYING GAME (UP TO 4-PLAYER ONLINE) > PUBLISHER ATLUS > DEVELOPER FALCOM > RELEASE FEBRUARY 10 > ESRB Т ПИЛИ Buried under Legacy of Ys' redesigned graph- 5 ics, music, and touch controls still lies a very old game. Legacy revolves around wanderer Adol Christin and his search for a legendary Atlantis-like land of Ys. Gamers raised during the Thundercats era of cartoons might remember these Japanese RPGs, but both games have been re-localized with new, albeit still brief, scripts. Many other relics of ‘80s game design persist as well. You often don't know where to go next, exploring the game's giant entangled world is tiring, and you'll spend much of your time grinding just to beat a boss or buy a new weapon. Legacy is a little too "classic" for its own good; it needs more than a facelift to appeal to the modem gamer.——BEN THIS IS HOW YOU WANT IT? y World, My Way would not exist in the fictional world it presents. The fickle princess at the heart of the story has the ability to manipulate reality, getting rid of anything that annoys her. If she were to play her own game, she'd be lucky to get 20 minutes in before willing it out of existence. The story is heavy on charm in the beginning, introducing players to the spoiled and selfish princess Elise through funny dialogue and a ridiculous premise: She wants to make herself more attractive to a pro- spective beau, so she becomes an adventurer. That's when the gameplay begins, and the charm dissipates. You travel from village to village, performing dull fetch and kill quests to progress to the next town where you'll do more of the same. Tongue-in- cheek attempts to lampoon the RPG genre are littered about, but they fizzle out in the face of the game's design; just because a game pokes fun at its own generic quests and characters doesn't change the fact that players have to deal with them. A chuckle here and there doesn't make up for hours of tedium. Elise acquires a standard selection of combat abilities, but only the Pout system stands out as particularly clever. In addition to your magic, you BOTTOM LINE 6 > Concept: Even selfish princesses like getting loot and gaining levels > Graphics: Expect to see generic characters, towns, and monsters. They're even re-used frequently > Sound: While the game technically has music and sound effects, they don't warrant апу special mention > Playability: The interface is pretty simple, but it does the job just fine ? Entertainment: Bending the rules with the Pout system would be a lot more fun if the rest of the game weren't so boring > Replay Value: Moderately Low Second Opinion 7.5 My World My Way's spoiled- princess-turned-adventurer story is part Mulan, part Legally Blonde (not that | know anything about that movie). Despite how bad that sounds, the game is amusing. Your regal superi- ority has granted you super- natural pouting abilities, so you can alter the environ- ment and effect battles by just complaining. Otherwise, this is a fairly generic RPC The quests get repetitive and the battle system is pretty straightforward. Role-playing gamers secure in their sexu- ality might want to give this one a try.—BEN can use Pout Points to gain advantages like acting first in battle, getting more experience from kills, or automatically completing a quest. The idea is that Elise throws a tantrum, and the world responds by giving her what she wants. I'd love to see something similar to the Pout system implemented in another, better title. When you look past the mask of satirical humor this game puts on, My World, My Way is just a parade of tired mechanics orbiting a single cool concept —ЈОЕ GAME INFORMER 95 Madness has taken its toll. Please have exact change. Keep your arms inside the cabin and enjoy the ride. Speaking of rides, Wii Play is certainly on a roll. People just can't stop buying this thing. They say you can't buy happiness, and clearly you keep shopping in the wrong place. 2 CALL OF DUTY: WORLD AT WAR (360) This is as close as we ever want to get to a real war. Except Bride Wars — Anne Hathaway vs. Kate Hudson means we all win. But in a real world war, we'd die within the first five minutes because we'd still be trying to figure out how to type “lolz ur suxor.” We'd rather die in our sleep like our grandfather, not screaming in terror like the passengers in his military jeep. We used to be chunkier than a jar of Peter Pan peanut butter. One day a week our body was a temple, and the other six it was an amusement park. Thankfully, Wii Fit came along to ur sinner's diet and redeem our bodies for valuable cash and prizes. 4 MARIO KART Wii (Wii) 2 Ninety-nine percent of all Wii games give the rest a bad name. Thankfully Mario Kart is the other one percent. Are you too comfort- able playing your collection of minigame collections and avoiding trying new things? Maybe it's time to branch out. Just remember, if you are the kind of person who fails at new things the first time around, skydiving is not for you. 5 GUITAR HERO: WORLD TOUR (Wii) We've used up all our sick days staying home to play Guitar Hero, so now we have to start calling in dead. Thankfully, Guitar Hero has given us so much confidence we think we're ready to start a real band. Know anywhere we can play? We don't even need a heads up; we can start tomorrow. How does that saying go? “Practice makes perfect, ..but nobody's perfect...so why practice?” We are dummies. 