GamesTM 52

The multi award-winning MULTIFORMAT games magazine £4 www.gamestm.co.uk

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O F F I C I A L X B O X 3 6 0 M A G A Z I N E " L O S T P L A N E T I S H O L LY W O O D B L O C K B U S T E R B I G

G A M E S M A S T E R " W H I T E H O T S T U F F " X 3 B 0 " S I M P L Y S T U N N I N G "

3 6 0 G A M E R " E X P L O S I V E "

^ - Jump in.

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MULTIPLAYER DEMO ON XBOX LIVE® MARKETPLACE

0X60X360. i

Yoshi stars in a totally new platform adventure!• Use the touch screen to fire eggs.• Explore the n assive duat screen landscape.• Use new powers like siiength and magnetism plus the classic Yoshi flutter-Jump.

Rescue Baby Mario anc his baby friends from nasty bosses that fill both screens.Use your brain. Use both screens. Use strength, magnetism and flutter-jumps.Whatever you use, don't come back without the babies.

touch to play N I N T E N D Oa

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l i t e

Competition: an event or contest (l/W/ Sports) inwlnich people compete; ttie word talces its originfrom early Century late Latin competitio(n-)'rivalry', from competere 'strive for'.

Being a multiformat videogame magazine,we naturally partake in healthy inter-office rivalrywith the other videogame magazines in Imagine's

portfolio, even more so lately with sister magazinen'Revolution who had the foolish notion that,

being a publication dedicated to Nintendo Wii(and DS), they would ultimately be the superiorWii Sports athletes. How very foolish. This couldnot, and would not, be tolerated. When the Wiiarrived at games™ Towers, inter-team banterescalated into a full-blown contest in the form ofthe Wii Sports World Series Tournament betweenmagazines n'Revolution, Next3, X-360 and ofc o u r s e o u r h e r o i c s e l v e s .

With three members of games^" - myself. Rick,and Ash (now known as iMash, but that's anotherstory) - competing in golf, boxing, bowling, tennisand baseball for bragging rights, the games™sporting legends took first place in golf (myself)and bowling (Rick), followed by second place intennis and third place positions in boxing andbaseball. The results proved enough to securethe spectacularly inexpensive Championship Belt(see below) much to the dismay of n-Revolutionwho finished a paltry second. X-360 werecontent with third while Next3 languished in lastplace - apparently the PlayStation 3 boys wereunused to a motion-sensitive controller that wasinnovatively designed and not thrown together att h e l a s t m i n u t e .

Have a very happy New Year. Enjoy the issue.,.

Paul MorganE d i t o r

games ' " 005

www. gamestm. co. uk 52107

CONFEATURES

Out Of Stock 26With the release of the Sony PlayStation 3 in the

United States and Japan, games^" takes a look athow the long-awaited console fared last month

Ones To Watch 35With the new year comes new expectations, new

innovations and new videogames as games™reveals the titles to look out for in 2007

I n t e r v i e w :Tim Schafer 70

The former LucasArts mastermind responsiblefor such greats as Grim Fandango and Monkey

Island reveals all exclusively to games™

Higher Learning 74We talk to university professors both in the UK

and US and explore how videogames could beutilised to be a more effective educational tool

The Players:Anton Bolshakov 80

Following on from our hands on with GSC GameWorld's S.T.A.L.K.E.R. last month, we chat to the

project leader about the long-delayed PC title

Recru i tment 167Be a part of the next generation of videogame

creators. From page 167, find university courses,and jobs at Rare and Free Radical Design

R E G U L A R SSubscriptions 82

Essent ia ls 158Nex t Mon th 162

Con tac t 164Rec ru i tmen t 167

PREVIEWSHalo 3/Halo WarsGTAIV

Heavenly SwordBurnout 5BioShock

Super Mario Galaxy / Smash Bros BrawlThe DarknessFahle2Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns Of The PatriotsResident Evil 5

Metroid Prime 3: CorruptionMass EffectLeft 4 DeadOverlordSonic And The Secret RingsCommand & Conquer 3: Tiherlum Wars

REVIEWSLost Planet Extreme ConditionTrauma Center Second OpinionPhoenix Wright Ace Attorney -Just ice For Al l

Viva PiiiataCall Of Duty 3Medal Of Honor HeroesResistance: Fall Of ManNevenwinter Nights 2Sonic RivalsThril lvil leTouch DetectiveMobile Suit Gundam: CrossfireYoshl's Island DS

Rayman Raving RabhidsRidge Racer 7Dead Or Alive: Xtreme 2WarioWare: Smooth MovesSid Meiers Railroads!

Tony Hawk's Downhill JamElite Beat AgentsStar Wats: Lethal AllianceRafa Nadal Tennis

RETROR e t r o N e w s

Feature: Making Of NIGHTS Into DreamsFeature: 8-Blt-'Em-UpsFeature: Elbow RoomReview: Lode RunnerReview: EA ReplayBuyers' Guide

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Over 100 games included in ourmassive 2007 preview

NEWSNEWS I INDUSTRY GOSSIP OPINION

C O N T E N T SFIND OUT WHERE TO GETTHE ESSENTIAL STORIES WITHOUR QUICK GUIDE TO THE NEWS

12 SUMMIT TOT H I N K A B O U T

Reggie gets all over-excitedabout Wii at the MontrealInternat ional Games Summit.Well, perhaps he has goodreason. Plus, find out what thedirector of NYU media labshad to say in his somewhatmore subdued but no less

captivating speech onbelieveability in games.

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MUSIC TO OUTHE UK'S FIRST ORCHESTRAL GAMES CONCERT STA

Another month, another euphoric celebration of gamingstops off at England's capital. On 25 November,videogame fans from across the continent descended uponLondon's Hammersmith Apollo to take in two hours oflive videogame music as performed by the National BalletSymphony Orchestra.

Video Games Live was created in 2005 by veteran gamecomposers Tommy Tallarico {Earthworm Jim, MetroidPrime) and Jack Wall (Myst III, Jade Empire) with the aimto tour the world and play live orchestral game themes,

accompanied by digitally edited games footage. Speakingon the night of the London performance. Tommy Tallaricosaid: "We designed the show so that you don't have to

know a damn thing about videogames to come here andbe blown away by the power and emotion of the score."Cleariy enthusiastic about the music itself, Tallarico wasalso keen to poirtt out the industry's need for shows likeVideo Games Live. "This is a very important night for thefuture of videogames as an artistic and culturally significantmedium," he reflected. "Because of concerts like this, non-gamers out there will start to realise [...] as they walk awayfrom our show with blank looks on their faces, saying 'whatthe hell, that was videogame music?' They have no idea."

Also in attendance, British composer Richard Jacques{Metropolis Street Racer, OutRun 2) agreed that thepopular perception of game culture needs to change."There was an article in The Times yesterday relating tothe concert," he recalled. "They reviewed lots of gamemusic and gave Mario four out of ten even though it'sone of the most iconic themes ever. And that was writtenby a classical composer so it just shows the mainstreamperception of games music."

If The 77meshad its doubts about game music however,all such negativity was washed away by the enthusiasticreception that Video Games Live received when doorsopened at 6pm. Kick-started by a triumphant pre-showevent, gamers and non-gamers alike were enthralled by a

14 THEM'S THER U L E S

Another game is forcedout of the UK release list,this time due to its sexualundertones. Rule Of Rose hashit controversy at every turnand its fate in this country hasbeen decided. Yes, The.DailyMail had something to say.

16t i t i la t ingT I M E S

The female-focused Dead OrAlive series is embroiled inscandal at the moment as thegame's creator is involved ina sexual harassment case.Perhaps we should be a littlemore surprised.

18 NINTENDOTO WIN?

A 'teardown analysis' reportreveals the major differencesbetween Nintendo's financial

strategy and that of Sony.Will Nintendo be sitting prettycome the end of Wii's firstyear on sale? Or will it seelosses in the face of its high-priced competitors? Miyamotoseems confident.

» NEWS I GAME SUMMIT GAMES ROOM 101

V . \

■ AVGLfan dressed as MannyCalaverafrom GrimFandangaOne of the best costumes we'vee v e r s e e n .

WE DESIGNED THE.SHOW SO THATYOU DON'T HAVE TO KNOW A DAMNTHING ABOUT VIDEOGAMES TOCOME HERE AND BE BLOWN AWAY"

R E A R SR T S W I T H A B A N G

■ An audience member

plays Space Invaders on thebig screen as the orchestraprovides sound effects inreal-t ime.

\ ■ / O n

. / I . . . . . > 1 1spectacular live performance that started with the bleeps and bloops of Pong, moved ■ Maitin Leung,Tliethrough fan-favourites like Sonic, Zelda and Beyond Good & Evil, then climaxed witha rousing excerpt from the forthcoming Halo 3 score. Bolstered by masterfully edited intemetage?game footage and a cheerful dose of audience interaction, the two-hour show flewby, leaving all in attendance wanting more.

Thankfully, the show's world tour should see it return to the UK some time nextyear And anyone's who's remotely interested in hearing live performances of someof the world's best games music, nay, some of the world's best music of any kindshould start looking out for tickets right now.

L I N E RN O T E STHE BEST errs ofVIDEO GAMES UVE 2006

□ PRE-SHOW EVENTSBefore the main show itself. Video Games Livekicked off with a 90-minute pre-show eventthat lovingly embraced the fun side of gaming.Undoubtedly the biggest crowd pleaser was anopportunity to try out Wii Sports, which sawa constant throng of eager gamers jostling fora look at Nintendo's new technology. A GuitarHero //competition also drew a large crowd, butit was the boundless energy and general goodspirit of the gamers themselves that made theevent worthwhile. At least 20 people were spottedengaging in wireless DS and PSP gaming, with acrowd of seven linking up to play Bomberman DS.Better still, several fans appeared in fancy dress ascharacters from Final Fantasy and Monkey Islandand received a positive reaction from all who sawthem. By the show's end, the fans were repaid fortheir enthusiasm when several games composerstook to the venue floor for a meet and greet.

□ AUDIENCE INTERACTIONTestament to the success of Video Games Live isjust how well the host and conductor interactedwith an audience mostly made up of teenagegames players. Tommy Tallarico's rapport withthe audience showed a deep understanding ofwhat makes gamers tick, as he deftly managedto enthuse and entertain with knowing jokesand references, even going as far as to roamthe stage in a cardboard box during the MetalGear Solid theme. Further audience interaction,like Space Invaders and Frogger competitions,brought the stage and stalls together as noother show seems capable. The knowledge,passion and endless enthusiasm from allinvolved put much more high-profile videogameevents to shame and showed that there areplenty of people within the industry who aremuch more capable of convincingly addressing agaming audience. Move over Vernon Kaye.

□ THE VIDEOGAME PIANISTAlthough the National Ballet's SymphonicOrchestra put in perfect performances of severalfan-favourite scores, none raised as many cheersas internet sensation, Martin Leung. Betterknown as The Videogame Pianist, Martin shot tofame in 2003 when 40 million people downloadeda video of him playing the Mario theme, onpiano, blindfolded. As the 20-year-old classicallytrained pianist took the stage, to play ten songsfrom Final Fantasy, the cheers almost drownedout the music itself until the crowd settled downand absorbed the spellbinding recital. Retumingto the stage a few minutes later, Leung deliveredhis signature blindfold party-piece followed by aspeed-play through the Super Mario World musicand a jovial handclap-supported dash through the7etris theme. And if audience reaction is anythingto go by, Mr Leung is destined to become biggerthan any of the composers showcased at VideoGames Live, games™ certainly hopes so.

O i l

INEWS I GAME SUMMIT I GAMES ROOM 101

DATA STREAMBITE-SIZED STORIES FROM AROUNDTHE WORLD OF GAMING

THE GREATESTtfs a puzzler: will the bite-sizedmini-games - seemingly whatthe console was designed for- of Wii Sports and WarioWare,be enough to keep the averagegamer occupied. WilsonRothman, a joumalist for Timemagazine has declared that WiiSports, "might be the greatestvideogame ever made." Eitherhe only played it for 20 minutes,or Nintendo has genuinelymanaged to strike a chord withnon-gamers - supposedly itsintended target audience. Theonly thing we know is this:Wii Sports definitely isn't thegreatest game ever made. Fact.

TRUE CRIMEWith PS3 still months fn)mlaunch, Microsoft deaily expectsto capitalise on Sony's absenceand further exploit the Europeanmarket However, the pubis'sthirst for consoles has been moresinister with £1 million worthof 360s stolen in two separaterobberies in the Midlands. Ina matter of days, two truckscarrying shipments of the consolewere hijacked. Peter Stevens ofStaffordshire Police commented:"We are appealing for informationfrom anyone offered them insuspicious circumstances, such asin a pub, at a car boot sale or offthe back of a lony." How's that forlogical thinking?

QTetsuyaMizuguchidiscussed his influences,which ranged from die wot1<sof Kandinsky to die video forA-Ha's Take On Me.

BODYLANGUAGEFILS-AIME PRAISES THIRD-PARTYSUPPORT WHILE PERUN GETS PHYSICAL

i s . »

EH '99 Ris-Aime praisedthe support of Ihird-partypublishers, despite a distinctlack of qualhy third-party tftles.

Nintendo's resident motormouth, Reggie Fils-Aime,did his best to dominate theMontreal International GamesSummit with another display

of chest-thumping bravadoL regarding the importanceft of the Wii. Referencing^ the seismic shiftB introduced by MarioH 64, Fils-Aime feels thatH Wii has the potential to^ achieve an equivalent

reaction. "A similarchange can happen,

and it'll happen the weekafter next with the launchof the Wii," he claimed,

k "We don't believe youft can expand the marketA by using a traditional^ multi-button mashef of^ a c o n t r o l l e r . "

Inter-company attackshave become a commonoccurrence, though Fils-Aimehas been the author of morethan his fair share recently.He continued, "The central

dynamic of this industry [...]was becoming consumedby intensifying the gameexperience along a verynarrow path. We believe thatnarrow path was alienatinga lot of potential consumersduring that time." With thefuture of the industry safeagain, Fils-Aime took timeto thank people who didn'twork for his company. "We'vehad a tremendous amount ofthird-party support as we'veprepared for launch. Theshift that's been reported indeveloper focus from those

012 games" '

» G A M E B A N W i i L A U N C H

N O . 5 2 : S E X . W H Y N O T ?

The embarrassing controversy causedbv Rule Of Rose has underlined a majorproblem in the game industry's progresstoward maturity - its juvenile attitude towardsex. Excessive brutality is rife in games ofall genres, and yet the merest suggestionof an erotic undertone - even, god forbid,a lesbian one - is still enough to set alarmbells r inging.

Sex is more marginalised in videogamesthan any other art form, and when itdoes appear it is embodied in the highlysexualised, immature worlds of Lula 3D,Leisure Suit Larry or the buxom bimbosof Dead Or Alive. If the next step forvideogames is emotional sophistication,then we must recognise sex as an enormousand essential part of that progression.Mainstream filmmakers are now using realsex to communicate powerful emotionalmessages, yet we are stuck with adolescenttitillation. Sex is not a dirty word. Time togrow up wethinks.

other consoles to Wii is trulyhappening [...] we recognise thetremendous contribution that

[they] have made to the launchof the Wii." Evidently he's never

played Red Steel.Ken Perlin, director of NYU's

media lab, whose talk on 'theillusion of life' was refreshinglyfree of product plugs and self-congratulation, gave by far themost interesting speech. AnOscar-winner with a backgroundin digital effects - his workappearing in projects as diverseas movie Tron and the charactermodelling in Half-Life 2-PerWngave an impassioned lecture onthe folly of searching for realismto the detriment of believability.

Using a simple five-polygoncharacter called Polly, Perlinillustrated how emotional

g a m e s ' "

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NEWS I GAME BAN I Wii LAUNCH

DATA STREAMB I T E - S I Z E D S TO R I E S F R O M A R O U N DT H E W O R L D O F G A M I N G

N i n t e n d oL A U N C H J O YNintendo's Wii saw eiglit daysof phenomenal sales uponlaunching in North America.More than 600,000 consolessold in just over a week -demand still exceeding supply."We've shipped retailers severaltimes the amount of hardware[Sony] was able to deliver for itslaunch around the same time,"said Reggie Fils-Aime, "andwe still sold out," in tnith, PS3sold out in a matter of hours,a n d w o u l d h a v e c o n t i n u e dto sel l had the consoles been

available, but Nintendo nowexpects to sell 4 million units bythe end of the year.

CDnboveisy, but despite beingfar more explicit was passeduncut and enjoyed success.

M A S T E R P L A NYannis Mallat, head of UbisoftMontreal, has revealed that ithas the aim to be the secondlargest third-party publisher (afterEA) by 2012. The companies'Montreal branches locked hornsrecently over suspnious staffappointments, but Mallat wasquick to play down suggestionsof Ijad blood. "I wouldn't say wehad problems," he claimed, "wehad differences." The success ofSplinter Cell and TOP put UbisoftMontreal on the map, and theupcoming Assassin's Creedisone to watch. "We're going tokeep to our winning strategy - toput creativity and innovation atthe heart of our creatkins."

Games ate only allowedto deal with sex in an

infantile way. when dieyfreat Ft seriously they areanswered with prejudice.

PUBLIC ENEMYRULE OF ROSE WITHDRAWNIN A FLURRY OF CONTROVERSY

In 1973, Stanley Kubrick's A ClockworkOrange was released to acclaim andcontroversy in equal amounts. Featuringscenes of rape, torture and motivelessbrutality, the film was nevertheless a potentwork of art. However, following an outcryfrom the press, the church and swathesof concerned citizens, Kubrick voluntarilywithdrew the film from the UK. Blind panichad caused us to overlook creativity, andKubrick meted out a suitable punishment.

Japanese developer Punchline, on theother hand, doesn't have the clout thatKubrick did, and its controversial new gameRule Of Rose is no masterpiece. However,it looks set to suffer the same fate as AClockwork Orange, after a long campaign ofshameful bullying by the British press andvarious politicians forced its publisher topostpone the UK release date indefinitely.

The first signs of trouble emerged whenSony, which had published the game inJapan, decided against doing so in America.Citing the game's sexual undertones, whichinvolve pre-pubescent girls, as the reason,Sony producer Yuya Takayama said, "WhenSony looked at the game, they felt it wasn'treally in sync with their corporate image.Their personal pride wanted it to be a littletamer." The game's director, Shuji Ishikawa,argued that any eroticism was only bysuggestion. "It isn't the main theme," heclaimed. "There are definitely erotic partsto it, and some things might make peopleuncomfortable, but it's not the focus."

The game was published in Americaby Atlas, but controversy re-surfaced lastmonth when 505 Games attempted tofinalise its UK release date. Both The Timesand The Daily Mail spun tales of explicitsex, sadomasochistic violence and a younggirl being buried alive, all of which was atodds with the report issued by the VideoStandards Council (VSC), who issued a PEGI-16 rating. A VSC spokesperson said: "I haveno idea where the suggestion of in-gamesadomasochism has come from, nor childrenbeing buried underground. These are thingsthat have been completely made up." As thehype spread to the Italian press even WalterVeltroni, the mayor of Rome, took notice,condemning the game's use of "massivedoses of hon-or" to entertain children. Initially505 Games issued a statement invitingjoumalists, politk:ians and other concernedparties to judge for themselves, stating:"IRule Of Rose] does not in any way inciteminors to commit violent acts and does notpromote acts of violence towards minors."

