PLAYABLE FLATO TATION 2
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RATING PENDING
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ESRB
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Kain returns to video gaming's high-throne of bloodthirsty bad-asses.
When battlezax and sword edges dull, Kain turns to Dark Gilts such as rupture and possession.
Whether in pursuit of power or just for the thrill of the kill, Kain’s lust for blood is inspiring.
j 4 / ас Ж Ё You're sure to he floored by Kain’s brand of Open heart surgery and skillful head removal
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We've been hard at work in the off-season improving our game. The payoff - High Heat™ Major League Baseball” 2003 is a quantum leap forward in graphics and animation. Player movement looks fluid and life-like. There are seven new gameplay modes and highly realistic audio. And we were already rated the #1 baseball videogame by numerous sources, including GamePro and the Official PlayStation Magazine.
* Newly enriched audio with hecklers, vendors and dynamic stadium announcers.
ж New gameplay modes include Home Run Derby”, Fantasy Draft, Batting Practice, Stand Alone Playoffs, Create A Player, Player Editor and Two On Two Showdown™.
* New action includes a superjump at the wall to snag homers, and tons of player celebrations and frustrations.
[Эч s 300 for Rating Information. 5 ESRB PlayStation.2 GAME BOY ADVANCE ср www.3D0.com
300 Company in the U.S. and othe
“ҮЛ. ағаның |
“High Heat (PS2) has risen above and is now the best baseball game on the market.” 4 — Official PlayStation Magazine May 2001
“High Heat Hits Grand Slamwith PS2 Debut.”
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— BamePro May 2001 | | у id REAL. BASEBALL. 5 EAT CATCH THE ACTION AT; WWW.highheat.com вади Basel]
2003.
“НГ SISE Ты
THE MAGAZINE
Editor in Chief John Davison
Managing Editor Gary Steinman
Previews Editor Chris Baker
News Editor Sam Kennedy
Reviews Editor Joe Rybicki
Associate Editor Todd Zuniga
Gossip Columnist Clish MacLaver
Editorial Contributors Che Chou, Greg Edwards, Zoe Flower, John Gaudiosi, Ravi Hiranand, Tim Ponting, Byron Sanders, John Scalzi
Japanese Correspondent Yutaka Ohbuchi European Correspondent Axel Strohm
Copy Editor Jennifer Whitesides
DESIGN
Senior Art Director Bob Conlon
Art Directors Donna O'Hara, Jim Cordano Illustration Mike Krahulik, Mike Reisel, Kari Rust
PRODUCTION
Manufacturing Director Carlos Lugo
Senior Production Manager Anne Marie Miguel Assistant Production Manager Teresa Newson Pre-Media Manager Dave McCracken Assistant Pre-Media Manager Mike Vallas
TECHNOLOGY Project Leader Mark LeFebvre
ZD GAME GROUP
Vice President Dale Strang Editorial Director John Davison Creative Director Simon Cox Business Director Cathy Bendoff
CIRCULATION
Circulation Director Joan McInerney Circulation Director Shirley Viel
Senior Newsstand Sales Manager Don Galen
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Online gaming at last..but 10 months late
We must have received hun- dreds, no, thousands of e-mails in the last year asking about the elusive online plans for the PS2. After it was announced that we'd see things in November of last year, the month and then the year itself slipped by with anyone involved seeming to completely deny that anything had been announced previously. "What? PS2 online? Nah...you must be thinking of someone else." Each month since, we've diligently tried to piece information together for you, but it was all very slow-going. Plausible denial seemed to be the strategy of choice from our friends at PlayStation HQ.
On Thursday, March 7, though, SCEA finally let us all in on the big secret. Come August, the. potential for our PlayStation 2 experience will be very much different. Instead of just expressing yourself through e-mails and messageboard posts, you'll soon be able to challenge people to a duel from anywhere in the world. Judging from some of the interactions we've witnessed lately on www.playstationmagazine.com, I'd hazard a guess that there'll be some fights to the virtual death and much more.
Of course, the next bunch of questions we'll all be asking have to do with what games we're likely to see. As we go to press, very few have been formally announced. We know that Sony itself will be leading the charge with the squad- based combat game SOCOM, as well as an online implementation of Twisted Metal: Black. Beyond that, you can look forward to Tribes, Final Fantasy ХІ, Tony Hawk 4 and many more to come.
John Davison Editor in Chief
Official U.S. PlayStation Magazine
Mission Statement
The Official U.S. PlayStation Magazine is the only Sony Computer Entertainment America-licensed magazine and is pub- lished by Ziff Davis Media Inc. through an exclusive agreement. As such, the Official U.S. PlayStation Magazine (OPM) remains independent from SCEA, and is a critical, autonomous voice that helps readers get more out of their PlayStation system by delivering the most current, comprehen- sive and candid coverage of PlayStation software and hardware.
content.
‘CONTENT RATED BY ESR
EVERYONE
ZOE FLOWER
This multimedia superstar not only works for us, but she makes TV shows, pro- duces rock videos, ani- mates and illustrates, makes great Web sites, and somehow finds time to game and after that, sleep. Amazing. www.zoeflower.com
JOHN SCALZI
A writer for the Chicago Sun-Times, the San Diego Tribune, New York City maga- zine and the Fresno Bee, John brings con- siderable knowledge to our media pages. If you don't visit his site at www.scalzi.com, bad things will happen.
Video Games Have Ratings, Just Like Movies
The Entertainment Software Rating Board provides information about video game ESRB ratings are intended as guidelines only; parents should still mon- itor minors purchases.
Eu ШІ EARLY CHILDHOOD RATING
e
Deemed Suitable For Children 3 Or Older. Products Carrying This Label Have Absolutely No Material That Would Be Considered Inappropriate By Parents.
EVERYONE RATING The E Replaced The Previous K-A Rating Last Year. Suitable For Kids Ages 6 And Up, E-Rated Games May Contain Minimal Violence Or Crude Language.
CONTENT RATED BY
WWW.ESRB.ORG
www.playstationmagazine.com
About our contributors
JOHN GAUDIOSI
For the past decade John has been reviewing games for The Washing- ton Post. He has a game column and covers the convergence of enter- tainment and games for The Hollywood Reporter. He also writes for Wired, Cinescape, PC Gamer, and contributes to E! TV and NBC.
PENNY ARCADE
They make us laugh, and we're tough critics, so we figure they make you laugh, too. After reading this month's strip, shoot over to their Web site for more. Once there, have the foresight to order their new book.
Www.penny-arcade.com
BYRON SANDERS Recently promoted to Sub-Editor, Byron handles the comic database and other duties at SpiderFan.org. A reader and fan of Spider-Man for over 20 years, his knowledge helped our feature go from great to greatest. www.spiderfan.org
TIM PONTING Previously a group publisher in the U.K., Tim was responsible for PC Zone and The Official U.K. Dreamcast Magazine. He's now а freelance writer and part of the online score-ranking company Csports. www.csports.net
ER TT] TEEN RATING
Contains Suggestive Themes, Mild Or
Strong Language And Animated
Violence. Some Parents May Want To
Supervise Children Playing T-Rated а бате
MATURE RATING
These Games Contain More Adult Themes, Such As Blood And Gore, Stronger Language And Sexual Themes. Deemed Not Suitable For Those Under 17,
‘CONTENT RATED BY
TTITTEIT ADULTS ONLY RATING g The Extreme Of The Ratings, Suitable For Adults Only. Packs Sexual Themes And Extreme Violence. Console Manufacturers Have Yet To Allow
An AO-Rated Game
Official U.S. PlayStation Magazine (ISSN #1094-66831 is published monthly by Ziff Davis Media Inc., 28 East 28th Street, New York, NY 10016. Periodicals Postage Paid at New York, NY 10016 and additional mailing offices. Single-issue rate: $8.99. Subscription Rates: One Year (12 issues and 12 demo discs) $49.97 U.S.. $65.97 all other countries, We periodically make lists of our customers available to mailers of goods and services. If you do not wish to receive such mailings, please write to us and include а copy of your mailing label. Subscription Service Questions and Address Changes Write to: Official U.S.
PlayStation Magazine, P.O. Box 55362, Boulder, СО 80322-5362. For St
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Canada, or 303.604.0518 all other countries. Or visit our subscription Web site at http://service.playstationmagazine.com. The editors and publishers are not responsible for unsolicited materials. Without lim-
iting the rights under copyrights reserved herein, no part of this publi mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise] without the prior w
on may be reproduced,
tored in or introduced into a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form, or by any means lelectronic, ten notice of Ziff Davis Media Inc. Copyright © 2002 Ziff Davis Media. All Rights Reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without
permission is prohibited. For permission to reuse material in this publication or on www.playstationmagazine.com, or to use our logo, contact Ziff Davis Media's Rights and Permissions Manager: Olga
Gonopolsky, Ziff Davis Media Inc., 28 East 28th Street, New York, NY 10016. Tel: 212-503-5438. Fax: 212 503-54;
-mail: olga gonopolsky(Gzilfdavis.com. For reprints, contact Reprint Services at 800-217-7874.
TM & O for all other products and the characters contained therein are owned by the respective trademark and copyright holders. All materials in this magazine are subject to change and the publisher.
assumes no responsibility for such changes. The Canadian GST registration number is 14049 6720 RT. Printed in the USA.
HISTORY IS IN YOUR HANDS. DON’T SCREW IT UP.
IT’S WWII ALL OVER AGAIN.
Blood Violence PlayStation.2
©2002 Pyro Studios. Published by Eidos Interactive. Developed by Pyro Studios. Commandos 2: Men of Courage is a trademark of Pyro Studios. The Pyro logo is a trademark of Pyro Studios. Eidos, Eidos Interactive and the Eidos Interactive logo are registered trademarks of Eidos Interactive, Ic. All rights reserved. PlayStation and the "PS Family logo ‘are registered trademarks of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. Microsoft, Xbox, and the Xbox Logo are ether registered trademarks or trademarks of Microsoft Corporation in the United States and/or other counties and are used under license from Microsoft. The ratings icon is a registered trademark of the Interactive Digital Software Association.
Spider-Man • 84
If you don't know everything about Spider-Man, brace yourself. Not only do we dive behind the scenes for his silver-screen debut, but we ve got facts upon facts about Webhead's latest video game. Plus, a quick his- tory of Spider-Man's biggest comic-book moments.
>
VIRTUA FIGHTER 4: KICK ASS
Beating VF4 • 106
You've decided it's time to stop with the button- mashing and really become a VF4 expert? We were hoping you'd come to your senses. That's why we've detailed ways to beat the Р525 latest fighter.
The Dirty 31 * 40
During our time with the PS one we've reviewed nearly 800 games. Within that time there have been more than a few true-blue clunkers. Thirty-one to be exact. We show you the worst games the PS one has to offer in this must-read/must-avoid feature
SPIN
26 Online At Last
PLAYABLE PLAYSTATION 2
32 Your Choice
He does whatever a spider can, and we cover every inch of it. From comics to video games to the silver screen, Spider-Man is a hot commodity. You've seen the movie, so what's the game going to be like? Find out here.
Finally! PS2 goes online ° 26
If we would've held our breath [we have], we'd have passed out (we did). But finally the wait is over. In August we will be playing PS2 online. And so will you. Read all about it right here.
46 Kojima's future 50
What does the creator of
The Watchdog 53
Readers’ Choice Awards ® 32
Take a fast glance at last year's crop of games. Title after title, game after game. It's mindblowing, isn’t it? There have just been so many must-have games in the last cal- endar year. Now find out what you and your fellow read- ers chose as the best in our readers’ choice awards.
Clish MacLaver
It was supposed to happen last year. And didn’t. Finally, the wait is nearly over. Find out when.
“2
28 Іп Bloom
Zoe Flower returns with
36
40
We gave you the list of
candidates and you picked the best games of the year. Find out the winners here.
Rental Roundup It's a fact of life: Not every game is worth $50. Find out which ones to rent.
Ugly Ducklings Find out the 31 PS one games that you were a
MGS2 have іп mind for the future? Wouldn't you like to know.
Dream Cast State of Emergency gets a casting call.
50
John Scalzi tells the youth of America how to get their hands on M-rated games. Sort of.
Penny Arcade
54 54 58
Get the scoop on the X- Men RPG, and what games will be online!
CD Reviews Bookmarks
DVD Reviews
АШ and Memento featured.
her unique take on games. genius to avoid. 52 Only in Japan 28 Namco Surprise 44 Curt Schilling What Ever 52 False Starts Namco's got some big A chat with World Series Happened to... The early days of news. The good part? They. MVP and sure-fire Hall of The Lost. Conspiracy before Airblade 60 Movies, TV and only told us. Famer Curt Schilling. and Burnout. Games 48 Toy Chest
28 Calendar 44 Onimusha 3 Toys. Toys. Toys. Got it? 53 PSAT 62 Тор 10 Charts
REGULAR BITS
Demo Disc е 12
The world is aching to get a crack at Hot Shots Golf 3, so we decided to let you. Sound good?
Input 9 18 This month we feature a letter
about Zoe kicking men in the junk. Write us: opmfaziffdavis.com
Spin * 26
Last month it was reported that there was just too much great stuff in Spin, Suck it up.
Replay ° 104
Dust off those games you haven't played in awhile. You're going to need them to fully enjoy Replay.
P.S. • 120
Don't cry to your mommy if your favorite game didn’t win an award. We did our best to make fun of that exact game іп Р.5.
у on top of yí Jm in!” 58
PREVIEWS
PLAYSTATION 2
2002 FIFA World Cup............ 72 BloodRayne................. e 76 Downforce....
Dragon's Lair 3D
Headhunter
Jurassic Park: P. Genesis .....67
Kingdom Hearts Lethal Skies Mat Hoffman's Pro BMX 2.....67
Medal of Honor: Frontline ....77 Men in Black II
Mike Tyson Boxing MLB SlugFest 20-0: Mortal Kombat: DA
"You hiding your daughter
under there?" 58
Smoldering temptréss? Or hot chick? You decide.-60
Onimusha
RedCard Soccer 20-03.. Reign of Fire Riding Spirit: SOCOM: U.S. Navy SEALs. Spyro: Enter the Dragonfly
Street Hoops
Superman: Apokolips
Test Drive: Overdrive The Thin: Way of the Samur: 74 WRC: World Rally Ch’ship.....'
PS one DDR Konamix..
*
уо!
Delta Force: UW ................... 82 The Italian Job ..................... 82 Yu-Gi-Oh! .....
REVIEWS
PLAYSTATION 2 All-Star Baseball 2003
Army Меп RTS .. Deus Ex: The Conspiracy .. .98
Ecco the Dolphin: Defender of the Future ESPN NBA 2Night 2002
Eve of Extinction
Herdy Gerdy .101 Mad Maestro! 101 Mr. Mosquito ... ..101
Admit it, you fou were Spider-Man right at this nt 84 ез CES
No One Lives Forever ....102 SavageSkies ........... 102 Smash Court
Tennis Pro Tournament . . .102 Star Wars: Jedi Starfighter103
PS one Dracula: Last Sanctuary ..103 All-Star Slammin D-ball . .103
Ее 6а) СА
\ CONTENTS
FORE!
This month we decided to try a little something new. We sat down with the demo and came up with a few challenges for you. Sorry, we can't offer any prizes for pulling these off. But you will get mad cred on the message boards.
BALDUR'S GATE: DARK ALLIANCE
THE DETAILS: You start the demo at the start of the first level. You're underequipped and vulnerable; your best bet is to use your Burning Hands spell with wild abandon.
HAVE YOU TRIED...
...collecting 130 Gold before time runs out? The demo gives you about 12 min- utes' worth of play, so time yourself. Watch out for those barrels of TNT. «prolonging your game by never com- ing to a stop? Apparently the demo won't boot you out after those 12 min- utes until you stop moving. It's harder than it sounds, though; it basically requires you to never allow the analog Stick to center. Give it a try.
JAK AND DAXTER: THE PRECUSOR LEGACY
THE DETAILS: You're given one level—Misty Island—pr sented mot
or less in its entirety, but you're also slapped with 15-minute time limit. So hurry,
HAVE YOU TRIED...
«getting all eight Power Cells within the time limit? The best way to trim off time is to nab the Sculptor's Muse in the shortest time possible. A rolling jump [Rt or L1 while moving, followed quickly by X) moves Jak most quickly.
-..getting all 150 Precursor Orbs on the level? This should be a little easier than getting all the Power Cells. Remember that blue Eco makes you run faster.
UNDERGROUND
THE DETAILS: The demo starts where the game starts, giving you some time to get used to the controls before the tempo really starts to ramp up. Relax and enjoy the trip.
HOT SHOTS
THE DETAILS: You'll get a chance to play the final three holes on Aloha Beach Resort, with your choice of Tiffany, Jonnie or Pete (all first-level characters) as your golfer.
PlayStation.
HAVE YOU TRIED...
-.." evolving" into the Lotus position? You'll need to fill up the blue meter three times to get there; that's a
total of 24 power spheres. Your best bet if you want to earn one of these is to take out an entire wave of enemies quickly, preferably in one shot. Oh, and don't hit that camera-looking thing that transports you to the next level; just ignore it and it'll go away, leaving you free to take on more enemies.
GOLF 3
HAVE YOU TRIED...
„bouncing a shot off the cement around the swimming pool on the 16th hole? Pick Pete for his power, hit Square for extra distance, and see if you can bounce it back out and onto the fairway. ..getting a hole-in-one on the 17th hole? You'll want to shorten up a bit; try using your 8-iron instead of the 7 (unless the wind is blowing strongly toward you), and make sure you press down on the D-pad to put some backspin on the ball
SSX TRICKY
THE DETAILS:
This demo of the fantastic extreme- sports masterpiece offers you a
choice between two courses
(Garibaldi or the newly revised Snowdream) and two boarders (the sultry Elise or the afro-sporting Eddie], which is pretty nice. Too bad the courses time out before you reach the end. Luckily, you can replay to your heart's content without having to quit back to the main menu.
HAVE YOU TRIED... «performing a single trick worth more than 12,000 points? Here's a hint Combos count, and so does big air. Yes, it is pos- sible. We've done it ourselves.
DISC PROBLEMS?
Did you buy a copy of our magazine that did not contain а demo CD? Simply send the receipt in ап envelope marked "OPM Replacement Dic: to the address below with the name and address of the store plus your phone number and address and well send you the disc. Make sure you specify. which month the corresponding disc belongs to in order to ensure you get the right one.
Also, if you have a malfunctioning or now work ing demo disc, call SCEA at 1-800-345-SONY. They will provide instructions to obtain repair or replacement services.
Sony Computer Entertainment America (SCEA) warrants to the original purchaser of the Official US. PlayStation Magazine that the demo disc included is free from defects in material and work: manstip for a period of ninety (90) days from the date of purchase. SCEA agrees for a period of ninety (90) days to either repair or replace, at its
option, the SCEA product. You must call 1-800-
__ 345-SONY to receive instructions to obtain
repairfeplacement services.
This warranty shall not be applicable and shall be void if the defect in the SCEA product has arisen through abuse, unreasonable use, mistreatment, neglect or breakage during shipment. THIS WAR- RANTY IS IN LIEU OF ALL OTHER WARRANTIES AND NO OTHER REPRESENTATIONS OR CLAIMS OF ANY NATURE SHALL BE BINDING ON OR OBLIGATE SCEA. ANY IMPLIED WARRANTIES APPLICABLE TO THIS SOFTWARE PRODUCT, INCLUDING WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILI- ТҮ AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, АВЕ LIMITED TO THE NINETY (90) DAY PERIOD DESCRIBED ABOVE. IN NO EVENT WILL SCEA BE LIABLE FOR INCIDENTAL OR CONSEQUEN- TIAL DAMAGES RESULTING FROM POSSESSION, USE OR MALFUNCTION OF THE SCEA SOFT- WARE PRODUCT.
(12) Official U.S. PlayStation Magazine
BUT WAIT, THERE'S MORE!
VIDEOS Music Video: Spider-Man Flaw, “Payback” Barbarians STORIES Jak and Daxter: SOCOM: The Precursor Navy SEALs Legacy Drakan: The EXTRAS Ancients’ Gates Spider-Man Fatal Frame Trailer Press Event Music Video: COOL MOVES Mushroomhead, Kinetica “Solitaire Baldur's Gate: Unraveling” Dark Alliance
SSX Tricky Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3 DOWNLOADS Devil May Cry Batman: Vengeance Max Payne CELEBRITY GAMER Raymond Hererra of Fear Factory
DEMO DISC PRODUCERS ЗО ARTISTS Gary Barth Jason Robinson бөле states do not allow limitations as to how {шз Pip Willarson long an implied warranty lasts and/or exclusions or bien S TR limitations of consequential damages so theabove Shay Ashitomi НИ limitations andor exclusions of liability may not Sul Katherina Wins apply to you, This warranty gives you specific legal | cori Sequeira TECHNICAL DIRECTOR rights, and you may also have other rights which Кіп Yuen Tan ЕМЕ уау from state EXECUTIVE PRODUCER CD ANIMATION to slate. Andrew House INTRODUCTION BY MUSIC COMPOSITION Secret Weapon ОРМ Demo Dise is published monthly by Sony едан jeu die Computer Entertainment America Inc, 919 Е FORMAT OA елы Hillsdale Drive, Foster City, CA 94404. Al titles Sam Bradley UAIS Shown hera are trademarks 0 an copyrights of, paar King Janie Chu their respective publishers and/or their licensors. ACCOUNT COORDINATOR — JonJay Montemayor See individual screens for details. ©2002 Sony Ei Ippolito Bijan Poon
Computer Entertainment America Inc.
Please submit all related demo disc inquiries to: PROGRAMMING AND SPECIAL THANKS.
OPM Demo Disc, Inquiries, 919 E. Hillsdale Drive, INTERFACE ARTWORK BY Тот Gillan
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9
АВОВВУВОЕК
BLABAC
Bie
PlayStation. Ф. ж
5 XOOx
IT’S ALWAYS DARKEST BEFORE THE DAWN.
WWW. TERMINATORGAME.COM
call 1-800-771-3772
Visit www.esrb.org or THE zu Л. TERMINATOR. B ATARI E — ыш DAWN OF FATE
The Terminator: Dawn Of Fate, © 2002 Infogrames, Inc., a subsidiary of Infogrames Entertainment, S.A. All rights reserved. Developed by Paradigm Entertainment. Manufactured and marketed by Infogrames, Inc., New York, NY. The Terminator TM & © 1984 StudioCanal Image S.A., f/k/a Canal+ D.A. All rights reserved. Terminator is a trademark of StudioCanal Image S.A., f/k/a Canal+ D.A. "PlayStation" and the "PS" Family logo are registered trademarks of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. Microsoft, Xbox and the Xbox logos are either registered
trademarks or trademarks of Microsoft Corporation in the U.S. and/or other countries and are used under license from Microsoft. The ratings icon is a trademark of the Interactive Digital Software Association. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.
Swapping paint with Skywalker,
Tatooine. Shrapnel impact at 600+mph
Шап Calamari.
Turbo-boost slice between canyon wall and Dud Bolt,
Sullust.
PlayStation 2
lm Ltd. & TM or n". and the “PS
THe ANATOMY o SPEED.
IT'S A FIGHT TG THE FINISH AT БООМРН. GG HEAD —TG—HEAD AGAINST ІВ GF THE GALAXYS MGST AGGRESSIVE
PGDRACERS. М/ТН 14 HARRGWING TRACKS
GN 5 WORLDS, FACE TERRIFYING
CHALLENGES AT EVERY TURN.
GOT THE GUTS TO GO FOR іт?
Tusken Raider target practice, Badlands.
WWW.RACER-REVENGE.COM EVERYONE
. Mild Violence rainbow Е (Е) STUDIOS pps ESRB x
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Hot for High Heat
Here's the wind-up, Schilling kicks and deals—Crack!—Bonds sends a screaming line drive over the right-field wall for a three-run homer! The crowd goes wild, and so do | for High Heat Baseball 2003 on the Р52!! What a great game, the best all- around baseball on any console past or pre- sent. 300 took last year's great-playing High Heat, gave it a much-needed graphics overhaul, and presto: a masterpiece is born. | truly am in heaven. HH2003 has realistic player animations, fantastic gameplay, fast loading, faster play and excellent play-by- play. What more could you possibly want from a baseball game?! This baseball game has commandeered an “extreme takeover”
of my game-playing time. Alas, shed a tear for all my other neglected games (sniff.
I still may be a slave for EA, but do me a favor and tell them I'm not buying Triple Play this year.
Ray Taylor
raytakezo(dhotmail.com
Ray, we'll tell you this much..you're not going to want to buy Triple Play, we promise. Thanks for the photo. Not sure why you sent it, but...well, how could we not run it?!
Straight Query
| am a new subscriber to OPM and | like it a lot, but | need to get one thing straight: Is Gary Steinman bisexual? In issue 53 in the Final Fantasy X review there's a list of seven things. On numbers three-six it sounds like he is straight, but number seven says he is attracted to Tidus! Please explain.
Dan Paulson
kanewolffdyahoo.com
Telling you would destroy the mystery.
Official U.S. PlayStation Magazine
Last month we asked what you think of State of Emergency. Next, tell us what you think of Sega's Virtua Fighter 4. E-mail us at OPMraziffdavis.corn Mark your notes “VFG.”
Please, don't waste your time with this mess. Buy GTA3. If you already have it, then buy another copy.
Regal700
(aol.com
There are a lot of games that are pointless, but SOE exaggerates this point beautifully. I'd rather watch an old Japanese kung-fu movie from the 19705 with bad voice dubs than play SOE—it's that boring. IZMatt18 faaol.com
I think SOE is a real good game. In fact, | think it deserves at least a four-disc rating. Yeah, the controls are a bit weird, but you get used to it. Drummerwithpoin tblank(awebtv.net
Letter of the Month
Please give credit where credit is due and it is due to my 3- year-old son Christian! He is a hardcore gamer!
Next to playing outside, my son's favorite thing to do is game. Christian and | love to play together and compete together, mainly in racing games like GT3, ATV, SSX and our newest acquisi- tion: Rocket Power (mainly for him). Anyway, just recently my girlfriend [Cami] and Christian were in an intense Rocket Power snowboard competition (Christian of course was hitting all the
gates and Cami was not). When going
into the last hairpin turn, Christian was leaning (physically) very hard into it and fell right off the ottoman he was sítting оп. Не landed shoulder-first on the hardwood floor and we thought he had broken his collarbone. He immediately began to scream in pain and as | went for him, in the middle of gasping, he said “WAIT,” and with his left hand grabbed the controller and hit pause before going back to crying.
The crying subsided after about 20 minutes and he tried to resume the race, but he had minimal use of his right side and it required a hospital visit. After a lengthy visit with the doc- tor, it was determined that it was a severe stone bruise (по broken bones). Some pain medicine and a McDonald's chocolate shake and we were on our way to recovery. Christian could not lift his arm over his head for three weeks. This did not deter him from playing though; he just made sure he was cen- tered on the ottoman instead of the edge! He truly is a hardcore gamer! Todd and Christian Morris Greensboro, N.C.
Gamers are talking about...
ОРМ monthly roundup of hot topics, gathered from e-mails, message boards and chat rooms.
* Kingdom Hearts. We have a feeling the debate about this one is going to rage way past the release of the game. “So Disney and Squaresoft have agreed to make an RPG with all of the Disney characters and some Squaresoft characters, Including some from FF7,8,9,10 and Xenogears? That's just wrong. | know you RPG gamers are excited, but that's just bizarre. Goofy and Squall don't go together," Bensics posted. “Woah! | didn't know that Square- soft characters were going to be in it.... сап anyone else confirm this?" Dante Sparda responded. "There better not be a Squall. | will be so mad. To see him in the same game as Mickey Mouse..." bluedragn85 raged in response. At least it wasn't all negative, though (for the record, the entire team here at OPM is completely enamored with the game after seeing a demo recent- ly...it’s gawd-jus]. ZidaneX enthuses, “I think the game looks awesome, | mean having Donald on your side! And probably their summons are gonna be like...um hmmm...Dumbo or Jumbo, or whatever that elephant is called."
* Gaming tattoos. "If you could get a game-related tattoo, what would it be?" asks grandmasterkris. "For me, | would possibly get the Ragnarok from FFVIII." A number of replies revealed some interest- ing tastes. “When | get a job that wouldn't frown upon it, | plan on getting the B and A buttons from NES or Game Boy tattooed on my neck. At least, that's what | tell myself," oralb808 said jokingly [at least we think he's joking). "I have two game-relat- ed tattoos," Telka tells us. "Both Final Fantasy, actually. | have the Mog summon from Tactics on my leg and Stiltzkin from FFIX оп my back." Sounds painful. “АЦ of my tattoos now are of women," Technocrat interjects. "I was thinking that Lulu would fit in quite nicely with the rest of mine. But the only good places left are the insides of my arms! Seems such a shame to put that ultra-hot babe next to my stinkin' armpit."
* Girl Gamers Unite. "| am a girl gamer," Fireglobe proclaims. "Like it matters what gender you are. | still haven't figured out what it is with guys looking for girl gamers. | believe that if you are a ‘gamer,’ then it does not matter what gender you аге.” Forbidden Nyght responds, "| guess we're still a novelty though; no one expects à girl to play video games. It's kinda silly though. Everyone | know thinks that girl gamers are either lesbians or girls who play crap like Barbie... | don't think we should spend our time worrying about it, and just all enjoy the games, no matter our sex. The video games don't care what sex we are, so why should other people? | know it's a kinda optimistic view."
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“YOU ARE ABOUT TO EMBARK UPON THE GREAT CRUSADE.”
PARACHUTE INTO THE WAR
as Lt. Jimmy Patterson of the Air. Transport Corps in Medal Of Honor;
Frontline for the PlayStation.2
Computer Entertainment System.
After taking part in the largest aerial troop drop in history, you'll fight the
Axis Powers as an agent of the OSS.
Battle on the front lines or go it alone behind enemy lines using over 20 authentic WWII weapons to bring down the Third Reich. Survive the first deadly mission and you're only 17 more away from yictory.
MEDAL 2| HONOR!
ERONTELINI [.
You don’t play. You volunteer. www, moh,ea.com
Ф . PlayStation.2
General Dwight D. Eisenhower, D-Day.
PRODUCTS RANGE FROM RATING PENDING ro T E Е N
ЕАСАМЕЗ. СОМ
STEP INTO THE BOOTS of ‘Lt. Mike Powell of the First Ranger Battalion in Medal Of Honor: Allied Assault for your PC. Join the ‘special infantry’ as an elite soldier trained to execute Covert missions in advance of major Allied offensives. Fight with a crack unit or go it alone using over 20 authentic WWII weapons to defeat a vicious, motivated enemy. But remember with six harrowing cam- paigns, the only reward for victory is another deadly mission.
J ALLIED AS
You don’t play. You volunteer. www.moh.ea.com
GAMES, the EA GAMES logo and t чгафетә Ko registered trademark of Electronic Afts Inc. in the countries for computer and vid id. PlayStation” and the "PS" Fami Computer Entertainment Inc. Allo е imeSpyand the GameSpy logo ar
"Violence i video games is nothin
2
pared wit
the light, casua
attitude toward
genital-kicking.
MIKE LEAHY'S MOST WANTED
1. For Final Fantasy XI to be a good game
2. (see No. 1)
3. (see No. 1)
4. (see No. 1)
5. I thought seeing No. 1 was getting boring, so see No. 6
6. (see No. 1 *sigh* again)
7. To think of a new thing to want besides No. 1
8.Final Fantasy XI
9. Yay! (Wait, that's not a "want.")
10. For everyone to not send me hate mail for writing such a stupid list. wooozzy
@hotmail.com
E-mail your most wanted list to OPMfaziffdavis.com Mark the subject: MOST WANTED
A Sensitive Area
| was just reading the March issue of OPM, and | came across something that disturbed me a great deal. In Zoe Flower's column, she quite casually referred to wanting to kick a reporter swiftly in the pants.
Га just like to let it be known that com- ments like those are not to be taken lightly. I don't think women understand the sheer sensitivity of the male groin area. Even just reading about kicking it, or talking about it, brings about an unpleasant sensation. 1 think most guys would understand this.
Violence in video games is nothing com- pared with the light, casual attitude toward genital-kicking. | think more taxpayer dol- lars should be focused on raising aware- ness of male sensitivity. | also believe that threats toward men's loins should be con- sidered sexual harassment and/or assault.
Any guy knows that you just don't hit another guy in his package, as much as he may deserve it. There are other ways to release one's aggression. Please tell Ms. Flower that there are other ways to get her point across.
Jon Blitt dukeofspades(dhotmail.com
We mentioned this to Zoe, and she kicked us swiftly in the junk. Thanks, bud.
FFX Consumer Durables
After a good deal of observing the game Final Fantasy X, | came up with a list of products that should be marketed. Maybe I'm on to something. Or maybe | just һауе too much free time. Either way:
Lulu's Pushup Bra: Get all the cleavage you desire! Now you, too, can look as if you are going to fall right out of your dress! Comes with convenient inside pockets for storing useful items such as potions, ethers and phoenix downs.
Wakka's Super-Strong Hair Gel: Keep the quail-like sproingy thing on top of your head in solid place even while participating in underwater sports. CAUTION: contains cement.
Tidus’s Chest Wax: Are you a man who often wears little half-shirts that expose your chest? If so, this is the stuff for you. Keep your chest looking smooth without the nicks and cuts of shaving. May not be good
Wanna chat with us along with other like-minded gamers? Then head over to www.playstationmagazine.com, click on “Talk to the OPM Editors Online Now!” and chat it up on the message board. We frequent the board daily, so it’s a great place to ask us questions—or to just chew the fat with fellow gamers.
РТОМ CON
50. All entries wil ignatiy and
Official Contest and Sweepstakes Rules
days of
Pur
^ n disqualification igibility/release of liability/p
(22) Official U.S. PlayStation Magazine
ETTER OF THE МОМ
HITS
KOJIMALOVE Did Hideo Kojima ever make any games that just weren't extreme- ly cool or didn't sell? Paul Tustison p_tustison (hotmail.com
Probably not.
PA WEIRDNESS I was going to check out the Web site for Penny Arcade, and | accidentally put in the URL without the hyphen (pennyarcade «сот instead of
penny- arcade.com). АШ | have to say is “Yikes.” yourself.
ее for
StealthMantis14 faaol.com
Yikes indeed.
SHOW US THE MONEY, ETC. Do you guys accept bribes from game com- panies? raideno83 fayahoo.com
Absolutely not! But we do accept large cash dona- tions from read- ers. Send your hard-earned dol- lars to us in low- denomination, unmarked bills.
VF4 DEMO | WANT A
PLAYABLE DEMO OF VIRTUA FIGHTER 4. TheMatrix229(da ol.com
Weird, so do we.
for men who wear necklaces, as it some- times causes jewelry to stick.
Rikku's Contact Lenses: Now you can have freaky little no-pupil swirly-like eyes too. Amaze your friends! "No, I'm really not drunk! Look at me walk in a straight line!”
Yuna's Boyfriend Manual: In this 500- page book, Yuna explains how to land a man. Includes tips on how to talk like you are hooked up to life support (guys find that sexy! Really!) and chapters such as “How do | get him to kiss me? Just start bawling!”
Keep an eye out for Auron's Coat-Sling, Kimahri's Super Glue and Jecht's How to Act Like a Pro in stores soon!
Senna Hathaway stenciledteardrop(ayahoo.com
Missing the Xenopoint
Xenosaga will not be a good game, largely due to the fact that this game, or the rest in the story, | suppose, will have nothing to do with the original game. To not include the story of Xenogears [probably one of the deepest games I've ever played) and the characters we love will spell disaster. How can you even consider a game like this with- out Doc? | can understand Square's wanting to protect its own games, but then for these idiots at MonolithSoft to decide that they will publish a “sequel” to Xenogears is utter insanity—without including any of the story elements or characters from the game. I'll pass on Xenosaga, and anything else that MonolithSoft decides to do. What's next, the unofficial sequel to FFX?!
Nick Haskins
via the Internet
It's a prequel, not a sequel. In Xenosaga, the events of Xenogears haven't happened yet.
Gitaroo Hatred
|...hate...Gitaroo Man. That demo has just made me throw a foot bag at the screen about 20 times, hurting my already hurt shoulders. This game is not for the lazy, and most of us are. Sorry, | got bored and mad at the same time there.
Kit Jones
da bomb 88 o7(dhotmail.com
prize, 5 ing the month far which
re final: (50%) originality and |80%) creativity. Entries containing obscene language will be ied by mail, Р, iff Davis Mi
RGOTTEN GEMS
Omega Boost was one of the coolest PS one shooters ever released. With blinding speed and addictive game- play, this shooter/FPS was a great game! | popped it in the other day and | couldn't believe how much fun | had with it!
Max Lords
maxtords(@hotmail.com
І consider Tomba! to be one of the
most underappreciated PlayStation games of all time (so do we - OPM). Best described as a Platform-RPG, Tomba! combined old-school plat-
forming goodness with the ability to
use and equip items. It also imple- mented the ingenious ability to go into the background, thus doing away with the linearity that is inherent in most platform games. Combine this with the quest aspect, and you have an end- lessly replayable game.
Taylor Grimes spiffsneed(ahotmail.com
The Final Fantasy VII Snowboarding minigame: yes!!! The first and
only snowboarding game to hold my attention for more than five minutes!!! Brandon Theolet guyverarmor87(dyahoo.com
Why did everyone miss Raiden Project? I've always loved the Raiden series, and very few ports of it came to One of the best arcade shoot- ers ever makes a beautiful translation to PS one, and no one remembers. Max Lords (again) maxlords(dhotmail.com
Do r e remembe by Art
Steve Stella sstellafyorku.ca
by a judging panel whose de ries will be judged on the foli
eria by OPM editors, whos
lel are non-transferable. No substitutions of prizels] become unavailable.
емей. & Eligibility: Co е with the time parame qualification, Winn
с. Non-complia
ion by Mark Matcho
05.30.02
skate the edge of sanity
RATING PENDING
Visit www.esrb.org
A RP or call 1-800-771-3772
for more info.
‘CONTENT RATED BY |
hs
Aggressive Inline? and Acclaim® & ©2002 Acclaim Entertainment, Inc.All Rights Reserved. Developed by Z-Axis, All Rights Reserved. "PlayStation and the "PS" Family logo are registered trademarks of Sony Computer Ente at
THE FINISH LINE | IS JUST THE BEGINNING.
Take control of Ryan McKane’s racing career in an involving т | yline. / Rip up the asphalt in over
worldwide. / Fight it out in int with up to 20 cars on the course at once.* | Experience intuitive handling and $ alistic cre ge and graphics. RATING PENDING CODEMASTERS.COM
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Company Limited ("Codema: hts or trademarks е property of their respec PS" Family logo are registered trademarks of Sony Computer E
5"), All rights reserved. “Codema used under licen: ament Inc. All ight
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‘countries and are use are the property of their respective о
INSIDE SPIN
28
Zoe's World
Our media superstar proves once again that she’s as smart as she is beautiful.
32
Readers’ Choice Awards 2001
We asked you to pick the best games of the year, and you didn’t disappoint.
44
Curt Schilling World Series MVP talks about video games, baseball and the
olden days in Philly.
AG
Hideo Kojima The creator of MGS2 talks about his future plans.
What Ever Happened t
...The Lost.
48
Toy Time We explored this year's Toy. Fair and show you the new must-have toys for your growing collection.
53
Clish MacLaver
Our hot Scot gives the latest dirt on the hottest games.
54
Media Roundup
Music reviews, Web sites, DVD news and reviews, and so much more.
Official U.S. PlayStation Magazine
Connection Established
Sony's PS2 online game plan starts coming into focus
ments for the evolution of the Р52
and we have been looking forward to this announcement for a long time," Sony Computer Entertainment of America President and Chief Operating Officer Kaz Hirai declared during a recent conference call that detailed SCEA's plans for rolling out the Network Adapters later this year. "We think the gaming community is looking for- ward to these plans, too."
He's definitely right about that! Ever since Sony missed its original target of last November for the launch of its online initia- tive, the company became mysteriously quiet on the subject, offering no further updates— not even a hint of when to expect the online games to start coming. And it basically left everyone—us included—to blindly speculate as best we could about when we'd get to play. But all that changed just recently when Sony finally came clean and went on record with the new launch period for the Network
“Т аге exciting new develop-
wrong information. But why the delay? Two reasons were cited: SCEA wanted to wait for broadband pene- tration to reach a certain level within the U.S. before shipping out the adapters, and it took a while longer than expected to get first-party online soft- ware up to acceptable standards for the hardware launch.
So August is the magic month now. Sony states that its first-party developers will have SOCOM: Navy Seals, Twisted Metal Online and a new version of Frequency ready for the launch, and so far third-party developer Sierra has stepped up to the plate and announced Tribes Aerial Assault for the launch as well. More titles will be announced in the coming months.
This August you'll be able to pick up the $40 Network Adapter and one of over 12 launch games.
Adapter and online games: August 2002.
Yes, that's right folks. This August you'll be able to pick up the $40 Network Adapter, along with any one of over 12 promised online launch titles, and immediately hop online and compete against people across the nation. For real this time.
So why all the secretism until now? Well, because until recently SCEA hadn't finalized the launch plans and it didn't want to confuse gamers yet again with mixed messages and
Interestingly, the Hard Disc Drive (HDD) won't make it out this August. According to SCEA, none of the games planned for the launch time frame require the HDD. "Once games require the hard drive, we will launch that unit," explained Hirai. So when can we realistically expect the HDD? Most likely by spring 2003, as that's when Final Fantasy ХІ, which requires the unit, will be released here. Without the HDD, though, it's unlikely that Internet functions like Web browsing
Bundled with the Network Adapter will be a startup disc, a manual, online game demos and Internet service-provider options for several carriers including AOL, AT&T WorldNet, Earthlink, Prodigy and others.
will be available, but Sony insists that its first priority is establishing killer online game content, then rolling out Internet functions and offering broadband entertainment such as movies.
SCEA also insists that the Network Adapter won't be for everyone, but rather is a device that will enhance the experience for those who choose to use it. "We're not inter-
GAMERS.COM POLL Which online PS2 game are you most looking forward to?
TOKYO XTREME RAGER ONLINE 6% RESIDENT FINAL EVIL ONLINE FANTASY XI 28%
22%
- HOT SHOTS ГЕ ONLINE
RESIDENT EVIL ONLINE AND MORE ANNOUNCED FOR Р52!
ARIKA
The Dungeon of Druaga ATLUS
Untitled multiplayer RPG CAPCOM
Resident Evil Online Auto Modellista
FROM SOFTWARE Armored Core Sigma
NAMCO
Ace Combat Online Untitled adventure game Namco Sports Online Clockwork Online Project Venus (RPG) SEGA
Hundred Swords
Guru Guru Onsen
So now that we all know when the online games are going to start happening, a lot of you are probably wondering if that $40 Network Adapter is really going to be worth the cash. After all, it sucks to buy a peripheral only to find that there are no games to support it. Now, you’ve probably heard a bit about Final Fantasy XI and some other stuff like Twisted Metal Online, but is that enough to make it worth the purchase? Well, there’s plenty more coming down the pipeline. Don’t believe us? Sony recently held a press conference in Japan to reveal
The time has come for the PS2 Greatest Hits. You're familiar
‘some of the games it had in store to get those Network
Adapters flying off the shelves.
How about Resident Evil Online for starters? Yeah, you've probably heard that Capcom has kept a handful of Resident Evil titles exclusive to Nintendo’s Gamecube, but Resident Evil
GENKI
Tokyo Xtreme Racer Online
HUDSON Bomberman Online
Online is definitely headed for the PS2 and it will be one of KOEI
Sony's flags!
ested in becoming an online-only con- sole,” states Hirai, “and we don't want to define the PS2 as an online-only experi- ence. We are looking forward to becom- ing a mass-market broadband entertain- ment system with online functionality becoming a big a part of that equation.” But still, it's good to know that those of us who are dying to play online will be able to do so shortly. And with the Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3) right around the corner, expect plenty of new online game announcements to be made soon. Sony claims that nearly every first- party game in development has some sort of online component to it. For exam- ple, Gran Turismo 4 will allow users to
AMERICAN ONLINE GAMES Not to be outdone by those in Japan, U.S. third-party developers are also starting to come up with online games for the Network Adapter launch and beyond. Tribes Aerial Assault (above) is the first announced U.S. third-party online game and it comes from Sierra. But a whole vari- ety of other developers such as Sega (with NFL 2K3) and Sony Online (with Everquest Adventures) have stuff coming. Not only that, but there are rumors that EA may even have online support in the next Madden and that Eidos’ TimeSplitters 2 may feature online modes as well!
online titles. Or how about Gran Turismo Online? Polyphony Digital’s next GT installment will be fully playable online. In fact, Sony announced a complete list of titles to expect in the coming year or so—and if these don’t get you excited, we’re not sure what will.
Online KONAMI Untitled music game Untitled sports game
download new cars as manufacturers make them available, and future editions of NFL GameDay will feature download- able player rosters to stay up to date, SCEA also revealed that it has estab- lished an Evangelization Fund in order to provide compensation to third-party developers for marketing support and content development for new and inter- esting online games.