96 GAME INFORMER itle Dissidia: Final Fantasy Rank Title L. Mo. | System | Score |Release! Rhythm Heaven ie [Ê Î Kirby Super Star Ultra Wii Play 3 | Wi | 7 (020) FE wii Fit | Û Animal Crossing: City Folk White Knight Chronicles : 2 | зво | 8.75 11-08 Call of Duty: World at War PPP Û Mario Kart Wii Wii Fit 4 | Wi | 8 |04-08 Monster Hunter Portable 2nd G Momotaro Dentetsu: 20-Shuunen Mario Kart Wii 5 | Wii | 85 |04-08 Guitar Hero: World Tour 7 | Wii | NA |10-08 Gears of War 2 т зю) 9 ов TOF 8 | 360 | 9.25 (11-08) „fank Tite Left 4 Dead [СО Street Fighter IV N/A multi | Halo Wars NA 360 Mario Kart DS 16 | os | as |11-05| LocoRoco 2 N/A PSP ЕХ warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War ll N/A PC E skate 2 1 muli Call of Duty: World at War 6 | PS3 | 8.75 11-08 | Left 4 Dead 2 mili E FEAR. 2: Project Origin NA muli " " А " Burnout Paradise: The Ultimate Box N/A multi Е 11 | Wii | 7.5 [11-08 E Animal Crossing: City Folk E ттер C E (ED) LittleBigPlanet 4 PS3 Wii Music 10 | Wil | з 10-08 New Super Mario Bros. МА | DS | 95 [05-06 Personal Trainer: Cooking NA | DS | N/A [11-08] Teses rarte ds Fallout 3 12 | 360 | 95 |10-08 Rank Title L.Mo. Price E Е А | World Of Warcraft: Wrath of the : И 1 $39 Club Penguin: Elite Penguin | |. us E Force "ey 4 MI Link's Crossbow Training N/A | Wii | 6.75 |11-08 9 $18 3 gr Р 8 $46 Guitar Hero: World Tour 17 | PS2 | N/A |10-08 prem 6 $8 Madden NFL 2009 20 | 360 | 8.25 |08-08 1 $20 EJ The Sims 2 Mansion & Garden Stuff 12 — $18 NES a d Call of Duty: World at War N/A | Wii | N/A |11-08 j Shaun White Snowboarding: || Road Trip Source: The NPD Group/NPD Funworld "/TRSTS * Based On Monthly Units Sold PLAYSTATION 3 Alone in the Dark: Inferno 725 Armored Core: For Answer 625 Baja: Edge of Control 8 Battle Fantasia 75 BioShock 9 Blitz: The League Il 7 Brothers in Arms: Hell's Highway 775 Buzz Quiz TV 8.25 Call of Duty: World at War 8.75 Dead Space 925 Disgaea 3: Absence of Justice 825 FaceBreaker 7.75 Fallout 3 9.5 Far Cry 2 8 Ferrari Challenge Trofeo Pirelli 775 FIFA Soccer 09 8 Fracture 75 Golden Axe: Beast Rider 6 Guitar Hero World Tour 925 Guitar Hero: Aerosmith 8 Kung Fu Panda 8 Legend of Spyro: Dawn of the Dragon, The 4 Legendary 65 LEGO Batman 75 LittleBigPlanet 95 Madden NFL 09 8.25 Mercenaries 2: World in Flames 725 Midnight Club: Los Angeles 9 Mirror's Edge 8 MLB Front Office Manager 3 Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe 85 MotorStorm Pacific Rift 725 NBA 09: The Inside 6.5 NBA 2K9 85 NBA Live 09 775 NCAA Basketball 09 725 NCAA Football 09 8.25 Need for Speed: Undercover 7 NFL Head Coach 09 6.75 NHL 09 925 NHL 2K9 6.75 Prince of Persia 8.75 Pro Evolution Soccer 2009 8.5 Pure 85 Quantum of Solace 6.5 Resistance 2 85 Rise of the Argonauts 6 Rock Revolution 7 Saints Row 2 8.75 Shaun White Snowboarding 675 Silent Hill: Homecoming 65 SingStar 8 Skate 2 9 SOCOM: Confrontation 6 Sonic Unleashed 6 Soulcalibur IV 8.75 Spider-Man: Web of Shadows 6 Star Wars: The Force Unleashed 8.75 Tiger Woods PGA Tour 09 8.5 TNA Impact 65 Tomb Raider Underworld 8.75 Top Spin 3 775 Valkyria Chronicles 85 Wall-E 4 WWE Smackdown vs. Raw 2009 85 Jan-09 Dec-08 Dec-08 Oct-08 Nov-08 Nov-08 Nov-08 Nov-08 Jan-09 Nov-08 Sep-08 Oct-08 XBOX 360 Armored Core: For Answer 6.25 Baja: Edge of Control 8 Banjo-Kazooie: Nuts and Bolts 85 Battle Fantasia 75 Blitz: The League II 7 Brothers in Arms: Hell's Highway 775 Call of Duty: World at War 8.75 Command & Conquer: Red Alert 3 8.75 Crash: Mind Over Mutant 475 Dead ‘Space 9.25 Destroy All Humans!: Path of the Furon 4.5 Don King Presents: Prizefighter 75 EndWar 775 Fable Il 9.25 FaceBreaker 775 Fallout 3 9:5 Far Cry 2 8 FIFA Soccer 09 8 Fracture 75: Gears of War 2 9 Golden Axe: Beast Rider 6 Guilty Gear 2: Overture 6.25 Guitar Hero World Tour 9.25 Dec-08 Dec-08 Dec-08 Oct-08 Nov-08 Nov-08 Jan-09 Dec-08 Dec-08 Nov-08 Feb-09 Aug-08 Dec-08 Dec-08 Oct-08 Dec-08 Dec-08 Dec-08 Nov-08 Dec-08 Dec-08 Oct-08 Dec-08 Guitar Hero: Aerosmith Infinite Undiscovery Kung Fu Panda Last Remnant, The Left 4 Dead Legend of Spyro: Dawn of the Dragon, The Legendary LEGO Batman Lips Madden NFL 09 Mercenaries 2: World in Flames Midnight Club: Los Angeles Mirror's Edge MLB Front Office Manager Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe Naruto: The Broken Bond NBA 2K9 NBA Live 09 NCAA Basketball 09 NCAA Football 09 Need for Speed: Undercover NFL Head Coach 09 NHL 09 NHL 2K9 Prince of Persia Pro Evolution Soccer 2009 Pure Quantum of Solace Rise of the Argonauts Rock Band 2 Rock Revolution Saints Row 2 Scene It? Box Office Smash Shaun White Snowboarding Silent Hill: Homecoming Skate 2 Sonic Unleashed Soulcalibur IV Spider-Man: Web of Shadows Star Wars: The Force Unleashed Tomb Raider Underworld Supreme Commander Tales of Vesperia Tiger Woods PGA Tour 09 TINA Impact Tomb Raider Underworld Too Human Top Spin 3 Unreal Tournament 5 Viva Piñata: Trouble in Paradise Wall-E Warhammer: Mark of Chaos - Battle March WWE Smackdown vs. Raw 2009 You're In The Movies Zoids Assault Animal Crossing: City Folk Brothers In Arms: Double Time Carnival Games MiniGolf Castlevania: Judgment Cooking Mama World Kitchen Crash. Mind Over Mutant de Blob. Harvest Moon: Tree of Tranquility Kung Fu Panda Legend of Spyro: Dawn of the Dragon, The LEGO Batman Line Rider 2: Ubound Mario Super Sluggers Mushroom