Sadly, the action proved fmitless, and505 Games announced it would no longerpublish Rule Of Rose in the UK. Despitebeing rated PEGI-16, thereby assuring nochild should legally be allowed to play it,the fortunes of a game and its creators havebeen trampled in the blind righteousnessof a moral panic. In truth, its greatest crimewas probably being a sub-standard horrorgame, but that shouldn't make us any lessoutraged at its fate.

0 1 4 g a m e s "

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NEWS I DOA SCANDAL

DATA STREAMJ t i i t i I t i t H . t i i t t ii ' l n i T r i ' i

Q< fi a X 3 6 (

B ITE -S IZED STOR IES FR OM AR OU N DT H E W O R L D O F G A M I N G

HARD SELLMicroso f t has announcedanother new feature for i ts

excellent online service. TheXbox Uve Video Marketplacewill provide high and standard-defini t ion TV and film fromthe likes of Wamer Bros andParamount Pkrtures, and willrival a similar service that Sonyis looking to provkle for PS3,Sony has criticised the idea onthe grounds that as 360 doesnthave a hard drive as standard, itwill force customers to buy one.There's also concern over therelatively small 13GB of storage,with the purchase of a spare harddrive the only solution.

THE NEW BIGIt seems that whenever aplatfonn hokler innovates, ifsnot long before the other twocatch up. Folk)wing MkrosoffsXIMA Studio Express, whrch willalk5w gamers to create their own360 games, Phil Harrison hasrevealed, on Sony's ThreeSpeechblog, that he's very excited. Hesakl: "I have to be very carefulnot to give the game away.[...] We've got two thingsin development: one in thisbuikling and one with an externaldeveloper" Davkl Jaffe recentlyannounced Criminal Crackdown,whk* points to a slew of smallergames made for download byestablished developers.

The fact

features unlockable pole-dancing scenes is unlikely tohelp Itagakis cause.

#SEXIST? MOI?NOBODY SURPRISED AS DOA CREATORACCUSED OF SEXUAL HARASSMENT

gaming icons like LaraCroft are, in reality, highlysexualised male fantasies.

The industry's mostsophisticated solution toattracting female gamers hasbeen to release consoles in

pink. Clever.

For an industry attempting to shed itspatriarchal image and open up to femaleconsumers and professionals, games lil<eTecmo's Dead Or Alive senes has long beena stumbling block. Seemingly existing toshowcase the buttock-rendering powers ofmodern consoles, the fact that they're fairlydecent games is often lost beneath the veneerof jiggling bosoms. Xtreme Volleyball tookthis tendency to a new level, basing a wholegame around scantily clad females jumpingup and down in exchange for skimpy outfits.Given the context, the news that DOA creatorTomonobu Itagaki has been accused of sexualharassment raised few eyebrows. A cursoryglance at the situation conjures the image of afat child caught with his hand in the cookie jar,chocolate smeared greedily around his lips.

A former colleague of the Japanesedeveloper claimed that Itagaki forcibly kissedand groped her in a cab after a dinner withsome of Tecmo's business associates in2003. The accusations detailed several otherattacks, including multiple instances of Itagakilocking her in a conference before makingunwelcome sexual advances, and an incidentthat allegedly took place at E3 '05. Thewoman has also accused Tecmo of handlingher complaint inappropriately and essentiallytelling her to deal with it herself, before

unfairly dismissing her following an internalinvestigation. The woman is now suingItagaki for around £50,000 in damages.

Tecmo defends both itself and Itagaki,releasing a statement that reads: "The allegedsexual harassment of the former employeeby Itagaki never took place, and Tecmo didnot issue an unjustified notice of dismissal.[Tecmo] determined that the allegationsin question were a result of the former

employee's desire to vent frustration overher own personal affair, and not indicativeof sexual harassment." Itagaki admits to therelationship but claims it was mutual, andis considering a counter-suit. Tecmo, hascondemned the pair for, "mingling personalaffairs with their corporate responsibilities."

It'd be easy to assume Itagaki's guilt basedon the content of his games, but thafs far fromproof. Conversely, it makes sense that Tecmowould defend a star employee over a relativelyinsignificant one whether he's guilty or not.That Tecmo demoted Itagaki despite takinghis side is hugely suggestive. The treatment ofwomen in Japanese society is seen as archaicby much of the Western world, the differingstandards also a possible contributing factor.One thing is certain, as long as games thatobjectify women exist, this is precisely the kindof publicity the industry could do without.

THE ALLEGED SEXUAL HARASSMENT OF THEFORMER EMPLOYEE BY ITAGAKI NEVER TOOK PLACE"

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Mankind has no ona else to turn ta. Nowhere e'se to i-un. Ihe planst is falling apart. Its pEopIs ccniEred within the only safe ares rernalning.The Locust Horde has risen and they won't stop coming. They won't stop killing. The governmEnt turns to whoever they have left The sick, the

wounded, the imprisoned. An inmete named Marcus Femx. Once left to die. he is now humanity s last hope. He can take comfort in but one fact.Ihe human race isn't extinct. Yet.

*The best 0am% wd'y wer seetârhe^^jstei;

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NEWS I NINTENDO I SECOND LIFE

DATA STREAM€

BITE-S IZED STOR IES FR OM AR OU N DT H E W O R L D O F G A M I N G

L'iFEV I R T U A L LYL O A D E DSeveral art icles in the

m a i n s t r e a m m e d i a h a v e

enlightened the wider world tothe existence of Second Life,and 26 November mar1<ed the

passing of another benchmarkby the virtual online society- the creation of its first

millionaire. Property tycoonAnshe Chung (real name: AilinGraef) is a Chinese womanliving in Germany, who starteda business selling real estateonline. Her company now ownsshopping malls, chain stores andvirtual brands, with a tumoverequal to millions in real money.

ApartfromZe/iJ3,Wirslaunch lin&4ip is largelydisappointing with fewexciting games before Easter.

EXTRA! EXTRA!Perhaps the most startling facetof the next-gen war is the hugecost involved. With Sony andMicrosoft making huge lossesproducing pricey consoles,never has more money beenspent by the platform holders.On 17 November Microsoftwent further buying nearly£500,000 worth of advertisingin free London newspaper,Metro. With huge ads for Gears,Viva Pihata and At?, as well asseveral competitions, Microsoftaccounted for most of the ad

space. It seems excessive, butwith a readership of 2 millionMetro reaches a huge audienceof young, affluent Londoners.

In terms of software,360 has just begun to hhits stride, witli several keygames emerging.

GOING FOR GOLDNINTENDO AIMS FOR TOP OF THE FINANCIAL TREE

The gulf between the financial strategiesof Nintendo and Sony have been laidbare after a report from electronics supplychain iSuppli estimated that PS3 Is makingan unprecedented loss on every unit sold.The company performs a 'teardown analysis'of new gaming hardware, assessing the costof parts and production to come up withan estimate. With US price points of $499and $599, the 20GB and 60GB models arethought to cost $800 and $850 respectively -a massive $300 loss on every 20GB console.

The cost may be high, but senior analystAndrew Rassweiler insists the price is fullyjustified by the design. "If someone hadshown me the motherboard from afar[...] I would have assumed it was for anetwork switch or an enterprise server,"says Rassweiler "In the entire history of theiSuppli teardown analysis team, we haveseen only three semiconductors with 1,200or more pins. The PS3 has three all by itself.There is nothing cheap about the design."

Be that as it may, Sony is still making ahuge loss and stmggling to meet demandwhile its rivals go from strength to strength.iSuppli also estimates that the cost ofmanufacturing the 360 has dropped lowenough for Microsoft to make a profit forthe first time since its release. Initially the

N I N T E N D O - " U N L I K EOUR COMPETITORS,WE DONT HAVEULTERIOR MOTIVES"

console was thought to cost $130 more thanits price point, but the drop in the cost ofhard drive production could allow Microsoftto keep $75 on every sale. With the deepestpockets of all the platform holders, Microsoftis likely to use lower costs to drop the pricepoint and content itself with rising sales.

Nintendo, meanwhile, has profited fromday one. In an interview with Gamesindustry.biz, Pien^Paul Trepanier, a Nintendo Canadaexecutive, boasted that the company had4 million units ready to ship, half of whichare destined for North America, with moreaniving every week. "We make a profit onthe system itself," he claimed. "Unlike ourcompetitors, we don't have ulterior motives.We're in the gaming business and we haveto make money on everything we sell."This was corroborated by Miyamoto whorevealed he wanted Wii production costs tobe as low as $100. Had they not used NANDflash memory they might have reached thattarget. Now all Nintendo needs is the games.

■■ • ■■■ I

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RELEASE USTCALM YOUR FEVERISH ANTICIPATION WITH OUR COMPREHENSIVE UST OF FORTHCOMING RELEASES

M U L T I -_ _ — F O R M AT

C H A R T

1 FIFA 07F o r m a t : M u l t iPublisher; Electronic Arts

2 NEED FORS P E E D C A R B O NFormat: MultiPublisher; Electronic Arts

3 CALL OF DUTY 3F o r m a t : M u l t iPublisher Activislon

4 PRO EVOLUTION ZS O C C E R 6 ^F o r m a t : M u l t i | -Publisher: Konami

5 THE SIMS 2;P E T SFormat; MultiPublisher: Electronic Arts

6 GEARS OF WARF o r m a t : 3 6 0Publisher: Microsoft

2 LEGO STARWA R S I IFormat; MultiPublisher: LucasArts

8 WWESMACKDOWN VSR AW 2 0 0 7Format MultiPublisher; THQ

9 CARSF o r m a t : P CPublisher; THQ

10 RAINBOWS I X V E G A SFormat: MultiPublisher: Ubisoft

T H I S M O N T H - J A N U A R YI D a t e T i t l e F o r m a t

12 Jan Bionicle Heroes D S12 Jan Lost Planet: Extreme Condition 3 6 0

112 Jan Prince Of Persia: Rival Swords PSP12 Jan World Snooker Channpionship 2007 360, PS2, PS315 Jan Blitzkrieg 2: Fall Of The Reich PC15 Jan City Life; World Edition PC16 Jan Dead Head Fred PSP

116 Jan World Of Warcraft: The Burnina Crusade PC19 Jan 757 Professional PC19 Jan Mosquito PC19 Jan Puzzle Quest: Challenge Of The Warlords DS, PSP19 Jan Rainbow Six Vegas P S P19 Jan Runaway 2: The Dream Of The Turtle PC19 Jan Tennis DS D S22 Jan Alien Shooter; Vengeance PC23 Jan Europa Universalis III PC26 Jan Actionloop D S26 Jan Actua Pool D S26 Jan Beverly Hills Cop PS226 Jan Dungeon Siege II: Throne Of Agony P S P26 Jan Freedom Wings D S26 Jan Hot Wheels Ail Out G B A126 Jan Impossible Mission DS.Wi i26 Jan M a e l s t r o m PC26 Jan Power Volleyball PS226 Jan Pro Evolution Soccer 6 D S26 Jan Sega Mega Drive Collection PS2, PSP26 Jan Star Fox Command D S26 Jan Toca Race Driver 3 P S P pT B C Beer Tycoon FCT B C C h a r l o t t e ' s W e b D S , G B A , P CT B C Jade Empire: Special Edition PCT B C WarioWare: Smooth Moves W i i

VIEWPOINT

POP: RIVAL SWORDSF o r m a t : P S PP u b l i s h e r : U b i s o f tA port of Two Thrones With extralevels, Rival Swords could be PSPsmost essential game this month.

VIEWPOINT '

W O R L D O F W A R C R A F T :THE BURNING CRUSADEF o r m a t : P CPub l i she r : B l i z za rdToo cold to go oirt? Stay in and livea virtual life In Blizzard's time sink. ,

V IEWPOINT

IMPOSSIBLE MISSIONFormat: DS, WiiP u b l i s h e r N i n t e n d o

A throwback to the days of C64,now with touch-sensitive puzzlesand much shorter loading times. ■

VIEWPOINT

W A R I O W A R E :S M O O T H M O V E SF o r m a t : W i iP u b l i s h e r N i n t e n d o

Multiplayer may be disappointing,but this is one of the mostinventive WarioWares yet. .

B A R G A I N B A S E M E N T The best deals this monthTO N Y H AW K ' SP R O J E C T SFormat 360Publisher: ActivisionWhere; play-asia.comPrice: £23.76Play-Asia strikes againwith yet anotherstunningly cheap Xbox360 game. It may bean ian game, but it'sregion free and halfprice. Now there's noreason not to pick upwhat has to be the bestT o n v H a w k ' < ! \ / P t ^ m c > . l u ■ i c u e i m y i > p u i i c u i n b i u r e s . l i u i s n o m i n e— f o r G u i f a r H e r o / / b y i t s e l f i s q u r t e a b a r 9 a i n . f o r o n e o f t h e g r e a t e s t g a m e s o f a l l t i m e .Check out the bargains thread at www.gamestm co.uWfonjm for bang-up-to-date deals. Your find could wdl feature on these hallowed pages.

fUJ ITAH hero I IF o r m a t P S 2Pub l i she r A r t i v i s i onWhere: www.play.com Price: £17.99Assuming you already have the guitar, £18

HALF-LIFE 2Format : XboxPubl isher: Electronic ArtsWhere: Woolworths Price: £10Recently spotted in stores. £10 is nothing

games™I m p o r tW A T C H

T A I T O M E M O R I E S2 . V O L 1Format: PS2P u b l i s h e r : Ta i t o

Although it features a few ofthe games that were on theUK's Taito Legends 2, Japan'slatest retro pack still hasplenty of other Taito classicst o o f f e r.

H O T E L D U S K :R O O M 2 1 5F o r m a t ; D SP u b l i s h e r ; N i n t e n d oThe spiritual sequel to AnotherCode? Another inventive andstylish point-and-click evolutiongraces DS, fast becoming theadventurer's platform of choice.

KAITOU WARIOT H E S E V E NF o r m a t : D SPublisher: NintendoTaking a rest from mini-games,Wario returns to platforming.Transforming from a thief toSpace Wario, Graffiti Warioand even Dinosaur Wariomakes as this wacky as ever.

P A R O D I U SP O R T A B L EF o r m a t : P S PP u b l i s h e r K o n a m i

Definitely the best of Konami'sthree PSP shoot-'em-up packs,Parodius Portable is longoverdue. These parodies ofGradius (get it?) are some oft h e f u n n i e s t s h o o t e r s e v e r .

- FORWARD THINKING...

F I N A L F A N T A S Y X I IF o r m a t : P S 2Publisher: Square-EnixFinally out (fingers crossed) in February. The waitfor this epic RPG should have been worth it.

I 23 February ■

FORWARD THINKING...

M E T E O S : D I S N E Y M A G I CF o r m a t : D SP u b l i s h e r B u e n a V i s t a G a m e sMeteos retums with a Disney theme and 'turn yourDS sideways' mode. Shame there's still no Wi-Fi.

05 April e

A P R I L06 Feb Capcom Puzzle World PSP 01 Apr D u k e N u k e m F o r e v e r PC

09 Feb B a t t l e z o n e PSP 05 Apr Meteos: Disney Magic D S

09 Feb Everv Extend Extra PSP 06 Apr Avatar The Last Airbender

0 9 f e b O k a m i P S 2 DS, GBA,GC,PS2, PSP,Wii09 Feb P o s t m a n P a t G B A 06 Apr My Froqqer Toy Trials D S

09 Feb UFO Afterlight PC Stee l Hor izon D S

15 Feb L u m i n e s P l u s PS^ 27 Apr Man/el Trading Card Game DS, PC, PSP16 Feb Cartoon Network Racing DS, PS2 T B C God Of War II P S 2

16 Feb G o d H a n d PS2 T B C O v e r c l o c k e d PC

16 Feb Sherlock Holmes: The Awakened PC23 Feb Final Fantasy XII P S 2 T B C ' 0 723 Feb Sid Meier 's Pi rates! PSP T T B C Alone In The Dark 3W,PC, P^23 Feb U n o 5 2 DS, GBA T B C Assass in ' s C reed 3^'PS325 Feb Hot PXL PSP T B C Chibi-Robo: Park Patrol D S

T B C Brain Buster Puzzle Pak D S T B C Col in McRae DIRT 360, PS3

T B C Dancing Stage SuperNOVA P S 2 TBC ,. C r v s i s PC

T B C G h o s t R i d e r G B A , P S 2 , P S P T B C D a w n O f M a n a P S 2

T B C Tes t D r i ve Un l im i ted PS2, PSP T B C Devil May Cry 4 P S 3

T B C Elite Beat Agents D S

M A R C H T B C Final Fantasy III D S

09 Mar A n o t h e r W o r l d G B A T B C Gran Tu r i smo 5 P S 3

09 Mar Bu l le t W i t ch 3 6 0 T B C Half-Life 2 360, PS3

09 Mar Mario Vs Donkey Kong 2: T B C Halo 3 3 6 0

M a r c h O f T h e M i n i s D S T B C Ha lo Wars 3 6 0

1 6 M a r Phoenix Wright: Justice For All DS T B C Heroes Of Mana D S

1 6 M a r Rayman Raving Rabbids D S T B C Kane & Lynch: Dead Men 360, PC

2 3 M a r Dungeons & Dragons Tactics PSP T B C The Legend Of Zelda:2 3 M a r Tr a c k M a n i a U n i t e d PC Phantom Hourglass D S

3 0 M a r Ratchet & Clank; Size Matters PSP T B C Lunar Knights D S

T B C Br ian Lara T B C Metal Gear Solid 4;

International Cricket 360, PC, PS2 Sons Of The Patr iots P S 3

T B C Ful l Auto 2 P S 3 TBC_^ Metal Gear Solid Portable Ops PSP

T B C Genji Days Of The Blade P S 3 T B C Metroid Prime 3: Corruption W i i

T B C M o t o r S t o r m P S 3 T B C N e c r o - N e s i a W i i

T B C Need For Speed Carbon P S 3 T B C S a d n e s s W l i

T B C Rainbow Six Vegas P S 3 T B C Shining Force EXA P S 2

T B C Resistance: Fal l Of Man P S 3 T B C Shining Wind P S 2

T B C Sonic The Hedgehog P S 3 T B C Sonic And The Secret Rings W i i

- FORWARD THINKING...

B R I A N L A R AI N T E R N A T I O N A L C R I C K E TFormat: 360, PC, PS2P u b l i s h e r : C o d e m a s t e r sIfs great that Codemasters is still doing its thing.

M a r c h •

FORWARD THINKING...

S A D N E S SF o r m a t : W l iP u b l i s h e r : N i b r i sThis noir thriller could turn out to be Wii's greatestsleeper hit if its gameplay matches its style.

T B C 2 0 0 7 -

FORWARD THINKING...

I V "S P A C E G I R A F F EFormat: 360 L ive ArcadeP u b l i s h e r : M i c r o s o f tThose lamenting the death of Jeff Minter's Unitycanlook forward to this downloadable HD shoot-a-thon.

T B C •

T B C Space Giraffe 3 6 0

T B C S.TA.L.K.E.R. Shadow Of Chemobyl PCT B C Stranglehold 360, PS3T B C Super Mario Galaxy W i i

T B C Super Smash Bros Brawl W i i

T B C Virtua Fighter 5 P S 3

T B C Ya k u z a 2 P S 2

PLEASE NOTE- While every effort has been made to ensure tiiesedates are correct at the time of going to press. are liable to changeat short notice. Which is completely beyond our control, so don't gogiving us evils.