It certainly doesn't sound like Sony is taking this online stuff lightly. And while the company hit a few snags along the way, it seems to be making all the right moves with this network launch (some might say the delay proves Sony's dedi- cation to quality). Sony claims that by
Nobunaga's Ambition
Untitled sim game Untitled racing game SONY
Gran Turismo Online Hot Shots Golf Online Vib Ribbon Online Arc the Lad Online SQUARE
Final Fantasy XI TECMO
Untitled action game
making things as easy as possible for the gamer, having a killer line of software, and working with strong partners such as AOL, the PS2 online experience will succeed where others have failed. “The world of online gaming and broadband- based network services, as it currently stands, is not a one-stop experience,” pointed out Hirai. “Any company entering this space needs strong partners in vari- ous business areas to succeed. With the help and support of our partners, whether on the content or technology side, we will be able to offer online console gaming through PlayStation 2 that is consumer-friendly, and most important, fun.”
with the PS one versions, of course—you know, the discount- ed releases of old hit games with a much-maligned green "PlayStation" label down the side instead of a black one.
Sony has finally announced its plans to extend the program to PS2 titles, with Dark Cloud, Gran Turismo 3, Twisted Metal: Black and ATV Offroad Fury (which, incidently, will soon see а sequel) as the first games you might want to pick up at $24.99. Third parties are welcome to join in the fun, too, as long as their games meet the designat- ed criteria: nine months on the shelf beforehand and 400,000 copies sold. The first third-party game announced? Red Faction. No word yet on whether the infamous green stripe returns for the PS2 Greatest Hits.
Official U.S. PlayStation Magazine (2)
Tekken and State of Emergency Movies It's official! Two of PS2's biggest games are getting movies. New Line Cinema has its American Pie produc- ers working on a State of Emergency flic and Crystal Sky is making a $60 million live-action Tekken film.
It's been another four days with- out my PS2. 1 feel irritable, as if my eyes are itching from inside my head. Sometimes | wake up in the night from a nightmare that I’m away from home and somebody else is using MY con- troller and MY console. I’m start- ing to think | have some issues. Withdrawal perhaps? I'm hearing noises 1 could swear only come from my PS2. That little start-up һит... HEAR that while Рт in the field shooting an interview! You see, in the past few months 1 have been producing a TV series that happens to come with а nomadic lifestyle; something a console doesn't quite fit into.
I'm all packed ир for a 12-day trip to a mountain that prob- ably won't have Internet access or a computer terminal for that matter. I’ve got my trusty laptop for work, a DVD player for the long flights, MP3s for my listening pleasure, and even a GBA (Game Boy Advance for you PS2 loyalists out there. Don’t be mad that 1 play outside the Sony world. Tell them to invent a decent handheld). The digital world has given me the power to work and play from anywhere in the world. Sadly, my poor Р52. is sitting at home being molested by rowdy men or being forced to act as a simple DVD system until 1 return home.
Take it with me you say? Yeah, you try to carry a PS2 and a pile of games past foreign airport security, along with said lap- top, DVD and MP3 players, not to mention the camera, tripod, lights and sound gear complete with an obnoxious number of cables. Being a sweet and innocent blonde will only get you so far before you’re quarantined for being a) some sort of dirty underground cyber-trafficking digital drug dealer or b) a cyber- netic being from another planet (I am Zoe of Borg. Resistance is futile). Besides, digital information may be weightless but the machines that access it aren’t exactly light as a feather. I’m afraid РИ develop a hunchback by the end of the year.
With the rest of our digital world playing the portable game, what will happen to consoles? With our wireless New World and the burgeoning business of online play, PS2 looks to be joining the fray. But to use my console online, won't | still need access to said console? The one that’s sitting 2,000 miles away? Which makes me wonder at what point will online play surpass the concept of what defines a gaming console? Because, for all the whining over my console’s portability, you can bet that | still look forward to getting home, blowing away the dust, and sliding a new game beneath its sleek black cover. It's my own personal experience, not shared by millions of surf- ing strangers sharing bandwidth.
My next trip will be a 15-day trek around Nevada and California. Рт quite sure the local Blockbuster can help combat the withdrawal symptoms (it’s a pain when 1 go to look for something in my bag and try to scroll through a Metal Gear- ‘Style item list). And after two weeks on the road, my PS2 will be awaiting with a shiny new copy of Tekken 4, perhaps. The laptop and DVD and music and camera gear can return to gath- ering their own dust, and РИ know I’m finally home.
Zoe Flower is a multimedia superstar. If you want to chat with her, look for her on the Official U.S. PlayStation Magazine forum by clicking through from wu а; ‚ Look for the user ID ZOEFLOWER. Also, check ош 20675 own Web site,
Official U.S. PlayStation Magazine
NAMCO SURPRISES
New-release in
ith almost monthly previews of games like Tekken 4 and Soul Calibur 2, we seem to be cov- ing Namco a lot these days. But how п you blame us? The company just “continues to dish out great PS2 soft- ware. And with a lot of stuff going on ind the scenes these days at Namco, decided to give you a little overview ihat to expect from them in the com- ing year or so. First off—and likely what has us nost excited aside from Namco's online
ies mentioned on the previous two jes—is the news that Ridge Racer 6
will be hitting Japan this November.
No Ridge Racer has disappointed из
thus far, so we can’t wait to get our
hands on this one. When can we expect
a U.S. version? Early 2003 is sounding
quite likely.
Soul Calibur 2 is already starting to go on test in select American arcades and a home version hits Japan it October. Namco insiders have that we can expect the gam: early 2003 as well.
Another Namco title that kept very secret thus far i here). It's a game that is beini oped in tandem with a CG movie of the same name, and it stars a girl lost оп а mysterious planet (voiced by Kirsten Dunst). Interestingly, since Chaman Productions [the co-partner in the project) is working on the movie and game in two French locations, and Namco is working on the game from its Japanese offices, the two called upon NXN Technologies to build a high-speed server to transfer all of the over 120,000 images being generated for both projects. Sounds
APRI
like a massive undertaking.
Other recent Namco revela- tions: The company is working on a port of its arcade light- gun shooter Ninja Assault for the PS2 as well as develop- ing the new shooter Time Crisis 3. And for RPG fans, Namco confirmed a new Tales of Destiny for the PS2. Not surprisingly, for racing fans Namco also has Moto GP3 іп the works. And good old Mr. Driller is said to be making an appearance on the PS2 soon too.
In terms of U.S. releases, we do have some bad news. Microsoft did indeed sign а contract with Namco to get exclusivity over Dead to Rights for three months, so we PS2 owners probably won't get to see it until August. But we'll
_ still be getting Tekken 4 and Xenosaga, both around September. before that, Pac-Man Fever, which es a whole bunch of Namco ters in a bunch of mini-
Dead to Rights
from one of PS2's biggest
CALENDAR
Б FRIDAY 7 SUNDAY
* High Crimes with |» Russell Crowe Morgan Freeman | shares his 38th and Ashley Judd | birthday with in theaters. Jackie Chan,
who's looking
3 WEDNESDAY
• Eddie Murphy is 41, David Hyde Pierce is 43, Alec Baldwin turns 44 while
10 у/ғомеволу | 12 FRIDAY
«Haley Joel Osment is 14, Mandy Moore is 18, Steven Segal is 50, and John
12 tuespay
» David Letterman |» VIP, Worms negotiates his Blast, Rayman way to 55. The Arena, Sweetest Thing Headhunter, with Cameron Spider-Man and
Marlon Brando ә 9 surprisingly Madden cele- Diaz and No One Lives celebrates being =] good for 48. brates 66 with a Christina Forever are in 78. Э... x six-legged Applegate hits stores today. | turkey. theaters 18 тниясолү | 19 FRIDAY 20 saturvay | 26 FRIDAY 27 saturday | 28 зомолу
* Сагтеп Еесіга has made it to 30,
* Conan O'Brien is a year away from
* Hayden "Darth" Christensen is a
40 and Eric 1 mere pup at 21. | and Clint Howard һауе avery} Kate Hudson is is still 4 famous 27 and Ashley weird- 3 sister” Judd celebrates | looking ж Roberts | her 34th birthday] at 43. is 46. at The Scorpion
King.
e Jet Li, amazing- ly, is actually 39. The ludicrous American Psycho 11 is іп theaters.
• Dark Angel hottie Jessica Alba is 21 today, while Penelope Cruz is 28. Jay Leno is 52 while every- body's favorite bad guy, Saddam
Hussein, is 65.
e Casey "Zoiks" Kasem is 70 and Kiss guitarist Ace Frehley is 51, although
All dates are correct as of pre pretty certain the birthdays are correct. We apologize for the Ace Frehl
y pho
ime. Any inaccuracies have nothing to do with us, although we're ider. Stop reading this now and go back to the big words, OK?
et your new instructor.
VF4 is revolutionizing the fighting genre with ground-breaking graphics, an all-new Strategic attack and defense system, and a sophisticated training mode that enables you to become a champion martial arts warrior. Get the ultimate in hand-to-hand combat on a next generation
gaming system. PREPARE FOR A BEATING. TEEN PlayStation.2 LE
SEGA is registered in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. SEGA and Virtua Fighter are registered trademarks of SEGA Corporation. Presented by SEGA € SEGA-AM? Со. LTD./SEGA CORPORATION, 2001. www.sega.com ‘PlayStation’ and the “PS Family logo are registered trademarks of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Visit www.esrb.org
or call 1-800-771-3772 for more info.
tem nge г ous machines on the planet. Thi i one game that looks, feels and. almost smells like the real thing.
"— 4Get Your Dirt onr a Е E EI =
Metal Gear Solid 2 won by an overwhelming margin consider- ing the strength of the competition. Then again, MGS2 was the most anticipated game ever created. And whether or not you liked the ending, MGS2 lived up to the hype in ways we couldn't foresee, So much so that we've even learned to love Raiden.
Operating Officer, Mr. Dick Wnuk: "As the leading PlayStation maga- zine, we recognize that OPM speaks to some of the most well-informed and savvy gamers. At Konami, we strive to deliver games that live up to these gamers' expectations. We are thrilled to receive this award— not only because it is coming from the “official” PlayStation magazine,
but because it represents a stamp of approval from the gamers themselves.
Thanks to all for supporting the game."
- %
Accepting for MGS2 is Konami Chief
To be completely honest, until the very = last minute we were fairly convinced "e that Grand Theft Auto IIl was going to
win. It was so close that when we
talked about putting money on it, it was even odds. Truth is, Final Fantasy X hit late in the year and
Accepting for FFX is Producer, Mr. Yoshinori Kitase: "On behalf of the Final Fantasy X team, | would like to thank our fans around the world and especially those who voted FFX the PS2 Game of the Year. It is a great
honor to receive this award. This being the first Final
Fantasy for the PS2, we faced numerous challenges, but
our goal remained the same—to create the best RPG
ever. Our efforts proved successful in the welcome recep- tion we saw after its release in Japan and in the U.S. This award is a great encouragement for our future pro- jects to come."
Was there ever any doubt that Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3 would win this award? The THPS series is the reason this category even exists. And because of it, we comfortably use terms like Ghetto Bird, Sacktap апа Fandangle with-
A $
out cracking a smile. Oh, and the graphics upgrade helped, too. Right?
Accepting for THPS3 is Neversoft President, Mr. Joel
Jewett: ^ "Thanks! This means a lot to : $ | us because it's from the peo- | / 2 ple for whom we Work: the 4 people who buy our games.
There аге а lot of good: games that we-compete with, so this is the type
of recognition that will motivate us for next year...wait till youcheck
out what we have going for next time around.”
Readers’ Choice
Awards 2001
32) Official U.S. PlayStation Magazine
Ба If back-to-back championships are tough to win in real sports, 6 what about back-to-back Sports Game awards for a video-game series? Madden made it happen with fine technical play, a rewarding franchise mode, and the chance to decapi- tate a wide receiver going over the middle.
Accepting for Madden 2002 is Executive Producer, Mr. Steven Chiang: “Thanks to OPM and all of the readers for this honor. Madden NFL 2002 would not have been possible without the amazing team of talented programmers, artists and designers who do whatever it takes to make a great game. Every year the competition increases, and these guys continue to take our game to the next level. A special thanks to all of the Madden fans who make this game so popular.”
Probably the first real mega-hit for the PS2, and beyond any shadow of a doubt, the finest driving game on the system by a long, long мау. Judging by the results of the voting, we can only surmise that the measly votes for the alternatives were posted by game-publisher representatives and not by folks who know a good car game.
Accepting is GT3 Producer and Sony Computer Entertainment's own, Kazunori Yamauchi:
“When we released the first Gran Turismo, back in 1997, we didn't expect this many people to catch оп and play this game. Throughout the series of the Gran Turismo franchise, we have always tried our best to bring the highest- quality driving experience into the living room. To have GT3: A-spec selected as the best racing game by the OPM readers is truly a great honor and very much
appreciated by our team."
You can steal a car of your choosing, then invite a hooker into your new ride. You can go on a killing spree with a baseball bat or a shotgun or an Uzi. You can jump your car from Liberty City's most conveniently placed ramps. All this before you start a mission. Once you “start,” you can put an end to drug car- tels, take out gangsters, and work alongside crooked cops. You better believe GTA3 won Best Action Game.
Accepting for GTA3 is Rockstar Games’ very own Mr. Terry Donovan: “We are delighted by the response to Grand Theft Auto III. The fact that a game aimed squarely at adults with such a heady mixture of creativity and technology could strike such a resounding emotional chord with gamers nationwide, and be the number-one-selling video game of 2001, is a huge validation for the work put in by Sam [Houser] and the team headed up by Les Benzies in Scotland. But it isn't only a triumph for us—it is a hugely positive step for a maturing industry which is set to domi- nate global enter- tainment in the years to come."
Most years, this category would be much more fiercely fought (pun intended), but 2001 was an odd one for the genre because so few examples were released. Of the bunch, DW3 was clearly the finest fighter.
Accepting for Dynasty Warriors 315 Koei's VP of Sales & Marketing, Amos Ip: “We are honored to receive such an exceptional award in such a competi- tive category. With Dynasty Warriors 3, we have expanded on our own tactical action series and provided what we believe is one of the most original and exciting games for the PS2. Over 1 million units have sold worldwide, but no matter what we say on our end, it's the consumers who end up with the biggest voice. We thank you for that."
Official U.S. PlayStation Magazine (83)
You can’t go wrong when there аге two wonderful
games іп one package. Final Fantasy IV obviously got
everyone worked into a frenzy, but the real gem here is >
Chrono Trigger. Few games get people all frothy with 3 o
>- excitement, but RPG fans become visibly aroused
whenever this game is mentioned. How many games can you say that about? Only the latest Tony Hawk even came close to competing.
Accepting for FF *& Chronicles is Chrono
` Trigger Producer, Mr.
Kazuhiko Aoki:
"This is so exciting! | remem- ber back when we came up with [Chrono Trigger]. We wanted to create “а completely new game that no one had cre- ated.' Our biggest chal- lenge was to figure out how to create a consistent view of the worlds while the story took place in several different time periods. It's been seven years since it first came out on the Super Famicom (in Japan) and to know that the game is still played and loved by our fans is such a great feel- ing. | would like to take this moment to thank еуегу- one who was involved in putting together this project—both the original and the 'remake' versions."
than Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3. Nothing happens, right? That's because ТНР53 was the year's only game that made the effort to go online so you could play your best friends from San Diego, Bismarck and Miami at a festive game of Slap! all at the
sarne time. Pretty vua УТИ
obvious why it won Best Multiplayer Game.
Nothing else stood a chance. Square's latest proved what could be done with the power of the PS2,
and we all fell in love with it It's emotional, exciting, gor- geous and pushes the fran- chise ever forward.
Again, accepting for THPS3 is Neversoft President, Mr. Joel Jewett: “Thanks everybody. Our biggest goal is to keep as many people entertained as we can...no rest for the wicked. We are Accepting for FFX is Battle Director, Mr. Toshiro Tsuchida: working on messing up a Теу/ тпоге college edu- “On behalf of the Final Fantasy X team, | would like to thank OPM and cations with our next installment.” the readers for honoring FFX as Best RPG of 2001. As with every installment of Final Fantasy, we faced many challenges in creating this title. Not only are we excited about receiving this award, but this also encourages the staff working on the upcoming FFs. They will be motivated to create a better Final Fantasy! | would also like to take this moment to thank each and every person who was a part of putting together this remarkable game.”
@) Official U.S. PlayStation Magazine
STANT
PlayStatione2 E
SCREEN GEMS
bam! Brings Two Movies to the Smaller Screen
While translating a movie into a video game is still a tricky busi- ness (the new Spider-Man game notwithstanding), bam! Entertainment plans to convert two upcoming films —Reign ОҒ Fire with Matthew McConaughey and Christian Bale (check out this month's previews for that опе), and Ecks Vs. Sever with Antonio Banderas, Lucy Liu and Ray Park—into games for the PS2. The two movies are due out in July and November of this year, respectfully, with their corre- sponding games slated to be released at around roughly the same time.
Though Ecks vs. Sever is still in post-production, details of the game conversion have already leaked out. In Ecks, the story of two super spies (Banderas and Liu) trying to kill each other will serve as the basis for а first-person shooter (see the first, albeit early, screen above).
Despite strong ties to the cine- ma though, bam! has not yet announced whether Ecks will fea- ture the voices of the movie actors for the PS2 game. However, given the stars involved,
everyone is hopeful deals can be reached, Park is a PS2 owner with a penchant for Time Crisis, Tekken and Gran Turismo, and Liu recently voiced the character of Elisa in SSX Tricky. Even Banderas seems open to the idea. "| am not very much into [games]," he told us in a recent interview, “but I’m pretty easy when it comes to these things. Anything that helps the movie.” —Greg Edwards
Official U.S. PlayStation Magazine
PS2 RENTAL ROUNDUP
Not ready to commit? Check out ОРМ% quarterly look at the best rental options for a short-term gaming fix.
© = Take it for а test drive
® = Short but sweet
= Weird and wacky
@ = Overlooked gem
@- Try something new
® = Play with your pals
Burnout Acclaim 000%
Drakan: The Ancients’ Gates Sony CEA
Gitaroo Man
Grandia И Ubi Soft
Hot Shots Golf 3 Sony CEA
James Bond Agent Under Fire
EA Games
M Legends of Wrestling Acclaim eet
Mad Maestro Fresh Games/Eidos өөө
“| Maximo: Ghosts to Glory
Capcom еее
Mister Mosquito Fresh Games/Eidos еге
NFL Blitz 2002
PaRappa the Rapper 2 Sony CEA
|4 Shadow Hearts Midway ccoo
The Simpsons Road Rage EA Games •
Sled Storm EA Sports BIG 000
Smash Court Tennis Pro Tourn.)
Namco eoe
(State of Emergency Rockstar өөө
Tiger Woods PGA Tour 2002 EA Sports ecce
( Y ) = Only worth the cost of a rental
Want some story with your Tony Hawk-style gameplay? Then check out Airblade, a gorgeous game dripping with style. Beware the steep learning curve and goofy controls, though.
A remarkably unique racer that's been criminally over- looked. The gimmick? Races are set on public roads packed with bustling traffic, resulting in a tense, thrilling joyride.
The perfect adventure for gamers weaned on PC-style RPGs, Drakan offers a fairly open quest with a solid story, tons of combat and, best of all, dragons that you can ride!
Don't believe us when we say that a game involving a young girl who fights ghosts with а camera is just as creepy as the Silent Hill series? Then try it out yourself, tough guy!
Like most music games, Gitaroo Man is short-lived with lit- tle replay value. But the offbeat graphics, varied soundtrack and unique interface make this one game to check out.
There's lots to love about this RPG, thanks to its brilliant bat- tles, stellar music and sharp dialogue. But it's got enough technical woes that you should rent it first, just to be иге
Perhaps you think golf games are for fuddy-duddies. How wrong you are! Check out Hot Shots’ wacky, arcadey but deep duffing, and you'll be hooked. Best with three other players.
Although it's just as good as the Nó4's fabulous GoldenEye, Under Fire is over far too quickly. But even after you beat it in six hours, you can still enjoy the solid multiplayer modes.
If the name Superfly Snuka gets you giddy with nostalgia, then hit the mats with this mediocre game. A quick rental,
though, should be more than enough to fulfill your rasslin’ fix.
A strange concept even for hardcore music-game fans, Mad Maestro puts you in the role of an orchestra conductor. Тһе all-classical playlist, though impressive, isn't for everyone.
We expected more from this homage to the classic Ghosts 'n Goblins, but the monotonous gameplay, cheapo deaths and horrific save system really let us down. See if you agree,
As fun as it is bizarre, this mosquito simulator deserves to be played. Fanboys will surely rush out to buy Mister Mosquito; the rest of you are probably better off renting it.
Once you adjust to using the joypad, Blitz 2002 offers an unparalleled arcade-like experience. Now you can re-create the mayhem of over-the-top football in your living room.
Better than Um Jammer but not quite as good as the first PaRappa, this sequel is still great fun, but after you beat it in a few hours, you're not likely to get much more out of it.
One of the coolest, trippiest games ever. At its core, Rez is ап old-school shooter—and a short one at that. But the intense visuals and music-based action just have to be experienced.
Overshadowed by FFX, this quirky RPG slipped by almost unnoticed. The graphics are barely passable for PS2, but the
fun battle system and dark yet humorous story make up for it.
A blatant Crazy Taxi ripoff, but Simpsons fans will get a kick out of all the characters and references. Even so, the limited gameplay and numerous glitches make this a rental at best.
Sled Storm fans will be disappointed that this is just SSX on snowmobiles. SSX fans will love that this is SSX on snowmo- biles. Either way, it's just not deep enough for a purchase.
The perfect game for a court date with your gal pal, Smash Court is also deep enough for a weekend tourney among hardcore sports fans, Too bad the unlockables are so limited.
Don't be fooled into thinking this is the second coming of GTA3. Rockstar's riot game may be fun for a weekend quick- ie, but the flaws are as numerous as the on-screen looters.
Virtual duffers already know all about the Hot Shot series. But here's the thing: Some of us at OPM liked this year's Tiger Woods even better. Hit the Links to see what you think.
= Good but flawed
www.bloodline.com 'uba series 12/20
shop online at еско.сот
DMX - THE GREAT DEPRESSION in stores now
(919) DME PRESENTS... RES - COminc soon!
є
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‘ecko unltd.
CODEMASTERS.COM
isit www.estb.org or all 1-800-771-3772 for Rating Information. Codemasters
GENIUS AT PLAY
Software Company Limited ("Codemasters"), All rights reserved, “Codemasters” and the Codemasters logo are registered trademarks owned by Codemasters. "Mike 5” Family logo are registered trademarks of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. Microsoft, Xbox, and the Xbox logos are either registered trademarks or trademarks. ГІ icon is а registered trademark of the Interactive Digital Software Association. All other copyrights or trademarks are the property of their respective owners. <
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Pound 'em with over 600 power punches, illegal moves, signature blows and combos. The P&IN™ facial damage engine delivers the most brutal boxing ever.
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Y 4
Marvel at our use of the word "crapulescence"
the last year were. It's time to look at the other side of things. We've compiled an excruciating list of the 31 worst games ever made for the PS one. Games so bad that you might even want to hunt them down to experience the putrescence yourself. But
B y now you've read the Readers' Choice feature and learned what the best games of
that's the number we came up with. Got a problem with that, tough guy? Huh? No, thought not. Obviously this is just the 31 that we've singled out for public ridicule, but you know what's coming next, right? Yep...we want you to tell us all about the games you think should be called out for their crimes against fun. E-mail us the games you hate,
probably not. Be warned: Wanton bashing is contained herein—but really, it's all in fun.
And if it's too loud, you're too old...or something. Why did we pick 31? Because, well,
We imagine the marketing meeting for this one must have gone something like this: "Hey, the critics hated ESPN Extreme Games for its ridiculous fram- erate, shoddy graphics, mind-numbing gameplay and blatant exploitation of those extreme sports the kids seem to be into these days...so let's make a sequel! And we won't change a thing! It's gold, pure gold." Sadly, the public was exactly as desperate for extreme sports as those marketing weasels had hoped.
Armorines: Project S.W.A.R.M.
Publisher: Acclaim
In this first-person shooter, you play a character described as a”virtually inde- structible fighting force," who can't seem to walk 10 steps without getting, well, destructed. But beyond its contra- dictory premise, you'll find so much more to love. Like ugly, cliché, horribly animated enemies; awful, monotonous graphics; choppy framerate; and a story that seems to have slipped out the back door when no one was looking. No, it's OK. Don't bother looking for it.
along with a suitably effusive diatribe to орт? GAMES EVER" and we'll print the best, worst, ei
1/3!
0;30'30
POSITION 5/6
We think this was originally intended to be a lawnmower-racing simulator, until The Straight Story came out and threat- ened a copyright-infringement suit. OK, so that’s a pretty weak theory, but we
figure it had to be something. Otherwise,
we have no idea why this racer (апа by “racer,” we mean “cure for insomnia”) ever made it to stores. It’s possible that the game would seem exciting if you were on Valium. But then, so would The Straight Story.
iff
vis.com. Mark your e-mails "WORST
„whatever in a future issue.
This isn't the first awful Batman game to release on a console, nor the last. It's not even the worst. How much more lackluster can you get—it doesn't even excel in its badness! This attempt to build a Caped Crusader adventure is a radiant example of why superhero games have gotten such a bad rap over time. Ugly, glitchy and just plain poorly thought-out, this stinker still can't hold a candle to Batman Beyond, our next lucky contestant.
Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker Publisher: Ubi Soft
Ladies and gentlemen, it is our distinct displeasure to present what may very easily be the worst superhero game ever made—and yes, that’s counting that Superman game on the №4. It's not enough that this game is hair-tearingly hard [you will scream until you cry until you laugh, or maybe just pound your fist into a convenient wall or, you know, sib- ling), but get this: You can't save your game. You get to do all 16 levels in one delirious sitting.
(40) Official U.S. PlayStation Magazine
| Publisher: Accolade:
Let's see: Take a hideously illustrated 3D world so bland that you can barely dis- tinguish between foreground and back- ground. Sprinkle on a dusting of annoy- ing music and irritating sound effects. Then throw in a supposedly “wisecrack- ing” animal mascot with “attitude.” No, we're not talking about Gex 3D—Gex 3D was a virtual comedic tour de force compared to this train wreck. Come to think of it, that's not really fair. A train wreck is far more interesting.
You know how in that song "The Gambler" Kenny Rogers sings about knowing when to walk away and know- ing when to run? It's time to run. This one definitely falls into the "What In the Name of All That Is Holy Were They Thinking?" category. It's a casino game with an interface that's all but unusable, graphics that are all but illegible, and virtually no redeeming qualities whatso- ever. It's almost as if it goes out of its мау to annoy you.
184771
22212121207
жо жа»
Centipede
Publisher: Hasbro
Witness what may be the lowest point of the Great Retro Gaming Movement of 1999. Only Frogger on PS2 seems to have strayed further from its roots; but at least that game was marginally playable. Not only does Centipede force you into an ugly, 3D world characterized by an awful framerate and controls that mock the simplicity of the original, it keeps you there by occasionally trapping you between poorly joined bits of hideous scenery.
Contra: Legacy of War
Publisher: Konami
So 2Xtreme may lead you to wonder what could be worse than making an awful sequel to an awful game. Konami is happy to provide an answer: making an awful sequel to a great game! In this case, it was one of the games the Konami empire was built upon, and old- school fans were, shall we say, less than pleased. This newfangled "3D" thing had gotten so big all of a sudden, it must have been too tempting to pass up. You, however, should.
The Crow: City of Angels
Publisher: Acclaim
15 it a fighting game? Is it an adventure game? We couldn't figure it out. Trouble was, neither could Acclaim. Too slow to be a fighting game, too shallow to be an adventure game (well, now that we mention it, it was too shallow to be a fighting game, too), City of Angels fell into a limbo not unlike the postmortem state of its main character. Ridiculous animations, cheesy cutscenes, and that laughable excuse for a story—pure movie magic.
We disqualified a lot of kid games because they just presented too big of a target, but this one deserves special mention. Is it as terrible as the leg- endary freak of nature that was E.T. for the Atari 2600? No, not quite. But would you believe it comes close? Possibly the only redeeming quality of this game is the momentary giggle we got from watching E.T. galumph around like a drunken chimp. Turn on your heart- light—put this one out of its misery.
MN
The Fifth Element
Publisher: Activision.
The Fifth Element, the film: a quirky, underrated sci-fi action-adventure. The Fifth Element, the game: a pure, unadul- terated heap of doodie so staggeringly heinous that it almost seems as if the designers set out to discover the small- est possible quantity of fun necessary to allow a product to technically qualify as a "game." Ugly, clumsy, possessing only the most tenuous relation to the film, this was the first title to earn a half-disc in OPM. Fear it.
Flintstones Bedrock Bowling Publisher: SouthPeak
At last someone came out with the per- fect game for the overworked profes- sional or harried stay-at-home mom: Bedrock Bowling! Why? Because it's possible to start a game, put down the controller, go have a bite, mow the lawn, do a load of laundry, balance your checkbook, finish that Powerpoint pre- sentation, pick up the kids from school, come back, and routinely earn an aver- age score—or higher! Better yet, it isn't even really a bowling game!
If we knew any of the girls who were roped into doing the eye-gouging full- motion video in this terrifying excuse for a racing game, we'd be embarrassed. Actually, we don't know any of them and we're still embarrassed. It's a shame- less whoring of a shameless license, and even if you're the type to be titillated by the T&A, it won't be enough to make up for the cringe-worthy "acting," or the offensive control and soporific pace of the "racing."
IHRA Drag Racing Publisher: Bethesda
Drag racing: It's racing, in a straight line. Is it really possible to mess it up that badly? You bet it is! АЦ you have to do is focus almost exclusively on the races themselves. Because it's racing, in a straight line. Don't worry about all that extra stuff that makes the sport interest- ing for those who follow it; kids these days just want to race. In a straight line. Of course, it helps to include graphics so nasty that you'll feel like you died and went to 1996.
Iron & Blood
Publisher: Acclaim
Picture a fighting game with a framerate so terrible that it's sometimes difficult to judge whether your character actually performed the move you just punched in. Now imagine viewing this game through a magical lens that cunningly shifts your focus to the most awkward, useless spot. Now imagine the lens is a +5 Great Lens of Agony (ог something equally D&D-ish; work with us here). What you're imagining is Iron & Blood. Never imagine it again.
It's got great graphics—for a 16-bit game. It's got memorable characters, as long as you don't think too much about the rest of the comic-book world. It makes an acceptable throwing disc, won't leave a mess, and won't actually break your PlayStation. It's got a totally bitchin' heavy-metal soundtrack. It's one of many superhero side-scrollers from the early days of the PS one. If you pass it on the street, avert your eyes. Maybe it'll go away.
41 por oor
Judge Dredd Publisher: Activision
This game lets you shoot guns. And by that, we don't mean it lets you fire guns. Well, of course, it does that too; it is, after all, a light-gun game. But what we're saying here is that many of the enemies in this game are guns. They just sit there, shooting at you. Sure, some of the (really ugly, and really slow] enemies aren't guns, but come on. Would you want to play a light-gun game in which you spend your time shooting at stupid guns? No? Didn't think so.
Killing Zone
Publisher: Acclaim
Remember how we told you never to imagine Iron & Blood again? We're going to have to take that back, because now we want you to imagine a bad knockoff of Iron & Blood, with the same awful framerate and camera lif not worse!], but with overdone, cliché horror-movie monsters instead of overdone, cliché D&D characters. That's Killing Zone. Now go wash your brain out or some- thing, because that image had to have left quite a residue.
And now, an excerpt from Gary's Mort the Chicken review: "I finished the entire game in just a few hours, so the pain was mercifully limited." After that ring- ing endorsement, we'll excuse you if you need to run right out to find a copy of this 3D puzzle-platformer for your very own. Then you too will be able to experi- ence the dizzying camera, the shoddy controls, the ridiculous mess that pass- es for story, and the excruciating "music." What are you waiting for?
т ig
The first Runabout (known as Felony 11- 79 here in the U.S.) was Driver before Driver was a glint in Reflections’ eye. And at the time, the ultra-simplistic graphics and single-frame, hopping pedestrian animations seemed inten- tionally comical. But when Runabout 2 came along, it turned out that these, ah, eccentricities were actually inadequa- cies, and weren't really very funny at all. The slip-slidey controls were no laugh- ing matter, either.
Publisher: Agetec
Can you think of a single good reason why a miniature-golf game might have a seizure-inducing, strobe-like framerate? What's using up all that processing power? Is the CPU busy calculating the unearthly physics? The superhuman accuracy of the computer-controlled opponents? The complex algorithms required by the "wacky" (read: dumb] course hazards? Or perhaps the com- puter is simply as turned off by this ter- rible game as we were.
MP
The King's Field series, though dis- turbingly popular in Japan, has generally met with fairly lukewarm reviews here. Which is why it's perplexing that anyone bothered to release this terrible sequel, which isn't even really a sequel, but is instead more or less the exact same game with a different name. Oh, some of the finer points may have been changed to protect the guilty, but when you come down to it, it's still a brain-numbingly slow first-person dungeon crawler.
You know, maybe some sort of mixup happened in the processing plant between Racing and IHRA Drag Racing or something. Lord knows this 10-dollar gem's game engine isn't really designed to capitalize on the finer points of rac- ing—like, say, turning. At first the ridicu- lously dated, retina-searing graphics, godawful controls and virtual lack of any standard racing-game features [other than, well, driving) made us laugh a lot. Then we just cried.
TO PLAY
ЕНЕ disc: 000 cre
Revolution X Publisher: Acclaim
Aerosmith. Shooting games. Like choco- late and peanut butter, right? Well, no. Especially when the graphics are so piti- fully bad that you have a hard time dis- cerning whether you've actually hit one of your targets or not. And especially when the game’s saturated with short, shrieking music samples that make you want to jam a ballpoint pen (ог ball-peen hammer; you choose] forcefully into your eardrum. Гуе got your sweet emotion right here, buddy.
(Сл
South Park Series
Publisher: Acclaim
South Park, South Park Rally and South Park: Chef's Luv Shack: three awful games that prompted us to create an award for attaining the elusive Hat Trick of Crap. These were obviously a shame- less attempt to milk a temporarily white- hot license. The only one of the three that's even marginally playable is South Park Rally, though that's sort of like say- ing that sticking a fork in your eye is “marginally enjoyable" because it won't always kill you.
Publisher: Take 2
We keep bashing the hell out of these third-person shooters, but you folks keep buying them up like they come packaged with an all-expenses-paid trip to heaven. So don't mind us; we'll just be over here, doing our thing, and you all can keep ignoring us and performing the retail equivalent of punching yourselves in the face. We forgive you, we really do. Guess we're just going to have to agree to disagree on these things. Just please don't let it happen again.
295
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OK, try to keep up on this one. It's a game...based on a movie...based on а game. But the movie-game doesn't real- ly bear any resemblance to the game- дате--5ігее! Fighter: The Game is а legendary fighter. Street Fighter: The Movie: The Game is a Mortal Kombat ripoff legendary for its crapulescence. The more we think about it, the more perplexing and paradoxical it seems. Have we discovered antimatter? This is making our brains hurt.
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Powerboat Racing Publisher: Interplay
Well, it filled an empty niche on the PlayStation, that crucial boat-racing genre. That's about all we can say about the game that's good. The graphics were nauseating, the controls were terrible, and the framerate made us sick, and then angry because we were sick. We had to dig pretty deep to remember this one, because we'd apparently sup- pressed the memories so as not to cause any more emotional damage. We'd like to move on now.
World Destruction League: Thunder Tanks ; Publisher: 3DO : The PS one incarnation of what was at the time a fairly adequate N64 game (well, we've heard the multiplayer mode was pretty passable, at least) suffered from the translation in all the worst ways. The graphics were glitchy and sickly, the controls were nothing short of terrible, and the framerate was like watching a stop-motion animation about tanks made by someone who didn't know anything about tanks, or stop- motion animation.
Does the fact that this crime against humanity was made for kids excuse the lack of any kind of redeeming quality? No, we don't think so either, especially considering the fact that the unrespon- sive controls, horrible music and almost impressively bland level design actually make it more difficult to play than, well, any other extreme-sports game. Does the $10 price do the trick? No, not unless you really do enjoy punching yourself in the face.
the troublemaker
He likes it sour
mONSteR мерси 500г
SweeT On YOU.
We wanted them to be Life Savers. © They don't саге what we want.
©2002 KF Holdings.
A сүреде With a flick of the wrist, you can throw a virtual ball at the screen, causing ripples.
Say hello to iToy, a revolutionary new technology from Sony that takes any digital camera and reads your move- ment with it, allowing you to use anything as a controller.
Sony has demonstrated this technology at European trade shows in the past, and it really does work. OPM has seen a demo that uses a foam bat to control a sword; every movement is translated perfectly on-screen. Additionally, there have been demos that make use of your own body for control, such as using your hand to brush away spiders or even using your arms as wings іп а flight simulator.
How far off is this from appearing in your living room? If rumors are to be believed, you won't have long to wait. Given Sony's claim that "any USB camera” is supported and the surge in popularity of digital cameras, they're keen to get this out into stores soon. Rumblings from British publi- cations suggest that SCE Europe may pack in a low-cost camera with a game within the next six months and possi-
bly even bundle it with the system at no extra cost. The most curious
Г part of this tale is that
the flagship game for i ғ this technology is sup- ^ posedly Harry Potter 4 and the Chamber of " Secrets. Though it seems unlikely (Harry Potter is an EA prop- erty, while Sony's London studio is work- ing on iToy games), the popularity of the Potter franchise would guarantee the suc- cess of iToy...and the game would be pretty cool if you could flick a wand to cast spells, wouldn't it?
The scope for this technology is astounding. Companies could introduce a whole range of new “controllers” which we can all afford without breaking the bank. Imagine taking real swings with a real bat at Curt Schilling's pitches. A bat would be a trusty tool in Grand Theft Auto, too.
The potential for toy tie-ins is also enormous. Imagine buying Mace Windu's lightsaber and being able to use it in a Jedi Lightsaber game—where your blade is recognized as being Samuel L. Jackson's.
Perhaps the coolest use, however, comes when you don't have any controller at all. Imagine using only your hands to manipulate the game. Black and White, a PC god game from Lionhead, has a hand as its cursor. Everything you do in that garne revolves around the hand. Want to move around the world? Grab the land and pull it toward you. Want to discipline your creature? Slap him. You get the idea. Currently, the mouse controls the hand. But wouldn't it be infinitely cooler if your real hand controlled that digital hand? And more to the point—wouldn't it be more natural? Why tie people up to using a standard controller when that barrier can be removed entirely?
An SCEA staff member demos how the digital camera can
track the red ball with the on- screen character following it.
(4a) Official U.S. PlayStation Magazine
ы ERN
B?
CURT SCHILLING
World Series MVP and High Heat ace loves to play, and we're not talking about baseball
r games (besides baseball games] do you like? I don't play a lot of baseball games; it's too much like work. (laughs) | prefer RPG, fantasy stuff. | play a ton of Everquest. | love WWII games, too. | just finished play- ing Medal of Honor.
Think you'll get a chance to be on the cover of one of those now that 300 has greased the wheels? | can't see me being a cover guy for anything else in the sports-gaming world, except maybe a “how not to play golf” game, should someone ever do that
When you were growing up, who were the guys you really wanted to emulate?
Nolan Ryan, Tom Seaver and J.R Richard.
At what a! pitcher? What other positions did you play in little league? | got serious about pitching when | was 18. Before that | played third base my whole life.
e did you decide to be a
Do you lon every fi
for the day: h day? Is unrealistic in today's baseball? Yes and no. It means more starts, more chances to compete, but at the same time | was "raised" in the five-man rotation.
of ? Do you say, "I want t at least 15 wins to consider myself suc ful’? Or is it more about being healthy and having quality start after quality start? Only one goal anymore: Stay healthy. Period. If | stay healthy, all the num-
Before a season starts, what kind
o you
ber goals will take care of them- selves. Plus, | feel putting numbers to goals really limits what you think you are capable of.
5 it to leave ia and how much ha ry helped you get g there? Do you feel like iondback now (ог when you'll go into the НОҒ)? Leaving Philadelphia was the hardest event, outside of being injured, in my career. But it was the best thing for both teams, and for me professional- ly. 1 never felt like the ownership [in Philadelphia] was as committed to winning as it wanted its players to be, and that can be a discouraging thing year after year. Showing up every spring feeling like you need every sin- gle break you get, just to hope to make the playoffs was not fun. Having said that, | will always be a Philly at heart. It was where my career really began, and the relation- ship my family and | have with the fans there will be something we always treasure
How diffi
a World Series means a lot of things have to go right, but repeating is probably more difficult. Only if you believe it is. But winning a World Series is hard no matter what you did the year before.
Winn
ve you been ridiculed by jealous teammates because you're on the cover of High Heat? Not yet. Gonzo [Luis Gonzalez) did the cover for some other baseball game this year, so my only hope is that HH outsells the "other guy."
photo by Jed Jacobsohn/Allsport -
DATA STREAM
Rayman Returns
In addition to its multiplayer racing game, Rayman Arena due out in spring, Ubi Soft is working on Rayman 3:
Hoodlum Havoc for this fall.
Prepare For C-12
LE да
Ж
SCE Europe's PS one action shooter С-12: Final Resistance (which we previewed all the way back in our Feb. 2001 issue) is finally headed for the U.S.! Look for it this July.
Running All About
Japanese developer Climax recently announced Runabout 3 for the PS2, this time taking place in NYC. There’s a good chance the action-driver will come to the U.S. since the first two did (the original was called Fellony 11-79 here).
Find Your Mark
Sony CEA is developing a new adventure-fighting game for the PS2 called Mark of Kri. It stars a warrior and a fierce bird. Look for it this summer.
and everybody's ` feeling it. Who can blame them? 115
Pac-Man’s most incredible adventure yet — with over 20 treacherous levels of Free Roaming landscapes to fight through. And with dozens of new enemies lurking around, Pac-Land isn’t just a Ghost town anymore. But no worries. Using а few old tricks — and some new ones — you'll be feeling Pac-Man's influence for a long time to come.
EVERYONE
namco
Mild Violence WWW.NAMCO.COM
PlayStation.2
THE LOST
Сгауе 5 Тһе Lost is now found. This game has been to hell and back. Yes, the game based on Dante’s Inferno is still under construction and we expect to see it on store shelves before summer's end.
In our July 2001 issue we told you The Lost was an adult-themed tale about Amanda who lost her only daughter, and planned on commit- ting suicide. Weighty topics, but when the devil arrives to strike a deal letting Amanda go into hell to find her daughter, The Lost begins.
We tracked down Ken Levine, Irrational Games’ GM, who has kept that game on track. He tells us why it’s been delayed.
“We showed the game at ЕЗ last year and the response was the same everywhere: People dug it. A lot. The problem was that we didn't honestly think it was all it should be. The gameplay was starting to be there, the sounds were there, the
story was there. But the visual representation of the game space wasn't what we wanted.
КОЛМА REVELATIONS
Director comments on the past and future of Metal Gear Solid
Speaking in London recently, Metal Gear Solid 2 director Hideo Kojima revealed a few of his personal feelings on MGS2 and how people have reacted to it, as well as his plans for the future of the series. First, addressing some of the negative feedback, Kojima was rather honest in say- ing that there were too many "passive cine- matic elements" and not enough game- play—a somewhat surprising admission from a man who clearly loves those ele- ments. He also said that Raiden was a "one- time" character, unlikely to return in a future installment—a good thing, since
Konami has received a constant stream of e- mails complaining about the character. Kojima was unrepentant, however. "Through Raiden, we get a new perspective of Snake; a new appreciation."
Interestingly, he also spoke about some behind-the-scenes aspects of the game including a character cut from the game. Dubbed the Chinaman by Kojima, he was to be a Jet Li-like character with a body tattoo of a dragon. When the Chinaman enters water, the tattoo "consumes" him and he becomes the dragon. The Chinaman was to have a lot of the powers that Vamp now pos- sesses, like walking on water and walls. He was even set to fight Raiden in the same room as the face-off with Vamp. Vamp him- self also went through radical changes—
originally a woman, with the removal of the Chinaman Vamp became a man...and was based on a famous Flamenco dancer. Which explains the music and dance.
And if you were bugged by Rose constant- ly asking Jack what day it is, blame Kojima and his faulty memory. Kojima's wife used the same tactic to see if he remembered their anniversary, and in typical male fash- ion, he forgot. Also on the subject of Kojima's love life, Rose happens to repre- sent his ideal woman—a smart, pretty sci- entist. Wonder how his wife feels about that?
On the future of the Metal Gear Solid
series, he reiterated the fact that he will likely not have a big involvement with Metal Gear Solid 3 [if indeed there is one], and alluded to the fact that the MGS series, which has generally dealt with the passage of information, also represents him teaching his team how to make MGS games. The des- tiny of the series is now in their capable hands.
As for Kojima's future, he remains mum on his personal plans, but did note that rumors of him doing a film are unfounded. For now. His love of film is evident whenever he speaks, but he insists that he's having fun making games, and that "when the time comes when | say to myself, ‘I think | have created enough games that | am very happy with,’ maybe | will do movies."