Men: The Spore Wars Order Up Rayman Raving Rabbids TV Party Rock Band Rock Revolution Rygar The Battle or Argus Sam & Max Season One Samba de Amigo Shaun White Snowboarding: Road Trip SimCity Creator Skate It Sonic Unleashed Spray Star Wars: The Clone Wars — Lightsaber Duels Star Wars: The Force Unleashed Ten Pin Alley 2 8.75 TNA Impact Ultimate Band Wall-E Wario Land; Shake It Wii Music WWE Smackdown vs. Raw 2009 65 75 4 675 3 85 Nov-08 Dec-08 Sep-08 Dec-08 Dec-08 Dec-08 PLAYSTATION 2 Kingdom Hearts Re: Chain of Memories LEGO Batman Persona 4 TNA Impact Wall-E WWE Smackdown vs. Raw 2009 Jan-09 Nov-08 Jan-09 Nov-08 Sep-08 Dec-08 Age of Conan: Hyborian Adventures Call of Duty: World at War Civilization IV: Colonization Command & Conquer: Red Alert 5 Crysis Warhead Legendary MLB Front Office Manager Neverwinter Nights 2: Storm of Zehir STALKER: Clear Sky Sacred 2: Fallen Angel Saints Row 2 Silent Hill: Homecoming Space Siege Spore Warhammer Online: Agea of Reckoning Warhammer: Mark of Chaos — Battle March Aug-08 Jan-09 Oct-08 Dec-08 Dec-08 Jan-09 Feb-09 Jan-09 Nov-08 Jan-09 Dec-08 Nov-08 Oct-08 Nov-08 Dec-08 Nov-08 NINTENDO DS Age of Empires: Mythologies Away: Shuffle Dungeon Bangai-O Spirits Big Bang Mini Castlevania: Order of Ecclesia Chase: Felix Meets Felicity, The Chrono Trigger Civilization Revolution Cradle of Rome Disgaea DS Dragon Quest IV: Chapters of the Chosen Final Fantasy IV From the Abyss Guitar Hero On Tour: Decades Guitar Hero: On Tour Harvest Moon: Island of Happiness Iron Chef America: Supreme Cuisine Kirby Super Star Ultra Master of the Monster Lair Metal Slug 7 Mystery Case Files: MillionHeir N+ New International Track & Field Ninja Town Pop Cutie! Street Fashion Simulation Populous DS Prince of Persia: The Fallen King Retro Game Challenge Rhapsody: A Musical Adventure Robocalypse Rubik's Wolrd Sonic Chronicles: The Dark Brotherhood Star Wars: The Clone Wars — Jedi Alliance Tecmo Bowl: Kickoff Time Hollow Trauma Center: Under the Knife 2 Hot Shots Golf: Open Tee 2 N+ R-Type Command Secret Agent Clank Space Invaders Extreme Star Ocean: First Departure Star Ocean: Second Evolution 8.25 8 8.75 725 85 8.25 7 7 Feb-09 Oct-08 Sep-08 Feb-09 Nov-08 Feb-09 Dec-08 Aug-08 Jan-09 Oct-08 Oct-08 Aug-08 Oct-08 Jan-09 Sep-08 Oct-08 Feb-09 Dec-08 Nov-08 Dec-08 Oct-08 Oct-08 Oct-08 Dec-08 Oct-08 Dec-08 Feb-09 Feb-09 Oct-08 Jan-09 Dec-08 Nov-08 Jan-09 Dec-08 Nov-08 Aug-08 Ju-08 Oct-08 Jul-08 Jul-08 Jul-08 Nov-08 Feb-09 “Tve chosen concentration rather than conformity, imagination in place of mainstream social acceptance.” Come get your geek on. UAT is a community of geeks—passionate seekers of knowledge and truth in an ever-expanding universe of technology. LEARN: ADVANCING COMPUTER SCIENCE NETWORK ENGINEERING ARTIFICIAL LIFE PROGRAMMING NETWORK SECURITY DIGITAL MEDIA DIGITAL VIDEO GAME ART AND ANIMATION GAME DESIGN GAME PROGRAMMING ROBOTICS AND EMBEDDED SYSTEMS TECHNOLOGY FORENSICS TECHNOLOGY MANAGEMENT VIRTUAL MODELING AND DESIGN WEB & SOCIAL MEDIA TECHNOLOGIES www.uat.edu > 877.UAT.GEEK 877.828.4335 AC C E SS Codes, Strategies, Hints, Droids, And Tips Skate 2 eo Breaking the Rules By producers Jay Balmer and Chris Parry Skate 2 is full of possibilities and many things have been purposely left open for play and creativity. The goal was to keep the possibility space as wide open as possible and avoid placing limitations beyond the general laws of physics, but even those get broken sometimes. Our biggest tip is to get creative and embrace the chaos, including the glitches. We are constantly learning new tricks and useful glitches from the skate community. After all, breaking the rules is what skaters do. GENERAL TRICKERY It is all about timing and rhythm. If you are running into stuff, you should probably set- up and ollie earlier. You really don't have to push all the time, so stop pushing and set- up for your tricks. If you are wiping out on landings then stop doing as much stuff and let yourself land smoothly. As you get better you can start to squeeze more tricks in. Handplants are new to Skate 2 and can be a nice break to throw into a line. They are not that hard, just find the right speed and head fairly straight up. The challenge is finding cool places to do them. The big trick to handplants is you have to commit before you leave the ground. If you want to air up to a handplant, get enough speed and press the button before you leave the ground. Then style it out with a tweak or a one-foot. The controls for the coffin have changed, but it is still there and ready for use and abuse. Grab with both hands and then kick both feet off using both feet buttons. The scoring system has also slightly changed. Doing flips in and out of manuals and grinds earns you less of a bonus. Linking tricks into a sequence is still the best way to score. Keep your speed a little higher to get the full points; slow tricks just don't have enough risk. Pedestrians, security guards, and traffic got you down? Head into Freeskate where you can play god and turn them off. 98 GAME INFORMER OFF THE BEATEN PATH The city of New San Vanelona offers some hidden treats for those willing to explore. At the risk of blowing these spots up, here are а few hidden favorites: * Head to City Hall, then take a look across the street to find a couple of new hidden courtyards with surprises for both