ESSENTIAL PURCHASE You'll definitely be wanting theseLOST PLANET;E X T R E M EC O N D I T I O NFormat: 360Publisher: Capcom

Capcom's ice-cold bossrush should be just thething to get you throughthe post-Christmas lull.An inventive healthsystem and a plethoraof giant mech suitsmake this another360 killer app. But bewarned, ifs damn hard.

S TA R F O X C O M M A N DFormat : DS Pub l i she r. N in tendo

For anyone who didn't get Star Foxon import months ago, now's the time

J to pick up this brilliant shooter forNintendo DS.

SEGA MEGA DRIVEC O L L E C T I O NFormat: PS2, PSP Publisher: Sega

Mega Drive Collectiori is, without doubt,the best retro compilation of all time, andis well worth the meagre £20 asking price.

g a m e s " ' 0 2 1

- J ' T ; : r

m Lfmsfii

i :K TTiere's no shame in piaytngPocketBike Rac&s in front of theresttfieworid... Is there?

LETTER FROMA M E R I C AEXILED BRITON, GRAY THE SHAPE' NICHOLSON

"SNEAK KING COMBINED THE SINISTER AND THE RIDICULOUS.GARBAGE, WAIT FOR HER TO PASS BY UNAWARE, THEN JUMP

Rather than adding a limited-availability sandwich,containing turkey and/or cranberry sauce to the menu,or cutting a boardroom deal to put Happy Feet imagery

on the cups and boxes, fast food empire Burger Kingdid something a little bit out of the ordinary to mark

the holiday season this year. BK commissioned threevideogames from developer Blitz Games, to be soldwith value meals at the chain's restaurants across theUnited States.

A wave of cult support grew up around theseries' most iconic title. Sneak King, in the weeks

leading up to release because it combined,in just the right measures, the sinister

and the ridiculous. You could hide in awoman's garbage, wait for her to passby unaware, then jump out and giveher a burger, all the while grinning

with the King's unsettling permanentporcelain grin. Novelty, collectabillty, and

price - these were Xbox 360 games for$3.99, after all. Demand was set.

The games launched, of all days, ona Sunday, and I missed them. Upon

realising my error the next day, Itore off to the second closest

branch of Burger King asrevealed by Google

Earth (the closest was a mile south into the badlands),haunted by predictions of a sell-out. Breathlessly enquiringwith the sole clerk as to whether they still had any gamesleft elicited laughter - laughterl - followed by a Chandler-esque affirmative that at once confirmed to me that theystill had thousands upon thousands in boxes, and werenot haemorrhaging them at any great rate. A TenderCrispChicken Sandwich meal for myself, and one for my goodlady, netted us Sneak King and PocketBike Racer. I avoidedthe third game in the set. Big Bumpin', because I've had anIrrational fear of bumper cars ever since I saw someone getknocked out of one at a carnival when I was little. Besides, Icouldn't have eaten another bite.

Surprisingly, these little holiday crackers provided hoursof contentment in the weeks that followed. The games over-deliver: too big to be described as mini-games, smooth assilk, easy enough to be Instantly gratifying, and the Xbox360 versions run in HD widescreen. Each disc contains oneversion of the game for 360, and one for the original Xbox.Sneak King grabs you with the absurdity of delivering fastfood by stealth, but actually has a rudimentary combosystem that keeps you coming back to improve your ranking.PocketBike Racer is essentially IVIario Kart on two wheels,complete with projectiles and powerslides, and featuresonline multiplayer and even ranked matches. Both gamesyield 200 GamerPoints. Joy Except, simultaneously, I wasfighting a battle of validity.

YOU COULD HIDE IN A WOMAN'SOUT AND GIVE HER A BURGER"

One friend messaged me only to say: "what the hellis wrong with you?" Though I concede this questionmight be perpetually applicable, I feel certain in this caseit was down to playing PocketBike Racer visibly over theLive network. After showing another friend my jolly newburger-ware, this man, a fellow writer whom I hold inhigh regard, flatly asserted that these products "demeangaming." This led to a heated discussion about the abilityof a single work to damage the perception of its entiremedium, my position being that a Burger King televisioncommercial does not damage good will toward televisionin general. The Burger King games are interactiveadvertisements. Cynical, calculating and purposeful, okay,but fun, and under no delusions of grandeur. At this orany other value, an overt, undisguised commercial agendadoes not matter as much as whether you enjoy whatyou're playing. And it's good to be the King.

M a n y t h a n k s

S BOUGHT ME

US MULTIFORMAT TOP TENTitle Publ isher Fomiat

1 Gears Of War Microsof t 360

2 Final Fantasy XII Square-Enix PS2

3 Yoshi's Island Nintendo DS

4 Pokemon Ranger Nintendo DS

5 The Sims 2; Pets Expansion Electronics Arts PC

6 Call Of Duty 3 Activision 360

7 Hnal Fantasy III Square-Enix DS

8 Madden NFL'07 Electronic Arts 360

9 Microsoft Flight Simulator X Microsof t PC

10 Medieval II: Total War Sega PC

PLEASES T O PH e l l o U b i s o f tI enjoy all your dark, serious shooty gameswith the clip-lock straps and the ballisticnylon and the "Enemy Contact" kind oftalk. But please would you stop using aworse game engine and/or team to makethe multiplayer bits? You started this withSplinter Cell Pandora Tomorrow, continuedit with GHAW, and recently wreaked similarinjustice on Rainbow Six Vegas, a gameI'd eagerly awaited until actually playingthe online demo with its hilariously whackgraphics and animation. Have you seenGearsOfWaror Call Of Duty 3 onWnel

Al l the best for GRAW2,

Gray

(Updated 6 December 2006)

T H R E A Dt JIPPED BY THE SYSTEM[;' "So I'm playing my third online game of

i PES6, my opponent as Chelsea and me asj Lyon. 0-0 after normal time, I go one up

at the end of the first period of extra time- a deserved goal as I've been all over himHalf time in extra time comes, and I make acouple of changes, press go and wait Andwait And wait. The time limit mns out andnothing happens. The game hasn't crashed,my 360 is fine This berk has just opted out ofpressing anything to get the game restartedI message a simple: "what's going on?" Toreceive no response So, simply because thisguy is the host he has this power over thegame to stop it completely if he's losing, yetstop it in a way that if I quit out I'll go downas a loser? I call bullshit on this system. Well,ifs been on the haK-time screen for threehours now I'm not turning it off till I get myvictory. I worked hard for it"

lanos. The Society

g a m e s 0 2 3

K O N G E T S U *■ Entertainment for questions.A fair excliange, no? We wonderwtiat our friend Snake thinks.

WITH JAPANESE CORRESPONDENT TIM ROGERS

JAPAN WOULD HAVE LINES AROUND THE BLOCK THE DAY REGISTRATIONTRAIN TURNSTILES OPENED, SO LONG AS THE EYEBALL MASCOT

Knowing that the US PS3 came with a Blu-ray movie, I found theJapanese PS3 a little lacking. Sure, it's cheaper, but couldn't theythrow something in? It took me three days to tother to downloadwhat I later discovered is the greatest commercial of all time. Mainichi/ss/)o- Together Every Da/ - stars Toro the cat, SCE Japan's mascotYou might not know Toro. Since the PlayStation era, he's standiin traditional adventure games that make use of real photography.Sometimes he investigates mysteries, other times he does things likegoing to xhool. The games have stories, and appeal to adults.

As with traditional Japanese family animation, one of Toro'sfriends is a gay, French, alcoholic dog. I'm not making it up - hisname is Pierre. Mainichi Issho doesnt have a story so much as

it has a framework. Toro has just moved into his first apartment- a rundovm Japanese place presented in realistk; 1080p HD. He hasa neighbour, Kuro the black cat, in whom he confides his deepestwish: to be a human. Kuro tells him that rfs possible to become ahuman if you get a human job and humans accept you as a human.Kuro suggests that the two of them do a news show together, andif ifs good enough he'll become a human. Toro agrees, and Kuroheads off whispering that he'll claim both paycheques from Sony forhis own. This is a 67MB download, and ifs kind of a game yet notreally. You watch Toro in his room. You cant move the camera angle.He goes through a few hundred animations in random sequencesfor random lengths of time. He talks on the phone, draws pictures.

gets drinks from the refrigerator, rolls around on the floor, and sleeps.Outside his window, if ifs night wrfiere you are, ifs night where Torois. If ifs raining where you are, ifs raining where Toro is. The game'sintegration of internet elements is seamless and interfaceless.

In the news programmes themselves - updated daily - Toroand Kuro talk about cun-ent events, weather, movies, and thingsunconnected to SCE. Photos pop up. Sometimes, they link you towebsites: a winning sumo wrestler's blog, for example. One day,Toro did a top ten of his favourite hot steamed dumplings on sale atJapanese convenient stores, showing applause-worthy preferencefor no chain over another. It was through that programme that I wasmade aware of Family Marfs Philadelphia Cream Cheese dumpling.I bought one on a cold day, it was great. When there's a new gameout they'll discuss it For Gundam they even ask trivia questions aboutprevious Gundam shows, or sometimes trivia questions about reallyobscure things. Each question you get right wins you a chance to spina wheel to win a prize at the end of the show. You can get food to feedto Toro if you want to watch him eat Apparently you can win fumitureand things as well, though I guess they haven't rolled that feature outyet (my Toro still sleeps bare on the floor). And when the whole showis done they ask you to rate it on a scale of one to three stars.

This 'game' is a blog, an intemet journal delivered via cutecharacters and adorable graphics on expensive TVs. When they askwhich games I bought with my PS3 (my answer none) someone at

» F E AT U R E P R E V I E W S

M '■

FOR RETINAL-SCAN-ACTIVATEDWORE A CUTE ENOUGH HAT"

some analysis firm is mal<ing two lick mate; one for 'twught nogames' and another for 'lil<es downloading free stuff.' They're usingmy responses for their own purposes. And I don't care so longas it results in their talented bloggers releasing fresh content andtaking viewer feedback seriously. I say, entertainment for personalinformation is a fair trade. I'd gladly tell them my waist size (32inches) if asked straight after saying I bought FFXIII and MGS4, justbecause I'd find the question so adorable coming from a cartooncat I guess I've lived here too long; I swear Japan would have linesaround the block the day registration for retinal-scan-activated trainturnstiles opened, so long as the eyeball mascot wore a cute hat

I was once so infatuated with Japanese print advertising thatI stole a hanging paper ad out of a train. It was a picture of a cutegirl named Aya Matsuura drinking a glass of iced tea with bothhands. As photography goes, it was brilliant Many ads were goodenough to inspire petty theft, and though I've had room-mateswho stole whatever they could get their hands on, I abstained.Eventually I did steal a few political posters because the framing ofthe politician's face and the position of his clenched fist in relation tothe microphone was captivating.

K i n d r e g a r d s

TEACHYOURSELFJAPANESELESSON #52: GETTING FREE MUSIC AT AP U N K R O C K S H O W W H E N Y O U L I K E A B A N DT H O U G H N O T E N O U G H T O PAY F O R T H E I R¥ 5 0 0 D E M O

Ossu. Omaera kanari yokattajan. Ore dakaraw a k a r u s a .Yo. You guys were pretty good. Trust me, I knowwhat I'm saying.

0, doumou arigatou gozacchatta. Omae dare?Nande nihongo wakanno?Hey. Thanks, or somethin'. Who the hell are you?Why do you speak Japanese?

A, jitsu wa ROORINGU SUTOON to lu zasshi nok i s h a n a n d e s u k e r e d o m o .Oh. Actually. I'm a reporter for Rolling Stonemagazine.

Nihon no PANKU SHUN wo saikinshirabetemasu ga...I was just doing some research for an article on theJapanese punk scene...

Coo. Nara orera no demo mottekaereyokonyarou. Hal, meishi desu. Renraku saki wakai tearu kara douzo.Then you should take our f**kin' demo, man. Hell,here's my business card; you can get in contactwith me if you like.

O. Ainiku ore wa meishi nakunacchatterun desuga,goshinpainaku. Renraku wa kocchi kara shimasu yo.What system do you think you'll make your nextmasterpiece on?

Zettai ni Uiiiiiiiiiiiii janaissuyo.Oh. I seem to be out of business cards unfortunately.Never fear - I'll be sure to contact you.

JAPANESE MULTIFORMATTOP TEN

T i t l e P u b l i s h e r

Oshare Majo Love and Berry Sega

Jump! Ultimate Stats Nintendo

Winning Eleven 10 Europe League Konami

t o

Common Sense Training

Pokemon Diamond

Pokemon Pearl

Kirby Squeak SquadDOA; Xtreme 2

Jeanne D'Arc

New Super Mario Bros

Nintendo

Nintendo

Nintendo

Nintendo

Te c m o

SCEi

Nintendo

Fonnat i

PS2 IDS ;

PS2

DS

D S

DS 'DS

DS ;

PSP

DS

(Updated weel< ending 25 November 2006)

O E A R S mn 1

So the decree is laki forth here: Mainichi Isshois the Kongetsu Game Of Tlie Year 2006.Runner-up would be Dead Rising, and thenMothers, Blue Dragon (whfch, in all fairness,isnt out yet and I shouki probably waK untilmy next column to pass judgement on it)and then GearsOfWar Gears Of WarisntJapanese though, is it? Oh, damn. Well, ifswhat I'm playing, anyway. Every day.

Do you realise that Gears Of War, whichI find quite excellent was released in everycountry of the worid that carries Xbox360 systems and software except Japan?Remarkable, isn't it? Maytje Mkaosoft Japanheld it back because they recognised itsquality, and though they couW give it a propersales push with a clever ad campaign (pushit like they woukJ a Hollywood movie -1 hearthose are quite popular around here) and fullJapanese vofce-overs.

Well, much as I'd tove to know if my favouritevoice actor Akk) Otsuka is vokang the hero - heshouk); he does SoKd Snake -1 just couHnt waitfor Mfcrosoft to get on the ball and cortfimi theJapanese release. So I wertt to Play-Asia.com,aking with the revolting citizens of every onlineJapanese Xbox 360 community, and purchasedthe Chinese verskjn of the game whtch is halftfie price of ttie American one anyway. It has fullEnglish voreeovers if the 360 is set to "English',and an awesome Chinese tide on the box. Score

F a m i l v H a r tTHE GAME THATKEEPS ON GIVINGThanks to that Toro's Mainnhi Issho news

update, I was able to enjoy this kikitkallydelKKUs Philadelphia Cream Cheese steameddumpling, for only ¥100 at my kxal Family Martconvenience store. Toro's review included theword Interesting.' Normally, Hiese steameddumplings contain some kind of beef or poiltA cheese jnly dumpling? CoukI it wori<? Well,it does work. It worits amazingly. You knowanother thing that works? The internet Thatwas my exact tliougfrt when, after watchingToro's news broadcast I stepped out of myhouse, crossed the street to the convenientstore, peered into the dumpling warmer,and saw that the Philadelphia Cream Cheesesteamed dumpling really dkl exist It just aboutknocked the wind out of me. Never has avkleogame actually fed me before. Cokxir me 70shades of impressed

g a m e s " ' 0 2 5

NEWS FEATURE I OUT OF STOCK

oWtTH THE DUST NOW SETTLED ON THE LAUNCH OF PLAYSTATION 3, GAMES™ ASKS ITSJAPANESE AND AMERICAN CORRESPONDENTS WHAT REALLY HAPPENED...

SONY'S SUSPICIOUSLY LACKADAISICALapproach to the European launch ofPlayStation 3 elicited cries of consternation

from the British gaming public. After a series ofunsettling revelations regarding the console'sprice and software, and the growing popularity of

I Xbox 360, such a gross misjudgement promisedto be the final nail in Sony's coffin. How, after all,could anyone be allowed to get away with such

! disregard for the customer? The world simply• wouldn't stand for i t .

j Unfortunately, the world didn't really mind,j Even with the Lik-Sang debacle added to an; already potent mixture, Japanese and American! gamers could rest easy knowing that they would

have no problems getting their hands on ai PlayStation 3 before Christmas. If there is a silver

lining to this cloud, and a way to rid ourselves of: the feeling that Sony views Europe as the irritating

younger brother of the games market, it is thatI we can capitalise on several months of advance! warning on the ups, downs, highs and lows of

Sony's super-console. The next-generation battlejust entered phase two.

TOKYO STORYBY TIM ROGERSSo, they launched PlayStation 3 in electronicsstores across Japan. Three minutes before Ken

Kutaragi gave a short speech (Thank you verymuch for waiting out here all night... I rememberwhen the PlayStation first went on sale... and so

■ The worid gets in line with dreams of going home with die prized PS3.

on and so on), a hard rain began to fall out of adead-clear sky over every unwashed man whoneeded to have the PlayStation 3, a veritable relicfrom the future, in their living room. Had Sonyput the unit on sale an hour earlier, we could sayin this report that 'Kutaragi made it rain that day.'However, technicalities being what they are, wecan't say that. Instead, history goes as historygoes, and instead, we say, 'The rain made itKutaragi that day.'

PlayStation 3 is a wonderful console. It's fast andslick and shiny-too shiny; fingerprints become apain quite quickly It can browse the internet, andlOSOp on a large enough television - like those ondisplay at all Japanese retailers - is the smuggestbastard in the world, grinning because it knows it'sright and you do, too. Copying videos and photosto the unit is beautifully simple. It supports USB2.0 external hard drives and the Memory StickPro port makes Memory Sticks seem like a goodidea. Blu-ray looks nice whether you like the ideaof it or not, and the OS is packed full of amazing

026 games ' "

**/<**

Only In America...T H E I N S I D E J O B

With only hours to go before the official launch,two youths - one Hispanic, one AfricanAmerican, both over six feet tall - walked intoGameStop in Elk Grove, California, and demandedthat staff hand over four PlayStation 3 consoles. Whatat first seemed a clear case of robbery has sinceturned into an accusation of fraud aimed at two of thestore's employees. Gerald Anthony Keys and TaurynRobert Hodge, who reported the crime, were arresteda few days later after inconsistencies were foundbetween the i r s tor ies .

Only In Annerica...T H E S H O O T I N G

In Putnam, a small Connecticut town with just19,000 residents, the anticipation of the arrival of

PlayStation 3 turned to horror. At 3am, two armedyouths confronted the small handful of people linedup outside the town's Wal-Mart, demanding moneyMichael Penkala, 21, intervened, and was shot in thechest and shoulder. At the time of writing, police werestill searching for the suspects, though Penkala was ina stable and 'non-life-threatening' condition.

little touches: the background on the Cross MediaBar navigation screen, for example, is brightlycoloured during the day, and dead black at night.If you have the PS3 turned on all night, you cansee the colour bleeding up from the bottom, likea sunrise, just as the sun is rising outside. Oncethere are some worthwhile games on this thing,no bachelor in the world will be complete withoutone in his slick living room. In the meantime, is itsomething worth waiting in a line for? Really?

BUYERS WERE CROWDING around the intenselyfoot-trafficked Yodobashi store in Shinjukufrom about noon on Friday. As Shinjuku is a

■ To hold the shiny console in their hands is what these people yearned for.

monstrously busy area, too many people crowdingaround were a problem, so the police and hiredsecurity were out in force, keeping people away."You must not form a line," they told loiterersadamantly. "There will be no lining up until10pm." So it was that the hundreds of young men,then, were merely waiting in line to wait in line. By8.30pm, Yodobashi had confirmed that more thana thousand people were lined up, which was morethan enough to sell every PS3 unit they had. Theyperformed a quick head count and threw everyoneinto a line. They blocked the line off, and let themsit out there in the cold. Of course, crowds areknown to get rowdy, so they kept store securityposted all around in five times their usual number.And store employees stood outside to keep theireyes on the storeroom door.