DREAM CAST
Seeing as it's a) flavor of the moment and b) signed up to be a feature film in the future anyway, we thought we'd take a stab at casting a movie version of State of Emergency. Obviously the bulk of any potential movie would involve a seething mass of bodies running around and the camera colliding with things for no apparent reason. If it were really true to the game, the same scene would be repeated 30 times too, but that’s probably thinking a little too literally.
Got any ideas for a Dream Cast of your own for another game? Send us your ideas at with the subject DREAM CAST.
We went to Crave and said, ‘You know that game you wanted next month? Well, how about next year?’
They said, ‘What?’
And we said, We believe our vision of the game is larger than what we currently have.”
And much to our pleasant sur- prise (and to their credit) they said, ‘If you think it will make a better game, go do it.
And so we re-examined our tech- nology and went in a different direc- tion. Where we used to have hun- dreds of polys, we now have 10s of thousands. Where we used to have gouraud shading, we now have light-mapping. Where we used to have a simpler animation system, we have now have full skeletal deformation. The list goes on.”
And our anticipation is rekindled
' > Ч. 74 Spanky: John Leguizamo : Bull: Ving Rhames Not the biggest guy in the Yes, Leguizamo is actually a Hmm...we need a big guy game, but he has some little, skinny, fast-talking with a bald head and fancy moves up his sleeve, funny guy but have you seen gigantic hands. It was a just like actor Paul Walker. him in that fat suit as the toss-up between Rhames After seeing him in movies clown in Spawn? He was and Michael Clarke Duncan, like The Fast and The awesome! He'd be perfect but the MCD may actually
MacNeil: Benjamin Bratt : Libra: Jessica Alba Freak: Paul Walker MacNeil, with his enor- We love Jessica Alba. She's mous forearms, needs to young and cute and sexy be a tough guy with a and tough. Perfect for the smoldering stare. Bratt sassy wronged attorney in needs to bulk up a little, State of Emergency. With all especially after wasting that high-kicking and ass-
Wanna get the scoop оп а game that's fallen off the radar? Then just send an
e-mail to орла. com with the away for Pifiero last year, whooping she does in Dark Furious or The Skulls, he for head-butting hombre be a bit foo big for grumpy ject "What Ever Happened to... but he could have what it Angel, she’s a perfect fit for seemed the perfect fit for Spanky. He'd be good for ex-con Bull and his devas- and we ll look into it for you. takes for this tough cop. Libra's fighting style too. this moody former hacker. some comic relief too. tating fighting style.
e) Official U.S. PlayStation Magazine
HOT-HEADED. COLD BLOODED... =
HER М Раат sea у
Third and first person cold blooded gameplay Cutting-edge stealth action
Meet Jack Wade. He's just woken up from а coma to discover he's missing most of his life - his memories, identity..even his mind. Пош he must embark оп a quest filled with mystery, murder and carnage in search of himself. Along the way he will confront ruthless killers, serpentine plots and his own enigmatic past
ae HEADHUNTER.
"Headhunter is already looking like it has what it takes to stand in the same place as Syphon Filter or Metal Gear Solid.” - OPM, January 2002
MATURE
Blood
PlayStation.e Ж<ісіпт
www.acclaim.com
Violence
‘CONTENT RATED BY ESRB
HEAD HUN of Sega Со
trademarks or trademarks
А recap of Toy Fair 2002
If it's mid-February in New York City, it's time for the annual American International Toy Fair. In many ways the E3 of the toy industry, Toy Fair offers a chance for toy companies to show off their goods for the year to come. Here are some of the cooler toys we saw this time around.
Hot off its white-hot Metal Gear Solid 2 line (still in stores if you haven't picked up yours already], McFariane Toys releases six action figures based on the adventures of Jubei Yagyu (the big guy to the right) later this year.
Even though Sony's RPG proved itself a disappointment last year, no one can deny the appeal of Okage's characters. These toys ain't cheap ($24.99 apiece], but each of the three packages does include two of the figures pictured, plus a Stan.
You might have heard about a little movie coming out this May based on this toy line (ог maybe it's the other way around].
(48) Official US. Plays, agazine
Hasbro's new Star Wars line debuts April 23, with tons of action figures (уер, that's that Jango Fett chap you've been hearing about pictured) and pretty much anything else you can imagine.
© Dragon's Lair 3D
AnJon's figures based on the 3D adaptation of the classic 1983 laserdisc game Dragon's Lair (see page 78) were one of the highlights of Toy Fair. Developed by Sculpt This, each toy not only looks great, but (unlike many game toys] yearns to be played with, most featuring multiple points of articulation.
Ө Final Fantasy X
Got some shelf space, Final Fantasy fans? You'll need it if you want to display all of these fine-looking soft vinyl statuettes from Koto. Each is built to scale at one-sixth the charac- ter's “actual” size—meaning about a foot. You'll also need some cash, as each of the eight available retails between $25 and $35.
Ө Metal Gear Solid
An action figure is one thing, but how do you think Solid Snake would react to knowing he's being marketed as a straight-up doll? As part of the Konami Doll Collection, all four of Toycom's Metal Gear Solid figures stand 12 inches tall.
№
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Contra Continues
The first Evil Dead game on the PS one had some issues—we can all pretty much agree on that. So when it came time to find a team worthy of putting 1 =
MIB II
THE NEXT i У
0 together a PS2 sequel, guess who THQ bagged to handle it? None other than Ё У *
8% nust PARES SPIDER-MAN STAR WARS Vis, the State of Emergency guys. OK, so maybe that game had a few issues А — 12% 32% too, but perhaps they'll hit paydirt this time around. Just imagine what this
39% license may allow the masters of gaming violence to come up with? Picture Ash running around and sawing through hordes of undead in the style of SoE. Cool, huh? Look for the second Evil Dead game to be ready by this fall. Also GAME DAD look for the man himself, Bruce Campbell, to once again lend his vocal talents. Here's the scenario: You're under 17 and desperately want that new “М”- rated game. But in order to do that, you have to convince mom or dad to buy it for you. How? Well, let's start off by enumerating the ways that won't work:
1. Not telling your parents it's “М”- rated. Most parents can read, and even the thickest parents by this time know === = = what an “М” rating means. Relying on parental obliviousness There Will Be A Short Intermission won't work all of the time. Between Panels Two And Three
2. Telling your parents that your friends’ parents got the game for them. Well, here's the thing: Your parents think your friends’
As Clish has hinted in the past, Konami is working on a new Contra game for the PS2. Now titled Contra: Shattered Soldiers, look for the action- shooter to release this fall.
More Onimusha
State of Emergency - А Drama In Three Acts
man with a shotgun and then
parens are morons, so this Lis of reasoning is not going to do к” и J stomping оп his corpse is wrong, still playing this? Maybe Even though Onimusha 2has anything to change that opinion. Also, parents hate being com- then I don't wanna І can just tape the yet to release in the U. pared negatively to other parents; it’s a sucker punch to their 0 button down. Capcom is already hard at
self-esteem. ( = work on a part 3. No details
3. Telling your parents all the really cool kids have the game. = yet, but rumor has it that Honestly. The last time your parents were cool, Duran Duran Samanosuke may return. roamed the Earth. It's been so long that they will use that “being cool doesn’t matter” line and actually believe it.
So how do you get them to buy that game? Here's a fresh approach: Be entirely honest with them about why you want it. And by "being honest," 1 don't mean "tell them what you think they want to hear.” І mean, tell them seriously why you want it, and why, especially if it’s "M"-rated, you can handle that game in a mature and responsible way.
That means that you actually have to know why you want the
game. Be totally honest with yourself: Why do you want, oh, let's Remember that late=Gosicutt
cartoon Robotech? If so, then
зау, State of Emergency? Don't try to delude yourself into argu- А : this PS2 cel-shaded Armored ing that you have a passing interest in the game's take on social re-style game from TDK inequities; that's the video-game equivalent of the “I get Playboy = But you should come as a real treat. for the articles” argument. If you want it because the idea of 5 just bought this It's based on the Macross saga, rioting and carnage is appealing to you, admit that—then try to s yesterdayl the first third of the Robotech
find out why that is, and what it says about you. С [ series. Look for it this fall.
This is called “critical self-examination,” and if you can 7 - explain yourself to yourself, you һауе a better chance of explain- Not So Lucky XIII ing yourself to your parents—and may have a better chance i = convincing them you сап handle а mature game. Most parents want to believe their kids know right from wrong, and have rea- sons for doing what they do, Prove you do. You might be sur- prised what they'll do then.
This is not to say your parents will cave. They might deny you anyway; mature kid or not, not every parent is going to be com- fortable with an *M"-rated game (and for good reason). But a шы» 1 7 4 Another cel-shaded game! maybe you'll get lucky and they'll explain their reasoning to you, к”. | f This time, a PS2 first: person as you did to them. That's communication with respect, and оше from Ма (Бан ап
| as XIII. Based on the Unreal II between the generations, that’s always a good thing. engine Un EE de
action and stealth elements Comments or questions for John Scalzi? Send 'em in to s and will release in early 2003.
john&Gscalzi,com. He loves getting mail.
Official U.S. PlayStation Magazine
raymanarena.com
а = x — m m Mild Violence TESA PlayStation.e Ubi Soft ESRB GAMECUBE. ` www.ubisoft.com
Make Your Dream Home Victor Interactive, PS2
Developers have been exploiting the PS2's power in unique ways. Vis used it to make a riot game with hundreds of people on-screen. Neversoft used it to take the Tony Hawk series online. Victor Interactive took it and made a home design game. But this isn’t just any home-design game. It’s perhaps the most ambitious home-design game in the history of home- design games. It puts you in the role of a virtual Christopher Lowell, charged with designing a home for a family on a bud- get. Score high enough and you move on to the next house, and the next, until all eight of the game’s houses have been given your unique brand of style. Of course, that’s not all. Rather than place generic objects throughout the house, you get brand- name furniture and appliances from some of Japan’s top com- panies (and, ahem, all sponsors of the game...clever, Victor, very clever), like Seiko and Matsushita. But wait, there's more! Why only settle for goods from the Land of the Rising Sun, when, thanks to a sponsorship deal with the Japan/Denmark Trade Center, you can fill your home with fancy Danish furni- ture? (And before you say it, no, IKEA is not Danish.) And it’s all via the easy-to-use Dual Shock interface, which Victor claims is far simpler than any PC CAD program. Delusions of grandeur, perhaps? Nah.
Г ы fA
OTHER GAMES
The Sims (PC): For anyone who's ever wanted a hot tub and a basketball court in their living room. It's the closest
game on the list to Make Your Dream Home, except it’s original, has personality, and Is actually, well, fun.
TimeSplitters (PS2): For anyone frustrated by opponents who know every square inch of every multiplayer level...design your own. And then revel in the power of knowing all of the secrets.
Deception (PS one): For anyone who's ever thought about designing a castle full of booby-traps to lure unsuspect- ing travellers to their doom...and
then watching it.
(52) Official 0.5. PlayStation Magazine
ONLY IN JAPAN
E
GHOST STORY
Fatal Frame's “true story" revealed
ver notice the "Based on a True Story" tagline associated with Tecmo's new horror title, Fatal Frame, but had no idea how that could mean? We investigated the mat- ter, discovering that the phrase "based on" is used in the loosest sense. Most of the story is as entirely original as the concept of a magic, ghostbusting camera. However, Fatal Frame does take inspiration from two Japanese ghost stories. First, the game's setting resembles a mansion outside of Tokyo where seven people were killed. The large house also includes an underground area (sound familiar?) where some have claimed to see bloody handprints on the walls. Many ghost sightings have been reported, and a girl's spirit often shows when a certain window is photographed. And remember the game's spirit hanged on a tree? The other legend revolves around an instance in which a young woman committed suicide in such a horrific way when she couldn't have her true love. After a young man chopped down the tree years later, people used its remains as firewood—many died mysteriously. Weird, huh? We'll let you decide if any of it is actually worth believing.
FALSE STARTS
Redline Racer 1998 - PC
TrickStyle 1999 - Dreamcast, PC
2001 - PS2
| Airblade J 2002 - Ps2
you'd like to see featured here? Send it to us at
A game of undersea sal- vage, trade and adventure; in other words, a uniquely PC-oriented game.
This motorcycle-racing game impresses with its visuals, but not much else.
with solid graphics, spec- tacular wipeouts, and not a whole lot of depth.
A futuristic extreme-sports racing title set on hover- boards.
Players pilot a one-man attack sub in defense of their underwater colony.
А racing game with a twist: Players are encouraged to drive recklessly, building up an adrenaline-fueled turbo.
An unofficial sequel to TrickStyle, this hoverboard game relies less on racing and more on missions.
Chances are you're more familiar with Criterion Studios than you think. See, in addi- tion to designing games that push the technological envelope, the company is also responsible for a nifty development tool known as Renderware. You've seen Renderware put into action in such games as MX 2002, Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3 (the PS2 version, anyway) and Grand Theft Auto Ill. But before it jumped into the PS2 mid- dleware business, Criterion got its feet wet designing games of its own. For the past six years, the company has unleashed a selective assortment of games that attempted to squeeze every ounce of power out of the technology of the day, culminating in this year's surprisingly adequate Airblade. Know a developer
with the subject FALSE STARTS.
Spectacular undersea graphics; the salvage and trade segments introduce an element of strategy.
Employed recently devel- oped MMX technology
One of the first games to require 3D acceleration; super-fast gameplay; a healthy roster of tracks.
Great graphics and style, plus a considerable amount of depth.
Fast action, excellent graphics, reasonably
Great graphics, spectacu- lar crashes, extraordinari- ly tight controls.
Some of the most amaz- ing graphics yet seen on the PS2; a solid variety of mission objectives.
The дате” fairly short, and
doesn’t offer a lot in the way of replay value.
Gameplay can't stand up to visuals; controls are touchy; A.l. leaves a lot to be desired.
Controls can take some get- ting used to; difficulty may be too tough for some at the beginning.
Crash cinemas get awfully old after a time; races can get excessively long.
Mission objectives can be unclear; difficulty ramps up quickly.
P.S.A.T.
(PlayStation Aptitude Test)
1. Which of these Spider- Man games wasn't based on the events of an actual story appearing in Marvel Comics?
a. Spider-Man: Return of th Sinister Six (NES, Game Gear)
b. Spider-Man/X-Men: Arcade's Revenge (Super NES, Genesis]
c. Spider-Man/Venom: Maximum Carnage (Super NES, Genesis]
d. Venom/Spider-Man: Separation Anxiety (Super NES, Genesis]
2. Which two of the follow-
ing musicians/bands have
never contributed music to
a Spider-Man game?
a. Eric Martin of Mr. Big
b. Jack Russell of Great White
c. Green Jelly
d. Ugly Kid Joe
3. Who of the following is not a supervillain appearing in the new Spider-Man game?
a. The Vulture
b. The Shocker
c. Doctor Octopus
d. The Scorpion
4. How many years have we been able to play Spider- Man video games?
5. What other real-time Strategy are the developers of Army Men RTS known for? a. Starcraft b. Warcraft И c. Command & Conqui
Red Alert d. Dark Reign II
6. What was Mad Maestro called in Japan?
a. Maestro Symphony
b. Bravo Symphony
c. Mad Symphony
d. Bravo Maestro
7. All-Star cover athlete Derek Jeter was the only player to do what?
a. Eat chicken before every single home game.
b. Win the All-Star game MVP and World Series MVP award in the same Season.
c. Steal 50 bases and hit 50 home runs in one season.
d. Complete a full season without making an error.
8. Which sequel was the second best-selling PS one game of the year?
a. Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 2 b. Driver 2
c. Gran Turismo 2
d. WWF SmackDown! 2
9. Of the top-10-selling PS2 games this year, what was the only one without a prequel?
10. Which two actors from
the movie Spider-Man con-
tributed original voice work
to the game?
а. Tobey Maguire and Willem Dafoe
b. Tobey Maguire and Kirsten Dunst
с. Kirsten Dunst and Willem Dafoe
d. "Macho Man" Randy Savage and Bruce Campbell
EOL 192/15 VON'6 4284449 P'S py d'e p pue qz qt, suemsuy
Clish MacLaver's
GOSSIP GOSSIP
Gossip, rumor and scandal. Gaming's biggest secrets dug up and served with gravy.
Watch out for more gossip online
when I team up with Electronic Gaming
Monthly's Quartermann on our Web site, Keep an eye out for
the Rumor Mill column.
X-MEN RPG COMING
While you may have heard some rumors of this one floating around, I've finally nailed down some solid info on the X-Men RPG in the works! It's actually pretty much a straightfor- ward action game, but it'll have lots of RPG elements like building up your characters’ stats. Best of all, though, the extremely well-respected devel- oper Raven (the guys who did the incredibly cool Jedi Knight on the PC as well as numerous other first-per- son games} is working on the project. Now the bad news, though: The game won't hit until early 2004. Yep, you read that right. Two years from now.
around the E3 show in May. Titled Wolverine's Revenge, the game should hit in early 2003. Looks like comic-book fans are going to have more than Spidey to get excited about this year.
CASTLEVANIA OUT THE WAZ00
Word was recently whispered in my ear about a potential Castlevania movie in the pipeline. Sources say Ang Lee was approached by Konami to possibly work on a movie based on the game series and he was especial- ly intrigued by the background tale to the awesome PS one game, Castlevania: Symphony Of The Night. Regarding the long-due PS2 Castlevania, I've heard it’s still on the drawing board, but we can expect a lot more than a fancy-looking 2D game. I'm expecting a full-on 3D
“Wwe can expect а lot more than a fancy-looking 2D game.”
In other X-men news, | somehow managed to land myself a sneak peek at Activision's upcoming Wolverine game and | can tell you quite honestly that it's looking very cool. You'll be able to see for yourselves soon, as the company plans to release media on it
BITS AND BOBS
The U.S. version of Tekken
game this time if my sources are cor- rect. Any rumors you may have heard saying that the upcoming Game Boy Advance Castlevania uses the ideas that were originally going to be in the PS2 game are completely untrue. And a bit weird when you think about it. A
will have a bunch of features not in the
Japanese version, which is a pretty cool thing since we're going to have to
wait so darn long for it. « There's currently lots of negotiation surrounding
the console rights to the LucasArts MMORPG S
tar Wars Galaxies. It’s a
Sony Online game, controlled by LucasArts and designed for PC. Microsoft
wants to sign it up for the Xbox, but it’s
l'l keep you posted. • Sticking with Star Wars
looked in awe at BioWare's
Knights of the
just as likely to be on PS2 instead
for a second, if you've
Old Republic in various Xbox
related publications, take heart in the knowledge that it could end ир
coming to PS2 as well. * ТУ.
up CSI with CBS, it now seems that ABC is
numerous publishers апа developers.
show games
are back in. After Ubi Soft signed
pitching an Alias game to
team is hard at work on the PS2 game and it should be ready by next year.
E-MAIL ME!
Got оте good gaming gossip?
Or anything you want to say to me? If you hear anything juicy, or get your hands on some cool screens or pictures, send me an e-mail at
the following address
Look out for me on AIM, too—my
buddy name is
PRICE DROP TO $199?
Although everyone has expected the PS2's price to drop for some time, Sony has felt the $299 price point has been right for a while now, mainly because it's finally breaking even on production costs, and sales are as strong as ever. The installed user base is now around 9 million in the U.S. and close to 22 million wortd- wide, an incredible feat considering it took three times as long to reach numbers like this with the PS one. However, sources indicate that Sony may drop a bombshell at its press conference at E3 in May and drop
the price a full $100 to $199. This wouldn't be the first time they've done something like this—they did the same thing with the PS one years ago and made a then-vibrant Sega extremely uncomfortable about its Saturn.
ONLINE RUMOR UPDATE
I did this awhile ago, so here | go again. Rumored online games on the horizon: Star Wars Galaxies, Anarchy Online, Half-Life 2, EverQuest, Lineage, Madden 2003, High Heat 2004, Gran Turismo 4, FFXIII, Hot Shots Online, Virtua Fighter 5, F1 2003, Crime Online, Tony Hawk 4, X- Men RPG, Thief 3, Асе Combat 5.
Official U.S. PlayStation Magazine Ө)
ЭТАТТОМ....... z
We've got tunes from WWF SmackDown!: Just Bring It (Limp Bizkit), Britney's Dance Beat (you figure it out) and Salt Lake 2002 (the rest).
The Impossibles: Return
Fueled By Ramen Records
The guys in The Impossibles can't sing, and that's not in the good way that the guys in Weezer can't sing. This is actually not being able to sing, and that's too bad, because about half of Return is pretty good, poppy emo that straddles the line between emoting and whining: "Connecticut" and "(Never] Say Goodbye" are the best of these. On the other half of the album, in addition to not being able to sing, the boys don't seem to be able to play instruments or write songs very well, either.
Final Score ТТ
Limp Bizkit: Chocolate Starfish...
Interscope Records
The thing about Limp Bizkit is that no matter how aggravating and annoy- ing | find the band, | still seem to be nodding along to the music every time | hear it. The last thing | want is to give that yutz Fred Durst the sat- isfaction of knowing I'm grooving on his warmed-over rock-rap, but | just can't help it. Chocolate has several tracks that make me hate myself for liking them, especially "Take a Look Around,” that Mission: Impossible thing they did. God, | can’t take it anymore. Somebody shoot me now. Final Score J “
Pollen: Chip
Fueled By Ramen Records
Sometimes, the best kind of album in the world is a "В+" album, by which | mean an album that does what it's supposed to do, does it better than you had expected, and makes you feel all shiny and happy for having enjoyed it. That's Chip all over: Tight, polished, smart post-punk that gal- lops along merrily, and is only occasionally obscure or dippy ("Girls Love Robots," which is, 1 guess, about girls who like robots). Not GREAT— that's why it's a "В+" album—but a good, fun listen.
Final Score @ “
Selby Tigers: Charm City
Hopeless Records
Selby Tigers get big points in my book for “Droid,” a snarly little song in which guitarist Arzu D2 (wait for И) spits out the line “I'm not the droid you're looking for!" | didn’t know that | had been waiting a good chunk of my life to hear those words in a punk song, but apparently, | had. So | suppose now | can die happy. The rest of Charm City is pretty standard punky noise that’s quirky in places, but not much to truly get worked up over. Still, droids. Man, that's still cracking me up.
Final Score @@@
Britney Spears: Britney
Jive Records
This is the one where Britney's writhing around declaring "I'm a Slave 4 U”
and describing her hunger for hot boys. | suspect that if | listen to it much more I'm going to have to register with my local police every time | leave the house. Britney reconfirms that Britney's not a singer, she's a pop-cul- ture delivery apparatus. If | were an 11-year-old girl, I'd like Britney; being older, and a man, all this does is make me realize that the best Britney album was, is, and will likely remain Janet Jackson's Rhythm Nation 1814. Final Score @@
Official U.S. PlayStation Magazine
4.
Bookmarks
www.gamers.com
It's our home on the Web. Make it your home, too. Come visit us at our message board [you can link to it at playstationmagazine.com) and chat to your heart's content.
WWW.psxnation.com
One of the best PS-exclusive sites we've seen. They also seem to find out what's in our new issues before any subscribers get them. We're not sure how, but we're guessing Clish has something to do with it. But she's not telling.
www.playonline.com/ff11 www.ffozone.com summitisland.com/ff11 These sites, between them, will give you more info on Final Fantasy XI than you can possibly digest in one sitting. The Play Online site, being official, is in Japanese for now, but it has a link off the main site to a live, stream- ing video feed of the beta test in Japan. It’s had us transfixed, even though most of the time it's just miscellaneous characters spin- ning in circles.
egr.gaminguru.com
A solid, multisystem fansite. The layout leaves a bit to be desired, but they've got a wide range of info, from classic games to a bit of anime coverage.
lebonze.co.uk/stuff/ move.htm
Is it art? Is ita tech demo? Is it some overworked Java program- mer getting some aggressions out? We're not sure, but we like it.
Message Boards
Play Games
www.vgmix.com Described as "a place to down- load, upload and review video- game music arrangements,” VGMix seems a bit specialized. But considering that it seems to have been specialized precisely in our direction, that's OK by us.
quartertothree.com
A sparse gaming site with some excellent writing. Though they're currently on hiatus, the site is still well worth a look. Be sure not to miss the brilliantly written “Shoot Club” column.
www.avatarsoffline.com Asite devoted to a documentary about “the personal stories of players whose lives have been transformed by their online expe- riences in virtual worlds like Ultima Online and Everquest.” PS2 is going online. Best to learn now what's in store for you.
bitstorm.org/gameoflife The Game of Life isn't so much a game as it is a visual representa- tion of population progression. Try different patterns and see how long they “live.”
thesmokinggun.com
This site hunts down interesting, provocative material through judicious appeal to the Freedom of Information Act and other, pos- sibly less savory, sources). Their frequent updates are almost always worth a read, and almost always directly related to the news of the day. Be sure not to miss the “Backstage” section.
ND HIGHLY SKILLED COMBATANTS рии WILL ОМСЕ AGAIN
RTS EXPERTISE FOR GAMERS."
. IN E GAMEPRO MAGA |
© 2002 Crave Entertainment, Inc. All rights reserved. Ultimate Fighting Championship, UFC, and the UFC Logo are either trademarks or registered trademarks of Zulfa, LLC in the US and other countries, and are used under license. Crave Entertainment and the Crave Enter logo are either trademarks or d trademarks of Crave Entert property of their respective holders. "PlayStation" and the "I
on jain ment, Inc. in the U.S. and other countries. All other trademarks and copyrights are the Family logo arc registered trademarks of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. TM, © and the Nintendo GameCube logo are trademarks of Nintendo. © 2001 iN DEMAND L.L.C. All Rights Reserved, iN DEMAND is a service mark of iN DEMAND L.L.
THRÜWD OWN | СВЕ HGH TERS, REAL FIGHTING
| LAM ULL с АНЫ ees E-
| WATCH UFG COME ALIVE APRIL 12 & MAY 10 ON iN DEMAND PAY-PER-VIEW! GALL YOUR CABLE COMPANY OR | SATELLITE PROVIDER TO ORDER.
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BEHIND ENEMY LINES: SE (Owen Wilson, Gene Hackman)
Owen Wilson plays a Navy fighter pilot who gets shot down by the Serbs and then spends the rest of the movie running away from them, primarily by doing stupid, stupid moves that in real life would have gotten him shot dead within 15 minutes. Sure, it's exciting in that brain-dead, jingoistic sort of way, but there's only so much you can take before you sincere- ly hope the real Navy pilots are at least slight- ly smarter than this guy. Hackman is Wilson's commander; it's not too obvious he's in this for the cash. Extras: director commentary, extended scenes, “making-of” documentary.
Movie Score @@ DVD Extras Score 6 64
BLACK KNIGHT: SE
(Martin Lawrence, Tom Wilkinson) Martin Lawrence hits his head and is trans- ported to 14th-century England. Alas, some- how he's managed to get back. That's too bad for anyone who sits through this pile of dreck, which is exactly what A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court would have been like if Mark Twain had been kicked in the brain pan by a horse directly prior to writing it. I've never been a big Martin Lawrence fan, but even rabid fans would be hard-pressed to see this and not think Lawrence is on his way to replicating the career arc of Pauly Shore.
(Will Smith, Jon Voight)
pointing: There's just a trailer. Hardly the greatest.
Will Smith makes his stab at artistic credibility by bulking up and playing Muhammad Ali, and wouldn't you know, he pulls it off (not all that surprising to anyone who remembers him in Six Degrees of Separation). The movie doesn't live up either to Smith or Ali, however: Michael Mann сап be a hell of a director (see: Heat. No, really, see it.], but here he never gets his act together, and the movie suffers for it. Can't beat those fight scenes, though. Jon
Voight also offers an eerie Howard Cosell. The DVD extras are almost staggeringly disap-
Extras: director commentary, deleted scenes and outtakes, behind-the-scenes features. worse. Swinton, the best actress you've probably never heard of, is tremendous as someone trying to keep it together while the plot keeps piling on; if it weren't for her, the movie would collapse under its own weight. DVD includes commentary track by the directors (which is bound to be key], trailers and an "Anatomy of a Scene" featurette.
Movie Score Ө DVD Extras Score 6 64
THE DEEP END
(Tilda Swinton, Goran Visnjik) The utterly fabulous Tilda Swinton (the beetle-browed overthinking- man's sex symbol, and oh, yes, that's ME] plays a mother who finds herself in a sticky situ- ation when her son's lover turns up dead under strange circum- stances, and her attempts to solve the problem just make things ever so much
Movie Score Ө e. DVD Extras Score 6 6
1
MULHOLLAND DRIVE
\ (Naomi Watts, Laura
Elena Harring) David Lynch is
back, doing his Schtick of moody,
(58) Official US. PlayStation
mysterious films that don't really make а lick of sense, but sure do feature some knockout women. This time around, the knockouts are Naomi Watts and Laura Elena Harring, whose relationship is ambiguous (but, ahem, trés steamy] as the two of them knock around Hollywood, hav- ing non-sequential adventures that will drive you batty if you try to make sense of them, so, you know, don't. Just enjoy the pretty women. No DVD commentary track, which is probably just as well, since if Lynch tried to explain what he was doing, he'd most likely just ruin the film for every- one. Instead, there are a few basic biogra- phies and trailers.
Movie Score 6 6 64 DVD Extras Score 6
MY FIRST MISTER: SE (Leelee Sobieski, Albert Brooks)
An alienated, moody teen girl makes friends with an alienated, moody middle- aged guy. No, I'm not reviewing Ghost World again [although you should see that опе), it's just that My First Mister has the same basic plot outlines. And though it's not quite as good as Ghost World, it's still worth seeing, since Leelee Sobieski is pos- sibly the best young actress in Hollywood right now, and Albert Brooks, well, he's Albert Brooks, and if anyone's got the alienated middle-aged guy thing down, it's him. Director Christine Lahti provides a commentary track.
Movie Score ӨӨӨ DVD Extras Score
UPCOMING DVD RELEASES
April 1, 2002 The Usual Suspects SE
April 2, 2002
Bandits
Bull Durham: SE
Exit to Eden
Joe Versus the Volcano National Lampoon's
NOT ANOTHER TEEN MOVIE: SE (Mia Kirshner, Jaime Pressly)
This movie lines up all the teen movie clichés (ugly duckling turned prom queen, kids in detention, foreign-exchange stu-
dents) and then knocks them down. It would have helped if the recent batch of teen films weren't so cliché-laden that they were already their own parodies. But no one ever went broke giving teens a movie to ignore while they're necking in the movie theater, which is about all this flick is good for. Nifty DVD extras, though: commentary from filmmakers and cast, teen trivia quiz, 18 deleted scenes, and Marilyn Manson doing "Tainted Love."
Movie Score 6 Ө DVD Extras Score Ө e
RE-ANIMATO MILLENNIUM SE
(Jeffrey Coombs, David Gale)
Mad scientist brings back the dead, and when the dead wake up, they're pissed. That's the basic plot of Re-Animator, which is just about the perfect camp-horror flick, in my opinion: Gory and bloody and funny as hell, it ranks right up there with Evil Dead 2 and Peter Jackson's Dead Alive. This two-DVD edition pulls out the stops with commentary from cast and crew, interviews with crew and critics, 16 extend- ed scenes, a musical score discussion and TV spots. If you love horror—and who doesn't?—this is going to be on your list of things to get.
Movie Score 6066 DVD Extras Score Ө
European Vacation Thirteen Ghosts
April 9, 2002 Mulholland Drive Serendipity
Spy Game; CE
April 16, 2002 Black Knight
The Deep End Ali Husbands and Wives
Orgazmo! SEES The Survivors
April 30, 2002
Friends: The Complete
oe First Season April 23, 2002 Behind Enemy Lines
Jerry Maguire: SE Race in the Sun
SERENDIPITY: SE
(John Cusack, Kate Beckinsale) Neither John Cusack nor Kate Beckinsale is very well-served in this flubbery romance, in which two people are mad for each other but continually devise ways to test whether their love is divinely ordained. Here's a hint, people: If you find someone you really like, don't devise cute little tests to prove it—GRAB THEM. The universe penalizes the intentionally stupid, and chances are you won't like that many other people. 'Nuff said. The extras are similarly mediocre: There's commentary, deleted scenes, a director's production diary and
a "making-of" feature.
Movie Score 6 64 DVD Extras Score 666
SPY GAME: SE
(Brad Pitt, Robert Redford)
Uh-oh. Turns out Brad Pitt's a spy, and the Chinese are going to execute him. The good news is that means Jennifer Aniston will soon be available! Oh, but wait, here comes Robert Redford to save him. Gee, thanks loads, Bob. Spy Game is directed by Tony Scott (Top Gun, Enemy of the State) who has a history of making glossy, good- looking but not terribly bright thrillers (True Romance excepted), and guess what? Spy Game is glossy, good-looking but not terribly bright. A rental, not a buy. DVD extras have the usual commentary, deleted scenes and behind-the-scenes footage, but also information on the requirements for the CIA. Just in case you were wondering.
Movie Score @@@ DVD Extras Score
It's All Coming Back to Me Now
THE REAL DECEPTION IN MEMENTO
Memento is now famous as the film that plays backward, but that’s really not true. The story plays backward, true enough—the film literally begins with a Polaroid photo undeveloping before our eyes—but the plot of Memento is relentlessly forward-moving, a murder mystery where the mur- der in question is open to debate and the clues are laid out for us in order even as the characters in the film are receding back in time. This is a pretty neat trick, and the reason why Memento. ‘ended up on tons of top-10 critic lists and with an Oscar nomination for the screenplay.
Guy Pearce (most recently in The Time Machine) plays Leonard, a man who loses his short-term memory after an accident, and who believes his wife has been murdered. He can’t remember anything longer than five minutes after it happens, which leads to a couple of weird things: First, he uses his body as one big Post-It note. Second, he has no idea if the people he's interacting with (primarily The Matrix's Carrie Ann Moss and Joe Pantoliano) are dealing with him on the level. Everyone knows Leonard can't remember anything; one character who's defrauding him cheerfully admits it, since he knows Leonard will completely forget about it shortly.
Memento: SE Street Date: 5/21/2002 MSRP $2195
Memento is a neat accomplishment, but whether you like it will depend on
how much you like to keep track of details. Despite the nicely plotted screenplay, Leonard’s not the ‘only опе who’s lost and confused most of the time; you will be wanting to go back and forth to keep the plot clear in your head. This is where having the DVD will come in handy; after playing the film in its intended sequence, try going back and watching the film backward and see how you like it then. If nothing else, it'll give you an appreciation of what Nolan and his cast have pulled off.
LOLLY, L у, LOL ү! Е Children of the late "705 and early "805 will һе glad to hear that Disney Home Video is releasing the Schoolhouse Rock Special 30th Anniversary Edition in June. The disc will feature all 46 songs from the classic Saturday-morning shorts, plus one entirely new segment written and ani- mated by the original talent specifically for this disc. There will also be a healthy selection of extra features, from games to featurettes and even the “3 Is a Magic Number” Nike commercial.
N К, HE Fans of the early Tom Cruise fantasy flick Legend (which was directed by Ridley Scott, if you can believe it) will be pleased to hear that the film appears to be approaching a DVD release at last.
recently unearthed a preproduction ad which indicates the film will release on May 21 in a two-disc set packed with features—including a never-before-seen director’s cut.
'T
DO YOU F?
Never fear, Simpsons fans, The Simpsons: The Complete Second Season is on its way. Fox Home Entertainment will be releasing the collection on June 4, complete with all the trimmings: Commentary for each episode, an interview with Matt Groening, a behind-the-scenes look at the creation of an episode and plenty of other extras. The MSRP is $49.95.
zt Official U.S. PlayStation Magazine (©)
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MORE WITCHBLADE
The photo on this page, believe it or not, is Yancy Butler from the increasingly рор- ular TNT show based on the Top Cow comic book Witchblade, looking consider- ably less butch than usual. See? Despite kicking ass and looking pissed all the time, she has a sensitive girlie side too...and here's your proof. Why is there а photo of her here? Witchblade executive producer Ralph Hemeker has divulged some information recently on what to expect from season two, and it looks like things are changing. “Last year was pret- ty serialized,” Hemeker told The Comics
MOVIES, TV AND GAMES
has remained important to the show up through this season. What we realized after spending years with the subject matter is that so much of the quest for aliens is, іп а way, a quest for God. And so much of people’s desire and need to know that there's extraterrestrial life is much like the desire and need to know there's а God.” Quite.
www.cinescape.com
RE-SPAWN Spawn scribe Steve Niles spoke recently
about the progress he and Spawn creator Todd McFarlane have made on the script
“Increased interest in the franchise, fueled by the show, has also renewed rumors of a Witchblade-based game.”
Continuum. “We're going to go a bit more standalone this year. There will be plot threads that carry through the 13 episodes, though.” The new season is shooting now, with the premiere coming in June.
Increased interest in the franchise, fueled by the show, has also renewed rumors of a Witchblade-based game. With the Lara Croft connections in the comic book, Core Design had mentioned in the past that they were looking to work with Top Cow оп a game, possibly even a crossover. There's still no firm news on this, but we understand that Core-parent Eidos is aggressively pursuing the license. www.comicscontinuum.com
PIXAR'S NEXT
Monsters, Inc. producer John Lasseter told TV Guide that Pixar’s next computer- animated feature film, Finding Nemo, is “all underwater, with tropical fish as characters. It’s on a coral reef and in a big wide ocean, with sharks and whales and turtles and jellyfish who get caught and put into an aquarium. It just looks incredible.” The film is slated for a sum- mer 2003 release.
THE LAST FEW X-FILES
Expect the alien spacecraft drawings in The X-Files seen several seasons back in Biogenesis and The Sixth Extinction to continue to be very important until the end of the season, as will the idea of “religion versus aliens,” executive pro- ducer Frank Spotnitz told Cinescape. “That idea really became important to the show at the end of the fourth season, and
for the second film, indicating that the new story is quite different from that of the first, and much more in keeping with the spirit of the comic book. “Spawn 215 coming along great,” Niles said іп an interview with The Comics Continuum. “The script has gone through several pol- ishes and we're working closely with Don Murphy [From Hell] to make it something special... | think the biggest surprise will be how different this film will be from the first. | think Spawn 2 will be much more accessible to all types of movie fans because it will cross the lines between the superhero, horror and crime genres.”
RESIDENT EVIL: NEMESIS (NOT)
Even before Resident Evil was released in theaters, Paul Anderson signed on to write and direct the next film in the series. According to the Hollywood Reporter, the next film will be called Resident Evil: Nemesis, but seeing as the third game was actually called that, it seems unlikely that the name will stick.
The sequel will apparently pick up immediately after the first and proceed to introduce more characters from the video- game series as it interweaves with the story and events of the first game.
For those of you who haven't been keeping up, Resident Evil is being billed as a prequel film of sorts to the video-game series. If you've seen it, you'll know this. Probably. So, er...hang on. Does this mean that Resident Evil Zero will take cues from the first movie script? Ег...по. Huh? Now it's getting complicated. www.hollywoodreporter.com
Photo by Stephanie Pfriender/Outline
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ТОР 10 CHARTS
PS2 Top 10
State of Emergency at No. 2? You really should have considered renting it first, don't you think? Look at it. Go ahead. Yes, look. Even though it's dusted over from not being played. Look at it and say you're sorry. Sorry for buying it before you thought twice.
Last Title / Month Publisher
— State of Emergency өөө Rockstar Max Payne еее Rockstar Madden NFL 2002 EA Sports Metal Gear Solid 2 еееее Копаті
Bond 007: Agent Under Fire EA Games
Source: NPDFunworld TRSTS Service, mid-February 2002, Call them at 516.625.6190 for questions about this list. No games for competing console systems le.g., Xbox, GameCube] were included. Overall sales figures may vary. Game descriptions written by the OPM staff.
Official U.S. PlayStation Magazine
OPM's Most Wanted PS2 Games
Man _ Activision Square EA Medalo Honor: Front. EA Games
Kingdom Hearts Square EA Calibur 2 Namco Onimusha 2 Capcom Namco Namco К Atari 10 SOCOM Navy SEALs Sony CEA Japan's Top 10 PS2 Games ЇЇ | Virtua Fighter 4 Sega 2 | FFX International Square 2 Хігете Enix Samurai Spike
jokushi Senki Koei 6 | Space Channel 5 2 Sega IF 3 Kingdoms | Koei
Sony СЕ! dia Il Enix 10 Dynasty Warriors 3 Koei
OQ * LA“?
TIE [Batman Beyond Ubi Soft 2 | Iron Man/X-0 Manowar Acclaim
ІЗ ТкеСсгов: City of AngelsAcclaim
4 | Judge Dredd Activision
IS Байтап ала Robin Acclaim
6 | The Fantastic Four Acclaim pawns The Eternal ^ Sony CEA
8 The Incredible Hulk Eidos
|9 | Danger б 4 тна
10! Marvel Super Негеов Capcom
Top 10-Selling Games, All Systems Потала Theft Auto Ill (PS2) Rockstar 2 | State of Emergency (PS2) Rockstar — Adv.2 (GBA) Nintendo 4 | WWF Raw [Xbox] THQ
те Advance [GBA] Sega 6 | Final Fantasy X (PS2) Square EA
7 [Sonic Adv. 2 (NGC) Sega
8 | Wreckless (Xbox) Activision 19 | Max Payne (PS2) Rockstar 10| NBA 2K2 (PS2) Sega Sports
PS one Top 10
Somehow Harry Potter has disappeared from the chart. Is it magic? Speaking of magic, we're expecting a flood of RPG sales in the coming months. After all, if you only have a PS one, why not back-track and buy the long-ago, gameplay-heavy classics?
Title / Publisher
Grand Theft Auto 2
Rockstar
4 — Motocross Mania ө Take 2 Interactive
Boy, oh, boy! Motocross for $10! Motocross where you can hardly
steer! Motocross where you wish you'd have bought a used CD
instead! Motocross that hardly passes as motocross! Whee!
6 — Rocket Power Team Rescue e THQ 8 — Spec Ops: Covert Assault ° Take 2 Interactive 10 — Теккеп3 өөөөө ۴ Namco
Source: NPDFunworld ТЕТ Service, mid-February 2002. Call them at 516.625.6190 for questions about this list. No games for competing console systems [e.g., Xbox, GameCube] were included. Overall sales figures may vary. Game descriptions written by the OPM staff.
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PREVIEWS
Previewed Inside
2002 FIFA World Cup BloodRayne DDR Kona Delta Fore Downfore Dragon's Lair 3D Headhunter... The Italian Job (PSI). Jurassic Park: P. Genesis ..... Kingdom Hearts Lethal Skies .. Mat Hoffman's Pro BMX 2... Medal of Honor: Frontline... Men in Black IT. Mike Tyson Bo:
Mortal Kombat: DA. Onimusha 2 RedCard So Reign of Fir Ridin 5 irits SOCOM: U.S. Navy SEALs Spyro: Enter the ragonfly . Street Hoops шап. Superman: "Apoko ps Кеп 4.......... Test Drive: Overdrive The Thing ..... Way of the Samurai WAC: World Rally Ch'ship. ...8
MLB SlugFest 20- Yu-Gi-Oh! (PSI) ... Coming Soon PLAYSTATION 2 Future Releases April Armored Core 3 Agetec Action Barbarian Titus Fighting Auto Modellista Capcom | Racing Caesars Palace. Take 2 Casino Blade IT Activision Action GTC Africa Majesco Racing BloodRayne Majesco Action Headhunter Acclaim Adv. Dead to Rights Namco Action MLB SlugFest 20-03 ^ Midway ^ Sports Defender Midway Action No One Lives Forever Sierra FPS Dragon's Lair 3D Encore Action Pryzm: The Dark Unicorn TDK RPG Endgame Empire Shooter
Rayman Arena Ubi Soft Action Spider-Man Activision Action Worms Blast Ubi Soft Puzzle May
Akira Psychoball AIA Pinball
Britney's Dance Beat THQ Rhythm
Chris E. Aggressive Inline Acclaim X-Sports Commandos 2 Eidos Strategy Conflict Zone Ubi Soft Strategy Downforce Titus Racing Evil Twin Ubi Soft Action Freekstyle EA Big X-Sports Gravity Games: Bike Midway X-Sports Jimmy Neutron THQ Action King of Coliseum bam! Action Legion: Legend of Excalibur Midway Strategy Lethal Skies Sammy Shooter
Looney Tunes: Space Race Infogrames Racing Need for Speed: HP2 EAGames Action Rally Simulation Ubi Soft Racing Scooby-Doo! 100 Frights THQ Action Test Drive: Overdrive — Atari Racing UFC: Throwdown Crave Fighting Way of the Samurai Бат! Adv. June
Antz Racing Empire Racing Hot Wheels THQ Action Lego Soccer ЕА Sports Sports The Lost Crave Adv.