street and transition-inclined skaters. * An homage to Whistler, B.C.'s snakerun is hidden on Cougar Mountain. Keep your eyes peeled for an off-road path as you bomb down the mountain. + Slappy bought the old Reg's mini-ramp, tweaked it a bit and hid it near his shop. Complete all the paths in the game and he may give you the keys. SKITCHING Cars go about twice as fast as you can push yourself on flat ground. It is a good way to get an extra boost during a race, fínd some extra speed for a big gap, escape a chase, or just get around New San Vanelona faster. Press and hold the world grab button (same button for hand plants and grabbing objects) to hitch a ride onto the back bumper of cars. You can grab onto them at a stoplight or a stop sign, and cars will also slow down when you swing in behind them with some speed while holding down the world grab button. Once you grab on, the cars will start to speed up. However, they still have to obey the rules of the road and they might get stuck behind a slower car ahead or stop at a light. So, keep your eyes on what is happening ahead and be ready to let go. When you let go from the side, hanging on with one hand, you pull yourself forward for an extra boost. Make McFly proud and watch for sports cars, they drive faster. OBJECTS EQUAL CHAOS About 100 different objects exist їп the world, and thousands of them are spread all over the city. They tip, slide, bounce, roll, and sometimes just flip into the air. You can move most of them and position them wherever you want. Here are a few tips to make the most out of the wonderful world of objects. If you want to session an object or group of objects over and over again it may help to add them to your session marker. First, set your own session marker. Then grab on to the object and add it to your session marker. Whenever you go to your marker the objects will also go back to their position. Very helpful when you are hitting a rail or something that gets easily knocked over. You can also upright objects on the spot using your powers of the Force (it is a video game). Handy when you accidentally push something over. Generally objects stay where you left them unless it was on a road, in a no-skating area, too much time passed, or you reset them yourself. Then the object is returned to where it was when the game started. Resetting objects is super useful when you accidentally push them into a pool in which you want to skate. Although you can't lift them, you can slide objects onto each other. With some creative bashing, pushing, and jamming you can even wedge them into some pretty crazy Positions. This is where it gets interesting, and mastering the use of the session marker and righting objects definitely helps. It is all about the means to an end. Embrace the chaos and remember to share whatever you manage to create with Skate.Reel. Without footage it's fiction. Mod World FALLOUT 3 www.fallout3nexus.com Sometimes it's good to be a PC gamer. The wealth of mods already available for Fallout 3 beggars the imagination, and the majority can be found on this one convenient site. The ability to tweak just about anything in the game is waiting for you, from adjusting the weight of items to making guns more or less accurate. Bethesda recently released the Fallout 3 mod development kit (nicknamed the G.E.C.K.) into the wild, so we will hopefully see more comprehensive mods released soon. Here are two easy mods we suggest for starters. Just search or browse for the names on the above site and you'll find them. Fie 17. Falout3.esm | [Vi IncreaseMovementSpeed esp | 7 BetterFood esp. | ModBetterPowerAmorB0VATS esp | Î ModBettecPowerlemor 75 VATS esp. | E Sower Degradation (5 | (VI Slower Degradation (805) esp FALLOUT MOD MANAGER This handy mod gives you one central location and a nice interface for enabling, disabling, and compiling mods. We recommend this as your first download on your path to setting up Fallout 3 the way you like it. FREE PLAY AFTER MAIN QUEST This mod allows you to mess around in Fallout's world after you've completed the storyline. We know you want a way to overpower Super Mutants with your endgame badassery to your heart's content. Code of the Month Prince of Persia Attention All Cheaters! Cheat codes, by their very nature, are in many cases buggier than Virginia in August. 5o, unless you don't mind re-doing those 70 hours you put into the latest game, do yourself a favor and back up your save before using any codes. On a lighter note, you can send your codes to secretaccess@gameinformer.com for a chance to be featured here and win a prize! XBOX 360 The game's 11 unique executions can be a little tricky to figure out. Once you've downed an enemy and he is crawling along the ground, approach him and perform the following actions to pull off all 11 unique executions. Bow Whack - B while holding the Torque Bow Curb Stomp - X while holding any weapon Tired of looking at the prince's amazing technicolor costume and eager to give him a fashion makeover? Check out these costume change cheats. From the main menu, go into extras to select your skins. Altair ~ іп the extras menu register your copy of the game, linking your console Decapitation - Y while holding the Torque Bow Golf Club Kill - B while holding the shotgun Lancer Whack - B while holding the Lancer Neck Snap - A to put up an enemy as a hostage, then hit X Punch Combo - Y while holding the shotgun Refined Pistolwhip = Y while holding the Boltok Revolver Shield Smash - Y while holding the Boomshield Sniper Sledgehammer - Y while holding the Longshot Sniper Rifle Sniper Whack - B while holding the Longshot Sniper Rifle From the main menu go into the passwords section to enter the following. 