For the most part, those lined up in Shinjukuplayed nice. In Ginza, however, it was a differentstory. More than two thousand people wereassembled at the Bic Camera there, and it was

apparent that not all of them would be getting aPlayStation 3. Fights broke out; some people werearrested. The police got involved. Restlessly, thepeople waited until morning. The rain cloud thatswept over Ginza reached Shinjuku just minutes

^ m e s 0 2 7


"SOME OF THE RRST COUPLE OF HUNDRED LINE-WAITERSWERE HOMELESS MEN. A CHINESE WOMAN APPROACHEDEACH OF THEM ONE AT A TIME AND GAVE THEM ANENVELOPE FULL OF ¥63,000 TO PURCHASE A CONSOLE"

/ V a

later. The res t l essness t u rned I n to r eck lessness . One

or two boisterous souls were given a talklng-to.We managed to get our PS3s at just before ten

in the morning, after waiting 14 hours. 14 hours forwhat? If they'd already determined all over Japanthat the demand was stabbing the supply In thehead, why not organise some form of action to getthe units out more quickly? Why not start movingthe line at, say, five In the morning, just as the firsttrains start to run, so the people can get home andget some reasonable sleep on Saturday morning?

WHEN KUTARAGI GAVE his speech. It was full ofpride, and before a crowd of men who were, evenas he spoke, punching and clawing at one another'sfaces. The first person to buy the system ignoredKutaragl's praise, thanks, and questioning, andinstead took the system after paying, walked away,and gave it to a Chinese woman in exchange foraround £50. Some of the first couple of hundredline-waiters were, to put it bluntly, homeless men.A fur-coated Chinese woman approached themone at a time and gave each of them an envelopefull of ¥63,000 to use to purchase a console. Oncethe console was in their hands, they waddled off,exchanged It for money, and continued about theirbusiness. The truck full of consoles then, apparently.

headed to the airport, and eventually to Hong Kong,where PS3 would actually be released just six dayslater. Some people just couldn't wait, I guess.

"It's not our place to judge who's worthy ofbuying a system and who's not," a YodobashIemployee explained, eerily echoing the commentsof another employee of the same YodobashI two

years earlier, when the first thousand in line to buythe PSP were foul-smelling, mud-caked homelessmen, "I mean, we can't just demand that all of ourcustomers wear a suit and a tie." Weeks before,I tried a fun experiment. I asked an employee atevery YodobashI or Bic Camera I came to: "Areyou taking reservations for PS3?" The answer was' N o . ' " Yo u m e a n t h e r e s e n / a t l o n s a r e s o l d o u t ? "

"No. I mean we're not taking reservations." "Whynot?" "Because it's our policy." "Do you have anexplanation for the policy?" "No." "May I speakto a manager?" "I'm sorry. He's in a meeting."Every manager at every store I went Into was in ameeting. I suppose that's what managers do.

Why not restrict console sales to pre-purchaserswilling to spend ¥60,000 months in advance, then?Surely that would cut down on the resellers andmafia dealings. Let each person buy the system,show a picture ID, and then receive a ticket. EvenIf they lose the ticket, all they'll have to do is show

■ Shouldn't brag too much about your lovelynew purchase; you may end up getting shot

A t

028 games""

■■ J#**-,^ ; . - , # » v

J i tf f ^

Only In America...T H E F A R C E

Chaos caused by forcing people to queue forhours in the cold made many retailers questiontheir logic. One enterprising assistant store manager,however, decided to tal<e action. Seeing 50 customersoutside the store, with only ten consoles to goaround, he offered a game of musical chairs to decidewho got a console and avoid unnecessary violence.In the mad scramble for a vacant seat, however,there was one casualty - an over-zealous 19 year oldwho, in the heat of the moment, ran straight into atelephone pole, knocking himself unconscious.

Only In AmericaT H E F A K E

Take hordes of game-hungry Americans and givethem too few PlayStation 3s and somebody isprobably going to get shot. That became a harshreality for Michael Penkala of Connecticut, and manyfeared that customers in Lexington, Kentucky hadsuffered the same fate. A car raced by the line ofwaiting customers and opened fire, hitting severalcivilians and a journalist reporting for a local newsstation. Fortunately they were only BB pellets, leavingno serious injuries but a lot of frightened gamers.

Should we perhaps be prepared to set up camp outside Asda, Cunys andToys R Us? Probably not Or should we? Nah. Actually, better find that tent

g a m e s 0 2 9


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"ANY TIME A CAR WOULD PASS BY OR A STRAGGLERWOULD NAIVELY MAKE THEIR WAY TO THE BACK OF THELINE, THEY WOULD BE ASSAULTED BY YELUNG, NAME-CALLING, AND EVEN A FEW LOOSE INANIMATE OBJECTS"

Japan right now, because it appeals to anyone. Thesystems would have sold out most definitely beforethe next shipment, whenever that would have been.

The short explanation for why stores aren'taccepting pre-orders, then, we will have to assumeis down to the fact that they don't let people reservea hot new electronics item because then theywouldn't have moronically long queues snaking

around the stores. They certainly wouldn't get ontelevision that way. They wouldn't have somethingto grin about at the New Years' parties, that way.The whole idea of queuing is kind of shameful.Especially when you look at the new Famitsu,and see a ten-page spread of people waiting inlines at all of the PS3 retailers around the country.Delighted that Famitsu's photographers werephotographing them, a couple of gamers happy tohave survived the night proudly posed for pictureswith their PlayStation 3s, purchased without games.Not a single photo shows a homeless man. Thephotographers had to be pretty tricky to work outthose angles.

That afternoon, on a whim, the first website weloaded up on my PlayStation 3's internet browserwas auctions.yahoo.co.jp. I typed in 'PlayStation 3'.

030 games'

» NEWS FEATURE I OUT OF STOCK

t t h '

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There were around 1,500 results. What a weird,weird world. All this negativity aside, despiteall the weirdness surrounding its launch, PS3 isa brilliant piece of equipment. Now it's time tostart waiting for those games... any day now...I'll just keep watching the Casino Roya/e trailerin 1080p.

AMERICAN BEAUTYBY WILLIAM HALEYIt takes a true gamer to get shot while waitingfor a PlayStation 3 and still not give up theirplace in the line, but that's exactly whathappened in Lexington, Kentucky. In fact, threeothers were also gunned down but didn't stickaround, meaning the fourth probably evenmoved up a few spots for his troubles. However,aside from the increased violence and robberiesover last year's Xbox 360 launch, a few spotsin southern California were more about just

hanging out with other gamers and waiting forthe next big thing.

While the Xbox 360 shortages had gamerspulling an all-nighter in front of their local gamestore, the PlayStation 3's ridiculously limitedsupply and equally ridiculous asking price oneBay had gamers and scalpers alike practicallyliving outside their stores for almost an entireweek in some cases. One such camper, Jennyfrom Carson, California, was the first in line at

a Some had a sense of community; others had a sense of gang warfare.

the Gardena Wal-Mart. She had been there since

Tuesday afternoon, and brought little more thansome warm clothes, a chair, and a surprisinglykind attitude. "I just want one," Jenny laughed.She also revealed she didn't have enough moneyto buy any games for the $600 system, andsimply planned to play PlayStation 2 games on itf o r t h e m e a n w h i l e .

Despite the area being what some wouldrefer to as 'ghetto', the 50 or so campers haddeveloped a sort of community, where strangerswere now friends and everyone was laughingand keeping each other company. At a city overat a local Target, there was a different sort ofcommunity, where a small group of campers hadformed what felt much more like a gang. Anytime a car would pass by or a straggler wouldnaively make their way to the back of the line,they would be assaulted by yelling, name-calling,and even a few loose inanimate objects. Therewas even a pit bull in the mix. And at the front ofthe line? Another girl gamer, this time draggedthere by her younger brother in an attempt to getan extra PlayStation 3 to sell. When asked whatshe had told her boss in order to take several

days off, she confessed she had lied and said shewas going to Vegas.

But the most interesting site had to be theBest Buy in Torrance, where, despite a largesign on the front doors bluntly stating only34 PS3s would be available, over three timesas many people spent the better half of theirweek camped out in the parking lot. Inevitably,most of them were turned away come Fridaymorning. One camper, Mark from RedondoBeach, appeared to be a one-man-army ofgadgets, complete with a PSP, DS, iPod, laptop,and portable PS2. "Last year I got stuck in linefor 14 hours with nothing but a bag of Doritosand a smile, this year I came prepared."

And so did many others as a walk downthe line of campers revealed tents, portablebarbecues, full-sized beds, and even a TV andXbox 360. Gabriel from Carson was the first inline at this Best Buy, and at Sam he paid for hisPS3, put it in the car, then got back in line for theWii. When messaged a few days later to see ifall his waiting for the PS3 had been worth it,Gabriel said, "I don't know; mine's broken..."

Call Of Duty 3Genji: Days OfThe Blade

Madden NFL 07M a r v e l

Ultimate AllianceMobile Suit Gundam:Target In SightNBA 07

NBA 2K7Need For Speed CarbonN H L 2 K 7

Resistance:

_ all Of ManRidge Racer 7Tiger WoodsPGA Tour 07

Tony Hawk's Project 8Untold Legends:Dark Kingdom

Amped 3"CaiTof Duty 2Condemned

FIFA Soccer 06GunKameoMadden NFL 06

NBA 2K6 ^NBA LIVE 06Need For SpeedMost WantedNHL2K6

Perfect Dark Zero

King KongPGR 3Quake 4

Ridge Racer 6Tiger Woods 06Tony Hawk'sAmerican Wasteland

THE VERDICTSony has lost some big hitters to delays - gameslike F.E.A.R., Fight Night Round 3 and Oblivion mayall be available on Xbox 360, but they would also beexcellent reasons to buy any console. The PS3 cropis noticeably light on exclusives, and what there is- namely Resistance, Ridge Racer 7 and Genji-are

hardly masterworks. The Xbox 360 list certainlyhas more on it, even if many are simply franchiseupdates. The much anticipated Perfect Dark: Zero wasa poor effort, but King Kong, Kameo: Elements OfPower and Condemned: Criminal Origins were highlycommendable. The jewel in the crown, however, andthe factor that surely sets the Xbox 360 list a stepahead, is the presence of Project Gotham Racing 3- one of the best games of its kind, and the sort ofclassic title PlayStation 3 still lacks.

g a m e s - 0 3 1

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\->'i mT", '

CLASSfcs new for the Wii"THE ULTIMATEIN PINBALL WIZARDRY"

"ULTRA REALISTIC FLIPPER AND NUDGEACTIONS USING THE Wii

INNOVATIVE HAND CONTROLLERS"

v "DESERVES TO BEEXPERIENCED"

"THE MOST ACCURATESIMULATION OF ALL T ME"

/) / i rOtPioAira C Y ^ T P M . ' i 9-10 GRAFTON STREET MAYFAIR LONDON W1S 4ENuyottaet La. Gottlieb S Y s T t M 3 j.ôi 491 4441 e; [email protected]

2007 PREVIEWS I HALO 3

^ Expect the power of 360 to^ deliver grander level designs and^ improved vehicle behaviour.

With Master Chief available m several colours

over Xbox Uve, arguments are bound to ensueover who ends up being Mr Brown.

1 ^ ( 1 ^ . I t , '

i

HALO 3 IS ALREADY ONE OF THEMOST ANT IC IPATED V IDEOGAMESOF ALL TIME - THE TRIUMPHANT E3TRAILER SET MANY A SPINE TINGLINGAND MANY A FANBOY DROOLING"

TTie^ry should be much betterthis time around. Who knows? We

might even get a proper ending.

Who knows what this is, but old

Chiefy's pointing a gun at it so it'sprobably not on our side.

F O R M A T : X b o x 3 6 0 P U B L I S H E R : M i c r o s o f t

DEVELOPER: Bungie ETA: 02

THE CHIEF IS BACK

There's a reason why Halo 2 is stillthe most played game on Xbox Live,

and it's nothing to do with people's love ofvile-mouthed American teens. Quite simply,it's the benchmark for online shooters: fast,

incredibly deep and dressed up in the mostfunctional and intelligently implementedlobby system yet seen. And while thesingle-player may have disappointed thoseexpecting the Second Coming, few coulddeny its superiority over the myriad FPSefforts that punctuated the Xbox's career.So, understandably. Halo 3 is already oneof THE most anticipated videogames of alltime-the triumphant E3 trailer set many a

spine tingling and many a fanboy drooling.The promise that the cut-scene shown usesthe in-game engine - a claim that nowseems all the more feasible in a universe still

reeling after Gears Of War- is a frighteninglyexciting prospect. It may be wrong to getexcited about graphics, but when a gamelooks that good it's very hard not to.

As with its predecessor, Halo 3's detailsare being kept firmly under wraps by Bungie,but it takes no more than a cursory glanceat Halo 2's finale to realise we're going tobe finishing the fight here on earth. TheCovenant has uncovered a "massive andancient artefact" under African soil, whichcould well be the huge dome-like structurethat The Chief stares at intently during thetrailer. So, in order for the Covenant tomake use of this artefact, it has to annihilateeveryone and everything on earth. It justwouldn't be sci-fi any other way. So, theurban combat that Halo 2teased briefly inits early stages could well be fully realised- imagine a GRAW-style environment litteredwith Covenant. And plasma grenades. Wecan only hope.

As is always the way with a game ofthis stature, the rumour mill has been fully

0 3 7g a m e s ' "" Y / / ,

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Online multiplayer skimiiêsare looking to be as visuallyspectactular as ever

> , . J r i t

2007 PREVIEWS I HALO WARS

b i h eFORMAT: Xbox 360, PC PUBUSHER: MicrosoftDEVELOPER: Ensemble Studios/Bungie ETA: Q4

HALD WARSExpanding the ring world

nfl The semi-surprise announcement at tliis year'sX06 was this joint project from Bungie, and Age Of

Empires developer Ensemble. Halo Wars is real-time strategyset in the Halo universe, so we'll see the eternal Covenant-versus-human struggle retold but on a scale in line withthe genre. Early trailers have been frustrating - heavy inatmosphere and Halo lore while sorely lacking in gameplay- but the remit is clean Halo Wars will play out the series'

great battles from above, with all the Banshees, Warthogs andNeedlers one would expect.

Considering Halo was originally created as an RTS beforeundergoing its many (and eventually successful) changes, itis fitting that the series has returned to its roots. And with theteam at Ensemble behind it the pedigree cannot be disputed.Perhaps the most exciting of Halo IVars'prospects however,is its online potential. The console world has never had atruly great RTS to play over the internet, but Bungie's XboxLive distinction - earned through Halo 2-could be the key toWars'ultimate success. While we remain intrigued, if a littlesceptical, the next batch of footage and screens will enlighteneveryone to Halo Wars'true worth.

Console owners have been crying outfor a decent real-time^rategy for ages. Will Hah Wars answer the call? J

operational for months now, with titbitsleaking from unreliable sources almost daily.The most likely? Well, the strong rumour ofan online co-op that supports more than twoplayers seems feasible. Gears has proveditself the pinnacle of online co-op so far soit makes sense that Microsoft would pushits flagship title to have a similar, or indeedbetter, equivalent mode.

Another strong rumour suggests playerswill be able to save movies of in-game action,presumably to upload them to Xbox Livea la Burnout Revenge. Certainly, the recent'17.25 seconds' of gameplay footage shownto the US media was cobbled together usinga feature Bungie referred to as 'Saved Film'.Certainly, the thought of reliving a particularlyjuicy headshot or long-range grenade isthoroughly appealing.

On the subject of these 17.25 seconds,the footage shown revealed an Earthysetting (no surprises there), a new Ghostlike vehicle, and most importantly, a Brutedriving it. The hairy ones are back, meaningwe can expect three-way battles - four-way

X Will we ever get to see tfie man beneath the suit or will^ Bungie decide to keep his tme identity a mystery?

if the Flood are involved - hopefully on ascale that completely eclipses everythingseen in the first two Ha/os. Bungie's finestis at its best when the Al creates its own set

pieces on the fly, and with more enemies,more races and more vehicles, the scope fordrama increases exponentially.

In many ways. Halo 3's single-playerneeds to deliver. It will sell regardless, butif the trilogy is to be revered in the samebreath as Zelda and Hal f -L i fe then i t needs

to reclaim that sense of awe that the originaldelivered in spades. Recent criticism of thesequel is harsh, but even the most ardent

IF THE TRILOGY IS TO BE REVERED INT H E S A M E B R E AT H A S Z E L D A A N DH A L F - L I F E T H E N I T N E E D S T O R E C L A I MT H AT S E N S E O F A W E T H AT T H EO R I G I N A L D E L I V E R E D I N S PA D E S "

C

rls

A $1 million script anda n u n k n o w n d i r e c t o r- t h e t u m u l t u o u s t a l e

There's no escaping the 5Sh™ project's chaotic production. "

After Alex Garland accepted$1 million to write the script, fansw e r e c o n c e r n e d w h e n U n i v e r s a l

asked D B Weiss to cast an eye overGarland's words. After being turneddown by Blade 2's Guiliernno DelToro, Peter Jackson acquired the

f e i s

fanboy must have felt slightly underwhelmedby Halo 2's slightly lacklustre set pieces. If thisthird episode can recapture the essence ofCombat Evolved-the triumph, the heroism,the feeling that you're playing a game that'ssimply a cut above everything else outthere - then it will be a resounding success,and the trilogy will receive the final act itdeserves. If indeed it is Halo's final act. OnBungle's own site it is suggested that Halo 3is simply "the conclusion to this story arc."Read into that what you will, but it wouldn't

surprise anyone if Chief made anotherappearance some time in the future.

M i c r o s o f t a n n o u n c e d t h a t

spring will see a multiplayer demohitting Marketplace, but whetherthis is an indication of i ts exact

release is still sadly unknown.Gates and co may choose tolaunch i n March to comba t t he

European PS3 release, or holdHalo 3 back unt i l Chr is tmas2007. Either way, Bungle /won't let the Chief out of its

sight until he's ready. Thebiggest game of next year?Certainly in our eyes.

2007 PREVIEWS IVIRTUA FIGHTER 51 SPORE

TORMAT: Xbox 350, PC, PlayStation 3E TA : Q 1

Hollywood's hijacking of our mostbeloved culture continues withJohn Woo's slo-mo gun-balletextravaganza, but will it take MaxPayne's crown as the king of bullett i m e s h o o t e r s ?

iIBATTIERELD: BAD COMPANY

Format: Xbox 360, PlayStation 3E T A : Q 2

Console-based Battlefield alwayssuffers next to its PC cousins so DICEhas made this one console exclusive.

Expect the usual intense team action,and a time-sucking Live mode.

CUVE BARKER'S JERICHO.Format: Xbox 360, PC, PlayStation 3E T A : Q 2 I I I I I M i m i l I H H I I I I

Jericho's mix of squad-based FPSand survival-horror is a fresh conceptthat's a bit crazy but just might work.Now, let's hope that Clive Barker'sstory is just as inventive.