Mat Hoffmans Pro BMX 2 Activision X-Sports Medal of Honor: Frontline EA Games FPS М5 Gundam: Fed. Vs. Zeon Bandai Action MX f/ Ricky Carmichael THQ Racing Return/Castle Wolfenstein Activision FPS
Romance of 3 Kingdoms 7 Koei Strategy Skies of Arcadia Sega RPG Stuntman Atari Action
The Terminator Infogrames Action Tom & Jerry: War/Whiskers NewKidCo Action Virtua Tennis 2К2 Sega Sports July
Aliens: Colonial Marines EA Games Action Kelly Slater's Pro Surfer Activision X-Sports NHL FaceOff 2003 Sony CEA Sports Simpsons Skateboarding EA Games X-Sports
‘Sky Gunner Atlus Shooter Street Hoops Activision Sports The Thing Universal Adv. VIP. Ubi Soft Action
Official U.S. PlayStation Magazine
Final Fantasy XI Square EA RPG hack: Treasure Hacker Bandai Action JoJos Bizarre Adventure Capcom Fighting Jurassic Park: P. Genesis Universal Sim
Kingdom Hearts Square EA RPG Legend of Legaia Fresh Games RPG Men in Black 1 Infogrames Action
Mortal Kombat: DA Midway Fighting MS Gundam: Lost War Bandai Action Onimusha 2 Capcom Adv. Pac-Man Fever Namco Party Rayman 3: Hoodlum Havoc Ubi Soft Action Red Dead Revolver Capcom Action
Reign of Fire. bam! Action RLH: Run Like Hell Interplay Action RoboCop Titus FPS Soul Calibur 2 Namco Fighting
Space Channel 5 Sega Rhythm. Space Channel 5 Part 2 Sega Rhythm. Summoner 2 THQ RPG Superman: Apokolips — Infograms Action SOCOM: U.S. Navy SEALs Sony CEA Action Spyro: Enter the Dragonfly Universal Action
Suikoden III Konami RPG Tekken 4 Namco Fighting TimeSplitters 2 Eidos FPS Tiny Toons: Loonyverse Conspiracy Action Turok: Evolution Acclaim FPS Vexx Acclaim Action Xenosaga Namco RPG X-Men: Next Dimension Activision Fighting Р5 ONE
Bass Fishing Таке 2 Fishing DDR Konamix Konami Dancing
Dracula: Last Sanctuary DreamCatcher Adv. FIFA World Cup 2002 EA Sports Sports The Italian Job Rockstar’ Racing
May Austin Powers Pinball Take 2 Pinball
Bear in Big Blue House Ubi Soft Edutain.
Delta Force: Urban War NovaLogic FPS Digimon World 3 Bandai RPG Future Releases
Dexter's Lab: Mandark bam! Action Gundam Battle 2 Bandai Action MLB 2003 Sony CEA Sports Spec Ops: Airborne Div. Take 2 Action
KINGDOM HEARTS
Introducing Square's version of a "magic kingdom"
We knew to expect something really special from this long-awaited Square and Disney Interactive collaboration—but having now actually played it has left us in awe. Kingdom Hearts astounds on so many levels, but none so much as the mind-boggling number of Disney characters found in the game—over 100. Plus, a few Square characters—new апа old—add further interest.
You really have to see this to believe it. Watch Goofy fumble about, swing vine-to-vine with Tarzan, follow Winnie the Pooh throughout Pooh Corner, or call upon The Lion King's Simba or Mushu from Mulan for tactical support during battles—anything's possible in the game. In fact, one of the craziest aspects of Kingdom Hearts is simply seeing these Disney characters interact with each other. Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs' evil Queen teaming up with Jafar from Aladdin? Yup! Again, anything's possible. And most any Disney fan will find it an absolute trip.
Equally cool is just how well-detailed everything looks in the game. Characters all move with the animated fluidity you'd expect from Disney, and the settings themselves just drip with Disney style. From the forests that play home to Tarzan to the desert backdrops of Aladdin, you'd swear some- times that the beautifully rendered environments are real Disney animation cels. Even individual stairs on a staircase have been painstakingly textured, so as to fully give the illusion that you're no longer playing a video game—you're living out a Disney movie.
Often, depending on the location you currently inhabit, your party members take on new abilities or actually alter their appearances. For example, as you swim through the oceans found in the area inspired by The Little Mermaid, your party grows fins like Ariel or Triton in order to swim around. Or later on, you'll gain the ability to fly through the London skies toward the second star to the right and straight on till morning, just like Peter Pan.
As a third-person action/RPG (with an emphasis on action), Kingdom Hearts adopts an entirely different battle system to what the Final Fantasy-loving crowd might expect of a Square game. The game's hero Sora swings around his giant key with the effectiveness of a powerful sword, with Donald and Goofy often pitching in alongside him. And when the going gets really rough, you can summon characters like Dumbo, Mushu or that badass fawn Bambi for some extra support. While most of your battles involve Disney villains and the Heartless, don't be surprised if you engage in a playful scuffle with FF characters like Tidus or Squall. They might even help you out later, too.
With its action-heavy gameplay, Kingdom Hearts seems partly aimed at the general gamer who isn't interested in long, drawn-out RPGs. Which means that Square could possibly attract a whole new audience with this, while still pleasing its fans—or possibly turn the fans off entirely. So far, we think they've accomplished the former. But you'll see for yourself in September.
less
Kingdom Hearts’ story revolves around Sora, who must find his two friends Riku (no, not Rikku) and Kairi after a freak storm separates them. Along the way, he learns about King Mickey's disappearance and a bunch of creatures from another dimension called the Heart- less that are recruiting Disney villains to help steal the pure hearts of the inhabitants of the land. Realizing that the storm and every- thing else is linked to the Heartless, Sora decides to take them on!
Disney Roll Call
All told, Kingdom Hearts features over 100 Disney characters. So far, we've spotted Donald and Daisy Duck, Mickey and Minnie Mouse, Goofy and Pluto, plus characters from these movies: Tarzan, Hercules, Alice in Wonderland, Winnie the Pooh, Peter Pan, The Little Mermaid, Bambi, Dumbo, Aladdin, Snow White, Mulan and The Lion King. There are even some surprise cameos, too, like Jack Skellington from A Nightmare Before Christmag! ,
Square Talent
While regular readers should already know that Tetsuya Nomura (character designer for most of the recent Final Fantasy games and The Bouncer) is heading up Kingdom Hearts, one new addition was recently made: Yoshinori Kitase (produc- er of FFX and director of FFVII and FFVIII). He’s now serving as coproducer on the project and will surely make valuable con- tributions. Other staff members come from the Final Fantasy teams [including Tactics!), Parasite Eve and Vagrant Story.
Іп past issues we've spoken about such Final Fantasy char- acter cameos in Kingdom Hearts as Cloud, Yuffie and Cid Highwind (from VII); Selphie and Squall (from VIII); Wakka and Tidus (from X); and Moogles (multiple)—but none of them is nearly as cool as this surprise appearance: VII's Aeris! Yep, gaming’s most infamous dead chick is alive and well in Kingdom Hearts. We don’t know what kind of role she'll play, but it sure makes for one hell of a pleasant surprise.
PREVIEWS
SPYRO: 87 ENTER THE DRAGONFLY
He's back, but will he be better?
Now that our favorite diminutive dragon is no longer in the able hands of developer Insomniac, what can we expect from Universal Interactive's Spyro when he debuts on PS2 this fall? Here's а quote from the release: “A platform adventure, the title features a new weapon for Spyro—dynamic, particle-based breath abilities— in addition to a brand-new storyline, new characters, new vehicles and larger visual worlds.” So, uh, more of the same, it seems.
SOCOM: U.S. NAVY SEALS
Fall in, soldier!
Though we haven't gotten hold of much new info on Sony СЕА 5 marquee online title, we couldn't resist passing on to you these sharp new screens. If you read our preview way back in the August issue, you no doubt remember that the game is being developed by former members of the defense industry who are working very closely with real-life Navy SEALs to ensure that the game is as realistic as possible. As a result, you [and possibly up to 15 friends through the use of the upcoming PS2 online adapter] will need to be more careful than in your everyday action shooter; the intelligent enemies will hunt you down if you betray your hiding space (which can be anything from a patch of ferns to dense, low-lying fog], and one well-placed shot can take you out. We've also just learned that the game will definitely ship with a USB headset packed in, which allows for voice com- mand of your three SEAL teammates in the one-player game, and also delivers voice chat online. To further support the online aspect, the game will include eight multiplayer-specific environ- ments and even support for "clans," or online communities. Look for SOCOM in stores this summer.
Official U.S. PlayStation Magazine
МАТ НОҒҒМАМ 5 РКО ВМХ 2
Where handlebars double as a footrest
Remember the first time you ever did a flatland trick in Tony Hawk 3, and you thought it was the coolest thing you'd ever seen on the PS2? Well, nothing can prepare you for the amount of rad, gnarly, unfathomable sweetassedness of the land tricks that Rainbow Studios has inserted into the second coming of Activision's Mat Hoffman's Pro BMX. Once you're in a manual (known as a Bridge], an entire world of possibilities opens up. One move makes it look like the guy is washing the entire bike with the leg of his jeans. Another makes it appear that he's heard a funny pinging sound and is more than willing, while moving, to inspect every nook and cranny with his ear. And for those who wish you could stand on your handlebars in the first Hoffman, be disappointed no more!
Nothing in extreme-sports games is cooler than the wild maneuvers that come to life in Hoffman. These flatland tricks are the ridiculously jaw-dropping moves that surely would have sep- arated the first incarnation from the Tony Hawk series. But now there's the PS2 graphics to go with them, so it seems that Hoffman 2 was worth the wait.
Besides all of the fancy moves, there's also a revamped game. Instead of jumping level to level to unlock different items, the game now features a Road Trip mode. You start off at Hoffman's home base in Oklahoma City, then you're off to Chicago, New Orleans, Boston, Los Angeles, Las Vegas, Portland and Hawaii. Ripping a page from the Tony Hawk 3 book, each level features an "event," Which means you may have to grind a set of benches to get a bridge to drop, which opens up more of the level. Or, you may have to do a series of tasks to open up a gate that leads to the promised land of secret tapes-ville. If you can see it, you can get to it. Nothing's off limits this June.
Downforce
If CART Fury and Driven left you arcade-racing fans feeling a little flat, Titus hopes to pump you up with its take on the quickly growing "F1- style cars in wildly unrealistic situations" genre. With 21 courses in eight real-world locations (like Hong Kong and Las Vegas], the game should offer plenty of opportunities to generate spectacular crashes and otherwise unorthodox mayhem. We'll find out whether any legit race teams have offered their cars up for punishment in May.
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Jurassic Park: Project Genesis Remember the Jurassic Park game that we previewed last August? Well, this...isn't it—Survival got canned months ago. Instead, Project Genesis takes on more of a SimCity approach to gameplay, as you develop your own personal Jurassic Park (hoping, we guess, that the attractions don't eat the tourists). Universal also tells us that its holiday release features 12 action-based missions in which staying alive and killin’ dinos seems to be the order of the day.
PREVIEWS
= 1 J Test Drive: Overdrive
Even though the Test Drive franchise has gradually faded into obscuri- ty over the years, its first PS2 title proved a pleasant surprise during a recent visit to U.K. developer Pitbull Syndicate. The new game, due in May, is a plot-driven racer spanning the globe from San Francisco to Tokyo, London and Monaco. The graphics engine looks sharp, with dynamic lighting effects and environmental mapping giving the cars that polished feel of a Gran Turismo 3.
Jay and Kay get trigger happy
Ah yes, the action shooter...a genre that has all but dwindled from the gaming market of today. 3D has rarely been kind to games along the lines of Contra or Metal Slug, and thus the type of mindless, arcadey, twitch gaming akin to these titles seems to have become something of the past.
Infogrames attempts to help remedy things with this Men in Black Il game due out alongside its big-screen counterpart this summer. Nothing more than a straight-up arcade shooter, it's still loads of fun. Featuring a storyline entirely different from that of the movie, Alien Escape is all about wielding and shoot- ing big guns at the scum of the universe. It’s rather mindless, but some features, such as a lock-on cursor similar to that of Sega's Rez, help add a degree of strategy.
The game puts you in control of either Agent Jay or Kay as you blast your way through over 21 stages, ranging from the Global Media building to a massive alien mothership. Along the way, you'll marvel at the spectacular effects yielded from mas- sive weapons, and take out enemies that explode into piles of goo. It's definitely fun from what we've played so far.
Street Hoops Here's a quiz to indicate if you'll like Activision's Street Hoops. Credit yourself one point for each "yes." Have you ever purchased an And 1 videotape? Have you ever stopped your Sunday stroll to witness street basketball? Have you ever stayed at the neighborhood court 10 extra minutes to master your off-the-knee dribble? Did you like NBA Street, but thought it was just too cartoony? Do you know these names: The Future, Half-Man Half-Amazing and Hot Sauce? If you scored a two, chances are you'll be standing in line this July for this hoops effort.
Official U.S. PlayStation Magazine
RATING PENDING
Visit www.esrb.org or call 1-800-771-3772 for more info.
STUNTMAN
Be a different kind of movie star What do you get if you lock a bunch of programmers in a room for three years and throw away the key? According to Reflections’ head honcho, Martin Edmondson, what he got was “a brand-new physics engine for any driving game that needs collision dynamics.” And what you get in return is a game called Stuntman, which should grace a PS2 near you in late June.
You take the role of a rookie stunt driver working your way through a series of six movies, each one with a higher budget than the previous. For each movie, you must complete six or so set pieces (each lasting between 45 and 150 seconds) with a score of 75 percent or above to progress to the next. Within each set piece is a series of individual stunts [such as a handbrake turn ог a jump) that has to be completed in the right place at the right time—else you have to start over.
The locations and genres include an independent gangster movie set in the docklands of London, a Smokey and the Bandit-style Louisiana romp, a Woo-type actioner in Bangkok, an Alpine Clancy- esque espionage thriller, an /ndiana Jones-inspired adventure movie set in Cairo, and finally a spy thriller that unfolds in Monaco. (Move over, James Bond!) To reward completion of each movie, you see your recorded footage intermingled with prerendered CG for the movie trailer, which you can store on your memory card.
As you'd expect from the diverse range of locations featured, you get to drive a variety of differ- ent vehicles throughout the game, though as they fall apart at the drop of a hat, none are “real” for licensing reasons. You'll need to learn to maneuver an old-school Brit muscle car around the nar- row alleys of London and take a Thai tuk-tuk for a fly across the Bangkok roofline, while nurturing the pin-sharp reactions to weave your supercar through Monaco traffic.
There's a constant incentive to perform even better throughout the game—not only can your career progress, but it also unlocks many other options, such as new vehicles to drive and objects to place in the Stunt Arena. Aha! Not only do you play for the camera—you also have a freeform arena in which you can create death-defying stunts to perform in front of a live audience. And the better your stunts on film, the more you get to play with in the arena, from car dominoes to school- bus jumps. Just like real life.
The car models are detailed right down to chassis level, so they literally disintegrate before your very eyes as you smash your way through the levels. When bits fall off, they become part of the environment—you may find yourself bouncing over your hood after a particularly heavy collision. And the driving model is simply amazing; cars roll, skid and bounce just like the real thing. Playability is based on the Driver games, so anyone familiar with the series should be able to pick up the controller and start rolling. Take it from us—this game's gonna rock!
Onimusha 2: Samurai's Destiny Unfortunately, Capcom wasn't able to provide us with the playable Onimusha 2 we indicated last month, but we still felt obligated to give you a quick look at how it's coming along. As a samurai named Jubei Yagyu (no Samanosuke this time around), you're up against that no- good resurrected Nogunaga guy again, which of course leads to lots of demon-fightin' (apparently, lizard-fightin' as well]. As you can see here, the summer release features cool rain and water effects, too.
7:
Dt RedCard 20-03 REVIEY When you think about a Midway sports game, you generally think they'll cut the number of players on the field and adrenalize everyone so decapitation takes as much precedence as scoring. Which makes RedCard a surprising brush stroke on Midway's sports palate. First off, there are 11 players per team [like in real footy), but no, the referees are not paying attention (unless you change their strictness}. The controls are a little loose, but that should be tightened up by May.
Official U.S. PlayStation Magazine
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2002 FIFA World Cup
If you were feeling a bit ripped off by EA Sports last fall once you real- ized FIFA had no World Cup tournament, you weren't alone. It seems that footy fans will have to fork out another $50 in April if they want to engage in soccer's biggest show. This new version does feature updat- ed rosters, all 20 World Cup stadiums and new camera angles a la EA's NHL series, which means there will be dramatic close-ups for big moments. A sham? Maybe. Yet we still can’t wait for kickoff.
Universal Interactive's take on the survival-horror genre should be with us any day now. Taking place shortly after the events seen in the 1982 film, The Thing is set at the Antarctic base where the action from the movie took place. As you'd expect, lots of silly-looking monsters (take the guy in the screen above, for example] confront you, but at least you'll play the game safe in the knowledge that you can lay waste to them with a rather nifty-looking flamethrower.
@) Official U.S. PlayStation Magazine
HEADHUNTE
Metal Gear meets Syphon Filter Acclaim continues to publish Sega titles this April with Headhunter, placing you in the role of a bounty hunter named Jack Wade. Set in a near-future California where an almost fas- cist regime rules in an attempt to lessen the excessive crime, Headhunter acts as a sort of middle ground between a Metal Gear Solid and a Syphon Filter. Like MGS, this fine-looking game requires its fair share of stealth, and it even features some virtu- al-reality missions to train and test you. But that’s counterbal- anced big-time by intense gunfights more akin to what Gabe Logan might face. So, does Jack have anything at his disposal that Snake and Gabe could only dream about? Yep. A kickass motorcycle provided by his current employer and a sexy blonde named Angela Stern [you play as her a bit, too).
JACK WADE
Not Necessarily the News
Setting up much of the events portrayed in Headhunter is a satirical, often subtly hilarious news program called “All You Need to Know” (on ABCBS). The two anchors banter on cheerfully about everything from big-time criminals’ value on the Criminal Exchange (“Psycho- tic gangster Esteban Ramirez rose three points.”) to how their dogs detest violence ("We can learn а lot from dumb animals, Kate."].
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MLB SlugFest 20-03
If High Heat isn’t your cup of tea because it's too simulation-oriented, and Triple Play isn’t your cup of sludge because it’s an aberration, SlugFest might be just the thing. It's the loud, proud, over-the-top style of baseball that only Midway can make. If you liked the aggressiveness and pace of Blitz and the violence and speed of Hitz, then keep your eye on this one. Expect a mammoth list of wacky unlockables and every one of your favorite MLB stars.
Riding Spirits
Bam! is looking to challenge MotoGP’s title for de-facto champion of PS2 motorcycle simulation with Riding Spirits, due out in May. The game features over 150 different bikes from manufacturers like Honda, Kawasaki, Suzuki, Yamaha and more. Also, it includes a money-based system for upgrading your motorcycle (ог buying a new опе) and even the ability to customize your rider's appearance using licensed gear from top outfitters like Shoei and Alpinestars.
Official U.S. PlayStation Magazine
WAY OF THE SAMURAI Ey
Samurai action from a team of ninja experts
Maybe you're thinking Way of Samurai isn't anything you'd care about. After all, it's being published by bam!, a relatively little-known company responsible for shoveling out stuff like Driven, Contender 2 and The Powerpuff Girls: Chemical X-Traction. Well, think again. See, Way of the Samurai, due out this spring, is being developed by Acquire, the team behind the first two Tenchu games. And now that a dif- ferent developer is handling the PS2 Tenchu title, Samurai seems like a solid bet for fans of those nifty ninja sneak-'em-ups. Featuring 40 different swords and 200 unique fighting stances and attacks, Samurai offers an open-ended adventure that changes depending on your choices. The game is set in Japan in 1878, during a tumultuous time when the samurai lifestyle is no longer what it used to be. As a wandering samurai, you get caught up in a dispute that leads to deception and betrayal on all ends. Will you become an honorable hero, or just another washed-up swordsman-for-hire? The choice is yours.
Samurai Stolar
So how did bam! manage to nab such a big game? Credit Bernie Stolar, former president of Sega of America and a one-time execu- tive VP of Sony CEA. Stolar recent- ly joined bam! as its president, and his current slate of titles might help this once-overlooked publisher emerge as a legit force. Along with Way of the Samurai, bam! also has WRC: World Rally Championship and Savage Skies on deck. “We are very pleased to boost our PlayStation 2 lineup so rapidly and with such excellent titles,” says Stolar.
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Rating Pending
Coming Soon on я қ 2. EVERYONE ЕЗ PlayStationoe (% Б АМЕСИВЕ.. GAME BOY ADVANCE ESRB Check out TOP GUN on your internet enabled phone -http:/ /topgun.ngame.com/
©2001 TITUS. TOP GUN "м 9 & ©2001 PARAMOUNT PICTURES. Al rights reserved. INTENDED SOLELY FOR PRIVATE HOME USE, PUBLIC PERFORMANCE OR OTHER USE IS EXPRESSLY PROHIBITED. SoftwareC2001 TITUS SOFTWARE CORPORATION. Titus and the Titus logo are trademarks Of TITUS Software Corporation. Developed by DIGITAL INTEGRATION, Licensed by SONY COMPUTER ENTERTAINMENT AMERICA for use wit PlayStation® computer entertainment system. "PlayStation" and the "PS" Family logo are registered trademarks of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. ™, @, Game Boy Advance and the Nintendo GameCube logos are trademarks of Nintendo. All other trademarks and copyrights are the property of their respective owners. Screen shots taken from PlayStation@2 version.
|54
| | PREVIEWS
BLOODRAYN
A sexy vampire chick with guns Sometimes you just have to wonder why it takes so long for cer- tain gameplay themes to finally see representation. Well, thanks to this October's BloodRayne from Majesco, those aching for the adventures of a half-human/half-vampiric female soldier fight- ing Nazis in the 1930s no longer have to suffer! The sultry Agent BloodRayne comes armed to the fangs carrying as many as eight weapons at once. And you can forget about having to reload them—this vamp finds it easier simply to pick up the guns of fallen foes. It can be tough to totally down them some- times, though, as the game's А.І. has been optimized to make them run away or even call for backup. Find yourself taking damage, and it might be a good idea to surprise someone with some teeth to the neck to put some healthy blood in your belly.
е gf ШЕ” > Mike Tyson Heavyweight Boxing
Mike Tyson does more bad things before 7 a.m. than most of us do ina calendar year. Yet Codemasters has kept the ear-hungry trouble- maker on board for this May release. The game is surprisingly fun, and while it lacks the glitz of Knockout Kings 2002, the depth will wow you. You can unlock punch combos, fighters and a laundry list of items which make the game stay fresh. Spot-on collision detection and a sweet damage engine show the hurt you're taking and inflicting.
га ПРИ 5 Mortal Kombat: Deadly Alliance Yep, that’s Scorpion you see there, performing a kata іп a pre-game sequence to Midway's attempt to revitalize the Mortal Kombat series in a full 3D environment. It's all we've seen of the fall release thus far, but if it's any indication of Deadly Alliance's actual in-game com- bat to come (and it supposedly is), then old fans of the series might just want to start yelling "Mortal Kombat” to mid-'90s techno again. More than 20 fighters make up the cast, including a few newbies.
(76) Official U.S. PlayStation Magazine
MEDAL ОҒ HONOR: FRONTLINE
June 6 is D-Day. It's also the day this hits stores
We гап a cover story on this beauty a year ago. Back then, we were convinced that it was going to shape up to be something special—and by golly, we were right. We recently spent some time with a playable version of the game, and by all accounts it's shaping up to be exactly what we've all hoped for—a game that's just like the previous Medal of Honors...only better. With the move to PS2, the graphics now add to the quality as much as the incredible soundtrack has in the past.
The sections played within the offices of EA Games varied considerably, much like the previous two games. In one, we had to set charges attached to the underside of a large bridge without being spotted by the enemy. This was very much a sneaky and quiet mission, which very suddenly opened up into a full-on firefight with a large number of enemies when we were spotted. The tension and change in pace were simply incredible, leading to an experience far more realistic than your average first-person shooter.
The recently released PC game Medal of Honor: Allied Assault (which, except for D-Day, tackles a different part of WWII) has been widely acclaimed by PC magazines like Computer Gaming World. From what we've seen, Frontline seems to share а lot of points in terms of style and execution with this game. The only criticism we're aware of for the PC title is that many of the events seem to be “scripted” so that you always stumble upon set events at set times. From what we saw of Frontline, the team at Dreamworks has followed the same route here, but it certainly doesn’t detract from the action. It's refreshing to see bad guys in а game who don't run around like morons and actually help develop the narrative. Expect to see it in stores on the 58th anniversary of D-Day: June 6, 2002.
In December 1943, President Roosevelt appointed General Eisenhower as Supreme Allied Commander, with orders to “enter the continent of Europe, and, in conjunction with other United Nations, undertake oper- ations aimed at the heart of Germany and the destruction of her armed forces.” The original codename for this invasion was "Operation Roundup,” which was eventually changed to “Operation Overlord.” On June 6, 1944, the Allied Forces invad- ed Western Europe.
PREVIEWS
LETHAL SKIES
Watch your six! The PS2's airspace is going to get a bit more crowded in Мау with the release of Lethal Skies, from Sammy Entertainment. Set in a post-catastrophic world where the oceans have risen to overtake the coastal cities, the game places players at the con- trols of a hangar's worth of real-life fighter craft like the F-14D, F-16, F/A-18E and F-15E. Your mission, as a member of the International Alliance's elite Team SW, is to serve the cause of peace and freedom throughout the world. Or some other such vague and noble notion; the game, at least at this point in its development, doesn't really seem to concern itself too much with motivations. "Us and Them" seems to pretty much cover things in this new, watery world.
What is quite clear, however, is the technical skill involved in developing such a fast, realistic game. Planes appear to handle with a degree of realism previously unseen in console flight games. That's not to say this is a true flight sim—not by a long shot—but pulling off maneuvers that were standard in the Ace Combat games, for example, will likely get you killed more often than not due to the more accurate physics. But you'll have plenty of scenic environments in which to flatten yourself, since the game takes place literally all over the world, from the new "New York Sea" to the jungles of southeast Asia.
TRST (зї FUEL 32 TEMP 30
DRAGON'S LAIR 3D
This time you actually have control When the original Dragon's Lair was released to arcades in 1983, it earned a loyal following based on its great animation by a team led by noted animator Don Bluth. People didn't seem to mind spending 50 cents a pop (quite expensive back then) for a title whose gameplay involved little more than properly timed (often guessed) button and directional presses. You never had any actual con- trol of Dirk the Daring on his quest to rescue the beautiful Daphne from a dragon named Singe. Now, imagine the same game—only it places you in total control. For Dragon's Lair 3D, the team at Dragonstone Software adapts the game to the form of a 3D adventure, which still manages to closely resemble the hand-drawn original thanks to its cel-shaded graphics. And it really does serve as an adaptation of the original, as Dirk traverses many of its environments and encounters its colorful characters—the Lizard King, the Checkered Knight, the Smithy, the Giddy Goons, etc.— plus quite a few new ones to add to the gameplay. It all amounts to 43 areas comprising 250-plus rooms, and more than 40 opponents standing in your way. Better yet, Don Bluth himself has ani- mated opening and ending sequences for Dragon's Lair 3D. It ships this fall from Encore Software.
Official U.S. PlayStation Magazine
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PRO TOJANAMEN
Andre Agassi Okay, let's face it. You're never going to feel the Pete Sampras 1 Я гаѕѕ of Wimbledon under your feet. But you сап Yevgeny Kafelnikov 2 Шы y 3 Patrick Rafter. do the next best thing by firing up Smashcourt Martina Hingis Tennis and feeling the shag of your living room Lindsay Davenport EUR Monica Seles carpet. Same pros. Same big-time tournaments. Anna Koumikova But watch out for rug burn. PlayStation-2 па A. WWW.NAMCO.COM
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SMASHCOURT TENNIS™ PRO TOURNAMENT & ©2001NAMCO LTD.. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. SMASH Tennis is a registered trademark of ATP Tour. Inc. "PlayStation" and the "PS" Family logo are registered trademarks of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. The ratings icon is a registered trademark of the Interactive Digital Software Association.
PREVIEWS
WRC: World Rally Chamasi
While the above screenshot may not quite do this justice, believe us when we say that WRC is one seriously cool-looking game. Developed by Evolution Studios for Sony Computer Entertainment Europe, the game has already taken the U.K. by storm with its satellite-topogra- phy-generated landscapes and awesome driving engine. Recently picked up by bam! Entertainment in the U.S., we should see this awe- some rally simulation in stores any day now.
TEKKEN 4 REET At last! We've played it!
If you thought we were fast approaching the point where we were running out of things to say about Tekken 4, well...you were right. Although there was a constant flow of screenshots coming from our friends at Namco, the flow of information was nowhere near as forthcoming. Thankfully, all this has changed, as we now possess a Japanese version of the game to test out and compare to last month's cover star, Virtua Fighter 4.
If it's been awhile since you last played Tekken, and you've been indulging in Sega's magnificence lately, the switch in play- ing styles is pretty significant. Tekken 4 is a much slower and more "powerful" -feeling fighting experience, with the punches and kicks really giving off a feeling of impact.
Unlike previous games in the series, there really is some dra- matic difference in the fighting styles of the characters. New boy Steve Fox, for example, is a professional boxer, and as such only uses his fists—thus altering the control system for his character. Christie is the J.Lo lookalike (and quite spookily so] schooled in the funky Capoeria style of Eddy Gordo, while Marduk is an ex- con thug who resembles "Stone Cold" Steve Austin
Although an official U.S. release date is yet to be set, we have it on fairly reliable authority that we can expect to see Tekken 4 hitting stores in September.
Reign of Fire
We don't see any dragons in these, the first batch of screenshots released by bam! for Reign of Fire, but apparently the story pits mod- ern-day humans against such fire-breathing monstrosities. And if that sounds a little ridiculous (though kind of in a cool way, we think), keep in mind that it's actually a Hollywood plot, based on a Disney film star- ring Matthew McConaughey due out this July. In the game, you can choose to defend our world as humanity...or destroy it as the dragons.
(80) Official U.S. PlayStation Magazine
Sidestepping the Issue
Previous Tekkens have offered little in the way of lateral movement, and if you've gravitated to other fighting franchises in recent years, you'll be pleased to know that Tekken 4 now fully acknowledges the third dimension. This is good news, as the fighting styles of all the characters have developed such that you need to be able to dodge and weave your way out of situations (right).
Up Against the Wall
Whereas previous games in the series have simply offered infinite environments (and often with very bizarre-looking results), Tekken 4 puts walls up around the arenas. Just like in Virtua Fighter 4, the boundaries of each environment can be used for tactical effect. However, unlike VF4, the sizes of the arenas vary dramatically. Some are tiny, but some [like the airport, above) are enormous.
STORE Amazon.com GameStop.com EBgames.com. Buy.com Express.com
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Ea S Si Г Blue-eyes White Dragon
5:
Yu-Gi-Oh! Forbidden Memories PSone. Konami debuts the latest Pokémon-like craze to dominate afternoon
TV in the most appropriate of ways—a card-battle game in which your
abilities to know when to hold ‘em and know when to fold ‘er |, maybe not exactly that] determine the absolute fate of the world. Of course, a bit of a story lies behind it all involving you as an Egyptian pharaoh who must unlock the mysteries of the Shadow Game and the Seven Magical Totems. But it's basically just cards. Check
Азу С 2 STAGE,
Dance Dance Revolution: Konamix PSone. The next Dance Dance Revolution from Konami, due April 23, should be the
best one yet. The game comes stacked with 32 booty-shakin' tunes, plus
another 20 waiting to be opened up. Of course, whether you've got the goods
to unlock them all depends on your rhythmic aptitude, as you attempt to
step in time with the arrows going down your screen. Returning for Konamix
is a Workout mode that counts the calories you've burned, while the new
Edit mode allows you to create and save your own routines.
12%
' PREVIEWS
SUPERMAN: SHADOW OF APOKOLIPS
Could a good Superman game finally be aiming?
We recently paid a visit to Infogrames Sheffield House in the U.K. to see how Superman's first adventure on a PlayStation system is shaping up. Fortunately for Supes fans, a great deal of thought has gone into game mechanics. All of the Man of Steel's superpowers are available right from the start (it's not like you have to learn them, after all)—but you'll also find yourself stuck with Clark Kent in one of the 15 huge levels! The game is heavily plot-driven, having been written with the full cooperation of both Warner Bros. and DC Comics, and is packed with all your favorite characters from the show. Of course, this includes Lex Luthor, who now possesses some otherworldly firepow- er thanks to Darkseid, the tyrannical (апа 100-percent badass) ruler of the planet Apokolips. And you'd better believe Lex plans on using 'em. Other faves from the animated series who pester the original man in tights include Livewire, Parasite, Metallo and Darkseid himself. You can bet Lois and Jimmy will depend on your heroics a time or two, as well.
Infogrames is working hard on the details, too—when you land in a crowd, you get spontaneous applause; pick up a car and hurl it at Metallo, and you'll see it crumple. The cel-shaded graphics style stays true to the animation, and the locations are stunning, from the interior of Luthor's office to a massive dam—not to mention the secret volcano level.
The programmers have worked hard on the graphics engine to bring your powers to life, includ- ing great particle effects for beam attacks, motion blur for superspin and so on. On the audio side, Infogrames has managed to secure the services of Tim Daly and Clancy Brown, who voiced the ani- mated series as Superman and Luthor, respectively. Expect to go up, up and away this fall.
“Turn the lights off, and put your Kids or little brothers to bed, because this one is not for the faint of heart.” Я 4 | COM
474924
f tag.
SHADOW MAN is back. Just try ending the world. Plunge into a TWISTED VOODOO journey of [ESES] APOCALYPTIC COMBAT, featuring MASSIVE-SCALE HORROR WORLDS, ¥ EFFECTS, ONES
DYNAMIC Al, And introducing the POWER TO TRANSFORM FROM LIVING TO UNDEAD.
98% -
Я PLATINUM AWARD
| Blood and Gore | и А Strong Language | PlayStation«2 ЕЗ MKI | | | Violence | м a Shadow Man" 2: 2econd Coming and Acclaim А © 2002 n Reserved. Developed by Acclaim Studios Teesside. All Rights Reserved. “PlayStation” and the "PS" Family logo are reaistored tra
www.acclaim.com
84) Official U.S. PlayStation Magazine
“vow |
When the fangs of a radioactive spider pierced the skin
of Peter Parker, his response wasn’t exactly the most eloquent in comic-book history—but the action itself certainly ranks among the most important. Instead of leaving a stinging, itchy feeling with Peter for a few
days, this particular bite empowered him with the rel-
ative capabilities of a spider—superhuman strength
апа agility, the ability to crawl/up walls and ceilings,
id the power to sense imminent danger. It also
| resulted іп а character millions would argue as the
| greatest superhero ever. It resulted in Spider-Man. Over the years, Spider-Man has slung his way free of exclusively inhabiting the pages of Marvel comics, escaping to other media, as well. In addition to a few cartoons on television (even a short-lived live-action
series and a recurring role on The Electric Company],
multiple toy lines, and marketing products ranging the
1 Pez dispensers to telephones to asthma inhalers (really!}, Spidey has also starred іп his fair хх
7А " UU. share of video games. m
S latest gaming venture for the American icon - =
j created by Stan Lee and Steve Ditko finds its basis in one medium yet to host Spider-Man. The big one. On May 3, the wall-crawler slings his way to атоме the- ater near you for the firsttime. And we think it's fair to say, True Believers, that both Spidey’ 5 big-screen debut and Activision’ 's PS2 226 based upon it should
have your spider-senses tingling.
message has resonated throughout Spider-Man comic books: “With great power comes great responsibility.”
But until about two years ago it seemed that, when it came to the majority of Spider-Man games, publishers largely ignored Uncle Веп 5 immortal words to а young Peter Parker. Sure, the companies had the power of a Spider-Man license— but they usually lacked the responsibility to actually produce a quality game.
Then along came Activision.
With the help of developer Neversoft (the
77 > the past four decades, one simple Ж
company that helped make Tony Hawk а household name), Activision released a PlayStation title in 2000 that finally lived up to the wall-crawler's game-starring poten- tial, introducing him to a full 3D environ- ment for the first time. And while a second offering, this time created by Vicarious Visions, failed to meet the greatness of Neversoft’s, it still provided a solid gaming experience few could dislike.
Now, Activision has handed development duties to Treyarch for arguably the House
that Pitfall! Built's most important Spidey release yet—this one based directly on the
1. While many of your skirmishes with the Green Goblin occur via aerial combat, the ground battles might just shock you (or, in this case, him),
- 2. Before you can reach the Shocker, you must first ‘seek shelter from his powerful blasts in the subway ` tunnel: Spider-senses have never been so useful! Not only must you deliver civilians to safety—
_ sometimes you only have seconds to swoop in
events of his soon-to-be-released big- |
screen debut. And Treyarch is doing all it can to put the Columbia Pictures flick in your control. “We definitely tried to stick as close to the movie as possible,” says Gregory John, senior producer at Treyarch.
Helping to insure the synergy between movie and game was the involvement of Sam Raimi, the film's director. “[He and Columbia] were really helpful,” says John. “They granted us access to a lot of their movie special effects and props—a lot of footage, a lot of stills, that sort of stuff.”
“Raimi was very involved with our final story and working it out,” chimes in Activision senior producer Marc Turndorf. “The one thing he did insist on, though, was the inception of the Green Goblin remain the same.” |
Ah, yes, the Green Goblin. Spidey's
August 1962 18
Activision апа Treyarch know their role іп creating the next Spider-Man game—this one is based directly on the upcoming movie
nemesis in the film—come to think of it, his only nemesis in the film. If the events of the movie set the stage for all of the PS2 game's action, wouldn't fighting the same pumpkin-bomb-throwing baddie over and over get kind of dull?
“It would get a little old,” admits Turndorf. “Where our game diverges from the movie is that we can’t follow the story completely, so we wanted to add a few clas- sic Marvel villains.”
"This is a very origin-related game," adds John. “So we had to pick sort of early supervillains and try to weld them into the story so it's a younger Spider-Man.”
The result? The selection of three Spidey antagonists from the pages of The Amazing Spider-Man in its first few years: the Shocker, the Scorpion and the Vulture.
While gamers-might remember fighting the first two extra supervillains in previous PlayStation Spider-Man games, the Vulture makes his 3D-gaming debut. And Treyarch chose him for a definite reason. "We're {гу- ing something very new in this game, which is aerial combat, and we wanted to give the player sort of a training on how to fight a boss іп the air,” explains Тигпаог# оп the
_addition of a villain who spends most of his
“We definitely tried to stick as close to the movie as possible.”
time hundreds of feet above ground. “The Vulture is perfect for that.”
Indeed. The boss fight with the Vulture that Turndorf refers to occurs almost entirely in the vacant space between the buildings that compose the apex of the New York City skyline. It takes a little suspen- sion of disbelief to relieve you from won- dering what Spider-Man’s webs actually latch onto, but seeing the streets alive with activity several pops of the ear below does add a certain degree of excitement you likely have never before experienced ina game. You often freefall in an attempt to kick the living daylights out of the geriatric fowl opposing you.
“We really think the aerial combat is going to blow people away,” comments Turndorf. "And it's something relatively
May 1953 |
2
Forty Years of Wall-Crawling
Since 1962, Spider-Man has encountered many a defining moment, whether it be an earth-shattering event in the comics or a brand-new TV show. This timeline indicates a few such notable instances,
Official U.S. PlayStation Magazine
Amazing Fantasy #15
| Spider-Man/Peter Parker appears for the first time anywhere in the final issue of Amazing Fantasy. Uncle Ben dies, too.
Amazing Spider-Man #1 pidey's first series debuts, as does the haracter J. Jonah Jameson.
Amazing Spider-Man #2
One of Amazing Spider-Man's youngest issues features the first appearance of Spidey's most aged foe, the Vulture.
unique—there’s no template in another game.”
Not that a fair other portion of the 22 levels comes template-free. Spidey does set foot on the ground every once іп a while, after all, and the gameplay there should ring a bell to those familiar with his PS one adventures.
“We definitely tip our hat to those games," credits John. “Our game really comes out of the PS one games—a lot of inspiration. Obviously, we tried a lot of new things to take advantage of the new- generation console. But there's а huge base of people (һа! played the first Spider-Man game—we didn't want to alienate them.”
And they don't. АЦ of the combat moves you might have utilized return for Spider- Man on PS2, often [especially in the case of web moves) enhanced greatly with the
new system capabilities. By no means are they the only moves at your disposal, though. As you progress through the game, Spider-Man collects special icons that enable new combos—around 40 total. “I kinda like kick-punch-kick,” answers John when asked his personal favorite combo. “It clears a lot of people out quickly.”
Adding more depth, Treyarch has insti-_~
tuted “dodge” moves. “Basically, the combos are either two-move or three- move combos,” explains John. “When you do a three-move combo and then you doa dodge move, you can link up into the next combo.”
But what about the casual gamers who have no interest in doing things like las- soing an opponent with their web and twirling him around to take out others? They're covered too. “Some people are
going to go crazy with all the combos, and the dodging, and the linking, and the advanced web attacks,” says Turndorf. “And then others are just going to punch
y and kick апФ һауе а good time. It is bal-
anced so-that the experts are going to have a great time, and newbies also.” Ме һауе a feeling that newbies and
Mardcore Spider-gamers alike wilt dig
Treyarch’s new control scheme. Though fundamentally the same as before, the D- pad no longer serves a purpose for move- ment, and has now been optimized for directional and web attacks. Got a goon to your right? Just hit that direction on the D-pad as you punch or kick to knock him out of the way. Тһіѕ пем scheme also sim- plifies web movés in that you no longer risk moving Somewhere you didn't mean to go should you improperly time your button presses.
[January 1965 |
ROGUE'S |
GALLERY |
Green Goblin Driven insane by the use of an untested experimental formula, Norman Osborn uses the newfound powers it granted him— enhanced strength and intelli- gence, plus the ability to heal 2 from normally lethal sı Wounds—to terrorize New "AV York as the Green Goblin, \ Spider-Man’s deadliest enemy. ~\ He flies around atop his Goblin „ Glider and likes to cause havoc using pumpkin bombs.
Shocker In many ways, Herman Shultz is just а common thug out for a quick buck.
create their own device that sends out shockwaves strong enough to bring down a building. The funny suit the Shocker wears is neces- sary to protect him from the high- caliber machinery he’s packin’.
But then again, not many com- Г 4 mon thugs have the smarts to ыы. $
«
Scorpion When J. Jonah Jameson wanted someone to pursue Spider-Man, he hired private investi- gator Mac Gargan to use a new formula ı... that would give him the propor- tionate powers of a scorpi- on. It worked, granting ў . багдап twice the strength at of the wall-crawler. His a vd “ suit only adds to his power, 5. including a tail һе can whip around at 90 miles per hour!
Vulture
Spidey’s only > \ superfoe eli- gn:
gible for
Medicare, the Vulture invented an electromagnetically powered body harness that enables him to fly. At first, he used the suit to take А
revenge оп a corrupt business partner—then became quite the corrupt individual him- self when he turned to a life of crime.
i
Who else?
Activision and Treyarch only want us to know about four of the supervillains in Spider- Man—but they promise that true Marvel diehards will recognize a few other baddies thrown their way. We just have no idea yet as to whom.
December-1965 | |
Amazing Spider-Man #3 Doctor Octopus pesters Spidey for the fj first time.
Green Goblin.
him yet) begins his crime career as the
Amazing Spider-Man #20 The Scorpion tries to put the sting on Spidey in this, his first appearance.
Amazing Spider-Man #31
First appearance of Gwen Stacy and Harry Osborn.
ES =
The Shocker is one of th i cial move. 3. A new feature, aerial combat yields the occasional intense freefall. 4. Save the innocents before their life-bars deplete.
е supervillains not actually seen in the movie. 2. Sometimes a simple kick to the groin works as well as any
Amazing Spider-Man #39 Norman Osborn revealed as true identity of the Green Goblin.
Official U.S. PlayStation Magazine
Tobey Games {Willem Doesn't}
When Tobey Maguire and Willem Dafoe recorded original voice work for Spider-Man, it was easy to spot which of the two knows his games. “Willem Dafoe is a fantastic actor,” says Activision's Marc Turndorf, “and most of the lines he'll nail. But then there are lines that kind of give the player hints like, ‘maybe that key will open that door'—stuff like that. Willem, because he doesn’t know games, would get a little confused about those lines, and Tobey would say a line like, ‘I'll bet if | press this button...’ and go, ‘Yeah, this is like when | played Driver! | know these lines! | сап пай these.”
| March 1967... | |
Treyarch has.also tweaked the classic hostage levels from past games, this time de-emphasizing stealth in favor of Spidey taking a more proactive approach, as the hostiles actually beat their captives to submission. If the web- slinger can't defeat the captors before the innocents’ life meters expire, it's a quick game over. In similar instances, a civilian may be placed in imminent dan- ger—a situation that requires Spidey to swoop in, actually pick them up, then deposit them at a designated safe point.
Once the hostage is all safe and sound, it's often time for Spidey to engage ina showdown with опе of the game's fear- some foursome. And if you know our hero well, you'd better believe you can expect him to taunt away as һе beats the crap out of any given adversary.
“So, you must be Quiltman,” guesses the webbed one upon his first encounter with the Shocker. “Padded Pete? Mr. Triple Ply? Oh! I’ve got it!... The Cushion.”
When you hear Spider-Man speak, the likeness in his voice to Tobey Maguire’s {you know, the dude who plays him in the movie) might astound you. But there's а simple reason for this: It's his voice. Along with Willem Dafoe for the Green Goblin, Maguire recorded a great
iginal dialogue especially for the game. Interestingly, Spider-Man ia marks the first time in gaming history y/ [.