10,000 Spy Points - 5204025 Buy Black Belt - JESSICA PARKER Buy Disc 6 (after beating the game) - 6943059 Buy Fugu - RENATO CELANI Buy M16 Badge - VICTORIA PARR Buy Sunglasses ~ SARYL HIRSCH Toy Shop Items Half Off - 4298359 Unlock Gallery - 9603717 Unlock Hard Mode - 9785711 Unlock Outfit Change - 6894098 "Gl Droid” (location unknown — Last seen wearing shorts! They're comfortable and easy to wear!) While in the main menu hold the Wii remote horizontally to enter the follow code. Six Lives Every Level - B, A, B, A, Up, Right, Minus, Left, Minus N9IS3G | NOILVWINY SSINISNG LN3ANIVIU31N3 Wild | m m о o 2 о 2 a > 2 E NOILINGOYd MOHS | SAWV9 0301۸ БЕШ FULL SAIL UNIVERSITY. Online Programs Available Master’s | Bachelor’s | Associate’s Degrees 800.226.7625 + 3300 University Boulevard * Winter Park, FL 32792 Financial aid available to those who qualify * Career development assistance Accredited University, ACCSCT fullsail.edu Unlimited enabled Now that Street Fighter IV has given gamers the series’ first new game in over eight years, this is the perfect opportunity to reflect on the whole franchise and how it got to where it is today. We talked to Capcom community manager Seth Killian, a member of Street Fighter IV's R&D team and a former champion on the Street Fighter tournament circuit, about the history of Street Fighter and the qualities that have made it the reigning king of 2D combat. = Seth Killian 100 GAME INFORMER ж. or Б 3 © = CAR WORD ON THE STREET > Joel ON THE PREMIERE 2D FIGHTING FRANCHISE It was a megaton bomb. Of course, the game was a huge financial success and a lifeline to an arcade industry that was on the verge of collapse. It also revolutionized head-to-head gaming, put the fighting genre on the map, and inspired an endless string of clones. However, | think people don't really appreciate how deeply Street Fighter impacted not only the fighting game landscape, but the gaming landscape as a whole. Just look at the list is facing of concepts Street Fighter invented and/or popularized: the idea of combos, canceling one attack into another, special moves, blocking, human-versus-human com- petition where the opponents weren't carbon copies of one another, the quarter-circle forward motion. There are so many games today that would be basi- cally unimaginable without these things, but they just weren't around before Street Fighter. | think it was a eee ination of things — or at least it was for me. First, the look. The game was visually stun- ning, and really made the Ms. Pac-Man machine sitting next to it look like a little kids’ game. SF II looked like anime before | even knew what anime was, and that was exciting all by itself. Second was the air of mystery. There were six buttons, amazingly different characters, and special techniques that you only ever seemed to pull off by accident. Basically, the more time you spent with the game, the deeper it drew you in, and the more you felt you could finally con- trol the crazy on-screen action. Finally, there was the brilliant element of competition. Of Fighting Fact: Dee Jay's pants say "MAXIMUM" down the legs because the letters can all be mirrored. That way, the word teads fine no matter which way the sprite Fighting Fact: Dan Hibiki, with his embarrassing pink out- fit and pathetic fireballs, was created as a joke character as a jab at SNK's Ryo (an obvious Ryu imitator) at course there's all the in-depth strategy and mind-games, but more than that, there was some sweaty dude standing next to you try- ing to take your money! The "winner-stays, loser-pays" tension created a real feeling of electricity around the game. general: As a Street Fighter fan, | was not into it at all. Going from the prettiest 2D sprites of all time to some rather bulky polygons was alienating. Skullomania? Pullum? 1 was a total fighting game junkie, so | admit | did end up playing the games a fair bit. They had some good ideas, but they didn't feel like Street Fighter to me. Overall, it definitely seemed like a step in the wrong direction — we felt we were giving up the wonderfully tight feel of Street Fighter for a flavor-of-the-month kind of eye- candy. That's what I've been most pleased with about SF IV - we've worked really hard to recapture that tight and responsive feeling that was missing from the EX series and other 3D fighting games. P re any character that stands out to you as particularly powerful? How about weak? Balrog the boxer was pretty weak in SF II Championship Edition, R. Mika struggled in Street Fighter Alpha 3, and Twelve usually gets worked in SF III: Third Strike. Akuma in Super Street Fighter II Turbo was almost unbeatable in the hands of a great player – he's probably the strongest playable charac- ter in SF history. In other competitive games, like an FPS, everyone is playing a character feature .