» MARVEL UNIVERSE ONUNEFormat: Xbox 360, PCE TA : Q 3

Lately, Marvel games have failed tolive up to the name, but this MMOfrom the maker of City Of Heroeshas the perfect balance of fanboyappeal and developer integrity.

VIRTUAFIGHTER 5

- a t. 0 4 >

M ME H Z a i BFORMAT: Arcade, PlayStation 3 PUBUSHER: SegaD E V E L O P E R : A M 2 E T A : 0 2

F IVE TO THEP O W E R O F T H R E E

I yt Of all Sega's most important franchises, VirtuaFighter is perhaps the one that has fared better

Lion is meant to be the youngest of the Virtua Fighteis, but this snapshot of his.wrinkly old-man hands says differently. What's going on, Sega?

than any other in the developer's messy metamorphosisfrom console manufacturer to third-party publisher. Theleap from Dreamcast to PlayStation did nothing to dentVirtua Fighter's reputation as the king of the 3D beat-'em-ups. In fact, it's arguable that PlayStation 2's VirtuaFighter 4 was the best in the series to date.

Now, with the long-awaited VF5 on the way forPlayStation 3, the eyes of both Sega and Sony fans haveturned toward AM2's majestic brawler to see if it can live

up to its reputation while also proving that PS3 can handlecomplex arcade conversions. The good news is that anearly hands-on proves that neither fan should worry.Unless something goes horribly wrong, Virtua Fighter 5will be the next generation's first essential beat-'em-up.

SPDREF O R I V f A T: P C P U B L I S H E R : E l e c t r o n i c A r t sD E V E L O P E R : M a x i s E T A : Q 3

W I L L W R I G H T E V O LV E ST H E G O D G A M E

11UJ From SimCityXo The Sims,Liia everything that Will Wright hasever worked on has been leading up tothis moment-to Spore. The ultimate Godgame. Spore is designed to give playerstotal control over their digital world withevery part of it user defined down to thegenetic level.

Much more than the sum of its highlycustomised parts, however, Spore is mostremarkable for its future-facing networkcomponents. Even/ creature, plant, buildingand vehicle is uploaded to a central serverand automatically downloaded to populateremote users' own worlds - as long asthey match that user's environment andexperience level. The resulting game shouldbe like no other, a title that evolves in a waythat is as much in the player's control as outof it. Spore is one of the most ambitious

videogames of all time, but if there's anyonewho can pull it off, it's Will Wright and hisexperienced team at Maxis.

FORMAT: Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 PUBLISHER:U b i s o f t D E V E L O P E R : I n - H o u s e E T A : 0 3

T H E S T E A LT H G E N R EG O E S P E R I O D

From the maker of Pr ince Of Pers ia:

Sands Of Time, Assassin's Creedhas a very big pair of shoes to fill. Yet, fromwhat we've seen so far, it looks like thoseshoes will be so full that the laces tear and

the leather bursts. Ubisoft's period stealthplatformer is one of the most originalconcepts in recent memory. Set duringthe relatively un-mined period of the HolyCrusades, Assassin's Creed puts the player incontrol of a disgraced professional killer whomust stab and slice his way back to respect.

While that story may not be spectacularlyoriginal, the gameplay certainly is. UnlikeMetai Gear or Splinter Cell, Assassin'sCreed takes place in public places, adding awhole new dynamic to the genre. Alarminginnocent citizens by killing someone in theopen can lead to very bad things as they alertthe local authorities or even gang up on our'hero'. Exciting stuff.

FORMAT: Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 PUBUSHER: Rockstar DEVELOPER: Rockstar North ETA: Q4

A C H R I S T M A S N U M B E R O N E I N T H E M A K I N G

IJCT Rockstar North may have kept a tight lid on all GTA /l/info (you'll no doubt notice thedistinct lack of screenshots), but that's not going to stop the series' first next-gen outingbeing one of the most anticipated releases of the next 12 months. Without any real details, it'shard even to predict what Rockstar will deliver to our shelves this time next year, but we dohave a few strong suspicions.

What's certain is that the leap from III to IV should be much moresignificant than the thematic differences between cities Liberty, Vice andSan Andreas. The power of the new hardware should mean that the newregion is bigger and more realistically populated than ever, and that Al seesa massive improvement. Story is another area ripe for expansion, and ourfingers are crossed for a plot that evolves with the player's actions. We'realso keen to see a greater emphasis on character and quality voice acting.

2007 PREVIEWS I CRYSISI HEAVENLY SWORD

CRYSISPROVING THE PC IS STILLTHE PLACE TO BE FOR FPS

FORMAT: Electronic Arts PUBUSHER: CrylekD E V E L O P E R : P C E T A : Q 3

F O R M A T; X b o x 3 6 0

E T A : Q 1

Real Time Worlds' delayed urbanroamer Is now set to arrive early2007, hopefully with a lick of paintand a layer of polish applied. Couldbe revolutionary. Could be anunfocused mess. We'll soon know.

With all this talk of Halo 3 and Resistance: Fall Of Manof late, it's easy to forget where the FPS feels most

1INDIMU0NES20D7J

comfortable. The PC's mix of high-precision control and high-spec power has always been perfectly suited to the demandsof the genre. Good job too, as CryTek's spiritual successor tothe almighty FarCry \s as processor hungry as anything outthere. The lush jungle environments feature incredible physics,lighting and particle effects; it's as if FarCryv/as forced througha next-gen mangle and came out looking even more beautiful.Of course, that wouldn't matter a jot if it played poorly, but withthe team behind FarCry's emergent set pieces in charge, Crysisshould be a balanced shooter with a focus on excellent enemyAl. And if all that fails, there's always a huge robot to fight. Couldbe a challenger to Half-Life 2's PC crown.

Format: Xbox 360, PlayStation 3E T A : Q 3

Indiana Jones 2007 is based aroundNaturalWIotion's 'euphoria' system,which allows for reactionary physicsthat bring characters to life. So youcan whip them more realistically.

, LORD OF THE RINGS ONUNEF o r m a t : P CE T A ; Q 1 i

Codemasters' assault on the MMO

HEAVENLYSWDRDA V E RY B R I T I S H A F FA I R

D E T A I L S :

FORMAT; PlayStation 3 PUBUSHER: SonyDEVELOPER; Ninja Theory ETA; Q1

nw Ninja Theory, the mind behind PS3'sforthcoming Heavenly Sword, hails from the

moderate climes of Cambridge - a far cry from theEastern dojos that gave birth to this style of actiongame. Yes, Heavenly Sword is a stylish hack-and-slash firmly in the Devil May Cry mould, and it's arather pretty looking one at that. It has even beenreferred to as 'Goddess Of War' in the pages of thisvery magazine, and that's not an unfair comparison.Heroine Nariko has much in common with thebrutal Kratos, from his fluidity of movement to thebrutality of his attacks. Heavenly Sword makesgood use of tl clever QTE close combat systemrdiat made dOfWarso engaging, and shrouds iuin SBfiimation engine that puts anything on PS2 §to shame. Ninja Theory's slick action game won'ychange the world, but sometimes an evolution ola n e n t e r t a i n i n g t h e m e i s a l l w e n e e d . *

Format: PlayStation 3E T A : Q 4

Rockstar has recently snapped upthis Australian-developed crimethriller which, if the trailers areanything to go by, will be entirely inblack and white. A hardboiled GTAl

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gaming in style with the revolutionaryC o n t r o l C e n t e r 5 4 0 C . C o n n e c t y o u rX b o x 3 6 0 ^ ^ " a n d u p t o F I V E a d d i t i o n a lc o n s o l e s o r A V s o u r c e s t o j u s t o n e

i n p u t o n y o u r T V a n d H I - F I ,Propr ietary Xbox 360^" input carr iesa l l v i s u a l a n d a u d i o i n f o r m a t i o n f r o m

y o u r c o n s o l e t o C o n t r o l C e n t e r

through just one cable. Four fully HDcompat ib le Component Video inpu tsp r o v i d e t h e i d e a l c o n n e c t i o n s f o rP layS ta t i on®3 and N in tendo® Wi i ^ "a n d a r e j o i n e d b y fi v e S - V i d e o ,Compos i te Video and S te reo Phonoi n p u t s . W e ' v e e v e n i n c l u d e d f o u rDigital Optical inputs so that your nextgenerat ion games sound as good as

t h e y l o o k . Wa n t m o r e ? H o w a b o u tt h e o n - b o a r d 6 P o r t E t h e r n e t L A NH u b t h a t s h a r e s y o u r b r o a d b a n dc o n n e c t i o n w i t h y o u r P C , X b o x 3 6 0 ,P S 3 ® a n d W i i ^ " ? P r o g r a m m a b l e

D i s p l a y a l l o w s y o u t o c h a n g e n a m e sto su i t you r se tup and the RemoteC o n t r o l m a k e s i n p u t s u r fi n g a b r e e z e .

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www.toysrus.co.ukc o m e r amazon.co.uk

and you're done."^ g a m e p l a y -

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2007 PREVIEWS I BURNOUT 51T00 HUMAN

BURNOUT 5T H E B E S T I S B A C K -A N D B I G G E R T H A N E V E R

FORMAT: PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 PUBLISHER: Electronic ArtsD E V E L O P E R : C r i t e r i o n E T A : O c t o b e r

I u J Mercifully, Burnout has been allowed tobreathe. After Revenge's appearance just 12

months after Takedown, many were concerned thatthe EA machine had turned Burnout mto its latestmoney-harvesting franchise. So 2006's lack of all thingsBurnout came as a relief; no one wants this series tobe sullied by overexposure.

Next year sees Criterion's finest making its return,and Alex Ward is as excitable as ever. "Burnout 5 isa complete reinvention of the series, built from theground up for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360," he tellsthe world. "To create truly next-generation gameplay,we needed to create a truly next-generation gamefrom top to bottom."

This means the first open-world Burnout, withCrash Junctions littered across a city full of racingopportunity. It's a big idea for a big game, andcertainly has the potential to both revolutioniseand destroy the series. But we're keeping the faith- Criterion hasn't let us down yet, and the first

'truly next-gen' Surnouf will almost certainly befantastic. And if all else fails, you can rip othercars clean in half during the more violent crashes,which will comfortably sate our lust for carnage.

TDD HUMANSILICON KNIGHTS' OPUSF I N A L LY N E A R S C O M P L E T I O N

■ ■ ' ■

FORMAT Xbox 360 PUBUSHER: MicrosoftDEVELOPER: Silicon Knights ETA: March

Ijg Along with Alan Wake and Forza 2, Too Human completesisiia Microsoft's pre-Halo assault; a trilogy of titles designed todistract the gaming public from the pretty PS3 lights just long enoughfor the Chief to arrive. Easily the most action-orientated of the three,Too Human follows the template of Devil May Dy and Ninja Gaidento the letter, meaning Xbox 360 has its first 'dojo' action game, andwhat a spectacular one it is.

tfs a light show of epic proportions as protagonist Baldur hurlshimself around the environments, slicing robot foes with the graceand poise of a matador. This is not an exercise in originality, more anevolution of an already successful theme, and produced with suchslickness as to automatically demand attention. The most excitingpart of the Too Human package though, is its co-op. Supporting up tofour players over Live, ifs as if someone married Gaunf/ef with DMCand drowned it in moody lighting and plasma burns. Whether it willbe enough to parry Dante's inevitable PS3-bound attack is yet to beseen, but there's certainly room for another stylish action hero in thevideogaming world.

UW Potential. It's what this entire feature is"B* about. What fantastic gaming does 2007have in store for us? Will each title live up to itsown hype? What will be the surprise hit of theyear? Will anything truly reshape the gaminglandscape? Irrational Games may hold all theanswers. Potential? 6/oS/70c/fisoverflowingwith the stuff.

The spiritual sequel to System Shock is notyour typical FPS fare - this is a mature piece ofwork, dealing with morality, dread and mostof all, isolation. Speaking to games™ in arecent interview. Ken Levlne, BioShock's lead

designer, gave us an insight into the game'sethos, "There's two kinds of isolation," heexplained, "one is being alone, and the otheris, well... have you ever gone to a party whereyou don't know anyone other than maybe yourex-girlfriend?" That's how BioShock makes youfeel. Like we said, not your typical FPS fare.

Taking place in the ruined paradise ofRapture, a man-made haven created to housethe world's intelligentsia and aristocracy,BioShock places you in a world that happilyexists on its own. Everything in Rapture

/ / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / A

} caught a weird Imie girt the oilierday and she was this big, htmast."

;kE I N D E E P WAT E R N O W-

D E T A I L S

FMAT; Xbox 360, PC PUBLISHER: 2K Games[ l E V E L O P E R : I r r a t i o n a l G a m e s E T A ; 0 2

revolves around 'Adam', its mostjjreciousresource. As you progress through the story, itbecomes abundantly clear just how importantthis Adam is. All of Rapture's inhabitantsfocus on the harvesting of the vital resource,sometimes working together to extract it fromdead bodies. Interrupt them, kill them, workwith them, ignore them... all choices thatwill have a significant impact on your time inBioShock's otherworldly realm.

2K Games had a fantastic 2006 with Pre/andthe mighty Oblivion, and 2007 is set to followsuit. With The Darkness looking tremendouslypromising, and BioShock potentiallygroundbreaking, 2007 could be the year of 2K.

m^ Before you read the caption above this one, please pretend^ that fishermen and divers are the same thing.

WDRLD DF WARCRAFT: BURNING CRUSADED E T A I L S

F O R M A T : P C P U B L I S H E R : V U G a m e s

DEVELOPER: Blizzard ETA: 16 January

Not long to wait now. The global phenomenon that isWorld Of Warcraft receives its long-awaited expansion

pack next month, meaning millions of teenagers will haveanother excuse to avoid sunlight. Burning Crusade allowsseasoned Warcrafters to raise their character up to level 70- "unlocking a world of power and possibility on the way"- and introduces two new races to the Warcraft universe, the

Blood Elves and the Draenei. Expect Burning Crusade to devourMMO fans by the thousands upon release - Blizzard will not leti t s f an base down .

FRDNTLINES;FUELaFWARFOflMAT: PlayStation 3, PC, Xbox 360E T A : Q 3

Another attractive shooter to whet

your appetite, this has futuristicweaponry, dozens of vehicles anda strong focus on team play. Willit trouble Halo 3? Nah, but it may

provide a decent alternative.

■ FORMAT: PlayStation 3, PC, Xbox 360E TA : Q 1

The future of survival-horror beginswith a new Alone In The DarkXhalpromises QTEs, episodic structure(aka levels), and stunning visuals.Could surprise a few people.

2007 PREVIEWS I SUPER MARIO GALAXY

SUPER MARIDLAXY

I FELL IN LOVE WITH AS TA R S H I P K O O PA

FORMAT: Nintendo Wii PUBLISHER: Nintendo|D E V E L O P E R : I n - H o u s e E T A : M a r c h

r

||Ui It's been too long since the last Mario game. Wewere baited by the superb-looking Super Paper

Mario, but now thafs been moved to Wii (along withmost planned GameCube titles), ifs just another gamewe'll have to wait patiently for And wait we shall...

In typical Nintendo style, the biggest games arelikely to be staggered throughout the next year.Twilight Princess will keep fans happy for a while, butthe next 'meat/ offering will have to show fairly earlyin the year as WarioWare and the various other mini-

game-led titles won't satisfy existing gamers for long.Mario Galaxy is likely to be one of the first triple-A titleswe see appearing next year, and with the levels we'vealready played being so close to finished, we're bettingthat Nintendo's promise of March is fairly accurate.

Galaxy is shaping up to be a Mario game with farmore potential than Sunshir}e ever had. Whereas eachkey instalment has featured a new genre-improvingelement. Sunshine was just too similar to Mario 64 toachieve similar status. Galaxy has the Wii Remote andvarious anti-gravity twists at its disposal, so things arelikely to get very interesting.

Opting to leave the world-exploration elements ofMario 64 and Sunshine behind, Ga/axy takes placeover many planetoids that differ in size, shape andenvironment: fire, ice, water, pirate ship... you knowthe drill. The gameplay though, is now being torn intwo - perhaps the perfect way to inject some life intothe platform formula. Mario Galaxy \s using traditionalplatformer elements mixed with Wii Remote 'pointer'action to create a fresh Mar/o that, judging from whatwe've been lucky enough to play, is going to appeal topretty much everyone.

Any concerns that new dimensions may cause thegame to become too complicated can be shruggedoff immediately. The design has been so well thoughtout that the game remains completely accessible- something that's essential to a decent platformer,especially one prepared to have such mass appeal.The controls that many once questioned as beinguseful for little more than gimmicky titles seem to haveproven themselves once again.

# ■ «

A X O /too

: We re not sure, but doesn't Mario; famously make silly noises and

lose heaMi when in lava?*

Wow. Chain Chomps (sans chain)have never looked so scary - ormassive for that matter.

' / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / .

SUPER SMASH BRDS BRAWLF I G H T F O R Y O U R R I G H T TO PA RT Y

E H Z a i EF O R M A T ; N i n t e n d o W i i P U B L I S H E R : N i n t e n d oD E V E L O P E R : I n - H o u s e E T A : I V l a r c h

||Ul Announced at E3 '06to a veryfcaaJ excitable crowd, Smash Bros Brawl isset to be one of Nintendo's biggest releasescome 2007. Although he's no longer workingat HAL Laboratory, series director MasahiroSakura i has been coaxed back to work on

this latest instalment, and according to thevar i ous i n te r v i ews tha t he ' s done w i t h

Japanese publications - and his ownc o l u m n i n F a m i t s u - w o r k o n t h e t i t l e

is going very well.D u e t o a c o m m e n t m a d e

by Sakurai at E3, it's rumouredthat Brawlw'tW make use of theGameCube controller rather than theWii Remote or Classic Controller, butit's likely to be a few months beforewe get confirmation of the exactcontrol method, Until then we'll just haveto speculate as to which new characters willbe joining Pit, Wario, Meta Knight and MetalGear's Snake on the roster.

■ ■

2007 PREVIEWS i THE DARKNESS ( PROJECT HEROES IFFXIII

MEDAL DFHDNDR; AIRBORNEF O R M A T : M u l t i -

E T A ; 0 1

Parachuting onto all fonnats after anunusually protracted development,/4/rfaome could put EA's flaggingseries back on track. Fingers crossed,then, that the new airdrop gameplaycan revitalise a once great FPS.

ZElffiPHANllMHnjRGLASSF o r m a t N i n t e n d o D S

A return to the eel-shaded seas ofWind Water should refresh after thedark and moody Twilight Princess.And the stylus could make PhantomHourglass the most unusual Zelda.

Format: PlayStation 3E T A : Q 3

After Namco's return to form withTekken 5, all eyes are on Tekken 6totake on Sega's latest Virtua Fighter.Talk of an online matching servicemay swing things Namco's way.

ICHIBI-RDBO: PARK PATROL

' / / / / / / / / / ,

THE DARKNESSS TA R B R E E Z E ' S N E W I PS P R I N G S F R O M T H E S H A D O W S

D E T A I L S

FORMAT: Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 PUBUSHER: StarbreezeD E V E L O P E R : 2 K G a m e s E T A : 0 2

11 u J Three years ago, nobody would have expected anythingliaJ from unknown Swedish developer Starbreeze. Butthat was before The Chronicles Of Riddick came along andshocked everyone - us included - with its innovative first-personstealthery. Now a proven quantity, Starbreeze is storming backwith another promising adaptation. The Darkness.