Zl
ing people
that two high-caliber actors have extended their roles from a major V is unprecedented. $h P But the involvement of Maguire and y tive producer for the movie. “Actors “Th ial f e aeria ЗА away. [ ~and their work on the game was a real complement to the interactive'experi-
It's this kind of nice, unexpected addi- tion—not to mention the improvements visualized by graphics living-up to any adjective ever bestowed to Spider- by Activision and Treyarch for both their power and their responsibility. p:
motion picture to a video game—it truly Dafoe doesn’t surprise Avi Arad, execu- ІК a combat i ( M \ understand the value of video games, \ ence,” һе says. to an already solid gameplay scheme, all Man—that demonstrate the respect held Uncle Ben would be proud.
Sept. 9, 1967
Amazing Spider-Man #46 The Shocker sends shockwaves in | Shidey's direction for the first time.
Amazing Spider-Man #42 | Thinking he was in for a blind date with a girl who looks “| like the Hulk (his words), Peter finally meets Mary Jane Watson. Stunned at the megahot redhead before him, he | hears her say one of comicdom’s most famous lines: 72. “Face it, tiger...you just hit the jackpot!”
we,
ABC debuts the first Spider-Man cartoon as part of its Saturday- morning lineup. Few forget its catchy introductory theme music. (Yes, that theme music.)
SECRETS REVEALED Treyarch and Activision remain tight-lipped about everything you can expect to unlock | throughout the course of Spider-Man—but they have let slip one tasty bit: You can expect the characters to suit up in costumes designed іп pre- production by artist Alex Ross, arguably the finest artist in the comics biz, Even costumes for the Green Goblin. Ask about fur- ther extras, though, and they refuse to offer anything more than a teasing: “There’s one particular secret that will BLOW players away,” promises Marc Turndorf—something we know involves the Green Goblin. Guess we'll find out what ! they mean in late
April.
SPIDER-MAN GAMEOGRAPHY
For 20 years, Spider-Man has appeared in his own video games—some decent, a few excel- lent...but most total crap. We’ve ranked the best five, and denoted the worst of the worst with a big ol’ pumpkin bomb. (Supporting roles weren’t considered in the top five list.)
STARRING ROLES | SPIDER-MAN (Parker Brothers, 1982—Atari 2600) @у— Spidey’s gaming debut pitted-him against the Green Goblin in a Donkey Kong-like attempt to reach the top of a building without getting nailed by pumpkin bombs.
ING SPIDER-MAN l/Commodore, 1984— |, РС, Atari 400/800, Atari ST) R-MAN AND CAPTAIN
ШЕЙ REVENGE odore 64, PC)
Apple Il, THE АМ,
Г-- AMERICA (Paragon, 1
THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN (Paragon, 1990—Commodore 64, PC)
THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN (LJN, 1990—Game Boy)
SPIDER-MAN THE VIDEO GAME
(Sega, 1991—Arcade)
Combining elements of Final Fight and 2D games like Castlevania, the wall-crawler’s only starring arcade title ranks among his
best games ever. Black Cat, Hawkeye and Namor were other playable characters in this four-player quarter-eater. [— SPIDER-MAN (Sega, 1991—Sega Master System, Genesis, Game Gear) SPIDER-MAN 2 (LJN, 1992—Game Boy) SPIDER-MAN: RETURN OF THE SINISTER SIX (LJN, 1992—NES, Game Gear) SPIDER-MAN/X-MEN: ARCADE'S REVENGE (LJN,1992—Super NES, Genesis, Game Boy, бате беаг) THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN VS. THE KINGPIN (Sega, 1993—Sega CD) Adapting the previously released Spider-Man Genesis/SMS game, the Sega CD version changed the name and added voiced
Big! (OK...maybe it wasn't perfect.)
@— SPIDER-MAN 3: INVASION OF
THE SPIDER-SLAYERS
(LUN, 1993—Game Boy)
SPIDER-MAN [animated series]
(Acclaim, 1994—Genesis, Super NES)
SPIDER-MAN/VENOM: MAXIMUM CARNAGE
(Acclaim, 1994—Genesis, Super NES)
Repetitive Final Fight clone? Yes. Next to
impossible to beat? Absolutely. Yet somehow
inexplicably hard to put down? You know it.
(Plus, you got to-play as Venom.)
€ VENOM/SPIDER-MAN: SEPARATION ANXIETY
(Acclaim, 1995—Genesis, Super NES)
[— THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN: WEB OF FIRE (Sega, 1995—Sega 32X) The last 32X game released, Web of Fire is super-rare. Quite the collector's item, it's been spotted as high as $130 on eBay.
[— THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN:
THE DEADLY FOES. [Japanese only] (1995—Super Famicom)
How does a game (a decent one at that) star- ring an American character only get released in Japan? We don’t get it.
SPIDER-MAN: THÉ SINISTER SIX
(Byron Preiss, 1996—PC)
| EJ- spiver-tian
(Activision, 2000—PS one, Dreamcast, PC, Mac)
SPIDER-MAN (Activision, 2000—Game Boy Color) SPIDER-MAN: MYSTERIO’S MENACE (Activision, 2001—Game Boy Advance) SPIDER-MAN 2-ENTER: ELECTRO
(Activision, 2001—Р one)
Not as great as the other PS one web-slinger outing...but still a solid title.
cutscenes—plus music by Eric Martin of Mr. Фу — SPIDER-MAN 2: THE SINISTER SIX
(Activision, 2001—Game Boy Color)
[— SPIDER-MAN [movie] (Activision, 2002—Р52, Xbox, GameCube, Game Boy Advance)
SUPPORTING ROLES
[— THE REVENGE OF SHINOBI
(Sega, 1989— Genesis)
Spider-Man was actually a boss in this ninja classic. Beat him, though, and you'll discover his true, non-superheroic identity.
[— THE PUNISHER (LJN, 1991—Game Boy)
[— MARVEL SUPER HEROES
(Capcom, 1995—Arcade, Saturn, PS one)
| — MARVEL SUPER HEROES IN WAR OF THE GEMS (Capcom, 1996—Super NES)
| — MARVEL SUPER HEROES VS: STREET FIGHTER (Capcom, 1997—Arcade, PS one)
[— MARVEL VS. CAPCOM: CLASH OF SUPER HEROES (Capcom; 1998—Arcade, PS one, Dreamcast)
[— MARVEL VS. CAPCOM 2
(Capcom; 2000—Arcade, Dreamcast)
[— TONY HAWK'S PRO SKATER 2 (Activision, 2000— PS one, PC, Mac, N64, Dreamcast, Game Boy Advance)
How much better do unlockable skaters get than Spider-Man?
[— TONY HAWK'S PRO SKATER 2X (Activision, 2001—Xbox)
=. 5 a Not only the best Spidey game, it's also the 4 (^ € au y best superhero game, period. For now... ГАРА А | Sune/Juty.1973 | Feb; 1974 | 061975 |. 1977 | ] 34453972 | Amazing Spider-Man #121/122 Amazing Spider-Man #129 Amazing Spider-Man #149 CBS brings Spidey to live action Amazing Spider-Man Gwen Stacy dies, marking one of the The Punisher (first appearance) The issue that set the roots for the for the first time in The Amazing #194
history. The Green Goblin bites it, too | (at least for the next 23 years).
most poignant moments in comic-book
attempts to kill Spider-Man! Also,
the Jackal debuts. [
end,
much-maligned "Clone Saga" two
Clone is created and, by issue's
ides later. The first Spider-
killed (but not really).
Spider-Man. It runs intermit- tently for the next two years— and it really, really sucks.
The Black Cat makes us purr in this, her first appearance.
With all the ferocity of the Green Goblin gliding through Times Square, Spider-Man
1. Mary Jane Watson (Kirsten Dunst) doesn’t know what to be more afraid of—her perilous situation or 2) the man in tights who saved her from it. 2. Peter Parker (Tobey Maguire) discovers the source of his wall-crawling ability.
3. To the public, Norman Osborn (Willem Dafoe) is a _ respectable businessman...but he’s got a dirty emerald-colored secret.
for a movie starring their favorite wall-crawler. They've watched the litigation between movie studios—the rights passed from Cannon Films to Columbia Pictures to MGM, then back to Columbia. They watched as various direc- tors played musical chairs with the numerous scripts—even James Cameron was once involved. And now, they can finally watch him web-sling on the big screen in Spider-Man, kicking off the summer movie season on May 3.
Through all the tangled legal webs, one blessing in disguise resulted: As the lawyers cashed their fat checks, technolo- gy and special effects improved, opening the door for a fully realized Spidey film as seen through the eyes of Sam Raimi, a director perhaps best known for his cult- classic Evil Dead trilogy.
Raimi, a devoted Spider-Man fan since he was a kid (for his 12th birthday, Raimi’s parents hired an artist to paint a picture of the wall-crawler above his ~ bed), earned himself the director's chair by telling the suits at Columbia about his fascination with the superhero. “I went in and I explained to them what my love for the character was,” recalls Raimi of his meeting with Columbia Pictures execu- tives, “and about my respect and admira- tion for what all of the great Marvel writ- ers and artists had created over the
6 pider-fans have waited long enough
treading on sacred ground with Spider- Man, because he means so much to so many people, to 40 years of readers and fans,” he says. “I feel a terrific responsi- bility as a Longtime fan myself, and | con- centrated on the things that I felt were true about the character—to capture the spirit and soul of Spider-Man and to tell the best story that we possibly could.” Raimi's love for the material will show
“I concentrated on the things I felt were true about the
character—to capture the spirit and soul of Spider-Man.”
years. The next day, | received word that | was selected for the job.” |
Although Raimi did not hesitate to jump into the fray, he did realize the great fan expectations in realizing their pe icon to the screen. “I was concerned about
at theaters worldwide, thanks to special- effects master John Dykstra. “I think one of the most exciting things about working on Spider-Man was working with Sam Raimi, because | like his sense of story- telling,” says Dykstra. “[Spider-Man is]
|1982 02 xl May 1984 to Apr.1985.- | |
|. Mak 1983 | Мау 1984... |
Marvel Super Heroes: Secret Wars
The 12-issue Secret Wars teams Spidey up with other big- time Marvel heroes on an otherworldly fight against Marvel's allied powerhouse villains. Issue 8 (Dec. 1984) tells the story of when he first encounters the alien suit.
Amazing Spider-Man #238
With the original Green Goblin now “dead” 10 years, Marvel decides it's time for a new version of the villain in ‚| a different suit. Hence, the Hobgoblin’s first appearance.
Amazing Spider-Man #252 Spider-Man dons the black alien costume tound in the Secret Wars [ for the first time, which enables him unlimited webbing.
+
Official U.S. PlayStation Magazine +
Parker Brothers pits Spidey against the Green Goblin in his first-ever video game, a Donkey Kong-like Atari 2600 release simply titled Spider-Man.
going {9 be a superhero movie with peo- ple уои сап sympathize with, or that you can actually get involved with. | think that of all the films | worked on, not since the first Star Wars have | been involyed in a project that does as good a job of storytelling.”
With a few alterations (see sidebar on page 92), the film stays true to the comic-book material while offering an original story. As ап ofphaned—and Somewhat geeky—teénager, Peter Parker (Tobey Maguire] lives in Queens with his Aunt May (Rosemary Harris) and Uncle Ben (Cliff Robertson). On the day of a school field trip, his life changes when a genetically altered spi- der bites his hand, eventually enabling him with spider-like superpowers. After inadvertently being involved in the death of a loved опе, Peter decides to use his new powers for good/and creates his heroic public persona: Spider-Man.
“The film features an original story that sends Peter to New York City, where he tries to do the right thing,” says Ayi Arad, executive producer of the
Ar у Spider-Me Peter pops the question to Mary Jane (for the second time—the first was in issue 182). She accepts two issues later.
film. “He assumes responsibility for his powers and becomes a hero. Of course, he also has time to chase Mary Jane (Kirsten Dunst) and work at the Daily Bugle.” It’s here that Peter earns some extra cash working as a photographer for Bugle editor-in-chief—and notorious Spidey-hater—J. Jonah Jameson (Ј.К. Simmons).
Dykstra sees the story of Spider-Man running parallel to the normal changes that kids go through in adolescence. “He starts out a very intelligent but not fully matured person—both physi- cally and mentally—and he ends up after the bite of the spider changing physically. He becomes stronger, he becomes more agile, and he also goes through a mental change—he has to think about things in a different way because of his new responsibility. He wakes йр in the morning; the first thing he sees is that he doesn’t need to use his glasses anymore. From there, he goes on—as you would if you discovered something had changed significantly— to try all these things out. And that's a
Spider-Man isn’t the only movie based
оп a comic book headed your way—far
from it. Quick visits to Web sites like SuperHeroHype.com and Comics2Film.com show many others planned for the next few years. And that means plenty of games based on their hype, as well. “The interactive world likes us because we have over 4,700 charac- ters that are basically evergreen,” says Russ Brown, SVP, consumer products, promotions and media sales for Marvel. “Our characters sell products day in and day out with a built-in audience. Movies and games act as events that lift the sales plateau and generate additional consumer awareness.”
Here’s the latest on just a few potential movies based on comic-book characters. Not all will happen—but it sure is fun, at least, to know they’re being thought about.
LI sequels (New Line Cinema, Now Playing/TBA): It's possible you've already seen Wesley Snipes reprise his half-man/half-vam- pire role, when Blade II was released in March. But did you know that а third film is already in the works? Keep your- self busy till then with new Activision games.
.
(Twentieth Century Fox, Feb, 2003): Ben Affleck stars as the Man Without Fear. Joining Affleck are Michael Clarke Duncan as the Kingpin, Jon Favreau as Foggy Nelson, Colin Farrell as Bullseye, and the oh-so-lovely Jennifer Garner as the sai-wield- ing assassin Elektra. Look for games from Encore, too.
LI (Artisan, Spring 2003): Kirk Wong (Six) is set to direct Ray “Darth Maul” Park
as Daniel Rand, a.k.a. Iron Fist, and а video- game publisher is close to being signed for the property.
* X (Twentieth Century Fox, Мау 2003): A year after Spider-Man, the cast of X-Men reunites with а’соире new promised mutants to join the team (rumors suggest Beast and Gambit). Bryan Singer returns to direct, as does David Hayter to write (with help from Zack Penn). Expect Activision to capitalize on its X-Men license for this one, too.
е (Universal, June 2003): Eric Bana (The Nugget) plays Bruce Banner (not his incredible alter ego, though—that's CGI), with the lovely Jennifer Connely (A Beautiful Mind) as Betty Ross. Ang Lee comes hot off of Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon to direct the flick, with gamer-favorite David Hayter (X-Men) contributing to the script. A $120 million bud- get should help. Look for games from Universal Interactive, as well.
. (Twentieth Century Fox, 2003): Peyton Reed (Bring It On) directs the yet-to-be-cast film debut of Stan Lee's original superhero team (the unreleased $1 million Roger Corman version doesn’t count). The script is in the capable hands of Buffy the Vampire Slayer writer/director Doug Petrie. We hope Activision’s related game beats the hor- rendous PS one title from a few years back.
. (Warner Bros., 2003 or-Jater): The Man of Steel finally returns to the big screen next year, with McG (yes, that’s really the name of the guy best known for Charlie’s Angels) in the director's seat. J.J. Abrams (Alias, Felicity) is handling the script. Still no word on a star, though.
(Warner Bros., 2003 or later): This dream team could come to be, courtesy of director Wolfgang Peterson (The Perfect Storm). € (Warner Bros., 2003 or later): Adapting Frank Miller's retelling of the Dark Knight’s early years, Batman: Year One will be directed by Darren Aronofsky (Requiem for a Dream, РІ), who is co-scripting the screenplay with Miller himself. . (Warner Bros., 2003 or later): Ashley Judd has been purr-fectly cast (sorry, we had to say it) as Selina Kyle’s alter ego. According to Batman-on-Film.com, Kinka Usher (Mystery Men) is the leading directorial candi- date. . (TBA, 2003 or later): Nicolas Cage is set to star as Marvel’s hell-on-wheels anti- hero, with Stephen Norrington (Blade) directing and David Goyer (Blade, Blade II) writing the script. They just need a studio to get things kickin’. Ы (Warner Bros., 2003 ог later): Though nothing is confirmed as of press time, it looks like Sandra Bullock is far and away the leading contender for the role of the Amazon Princess. Other details remain scarce. q (New Line, 2004): Known for his writing on Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Joss Whedon will direct Matt Stark’s first silver- screen appearance. It’s possible Activision may release a game or two beforehand.
| Peter Parker marries Mary Jane Watson.
Spider-Man goes cosmic, temporarily becoming the most powerful hero in the Marvel Universe.
58 0 00 Harry Osborn dies as the Green Goblin, after adopting his father’s
guise 44 issues sooner.
fun part of the story.” ple can’t do. So to keep the reality quotient
In addition to the fun to be had by the high, we have to try to make’sure that— character, Peter Parker himself is what even though the guy’s 10'times stronger drew Maguire to the film. "He's a great {һап а normal human being—he’s capable character because he’s so relatable,” he of doing these things within the context or tells Cinescape.com. “He's a regular kid mechanics of the human world.” who gets these superpowers. But he's соп- The big-screen Spidey will be able to do flicted about it in our script, which makes everything a spider can, including spinning him interesting.” a web of any size. “He has all the capabili-
For Spider-Man, conflict also exists ties he has in the comics,” Dykstra‘adds. externally of the character upon the intro- “There's no limitation to what the charac- duction of the Green Goblin (Willem Dafoe), ter will be able to do with the webs. He will Spidey's pumpkin-bomb-throwing arch- sling them and use them in all of the fash- nemesis. The fact that the villain is the evil ions you've seen before—and maybe ѕоте alter ego of businessman Norman Osborn, innovative new ones.” the father of Peter's best friend Harry It all adds up to something likely to thrill (James Franco), adds another degree of both diehard Spider-fans and those who depth to the film that furthers the story's have never even read an issue of The intrigue. A story that also allows for sever- Amazing Spider-Man. Maguire's comments al amazing action sequences. to CNN.com certainly indicate as much: “I
“Having Raimi and Dykstra working think people witl be ready this summer to together is a real luxury," says Arad. watch a good guy in New York who has fun
“Audiences are going to see Spidey т ац ої апа goes around and beats up the bad his glory. CGI allowed us to create the most guys.”
realistic, amazing movements. It looks like With early screenings testing through the real deal.” the roof, Arad hopes for Raimi to helma “The fact that we don’t have a face to second film, while Maguire has already work with in order to create the emotional committed to “beat up the bad guys” at context for the character means that we least two more times. With shooting sched- have to use body language,” explains uled to begin in January 2003, we could Thanks to the special-effects talents of John Dykstra—you might say he has a little experi- Dykstra. "To keep that personality of body see a sequel as early as summer 2004. And ence in the field having led the team behind Star Wars—you will believe a man can climb motion throughout the entire picture is to the millions of Spider-fans who've wait- walls. Need to see for yourself right now? Check out the trailer on your OPM demo disc. going to be the hardest thing. Plus, ed this long, that’s practically tomorrow. [Spider-Man] does stuff that normal peo- -John Gaudiosi
If you make a quick trip to your local toy store right now, chances are you'll find Toy Biz's line of action figures from Spider-Man. As you see here, the webbed wonder is rep- resented in many ways, varying from a fair- ly normal representation, to a totally battle- ravaged version, to just plain ol’ Peter Parker. And don’t forget great-looking plas- tic versions of Mary Jane, the Green Goblin and others. Our favorite, though? J. Jonah Jameson comes complete with desk- pounding action, along with loose articles that bounce around as a result. Definitely worth a look for Spidey toy enthusiasts.
NOT EXACTLY THE SAME
SPIDEY ON TV
Before hitting the big screen, the only way to see an in-motion version of Spider- Man was on television. It all started in 1967 with ABC’s cartoon that coined the leg- endary lyrics, “Spider-Man, Spider-Man, does whatever a spider can.” From 1974 to ‘77, а speechless live-action Spidey educated youngsters оп PBS’ The Electric
i Company, his thoughts displayed via thought bubbles. The live action continued in 1977 on CBS’ nearly unwatchable The Amazing Spider-Man, which ran off and on through "79. NBC's Spider-Man cartoon improved things a bit come 1981, evolving into Spider-Man and His Amazing Friends (Firestar and Iceman) the next three years. Fox had the best animated series, though, as Spider-Man offered 65 sophisticated episodes. However, its futuristic Spider-Man Unlimited would last only three.
Diehard Spider-fans are mixed when it comes to rumors suggest he still needs to build a device to some of-the changes to the Spider-Man comic-book better control power and aim. mythos that Sam Raimi has made for his movie. А WALL-CRAWLING: The comics enable Spidey to climb few of the biggies follow: walls by use of sheer mind-power, though his NO RADIOACTIVITY: As opposed to the radioactive Hollywood self has special retractable hairs. spider that bit Peter Parker in the comics, the film THE GREEN GOBLIN: Though he is the proper color, gives he gig to a genetically altered one. he looks completely different in the film. Raimi’s rea- c WEBS: In the comics, Peter Parker had to soning for this makes sense: It's a flight suit 2 build his own contraption to shoot webs; the ability designed by Norman Osborn’s company for use with di comes with the spider bite in the flick. However, the Goblin's glider, also created by 05Согр. | | m Nov, 1994 | Apr]1995 -| | Spider-Man Unlimited #1 ua Marvels portrays the Marvel Universe The first episode of the newest—and Amazing Spider-Man #400 The 14-part Maximum Carnage story begins, team- е through the eyes ої an everyday per- best yet—Spider-Man animated series Aunt May dies. Or, as we find out three years later in ing Spider-Man with Venom (and a slew of other Y жт 4 ‘son, The death of Gwen Stacy is retold airs on Fox Kids. The series lasts 65 Peter Parker: Spider-Man #97, a genetic construct of Marvel heroes) against Carnage. The story is later YI Й с $ in issue 4, brought to vibrant life by episodes and four seasons. her (sort of like a clone) created by Norman Osborn
adapted for a Final Fight-like Genesis/SNES game. Е the talents of Alex Ross. croaks, as he holds the real May captive. Sheesh.
(92) Official U.S. PlayStation Magazine
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Е LEGEND BEGINS arvel Comics writer Stan Lee wanted to introduce a new superhero named "Spider-Man" to the company's line- up—but he was continually rejected by pub- lisher Martin Goodman. At a time when problem-free adult superheroes like Superman and Batman were the status quo, who wanted Lee’s proposed geeky kid with the powers of a spider as a hero, anyway? And besides, who likes spiders? But when the time had come to end a series of plot- twisting horror and sci-fi stories called Amazing Adult Fantasy, Lee saw his оррог- tunity. With Steve Ditko bringing Peter Parker and his arachnid alter ego to life, Lee dropped Adult from the series’ title and introduced Spider-Man to the world in Amazing Fantasy #15 (recently voted the greatest single Marvel Comics issue of all time Бу fans].
As Midtown High's resident “bookworm” and “wallflower,” Peter Parker often
Symbiotes. Clones. Deaths of loved ones. When you're Spider-Man, anything can happen—and _ Marvel Comics has insured as much for four decades
stood in position to slow down a thief being pursued by a cop, but opted not to help. A few nights later he returned home to find a police car—his beloved Uncle Ben had been killed! In reaction, Peter pursued and captured the murderer in an abandoned warehouse—only to find it was the same thief whom he refused to hinder earlier that day. Believing his uncle's death to Бе his own fault, Peter realized that “with great power there must also come great responsibility.”
And thus, a new super- hero was born.
SPIDEY FAILS BIG TIME
Many times in comics, the deaths of major characters aren't taken seriously—they'll just come back to life somehow later on,
Who wanted Stan Lee's proposed geeky kid with the powers of a spider, anyway?
escaped his lack of popularity with nerdish activities like trips to science exhibits. At one such demonstration, a spider that had absorbed an immense amount of radioactiv- ity in the lab bit Peter in its final moments of life. As a result, Peter soon discovered amazing powers, such as the ability to crawl up walls along with inordinate strength and agility. In an attempt to test out his new superpowers, he took оп а pro wrestler and won, leading to media stardom as the costumed “Spider-Man.” То further the spider theme, he created contraptions designed to shoot artificial webbing. One night, Peter
Spectacular Spider-Man #226
Ben Reilly is revealed as the true Spider-Man—and Marvel actually expects fans to happily accept it,
С) Official U.S, PlayStation Magazine
That's not the case with Spider-Man's first love, Gwen Stacy.
In “Тһе Night Gwen Stacy Died," one of the most emotional stories ever told in a comic book, the Green Goblin kidnapped Gwen and held her hostage atop the Brooklyn Bridge, hundreds of feet above the water below. Like any good superheroic boyfriend, Spidey rushed to her aid, anda fierce battle ensued that eventually led to the Goblin knocking Gwen off the ledge. In a desperate attempt to save her, the wall- crawler slung a web out, which caught Gwen's feet and seemed at first to save her from certain doom. But after pulling her back to the top of the bridge, a harsh reality dawned on Spider-Man—
4 From Ultimate Spider-Man #1
Gwen was dead. | This kind of thing was vir- | tually unheard of in the happy, go-lucky times of comics circa 1973. An established charac- ter—someone read-
ers loved and respected—was killed at the hands of a hero's archenemy. Spider-Man
couldn't save the day this time.
He failed.
As if the death of Gwen Stacy wasn't enough to alter the unwrit- ten rules of comic-book stories, the “snap” depicted when Spidey's web- bing caught his doomed girlfriend offered a deep psychological dilemma: Was Spider-Man's atternpt to save Gwen what actually killed her? Did the sudden jar of the web's impact break her neck? Or was, as the Green Goblin claimed, the fall itself enough to end her life? The debate as to which is true still rages on today among Spider-fans.
The story ended with the death of another main character (at least for nearly another quarter-century). An enraged Spidey contin- ued to battle the Green Goblin, nearly beat- ing him to death. However, Peter's con- science didn't allow him to kill the maniac when he had the chance. While the web- slinger pondered over how close he came to becoming a killer, the Goblin mentally sum- moned his glider to deliver a death blow to Spider-Man. Spider-senses activated, our hero dodged it, his next sight being that of the Goblin impaled by his own trademark mode of transportation.
ҮЛ УЛЛЫ
Summer 1996 |
Spectacular Spider-Man #229
Ben Reilly takes over as Spider- Man for good when Peter quits the web-spinning gig.
Amazing Spider-Man #418/ Peter Parker: Spider-Man #75
їп the final battle with a newly resurrected
Green Goblin, Ben Reilly dies, leaving only a pile of dust. He wasn't Spidey after all.
Based on fan votes, Spider-Man (well, if you can really call Ben Reilly Spider-Man) not only hits on Lois Lane in front of Clark Kent, but defeats Superboy, helping to lead Marvel to victory in this 1996 crossover series.
WHAT MAKES | SPIDER-MAN SO GREAT?!
t Spidey is our everyman and Woman. In а world where most superheroes
TOP-10 STORYLINES
With 40 years of crimefighting to his credit, Spider-Man has starred in quite a few high-quality adventures— but a few lousy ones as well. As voted upon by the Spider-Maniacs at SpiderFan.org, we present the 10 best
web-slinging storylines...and, on the following page, the five worst.
are parental or authority metaphors; Spidey is us, the reader. Asja young
| Y boy reading Spider-Man's adventures, | remember that іп my mind every time he leaped off a building’ 5 Lis ud and swung across the city, it was | 105 THE CLONE SAGA IF THIS BE MY DESTINY me inside that costume. / ^ (Spectacular Spider-Man 8216 |5ері. 1994] to Peter Parker: (Amazing Spider-Man #31-33) | -Joe REDE Editor in Chief of Mafvel Comics} Spider-Man #75 (Dec. 1996] and roughly every issue in One of those stories where Spider-Man battles ] | between) against all odds (in this case, against the Master The strength of the character has always been that he is a real person. | Even though “The Clone Saga” ended badly, and Planner), yet still manages to come out on top.
He's one of us. He's gone through junior high and high School. He's a bit! of an outsider. Не can't get the girl. He's broke. Then an extraordinary
Marvel lost many a fan, this entire storyline shook
up Spider-Man's life like no other and did many [5 mar: KID WHO COLLECTED SPIDER-MAN
event happens to him, and he becomes a superhero. But he Still has to do things well. If this story had been done correctly, (Amazing Spider-Man рат: ae 7277 CN his homework in the evenings. | and not dragged out for so long, it easily would #248) i a -Sam Raimi, Director of Spider-Man have been No. 1. (Too bad its faults earn it the Surprising how [As S < / | | numero-uno position on a certain other list...) (probably) the | T He'sithe walking epitome of Catholic guilt. Peter shortest story Parker can slip into the red and blue tights and | ЕІ- SPIDER-MAN VS. VENOM became one of his /crack wise, but underneath hei is desperately (Amazing Spider-Man #315-317) best, Spider-Man seeking to atone for his "original віп Venom is easily опе of Spidey’s all-time greatest has arguably never œ asin of inaction that resulted in the enemies. Defined in ASM #300, we didn't get to see displayed the defi- death of someone close to him that а real battle nition of “hero” \ he'll never atone for. Unlike Batman, between the two fa better than he did
Superman or, say, Captain America, Spider-Man is not super. He's just’.
until this story- in this issue.
line came along.
trying to be. | [EF THe DEATH OF JEAN DEWOLFF „— 3 -Axel Alonso, Editor of SPIDER-MAN (Spectacular Spider-Man #107-110) y P = | three Spider-Man comics UNMASKED. No one saw this coming. But if a writer kills off an > | - (Amazing Spider- established character, it has to stand up to the What makes Spider-Man great is that he Man #39-40) quality that this one provides. Spider-Man nearly
isn’t. He's just a kid named Peter who puts on the costume and carries the weight of the world upon his shoulders. Sure, {һе kid has the proportion-
Attractive, mature, financially secure. Well-known and well-liked.
NP, Spider-Man? Shy and insecure. Rather dorky, teenaged, always broke. A few good friends, but many ordinary problems. Now, who do you think
a teenager is most likely to identify/with?
-Jonatham Couper, Chief Editor/Webmaster of SpiderFan.org
/ / i Why is he great? It's not the Spider in the man. It's the Man in the spider.
| It's Peter Parker.
-Henrique Ferreira, Contributor/Reviewer for SpiderFan.org
He's just like me...only | get All of his troubles and none of his зирегпи- man abilities. It's nice to know there is someone out there just like me
crosses the line, and Daredevil is there to remind him. One of the
There you have it. Archnemesis Green Goblin and
al strength of a spider, but we're/talking about the weight of hero Spider-Man discover each others’ identities few stories that can be у the world. and fight to the finish. 3 considered frighteningly | | -Bill Jemas, Chief Operating Officer s realistic. | of Marvél Comics Е — DEATH OF AUNT MAY (Amazing Spider-main #400) ۹ | Future revelations aside, when this book hit the Е] kraven’s LAST HUNT / He's one of us. You want to be Superman? Better get born оп а for- shelves, it was an instant classic. One of the few (Web of Spider-Man #32-33, eign planet just about to explode, of wealthy, educated parents. truly moving stories in comics.~ Spectacular Spider-Man #131- | Want to be Spider-Man? Alt-you need is a little bit of weird luck at a J 132, Amazing Spider-Man ‘adioacti' Шу demonstration. Superman? Strong and confident. #293-294)
[EJ ORIGIN oF SPIDER-MAN (Amazing Fantasy #15)
3i (Amazing Spider-Man #121-122)
Dark, riveting story of Kraven pulling out all the stops. Always underestimated, he shocked every- one with his passion and method for besting Spider-Man—not to mention the ending!
The story that started it all, introducing one of the greatest heroes ever conceived.
BN те NIGHT GWEN STACY DIED
who can beat the, bad guys, get the girl, save the world, and come out on top...once ina while.
Archnemesis kills the woman you love? No other story brings out such painful emotions and drive in Spider-Man (which at times continue to haunt him to this day), with an ending that was anything but anticlimactic (again, future revelations aside). These historic two issues shocked fans at the time, and helped revolutionize comic-book storytelling.
-Byron Sanders, Subeditor of SpiderFan.org
[Spider-Man is] possibly the most realistically human of all superhéroes. He never has enough/money, he's constantly beset-by personal problems, and the world doesn’t exactly applaud his deeds—in fact, most people tend to suspect and distrust him. In short, he’s a lot like you and me. -Staf Lee, Co-creator of Spider-Man [from Spider-Man: The / Ultimate Guide by Tom DeFalco, DK Publishing, 2001]
Dec. 1998/to Oct. 1999 | / Jan. 1999 | May 2B, 1999 | Oct, 2000 | у...
Spider-Man: Chapter 0! Amazing Spider-Man #1 and Universal Studios’ Islands of Adventure Ultimate Spider-Man #1
This 13-issue limited series retells Spidey's Peter Parker: Spider-Man #1 ‘amusement park opens in Orlando, Fla., with Set in an alternate universe, this new series origin for a turn-of-the-millennium audience. A new beginning of Spider-Man is marked The Adventures of Spider-Man (the wall- serves as yet another relaunch to the entire Fan response is less than positive, and today by these two relaunches. crawler's first and only ride to date) among franchise. But this time, it's good.
most don't even recognize it as true continuity. the main attractions,
SYMBIOTE MADNESS
During the course of 1984's Secret Wars, а huge 12-issue crossover event that teamed Marvel's most popular heroes against its most popular villains, Spider-Man chanced upon an otherworldly black substance that joined with his body to form a symbiotic relationship. This alien symbiote served as anew, organic costume for Spidey, cover- ing his body in what appeared to others as an entirely black suit with a white spider. In addition to making him look cool, the web- swinger's new duds granted him unlimited webbing. It soon became apparent, though, that the symbiote had selfish inten- tions as it slowly tried to take over Spidey's body. But when Reed Richards dis- covered its weakness to, certain sound frequencies, Peter managed to rid him- self of the alien menace for good inside the bell tower of a cathedral. But that wasn't the last he'd hear
of the symbiote. Not by a long shot.
Four years later, the symbiote found a new host in the form of Eddie Brock, who blamed Spider-Man for the loss of his job and wife. The result of the two together
A WEB OF ODDITIES
Ever hear about these interesting, often ridiculous Spider-Man moments and tie-ins?
was Venom. With all of the powers of Spider-Man and even greater strength, Venom arguably is Spidey’s most popular antagonist. However, occasions have risen {most notably in the case of Carnage, a ser- ial killer who merged with a piece of the symbiote detached from Eddie] where the two have unwillingly joined forces.
ATTACK OF THE CLONE Who says one-shot adventures from two decades in the past lack any significance? In 1975's Amazing Spider-Man #149, а supervillain known as the Jackal created a clone of Spider-Man meant to destroy the real web- slinger. By issue's end, Spidey defeated the clone—in fact, fallen debris resulting from an explosion appeared to kill the adversary. Not so. Nineteen years later, the infamous “Clone Saga” began when, having sur- vived the explosion, the Spider-Clone resurfaced in the comics as Ben Reilly. Living out his own life in the meantime (complete with all of Peter Parker’s memories from beforehand), he felt compelled to visit Aunt
Ridiculous Crossovers: Spider-Man has teamed up with such unlikely allies as Howard the Duck, the Transformers, Ren & Stimpy's Powdered Toast Man and the ‘78 cast of Saturday Night Live.
Adventure Spider-Man Toy Line: You haven't lived until you've played with Spider-Men of the Beach, Safari, Baseball or Football variety.
The Bombastic Вад-Мал: When the web-slinger needed а replacement costume during the Secret Wars, the Fantastic Four offered him a uniform...but a brown paper bag had to do for the mask. (It's a PS one game unlockable costume, too.)
Only in Japan: А tate-'70s Japanese TV show portrayed a dirt- bike-riding, supercar-driving Spider-Man with powers granted by aliens. He would sometimes grow to the size of Godzilla to battle Power Rangers-like foam monsters, and he spent his free time hovering above Earth in his flying fortress, the Marveller.
ЕДІ!
| Peter Porker, the Spectacular | m TN 1 | |
Spider-Ham: | Ji n
Star Comics created a porcine version of Spidey in the mid- 7806, who battled enemies like the Kingpig and Ducktor Doom. A funny concept...but not a very funny read,
|2001
May before she passed away. Of course, this led to him meeting Peter Parker, as well as Ben's own і adventures as his own superhero—the Scarlet Spider,
About а year later, a revelation occurred that rocked the comic world: Ben Reilly — . was the real Spider-Man! Іп other words, / for the past two decades Spidey fans had thrilled ші the adventuré
Mary Jane). Believe actually expected fans 4 n "ambition" with this Story, and accept Ben Reilly as Spider-Man from there on out. Nope. Vehement fans demanded;
Scriers i A ensued, ich ended'with Ben giving his life to sdve Peter. After making the ulti-
mate satrifice, Ben's body crumbled into dust, revealing him as the clone and Peter қ as the true Spider-Man. \
-THE FIVE WORST SPIDER-MAN ` ` STORYLINES
FJ- LIVE AND LET DIE
(Web of Spider-Man $113-116)
Facade, a battle suit with an unknown assailant inside, kills Daily Bugle photograph-
[22 THE FINAL CHAPTER
(Peter Parker: Spider-Man #97-98, Amazing Spider- Man #441, Spectacular Spider-Man 8263) Marvel brings back Aunt May, instantly
er Lance Bannon for discovering his true destroying the classic story depicted in identity-—but since the story never reveals Amazing Spider-Man #400. Boo.
Facade's alter ego, what purpose does Bannon's death serve? Nothing worse than pointlessly ending the life of an established character.
ET- THE CLONE SAGA
every issue in between) ET- MAXIMUM CARNAGE It did enough things right to earn (Spider-Man Unlimited #1-2, Peter Parker: Spider-Man #35-37, Amazing Spider-Man #378-380, Spectacular Spider-Man #201-203, Web of Spider-Man #101-103) Good guys chase bad guys. Fine for two or three issues..,but 14? Well, at least the Genesis/SNES game was decent.
EJ- SPIDER-MAN: CHAPTER ONE
| (Spider-Man: Chapter One #0-12)
John Byrne attempts to update Spider-Man's origin—but fails big time. Rule No. 1 in pleas- ing fans: Never actually try to change certain events. Proof that if it ain't broke, don’t fix it.
| | | | Feb. 20022 | | May 3, 2002
Amazing Spider-Man Annual (vol. 2) 2001
After months of marital problems, Mary Jane and Peter separate.
GN Official US PlayStation May
Amazing Spider-Man (vol. 2) #36
3 Spider-Man witnesses and, along with other Marvel super- id heroes, learns to deal with the ramifications of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. Fan reaction is mixed, some applauding the move, while others find it in questionable taste.
Ж чү, EL Amazing Spider-Man
N (vol. 2) #38 ғ Е | After nearly 40 years of clueless- и N RY ness, Aunt May reveals to Peter that pÈ
А she knows he is Spider-Man.
Spidey makes his motion-picture debut in Columbia Pictures’ Spider-Man.
Hints, codes, reviews, screen shots, release dates, movies, updated everyday.
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© 2001 CNET NETWORKS INC. © 1998 ARTDINK. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. CHARACTER DESIGN BY © 1997 HAKUHODO INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
Р52 Games
All-Star Baseball 2003 ....
Army Men RTS ..
Deus Ex: The Conspiracy .
Ecco the Dolphin: Defender of the Future
ESPN NBA 2Night 2002 .
Eve of Extinction
Негау Gerdy .
Mad Maestro! .........
Mr. Mosquito . No One Lives Forever Savage Skies .
Smash Court
Tennis Pro Tournament ..
+101
102
Star Wars: Jedi Starfighter 103
PS one Games Dracula: The Last Sanctuary
All-Star Slammin D-ball . . ло:
Whoops! We were sent a production copy of Woody Woodpecker: Escape from Buzz Buzzard Park for review this month, but after putting some time into it, we discovered that the produc- tion version that was origi- nally released to stores as of this writing had a crash bug that made it impossible to progress past the fourth level. By the time you read this, the problem should have been fixed, but if you end up with a defective copy, you can contact DreamCatcher’s customer support at their Web site, www.dreamcatchergames.com,
THE FINAL SCORE
We rate games on a five-point scale. So, .5 is terrible, 2.5 is mediocre and 5 is superb. Get it?
Meet Meet the critics | (| critics
ale I
JOHN DAVISON
In а stroke of man- agement genius, John enlisted Gary's cat Buster to help out this deadline while Gary was home with the flu
CHRIS BAKER C-Bake's attempt to gain Spider-Man's powers backfired. Sure, a radioactive spider bit him—but all it did was make him glow green.
JOE RYBICKI
Between drooling over the FFXI live- video feed and
counting the days goes online wasn't really all that t, Joe's
till PS2 in Augu been pretty busy.
TODD ZUNIGA "Gorgeous" Todd Zuniga entered the boxing ring for the first time in his life this month. He's still the "prettiest" OPM editor, by far.
BUSTER STEINMAN Buster's contribu- tion this month comprised mainly of eating stuff. He
much of a help, to be honest.
SAM KENNEDY Upon hearing details of the new Contra for PS2, Sam got so excited that he went home and played through the original NES version. Thrice.
(9 Official U.S. PlayStation Magazine
JC Denton: I'll go back, but won't they be ready for me?
DEUS EX: THE CONSPIRACY
And now for something completely different
Publisher Eidos Developer ION Storm Web Site www.eidos.com
here's a bad guy ambling IE me, and so far he
hasn't spotted the fact that I'm hiding behind this pile of boxes. | have one trang dart left in my crossbow, and if this guy gets the slightest inkling that I'm here, | don’t stand a chance. | need to get past him and to the door across the way, but | can’t afford to get into a fight, because my health is running low. | pull out the crossbow, take aim, and fire. Damn. | missed his face and it ripped into his kevlar vest. Nothing. He didn’t even feel it. Now he knows I’m here though, and I’m screwed because I've got no ammo left. Um...what the hell do | do? Ah, hang on. This box has some kind of explosives in it...if | throw it, | think | can get him and not be affected by the blast. Pick up. Throw. Bang. Bad guy dead. Well done, me, for being excellent. If I'd have thought of that in the first place, I'd still have a {гапа dart left. Fortunately, searching the corpse reveals that he too was packing a {гапа gun, so | steal his darts and dash for the door before his bud- dies come looking.
As far as situations go, is one of the least convoluted i Deus Ex. If you've seen the game in stores and dismissed it as being just another first-person shooter, think again. This is something else entirely. Sure, you can run around laying waste to anything with a staggering array of weapons, but that really isn’t necessarily going to be the best strategy.
Those of you whose tastes reach further than just console games will no doubt be aware of the PC version of Deus Ex that came out over a year ago.
ұғ“ SEK
The lengthy and unnervingly deep story is, at first glance, your typical cyberpunk fare. There's all the trappings of the predictably “dark” future with nasty corporations doing ugly things with genetics and cyber-
—
“Its execution is similarly mature, and I don't mean in а boobies and blood kinda way."
Developed under the masterful hand of Warren Spector, a designer who is regarded with the same love by PC gamers that we hold in our hearts for Hideo Kojima, it is a truly epic adven- ture game. | won't compare the PC and PS2 versions, as this seems a little redundant. But I should point out that the almost intimidatingly complex design of the PC game has been master- fully reworked so that it’s acces- sible with just a joypad.
It has to be said that the game isn’t for everyone. Its themes аге mature and its execution is simi- larly mature...and | don’t mean in a boobies and blood kinda way. It's“grown-up,” intelligent, and something that's going to require
some reserve and actual thought.
netic augmentation. Ho-hum. Dig a little deeper though, and there's some stuff that’s open to interpretation regarding the meaning of the term “deus ex” and its religious or mythological connotations. This, coupled with the fact that the game can be played in numerous different ways, from aggressive to stealthy and cerebral, means that you have something that's far more than your average con- sole game. It's a shame the achingly slow load times spoil the tension.
Final Score X X X XJ
John Davison
afl Players: 1 4 Memory Card: 391 KB
yi
All-Star Baseball 2003
All-Star Baseball 2003 Publisher Acclaim
Developer Acclaim Austin
Web Site www.acclaim.com
While the glitches of yesteryear have been massaged and removed from ASB 2003, new problems have arisen that will have you scratching your head and yawning. This year's biggest flaw: pace.
The first pace issue is the pace of the baseball itself. With this game a 100-mph fastball feels like it's coming in at 380. If you weren't planning on swinging low and away, and the ball is low and away, forget hitting it. Even if you do plan for it you might miss. The ball comes in too fast. At first it feels like you're in an MLB batter's box. But after three innings of nothing as petty as a foul tip, you realize hitting the ball would really improve your newfound boredom.
The second pace issue is that of the game. One game takes about 45 minutes, which equates to fore- versville if you're trying to play a full 162-game schedule. But there's lots of time when you're not playing. This equation will help: Each pitcher's wind-up is some- where between three and four sec- onds. Multiply that by 100 pitches per game, and two teams per game, and that's 700 seconds of wasted time. Doesn't seem like much until you play your 162nd game and realize you've wasted over 30 hours. It's an obvious prob- lem with ASB. It's like it's trying to prove the hypotheses that base- ball might just be boring.