° classic gi s CORE SERIES TIMELINE: Killer Comeback 1989 One of the greatest moments in Street Fighter history * Street Fighter happened at the Evolution 2004 tournament, where 1991 Daigo Umehara (playing Ken) pulled off a jaw-dropping * Street Fighter Il comeback against Justin Wong (playing Chun-Li). Down to his last sliver of life, Umehara parries each potentially 1992 ; lethal hit of Wong's super attack, only to counterattack * Street Fighter Il: with a super move of his own and win the match. "What Championship Edition a lot of people miss is that you cannot parry that super * Street Fighter II: Hyper art on reaction," explains Capcom community manager Fighting Seth Killian. “If you see the super flash, then try and tap 1993 | forward to parry, you are already too late, and will die. A : This means Daigo was parrying that super before Justin * Super Street Fighter II; The did it. This is where the moment starts to get really New Challengers incredible” Killian can offer some unique perspective, 1994 since he was the man holding the camera that recorded * Super Street Fighter Il the footage, which has since made the rounds on the Turbo Internet. Be sure to check out this 1995 month's Unlimited * Street Fighter Alpha: Warrior's Dream * Street Fighter: The Movie - The Game section at Game Informer Online to see the full video and to read more of m ie 1996 апе Шен * Street Fighter Alpha 2 ; * Street Fighter Alpha 5 * Street Fighter EX 1997 * Street Fighter Ill: New Generation * Street Fighter Ill: 2nd Impact * Street Fighter EX Plus 1998 * Street Fighter EX2 with the same attributes, so you can focus your bal- ВЕ : | 1999 ancing on universals like weapons that every player Н . i | © Street Fighter III: 3rd Strike can access and use. In a fighting game, however, you ; The Evil. " .Seth? i | © Street Fighter EX2 Plus have to balance a large number of unique characters, d н А SEN Н each of which has a totally separate set of tools that all The final boss of Street Fighter Nisia living weapon bent i ela) interact with each other. The margins for error are also m ical called Seth. It's no coincidence that he : | * Street Fighter EX3 really slim — character balance in the fighting genre is shares his name with Capcom's community manager 2008 Seth Killian. “Early on in the development, somebody : over at Capcom Japan suggested it, and producer Ono- : Supenstreet Figher i san was sold,” Killian explains. “I owe associate producer į Turbo: HD Remix David Crislip (a native English-speaker who works at : | 2009 Capcom Japan) a great debt for not telling everyone over i | • Street Fighter IV there that ‘Seth’ sounds more like an accountant than an : unbeatable gene-swapping demi-god" truly one of the dark arts in game design. What do you see as the best Fighting Fact: (pre-SF IV) iteration of Street Dhalsim has a secret Fighter? ' я " grudge against Balrog The two historical candidates are because the boxer usually Super Street Fighter II punched an elephant Turbo and Street Fighter III: Third 58 n еза Strike. For me, it goes to SSF2T, . : i : ; This Month In Dhalsim's elephants not only because I'm much better 4 ё с = A | : Gaming History (the second one on the at that game, but also because : mem " i Ares who? On March 22, 2005, the fight in his stage) think it has a great balance of : I ИШ : gaming world received a new god up-close footsie games and cross- i Ue 1 к ү ы screen space control with real 1 2265 E kd E (or he ШО fireball traps. Fireballs don't really matter much in SF III 1 i a Ї contextual button-press sequences, since you can just parry them, but SSF2T is a delicate 4 BY o р: 7 n r the original God of War released to balance where every mistake can cost you the round — \ ^ duc $ J Á j; widespread enthusiasm and acclaim you're always in danger anywhere on the screen and I > Б E кк азе love that rush. 1 : LLL L————— ina PlayStation. 2 What is your opinion of the original Street Fighter today? How does it hold up? Although it contains a bunch of the key insights of later great games, Street Fighter | today is...not so fun. The controls were brutal! Without SF Il, SF І would have been played by few and remembered by even fewer as "that game with the giant pads you could pound" The weird part is that in many ways, SF 1 actually had a bunch of the genius bits of SF Il, they just didn't have the magic formula quite right. I IN mi GAME INFORMER 101 $ê classic gi | PSONE KLONOA: DOOR TO PHANTOMILE > STYLE 1-PLAYER ACTION > PUBLISHER NAMCO > DEVELOPER NAMCO > RELEASE 1998 he original PlayStation had an aversion to 2D graph- ics. With the rise of 3D graphics almost overnight, the industry seemed to turn its back on the animated sprites that were once video games’ brightest stars. Sony actually made an effort to avoid releasing 2D titles on its = system. Klonoa skirted that issue with its 2.5D environments, but even though Klonoa's levels are on fixed rails through winding 3D environments, at its heart, Klonoa is still a classic 2D platformer. The game's story, about a magical land fueled by the dreams people have at night, stars a young anthropomorphic cat with rabbit-like ears. Unlike the Mario school of platformers, jump- ing on enemies only hurts Klonoa. Instead our little friend grabs his opponents and uses them to destroy other baddies or to gain some extra hops as he makes his way up to higher ground. The game takes full advantage of these mechanics, innovating in every level so there is always some