Based on the independent comic of the same name, andwritten by the same author. The Darkness looks set to smashinto tiny pieces the stereotype of terrible licensed games. Withits inventive spin on the stealth genre - the player must stick tothe shadows in order to replenish his demonic powers - TheDarkness is definitely a hot property in the making.

PRDdECT HERDBHISTORY'S MOST 'MARMITF . ^GAME GETS A FOLLOWrUP ®

D E T A I L S

FORMAT; Nintendo Wii PUBLISHER:D E V E L O P E R : G r a s s h o p p e r E TA : Q 3 ^fm Love it or loathe it, there's no denying that killer?was a

startlingly unique title that dared to challenge the recogniconventions of gaming - something the medium needs much rof if it is to avoid becoming stale. With its spiritual successor, PrHeroes, Grasshopper is looking to expand on what made everyone situp and take notice of killer?. That means more eel-shaded graphics,more over-exaggerated voice acting and, we imagine, twisted storythat repels gamers as much as it attracts them. Even for those withoutunconventional tastes however, we're betting Project Heroes will be amust-play Wii game for one reason: motion-controlled Lightsabers.

Riding the tube makes games"^ want to goon a murderous rampage too.

HNAL FANTASY XIIIUNLUCKY FOR SOME? NOT LIKELY

FORMAT: PlayStation 3, Mobile PUBUSHER: SquareEnixDEVELOPER: SquareEnix ETA: Q4

Following similar experiments with Final Fantasy VII andXII, SquareEnix has set about creating its most ambitious

RPG yet, or should that be three RPGs? Final Fantasy XIII isbeing developed as three different games with separate storiesand characters, linked by one overarching myth.

Final Fantasy XIII and Final Fantasy Versus XIII w\\\ bereleased simultaneously for PlayStation 3 while Final FantasyAgito X///will appear on mobile phones. Nothing is yet knownabout what are sure to be the most complex games in theseries to date, but one thing is for certain: of all the titles ingames™'s 2007 preview, this is the one (or three) most likely toslip into 2008's line up.

Format: NintendoE T A : Q 4 2 ' i

Skip's cute adventure may havecome too late to save GameCube,but its sequel has arrived in OS'sprime. Let's hope the portablecan handle the scope of Chibi'sadventure in the great outdoors.

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PLAYSTATION 3 UBNCH SP L

RESISTANCEFALL OF MANIMTHIS PS3 0NLINC PLAYSTATION 3 EXCLUSIVE nZ' irrt c tested AND LAUNCHES IN GAMES HP

ISSUE REVIEWED US81APAN 0NPS3! ES

ReVtaVED CAN THEPLAYSTATION 3-5 BESTLAUNCH CAME TAKEON HALO?

LAUNCH GAME ON SALE- REVIEWED 04.01.06"100% unofficial PlayStation 3 magazine

2007 PREVIEWS I DEVIL MAY CRY 41 BANJO THREEIEy / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / A

DEVIL MAY CRYH A S D A N T E M E T H I S M AT C H ?

D E T A I L S

FORMAT: PlayStation 3, PUBUSHER: CapcomDEVELOPER: In-House ETA: July

tin Capcom's had a good few years. Aside from aRBim few slip-ups that came in shapes like Final Fight:

Streetwise and Beat Down, only quality has spewedfrom the publisher's various studio's. Even with Cloverclosed we can still expect greatness from 2007. Infact, of all the games promised for PS3, ifs Capcom'sDevil May Cry 4 thafs sharing a place with MetalGear Solid 4 at the top of our growing wish list.

Of course, we all know now that Dante, won'tbe cent re o f a t tent ion th is t ime around. Instead

we have the mysterious Nero. Although atpresent Capcom hasn't revealed this character'sfull story, there's been a lot of guesswork as tohis connection to Dante. We're sure answerswill present themselves with time, but for now -thanks to a playable version at TGS '06 - there'splenty we do know about DMCA.

Nero's Devil Arm abilities will take the place ofDante's various 'styles' that featured in DMC3, andthe combat has been made more accessible so thateveryone (not just the hardcore among the hardcore)can enjoy the full range of abilities that the characterhas been blessed with rather than just dying for thenth time when a too-big boss stamps on them.It's a good move as the games have beencriticised for being too tough when it's usuallydown to a player's reluctance to power-upand perform the more complex manoeuvresthat's to blame for failure.

Though even with all that was revealedat the show, there are still a few questionshanging over the title. The 'accelerationsystem' that was promised still hasn't been witnessed and there's still noconfirmation as to whether or ^not Dante will be playable atall. As we said, time will ySyr e v e a l a l l . h

^ Although Banjo now looks far^ better than he did on N64. his^ nose still seems to be square.

THE FURTHER ADVENTURESO F B E A R A N D B I R D

FORMAT: Xbox 360 PUBUSHER: MicrosoftDEVELOPER: Rare ETA: March

There's been much debate as to whether the new-look Banjo looksgreat or just 'a bit weird', but there's no questioning whether we're

looking forward to the third Banjo game arriving on Xbox 360. We spentmuch time bumbling around the variously themed world in the N64 game,and the rather amusing trailer that was shown at X06 has confirmed in ourminds that when Banjo Threeie finally arrives it could well end up beingRare's finest moment in a long time. Mad witchdoctors that turn you into awashing machine, birds with attitude, and disgruntled witches certainly agood game make.

SUPREME COMMANDER I FABLE 212007 PREVIEWS

Shooting dragons in the mouth withpistols is not recommended.

SUPREMECOMMANDERT H E F U T U R E ' S B R I G H T. . .

F O R M A T : P C P U B U S H E R : T H QDEVELOPER: Gas Powered Games ETA: July

Ijm There are plenty of decent RTS titles oni.a'l the market at present, and you can be surethat 2007 will bring another batch of reasonableofferings - but for a game of this type to stand outis a rarity. The C&Cseries has managed to retainhuge popularity over the years, but you really needto display greatness to impress in such a tiredmarket. Huge, sprawling maps and big, stompinglaser robots could well do it, though.

Supreme Commander \s offering everythingyou've seen before but scaled up. A heavy focuson tactics, as per usual in games of this type,combined with sublime visuals should see itperform well - but don't forget it's going head-to-head with Command & Conquer 3.

WE'RE IN TWO MINDA B O U T T H I S O N E

D E T A I L S

FORMAT: Xbox 360 PUBUSHER: MicrosofDEVELOPER: Lionhead ETA: Q4

Despite not really living up to the immensehype that it was unfortunate enough to be

burdened with. Fable delivered one of the finest actionRPG experiences on Xbox. The selection of alignment,although working well, didn't impress in as grand a wayas perhaps it should, and rather hinted that, should asequel emerge, that's where we'd find the fully honedexperience. Well, that sequel's on its way. Announced atX06, Fable 2 is set to deliver everything the original didand more, with particular focus placed on the 'good/bad'

decisions you make and how they affect your adventure.In addition to this, several other bold ideas are plannedfor the title. Dynamic locations - that either flourishor deteriorate depending on your actions - marriage,children, and a sense of ownership are all on the cards.

There are a lot of ideas going into this title - accordingto Mr Molyneux himself - and if everything goesaccording to plan this could well turn out to be one ofthe finest single-player RPGs ever. Better than the mightyOblivion7 Well, we'll just have to wait and see...

■ FORMAT: PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, PC : .E TA ; Q 1

Use tactical shooting to play throughOperation Market-Garden, thelargest airborne operation of WWII.Developer Gearbox looks to havegone all-out with this third outing.

lUNREALTDURNAMENTZDD?FORMAT: PlayStation 3, PCETA: July

With Gears Of War being such atriumph for Epic, we can't wait tosee the success continue, and startfragging all over again with one ofthe most hardcore FPS multiplayerseries available.

2007 PREVIEWS I METAL GEA ^TRIOTS

R A I S I N G T H E A G E O FR E T I R E M E N T W I T HE V E R Y B U L L E T

D E T A I L S

FORMAT: PlayStation 3 PUBLISHER: KonatniDEVELOPER: Kojima Productions ETA: Q4

n«Jl Although it was first announcedover 18 months ago, and has been

followed by a deluge of screenshots andpromotional videos, it's a fair bet thatwe still don't really know anything aboutSolid Snake's final adventure. Okay, soKojima Productions has thrown a fewteasing nuggets of info our way. We'veseen the cast of returning characters, thebiomechanical Metal Gears and Snake'snew and improved repertoire of sneakingskills. But based on past experience, we'dbe incredibly foolish to ignore the fact thatKojima might be holding a few big secretsback for the game's full release.

If anything, the l st trailers only raisemore question Dout the game's storywhich, unlike most franchises, holds asmuch importance to Metal Sesrfans asthe gameplay. Is Snake really dying? Willthe love interest between Snake and Merylbe reignited despite our hero's apparentageing? Who, or what, is the young Snakeseen at the end of the Tokyo Game Showtrailer? All these questions and more, like

' the seemingly trivial matter of whetherSnake's appearance in a bandana meanshe'll have infinite ammo, are sure to be

j answered by this time next year.Perhaps of greater importance, is the

role Metalfiear Solid4\m\\ play in thefuture of PlayStation 3. Although theconsole's launch line-up is solid enoughfor a set of first-generation titles - it's' becoming Increasingly clear that gamersare gravitating toward the greaterselection of killer apps on the cheaperXbox 360. Sony iteeds Metal Gear. It is themanufacturer's reat white hope, a sequelwith fan anticfpation to rival Halo 3, andthe most likely contender for the one gamethat will persuade gamers to part with theirweighty £425 worth of disposable income.In addition, the currently un-revealedonline mode prototyped in Metal GearSolid 3: Subsistence is sure to be the gamethat proves Sony's PlayStation Network cancompete with Xbox Live.

Hardware concerns aside, the realreason to look forward to MGS4 will ofcourse be the game itself and its impacton the stealth genre. The abilities to playdead or roll around in oil drums look set tobecome some of the most iconic moves of2007 while the story, if up to the standardof previous entries, will keep internetmessage boards in business well into 2008.

V

Fans of Hideo Kojttna may recognise this little robot from the cult adventuregame, Snatcher. Although Kojima claims tfiere's no stoiy connection.

Snakes situation appears to be grounded in a semi-realism this time around.Whether or not real-world politics will play a part is yet to be seen.

2007 PREVIEWS IMETROID PRIME 3: CORRUPTION I HALF-LIFE 2: EPISO/ ^ / y / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / ,

METRDID PRIME 3; CDRRUPTIDNS A M U S F I G H T S F O R H E R L I F E

D E T A I L SFORMAT: Nintendo Wii PUBLISHER: Nintendo DEVELOPER: Retro Studios ETA: IVIarch

||bj When March rolls around, it's reckoned by Nintendo that Samus willKM reappear and lose all her abilities once again in a new adventure. Thispleases us greatly. As you may well be aware, the first Metroid Prime titledeservedly received the first ever games™ perfect ten score - and the sequel.Echoes, didn't fail to impress either. With this in mind, ifs hard not toget really excited about this third game.

Not much has been shown really, with the majority oflevels open for play being made available to prove that theWii controller can be used successfully - but that's not to saythat these demos haven't baited us further. Somehow, it seemsNintendo has implemented the Remote effortlessly to the pointwhere it's soon forgotten that you're not using a GameCube padto play. Maybe this is more to do with the game's refusal to be aproper FPS - preferring to be more of a first-person platfonnerthan anything else - but the battle with Ridley that's beenshown off is certainly dazzling.

Of course, whether this will actually show in March aspromised is questionable. It wasn't long ago when we wereexpecting to see Metroid Prime 3: Corruption at the Wiilaunch, and with Mario Galaxy and Super Smash Bros Brawlall expected at roughly the same time there's a chance thatNintendo could stagger the triple-A titles to keep fans of its biggerfranchises happy throughout the yean You never know, though...

HALF-UFE 2 EHSODE 2YOU KNEW IT WOULD CROWBAR ITS WAY IN SOMEWHERE■ I I I I 1 1 ^ ■FORMAT: PC PUBUSHER: Electronic ArtsDEVELOPER: Valve ETA: February

\ I There's simply no disputing thepopularity of Half-Life. Mr Freeman

and his crowbar-waving antics have beenimpressing the gaming masses for a longwhile now, and the episodic content thatis now being released to make the HalfLife 2 experience that little bit sweeter iscertainly doing its job. The first instalmenthas already arrived, but Episode 2 (andprobably Episode 3) will be making anappearance in 2007 giving us plenty moreGravity Gun action and probably somemind-melting portal usage if everythinggoes according to plan. PC gamers reallyhave a great year ahead of them.

protnises toconiiise adequately.

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2007 PRWIEWSIRESIDENTEVIL5IG0D OF WAR IIv / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / - / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / ^

RESIDENT EVIL 5T H E D E A D R I S E O N C E M O R E

FORMAT: Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 PUBLISHER: CapcomDEVELOPER: In-House ETA: Q4

After the complete reinvention of the survival-horror genre with Resident Evil 4, expectations

for the next-generation sequel are dangerouslyhigh. But if anyone can meet those expectationsit's Capcom. With Lost Planet and Dead Rising, theveteran developer has already proved it can handlethe new technologies, and, if anything, the quality ofthose games has only fuelled the interest in ResidentEvil 5 even more. Now, if Capcom can once againredefine the genre while also linking the new story arcback into the original, we'll have another must-playResident Evil or\ our hands.

Chris Redfteld returns

on Xbox 360 and PS3.

PLAYSTATION 2'S LAST HURRAH

i l r t

^ New moves, same, o l d c o n s o l e .

GodOfWarffhokstobe even more bloody. %

D E T A I L S \FORMAT: PlavStatilfSBUSHER: In-HouseDEVELOPER: Sony ETA: April

ny As the march of technology shuffles towardits £425 HD destiny, it's easy to forget thatthe current generation still has plenty to offer FinalFantasy XII, Okamiand GodHandaW prove that theUK PlayStation 2 scene is still a force to be reckonedwith, but it's perhaps Sony's own God Of War //thatis most exciting. Although its graphics are unlikelyto hold a candle to the fluid animation of HeavenlySword, it's a fair bet that God Of War // will make moreuse of its host hardware. After all, with David Jaffeand company unrestrained from the burdens of next-gen development, the GodOfWarteam is in a primeposition to push the console to its limits.

The first game's strength lay in its awe-inspiring,giant bosses and deceptively complex combat system,which the sequel is sure to expand upon. Many ofGreek legend's most famous creatures are set toappear, including griffins and Pegasus who Kratosrides in on during the game's opening. Enormousboss battles are set to return, too, with a Cyclops scrapalready confirmed, while there's little doubt that a beasthuge enough to rival the first game's Hydra will cropup at some point.

The fine balance between custom combos and pre-scripted quick-time moves should also be well worthlooking forward to. Although it's uncertain just howthe combo system can be improved, early play testsalready show that Kratos' pre-scripted moves will be justas spectacular as before. Now able to snatch weaponsfrom the hands of his adversaries before slaying them,or pluck eyes from the head of a boss, Kratos' repertoireof moves could well make God Of War //the mostvisually spectacular game of 2007.

Format: PlayStation 3E TA : M a r c h

Factor 5, the developer behindRogue Squadron, jumps ship fromGameCube to PS3 in an effort toprove that Sony's Sixaxis controlleris more than just a gimmick.

■ '

■1 -'BASED ON PAST EXPERIENCE, WE'DBE INCREDIBLY FOOLISH TO IGNORETHE FACT THAT KOJIMA MIGHT BEHOLDING A FEW BIG SECRETS BACKFOR THE GAME'S FULL RELEASE"

/

r n m ^GOODBYE CARDS,H E L L O W O R L D

D E T A I L S IFORMAT: PlayStation Portable PUBLISHER: KonamiDEVELOPER: Kojima Productions ETA: 03

rm Following two decent but ultimately"OBB unsatisfying forays into the realm of the

strategy card game, Solid Snake is set to return to PSPin spectacular fashion. Except, of course, it isn't SolidSnake. It's Naked Snake, or Big Boss as he's morecommonly known. Set just after the end of Metal GearSolid 3, Portable Ops looks as though it will finally fill inthe blanks of the Metal Gear saga by linking the MetalGear Solid series back into the original 2D Metal Geargames, like a digital uroboros.

The intriguing online mode, in which players battleand trade their custom Foxhound squad, should makefor one of the most compelling action-strategy gameson PlayStation Portable, but what really excites is thestory. The chance to find out just what tips NakedSnake over the edge toward evil is one that no seriousMetal Gearfan can afford to miss.

Early screens hint that you'll be able to disarm hostaged foes. One thing's forsure however, the level of interaction will be much greater than before.

^ Snake's new eyepatch draws avisual link to his father'. Big Boss,but is there a greater significance?

: PortaWe 0/b won t be a a wtiolly ttaditionai Metal ecargame. The main^ emphasis will be on team buildinj, and isolated missions.

TABULA RASA I MASS EFFECT 12007 PREVIEWS

TABUIARASANOW, P1_AY NICE EVERYBODY

D E T A I L S

FORMAT: PC PUft-ISHeifc, NCsoftDEVELOPER: Destination Qes ETA: Q3

nfl The MMORPG has bfecome hugely"BA popular over the last few years, but

the market is largely being dominated by theimmense World Of Warcraft and NCsoft'sown Guild Wars. The company's attemptsto introduce other MMO titles - such as theill-fated Auto Assault and the City Of Heroes/Villains games - just haven't worked as wellas hoped, and instead, lessons have beenl e a r n e d .

Tabula Rasa is a title that seems to bethe result of these learned lessons. LegendRichard Garriott is in the driving seat with bigideas and a whole lot of experience with thegenre in question. The game's still a little wayoff, but the team - and Garriott himself - arealready very excited going by how muchthey want to talk to us on the phone - greatthings are expected when the game arrives. L_

F O R M A T: P C

E T A : M a r c h gTactical shooting against big groupsof other tactical shooters is a veryrewarding gaming experience, andQuake Wars promises more of thesame in a prettier way. Can thatreally be considered a bad thing?

IWARHAWMFORMAT: PlayStation 3,E T A : Q 3

PlayStation 3's flying hope could wellbe ready by the time the consolelaunches in this country. But will theshaky tilt controls on show at E32006 have been sorted by then?

PERFECT FOR THESMOOTH TALKERS

FORMAT: Xbox 360 PUBLISHER: MicrosoftDEVELOPER: BioWare ETA; Q3

It does seem that we've been talkingabout this game forever. BioWare

has been putting time into this action RPGfor a fair while now, and from what wason show at E3 this year, it's certainly timethat's not gone to waste. A promising mixof tactics, exploration and role-playingelements complement the stunning visuals,and the conversation feature that's beenimplemented - essentially allowing you tomake reactionary replies to keep speechflowing - is especially impressive.

Although there's no set date for the titleas yet, it's obvious that neither Microsoftnor BioWare are going to rush Mass Effect.This is a great sign as we really don't mindwaiting for quality.

2007 PREVIEWS ILEFTA DEAD1THE OUTSIDER

LEFTADEAOFOUR IS THEM A G I C N U M B E R

D E T A I L SFORMAT: PC PUBUSHER: ValveDEVELOPER: Turtle Rock ETA: Q3

Kit's always a joyous occasion when Valveannounces a new game, especially if it comescompletely out of the blue and has nothing to do withGordon Freeman - not that there's anything wrongwith the bespectacled one you understand, it's just thatgames^" does love a good new IR So, imagine ourhappiness levels when the Left 4 Dead press releaseburst into email inboxes across the industry. They weredangerously high - some people even had to play CrustyDemons just to balance themselves out.