I'd like if the fielders moved and released the ball with a little more speed, and it'd be nice if a 12-to-6 curveball actually rose and dived, instead of looking like a sinker.
Still, there are some great
aspects that will keep the ASB faithful happy. The cutscenes are grade-A and the graphics are top 0 the heap. The announcers аге superb and you'll even see broken bats. The Franchise mode is the real home run, though. You're forced to deal with a type of salary cap, and you'll find that keeping star players and managing a win- ning a team will grey your hair.
As feature-rich as ASB is, it simply proves that gameplay wins championships. It's a solid game that still needs help. If you're a hardcore baseball nut, go with High Heat. If you're a savvy GM or a casual fan, ASB is for you. If you're a chimp that reacts to flash- ing lights, buck up for Triple Play. Final Score Ө Ө © 6 Todd Zuniga
Ecco the Dolphin
Ecco the Dolphin: Defender of the Future Publisher Acclaim Developer Sega/Appaloosa Web Site www.acclaim.com Life as a dolphin is harder than it seems, judging from the latest incarnation of Sega’s long-running Ecco series. Oh sure, the nature programs make it look like dol- phins play and leap and squeak all day, but they don't tell you about the dark side of mammalian sea life. Dolphins are apparently a kind of undersea police force, bat- tling evil sharks, rescuing lost whales, exploring lightless tunnels, and dodging these deadly little crab things that seem to exist only for the purpose of descending in swarms on unsuspecting dolphins. Oh, and then there’s that whole saving the world thing.
You'd think, just from the fact that this is a game where you play
ESPN NBA 2Night 2002
as, you know, a dolphin, that Ecco might be a friendly, peaceful undersea adventure. Not so. This game is hard—we're talking bru- tal, controller-throwing frustra- tion here. The biggest problem is the control scheme. Frankly, it sucks. It's far too complex for its own good, especially considering that you're controlling a character that has more or less full freedom of movement in all three dimen- sions. The up-side of this is that it lets Ecco look and move like a real dolphin. The downside is that once you've given yourself а few hours to make that observation, you're not really going to want to keep playing. Simple “combat” involves а clumsy nose-charge that seems to inflict damage on Ecco himself as often as it does on his enemies. The control scheme makes the most frequent activities—combat, replenishing health, simple exploring—far more difficult than they ought to be.
And that's a damn shame, because with the gorgeous graph- ics and astonishingly lifelike dol- phin animation, | would have been content to just swim around the undersea environments with the most simple of goals. But as it is, the challenge is probably going to turn you off as quickly as it did me; and while you might find yourself yearning to see more of the beautiful undersea world, chances are you, like me, will end up feeling like it's just not worth the effort. Only budding oceanog- raphers and those looking for a ridiculous challenge need apply. Final Score Ө @@
Joe Rybicki
Players: 1
Memory Card: 78 KB
ESPN NBA 2Night 2002 Publisher Konami
Developer Konami OSA
Web Site www.konami.com
Since the basketball season start- ed a whopping six months ago, your PS2 library is probably equipped with the shameful Live 2002 or the stellar NBA 2К2. But if you've been watching hoops all winter instead of playing them, there's now the much-improved NBA 2Night to muddle the picture.
Last year | could foresee а bright future for 2Night, and the hoped-for improvements showed up with bells on. Still, the main reason to buy into 2Night is because the other games lack a solid Franchise mode for the GM- obsessed types. The menus are easy to navigate and you'll be able to create a championship team if you make all the right moves.
But as good as the franchise is, there are problems within the gameplay that will cause die-hards to turn their collective backs. At times passes go through players, and you can't steal mid-air passes with consistency. Rebounding is problematic because the ball will play on the rim two or three times nearly every miss, so you never know when to jump.
The rosters aren't post-trade- deadline accurate, either. So you'll have to get Jalen Rose to the Bulls and Raef Lafrentz to the Mavs. Minor considerations, but this is so late, accurate rosters should be in.
МВА 2К2 is still the obvious choice for basketball fans. But 2Night's stock remains on the rise. Final Score Ө Ө e Todd Zuniga
EVERYONE
Players: 1-8 Memory Card: 680 KB
Official U.S. PlayStation Magazine
372
6683
No, hell has not frozen over
Publisher 3D0 Developer Pandemic Web Site www.3D0.com
t last, at last! I've been Acces Army Men
games for three years now, and at last 3D0 has delivered a game that really capitalizes on the Army Men idea, the childhood dream of commanding living reg- iments of those little, green, plastic, violent buggers. By plac- ing the entire game within “our” world, and drawing in everyday objects in a fairly innovative way (опе particularly clever and funny move was including a PS2 as a power source on one level), Army Men RTS feels just like all those imaginary battles of our youth— only animated.
And the fundamental concept isn't even the high point of this game. That distinction goes to the incredibly adept translation of complex RTS controls (gener- ally designed for mouse and key- board use) to the Dual Shock. One of the reasons we haven't seen more real-time strategies оп any console is the complexity of the controls. But Pandemic found a way to distill the range of commands standard to an RTS into a few intuitive button combi- nations. The control scheme makes good sense, and it makes the game particularly easy to pick up for beginners.
Official U.S: PlayStation Magazine
Now, it's clear that it was пес- essary to abandon some of the more advanced commands found in standard RTS games [adjusting unit behavior, for example, or setting specific routes for differ- ent groups) for the sake of sim- plicity, and that leads me to my greatest complaint about the
game. As | said, the game is
great for beginners, but RTS vet-
erans are likely to find the lack _
of more advanced controls fairly frustrating. The thing | miss the
Гл, eT.
6t TUS zo
6 806;
Xxx Ed V
on in the back. It gets a bit irritat- ing, especially when you're plan- ning a particularly devastating operation.
My only other gripe is the camera control. You have the option of zooming the camera from close to ground level to a serviceable, partial-overhead view, but that’s it. You can’t rotate it, can't do a full-overhead, noth- -ing. That wouldn't be a problem there weren't several tall obsta- cles in several levels that effec-
“At last 3D0 has delivered a game that really capitalizes on the Army Men idea.”
mostis the ability to move groups in formation, mainly because the path-finding routine for the individual units is pretty terrible. Select a large group and send them across the map, and before long you'll find them all spread out in single file, all fol- lowing the shortest possible route to their destination. Furthermore, your soldiers seem to have an awfully tough time getting out of each other's way. You tend to lose about half of your attack strength in any large assault because of all the jockeying for position that goes
61179
tively obscure the camera. | сап understand not wanting to make camera control something the player has to worry about, but being able to rotate your per- spective is occasionally crucial. But in spite of these com- plaints, this is a really well-done game. The graphics are solid, the framerate keeps up even with a full screen of units, and there’s а great deal of replay value result- ing from the inclusion of 16 extra missions that are opened up by fulfilling certain objectives within the campaign. It may be an “RTS lite,” but it does what it sets out to do with remarkable compe- tence, and it's worth a look even for veterans of the genre. If you've never played a real-time strategy before, it's time to start. Final Score Y Y Y) Joe Rybicki
| “| Players: 1 mc Memory Card: 42 KB
Eve of Extinction
Eve of Extinction Publisher Eidos
Developer Yuke's
Web Site www.eidos.com
Here's one of those games that you'll pick up and realize right away that there's something inherently wrong with the controls—and that you're only going to get more annoyed as you go. Yuke's made some bold choices in terms of control configuration and gameplay mechanics and they'll definitely get on your nerves as you progress. A dedicated but- ton to recenter the camera? Toggling weapons with your trigger fingers? It might sound OK on paper, but in practice it's a mess. Especially when there are count- less spots that seem designed to give you control grievances.
But thankfully, two other things about Eve of Extinction that you'll notice right away are its unique visual style and rather bizarre yet intriguing storyline. Both were enough keep me inter- ested and willing to venture on. Well, for a while at least.
The game also makes great efforts to incorporate a semi-com- plex fighting system into what would normally be your straigh: forward beat-'em-up. Weapons will level-up as you continue to use them, toggling weapons while fighting can produce special attacks, and weapon-specific super attacks can be obtained with items. The weapons themselves are all really cool to use and seem to take inspiration from those found in Soul Edge/Soul Calibur.
And to add a bit of diversity to the gameplay, there are times when the game will switch to scripted sequences requiring quick reflexes in order to dodge enemy
attacks or other objects. It's just a shame that these weren't so ran- dom and so short.
Eve of Extinction definitely deserves credit for trying some new things with the roaming- brawler genre, and I'll admit that there were times, such as with boss fights, when | was thoroughly enjoying myself. It's just that the controls—coupled with the awful camera—hold it back as a whole. Not to mention the painfully basic puzzles and level objectives.
But if you can overlook that stuff, it's a solid beat-'em-up. There's also plenty of replayability to it. Question is, after the 250th guy you've smacked around, are you really going to want more? Final Score Ф Sam Kennedy
m]
ТАН
Eve of Extinction
Mad Maestro!
Mad Maestro!
Publisher Eidos/Fresh Games Developer Desert
Web Site www.playfresh.com
Ever wished you could experience what it feels like to step into the shoes of an orchestra conductor? Well, keep wishing, because you're not going to have that experience with Mad Maestro!
That's not to say that Mad Maestro! isn't an interesting, diverting rhythm-music game. It's got a lot going for it, actually. One big deal is the fact that instead of the techno-dancey tunes found in most rhythm games, the musical roster here is populated entirely with classical es [34 in all). That's a refreshing change, but I wouldn't be surprised if many players were turned off by the less familiar music. Also interesting is the way in which all the scenery and music will constantly change depending on how well you're doing. We've seen similar things in other rhythm games, but none that I've played are so immediate and obvious as this. I'm also a big fan of the way the game forces you to vary the strength of your button pressing in time to the dynamic shifts in the music.
The trouble is, that's really all there is to this game, and after a few songs, keeping tempo and varying the strength with which you hit a single button gets pretty old. A selection of simple mini- games helps, but not much. This is a solid rental, especially for fans of the genre, but in the end it fails to earn a standing ovation.
Final Score Ө € Joe Rybicki
р Players: 1 d Memory Card: 85 KB
Mr. Mosquito
i
"m Mosquito
Mr. Mosquito
Publisher Eidos/Fresh Games Developer SCEI
Web Site www.playfresh.com
Truly hardcore xenophiles will buy this on principle although there'll no doubt be a super-elite who will try to tell you that "the pure expe- rience is the Japanese game." Whatever.], but don't let this put the rest of you off. Yes, this is the game formerly known as "Ka. And yes, you play a mosquito. The whole point of the game is to [duh] suck blood out of a hapless family in order to stay alive. The game takes you through various rooms of the family's home, where you fly around trying not to be noticed, then pick a fleshy and naked spot to land (and there are a few doozies in some lev- els], and, er, suck away. Flying around the room is like a fairly sim- ple [you guessed it) 3D flying game, while the sucky bit is kinda like one of those Track & Field events where you have to wiggle the analog Stick—but not too hard.
The basic premise is simple, but things get more complicated when the humans spot you, and this is where the game proves extra-imag- inative [like the concept alone was- n't enough!) and forces you to mess around with the environment by hit- ting light switches and stuff to dis-
a very simple game, and is more the kind of thing to play for just a short while every now and then. Aside from this, though, it represents an approach to game design that should be com- mended. It's worth checking out. Final Score Ф John Davison
Players: 1 Я Memory Сага: 393 KB
HERDY GERDY
A gorgeous game with glaring flaws
Publisher Eidos Developer Core Web Site www.eidos.com ow and then, a rare game N comes along, something that has this extra special quality about it, that reaches across boundaries and borders, that maybe even rede- fines the gaming experience. Herdy Gerdy is not one of those games.
Gromps will always chase Gerdy. Other creatures, like the purple, propeller-tailed Bleeps, will only follow Gerdy while he’s playing his flute. Beyond these simple techniques are a host of other considerations, like making sure a Gromp doesn't follow you into а herd of Doops or Bleeps, lest it start stomping and chomping away at the helpless critters. Furthermore, Gerdy has an array
“This game comes so close to reaching great new heights. Too баа it falls so flat...”
But it very well could have been. And that’s a shame, because this game comes so close to reaching great new heights. Too bad it falls so flat due to a swarm of technical woes and design flaws. But before we dig into what went horribly wrong, let's talk about what Herdy Gerdy gets right.
From the beginning, Core set out to create a game that looks like a Disney cartoon, and for the most part it's succeeded. Herdy Gerdy is a visual masterpiece, a cleverly animated, richly detailed adventure populated with whim- sical creatures that ramble through sprawling landscapes.
While it’s basically a herding game (that is, you push, pull, lead and chase a variety of crea- tures into their respective pens), it's not nearly as simple ог straightforward as it may seem. Every creature acts and reacts differently, and has its own strengths and weaknesses. Gerdy herds the Doops, for example, simply by chasing them, whereas the big, pink
of tools at his disposal, froma simple herding stick that helps gather scattered creatures to а horn that'll distract any hungry Gromp that wanders too close to a herd of smaller critters.
All these elements combine to provide a unique experience that's part action, part adven- ture, part puzzle and part strat- egy. As the levels get more and more complex, you'll need both careful planning and quick reflexes to get by.
But (and here comes the bad stuff) no matter how carefully you plan, no matter how quick your reflexes may be, you'll still suffer countless ignominies at the hands of what may be the worst game camera ever. It skit- ters about like a nervous kitten, switches perspectives, gets stuck on walls and obstacles, and often defaults to the most unusable setting at the worst possible moments. You might have plotted out a perfect herd- ing sequence, only to to have it completely degenerate into a car wreck of critter carcasses no
thanks to that (@*$# camera!
And if that’s not bad enough, Herdy Gerdy also tortured me with its terrible framerate. We're talking nausea-inducing, folks. Seriously. When a game can lit- erally make you sick, well, that’s never a good thing.
Finally, the map system is just plain useless. Herdy Gerdy has enormous, layered levels that practically require a full-size, fold-out atlas. But the in-game map is tiny, unreadable and awk- wardly placed. Call it up, and the map sits squatly in the top-right corner, maliciously obscuring the on-screen action while devi- ously providing absolutely no useful info. And did | mention the gimpy camera already? Well, thanks to it, a good map is even more necessary—and the lack of опе is an even greater sin.
| look forward to a sequel to Herdy Gerdy, one that irons out the near-fatal flaws of this valiant effort. I'd be first in line
cm
Ала
to pick up а сору of that game.
And while we're at it, I'd love to
play more games that are just as
innovative as Herdy Gerdy. Problem is, | have no desire to
play Herdy Gerdy itself.
Final Score © e e
Gary Steinman
Players: 1 Әл Метогу Сага: 86 КВ
Official U.S. PlayStation Magazine
No One Lives Forever
No One Lives Forever Publisher Sierra
Developer Monolith
Web Site www.sierra.com
Back when No One Lives Forever hit the PC gaming scene a couple years ago, both critics and con- sumers ate up this quirky first- person shooter in huge spoon- fuls—and for good reason, too. NOLF's integrated storyline and clever scenario proved that Half- Life wasn't just a fluke; it seemed the tired, old FPS genre still had plenty of ammunition left.
Now Monolith is banking that their hip-huggin’, 1960s hot-spy-in- a-cool-car spoof hits the PS2 sweet spot. Well, the good news is, everything that made the PC ver- sion of NOLF so damn infectious survives intact in this faithful con- version. Like the Austin Powers flicks, this game plays up its swinging ‘60s setting with tongue
бу,
No One Lives Forever
En.
No One Lives Forever
(о Official U.S. PlayStation Maqazine
firmly in cheek. As Cate Archer, an operative and all-around super vixen in the British secret service, your task is to foil the evil doings of the sinister H.A.R.M. organiza- tion, while jet-setting to exotic locales. She's a regular Sean Connery in go-go attire.
One of NOLF's biggest strengths is its excellent art direc- tion that pulls you, heart and soul, into the environment. Each of the game's 15 unique levels features a refreshing sense of design, from the dusty underbelly of Morocco to the psychedelic art deco of a German nightclub. These mostly excellent missions will have you coming back for more...even if some of NOLF's slapstick comedy is strictly hit-or-miss.
Unfortunately, the game isn't quite the hot-boxed, free love den of sin that | was hoping for. Given that some missions require you to engage in tactical espionage, NOLF's lack of a save-anywhere function gets to be a real pain in the arse. The problem is that you're never quite sure what exactly triggers a guard's aware- ness, so you'll often find yourself inching along, poking your head around a corner for a look, only to be spotted and hunted down. To make matters worse, each time you fail a mission, you get to stare at a generic loading screen for 30 seconds. While this shortcoming doesn't exactly break the game, with everything else coming up daisies, this tedious trial-and- error waiting game can really put a damper on your groove.
Final Score Ө Ө e4 Che Chou
ж. Players: 1 Memory Card: 137
Savage Skies
Savage Skies
Publisher Bam!
Developer iRock Interactive
Web Site www.bam4fun.com
Talk about being caught off guard! Having recently played 3DO's god- awful dragon-riding title Dragon Rage—not to mention the fact that this is that Ozzy Osbourne game minus the Ozzy—let's just say that | had about as much faith in this game being good as | do of Gary giving up his crazy obsession with FFX's Rikku. That is to say, very lit- tle. So you'll have to understand just how surprised | was when | realized five or so hours into it that | was really hooked.
Despite being a little rough around the edges [some levels aren't designed so well, certain enemies are annoying, power-ups can be confusing}, and that it can take a little while to get interest- ing, Savage Skies definitely has a lot of good stuff going for it. The number of dragons you can use, for example, is really surprising— especially when you consider that each has its own specialized attacks. And the gameplay, while it has its ups and downs, is for the most part filled with lots of shooter goodness. The graphics are gener- ally solid. Plus, there are plenty of hours of gameplay to be had. In fact, my only big complaints would be about the rock soundtrack, which doesn’t seem to fit, and some of the cheesy narration.
Rent this game if you can, or pick it up if you're really craving an action shooter. You might just end up as surprised as | was.
Final Score Ф ФӨ Sam Kennedy
Players: 1
Smash Court Tennis Pro Tournament Publisher Namco Developer Namco Web Site www.namco.com | can't figure why it's taken this long for a tennis game to arrive on the PS2. Tennis games are a blast. Plus, most everyone's tried their hand at real tennis, and most everyone has liked playing, but since most everyone launched at least one ball over the 20-foot fence on a half-swing, our advice is to try this at home. On your PS2. Enter Smash Court, which will capably feed the tennis-hungry. This fast-paced arcade game features eight tennis pros (Hingis, Kournikova, Agassi and Sampras are the big shots) and all four major tournaments. While the stadiums look good enough to eat, the character models are basic and disappointing. You know you're playing with Hingis, because she does look like her, but there could've been more effort. But that's small potatoes. The game's biggest flaw is that it features some of the dopiest unlockables l've ever been witness to. Sure it's nice to unlock an extra outfit, and maybe unlocking a new camera angle borders on the unique, but otherwise you'll be privy to a mish-mosh of back-
ground music and player tips that are as useless as a broken ріпку finger. Will even the most passion- ate Namco fans care when they have enough points to buy the Tekken 4 background music? I'm guessing they won't
Part of me wants to say that Smash Court isn't deep, but that's not entirely true. Once you've played through a few tourna- ments, you're going to discover how to effectively use your differ- ent strokes to win matches. But that's where the depth ends. When it comes to unlocking items and having new challenges, the game bombs. So you'll have to turn to your roommates and friends to keep the challenge alive. But if your roommate happens to be your wife who rarely games, this is so pick-up-and-play that it's per- fect for first-time gamers. This translates to multiplayer bliss.
There's plenty to like here, but the game is easiest to like when you're renting it. If you game alone, buying this game doesn't make a whole lot of sense. But if you're up for a tennis party, this fits the bill with style. Final Score Ө Ө e« Todd Zuniga
Smash Court Tennis
STAR WARS: JEDI STARFIGHTER
May the Force be a bit more interesting, please
Publisher LucasArts
Developer LucasArts
Web Site www.lucasarts.com edi Starfighter takes all of
J the good bits from Starfighter, shoots them
forward in time, and sprinkles
some additional spiciness on top.
Why then, you're no doubt ask- ing, is the score of this опе a full point lower? Well, mainly for all those same reasons. It’s a per- fectly adequate extra helping of Starfighter, but it doesn’t really do any more than that.
The thing we're all supposed to get excited about this time is. the fact that you can now fiddle
GET NEAT STUFF
As is becoming the norm with LucasArts-produced games, you are amply rewarded for strutting your funky stuff with aplomb in Jedi Starfighter. Any ambivalence toward the game tends to dissolve away when you realize that you've man- aged to open up some cool stuff. 1 don't want to give lots away (well, OK, maybe | do], but this screenshot may give you some incentive to play all the way through.
around with Force powers. Sounds exciting in theory, right? Well, it would be if it made you feel like you're actually a Jedi and doing all this stuff. As it stands though, it just feels like a bunch of extra, slightly weirder weapons that you have bolted onto your ship. Maybe I’m too
а sort of “that big blue ugly guy” kind of way. Which leads to another fault in the game, name- ly that if I can’t even remember the names of the damn charac- ters, | certainly don’t particular- ly care about them. Another Star Warsian faux pas, since part of the beauty of the Star Wars uni-
“It's a perfectly adequate extra helping of Starfighter”
much of a Star Wars purist, but I've always thought that the beauty of the whole Force thing is that it's actually quite personal and intimate. It's what Jedi use to mess with the rest of us. Seeing it used from within the cockpit of a spaceship just doesn't give the desired effect.
So, with the unique new fea- ture of the game well and truly shot down, what does that leave? More of the same thing we had in Starfighter, really. An extremely competent game with both space and ground-based missions that prove to be some- what more challenging than they did last time around.
As before, the whole thing is character-driven, with a number of interwoven stories driving the narrative along іп a "nearly Episode II" kind of way. My prob- lem with Star Wars games that don't follow the movies these days is that | can never remem- ber anyone's name. There are far too many apostrophes kicking around for my liking. Ultimately, I just end up describing people іп
verse and the star players therein is that you really root for the heroes and despise the bad guys.
This aside, though, it’s a per- fectly competent game. It has a bunch of stuff to open up [see "Get Neat Stuff") and it doesn't
look half bad (although not spec- {асщаг). It also offers an array of multiplayer options, including some kick-ass cooperative options, that will keep you and a suitably Star Wars loved-up buddy amused for some time. Final Score X © 4
John Davison
1 Players: 1-2 Memory Card: 71 KB
Dracul: The Last Sanctuary Publisher DreamCatcher Developer &Wandadoo/Canal+ Web Site dreamcatchergames.com Don't get too down on yourself if you never played DreamCatcher's PlayStation debut, Dracula: The Resurrection—it didn't exactly tear up the charts. However, playing this Myst-like graphic adventure does serve as a sort of prerequisite for Dracula: The Last Sanctuary, as it continued the story of Bram Stoker's classic novel with respectable competence and ended with a semi-cliffhanger. Picking up where Resurrection left off, Sanctuary continues Jon Harker's quest to rid the world of Dracula and save his woman Mina from her vampiric curse once and for all. And if DreamCatcher had just latched Sanctuary onto the end of Resurrection to make it all one game, | never would have noticed. Gameplay between the two is nearly identical, as are the games strengths and faults. Most notably, you'll feel a genuine sense of accomplishment when you've Solved a tough puzzle at some points...but at others the frustra- tion might not seem worth it when you can't find the one item you need simply because it blends in too well with the 2D backgrounds that seam together to allow for 360-degree vision. However, the excellent voice acting and FMV manage to keep you hooked, even after great lengths of boredom. Sanctuary's faults hurt it severe- ly, but some might enjoy it anyway. Final Score @@@ Chris Baker
1 Players: 1 Memory Card: 1 block
№ i All-Star Slammin D-ball
All-Star Slammin D-ball Publisher Agetec Developer D3 Publishing Web Site www.agetec.com Some of my fondest game-playing memories as a kid are of Super Dodge Ball for the Nintendo Entertainment System. You just got such a gratifying feeling from peg- ging your best friend right in the noggin with a powered-up super throw and seeing him fly across the screen. So as soon as | heard about Agetec's D-ball, | immedi- ately jumped at the chance to get on the review. The cartoony graph- ics looked pretty cool, so | figured if D3 could pull off the super-fun gameplay of the NES classic, this would be an instant hit.
Unfortunately, they didn't. Slammin’ D-ball’s gameplay is а far cry from that of the old-school classic, and it's quite a shame. Super moves are available, but they're near-impossible to pull off because of the game's shoddy con- trols. Same goes for catching a ball thrown at you—one of dodge- balls most important aspects— which only seems to work half of the time. Plus, characters go down after one hit, resulting in super- quick matches and little depth.
Considering that D-ball will only set you back 10 bucks, though, | suppose you'll be able to get a fair amount of play out of it, especially if you've got two players. Still, I'd just as well suggest dusting off that old NES in the attic, hopping onto Ebay, and spending that 10 bucks on the original Super Dodge Ball. It's better and it's a classic! Final Score @ Sam Kennedy
3 Players: 1-2
Memory Card: 1 block
Official U.S. PlayStation Magazine
REPLAY
IN THIS EDITION
Last month we kicked off our new Replay section to rave reviews. This month we improve with the latest and greatest in tricks for your stay-at-home week- end. More specifically, this month's special feature includes the games that you chose in our reader's poll. You picked the award-win- ning games; we pick the award-winning tricks.
Virtua Fighter 4 owners, we grace you with the head to heels on today’s hottest fighter. Not only do you learn how to hold the controller (yes, there's a different way!), but we detail which fighter best suits your pummeling needs.
We also unravel the final shortcut secrets in SSX Tricky how to impress PS2 critics with every Super Uber trick
State of Emergency has you іп a state and СТАЗ is giving you headaches? We make it so you can breeze by the mean- est set of Rockstar's polygonal lowlifes.
SECRETS REVEALED
PS2 Games |
State of Emergency ....108, 114
THPS3 107, 113, 115, 117 Virtua Fighter 4 106-107 PS one Games
Driver 2
Grand Theft Auto 2
Gran Turismo 2
SPECIAL FEATURE: OPM AWARD WINNERS
You voted on the best games of the year. The least we could do was to offer up award-winning tricks for each.
GRAN TURISMO 3
You've heard about get-
METAL GEAR SOLID 2 You and everyone's moth- ting your wild ride into a er have played through it. wheelie. Now find out Beating it's the easy part
how to pull it off. Finding the secrets isn't
104 Official U.S. PlayStation Magazine
PS2 Tricks and Review Archive
Game names in
indicate a Greatest Hits title. Ratings in red indicate a five-disc score. A number
@ indicates it's rank in the top 10 selling games for each system.
Game | 18 Wheeler
American Pro Trucker 4x4 EVO Ace Combat 04: Shattered Skies The Adventures of
Cookie & Cream Airblade All-Star Baseball 2002 Aqua Aqua Arctic Thunder Armored Core 2 Armored Core 2: Another Age Army Men Air Attack ‘Army Men: Green Rogue Army Men: Sarge's Heroes 2 АТУ Offroad Fury Baldur's Gate: Dark Alliance Bass Strike Virtual
Fishing Tournament Batman: Vengeance Bloody Roar 3 The Bouncer Burnout Capcom vs. SNK 2 CART Fury Casper: Spirit Dimensions City Crisis
Publisher
Acclaim GOD Games Namco
Agetec Namco Acclaim 300 Midway Agetec Agetec 300
300
300 $опу СЕА Interplay
THO
Ubi Soft Activision Square EA Acclaim Capcom Midway
TDK Mediactive Take 2
Cool Boarders 2001 Sony CEA Crash Bandicoot:
The Wrath of Cortex Universal Crazy Taxi Acclaim Dark Angel: Vampire Apocalypse Metro3D Dark Cloud Sony CEA Dark Summit THQ Dave Mirra Freestyle BMX 2 Acclaim Dead or Alive 2: Hardcore Tecmo Devil May Cry Capcom Donald Duck: Goin’ Quackers Ubi Soft Dragon Rage 300 Drakan: The Ancients’ Gates Sony CEA Driven Bam! Driving Emotion Type-S ‘Square EA Dynasty Warriors 2 Koei Dynasty Warriors 3 Koei Ephemeral Fantasia Konami Escape From Monkey Island LucasArts ESPN International Track & Field Konami ESPN International Winter
Sports 2002 Konami ESPN MLS ExtraTime Konami ESPN National Hockey Night Konami ESPN NBA 2Night Konami ESPN Winter X Games
Snowboarding Konami ESPN Winter X Games
Snowboarding 2002 Konami ESPN X Games Skateboarding Konami Eternal Ring Agetec Evergrace Agetec Evil Twin Ubi Soft Extermination Sony CEA Extreme б III Acclaim Е1 2001 EA Sports F1 Championship Ubi Soft Fi Championship Season 2000 ҒА Sports Fantavision Sony CEA Fatal Frame Tecmo FIFA 2001 Major
League Soccer EA Sports FIFA 2002 EA Sports
Score
Issue
| always keeps people in their seat. /
- Although you don't: ‘octal get lt the ai, you
- peppered throughout Spira, he can become fluent in the exotic
Game _ Publisher Score Issue Final Fantasy X Square EA 53 It won PS2 Game of the Year and RPG of the Year. Know peo-
| ple who haven't played it yet, make them, Offer to cook them up а
пісе hot dog and macaroni lunch while 1
Airship Coordinates
Where to go by feeding it coordinates. Heres the short stot al te secret locales.
Х-74 Ү-36 = Omega Ruins
X15 ¥41 = Sanubia Sand Dune
Х-16 Y-57 = Yevon Temple
г X-31 Y-73 = Besaid Rainbow Waterfall
X-34 Y-58 = Mi'ihen Abovewater Ruins Х-42\-57 = Battle Site
There are also three secret А! Behd pass- words that unlock secret areas, Type these
in using all capital letters,
Input
GODHAND =Mushroom Rock
VICTORIOUS = Besaid Ruin 1
MURASAME = Besaid Ruin 2
AI Behd Language
Final Fantasy X combines the fun of role-playing with the thrill of foreign-language class with the Al Behd Primer minigame. RiKku's хасе of desert-dwelling people speaks a language called Al Вена. Tidus can't understand а word of it at first, but by finding 26 books.
‘tongue. Don't you wish it were that easy to understand your French teacher? You'll be able to comprehend what the Al Већ are talking “about, plus you'll also be able to decipher some ancient writings. Primer |. On the deck of the Al Behd salvage ship that rescues Tidus Primer Il. Besaid Village, Crusaders’ headquarters. ||| Primer ll Transport ship from Besaid to Kilika, elt um Primer М. Kilika Ваг
Primer V. Transport ship from dioi anto an: Primer VI. Luca Stadium, Underground floor B
Primer МІ. Luca Viewing Room, on the counter
| Primer Vill. МИ ней Road, a gift from Rin $
Primer ІХ. Mi'ihen Road, New Road North
Primer X. Mushroom Rock Road, Cliff area.
- Primer Xl, Djose Road
Primer ХІ. Moonflow, North Shore
ı Primer ХІІ. Guadosalam, in a room on the far left Primer XIV. Thunder Plains, a gift from Rin
Primer XV. Macalania Forest, on the road to the lake ' Primer XVI. Macalania Lake, in front of the inn Primer XWI. Sanubia Desert, central portion, left side |” Primer XVII, Sanubia Desert, central portion, aem | i - Primer XIX. Al Behd city of Home -Primer XX. Ai Behd city of Home, residential area Primer ХХІ. Al Већ city of Home, road area. Primer ХХІ. Bevelle Temple, Monk's Road. Primer XXII. Calm Lands, Northwest area Primer XXIV. Remiem Temple
Primer ХХУ. Cave under the Mountain
Primer XXVI. Omega Ruins x
‘the Al Behd language that you м gi ‘hints to what's being said. If you gather all 26, Rin will give you a
the Combine Spheres located at Inns. |
Fur Fighters: Viggo’s Revenge Acclaim Gadget Racers
Forever Kingdom Agetec м 53 Formula One 2001 Sony CEA 50 Frequency Sony CEA 52 Frogger: The Great Quest Konami 53 46 50
Conspiracy oon
бате Publisher Score Issue Game Publisher Score Issue Gallop Racer Tecmo 48 Jeremy McGrath мы dE : WS x» SPECIAL FEATURE Giants: Citizen Kabuto Interplay 51 Jonny Moseley Mad Trix 300 Gitaroo-Man Koei 53 Kengo: Master of Bushido Crave Godai: Elemental Force 300 54 Kessen EA Games Gradius Ш and IV Konami 8 Кезеп! Koei PS2 GAME OF THE YEAR 9 Gran Turismo SCEA 46 Кіпейса $опу СЕА Have а second memory card laying around your apartment? Can't King’s Field: The Ancient City Agetec find it, huh? It’s between the cheese and the crust on that pizza Klonoa 2: Lunatea’s Veil EA Games that's been sitting on your coffee table for three friggin’ weeks! In Knockout Kings 2001 EA Sports How to get past two of the toughest (А 1 (i all seriousness, try this tactic to score some easy money. But take Knockout Kings 2002 EA Sports bosses in this incredible RPG. Мы ym out that pizza box first. Le Mans 24 Hours Infogrames Yunalesca 3 аце 5 Upgrade Central The Legend of Alon D'ar Ubi Soft 1st form—HP: 24000 * 2nd form— ^ d ‘After you have earned 200,000 credits, purchase a car. Upgrade it to Legends of Wrestling Acclaim НР: 48000 • 3rd form—HP: 60000 the maximum capacity, which will leave you nearly broke. Save this Lego Racers 2 Lego Media Here’s where FFX gets really nasty. ‘stud car on your second memory card, then return to the title Madden NFL 2001 EA Sports That spectacular Aeon Overdrive ‘screen and load your last game from your first memory card. You'll 6© Madden NFL 2002 EA Sports Assault is a must-have, but you
need to save it for the final form of
the boss. Yunalesca is immensely
fond of status ailment attacks, so
you'll want to bring a vat of Remedies, Echo Screens and most impor- tantly, Holy Water. If possible, try to find or make armor that has the Auto-Medication ability—it's a huge help. Protective spells and Hastega help for a while, but Yunalesca will dispel them eventually. Keeping Yuna free from maladies is of the utmost importance, as she has to whip out those Aeons when the final form emerges. Yuna's Holy spell inflicts 9999 to Yunalesca every turn, so a Hasted Yuna with good Ether support is a viable alternative to the Aeon massacre. Also, be prepared for the third form's Mega Death attack—it casts Death on everyone. Deathproof armor is your only defense. If you don’t have any of that...pray that one
get your money back, plus you can now trade from the second memory card, The stud car will then only cost you retail, These are the types of tricks keeping the economy оп a slow upswing. Ready for the big time?
Now that you've cheated your way into a sweet ride, select Arcade mode, then highlight the Hard selection on the difficulty selection screen. Hold L1 + R1 until it changes to Professional.
Isn't football season over? Go play High Heat ог NBA 2К2 for the love of Jehoshaphat! But since the NFL draft is on everyone's mind, we decided to help you cheat your way into a dominating team. Now go out there and Kick some Houston Texans butt!
Draft Day dream
Do this and you'll end up with all kinds of first-round draft picks. The Julius Peppers and the Joey Harringtons of the NFL will be wearing your logo on the side of their helmets.
Start the season in Franchise mode, then go to the Rosters Screen. Buy all free agents that your team can afford, with stats 63 or higher. These positions are best: SS, FS, OLB, MLB, LOB, CB, or DE, because they have higher trade value, Go to Trades and trade any three of your same defensive players to any team willing to give
1 Grand Theft Auto Ill Rockstar еееее 52 You've beaten every mission, you've scored all 100 packages, you've invited a hooker into your stolen Camaro. But have you thrown a Molotov Cocktail into a bunch of pedestrians living nowhere lives? Probably. But these cheats
make it even easier, a draft pick at least fourth round or lower. Next, trade one bad play- person avoids the spell.
All weapons р e er along with all fifth- and sixth-round picks for a fourth pick. You
R2, R2, L1, R2, Left, Down, Right, Up, Left, “O may end up with second- to fourth-rounders. Next, trade only picks Sin [second time) HP: 140000 Down, Right, Up. for lower picks. For example, three fourth-round picks equals one After your previous tussle with him Lots 0f Cash third-round pick; three third-round picks equals one second-round lulls you into a false sense of secu- R2, R2, L1, L1, Left, Down, Right, Up, Left, pick; three second-round pick equals one first-round pick. This rity, Sin returns with an unfair Down, Right, Up. takes more time than most are willing to commit, but if you love. advantage. Sin won't attack you for Full Armor Cheat your team and want a young power team, why not give it a shot? a few rounds, but when he does,
R2, R2, L1, L2, Left, Down, Right, Up, Left, Down, Right, Up Full Health Cheat
R2, R2, L1, R1, Left, Down, Right, Up, Left, Down, Right, Up Blow Up All Cars
L2, R2, L1, R1, L2, R2, Triangle, Square, Circle, Triangle, L2, L1 No Wanted Level
Press R2, R2, L1, R2, Up, Down, Up, Down, Up, Down.
you will die. In fact, this attack
doesn't even inflict actual dam-
age—it's an automatic Game Over.
In order to avoid this fate, you must
dole out 140,000 points of damage
before Sin's countdown finishes. If you have the Aeon Anima, it will be an easy battle—but odds are that you don't have that quite yet. Have
а Max Payne Rockstar 53 Going after criminals who killed your family? God, we hope not. That would be terrible, and it disturbs us to think about it. Unless it's in video-game context, in which case we give you codes, Just type in these codes at the Pause screen to make the magic happen. Unlimited Bullet Time
L1, L2, R1, R2, Triangle, X, X, Triangle.
Tidus cast Hastega and then proceed to bust out your most devastating
Grandia Il Ubi Soft e 53 Choose any level - attacks. All of your Aeon Overdrives and character Overdrives provide a Guilty Gear X Majesco/Sammy e: 51 Play through the game until you pass the good start. Next, have Yuna cast Holy and Lulu use Doublecast and Gungriffon Blaze Working Designs e. 39 ‘subway level. Then press the Select button to Flare. Auron's normal attacks should also do 9999 by this point. Half-Life Sierra 51 гешт to the main menu and press the fol- . Hopefully, you'll be fast and strong enough to win this fight. Harvest Moon: lowing: Up, Down, Left, Right, Up, Left, Down,
Save the Homeland Natsume e 51 | Circle. After that, get picky, Because you can Heroes of Might and Magic 300 * 46 choose whatever level you want to play. — | High Heat MLB 2002 300 P 44 Eight Pain Killer pills j
High Heat MLB 2003 300 " 55 Press Start to pause, then press L1, L2, R2, R1, Triangle, Circle, X, PS ONE GAME OF THE YEAR
Hot Shots Golf 3 Sony CEA e 55 Square. Nothing kills pain like that combination.
ко Sony GEA ы мии FINAL FANTASY CHRONICLES Jade Cocoon 2 Ubi Soft ese 53 Slap Start to pause the game and then press L1, L2, R1, R2,
Jak and Daxter: Triangle, Circle, X, Square. | Final Fantasy IV: Secret Developers’ Room
The Precursor Legacy Sony CEA 52 Infinite Атто. 5 To visit the secret Developers’ Room, head to the Dwarf Castle in the
10 James Bond: Agent Under Fire ЕА Games P 52 Pause the game and press: L1, L2, R1, R2, Triangle, Square, X, Underworld. Enter the Rally-Ho pub, which you'll find between the
Last month we made you invincible, this month we fill your head Circle. i weapon and armor shops. There's a fake wall on the right side of the
with reward info. We'll make it snappy so we can get back to our who's a bigger Bond retard: the lady-lovin George Lazenby or the
Invincibllity ү Pause the gameplay and then press L1, L1, L2, L2, 81, R1, R2, R2.
pub. Walk through this wall, then down the staircase, and you'll be in the hidden Developers’ Room. While there, be sure to visit the Мар
| жк и Room to take a peek at the porno mag. Smut Here's how this works, we give you what medal you'll get , the New morer? Woy, ves Chrono Trigger: Another Secret Developers' Room! points needed to get it and the reward you'll enjoy. Get to it, 007. БӘТ ӘЛЕККЕ шаша NEN York, Chrono Trigger also features a special developer's room that's actually Level 1: Trouble In Paradise Minute difficutly modes. part of one of the game's many endings [probably the hardest one to
Gold: 50,000: Golden Gun
Platinum:50,000 + 007 Icons: MP Map of Rocket Manor
Level 2: Precious Cargo Gold: 50,000: Golden CH-6
Platinum: 50,000 + 007 icons: MP Game Mode: Golden Gun
Level 3: Dangerous Pursuit Gold: 70,000: Unlimited Missiles
Platinum: 70,000 + 007 Icons: MP Model: Stealth Bond
Level 4: Bad Diplomacy Gold: 70,000: Golden Accuracy
Platinum: 70,000 + 007 Icons: MP Powerup: Gravity Boots
Level 5: Cold Reception Gold: 90,000: Golden Clip
Platinum: 90,000 + 007 Icons: MP Model: Guard
7 Maximo: Ghosts To Glory Сарсот Ст 54 You've been to Blockbuster for Maximo ог you've bought it. Either мау, it's overhyped and under-good, Or is it? While you're deciding, try these cheats on for size, will you?
Bewitching kisses
Collect the Sorceress’ kiss at the end of each and every level. Seat each of the four kisses to a power-up position. Once the game is completed, the art gallery will be unlocked.
More money, honey 2
During the first level collect the fairie. Keep ол keepin’ оп until you have about 50. Hit the next grave, and you will have a Grim Reaper coin. It’s shiny and pretty and new!
obtain). There are two ways to get to it, but in both cases you'll need to beat the game and have a Game+ ranking. The quickest way to do it is to examine the shiny dot on the Lucca's right Telepod in Leene Square [if you don't talk to anyone Marle will come with you too) and then square off against Lavos. The other way to do it is to beat Lavos when you first fight him in the Ocean Palace.
Once you beat Lavos you'll end up at the End of Time. All of the characters in the room represent actual development team staff mem- bers and they'll make jokes as you talk to them. You can even meet the Dream Team of game designers—Akira Toriyama, Hironobu Sakaguchi and Yuji Horii—in Spekkio's Place. Then be prepared to watch the shortest set of credits you've ever seen in your life!
Official U.S. PlayStation Magazine 105
VIRTUA FIGHTER 4: KICK ASS
Mastering Virtua Fighter 4 is going to take you a long time, and you're going to need to make use of everything that the game offers from the training mode to Kumite to ensure that you become a master. What we bring you here is the collected wisdom from folks who have been playing the game for the last couple of months.
Start out by learning one fast character and one slow/strong character really well. This will give you greater latitude in con- fronting opponents who favor one character or are defeating your primary character with ease.
After learning your character's basic moves, the first thing you should do is piece together offen- sive, defensive, close-range and
long-range playing styles. Figure out which moves keep your oppo- nent at bay, which ones keep the pressure up and keeps him guarding. Then switch up between the different styles dur- ing the match to keep your орро- nent guessing.
MIX IT UP
* Know your character's attack ranges. The last thing you want is to be repeatedly making the mis- take of attacking and missing.
* Use the low punch to interrupt your enemy's attacks. This will shift the flow of the fight and put you on the offensive.
* Familiarize yourself with the mid-attacks. Mid-attacks will hit a crouching opponent. So attack low to get your enemy to crouch,
then go into a mid-attack to stag- ger or bring him down.
* Switch up between different attack heights to keep the enemy guessing.
* Throw out a couple of predictable patterns that your opponent will start to think is your “style.” Once he's familiar, and reacting and anticipating the way you want him to, change your tactics entirely to. surprise your opponent.
* Vary your attacks to target mul- tiple levels. Force your opponent to switch between high and low blocking every time you combo.
OFFENSE
* A strong offense is better than а good defense. Don’t back down unless you really, really have to. * Pressure your opponents into
Think you're the greatest Virtua Fighter in the world? Try these tips to get even better
walls, corners or edges of rings to limit their options. Characters with fast attacks, like Lau, can annihilate an opponent using the wall to hold an opponent in place. “ Do not hesitate to ring out your opponents. It may seem like a cheap victory...but it is a victory.
* An opponent who stays on the ground for more than a second after falling is just begging for a ground beating using the pounce. Use the up and punch or your character's unique standing. ground attack whenever possible. However, pounce only if it's а guaranteed hit. Otherwise, you'll take more damage than you dish because of the recovery delay from the move.
* Learn your character's airlift move or moves to start off inescapable juggling combos. With relatively little practice you can juggle someone three times with- out much trouble. With a charac- ter like Kage, this is devastating.
* Intentionally winning by running away and waiting for the clock to tick away is a cheap way of win- ning. Only real wussies use this kind of tactic.
* Use throws as often as possible. The worst thing that can happen is your opponent negates it, but you can follow up with quick punches or a low sweep if you're savvy.
DEFENSE
* Master your defense and save yourself some trouble. If you're more patient than your opponent, you're going to find that blocking and pushing back moves is going to break the flow of someone who is being entirely offensive. It's very satisfying to have your back up against the edge of the ring, only to reverse an opponent who's rushing you, flipping him. over your shoulder and out of the ring.
* Rising attacks are for suckers and just leave you open for a beating/throwing. It is absolutely necessary for you to learn how to tech roll out of the way of a pounce, Set it up in the training mode if you have to, but this is a defensive skill that you need to develop.