new twist on the action. Like many 2D platformers, Klonoa's solid gameplay stands up to the tests of time. STAR WARS: DARK FORCES > STYLE 1-PLAYER ACTION > PUBLISHER LUCASARTS > DEVELOPER LUCASARTS > RELEASE 1995 tar Wars: Dark Forces was an important release for a number of reasons. Although it was often called a Doom clone, it was one of the forerunners in implanting the abil- ity for the player to look in all directions, run, swim, jump, and duck. These maneuvers translate to gameplay that explores vertical space, another area new to the genre at the time. The inno- $ vative play delivers in a big way, and makes shooting stormtroop- ers one of the era's most memorable feats. Star Wars fans also latched onto this game for its story, which breaks free from the movies and brings the expanded universe to games — a move LucasArts needs to keep fresh in their minds. We'd gladly suit up again as Kyle Katarn, especially if given the choice of revisiting Hoth instead. Today, Dark Forces remains fun, but strictly in a “look how far we've come" way, as the primitive technology and experimental controls don't hold up. ] | I a+ l | # | [ dd І I FERSERERESSEEEÉ | I ] І | +ййяйййя І I е I | | 4 -------- | ] | mI ] | 4: 44 Hp: 8( 12) Str: 16(16) Arm: 4 102 САМЕ INFORMER РС > STYLE 1-PLAYER ROLE-PLAYING GAME > PUBLISHER EPYX > DEVELOPER A.I. DESIGN > RELEASE 1980 case can be argued that Rogue is an ancestor of every role- 2" playing video game ever made. Its randomized dungeons, self-directed play, and amazing variety of challenges were unheard of in 1980. Rogue is one of the very first computer go adaptations of Dungeons & Dragons concepts like inventory man- agement, experience, and stats-based combat modeling. Moving one turn at a time through the Dungeons of Doom, players are con- fronted with traps, hunger, cursed items, and 26 varieties of monsters. These dangers are no joke; even experienced players only win a fraction of games that they start. Don't let the text-based graphics get in the way of appreciating this giant of gaming history. The "roguelike" genre is alive and kicking today (particularly in Japan), with free online spinoffs like NetHack and console adaptations like the Mystery Dungeon series. This is one of the original dungeon crawlers, and it deserves respect and reverence. THEN N/A *Score given to the game when it first appeared in Game Informer. Klonoa: Door to Phantomile (GI #90, 04/98) Extra Content You Can Find At 0 N LI N Ё www.gameinformer.com UNLIMITED LAUNCH: FEB. 13 ae BRUTAL HONESTY Tim Schafer interview % on Brütal Legend - what ; С - happened during the last # " a , year, and what changed È with the game. 1 ^ : HEART OF A CHAMPION : Read our full interview with Cryptic Studio's Bill Roper about : the pending console version of Champions Online. BOSS BATTLIN’ Game Informer reminisces about the Street Fighter glory days with Capcom community manager Seth Killian. DLC FTW Learn more about the pending Fallout 3 downloadable content package, The Pitt, in our interview with Bethesda lead pro- ducer Jeff Gardiner. E. i x т з — = POOL BACKYARD : Also Online This Month: £ : Game Informer Online : travels to the D.I.C.E. : Summit to hear from the : best and brightest minds in video games. Announcing an Associate of Science Degree GAME _. PRODUCTION If playing games isn't enough, start . building the next generation of video games at The Los Angeles Film School! - Design, develop, program, and create games for networks, personal coniputers, and gaming consoles. All within a 200,000 sq. ft. mega campus in the heart of Hollywood. All in 14-months. For tour details and more info call 877.9.LA.FILM or visit LAFILM.COM. СД). ДЕ, LOS ANGELES” : PIM SE КӘ ГӘ 5363 Sunset Blvd. Hollywood, CA 90028 ой. AN ri served. The te ! зы = si ОЛИ Time to get serious. The following quiz will determine once and for all just һом 133t you really are. Are you a true gamer? The inane and mostly useless information you will answer to below reveals in no uncertain terms the truth about your gaming ability. If you think the below questions have nothing to do with what makes you a gamer, then that only proves your lameness. Shove that into your cartridge slot! (Please blow out dust first.) : synthesis when it came out : in 1980. A. Pitfall B. Boxing С. Las Vegas Poker & Blackjack D. Major League Baseball INTELLIVISION Intelligent Television 1 What long-running space combat series included the character pictured below? (A billion extra points if you can name him) 8 In which game do you first ind Samus Aran decked out in this little specially colored : number? : powerful characters wielded the titular mace and acted as the final boss in the N64 fighting : game Mace: The Dark Age? i А. Asmodeus B. Al'Rashid C. Namira D. Mitsurugi : 9 The very first Homeworld : game was from which genre? i А. 20, turn-based strategy B. 2D, real-time strategy C. 3D, turn-based strategy D. 3D, real-time strategy 6 Sadly, only one of these : games isn't real. Can you name : the fictional pop star video i game? i А. Spice World B. Britney's Dance Beat C. High School Musical 5: 3 Which of these games is the : best-selling first-person shooter, : having sold 8.1 million units : : 10 These are the last words : you're likely to read from us for worldwide? Senior Year Dance! : A whole month. Does that make A. Half-Life 2 D. Every one of these games is : ша te ыб | cim us d B. Halo 5 real. We weep for the children. B. E ME Wie e ety сау. C. Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare : 1 ce саны D. Doom i 7 Who developed The Legend C. Only when I'm in the : of Zelda: The Minish Cap? bathroom. 4 This best-selling cartridge for : А. Nintendo D. Nope. See ya. Intellivision was also (thank- B. Capcom fully!) the only game to use the C. Sega system’s sound chip for speech D. Square Enix Game Informer Magazine® (ISSN 1067-6392) is published monthly at a subscription price of $19.98 per year, or twenty four issues for $24.98 by Sunrise Publications®, 724 North First Street, 3rd Floor, Minneapolis, MN 55401. (612) 486-6100 or FAX (612) 486-6101. For subscriptions, back issues, or customer service inquiries Toll Free (866) 844-4263. Periodicals postage paid at Minneapolis, MN, and additional mailing offices. SUBSCRIBERS/POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Game Informer Magazine®, 724 North First Street, 3rd Floor, Minneapolis, MN 55401. Foreign or Canadian orders must be prepaid in US. dollars. Canada & Mexico Orders: $25iyr additional postage. All other Foreign Orders: $35iyr additional postage. CANADIAN SUBSCRIBERS SEND ADDRESS CHANGES TO PUBLICATIONS MAIL AGREEMENT NO. 40064408, RETURN UNDELIVERABLE CANADIAN ADDRESSES TO: EXPRESS MESSENGER INTERNATIONAL, РО. BOX 25058 LONDON BRC, ONTARIO, CANADA N6C 6A8 Game Informer® does not claim any copyright in the screenshots herein. Copyright in all screenshots contained within this publication are owned by their respective companies. Entire contents copyright 2009. Game Informer Magazine®. All rights reserved; reproduction in whole or in part without permission is prohibited. Game Informer® is a trademark of GameStop. Products named in these pages are trade names, or trademarks, of their respective companies. 104 GAME INFORMER Video Game Trivia Answers: 1. Wing Commander, Melek nar Kiranka 2. B 3. B 4. D 5. A 6. D 7. B 8. Metroid Fusion 9. D 10. А, BG or D 1 million units of Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots have been sold since its June release, according to the NPD group. 1 Xbox 360 game made Japan's list of best-selling video games in 2008. Tales of Vesperia landed at number 82. fA AEE IIT ا‎ 34,000 employees will be laid off by the end of March as a result of the closure of major electronics retailer Circuit City. 47 percent is how much the Australian game industry grew in 2008, according to information provided by the Interactive Entertainment Association of Australia. TTT ШЕШШ 10 years is a long time to still be playing the original Everquest. We're just saying. [oem ATIRE гаж sz You have all the gaming acumen and skill of a dis- eased river otter pumped up on morphine and hung upside down in a vat of grape jelly. Try a new hobby. You have grown accustomed to the jeers and catcalls of your gaming opponents, who belittle your pitiful gaming accomplishments and underdeveloped reflexes. When they have finished insulting you, they return to their preschool recess. There may be hope for you, but it's not likely. By mem- orizing which buttons are where on the controller, you no longer have to stare at your hands while fighting a boss. Stop leaning into your turns on racing games, and you'll finally get somewhere. (Note: If playing on Wii, lean into your turns on that racing game and you may get somewhere.) Many years of passion and dedication have brought you to a comfortable status quo in your skill level. You have come to realize that wins and losses are two sides of a coin - to appreciate the one, you must regu- larly experience the other. At least, that's what you told yourself when that kid started jumping up and down on your corpse in last night's Halo match. Dang, playa. You got some mad skillz. People need to adapt hip phrases to describe your feats of gaming finesse. You dream more regularly about your game chara ctets than real people. You stand undefeated on every online leaderboard you can find. You scoff when people 1 speak about difficult games, for you no longer per ceve such petty distinctions in the titles you obliterate- You should probably go outside for a little while. y дА ЗЛАТА Таа ааз аааз атата VILL RADA RARRR ARR eRe RRP Ph RR hhh ARS REAR ROR RM En ' о. re Corporation. Intel, the Intel logo, Intel Core and Core Inside are trademarks or registered trademarks of Intel Corporation or its subsidiaries in the United States and other countries. J P -The Area-51° ALX desktop uU is Powered by the Intel" Core" 2 Extreme Processor. ALT TENWARE PRESENTS A 3D-ANIMATED SHORT Alienware, Alienware Alien head and Агеа-51 are registered trademarks or trademarks of Aliet WATCH THE ANIMATED SHORT, GET WALLPAPERS & EXCLUSIVE BREED RINGTONES AT: ALIENWARE.COM/ BREED Blood and Gore Drug Reference Intense Violence Strong Language D © © e a : CONTENT RATED BY ESRB MATURE 17+ Made with) love’ by, Our goal is to preserve elassie video game magazines So that they аге not lost/permanently: People Interested in helping ош п any capacity; please visit us at retromags.com: No profitis made from) these scans nor do we offer anything available from the publishers themselves: If: you come across anyone selling releases from this Site please do not support them апа do let Us know: Thank you!