After the initial burst of exaltation calmed to a ferventsimmer, it became apparent just what we were all gettingexcited about. Valve has created a four-player co-operativesurvival-horror game - a survival-horror filled with 28 Days/.afer-style rabid zombies. And it uses the latest version ofthe now fabled Source Engine. Where's that copy of CrustyDemons again? This is too much.

Essentially, Left 4 Dead is an MMO horror game. All fourprotagonists are controlled by humans, of course, but thezombies can also be controlled by real people. The rest Isleft up to the Al, and what's left is an emergent warfare ofblood, guts, bile and unadulterated ten-or.

As opposed to a more traditional story-driven game.Left 4 Dead is open ended. Players will travel together intheir bid to survive and rid the city of infected undead, andthe game's Al will create set-pieces by cleverly assigningzombie packs to certain areas at certain times. It all sounds

fantastically clever, and most importantly, different. Theresult is a series of Ha/oesque battles of humans againstAl, with the advanced physics of the Source Engjjjemaking for some incredibly memorable moments. Sufficeto say, Left 4 Dead is a tremendously excitipg prospect.

THE OUTSIDER

^ Who was it that thought a fat guy on the far leftof the screen would make a good promo shot?

B R A B E N ' S B R AV EN E W W O R L D

E S H BFORMAT: PlayStation 3, Xbox 360PUBUSHER: Electronic ArtsDEVELOPER: Frontier Developments ETA: Q4

IJCT There's still a long developmentLisJ process before anyone gets theirhands on David Braben's astoundinglyambitious The Outsider, but if it can live upto its lofty claims, then we could be lookingat one the most progressive and inventivegames of not only next year, but of alltime. Details are still thin on the ground butthe story involves media corruption andmanipulation, government oppression anda level of non-linearity usually reserved forMMOs. Players take control of a CIA agenton the hunt for 'the truth'... and that's prettymuch all thafs known. Could be somethingvery special indeed.

YAKUZA2F o r m a t : P l a y S t a t i o n 2 *ETA: Q2

A surprise hit last year, Yakuza hadthe sequel treatment in Japan. Themix of casual adventuring and brutalcombat appealed to us, but will the

follow-up be able to pull it off again?

ALAN WAKE I KANE & LYNCH: DEAD MEN 12007 PREVIEWS

ALAN WAKET H E F I R S T T R U LY N E X T- G E N S U R V I VA L - H O R R O R ?

FORMAT: Xbox 360 PUBLISHER: Microsoft DEVELOPER; Remedy Entertainment ETA: 02

I u i Alan Wake has been doing the rounds since before Xbox 360 was announced, but therecent X06 blowout finally revealed both its premise and promise. This is the world's

first free-roaming survival-horror game, and is as ambitious as it is terrifying. Alan, a successfulhorror writer, is stuck in a rut after the mysterious disappearance of his girlfriend. In an attemptto regain his creative thrust, he journeys to the north west of America (Bright Falls, Washington,to be exact) to a remote log cabin, where he can concentrate. Unsurprisingly, things just getworse. Alan can't sleep, and he begins to lose the distinction between reality and the dreamworld. And he isn't having particularly pleasant dreams.

Alan Wake delivers a staggeringly beautiful environment to explore, with truly wonderfulweather and lighting effects which help to pile on the oppressive and dread-inducingatmosphere. Especially at night. Wake will have to use light as a weapon as his enemies growin strength considerably in the dark - not the best of news as Bright Falls plunges into thedepths of winter. Not too bad for a game called Alan, is it?

DEAD MENM I C H A E L M A N N :T H E V I D E O G A M E

FORMAT: Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, PC PUBLISHER: EidosD E V E L O P E R : l o I n t e r a c t i v e E T A : Q 2

riw Drenched in style and atmosphere, Kane & LynchSSw is a morally dubious evolution of the Hitman

theme: a co-op action movie where you play the leadroles. After being broken out of prison - it's fast becomingthe mainstay of next-gen action titles - the eponymousKane and Lynch set about retrieving a large sum of goldfor a mafia organisation. If they fail, they die.

The game is about teamwork. Obviously, when itcomes to a shootout the anti-heroes have each other'sbacks, but at times you will also be in control of smallteams, and it's up to you to keep them in order. Don'texpect a Rainbow Six level of intricacy and tacticalawareness though - this is an action game at heart, andit's as bloodthirsty as it is morally ambiguous. Kane andLynch are, quite simply, not nice people, and the wantonslaughter of innocents can be justified if it leads to thegreater good. It's more violent and controversial than evenGTA, but if Jack Thompson even notices its existence,we'll be amazed. Just goes to show how flimsy the wholevideogames violence debate really is.

There are onlytwo things scarierthan this - both of

them are that laserdisco in the other

screenshot.

2007 PREVIEWS I THE BEST OFTHE REST/ / / / / / / / / ^ y / / / / / / / / / / / 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 / x / / / / 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 ,

M BEST OF M RESTOF COURSE, THAT'S NOT ALL. WITH ALL THREE NEW CONSOLES BEING MADEAVAILABLE, THE NUMBER OF GAMES WE HAVE TO LOOK FORWARD TO ISIMMENSE. HERE'S JUST A QUICK GLIMPSE AT WHAT OTHER JOYS WILL BEPRESENTING THEMSELVES OVER THE NEXT 12 MONTHS. . .

NINTENDO WiiIt seems that everybody's favourite Christmas present will be amusingfar beyond Boxing Day with a new Cooking Mama title and the ratherinteresting-looking survival-horror Necro-Nesia planned for releasemid-2007. While it's true that there's very little information about theseparticular titles just yet, games from better-known franchises suchas Rre Emblem Wii, Battalion Wars II (playfully shortened to BWii),Pokemon: Battle Revolution and Mario Strikers Charged will also bemaking an appearance to test your ability to wave a Remote. Also,column-inch eater Excite Truck, and the cute-looking hide-and-seek-fest Elebits will both be dropping in early next year. Oh, and if a Pikmintitle doesn't show up we'll be very surprised - the Wii couldn't bemore perfect for the next instalment. Handheld-wise, the DS line-up- including Chibi-Robo: Park Patrol, Castlevania: Portrait Of Ruin, EliteBeat Agents and Hotel Dusk - is also looking more than grand.

The end of 2006 seems to have allowed 360 to shine very brightlyindeed, but there's still plenty more to look forward to. ObviouslyProject Gotham Racing 4 is something to start getting very excitedabout and the publisher-switching TImeShlft has been lookingpromising for some time. Not quite as high profile, but anticipatednevertheless are 100 Bullets, Age Of Pirates: Captain Blood (wedo love our pirates) and Armored Core 4. Also on the way is KillerInstinct 3 which, considering Rare seems to have picked up the ballrecently after a somewhat disappointing 360 launch performance, islikely to be as great - and combo heavy - as we could hope.

PLAYSTATIONS

In this territory, there's going to be plenty arriving for PlayStation 3when it arrives in March, but even when avoiding the launch titlesthat are already available on other shores there's quality on theway A few promises in the form of a new Prince Of Persia title anda sequel to Yakuza have already arrived, while super-tough NinjaGaiden Sigma will be arriving soon after the machine launches - toreally put the durability of the controllers to the test. There's alsothe enigmatic Afrika to look forward to, as well as Fatal Inertia, andarcade zombie-fest House Of The Dead 4 will be joining the party inthe near future. PSP even has Earthworm Jim on the way and thatcertainly can't be a bad thing.

■ K BThere are also a number of big-name titles that'll be spreadingthemselves over many formats to maximise exposure, Sega's TheClub is one such title, but with next to nothing revealed since theunveiling at E3 2006, it's tough to know what to expect. Licence wise,Hellboy, Indiana Jones 2007, Dirty Harry and the rumoured LegoBatman look set to deliver while the new CG form the Turtles havetaken for new game and film Teenage Mutant IMInja Turtles shouldhelp revitalise the old favourite. Dancing fans should warm their feetup for Dance Revolution Universe while the PC will be offering greatssuch as action-RPG Silverfall, Europa Universalis III, and, with any luck,S.T.A.L.K.E.R. Better start saving those pennies, eh?

U K

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PREVIEW I OVERLORD I PC/MULTIFORMAT

v. »

L I K E P I K M I N . B U T V I O L E N T

F O R M A T :

P C , X b o x 3 6 00RK3IN: NetherlandsP U B U S H E R :C o d e m a s t e r sD E V E L O P E R :

Triumph StudiosR E L E A S E :

J u n eG E N R E :

Role-Playing GameP L A Y E R S : 1 2

■ A P r a t c h e t t -

inspired take on theaction-RPG, with asmattering of Pikmint o b o o t .

As wonderful as this Christmas hasbeen for Xbox 360, the line-up of

(stellar) games has been less than varied. VivaPinata aside, there has been a lot of guns, goreand grunt Of course, there's nothing wrongwith that, but 360 is crying out for thematicoriginality. Step up Overlord, an amusinglymalevolent action-RPG. it may just have theremedy to Xbox 360's post-Gears hangover.

With its bright blue skies, luscious greenlandscapes and wicked sense of humour.Overlord immediately sets itseif away fromthe pack. That it has been co-penned by TerryPratchetfs daughter comes as no surprise; themenacing in-everence abundant in all of its

characters comes as a breath of fresh air. Asthe title suggests, players take control of anevil overlord who himself has control over ananny of Gollum-like minions who'll happilydo his bidding. So, you stroll through theenvironments with a band of small monstersto send out on any number of errands, be itslicing up a stray sheep for life force - which thegame converts into more minions - collectingtreasure, or simply setting fire to a field ofcrops. As Lennart Sas, the director of TriumphStudios, explains, the use of minions takesaway some of the more 'humdmm' aspectsoften associated with the genre.

"Instead of doing the typical menial tasksfound in many RPGs, like scurrying for loot,"he enthuses, "as the Overiord, you simplysend a minion to trash an um, open a chestand kill enemies. Or you can send the wholecrowd to pillage an entire building or village.The minions are pretty smart, so when sentout the/ll try and do their best for you, saykill a peasant and return with his life savings."They wori< similar to Pikmin. Intelligent yetautonomous, they can be directed to kill aHalfling with a jab of the right trigger, or sweptaround the environment with the right stick.You can carry up to 50 of the critters with youat any time should you harvest enough lifeforce, and the key is managing the resourcesavailable in the environments to create moreminions, defeat the other races dwelling inthe Tolkien-esque land, and add parts to yourincreasingly impressive Overiord Tower.

The Tower is effectively Overlord's feedbacksystem; a visual manifestation of your success.

'OVERLORD MAY JUST HAVE THE REMEDY TOXBOX 360'S POST-GEARS HANGOVER"

As you progress through missions, eliminatingraces and their heroes, you'll eam upgradesto your Tower, which lets you cast new spells,train new types of minion and generally baskin your evilness. At its cun-ent pre-Alpha stage,Over/ord displays potential, but its linearitycould ultimately be its downfall. Despite beingallowed to carry out each task at will - througha platfomier-styled hub worid - the actualcompactness of the levels shown so far donot lend themselves to tactical options. WhereOblivion offers the worid. Overlord deals incorridors and meadows. It would be a shamefor such a clever idea to not be realised fully.

Still, for a pre-Alpha, the build wassurprisingly strong. Smooth, pretty andbrimming with humour. Overlord is the type ofgame Xbox 360 needs to broaden its catalogue.The identical PC version certainly feels like amore comfortable home for Triumph's hardwork; it will be interesting to see if it canmake itself heard above 360's mortarshells and gunfire.

R G BWith a selection of brightly colouredgremlins, there are myriad tactical ■possibi l i t ies in Overiord. The ;aggressive brown minions do yourdirty work. The greens can be used ?as assassins programmed to outflank enemies and k i l l f rom behind.

Reds are fire-chucking demons,impervious to flames. And the blues?Well, they're not good at anything ,except hanging back and healing.You can switch between unit types,and send the appropriate troops intobattle. This is where the multiplayergames will be won and kist.

■ r ■ f c 'r " - - f

V Sending your minionsr a killing mission

a satisfying experienc

O V E R L O R DP C / M U L T V O R M A T

DEVELOPER PROFILEI Triumph Studios is a forward-thinking place. Based in an old Dutch hospital in the picturesque town

I of De , wrth walls covered in psychedelic art and concept drawings, the team's commitment to thecause is tangible. There's even a bar in the demo room. A forward-thinking office if ever there was one.

H ISTORY■ AGE OF WONDERS: SHADOW MAGIC 2003 [PC]■ AGE OF WONDERS II 2002 [PC]■ AGE OF WONDERS 1999 [PC]

■ As with Fable, vour level of evilaffects how your Overlord looks. Theworse you are, the cooler he appears. '

1 » 1 v i e f i l i ' i I r i lW A R L O R D

P I K M I N F A B L E P R A T C H E T T O V E R L O R D *

* H the little crittefs find anything of interest Ion their excursions, don't be surprised to find "them wearing it on their heads.

PREVIEW I SONIC AND THE SECRET RINGS I NINTENDO Wii

k 4 'T| likSquint at this screenshot and it's almost

like that bit from the original Tomb Raider.Except with a hedgehog in it of course.

I Even when Sonic's racing down the

I rapids on the back of a log. you'll needI keep a tight leash on his mov '"3^

0 6 4 g a m e s ' "

S O N I C A N D T H E S E C R E T R I N G SN I N T E N D O W i i

DEVELOPER PROFILEI ^^SONIC ■ One of the most important internal dev teams in Sega Japan, Sonic Team has seen turbulent times ofAM late. Having survived Sega's decision to merge internal teams, the studio then lost top man Yuji Naka who

left to explore other avenues. Still, the team continues to thrive under the leadership of Yojiro Ogawa.

H ISTORY■ PHANTASY STAR UNIVERSE 2006 [MuKi format ]■ SONIC THE HEDGEHOG 2006 [Xbox 360]■ THE RUB RABBITS 2006 [Nintendo DS]

W H O N E E D S F R I E N D S W H E N Y O U ' V EG O T A P I L E O F G O L D E N R I N G S ?

There was a time, way back at thei beginning of the Nineties, when

F O R M A T :N i n t e n d o W i i

ORIGIN: JapanPUBUSHER: SegaD E V E L O P E R :S o n i c T e a m

RELEASE: FebruaryG E N R E : P l a t f o r mP L A Y E R S : 1 4

■ Sonic goes back tob a s i c s w i t h a s e m i o n -rails experience that'sas close to the original2D games in 3D asyou're likely to get.

J

Sonic was quite content to be on his own.He'd race through Green Hill Zone, grabbingrings and smashing robot enemies withouta care in the world, not worried whetherhe had anyone to talk to along the way.Unfortunately, that wasn't the case for long:Sonic Team saw fit to give him 'friends', andsoon the Sonic family grew from the additionof a two-tailed fox called Miles Prower (getit?) to all manner of creatures who wanted inon the act. We should make it perfectly clear

right now - we hate everyone but Sonic. Ifwe could take all the E-102s, Amy Roses,Shadows and Big The Cats of this world,put them in a rocket and fire them into thesun, we would; Sonic games are meant tobe about high-speed running, gold rings andplatforms, so having to hit, shoot, fish andgenerally do anything else is frankly rubbish.

Praise the lord, then, that Sega has givenSonic his own game again - his first solo

appearance since Sonic CD in fact, and onethat puts his super-sonic abilities to good use.That it's Wii exclusive is Interesting, not leastbecause it suggests if II avoid the pitfalls the360 game fell into, but also as it shows thatSega is keen to put Nintendo's new controlsto good use. Of course, the fact that thegame is a decidedly back-to-basics adventure- offering an experience that's as close to

being 2D in a 3D environment as you're likelyto get - could be a double-edged sword asit may also be a sign that Sega sees Wii as aconsole that requires a simpler approach.

Still, the experience on offer with SecretRings is certainly a return to old-school formfor the blue wonder Essentially, the game

" I F W E C O U L DTA K E A L L T H ECHARACTERS WHOARENT SONIC, ANDF I R E T H E M AT T H ESUN, WE WOULD"

doesn't take its cues from the classic taleArabian Nights, it pretty much IS ArabianNights-a\be\t with added Sonic. As heexplores the world of the book, looking for themissing pages that have been mysteriouslystolen, the action is frenetic to say the least- mainly because, while ifs possible to slowSonic down and speed him up by tipping theWii Remote forward or back as you hold it onits side, he never actually stops running. Thisputs much more of an emphasis on reactionswhen exploring levels, because you can missobvious shortcuts and other side paths ratherthan having the luxury of going back to findthem - replayability is definitely a factor here.Being able to guide Sonic's course by tilting

T H E Y ' R E B A A - A A C K

■ hs not all Arabian Nights, you know;one of the levels seen so far is set in a

valley filled with extinct dinosaurs.

the remote left and right is also rather intuitive,although ifs fair to say that some sectionswhere Sonic rushes through tight corridors athigh speed feel more on-rails than we'd like -thankfully, these parts are few and far betweenleaving you plenty of room to dodge obstaclesand smash into enemies with your patented(and now lock-on-based) spin attack

Certainly, Sonic And The Secret Rings isgoing to cause some consternation amongSonic fans, but given the low quality of therecent 3D efforts, an attempt to go back towhat made Sonic great in the first place canonly be a good thing. We just hopethat the whole game lives up to whatwe've played so far.

While the single-player is a decidedly family-free affair, we're sad to say that Sonic'sextended circle of hangers-on do make appearances elsewhere in the game- specifically in muKlplayer. With everyone from Tails, Amy and Knuckles to everyone'smost hated hedgehog. Shadow, being selectable as a playable character, there's nogetting away from them, but at least ifs only in the context of a variety of mini-games.Yes, mini-games - the things Nintendo insists aren't the only thing Wii can do, andyet they crop up in every game released so far. As it stands, Sega's being tight-lippedabout what will be available to play, saying only that there'll be "over 30 games in thefinal version", so whether that's enough to get you excited is obviously up to you.

g a m e s " ' 0 6 5

PREVIEW COMMAND & CONQUER 3: TIBERIUM WARS i PC/MULTIFORMAT

C O M M A N D & C O N Q U E R 3 :

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C O M M A N D & C O N Q U E R 3 : T I B E R I U M W A R SP C / n fl U L T I F O R M A T

SERIES PROFILE■ Since the series emerged. Command & Conquer has been at the forefront of the RTSgenre. AKhough those eariy Instalments may now have been bettered, there's no denyingthat ?t was the C&C games that lured in many of the fans that champion the genre today.

H ISTORY■ COMMAND & CONQUER: GENERALS 2003 [PC]m COMMAND & CONQUER: RENEGADE 2002 [PC]■ COMMAND & CONQUER: TIBERIAN SUN 1999 [PC]

W E A L L K N O W T H AT T U R T L I N GI S N ' T G O I N G T O W O R K

F O R M A T :

PC, Xbox 360O R I G I N : U S

P U B L I S H E R :E l e c t r o n i c A r t sD E V E L O P E R :

I n - H o u s e

R E L E A S E : T B AG E N R E :

Real-Time StrategyP L A Y E R S :

1 (2-8 Online)

I W I■ Wage war onceagain asTiberiumb e c o m e s e v e n m o r e

v a l u a b l e t h a n i twas in the previousC o m m a n d &

Conquer tiles.