* Crouch and block if you need а breather.
R E Р LAY Game Publisher Score Issue 9 , WH 0 DO I PICK ө к; Living the good life, or at least the extra life
During level one find the Jail cell type of room. You know the one,
Picking the right character is the first decision you'll make that 5 у Me Then go up to the side, do your fancy-schmancy crushing-death will affect how well you progress. To make sure you don’t mess ТІ $ ШЕ Md m blow, and you'll be admitted into the secret room. There you can up, follow this advice. | о pick ир an extra Maximo life and a furor of coins. BEGINNERS ОТТЕ | MDK2 Armageddon Interplay
{ r ther V ІШ jl A I £ 7 Gai Konami 51
ИП need sor Jood al and: j г р | where you You've beaten the game. We know. Big whoop, But did you get the ! | t Ш | t 21 extra crap that keeps you playing the game so much that your
i | i tered sor their crazi dude's! ion | thumb has been surgically altered for 24-hour playing? Lau i E Snake's Dogtag |. di ! ibos, Vy After Snake gives you the High Frequency Blade and Equipment, Pai Loe | knock him out and shake him to get his dogtag. jood arra jood d у У ee ат, | The Do Rag Sarah 5 ‘then ; After you beat the game once, start a new game. Then, select 1 kick 1 bu Jer Я | d “Tanker” for the level. Get as many dogtags as possible оп:апу of Jacky " n | the level difficulties. If you get 30 or more, you will get the Bandana. т i 1 9 P It gives you infinite Ammo. & Blue hair dye INTERMEDIATE R nt.monroecc.edu | Collect ALL the dogtags and you receive the Blue Wig. It gives you [ i that the training mod ۱ 1 и infinite 02. 1 т y | We'll admit that | Not quite Ronald McDonald bang for ve re a b jit ean pon 1 After beating the game with 150 401405. You receive the Orange vider |, Wig which gives you infinite grip. Lei-Fei The best a man can get 1 ! it i То get Pliskin to shave his face, give him the shaver which you nging pi nts I receive by gripping yourself over behind the caged fence when you inticir ‘ start with Raiden, Lion Even more stealth camo. П ИШ 1 Е ‘After beating the game with 100 dogtags on the Plant, you receive peor [ é M А po cm 2 Raiden's Stealth Camo. list t І "p E \ these e | Midnight Club Rockstar Mobile Suit Gundam: Aoi E ion? Or j oe Journey to Jaburo Bandai ER ET am t delen 1 or fourt maybe, and thi Mobile Suit Gundam: Zeonic Front Bandai a Monster Rancher 3 Tecmo Vanessa Е Е Monsters, Inc. Sony CEA M | qu 1 pur ind m ize it. WI Moto GP Namco | Moto GP2 Namco "m make fun of Motor Mayhem Infogrames | MTV Music Generator 2 Codemasters EXPERTS | doing forthe last — The Mummy Returns Universal t 2 МХ 2002 Featuring В Ricky Carmichael THO 8 МХ Rider Infogrames 1 t 5 Namco Museum Namco 1 H NASCAR 2001 EA Sports Shun-Di E ny _ NASCAR Heat Infogrames [ ] j ЕДІ | NASCAR Thunder 2002 jame and k 1 1 1 1 lard Michael Jordan's injury got you down? Well, rejoice, because he’s Jeffry | an not injured on NBA 2K2! In fact, he's healthier than ever. And he'll TET 1 1 anaf hort ere come in real handy-like if you plan on beating the tough 2K2 j ісі. Fast pla з ір! - | defenses. Here are some tricks to get your scoring up. 7 tacks, and | ma T 55 з Hitting the freebies зате t 1 jood at turtling Ы тада Т ] Can't seem to get your free throws to fall? Try being more rugged Akira ЖТА Р : with the analog sticks. Sounds strange, but the dual-shock analog. | ША f his att D Іш | ы sticks are looser than you think. So, when you're at the stripe, really jate. E n though F 1 the fastest character, hi "s push them in. If you press gingerly, you're in for trouble. A little 1 h super fast. If you manag à Spat 1 ( 4 S practice and you should be knocking them down. n lel n ШІ k that can of whoop Te eiie Still having free-throw woes? No worries f half your opp f lel hould hould lui ш ^ If you're having problems at the charity stripe, try having problems palrn, pounce, repeat The. Rio | оп purpose. И may lead to an easy bucket. Here's how it works: Wolf N ЕВ i P: Miss the free throw intentionally to the left or right. As soon as you it fry, but Wolf һа more fluidit jé r pe] release the ball, switch players to the guy nearest the hoop. Then hi Г и | ttach run а half-circle around the defender on the low block. Many times. нед г 190 diverse tha you'll be able to grab the miss and dunk it home. Who needs one Kage час point when you can get two?
NBA Hoopz Midway NBA Live 2001 EA Sports NBA Live 2002 EA Sports NBA ShootOut 2001 ‘Sony CEA NBA Street EA Sports Big
. giish, dainty fingers belong to none
pret
cial U.S. PlayStation Magazine (о)
lis com and mark your subject line DVD EGG
H i
HALLOWEEN
The Fast and the Furious DVD Hidden Ending
After the thrillride is over, there's more that awaits for the pretentious saps who watch until the credits are finished. If you wait that long, you'll be rewarded with a hidden ending that shows Vin Diesel’s character in Baja, Mexico, with a brand-new car.
Halloween DVD
Sure you're watching movies like Scream and Scream 2 and Scream 3. Fine. They're horror for the contemporary audience. But the real fright came from Mike Meyers before Saturday Night Live popularized the funny man that goes by the same name. So, here's an egg to keep the scare-coaster rolling. Insert the letter-box side of the disc. Repeatedly press R1 (for next chapter) dur- ing the Anchor Bay logo, trailer, DVD pro- duction notes and FBI warning screen to advance through each of the death scenes in the movie. Advance through the disc until reaching a secret pumpkin menu with “Kill “em All,” “Sis,” “Doggie,” "Annie," “Bob,” and “Linda” options.
Ocean’s Eleven (Original Version) You won't find George Clooney, Brad Pitt or Julia Roberts charming the audience here. Just some old studs doing their thing. To check out some info on the casinos they swindled, go to the Special Features section for the Map of Vegas. A map of the Vegas strip will show up. Press Up and then to the side and a pair of dice will appear beside each of the casinos robbed in the film. When you press Enter at the casinos, a mini-docu- mentary will play.
Moulin Rouge Special Edition DVD Frightened by the idea of a mundane musi- cal? You should be, but this isn’t one of them. This Oscar-nominee has plenty of eggs. Неге are а few.
Dropping the Hammer
Put in the second and go to “This Story is About.” From there go to “Old Storylines and Script Comparisons.” Highlight Return and press Right. A green fa will appear. Press “OK” to see a little clip and a few pro- fanities
Big Momma’s Whorehouse
If you put in disc 2 and head to the Marketing secio: Ц be able to go to The Little Red Book. From there scroll down to the name “Mary Ellen Mark.” Push Right. A red mill should appear. Press "ОК." You'll find Leguizamo getting chatty and making jokes about brothels.
О Special Edition DVD
Yes, that’s the of the movie. 0. As in
Othello. As in Shakespeare. Better b and while f den trailer on the DVD. Clic Sate logo on 1 and you score the trailer.
(08) Official U.S. PlayStation Magazine
‘sari_s48186@yahoo.com
Game БҮР . Publisher | Score issue Game Publisher — Score Issue
NCAA Final Four 2001 Sony CEA 41 Street Fighter EX 3 Capcom
NCAA Final Four 2002 989 Sports 52 Stretch Panic Conspiracy
NCAA Football 2002 EA Sports 48 ‘Summoner THO
NCAA GameBreaker 2001 Sony CEA 4 Sunny Garcia Surfing Ubi Soft
NCAA March Madness 2002 EA Sports 53 Super Bust-A-Move Acclaim
NFL 2K2 Sega Sports 52 ‘Supercar Street Challenge Activision
NFL Blitz 2002 Midway 55 ‘Surfing H30 Rockstar
NFL GameDay 2001 Sony CEA 40 ‘Swing Away Golf EA Games
NFL GameDay 2002 Sony CEA 53 Tarzan Untamed Ubi Soft
NFL Quarterback Club 2001 Acclaim 50 Tekken Tag Tournament Namco
МНЕ 2001 EA Sports 38 Test Drive Off-Road: Wide Open Infogrames
NHL 2002 EA Sports 50 Theme Park Roller Coaster EA Games
NHL FaceOff 2001 Sony CEA 43 Thunderstrike:
NHL Hitz 2002 Midway 51 Operation Phoenix Eidos
Okage: Shadow King Sony CEA 51 Tiger Woods PGA Tour 2001 EA Sports
Oni Rockstar 43 Tiger Woods PGA Tour 2002 EA Sports
Onimusha: Warlords Capcom 43 Time Crisis 2 Namco
Orphen: Scion of Sorcery Activision 39 TimeSplitters Eidos
Pac-Man World 2 Namco 54 Tokyo Xtreme Racer Zero Crave
PaRappa the Rapper 2 Sony CEA 53 Топу Hawk's Pro Skater 3 Activision
Paris-Dakar Rally Acclaim 53 Top Gear Dare Devil Kemco
Pirates: The Legend of Black Kat EA Games 55 Top Gun; Combat Zones Titus
Portal Runner 300 50 Triple Play 2002 EA Sports
Project Eden Eidos 52 Triple Play Baseball EA Sports
Q-Ball Billiards Master Take 2 40 Tsuganai: Atonement Atlus
Quake ІІ Revolution EA Games 44 Twisted Metal: Black SCEA
Rayman 2 Revolution Ubi Soft 4 Unison Tecmo
RC Revenge Pro Acclaim 4 Unreal Tournament Infogrames
Ready 2 Rumble Boxing Round 2 Midway 40 Vampire Night Empire
Real Pool Infogrames 40 Victorious Boxers Empire
Red Faction THO 46 Virtua Fighter 4 Sega
Resident Evil-Code: Veronica X Capcom 48 War Jetz 300
Rez Sega 53 Warriors of Might & Magic 300
Ridge Racer V Namco 38 Wave Rally Eidos
Ring of Red Konami 43 Wild Wild Racing Interplay
Rugby EA Sports 48 Winback Koei
Rumble Racing EA Games 45 Wizardry: Tale of the
Rune: Viking Warlord Take 2 48 Forsaken Land Atlus 53
Salt Lake 2002 Eidos 55 World Destruction League:
‘Shadow Hearts Midway 52 Thunder Tanks 300 42
‘Shadow of Destiny Konami 43 World of Outlaws: Sprint Cars Infogrames 55
Shaun Palmer's World Tour Soccer 2002 Sony CEA 53 Pro Snowboarder Activision eet 52 WWF SmackDown! Just Bring It. THQ 52
Silent Hill 2 Konami 50 X Squad EA Games 38
Silent Scope Konami 39 Yanya Caballista: City Skater Koei 49
Silent Scope 2 Konami ” 49 2.0.Е: Zone of the Enders Konami 4
Silpheed: The Lost Planet Working Designs e: 40
The Simpsons Road Rage EA Games e 52 PS ONE TRICKS AND REVIEW ARCHIVE
Sky Odyssey Activision 40 007 Racing EA Games 41
Sled Storm EA Big 55 3Xtreme 989 Studios . ?1
Smuggler's Run Rockstar 39 40 Winks GT Interactive өөөө 28
Smuggler's Run 2: 102 Dalmatians: Hostile Territory Rockstar 0000 52 Puppies to the Rescue Eidos 41
$оссег Атегіса: A Bug's Life Sony CEA 15 International Cup Hot-B 48 Ace Combat 2 Namco 1
Soldier of Fortune Majesco 52 Ace Combat 3: Electrosphere Namco 31
Soul Reaver 2 Eidos 52 Action Bass Take 2 37
Splashdown Infogrames 52 Action Man: Operation Extreme Hasbro ^
Spy Hunter Midway 50 Akuji the Heartless Crystal Dynamics 18
SSX EA Sports BIG eeeee 38 Aladdin in Nasira's Revenge Sony CEA М 45
SSX Tricky EA Sports BIG eeeee 52 Alexi Lalas
Star Trek Voyager: Elite Force Majesco 00 53 International Soccer Rockstar . 23
Star Wars: Episode I— Alien Resurrection Fox Interactive eee 38 ‘Super Bombad Racing LucasArts Alone in the Dark:
Star Wars Racer Revenge LucasArts The New Nightmare Infogrames 47
Star Wars: Starfighter LucasArts Alundra Working Designs 4
[2 State of Emergency — _ к өө ] nundra2 Activision 32
All right, so you like State of Emergency and you've read over pg. Animaniacs Ten Pin Alley ASC 17
114. Now you're hunting for more? Why, because the game isn't all Animorphs: Shattered Reality Infogrames 37
you thought it would be? Or you're looking for Salvatore Leone to Ape Escape Sony CEA 22
pop out and save the day? He won't. You're in this mess alone. Apocalypse Activision 16
Flamer Arc the Lad Collection Working Designs 52
The flamethrower is an awesome weapon, but it doesn't work Arcade Party Pak Midway 28
Quickly. It takes time to burn people to death. So use it for crowd. Arcade's Greatest Hits:
control when a large group is clustered together. If you're not close, Atari Collection 2 Midway on 7
this weapon won't have the punch уои'ге looking for. The grenade Arcade’s Greatest Hits:
Launcher is great to thin out crowds, but its main use 15 for lobbing Midway Collection 2 Midway 4
grenades into buildings to destroy them from the inside out. Armored Core болу CEA 3
Armored Core:
Game
Master of Arena Armorines: Project S.W.A.R.M.
Army Men Air Attack Army Men Air Attack 2 Army Men: Green Rogue Army Men: Sarge’s Heroes Army Men: Sarge's Heroes 2 Army Men: World War Army Men World War: Final Front Army Men World War: Land, Sea, Air Arthur! Ready to Race Assault
Atari Anniversary
Edition Redux Atlantis: The Lost Empire ATV: Quad Power Racing Auto Destruct Azure Dreams Backstreet Billiards Ball Breakers Ballistic Baseball 2000 Bass Landing Bass Rise Batman & Robin Batman Beyond:
Return of the Joker Batman:
Gotham City Racer Battle Hunter Battletanx: Global Assault Beast Wars Big Air Big ОР Bass 2 Billiards Bio FR.E.A.K.S. Black Bass with Blue Marlin Blade Blast Lacrosse Blast Radius Blaster Master:
Blasting Again Blasto Bloody Roar Bloody Roar 2 Blues Big Musical Board Game: Top Shop Bomberman Fantasy Race Bomberman Party Edition Bomberman World The Bombing Islands Boombots Bottom of the 9th '97 Bowling Boxing Brave Fencer Musashi Bravo Air Race Breakout Breath of Fire III Breath of Fire IV Brigandine Broken Sword Broken Sword Il Brunswick Circuit Pro Bowling
_ Publisher ——
Agetec Acclaim 300 300 300 300 300 300 300
300
300
The Learning Ce Midway Activision
Infogrames SCEA Acclaim Electronic Arts Konami Ascii
Take 2 Infogrames Interplay Agetec Bandai Acclaim
Ubi Soft
Ubi Soft Agetec 300 Hasbro Accolade Konami Agetec Midway Hot-B Activision Acclaim Psygnosis
Crave Sony.CEA Sony CEA Sony CEA THQ Agetec Atlus Vatical Atlus Kemco SouthPeak Konami Agetec Agetec Square EA THO Hasbro Capcom Capcom Atlus THQ Crave THQ
Brunswick Circuit Pro Bowling 2 THQ
Bug Riders
GT Interactive
Bugs Bunny & Taz: Time Busters Infogrames
Bugs Bunny Lost In Time Builder's Block
Burstrick Wake Boarding! Bushido Blade 2
Bust A Groove
Bust A Groove 2 Bust-A-Move 4 Bust-A-Move 99
Infogrames Jaleco Natsume Square EA 989 Studios Enix Natsume Acclaim
Game Publisher Score _ Issue Buzz Lightyear of Star Command Activision eet 39 C: The Contra Adventure Konami e 12 Caesar's Palace 2000 Interplay “ 41 Caesar's Palace II Interplay өө 15 Card Games Agetec 50 Cardinal SYN Sony CEA 9 CART World Series Sony CEA 3 Casper:
Friends Around the World Sound Source e« 41 Castlevania Chronicles Konami eon 50
Symphony of the Night Konami 2 Castrol Honda Superbike Electronic Arts өө 21 Centipede Hasbro . 22 Championship Bass EA Sports 33 Championship Motocross 2001
Featuring Ricky Carmichael THQ өөө 41 Championship Motocross
Featuring Ricky Carmichael THQ Championship Surfer Mattel Chessmaster И Mindscape Chicken Run Eidos Chocobo Racing Square EA Chocobo's Dungeon 2 Square EA Chrono Cross Square EA Circuit Breakers Mindscape Civilization Il Activision Clock Tower Ascii Clock Tower И:
The Struggle Within Agetec ET 28 Colin McRae 2.0 Codemasters 40 Colin McRae Rally Sony CEA 30 Colony Wars Psygnosis 4 Colony Wars: Red Sun Psygnosis 31 Colony Wars: Vengeance Psygnosis 14 Command & Conquer: Red Alert Virgin 4 Contender Sony CEA 7 Contender 2 Bam! 41 Соо! Boarders 2 Sony CEA 3 Cool Boarders 3 989 Studios 14 Соо! Воагде 989 Studios 27 Cool Boarders 2001 Sony CEA . 39 Countdown Vampires Bandai © 32 Covert Ops: Nuclear Dawn Activision 34 Crash Bandicoot 2 Sony CEA 3 Crash Bandicoot: WAF Sony CEA 15 Сгазһ Bash SCEA/Universal 39 Crime Killer Interplay 12 Critical Depth GT Interactive 3 Croc Fox Interactive 1 Croc 2 Fox Interactive 22 Crossroad Crisis Magetec 50 Crusaders of Might & Magic 300 30 CTR: п Team Racing Sony CEA 26 CyberTiger EA Sports өөө 27 Dance Dance Revolution Konami 00 42 Dance Dance Revolution
Disney Mix Konami 49 Danger Girl THQ 39 Dark Omen Electronic Arts 9 DarkStalkers 3 Capcom 16 Darkstone Take 2 43 Dave Mirra Freestyle BMX Acclaim 38 Dave Mirra Freestyle BMX:
Maximum Remix Acclaim ont 47 Dead in the Water ASC Dead or Alive Tecmo Deathtrap Dungeon Eidos Deception Ш: Dark Delusion Tecmo Demolition Racer Infogrames Destrega Koei Destruction Derby Raw Midway Devil Dice THO Diablo Electronic Arts Die Hard Trilogy: Viva Las Vegas Fox Interactive Digimon Digital Card Battle Bandai Digimon Rumble Arena Bandai Digimon World Bandai Digimon World 2 Bandai
SPECIAL FEATURE
BEST RACING GAME GRAN TURISMO 3
Courtesy of GT3 wunderkind John Damiani, we present you with the best of the best of GT3 tricks. Sure there are ways to cheat using a memory card, but anyone with both brain lobes can figure that out.
There is a way to make an Escudo or GT40 front end Lift up. Use the following settings and race your car at the test track. Do it right and the front end of your bumping ride should lift up. 1. Equip the highest NA or Turbo tune-up. 2. Put spring rate to minimum for front and back. 3. Put ride height to minimum for front and back. 4. Put gear’s auto setting to widest, and final to 3.000. 5. Put front down force to minimum and back to maximum. 6. Set ASM and TCS to level о. Your front tires should begin Lifting off the ground | at about 225 mph, at which point you quickly begin gaining tremendous speed. The camera stays behind the car, so you'll get a weird angle during
viewed in one of the fancy
-а- і 1 replay modes. Ups-a-daisy!
BEST ADVENTURE GAME METAL GEAR SOLID 2
So you've beaten Sons of Liberty 16 times. We know four year-olds who beat the game in eight hours. Beating the game is easy. Taking the time to find some bitchin’ secrets is where the real fun begins.
$ Haro Viewer [rre шы
Sharpshooting
You've got the camera and you can download pictures for Otacon to see. Try snapping the hots for some bizarre reactions.
* The Vulcan Raven doll. Also try shooting it for а surprise.
* Olga lying unconscious. * Commander Scott Dolph
* Girle picture on the wall in the engine room (уои know, the one with the guard near the middle of the room looking at it) Then try shooting the pic- ture “Тһе
+80, аһ, this explains а lot,
Tiny Vulcan Raven
Marine wearing a kilt in the first hold.
* The right screen in Hold No. 2. Yes, folks, it's Hideo Kojima! It seems he
been watching the entire ti Ghost Kojima
Sharpshooter Deux
You know when you're sniping down the enemy while Emma's walking from strut to strut? Try these things for a little truth
e Use the mic on Emma while she's behind the first oil strut. She'll think you're wearing a wig. What? Then confront her via Codec.
* While she's behind the second strut listen in. Remember Johnny Sazaki from MGS1? He'll make some noise here.
* Eavesdrop on Snake with the mic to see what he really thinks of Emma
* Shoot Snake with your rifle. Good fun.
Official U.S. PlayStation Magazine 109
Le
2m
REPLAY
SSX TRICKY: MORE SHORTIES
More shortcuts to get the most out of Alaska and Merqury City
i
Merqury City #1 Г
Merqury City
1. Start Gate Shortcut: Start off this shortcut by going straight, but when the main path splits, continue to go straight. After that...
* Aim for the gap between the left and right-hand side fences.
* Go through the red shorcut sign that’s between the directional signs. * Go off the center of the upcoming ledge.
* Drop onto rail and apply boost.
“ Continue to boost toward a bell tower until you smash through it.
* Keep pointing yourself straight on the track.
* Get the trick boost icon and do а trick to refill your boost meter.
* Land and go straight.
`e See the main paths on either side of you? Good. Go straight.
* Get onto the short rail in front of you by boosting onto it.
* Boost off the end of the rail.
* If you've boosted correctly, you'll jump up to the top of a roof and smash through a skylight, then smash out of the other side of the building.
* No need to jump. You'll travel onto a roof and back onto the main path. 2. Sewer Shorty: This isn't nearly as cool as the one before it, but what the heck. Two-thirds of the way down you'll be in Мега City park. See the checkpoint on left? Good.
* Go to the left-hand side of the track.
* Don't take the right-hand turn! Go straight ahead, off the main path.
* Go between those first two trees. * See the rock? Ride across it and drop into the frozen river below.
* Follow the frozen river.
110) Official PlayStation Magazine
4 N У
* See the brick wall blocking off the sewer? Smash through it.
* Now you're in a tunnel with fans. Don’t hit the fan's blades or you'll be reset to the main path!
“ Continue along and you'll be dropped out under the unfinished highway overpass.
3. Subway Timesaver: Once you're in the unfinished highway section there's still more to do.
* Past the large bridge, take the bottom section of the track, under- neath the overpass.
* Get to the end of the section.
* Don't take the glass ramp. It'll take you to the high road.
* Steer to the left or right of the ramp and continue оп.
• The path will appear to end at a concrete wall. Ride to the edge of that wall and turn around. You should find a sealed entrance to the Subway.
• Smash through the entrance.
* Inside, the pipe will go for 10 sec- onds before opening up.
* Cross two sets of subway tracks. * Go slow to avoid hitting the sub- мау. * The pipe will continue before dumping you back out onto the straightaway leading to the finish.
Alaska #3
Alaska #1
LEELLE]
1. Start Gate Rail Shorty: Need a good jump? This shortcut's right out of the starting gate.
* You'll see two red shortcut signs. Aim to the left side of the main path. • The sign іѕ up a sharp bank, so make a sharp turn to make it over.
e Don't get knocked down.
* Smash through the shortcut sign. * Continue down the narrow path between sidewall and ice,
* Check your speed. Stay as close ot the right-hand side as possible.
* Ride up onto the гай on the right- hand side.
* Boost until it ends. At the end will be a speed boost icon.
* Once you've hit the icon, steer toward the dip in front of you.
* Hold down the jump button. When you hit the lip of the dip, release it.
* You'll fly toward a large billboard оп the left of the main path.
* If you're lined up correctly out of the dip, you'll land on top of the bill- board.
* Rail slide the billboard while hold- ing boost and the jump button.
* Release the jump button at the end and you'll soar onto the main path.
2. \ce Tunnel Time Slasher: See the
Alaska #3
large Luther and Seeiah billboards in the distance? That's where it begins.
* About 15 seconds down the track you'll see billboards located ina series of "S" turns. The Seeiah bill- board is high on the bank of a right- hand turn.
* As you go into the turn, steer high on the ice on the topmost part of the banked turn.
* Keep yourself on a line, since the ice is so slippery.
* As the turn straightens, you'll be up on the ice ledge.
e Make sure you don't fall back into the main path.
* Stay on the ice path and max out speed using boost.
* Hold down the jump button. Release it at the edge of the ice path to jump over the main path.
* You'll land on the other side at the entrance to an ice tunnel.
• The tunnel lasts six seconds ог so, then you'll be dropped onto the main path.
3. Glacier River Shortcut: Once you're about a third of the way into Alaska, you can search out this timesaver.
• Тһе main path crosses into а glac- ier river. Before the first gap you'll
Alaska #1
Alaska #1
come up to side-by-side jumps.
e Make sure you're aimed at the center of the left-side jump.
* Hold the jump button and release it at the very edge of the left jump.
* You'll land on the upper path, which is narrow. So slow down to stay on it.
• The path will take a sharp left. Follow it.
* After the turn is another gap. Make sure you clear it.
* Continue along the path after the gap, and hold down the jump button for the final gap.
* Release jump at the very edge.
e Clear the final gap.
* Land behind a series of billboards and you'll be dropped onto the main path at the beginning of the power ledges.
Ааѕка #2
А1аѕка #2
The SSX Tricky Super- Duper Super-Uber Trick List
You've heard whispers of the Super-Uber
tricks, right? Well, here's how to do them
Special thanks to Tricky stud Jay H ard{@yahoo.com] for these tips.
Board: Freestyle Execution: Hold R1+R2 then pres:
Trick Мате: Worm
Name: Elise
Board: BX (Boardercross) Execution: Hold L1+L2 then press Square
Trick Name La La Lock
Name: Marisol Board: Alpine Execution:
then press Square Trick Name: Aerial Spock 540 Name: Seeiah
Board: Freestyle
Execution: Hold R1+R2
then press Square
Trick Name: Soul Grind
Name: Luther Board: BX (Boardercros Execution: Hold R1+F then press Square опсо Buster
Board: Freestyle Execution: Hold R1+R2 then press Square. Trick Name: Headspi
Nami J
Board: BX (Boardercro: Execution: Hold L1+L then press Square.
Trick Мате: Pommel Me
Мат
Board: ВХ (Boardercros: Execution: Hold R1+R2
then press Square
Trick Name: SuperMan BarSpin
Nam
Execution: Hold R1+R2 then press Square Trick Name: Walking The Dog
Execution: Hold R1+R2 5 Square. Trick Name: Pirouette Grind
Name: Psymon Board: BX (Boardercross]
Execution: Hold R1+R2 then press Square. Trick Name: Guillotine
Name: Brodi
Execution: Hold L1+L2 then pres Trick Name: Hang 10 Backflip
бате __ = Publisher Score Issue Dino Crisis Capcom 00 25 Dino Crisis 2 Capcom e 38 Disney's Dinosaur Ubi Soft 36
Donald Duck: Goin’ Quackers Ubi Soft Downhill Mountain Bike Racing Activision
Dracula: The Resurrection DreamCatcher
Dragon Ball GT Bandai
Dragon Tales: Dragon Seek NewKidCo
Dragon Valor Namco
Dragon Warrior VII Enix
Dragonseeds Jaleco
Driver GT interactive eeee 24 1 Driver 2 Infogrames өзе. 40
‘Man, the СТАЗ influence is making desperate PS one gamers claw for the next best thing, While plugging away. ; at the deuce try out these tricks, 4 Hey, man, you Cuban? әр Looking for the secret car їп Havana? Мо problemo, senor. Drive to the tunnel on the city's west side. Before you go into the tun- nel, take the exit to the left and follow the curved road until you, literally, hit a wall. At >
the one-third point of the street, turn right
and you'll find a switch on your right near some trees. Get out of the саг and hit the switch. А secret area will open up. Get back into your ride and drive back down the road you were just on. Тһе gate will 86 open, so break on through to the other side. Drive to the end, take a right, and take a left. When you get all the way down, turn. left and then right and then left again. Follow the tunnel to the end. to find the secret car on a platform. You'll find the switch to the right of the platform, right there on the wall.
Rio Is better with invincibility
Start facing the highway, then turn 180 degrees and go the other way. Take the third street on your right and pass the big lake.
After the lake there'll be an intersection. Turn left and find a building with a garage and а normal door. You'll see à barbed-wire fence. Go to the building that’s black with white windows. Orr the left side of this building find a door. Press Triangle at that door to. enable the immunity cheat (there'll be no cops). To activate the cheat, choose Gameplay and then Secrets in the options menu.
Ducati World
Championship Racing Acclaim on 41 Duke Nukem: Land of the Babes Infogrames Duke Nukem: Time to Kill GT Interactive Duke Nukem: Total Meltdown СТ Interactive Oukes of Hazzard SouthPeak Dukes of Hazzard ІІ:
Daisy Dukes it Out SouthPeak Dune 2000 Electronic Arts EA Sports Supercross EA Sports Eagle One: Harrier Attack Infogrames Echo Night Agetec ECW Anarchy Rulz Acclaim ECW Hardcore Revolution Acclaim Ehrgeiz Square EA Einhander Sony CEA Elemental Gearbolt Working Designs Eliminator Psygnosis The Emperor's New Groove. SCEA ESPN MLS GameNight Konami ЕТ. the Extra-Terrestrial:
Interplanetary Mission NewKidCo Eternal Eyes Crave Evil Dead: Hail 10 the King THQ Evil Zone Titus Expendable Infogrames Е1 2000 EA Sports F1 Championship Season EA Sports F1 Racing Championship Ubi Soft Family Feud Hasbro Family Game Pack 300 Fantastic Four Acclaim Fatal Fury: Wild Ambition SNK Fear Effect Eidos Fear Effect 2: Retro Helix Eidos Felony 11-79 Ascii FIFA 98 EA Sports FIFA 99 3 EA Sports
INVISIBLE? Can you get Stealth Camo in MGS2? And if you can, how?
David Castrillo david703(dbell- south.net
Sure thing, chick- en wing. Beat the game and start a new one. Select the Tanker level. Get as many dog- tags as possible on Very Easy, Easy and Normal. If you nab 60 or more, you'll get stealth camo when you. beat the level.
GTA3's MIBOTSU
_ MONSTROSITY
I've been furious- ly searching for something that may or may not ехісі--! was hop- ing you could help. Where in the (@#$&* is the Mibotsu Monstrosity? 1 figured since they put so many endorsements on the radio about it {the commercial, that lady on Chatterbox, etc.) that there has to be one. Is there indeed a Monstrosity out there for me or am | wasting my time? It seems I've searched everywhere in Liberty City. Kyle Wagner kylecwagnerfa yahoo.com
We've searched the same way. High, low, other- wise. We were hoping it would be dropped from the sky when we found all 100 hidden packages. But no, no and no. We feel your pain, Maybe in the sequel.
TRICKY'S SKELE- TON KEY
This will unlock everything in SSX
Game | ана
Publisher — Score Issue
FIFA 2000 EA Sports LI FIFA 2001 Major League Soccer EA Sports
The Fifth Element Activision Fighter Maker Agetec Fighting Force Eidos
Fighting Force 2 Eidos
Final Fantasy Anthology Square EA Final Fantasy Chronicles Sony CEA Final Fantasy IX Square EA Final Fantasy Tactics Sony CEA Final Fantasy Vit Sony CEA Final Fantasy VIN Square EA Fisherman's Bait Konami Fisherman's Bait 2: Big 01' Bass Konami Flintstones Bedrock Bowling SouthPeak Ford Racing Empire Formula 1 98 Psygnosis Formula One 99 Psygnosis Forsaken Acclaim
Fox Sports Golf ‘99 Fox Interactive Fox Sports Soccer ‘99 Fox Interactive Freestyle Boardin’ ‘99 Capcom Freestyle Motocross:
McGrath vs. Pastrana Acclaim Frogger Hasbro Frogger 2: Swampy’s Revenge Hasbro
Front Mission 3 Square EA Future Cop L.A.P.D. Electronic Arts G-Police Psygnosis G-Police 2 Psygnosis G.Darius THQ
Galaga: Destination Earth Hasbro Galerians Crave
Gallop Racer Tecmo Gauntlet Legends Midway Gekido Interplay
Gex: Deep Cover Gecko Eidos
Gex: Enter the Gecko Midway
Ghost in the Shell THQ
Glover Hasbro
Gold and Glory:
The Road to Е! Dorado Sony CEA 0 42 Gran Turismo Sony CEA 9
Follow these steps and you'll be dragging the day away. Literally..
‘Stripped down |
To reach the hidden drag strip at Leguna Seca Raceway, you must exit the track. To do so, enter any race in Arcade mode at Leguna Seca Raceway, in any car, preferably with all-wheel drive, such as the Mitsubishi Lancer or Suzuki Escudo Pikes Peak Version. At ttie starting line, drive forward until the line is about two or three cal lengths behind you, Then, do a 180-degree turn, so that you аге, facing the exact opposite direction. Drive forward in the new direc- tion. Then, up against the wall on the left-hand side, you will see a gate that juts out from the wall. The gate is at an odd angle, about a 75- or 80-degree corner. Drive directly into the corner where the wall and the gate meet, and keep it floored. Turn the wheels back and forth, left to right. Keep doing so until the car begins to go ' through the wall/gate, and then continue doing so until the car 8 ‘completely behind the wall. Note: Do not drive back to the track: If you do so, you will have to repeat the trick. Turn to the left once you are through the wall and trace a path along the outer perimeter of the track. Раиве gameplay, and remember the exact spot above the letter "U' in "Continue" on the pause menu. If you draw a small dot оп the TV screen with a crayon, it will clearly mark the location “ the drag strip. Drive toward that dot. Keep driving until you get
10 the dot, and then slow down. To find the drag strip, slowly turn the car left and right until you see something resembling the walls and outer perimeter of the drag strip. Slowly drive toward the walls. if you continue to drive around the outer perimeter of the drag strip, you will find а way inside, letting you drive on it.
Kyle с. urchant360@hotmail.com
Official PlayStation Magazine (m)
E-
REPLAY
BEST ACTION GAME
SPECIAL FEATURE
GRAND THEFT AUTO III
Because those aviation wiseguys, Orville and Wilbur Wright, figured
out a way to fly, so have we. In GTA3.
Fly Guys
To fly the Dodo, find an open stretch of road (or the runway) and hold X and Down. When you see sparks from your nose, let go of all buttons. The Dodo will fly. The important thing is to let the plane level by pressing Down so you can't see the red nose of the plane.
The real key is to never ever use the Up button except to land. When your plane starts to dive, don't do anything. It'll catch air again. Just have faith.
Basically, flying the Dodo is a bal-
ancing act of levelling it out until it's
going straight. But it can be done. After you've got that down, you'll
want to turn. Tap, and we mean tap.
in the direction you want to go. You'll
Flying Tank #2
have to use a lot of tiny taps to get a real turn, so plan ahead.
To fly the Tank, find an open road,
Right, R2, Circle, R1, L2, Down, L1, R1 during gameplay. A message will confirm correct code entry. Accelerate and press Up to fly). Turn the
use the Flying Cars code (Press
turret around backward and fire as fast as you can while holding По When you have enough speed, stop holding Down and the tank will start to soar. Then level it by pressing Up and Down. You fly the same
way as the Dodo.
BEST FIGHTING GAME DYNASTY WARRIORS 3
You want a bunch more charac- ters don’t you? Well in that case, you got ‘em! Just enter these codes and listen for the cheer to confirm that you have cheated to the best of your ability.
Unlock All Generals
Highlight the “Free Mode” icon at the main menu. Then, press R2 three times, L1, Triangle, L2 three times, R1, then Square.
Unlock All Shu Generals Highlight “Free Mode” at the main menu. Then, press L1, Square, Triangle, R2, L1, L2, L2, R1, Square, then L1
Unlock All Wei Generals Highlight “Free Mode” at the main menu. Then, press L2, L1, Square, Triangle, L1, L2, R1, R2, L1, then 152:
Unlock All Wu Generals Highlight "Free Mode" at the main
112 Official PlayStation Magazine
menu. Then, press Triangle twice,
L1, Square, R1, R2, L1, then L2 three times.
award next year.
We'd put money on Virtua Fighter 4 vi
Game Grand Theft Auto
__ Publisher
Score Issue
between GTA2 and СТАЗ is the difference between the leaning tower of Pesa and those little plastic do-dads you get for 40€ off of eBay. But, since you bought it, we'll help you cheat.
Name game
Enter these names to get the following items.
You're a superstar gangster now! 10,000,000 Points: BIGSCORE All Weapons: NAVARONE Drive A Bus: FARE
Easy Money: MUCHCASH Level Select: ITSALLUP.
Most Wanted: DESIRES ‘Multiplier x5: HIGHFIVE
No Police: LOSEFEDS
Show Coordinates: WUGGLES. Turbo Mode: IGNITION Unlimited Energy: LIVELONG
Grand Theft Auto: London 1969 Grand Tour Racing '98 Grandia Granstream Saga The Grinch Grind Session Grudge Warriors Guardian's Crusade Gundam Battle Assault Gunfighter: The Legend of Jesse James HardBall "99 Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone Harvest Moon: Back to Nature HBO Boxing Heart of Darkness Hello Kitty's Cube Frenzy Herc's Adventures High Heat Baseball 2000 High Heat Major League Baseball 2002 Hogs of War Hooters Road Trip. Hoshigami: Ruining Blue Earth Hot Shots Golf Hot Shots Golf 2 Hot Wheels Turbo Racing Hydro Thunder IHRA Drag Racing In Cold Blood Incredible Crisis Inspector Gadget: Gadget's Crazy Maze Intelligent Qube Intellivision Classic Games Int'l. Superstar Soccer ‘98 Int'l. Track & Field 2000 Invasion From Beyond Iron Soldier 3 Irritating Stick ISS Pro Evolution Jackie Chan Stuntmaster Jade Cocoon Jarrett & LaBonte Stock Car Racing Jeopardy! Jeopardy! 2 Jeremy McGrath Supercross 2000 Jersey Devil Jet Moto 2 Jet Moto 3 Jimmy Johnson VR Football Jojo's Bizarre Adventure Juggernaut K-1 Grand Prix K-1 Revenge Kagero: Deception И
ee Rockstar Activision Sony CEA THO Konami/Universal Sony CEA Take 2 Activision Bandai Ubi Soft 52 Accolade 15 EA Games 53 Natsume 40 Acclaim 4 Interplay 13 NewKidCo 20 LucasArts 2 300 22 300 43 Infogrames 38 Ubi Soft “ 55 Atlus 53 Sony CEA 7 Sony CEA 30 Electronic Arts 25 Midway 31 Bethesda 53 DreamCatcher өө 49 Titus 38 Ubi Soft Sony CEA Activision Konami Konami GT Interactive Vatical Jaleco Konami Midway Crave Codemasters 38 Hasbro 17 Hasbro 29 Acclaim М 38 Sony CEA e 10 Sony CEA e 3 989 Studios e 26 Interplay e 2 Capcom ei 31 Jaleco e 26 Jaleco ” 28 Jaleco ۰ 18 Tecmo ei 14
Game Kartia Kensei Sacred Fist Killer Loop King of Fighters ‘99 KISS Pinball Klonoa Knockout Kings Knockout Kings 2000 Knockout Kings 2001 Konami Arcade Classics Koudelka Kurt Warner's Arena Football Unleashed The Land Before Time: Great Valley Racing Adventure The Land Before Time: Return to the Great Valley Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver The Legend of Dragoon Legend of Legaia Legend of Mana Lego Island 2: The Brickster's Revenge Lego Rock Raiders The Lion King: Simba's Mighty Adventure The Little Mermaid II Lode Runner Looney Tunes Racing Looney Tunes: Sheep Raider The Lost World: Jurassic Park Lunar: Silver Star Story Complete Lunar 2: Eternal Blue Complete Madden NFL 98 Madden NFL 99 Madden NFL 2000 Madden NFL 2001 Madden NFL 2002 Martian Gothic: Unification Marvel Super Heroes Marvel Super Heroes vs. Street Fighter Marvel vs. Capcom EX Mary-Kate and Ashley: Magical Mystery Mall Mary-Kate and Ashley: Winners Circle. Mass Destruction Mat Hoffman's Pro BMX Maximum Force
1 Of Honor Medal 0f Honor Underground MediEvil MediEvil ІІ Mega Man Legends Mega Man Legends 2 Mega Man Х4 Mega Man Х5 Mega Man X6 Men In Black-
The Series: Crashdown Metal Gear Solid Metal Gear Solid VR Missions Metal Slug X Micro Machines. Micro Maniacs Mike Tyson Boxing The Misadventures
of Tron Bonne Miss Spider's Tea Party Missile Command Mission: Impossible MK Mythologies MLB 98 MLB 99 MLB 2000 MLB 2001
Publisher Score Issue Atlus e 12 Konami 17 Crave 27 Agetec 4 Take 2 46 Namco 6 EA Sports 16 EA Sports 27 EA Sports 39 Konami 23 Infogrames 35 Midway өөө 34 ТОК Mediactive өөө 46 Sound Source 39 Eidos 25 Sony CEA 34 Sony CEA 19 Square EA 35
Lego Media өөс 46
Lego Media | e 37 Activision 42 THO 39 Natsume 4 Infogrames 39 Infogrames eee 51 Electronic Arts ө 2
Working Designs eeee« 22 Working Designs EA Sports
EA Sports
EA Sports 25 EA Sports 37 EA Sports Take 2 Capcom
Capcom Capcom
Acclaim o00 40 Acclaim
ASC
Activision Midway Playmates Electronic Arts Electronic Arts Sony CEA Sony CEA Capcom Capcom Capcom Capcom Capcom
Infogrames Konami Konami Agetec Midway Codemasters Codemasters
Capcom simon & Schuster Hasbro
Infogrames
Midway 3 Sony CEA 1 Sony CEA 9 989 Studios 21 989 Studios 33
Game
MLB 2002
MLBPA Bottom of the 9th ‘99 Mobil 1: Rally Championship Monaco Grand Prix
Monkey Hero
Monkey Magic
Monopoly
Monster Rancher 2
Monster Rancher Battle Card: Episode И
Monster Rancher Hop-A-Bout
Monster Seed
Monsters, Inc.
Mort the Chicken
Mortal Kombat: Special Forces
Moto Racer
Moto Racer 2
Moto Racer World Tour
Motocross Mania
Motorhead Mr. Domino Mr. Driller Ms. Pac-Man Maze Madness MTV Music Generator MTV Sports: Pure Ride MTV Sports: Skateboarding featuring Andy MacDonald MTV Sports: Snowboarding MTV Sports: TJ. Lavin's Ultimate BMX The Mummy Muppet Monster Adventure Muppet Race Mania N.GEN Racing N20 Nagano Winter Olympics '98 NASCAR 98 NASCAR 99 NASCAR 2000 NASCAR 2001 NASCAR Heat NASCAR Rumble NASCAR Thunder 2002 NBA Fastbreak '98 NBA Hoopz NBA In the Zone ‘98 NBA In the Zone '99 NBA In the Zone 2000 МВА Live 98 NBA Live 99 NBA Live 2000 NBA Live 2001 NBA Live 2002 МВА ShootOut 98 NBA ShootOut 2000 NBA ShootOut 2001 NBA ShootOut 2002 NBA Showtime: NBA on NBC NBA Tonight NCAA Final Four ‘99 NCAA Final Four 2000 NCAA Final Four 2001 NCAA Football 98 NCAA Football 99 NCAA Football 2000 NCAA Football 2001 NCAA GameBreaker 98 NCAA GameBreaker 99 NCAA GameBreaker 2000 NCAA GameBreaker 2001 NCAA March Madness 98 NCAA March Madness 99
Publisher Sony CEA Konami Electronic Arts Ubi Soft
Take 2 Sunsoft Hasbro
Tecmo
Tecmo
Tecmo Sunsoft
Sony CEA Crave
Midway Midway Electronic Arts Electronic Arts Infogrames
Fox Interactive Acclaim Namco
Namco Codemasters THQ
Konami Midway Midway Infogrames Fox Interactive Konami
EA Sports Electronic Arts EA Sports EA Sports Hasbro Electronic Arts EA Sports Midway Midway Konami Konami Konami
EA Sports EA Sports EA Sports EA Sports EA Sports Sony CEA 989 Studios 989 Studios Sony CEA Midway ESPN Digital 989 Studios 989 Studios Sony CEA EA Sports EA Sports EA Sports EA Sports Sony CEA 989 Studios 989 Studios Sony CEA EA Sports EA Sports
Score
Issue
FORUM
Tricky. While holding L1 and R1 press X, Triangle, Right, Circle, Square, Down, Triangle, Square, Left, Circle, X, Up. Let go of L1 and R1 and there will be a sound.
Ryan Becerra
The Wheel-O-Prizes. That sometimes-gratify- ing, sometimes-infuriating little “shop” where you trade your hard-earned Koins for items ranging from vital to utterly useless. You'll periodically find familiar goodies here—red potions, green potions, armor—but more often than not it will be something you've never seen before and have no idea what it does. Well, friend, welcome to the answer to your prayers.
Or less? Email us at
POOL SHARK In THPS3 (for Р52), on the Cruise Ship
. level, you can empty the pool! Just grind the little white pipe near the big red thingy.
Tait Watson
Snipert057f@aol.com
^ X
x MS S FOOT CHEESE 500 КОМЫ -w
Foot Cheese
You've seen it on the first level, you've wondered at its perplexing name and its astonishingly expensive price (а whopping 500 Коіпѕ). Is it useful? Yes: This item, once spread across the bottom of Maximo's feet (ме know, gross, huh?), allows you to walk unharmed through the ter- rain that is usually populated by those incredi- bly annoying, groping, pain-inflicting arms. As far as we can tell, it lasts as long as you stay alive. That is, if you lose a life, you lose your
ted it instead? We want to know! Did Capcom's early release "exclusive" at Blockbuster make more of you play
expensive podiatric enhancement. So yeah, it's useful—but is it as useful as it ought to be for 500 Koins? Not on your toe jam.
Who bought Maximo? Who saved tons of cash and
BUST-A-CHEAT Try doing a soft reset (L1, L2, R1, R2, Start, Select) оп PS one’s Bust a Groove 2 dur- ing a stage. You'll automati- cally be taken to the next stage. Great if you want to skip a song you don't like (cough) “Kelly’s Song” (cough). Emily Toth goddess_emiloo @sailormoon. com You don't like “Kelly's Song"?! é % Chris Baker goes to sleep listening % {о it every night. The whole staff is hooked! Or not.
Great Sword Looking to extend the length and staying power of your sword, lads? This power-up brings the
CRAMP VAMP When you're. battling Vamp in MGS2, try throw- ing a grenade into the pool
MAXIMO: GHOSTS TO GLORY
most shy targets within reach. Guaranteed to make zombies look at you in a whole new light
Silver and Gold Shields
These are pretty simple: They power up your current shield, allowing it to take more hits before it’s lost. (Yep, not only can you lose your armor, you can lose your shield, too. We're sur- prised they didn't think of a way to have you lose your sword, just to be annoying.) The Silver Shield has 15 hit points, the Gold Shield has 20, which offers the greatest protection
de aps T
p^ ы”
МОМОСВ
Вохег5
They're dashing. They're expensive. They're... completely useless. These fancy pants, designed to serve as a more stylish replace- ment to your tired, old, heart-print boxers, come in several patterns, from a restrained “М” monogram to an exuberant “POW!” print. And once again, in case you missed it, they serve no purpose. Well, other than to prove to your friends how hardcore you are. But are you will- ing to be judged according to your boxer selec- tion? We fear that too many of you will.
Question Mark
It’s possible you'll get the Foot Cheese at a bar- gain price here, but you're better off avoiding these gambles, unless you're willing to accept complete junk. Like the boxers.
Sorceress Kisses
These don't technically come from the Wheel- O-Prizes, but we figured you'd want to know what they do anyway, since the manual only reveals that they'll earn a “special reward.” Here it is: Collect all four kisses and you'll be able to access an art gallery once you finish the gamé. Yes, that’s all they do. Whee
Official PlayStation Magazine (n3)
There's some diference of opinion on the quality of State of Emergency. п didn't stop 600,000 of you buying it in the first few weeks though!
REPLAY
STATE OF EMERGENCY: TAKING IT TO THE MAN
Frustrated by SOE's toughest missions? These tips should ease your stress headache
State of Emergency is probably driving you crazy in Revolution mode, but at least you can let off steam with the Chaos levels. There aren't any bona-fide ways to get around some of the game's _ more annoying problems, but some of this stuff will help you get through without hurling your PS2 out of the nearest window.
Escort Missions
We guarantee that the escort mis- sions in Revolution mode will have you tearing your hair out, but there are a few things you can do to make life easier for yourself.
1. The clear out
Clear away as many guards as you can on the way to picking up your new pal. Although the bad guys respawn, kicking the snot out of guys on the way toward your charge will give you enough time to go in, pick him up, and get away before they reappear.
2. The 100-meter dash Use your sprint to get ahead and
| take out any guards you see. Again,
this will help your progress because your friend won't have to engage in any combat.
`3. Benching 250
Once you're charging back to the intended location, forget about guns
and anything elaborate—pick up something blunt. A bat or nightstick is cool, but sometimes it’s even bet- ter to have a trashcan or bench
since they have a large surface area.
4. The ol’ clonk and stomp Clonking someone with a blunt object [using the square button) makes him fall over immediately, and gives you time to walk over and stomp the rest of the health out of him. Something like a bench also gives you something big enough to take out a crowd of guards all at once. Which works wonders.
You've got your sword, your nightstick, your flamethrower and your АК. And those are just the average household weapons. State of Emergency has even more than that, and that means you'll need to know when to use them and for what purpose. Basically what we're saying is don't let a pis-
tol do a flame throwers job. Got it?
Gunplay
Firing weapons in State of Emergency suffers from a lot of the same problems as those found in GTA3—namely it's frustrating, difficult and made even more difficult by the stupid camera. The easiest way around this problem is to strafe whenever using a weapon rather than just run- ning around with it. By holding down L1 or R1 you can face the approximate direction that you want to fire and then move around with your view pretty much locked. It's certainly not per- fect, but it makes taking out those mad bombers much easier. When using guns, remember these relative merits for each...
Pistol
Low power, good against individuals, but makes. fighting a group difficult. Use the strafe move to take out the mad bombers.
Uzi
Rapid fire, good close-range gun but only deliv- ers limited damage. Keep firing for longer than you'd think you should have to.
АК-47
Longer range than Uzi, good for taking on groups of bad guys. Pretty good all-purpose weapon which carries plenty of ammo.
Shotgun
Short-range weapon, good for taking out big groups of bad guys who are running toward you. M-16 5
Good to hang on to once you've got your hands on it. Good long-distance weapon, also cool for strafing down big crowds,
Mini-gun
Hugely powerful, but the ammo always runs out sooner than you expect.
Grenade Launcher
Difficult to master, but especially useful for tak- ing out vehicles close to big groups of bad guys. Also good for taking out buildings.
Rocket Launcher
Be careful where you aim—the rockets explode оп impact...so don’t shoot things too close. Flamethrower
Very groovy close-range weapon but as with the minigun, it runs out quicker than you'd expect.
KILL THE CROWDS
‘When playing Last Clone Standing, go for the crowd- ed areas with the most powerful weapons you can find to start. Petrol bombs, grenade launchers, and miniguns are good. Don't be afraid to let a few enemies go early on. Go for the max- imum kills with the weapon you have at that time.
When playing in Chaos Mode, you will notice that the health values you get from enemies vary depend- ing on how they are killed. If you club enemies to death or kill them in hand-to- hand combat, you get six percent. If you shoot them you only get three percent. Sari Spencer.
sari s48186(dYahoo.com
114 Official PlayStation Magazine
` SOE READER'S FORUM EXTRA
DROP THAT WEAPON, BEFORE THEY MAKE YOU When you carry a weapon around, officers detect you and will go after you. A ў smart thing to do опа mission is to take the weapon, drop it off some- where, walk around the guards, and use the weapon when it's needed.
Another trick: Once you're
in a mission and you want to skip it, press Left four times and then press Triangle.
Roberto Garcia songokouldoptonline.net
CODES FOR THE MASSES Punch in these codes while a mission is going on. / Infinite Ammo:
L1, L2, R1, R2, Triangle
Big Player
R1, R2, L1, L2, Triangle Little Player
R1, R2, L1, L2, X
Switch to normal player after being small
R1, R2, L1, L2, Circle
While in Chaos mode, enter this to get the character: Spanky: Right, Right, Right, Right, Triangle
Freak: Right, Right, Right, Right, Circle
Bull: Right, Right, Right, Right, X
Infinite Time in Kaos Mode L1, L2, R1, R2, Circle Punches Decapitate 11,12, R1, R2, X Invulnerability
L1, L2, R1, R2, Square Matt Vollet mattv101(amsn.com
Game
NCAA March Madness 2000 NCAA March Madness 2001 Nectaris: Military Madness Need for Speed:
Porsche Unleashed Need for Speed: V-Rally Need for Speed: V-Rally 2 Newman/Haas Racing The Next Tetris
NFL Blitz 2001
NFL GameDay 98
NFL GameDay 99
NFL GameDay 2000
NFL GameDay 2001
NFL GameDay 2002
NFL Xtreme
NFL Xtreme 2
NHL 98
NHL 99
NHL 2000
NHL 2001
NHL Blades of Steel 2000
NHL Breakaway 98
NHL Championship 2000
NHL FaceOff 98
МНЕ FaceOff 99
МНЕ FaceOff 2000
NHL FaceOff 2001
МНЕ Rock the Rink
Nick Toons Racing
Nightmare Creatures
Nightmare Creatures II
Ninja: Shadow of Darkness
Nuclear Strike
0.0.1.
Oddworld: Abe's Exoddus Jddworld: Abe's Oddyse
Omega Boost
One
One Piece Mansion
Man World Pandemonium! 2 Panzer Front PaRappa the Rapper
Parasite Eve И Persona 2: Eternal Punishment Peter Jacobsen's Golden Tee Golf PGA Tour 98 Pipe Dreams 30 Pitfall 30 Play With The Teletubbies Pocket Fighter Point Blank Point Blank 2 Point Blank 3 Polaris SnoCross Pong Pool Hustler Populous: The Beginning Porsche Challenge Power Rangers Lightspeed Rescue Power Shovel Power Soccer 2 Power Spike Pro Beach Volleyball The Powerpuff Girls: Chemical X-Traction Poy Poy Pro 18 World Tour Golf Pro Pinball: Big Race USA Pro Pinball: Fantastic Journey
_ Publisher Score issue Game . Publisher Score Issue EA Sports Pro Pinball: Timeshock! Take 2 . 10 EA Sports Psybadek Psygnosis eo 5 Jaleco Punky Skunk Jaleco өөө Electronic Arts Putter Golf Agetec “ Electronic Arts Puzzle Star Sweep Agetec
Q*bert Hasbro Electronic Arts Quake 1 Activision Electronic Arts R-Type Delta Agetec Electronic Arts R-Types Ascii Psygnosis R4: Ridge Racer Туре 4 Namco Hasbro Racing Agetec “ Midway Railroad Tycoon ІІ Take 2 m Midway Rainbow Six Red Storm . Midway Rally Cross 2 989 Studios Sony CEA Rampage Midway 989 Studios Rampage 2: Universal Tour Midway . EA Sports Rampage Through Time Midway 389 Studios Ray Tracers THQ Sony CEA RayCrisis Working Designs 389 Studios Rayman 2: The Great Escape Ubi Soft 989 Studios Rayman Brain Games Ubi Soft EA Sports Razor Freestyle Scooter Crave EA Sports RC de GO! Acclaim EA Sports RC Revenge Acclaim EA Sports RC Stunt Copter Titus Konami Re-Volt Acclaim Acclaim Ready 2 Rumble Midway Fox Interactive Ready 2 Rumble Round 2 Midway Sony CEA Red Asphalt Interplay 989 Studios Re shing Natsume 989 Studios Reel Fishing Il Natsume Sony CEA Capcom Electronic Arts Capcom Infogrames jent Evil 2 E Capcom Activision Resident Evil 3 Nemesis Capcom Konami Resident Evil Survivor Capcom Eidos Rhapsody: A Musical Adventure Atlus Electronic Arts Rising Zan Agetec Psygnosis Risk Hasbro GT Interactive. Rival Schools Capcom GT Interactive. Acclaim Sony CEA Electronic Arts ASC Electronic Arts Capcom Rock 'Ет Sock "Ет Robots Mattel Namco 6 Rocket Power Midway Team Rocket Rescue THO Agetec If you're over the age of 15 and you're enjoying this game, please Sony CEA call us directly at 1-800-I-AM-DUMB. Otherwise, we welcome you Square EA 10 use these cheats. Square EA Level select Atlus Complete the game in Story mode. All levels will be unlocked, allow- ing the icons to unlock the bonus characters to be found. Infogrames ‘Tommy Pickles gets his rescue on ч ЕА $роп5 Go to the stadium level as any character and go to the loop-de-loop. Empire Int. Ride in it to see his icon and use the lightning bolt to go through to Activision unlock Tommy Pickles from Rugrats. Knowledge Adv. ‘Angelica Pickles drops from the sky Capcom Complete the game in Story mode. Play the game in Story mode Namco again and go to the very last level in stage 4. Go to the building Namco were you can ride up the blue walls. Grind down the pole at the top Namco to get Angelica. Vatical Rogue Trip GT Interactive Hasbro Roll Away Psygnosis Activision Rollcage Psygnosis Electronic Arts Rollcage Stage ІІ Psygnosis Sony CEA Romance of the Three Kingdoms VI Koei өө THO Roswell Conspiracies: Acclaim Aliens, Myths & Legends Red Storm . Psygnosis RPG Maker Agetec Rugrats: Totally Angelica THQ Infogrames 41 Rugrats in Paris: The Movie THO Runabout 2 Hot-B e Bam! °‹ 51 Running Wild 989 Studios өө Konami 3 Rushdown Electronic Arts өө Psygnosis 19 Sabrina, the Teenage Witch: Empire 7 A Twitch in Time! Knowledge Айу. € Empire 37 баба Frontier Sony CEA е
SPECIAL FEATURE
BEST SPORTS GAME MADDEN 2002
For those succeeding at Madden, you probably know plenty of tricks to score 49 points and pound the opposing QB into the turf. But for the also-rans, Madden’s realism leaves little hope of winning 11 games in a season. Here’s a defense that'll do you some good, and an offense to use against it if your best friend picks up on your newfangled scheme.
Money, money, money play
The 4-3 Whip Man is as money as it gets on defense. The ROLB and MLB will Blitz on the play. Before the ball is snapped press R2 and L1 to move your linebackers left and your defen- sive line right. Take control of one of the safeties. More times than not, the ROLB will rush in and decapitate the quarterback, which is clean fun.
The answer to the money D
If you're playing human-to-human, there's a real effective way to stop the money defense. Try a HB Toss Strong and you'll get to the outside and curb the blitz. Otherwise, try a pitch play or going from the shotgun. If you get any time at all, you should be able to hit the tight end.
BEST EXTREME SPORTS GAME TONY HAWK'S PRO SKATER 3
With a game like THPS3 there аге plenty of tasks and codes. Easy stuff. So we couldn't come up with one trick we liked more than the others. But chances are you haven't seen all of the cool particulars that happen when you're skating with certain characters. Try these if you think you've done everything.
Force Choke After unlocking Darth Maul go to a spot where pedestrians shout at you as you skate by (L.A. or the Airport). Skate near them and after they shout at you, stop and face them. They will float up in the air and choke until you look away. This won't work for pedestrians that hit you when you're near them. I'm shrinking! Once you'have the Demoness go up to people іп the game. If you get in their face without having them jump out of the way the person will shrink. Suburban Dreams In Suburbia, grab the axe as the Demoness and go to the mansion. After the scream you'll hear “Welcome home.” Plus, the thin man will show off his affection
Also in Suburbia, jump the fence across from where you start. See the guy's grilling? Go by the grill with the Demoness and it'll cause a super-huge flame.
The answer: HB Toss Strong
REPLAY
FINAL FANTASY X: Gotta Catch ‘em All!
Here's а fun diversion. The monster trainer in the southeast corner of the Calm Lands sells weapons with the "Capture" ability. Finishing off a creature with one of these weapons catches it. When you cap- ture one of each monster in an area, the trainer gives you a prize. He'll let you challenge a crossbred beastie of his own, too. If you capture 10 of every monster of a particular species, such as lizards,
insects or puddings, you'll reveal a special monster battle. Use this list to help you out.
MENU ee
Besaid
W Dingo
W Condor
W Water Flan
Kilika I Dinonix № Killer Bee
E Yellow Element № Касога
Mi‘ihen Highroad W Mi'ihen Fang
[ДЕ
E Floating Eye
Ш White Element „БЕ
WB Vouivre
Ш Bomb
Wi Dual Horn
Mushroom Rock Road
Ш Raptor
№ Gandarewa W Thunder Flan Wi Red Element № Lamashta
№ Funguar
W Garuda
Djose Road № Garm
| Simurgh
W Bite Bug
E Snow Flan E Bunyip
№ Basilisk
L Ochu
Thunder Plains W Melusine
№ Aecrouge
Ш Bucer
[ Gold Element
№ Kusariggu
H Larva
E iron Giant
Ш Qactuar
Macalania Forest Snow Wolf
Wi iguion
| Wasp
E Evil Eye
№ (се Flan
Wi Blue Element Ш Murussu
Ш Mafuto
W Xiphos
E Chimera
Bikanel Desert W Sand Wolf
Ш Alcyone
W Mushussu
Zu
№ Sand Worm
Wi Cactuar
Calm Lands E Skoll
W Nebrios
E Flame Flan
E Shred
№ Апасопдаиг
[ Ogre Шссеигі
Wi Chimera Brain № И
бипКеп Сауе E Yowie
Шітр
Wi Dark Element № Nidhogg
Wi Thorn
І МЕЕ
Ш Ераај
6 Official PlayStation Magazine
W Ghost | Tonberry
Gagazet Mountain № Bandersnatch W Ahriman
W Dark Flan
И Grenade
И Grat
Ш Grendel
№ Bashura
Ш Mandragora W Behemoth
Ш Splasher
Ш Achelous
Ш Maelspike
| 5 Inside Sin
[ Ехогау
W Wraith
W Gemini А
Ш Gemini В
Ш Demonolith
W Great Malboro W Barbatos
ШЕ Adamantoise Ш Behemoth King
Omega Ruins L Zaurus
W Floating Death Wi Black Element № Halma
W Puroboros
[ Spirit
[ Machea
W Master Coeurl Ш Master Tonberry № Varuna
Ё $ : Е 5 А i % Ў Н Е 5 H Е à H $ $ P : Н £ { 8 F| 5 2 B } Е 8 Е E а Н i H 3 4
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burt him. № you don't | grenades, usea | machine gun and “try to hit him directly (it's harder but it works]. _ Luis-Alberto 2 _ Vargas | ркаог. | 85@һої- | 22 mail.com
HOOPIN'ITUP. | WITHG-DEF. | This code gives | you the badboy | artistsasan | || NBA team. Enter G-def at the Create-a-Player screen as the first and last name, then you will get them. Sarl Spencer sar ‚548186йуа ? _һоо,сот SAVING MACHOWSKI Duringthe | Marked Man | mission іп СТАЗ, | I found а good way to get Machowski to the airport. Don’t bother with the under- ground tunnels. The fastest way. is through the subway. 4 _ Kevin Nico WCS51000(dwms ton.k12.mi.us
: BURNT-OUT ON.
Want sns truly i| amazing crashes іп Burnout? Try breaking T through barri- | ers. On Hillside. Pass, Country | Сһао5 ог ij Cliffhanger, you cango through/over barriers using this technique.
Game
SaGa Frontier 2
saltwater Sportfishing Sammy Sosa
High Heat Baseball 2001 Sammy Sosa Softball Slam Samurai Shodown: Warrior's Rage Scooby-Doo and the Cyber Chase
Scrabble
Sentinel Returns Sesame Street Sports Shadow Madness Shadow Man
Shadow Master
Shadow Tower Shanghai: True Valor Sheep
Shipwreckers
Shooter: Space Shot Shooter: Starfighter Sanvein Silent Bomber
Silent Hill
Silhouette Mirage
Sim Theme Park
The Simpsons Wrestling Skullmonkeys.
Skydiving Extreme
Sled Storm
‘Small Soldiers
‘Smurfs
‘Smurf Racer
Sno-Cross Championship Racing Snowboarding
Soul of the Samurai South Park
South Park: Chef's Luv Shack South Park Rally
Space Invaders
Spawn: The Eternal
Spec Ops: Covert Assault
‘Spec Ops: Ranger Elite Spec Ops: Stealth Patrol Speed Punks
Speed Racer
Speedball 2100 Spider-Man
Spider-Man 2 Enter: Electro Spin Jam
SpongeBob SquarePants
Publisher |
‘Square EA Koei Agetec
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Acclaim Psygnosis Agetec Sunsoft Empire Psygnosis Agetec
Agetec
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Crave Agetec Konami Acclaim Acclaim Acclaim Activision Sony CEA Take 2
Take 2 Take 2 Sony CEA Jaleco Empire Activision Activision. Таке 2
Electronic Arts ee« Sony CEA
бате Publisher Score Issue
Squish skateboard
Pause the game and press Up, Up, Left, Left, Right, Right, Down, Test Drive: Off Road 3 Infogrames 26 Down, Circle, Square. If you entered the code correctly, you will hear Thousand Arms Atlus 26 а sound, Repeat the code to disable its effects. Thrasher: Skate & Destroy Rockstar 29 Threads of Fate Square EA 35
Spyro 2: Ripto's Rage! Sony CEA 27 Thunder Force V Working Designs 13 Spyro the Dragon Sony CEA 13 Tiger Woods 99 PGA Tour Golf ҒА Sports 16 Star Ocean: The 2nd Story Sony CEA 22 Tiger Woods PGA Tour 2001 EA Sports 41 Star Trek: Invasion Activision 37 Tigger's Honey Hunt NewKidCo 41 Star Wars: Episode I— Time Crisis: Project Titan Namco 45
Jedi Power Battles LucasArts oot 33 Tiny Tank Sony CEA ee 25 Star Wars: Episode | Tiny Toon Adventures:
The Phantom Menace LucasArts 25 Plucky's Big Adventure Conspiracy a“ 50 Star Wars: Masters of Terás Kasi LucasArts 4 Tiny Toons: Star Wars Demolition LucasArts 41 The Great Beanstalk NewKidCo 18 Steel Reign Sony CEA 2 TOCA2 Activision 27 Streak GT Interactive 15 Tom & Jerry in House Trap Eidos 41 Street Fighter Alpha 3 Capcom 21 Тот Clancy’s Rainbow Six: Street Fighter Collection Capcom 4 Rogue Spear Red Storm 45 Street Fighter Collection 2 Capcom 16 Tomb Raider Il Eidos 4 Street Fighter EX Plus Alpha Capcom 2 Tomb Raider 1 Eidos 16 Street Fighter EX2 Plus Capcom 33 Tomb Raider: Chronicles Eidos ^" Street Sk8er Electronic Arts 19 Tomb Raider: Street Sk8er 2 Electronic Arts 32 The Last Revelation Eidos 29 Strider 2 Capcom 34 Tomba! ‘Sony CEA 11 Striker Pro 2000 Infogrames 33 Tomba! 2: Strikers 1945 Agetec 44 The Evil Swine Return Sony CEA 29 ‘Suikoden II Konami 26 Tomorrow Never Dies Electronic Arts 28 Superbike 2000 EA Sports 32 Tonka Space Station Hasbro 41 ЗирегСгоз$ 2000 EA Sports 29 Tony Hawk's Pro Skater Activision 26 SuperCross Circuit 989 Studios з ЕСТІПТІ Activision 8 | Surf Riders Ubi Soft 35 This game puts you right into the heart of skate heaven. Particularly Sydney 2000 Eidos 38 if you beat all of the levels. Here аге some tricks that'll get you in Syphon Filter 989 Studios 18 the air, and keep you there. Syphon Filter 2 989 Studios 31 Floating on a cloud that looks like a skateboard. Syphon Filter 3 Sony CEA 52 Atthe Main Menu hold L1 and press Up, Up, Up, Up, X, Square, Up, Tai Fu Activision 19 Up, Up, Up, X, Square, Up, Up, Up, Up. The wheel that the options аге T.R.A.G. Sunsoft 20 Set on will turn. Now begin а game in any mode. (This is а good Tactics Ogre Atlus 12 way to get those hard-to-reach-cash icons and near-impossible Tail Concerto Atlus 26 high scores in Career mode.) Whenever you are skating. Ollie by Tales of Destiny Namco 13 pressing X, and then press X once more while you are in mid-air. Tales of Destiny И Namco 49 This will cause your skater to rise into the air. If you hold Triangle Tarzan Sony CEA 24 you will hover. Use the DIGITAL PAD to move your skater in the Team Buddies Midway 38 directions. You can do tricks in the air while you are floating as well. Team LOSI RC Racing Fox Interactive ee 13 When you land, the game will add up your points.
% Namco 7 Flying over you
Tekken 4 is ready to sweep the nation, but it let Virtua Fighter 4 get а head start. Arrogance? Maybe. But we reckon they're tuning it so it's airtight. And once Soul Cali 2 hits the stage, we're going to lose our minds. Which fighter to play? No need to answer just yet, since Tekken 3 is such a hot iten.
Аппа goes Oreo
Go get Anna's zebra costume; use her in any mode 25 times in a row. Then select her by pressing Start. She wears a 1920-ish zebra- skin outfit. Ill make you wish you were rolling around in the cam- pagna with her.
Tekken Ball-istic
Defeat the Arcade mode eight times. Tekken Ball will be available after that.
Enable Tekken Ball mode
Defeat the Arcade mode eight times, Tekken Ball should be available to play from the title screen after you complete this event.
Play as Panda
To play as Panda, simply put the cursor on Kuma and press Circle. Panda will appear as soon as the fight starts.
Unlock Gon Easily
Get onto the high score board for survival, and when you enter your name, put your name as GON.
Unlock Ogre
Beat the game with eight different characters.
Tenchu Activision 14 Tenchu 2: Birth of the
Stealth Assassins Activision 7 Tennis Agetec 53 Tennis Arena Ubi Soft 4 Test Drive 4 Accolade 3 Test Drive 5 Accolade 15 Test Drive 6 Infogrames 27
Game Publisher Score Issue
Test Drive Le Mans Infogrames on 34
At the menu screen, hold L1 and press Up, Up, Up, Up, X, Square, Up, Up; Up, Up, X, Square, Up, Up, Up, Up. If done correctly, the wheel should turn around once. Then, go into any mode and ollie, then hold X to go higher.
I want the board that he has!
Want Tony Hawk to have Burnquist’s board or vice versa? It's doable, and for the low cost of zero dollars. Bring up an unbought board for the skater you're playing with. Press Up and X or Down and X together to get board designs for the skater next on the list, or previous on the list. The game will ask if you want to spend money to buy the board. Choose yes and, mysteriously, no money. will be deducted, but the board is available. Bring up the skater whose board you are trying to get, and bring up the board you-want.
Toonenstein: Dare to Scare Vatical 29 Torneko: The Last Hope Enix 40 Toy Story 2 Activision 28 Toy Story Racer Activision өзө 44 Transformers:
Beast Wars Transmetals Bam! . 36 Trap Gunner Atlus 13 Treasures of the Deep Namco 1 Trick'n Snowboarder Capcom 25 Triple Play 99 EA Sports 9 Triple Play 2000 EA Sports 20 Triple Play 2001 EA Sports 32 Triple Play Baseball EA Sports 44 Turbo Prop Racing Sony CEA т Twisted Metal ІШ 989 Studios 16 Twisted Metal 4 989 Studios 28 Twisted Metal: Small Brawl Sony CEA 52 Tyco RC: Assault With a Battery Mattel 38 Ultimate 8-Ball THQ 22
SPECIAL FEATURE
BEST ROLE-PLAYING GAME FINAL FANTASY X
Final Fantasy X's versions of Limit Breaks/Trance States are called Overdrives. You must build up a meter to unleash these deadly attacks, but the resulting damage makes them worth the wait: Here's a guide to learning all the Overdrives for Tidus and Auron.
Tidus: Swordplay Tidus can learn a total of four Overdrives. He begins the game with only one Swordplay attack, and using it multiple times is the secret to learning more. Set Tidus's Overdrive mode to “Victor” as soon as you learn it, which will cause his Overdrive meter to fill after every four battles.
1. Spiral Cut (one enemy) use 10 times to learn No. 2
2. Slice & Dice (all enemies] use 20 times to learn No. 3
3. Energy Rain [all enemies] use 50 times to learn No. 4
4. Blitz Ace (one enemy)
Auron: Bushido
Auron begins with only one Overdrive, but he can gain three more by finding Jecht's Memory 5рһе hidden throughout Spira. You'll need one Memory Sphere to learn Мо. 2, three spheres for Мо. 3 and all 10 for No. 4. You'll find these videotape-like devices scat- tered about after you obtain the airship. Not only will you be gain- ing Auron's Overdrives, but you'll also be learning about Braska's pilgrimage along the way.
Memory Sphere Locations 1. You'll automatically get this one in the Macalania Woods
2. Gagazet Mountain, on the way to
the top
3. Near Besaid Temple
4. In the steering room of the boat from Kilika to Besaid
5. In Luca, near the Auroch's lock- er room
6. Ata dead end on the southern part of the Old Mi'ihen Road (Use a chocobo to avoid battles)
7. Mushroom Rock Road, on a cliff near the save sphere
8. Moonflow, South Shore, near the Shipoof station
9. The southern part of the Thunder Plains, on the right side of the screen
10. Macalania Woods South, near the save sphere
Keep practicing, and eventually you'll be able to input these com- mands with ease. Even if you fail
ai
Blitz Ace
tuna
Tornado
BEST MULTIPLAYER GAME TONY НАМ/К'$ PRO SKATER 3
Outskating your friends in THPS3 during a high-energy multiplayer session is the ultimate skating adrenaline rush. Here are some hidden half-pipes that'll help you pound your buds in Graffiti and help you keep your distance in King of the Hill.
Suburbia
See that-big-ass mansion back yonder? Maybe you've broken through the window and scored the Secret Tape, but the game's been out for six months. Who has- n't? But remember that first jump once you broke past the old man? Get on the opposite side of that half pipe (the side close to the mansion] and push Up. If you have enough speed, you'll be able to hop onto the roof of the mansion There you'll find a nice couple of ramps that should get you lots of
points, no interference and a nice hiding spot.
Los Angeles
You know it's there, you just might not have thought to use it in mul- tiplayer. You know the half-pipe you have to Japan Air into? Use that to score mondo points in a hurry. And if anyone tries to inter- fere, it's easy to escape.
20,064" 2, 53 High above the strip mall
Official PlayStation Magazine (пл)
GTA3: GIVING OUT DIRT NAPS
Having trouble with GTA3's toughest missions? We solve parts of Rockstar's puzzle
Staunton Island: The biggest hit
Taking down Salvatore at Asuka's request isn't easy. Our favorite tactic is to grab your sniper rifle and tuck yourself into a dark corner beneath the theater-type building across the street from where Salvatore exits. Line up the height of your shot based оп his henchman. One shot and it's Sayonara Salvatore.
Staunton Island: Defending the one-armed bandi
Tearing up the Arms Shortage mission is no easy task. It could keep you up all night. Here's the deal: Machowski's arm: challenged buddy Phil needs. help defending his fort against a crowd of Columbian gang- sters, To beat him, you'll need to get the Bazooka that you see in the cinema clip where Phil chats with you, But there's no way to get it, right? Wrong. As Soon as you talk to Phil, go to the cardboard boxes near the dumpster (ahead and to the left of where Phil's standing]. Then climb those and get onto the wall. After that, walk along and jump onto the dumpster where the bazooka is, Blast away at the oncoming cars and be ready to Uzi the stragglers
Shoreside Vale: Taking care of business, and Starbucks
Having a tough time rising above the Espresso-2-Go challenge in Shoreside Vale? You're not atone. The trick? Have maps. Which is what you'll find below, The other trick? Be patient and start in Portland. It’s a long drive, but with the maps it should take you only one run. If you're ambitious, though, try starting at #9 and ramming #1 at the end. Just remember to get a vehicle with speed and size, and ram right into the Spank stands. We prefer the rugged Cartel Cruiser, but to each his own
Portland
| sar
Shoreside Vale
. 118 Official US. PlayStation Magazine
Game
Ultimate Fighting Championship Um Jammer Lammy The Unholy War Uprising Х
Urban Chaos Vagrant Story Valkyrie Profile Vampire Hunter D Vanark
Vandal Hearts И Vanguard Bandits Vanishing Point Vegas Games 2000 МІР.
Vigilante 8: Second Offense
Virtual Kasparov
VR Baseball 99
VR Sports Powerboat Racing
Vs,
Walt Disney World Quest Magical Racing Tour
Walt Disney’s Jungle Book
Rhythm n’ Groove
War Jetz
WarGames: DefCon 1
Warpath: Jurassic Park
Warriors of Might and Magic
Warzone 2100
WCW Backstage Assault
WCW Mayhem
WCW/nWo Thunder The Weakest Link
Wheel of Fortune 2
Who Wants to Be a Millionaire: 2nd Edition
Who Wants to Be a Millionaire: 3rd Edition
Wild 9
Wild Arms 2
Тһе Wild Thornberrys: Animal Adventure
WipeOut 3
Woody Woodpecker Racing
World Cup 98
World Destruction League: Thunder Tanks
The World Is Not Enough
World's Scariest Police Chases
Worms Armageddon
Worms World Party
Wu-Tang Shaolin Style
WWF Attitude
WWF SmackDown! 2: Know Your Role
X-Bladez: Inline Skater X-Files.
X Games Pro Boarder
X-Men: Children of the Atom X-Men: Mutant Academy X-Men: Mutant Academy 2 Xena: Warrior Princess Xenogears
You Don’t Know Jack!
You Don't Know Jack! Mock 2
Publisher Score Issue
Crave е 40 Ѕопу СЕА б Eidos LI 300 LI Eidos ei Square EA e Enix ei Jaleco ۰ Jaleco ۰ Konami С Working Designs e. Acclaim е 300 е Ubi Soft Activision Activision Titus Interplay Interplay THQ
Eidos
Ubi Soft
300
MGM Interactive Electronic Arts 300
Eidos
EA Games Electronic Arts THQ
тна
Activision Hasbro Hasbro
Sony CEA
Sony CEA Interplay Sony CEA
Mattel Psygnosis Konami EA Sports.
300
Electronic Arts Activision Hasbro
Ubi Soft Activision Acclaim
THO
тна
Acclaim
Crave
Fox Interactive ESPN Digital Acclaim Activision Activision Electronic Arts Square EA Berkeley Systems Sierra
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Drop us an e-mail, let us
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best about our Replay section, what you'd like to see more of, and what you could do without. Send your comments to:opm(aziffdavis.com, |with REPLAY in the subject line.
REPLAY FORUM
First, find a short guard rail. Such barriers can be found at the S-turn series, or along the bridges. Next, you need to hit the barrier ata relatively steep angle (20° usually works) at over 100 mph. If you do it right, your car should flip over or go through the bar- rier. Seeing a bus fly offa bridge just looks cool, іп а crazy sort of way. Alan 0. jisvenfamac.com
DRUGSTORE There is a hidden package on top of the Liberty Pharmaceuticals (on the corner opposite Joey's Garage] that | cannot reach. How do | get it? Mary Rua ‘т_гиа@етай.т БЕ
This one's a bear. Go to the subway tracks in Portland and run around until you see those two towers to the right. See them? They're called smokestacks and they cause pollu- tion. Moving on,
go onto the gird- er (the one you see above}. Run and jump. It's a bit of a run around the cor- ner from there. But well worth it.
Reader Reviews ©
Every month we're yammering on about what games to buy and what to avoid. Sometimes you listen, sometimes you don't. Sometimes you agree, sometimes you don't. Sometimes you write reader reviews to ‚апа
sometimes we publish them.
State of Emergency
What you said: To say that this is a horrible game is a blatant lie. Unfortunately, to say this is an incredible game is just as blatant of a lie. The concept behind SOE was a great one: Wreak havoc in an urban setting and incite a riot. Too bad it was poorly executed. The citizens are already full-on rioting, leaving nothing for you to start. SOE gets dull after an hour, but the replay value is pretty high if you like mindless violence If you liked Double Dragon or Final Fight, | sug- gest you try this.
“
Your Score @ Craig Eno tochikanmaster@hotmail.com
And you said this, too: While playing S.0.E a thought came into my head: | wonder if real riot ers have this much trouble getting around? There were times in this game where | confused my character with an NPC. The camera dooesn't help either. There were times that | would be escorting someone (which by the way is about 80 percent of the missions) and they would get blown to pieces, and by the time the camera let me see the attackers, my escort was no more. If anything, gamers should just play the Chaos Mode to relieve stress.
Your Score өөө
David Martinez maciple l@yahoo.com
rather it’s а game you experience, and that is the stuff dreams are made of. Your Score John Nieves Johngprdpeoplepc.com
What we said: It’s a perfect showcase for the system and a must-have for anyone's library. Our Score
High Heat MLB 2003
What you said: I'm going wild for High Heat
2003. What a great game. The best all-around baseball on any console, past or present. 3DO took last year's great-playing High Heat, gave it a much needed graphics overhaul, and presto— a masterpiece is born. | truly am in heaven. HH 2003 has fantastic gameplay, fast loading, faster play, Create a player (finally!), excellent play-by- play, and the ability to fine-tune every aspect of
the game to my specifications! | still may be a slave for EA, but do me a favor and tell them I'm not buying Triple Play this year Your Score Ray Taylor raytakezoldhotmail.com
What we said: If you love baseball like we do, this may be the only $50 you'll need to spend this summer
Our Score 1117
Frequency
What you said: Frequency surpasses all the past music games in multiple ways. It's slick, fun and creative. People who may not be able to enjoy the
“While playing S.0.E a thought came into my head: I wonder if real rioters have this much trouble getting around?”
What else you said: Many questions were asked when SOE was first announced. Will it live up to previous Rockstar titles, or better yet, can it live up to Grand Theft Auto 3? The answer is no. SOE brings to the table a raw beat-'em-up-style gameplay with a lot of flaws. With a lack in cam era angles, targeting and originality, SOE was nothing but hype
Your Score ӨӨӨ
Roberto Garcia songokouoptontine.net
What we said: “| swear the air will turn blue from the amount of swearing | guarantee will be coming from your lips. The word "frustrating doesn't even begin to describe it."
Our Score
Ico
What you said: Ico is an instant classic that mostly any gamer could enjoy. The quiet dream like atmosphere is as beautiful as it is impres sive. If you were a Prince of Persia fan, or a fan of the old Myst series, you can draw some com parison to Ico. This game can't really be pigeon holed into one genre though, since it transcends form and combines different genres into one original game. Allin all, | would sum up Ico with one word: beautiful. Whether it is worth the price of admission is totally up to you. But | would rather play Ico for eight hours, than play Summoner for 30. Ico isn't a game you play,
music creating” aspect of life can now experi ence it for only $50. It’s the sleeper hit of the year You must play this game for the enjoyment and experience of this one-of-a-kind title. Love music and new experiences? You'll love Frequency! Your Score өөөө
Matt Partington IZMatt18{@aol.com What we said: It definitely deserves full marks for creativitiy, but it’s just not as accessible a
music game as PaRappa, or even Um Jammer
Our Score
Half-Life What you said: What makes
its gripping gameplay. Thanks to a user-bindable
Half-Life so great is
controller configuration, the controls can't help but feel right. Unlike most first-person-shooters, the user-interface doesn't detract from the intensily of the gaming experience. Perhaps the “Have-No-Lile” much better describes the degree to which I've
game's only flaw is in its title been overcome Your Score Randy Sirussi randster01@hotmail.com
What we said: This is truly an FPS masterpiece and the translation to PS.
exceptional as the game itself
Our Score
Official PlayStation Magazine (119)
AND THE WINNER IS...
Only 10 games won awards in our Readers’ Choice Poll, and that doesn't feel like enough awards to satisfy us. So we put on our thinking caps—our big, ugly, styrofoam thinking caps—and came up with the rest of the awards that matter. If you have any offbeat awards you'd like to hand out, it's as easy as telling us by e-mail-
ing opm(aziffdavis.com with the subject line "AWARDS."
The Game We Were All Rooting For Award: Ico
To say the OPM staff loved Ico is an understatement. It clearly deserved an award. In the name of fairness we anoint it with a golden-star infused with glitter sticker followed by a smiley face.
Best PS2 Sequel to a PS2 Game Award: SSX Tricky SSX Tricky took a PS2 game we all loved and made it a whole lot better, much to our surprise. In а just world it would have won a real award—but appar- ently you all like Tony Hawk a lot more.
Biggest Laughs Award: Escape From Monkey Island
All we want out of life is laughter, and no game suc- ceeded like Escape from Monkey Island. We laughed, we cried, actually, no. We never cried. We just laughed. Which we liked a great deal.
The College Drop-Out Award: NCAA Football 2002 Eleven-game seasons, competitive recruiting and dynasty mode. If EA Sports was trying to warp the educations of collegiates nationwide, it worked.
Keeping the 2D Dream Alive Award: Guilty Gear X While this fighter isn't for everyone, it proves that 2D games can thrive. Its visuals are so impressively crisp, those supposed 3D “experts” could learn a thing or two from it.
The Worst Name for a Game Award (tie): Yanya Caballista: City Skater and Giants: Citizen Kabuto With titles like these there’s no reason to play the game. After all, like modern-day movie trailers, they tell all! Thanks for saving us the time, guys.
Premature Exaltation Award: OPM Medal of Honor Frontline Cover
We admit it, we were way too excited about Medal of Honor Frontline way too early. But only because we were expecting it much sooner, Forgive us. Still, we like to think the feature was special, like that kid in your sixth-grade class who only had one ear.
Best Game We Bought for Reasons Other Than the Game Itself Award: Zone of the Enders
Admit it, you bought it for the MGS2 demo, too. There's no shame in that. Is there?
(120) Official U.S. PlayStation Magazine
The Would Have Been the Greatest Thing That Happened This Year But Didn't Award: PS2 online Er, hello? Wasn't this supposed to go down in November? What happened? Tribes. Twisted Metal Online. SOCOM. Like the teens of the "805 needing their MTV, we need our PS2 online!
Most Overwrought Story (Tie) Award: Max Payne and Soul Reaver 2
When it comes down to sheer melodrama (note: drama is good; melodrama, generally, is not so good], we can't think of anything that can top these two masterpieces of intense dialogue. Perhaps General Hospital in its heyday. Come to think of it, maybe not.
Nostalgia Gone Wrong Award: Legends of Wrestling
We loved Hulk Hogan, Koko B. Ware and Kerry Von Erich 15 years ago, because 15 years ago we didn't know any better. The joy of playing this game lasted 10 minutes before we realized that there is a sur- prisingly thick line between retro and has-beens.
Best Box Art Award: Ico [Japan]
Few covers so aptly show off the
| emotion and spirit of a game like Ico's И Japanese box art. Unfortunately, it
| was in Japan. For the American audi- ence we were graced with...
Worst Box Art Award: Ico (U.S.)
A 20-year-old dude, a windmill and a brown-eyed girl? Wow, can't wait to play that! Luckily people saw through the bad box art and discovered the real Yorda and Ico within.
Worst Game Award: Arctic Thunder
Usually we like to play bad games for laughs. But we couldn't even do that with this jittery train wreck for fear of being overcome by a seizure.
Best High-School Nostalgia Moment Award: Baldur's Gate: Dark Alliance
When we scored the «2 Bastard Sword of Wounding we were instantly 15 years old again, huddled around Dirk, the self-important dungeon master.
Stupidest Ending Award: WWF SmackDown! Just Bring It
It's not that the ending was that stupid, it's that nothing happened. And that nothing happened about 50 times if you beat the game with every wrestler. And nothing happening 50 times is plain stooopid.
Biggest Disappointment Award: PS one
The system isn't the problem. Ol faithful is still one of the great things going, but where are the new classics? Tony Hawk 3 was one of the rare creations made for a system that sold like gangbusters. What gives? We're not done with the PS one just yet.
Next Best Thing to Lara Croft Award: Stretch Panic This boob simulator wowed us all. Gratuitous? You bet. But fascinating nonetheless. Wouldn't you say?
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Midway Home Entertainment .19 www.midway.com
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On sale May 14
PlayStation
MAGAZINE
The Star Wars universe is filled
with wretched hives of scum and villainy. And we're not talking about the Darth duo. We're talking MS about the bottom- 4 of-the-barrel cut- throats. IG-88. Greedo. Boba Fett. Jango Fett. Wait, Jango Fett? That's right. Not only will we feature the latest (greatest) game in the Star
Wars series, we'll tell all about the most terrifically badass bounty hunter ever born.
On sale now LAROS CANIN G] SS ОЛЫ?
Resident Evil
If you're a GameCube owner looking for a good scare, look no further than the Resident Evil remake. You'll also find a GBA 2002 fore- cast and an exclusive Robotech Xbox blowout.
On sale now
Dragon Ball Z An in-depth look at the lat- est Dragon Ball Z games
will keep you on your alpha-
betical toes. Plus, info on Spider-Man and a strategy
on the very popular Maximo:
Ghosts to Glory.
On sale now COMPUTER
GAMING
WORLD
SimCity 4 Remember when you couldn't stop playing The Sims? Well, the creators are returning to the origi- nal, beloved franchise with SimCity 4. Also: playables of Hitman 2 and WarCraft III.
*Editorial content subject to change»
Official U.S. PlayStation Magazine (2)
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