' Sometimes it's better when things

. don't change with the times. Therehave been some dire remakes and sequelsover the last year, where tried-and-testedformulas that have already proven theirability to appeal have been overhauledwith gameplay elements that supposedlycomplement today's machines - aspreviously mentioned, it usually doesn'tgo according to plan. There are a fewexceptions - games like Ninja Gaiden reallyshowed what could be achieved when adecent franchise is handled correctly - butgenerally a fresh lick of paint is all that'sneeded, and this is something Command &Conquer manages to prove.

There was very little wrong with the C&Cformula, so the fact that Tiberium Wars optsnot to change gameplay from the normtoo greatly should be considered a goodthing. The obvious perk with this is playerswho have seen anything of the seriesbefore will feel right at home. Bald bad guyKane is back with his nasty BrotherhoodOf Nod, while an equally cheesy actingtroupe portray famously blue good guysthe GDI. The nostalgia doesn't end therehowever; both groups have more or less thesame strengths, weaknesses, and tacticaladvantages as they did back in 1996. TheGDI have a huge supply of aircraft and basictanks that they can simply rush with oncetheir superior communications and radarabilities have been exploited fully, while TheBrotherhood have stealth technology andall manner of quirky vehicles with whichto perform their now famous hit-and-runtactics - it's a very similar affair.

What wasn't expected when we venturedoff to play the game was the revelationof a new faction: aliens. Known to TheBro the rhood as The V i s i t o r s ' and GDI as The

Invaders', exactly what role these aliens willtake in the story overall remains a mystery,but they are obviously after the ever-valuable

IF YOU BUILD IT.

'LOVED AMONG YOUR HARDCORE PLAYERS,BUT EQUALLY REGARDED BY THOSE WHO FINDMORE ABSORBING TITLES TOO DAUNTING"

Tiberium that now renders some 30 per centof the planet's surface uninhabitable. Blessedwith all sorts of hi-tech weaponry, the alienthreat/friend should make an interestingaddition to the now routine proceedings- but will they be as good as Yuri's psychic

army in Red Alert 2? Probably not...Of course, there have been notable

improvements in other areas, however.The visuals are superb - even at this earlystage - and all other cosmetics are of equalstandard, but it's the tweaking of featuressuch as the control panel - which nowallows you to build and manage units fromanywhere on the battlefield at any time-that make Tiberium Warsar] RTS to really

get excited about. The real beauty of the titleis its accessibility. Like all the C&Cgamesbefore it, it's a casual RTS experience that is

widely loved among your hardcore playersdue to the rewards gained from mastery,but equally regarded by those who find themore absorbing titles the genre has to offertoo daunting. There are sure to be thosewho consider this a negative, but the needto appeal to the casual gamer is somethingthat's greatly underestimated by manyPC developers, and it's something that EAhas done well across all its titles, on everyformat, for some time - it's really nosurprise that Tiberium IVarsfits intothe same category.

g a m e s ' " 0 6 7

The development team has focused on unit combination,and it's paid off. Customisable mechs that can make use ofother vehicles by first destroying them, then reaping theirturrets and abilities for extra attack power now feature, andthe alien force can even attach deadly spore clouds - whichalso serve as the faction's standard infantry unit - can becombined with vehicles to provide extra shielding. It shouldhelp make the inevitable online battles very interesting.

WORDS. ALEXANDER GAMBOTTO-BURKE'Vv'':

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forceEver wondered why Schafer left the Wookie Factory(his term) and formed DoubleFine? Let him explain

" I f o rmed Doub leF ine i n 2000 because on Gr im

Fandango I felt we had a team that was like a I'rttlecompany. We wanted to control things like how wetreated the employees, and really we just wanted tobe on our own. The time was right. LucasArts was

changing and going in a different direction,and a lot of people I'd worked with, like RonGilbert and Dave Grossman, were leaving

LucasArts was also entering sort of adark period... but I thinkthey're on the up now."

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ARDEN; THEWORLD OFSHAKESPEARE

Produced with a $240,000 grant fromthe MacArthur Foundation, EdwardCastronova's Arden is an MIVlOG that

aims to give participants an education în the plays o< Shal(espeare. The gamewill take place in England around thetime of Richard III - a time of greatpolitical upheaval and intrigue, and it.,also the subject of a Shakespeareplay. Players will need to collectShakespeare's words to make progress, I,trading the text for magical powers.Castronova comments: "We have a ;somewhat different goal than that of \the commercial sector. We'd l ike our

players to learn something valuable, sothat's why it's about Shakespeare."

UNCHARTEDDEPTHS

In the words of Filament Games, the

project's creator: "Uncharted Depths isa game about scientific reasoning and

literacy. By integrating the teacher ina capacity akin to a Dungeon Masterin role-playing games, the game aimsto turn the classroom into a miniature

scientific community. In the game,players are sent to an alien planet tounlock the scientific mysteries of a vast, \unexplored ocean. A complex ecology 1awaits exploration, and players must

FUNDAMENTAL TO THEI success of any company

or industry is the ability tochange. Advancements in

technology, production and publicperception demand that, in anymarlcetplace, you move or you die.Evolving practices benefits boththe consumer and the producer,increasing quality and efficiency whileusually lowering costs - in this waycapitalism can be a force for the better.However, in this country at least,education remains a public service,and while that is unquestionably agood thing, it has resulted in ourschool system - along with the vastmajority of those in the Western world- remaining essentially the same for

the best part of a century.The established method is 'tell

and test', also known as 'skill anddrill', where students read from atextbook before answering questionsand completing exercises basedon what they can remember. Atits origin this was almost the most

. efficient system available, but as. technology has progressed and. Information and Communication.. Technology (ICT) becomes a

feature in every classroom, moreand more dissenting voices are

. making themselves heard. The

.. Summit On Educational Games,.which was recently held in America

between representatives from theEntertainment Software Association(ESA), the Federation of AmericanScientists (FAS) and the NationalScience Foundation (NFSL presenteddata suggesting that studentsremetnber just 10% of what theyread; 20% of what they hear; 30%if they learn with visual aids; 50% if _they witness a demonstration; butnearly 90% if they actually do the task

. themselves. The freedom that comeswith computer simulation could allowa much larger chunk of education

to fall into that latter category, afeeling echoed by ESA presidentDoug Lowenstein. "Everywhere weturn we hear more about visionarypeople recognising how games canhelp train first responders, how theycan help prepare surgeons, howthey can help kids manage pain,how they can help prepare air trafficcontrollers," he observes. "Doesit make any sense to you that wecan acknowledge all of this, but wecan't acknowledge that games canhelp kids learn about the AmericanRevolution, the Middle Ages, thatthey can help kids learn aboutbiology, physics or economics?"

James Paul Gee, professor ofreading at the University Of Wisconsin

. and author of the book What VideoGames Have To Teach Us About

Learning And Literacy, became astrong advocate for the increased useof ICT in the classroom after seeinghis infant son playing Pikmin. "When1 played the game," Gee recalls, "Iwas quite surprised to find out it wasfairly long and pretty challenging,even for an adult Yet a four year oldwas willing to put in his time and facethis challenge, and enjoy it to boot 1thought, "Wouldn't it be great if kidswere willing to put in this much timeon task on such challenging materialin school?'" Trying his hand at 'adulfgames like Deus Ex, Gee found himselfstumped. "This game," he remembers,"required the player to team and thinkin ways that I'm not adept. Suddenly,all of my baby-boomer ways oflearning and thinking, for which 1 hadreceived ample rewards, didn't work..,I soon discovered that good gamessell millions of copies. So here wehave something that is long, hard andchaltenging. However, you cannot playa .game if you can't leam it. If notxxlyplays, it doesn't sell, and the companythat made it goes broke. Designerscould keep making games shorter

and simpler to facilitate learning- thafs often what schools do - but

no, designers keep making the gameslonger and more challenging, and stillmanage to get them learned.

ONE GOOD WAY to make peopte _look stupid," Gee continues, "is toask them to learn and th ink in terms

of words and abstractions that theycannot connect in any useful way...

Imagine a textbook that contained allthe facts and rules about basketballread by students who never playedor watched the game. How well doyou think they would understandthis textbook? How motivated tounderstand it do you think they wouldbe? But we do this sort of thing allthe time in school areas like mathsand science. We even have politiciansand educators who condemn .doing maths and science instead of .'skilling and drilling' on the facts."Videogames create what is knownas a psychological moratorium - alearning environment free from real-world consequences, where you canmove at your own pace, to a specifieddifficulty, and reap great rewards forrelatively little risk of failure. Askingchildren to read abstract facts thenanswer questions on them will onlydiscourage them from engagingwith the subject. Rather than learningthrough discovery and experience,most lessons are tantamount tocomprehension tests, where the linesbetween right and wrong or pass andfail are dispiritingly definite.

Gee sets out three goals forgood learning in videogames; firstis the creation of a psychologicalmoratorium; the second is that thevirtual world must be coherentand compelling, thereby provokingthe desire to explore; last is the'amplification of input' - where thegame rewards the learner constantly,^repaying any effort made and

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. reminding them that there are greaterrewards ahead. Nearly every successfulvideogame will have these elementsin place, and encourages a methodof learning common among expertsin science, maths, law and medicine- 'reflective practice'. Gamers will,almost unconsciously, probe the virtualworld, form a hypothesis, test it, andre-evaluate their idea based on theresult. Gee explains; "It is how childrenlearn, even very young children, whenthey aren't learning at school. It is howchildren initially build their minds andlearn cultures as they develop early inlife. In other words, [reflective practice!is central to learning when learningis essential to surviving and thrivingin the world. Good videogames offerplayers ample opportunity to practicetheir skills, and they also build inmany opportunities for learners tooperate at the edge of their regime ofcompetence, causing them to rethinkand move to a new level. Sadly, inschool many so-called advantagedlearners rarely get to operate at theedge of their abilities as they coastalong in a curriculum that makes fewreal demands of them. At the sametime, less advantaged learners arerepeatedly asked to operate outside oftheir regime of competence," With avideogame as the learning tool, eachmember of the class would be ableto customise the experience to bestsuit their abilities, nobody would beneglected, and the method would feelmore natural than anything 'tell andtest' could hope to offer,

In the modern, media-sawy world,the sanctity of the bock as a tool forlearning must be questioned. Neverbefore have so many diverse forms ofcommunication been at our fingertips,and yet we continue with an archaicsystem of education. "Today, images,symbols, graphs, diagrams andother visual symbols are particularlysignificant," explains Gee. "Innewspapers and magazines as well asin textbooks, images take up more andmore of the space alongside words.Literacy, then, even as traditionallyconceived to involve only print, is nota unitary thing but a multiple matter...

Adults are getting used to the fact thatthey are immigrants in many a domainwhere their own children are natives.The domain in which people claimto know and understand things as

'everyday' people and not specialistsis shrinking," Adults are quick tobemoan falling standards of literacy,but this is only the literacy they arefamiliar with. They are just as snappyto complain about exams gettingeasier, but rising marks are indicativeonly of the efficiency of schools toequip students with little more than theability to pass tests. "The argumentis not that what people are learningwhen they play videogames is always

good," Gee states, "but what they dowhen they play is often good learning.It is a plea to build schooling on betterprinciples of learning. If we have tolearn this from videogames and notfrom a field with as boring a nameas 'cognitive science', then so be it 1know that many people will find thisidea absurd... Unfortunately, if humanlearning works best in a certain way, itisn't going to work in another way justbecause educators, policymakers andpoliticians want it to."

THE DEBATE OVER the use ofvideogames as educational tools hasintensified in the last year, with the US-centric Summit On Educational Games,and a separate report, commissionedby ELSPA for the UK, titled 'UnlimitedLearning'. It is heartening to notethat both reports adopt a positivestance from the very first page - notdiscussing whether games are effectivein learning as much as how effective.Both accept that the use of gameswould necessitate an overhaul of theentire educational system, from thelength of lessons to the role of theteacher, but the benefits are obviousand too great to overlook. Speakingto ELSPA, Professor Stephen Heppellclaimed that, "To succeed in eventhe simplest platform game, childrenhave to lock their problem-solvingto a tight cycle of observe, question,hypothesise, test. Curiously, this exactlymatches the scientific method thateducation has been trying to embed

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propose research agendas and acquirefunding to gain access to new, excitingtools, wliich in turn allow them to delve

deeper into the system and story of thealien ecosystem."

GLOBALCOUNTDOWMFunded by Telenor, Norway's maincommunications provider. GlobalCountdown is a technology-basedrole-playing game for use in high-school classrooms. The game is playedin four teams, each representing thenorth, south, east and west regionsof the country, and each with its ownhierarchical structure, ie President,advisors, and so on. The teamsinteract in a story surrounding aresearch ship in the North Sea, withan overall goal to save the planetfrom a nuclear disaster througheffec t ive communicat ion wi th the

other teams. The game is relevant toseveral curriculum staples - history,

geography, science and media studies.

SCIENCEAs an educational game about city

planning, Urban Science owes a debtto SimCity. Players receive a projectfrom the mayor - for example, thedetailed redesign of a local pedestrianmall. They then receive a budget plan,along with a number of letters fromconcerned citizens over the possibleeffects of the project, whether it be oncrime, employment, waste, traffic orhouse prices. Like a professional city-

planner, players must make importantchoices in an attempt to deliver themost effective and equitable solution.

H A R N I N GSen

• o n . - '

. In young scientist since the birth of. science" - a sentitnent echoed.by

Henry Kelly, president of the FAS,^_who claimed that the demands of

J cnodern employers can only be met_ by increasing the use of videogames„ in the classroom. The Summit.„ concluded that "Videogames can_ teach high-order thinl<ing skills, such

as strategic thinking, interpretiveanalysis, problem solving, planformulation and adaptation to rapidchange. Today's students, who havegrown up with digital technology andvideogames are especially poisedto take advantage of the features ofeducational games."

OF ALL THE threats to the adoption ofvideogames for learning, it is still thestigma that surrounds the mediumthat will be hardest to deal with. Noteacher will want to incorporate a toolthat virtually guarantees that their jobwill be made harder by concernedparents. The furore surroundingCanis Canem Edit proved beyond alldoubt that the wider public's negativeview of videogames is, if anything,becoming even more pronounced.

- Fortunately, neither report seemspreoccupied with this, conceding that

. educators and parents would need to, be instruaed on the benefits of using. games, but would not necessarily be^ able to block an initiative.

The larger problem is a simpleone - that of money. Educational

. games are still largely untested, and. with school budgets already tight

, convincing head teachers to spendon software over textbooks willbe difficult What the programme

requires is government funding asthe commercial games industry, theSummit suggested, would be unlikelyto make the first move. The reportstates; "There is little incentive toinduce the private sector to invest inthe needed research and development,Like any industry where the costs arerising and prices are stable, the gameindustry has become more selectivein choosing the types of gamesthey would develop and market...Classroom materials that support useof commercial, off-the-shelf computerand videogames for education

explained: "What we really needis knowledge convergence, where.two skill sets are put together. Gamedesigners understand keeping anaudience engaged and how to delivercritical information for missionobjectives. Educators are losing theiraudience to entertainment media,but they understand the principles oflearning that game designers don't.Both are necessary." By dedicatingeven the smallest team to developingeducational software, commercialgame companies could open up arevenue stream that is Jow in cost

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and training purposes should bedeveloped. This should includedeveloping a learning componenton top of entertainment games."Many schools already use games likeSimCity, Civilization and RoilercoasterTycoon to teach subjects as diverseas maths, science, geography,languages and history, though manyteachers have expressed concernsover adopting anything not specificallydesigned to educate.

rr WAS ROUNDLY agreed,however, that for engaging gamesthat maximised the potential forlearning to be made, it wouldtake unprecedented collaborationbetween the education authoritiesand the commercial industry. LomeLanning, of Oddworld Inhabitants,

and effort, but with a market worth -almost $8 billion worldwide. Indeed,Lanning sees education becoming agraveyard for redundant commercialgaming properties, where speciallydeveloped console titles are lent tostudents like textbooks.

"We spend millions of dollarson game engines," Lanning claims,"and if the game isn't a hit wetypically just throw it out maybetry to salvage a few pieces of codeand algorithms. These are massive

development budgets and powerfulpieces of software. The secondarymarket potential is, in my opinion,huge, and could probably get bargainrates from game publishers anddevelopers to buy that software andadapt it to applications that wouldteach people how to lead, read, how

iioV rS'-to do physics, how to learn maths, things ofthat nature... The videoganfie console is thehighest powered, highest durability, lowestmaintenance super computer in the world

today. You don't need a tech-op. You just putin the disk and it works. 50 to 100 million ofthese are going to wind up in a landfill inthe next few years. My belief is that they'reperfect for the classrooms."

As Lanning describes, the next-generation

presents a unique opportunity for access toa n a b u n d a n c e o f r e d u n d a n t h a r d w a r e a n d

game engines that are relatively cheap andeasy to develop for. With broadband nowmore or less ubiquitous and downloadablegame services beginning to take root, thereare great opportunities for creating episodicgaming content that could be updatedeach term. Given that the UK already hasone of the world's most forward thinkingpolicies on videogames in education, andthe market success of commercial releaseslike Dr Kawashima's Brain Training and 7a//cMan has proved that there is money to bemade, the pertinent question isn't so much'if we'll have games in the classroom, as'when'. You may feel, however, that none ofthis applies to you. That you're out of schooland it's none of your business. Well, think onthis: videogames in classrooms would bea government-stamped validation of everysecond you spent levelling up or masteringyour aim while parents and peers sneeredbefore vegetating before the Eastendersomnibus. If the industry is lookingfor a way to legitimise its image, *there may be no better way to do it.

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le nayersKIEV-BASED GSC MADE fTS MARK WITH THE COSSACKS AND HEROES OFANNIHILATED EMPIRES SERIES. ITS LATEST GAME, STALKER. SHADOWOF CHERNOBYU HAS HAD ONE OF THE MOST PROTBACTtD DEVELOPMENTTIMES IN HISTORY. WE SPOKE TO THE PROJECT l£AD. AINTTON BOLSHAKOV

GSC GAME WORLD

A N T O N B O L S H A K O VThere's now a mountain of tangible proof that itexists and is almost complete: the backing of amajor publishing company, hundreds of screenshots andvideos, and the word of the tens of journalists - includingus - who've played it. But it wasn't so long ago thatrumours were beginning to circulate that S.T.A.L.K.E.R.Shadow Of Chernobyl was nothing more than an urbanmyth, a concept never realised, or vaporware, much lil<eDuke Nukem Forever. The numerous slippages from itsintended 2003 release to Q1 '07 and long silence from theGSC camp can be blamed for fuelling these rumours, butat last there seems to be a light at the end of the tunnel.

The Stall<er Team project lead, Anton Bolshal(ov, doesn'tappear to possess the tough and assertive exterior of yourtypical Ukrainian, but he spoke confidently of S.T.A.LK.E.R.,the Stalker Team's work and the development of the gamefrom its initial concept. "The original idea was to make atotally randomised game," he begins, "but it took us timeto realise that this was just impossible to do. So there weretwo options: either make a totally scripted game, or stilltry to preserve this life simulation, and we actually found asolution to combine the two elements in the right way towori( with each other and in an interesting way"

The November 2001 announcement describingS.TA.LK.ER as a free-roaming, unscripted FPS based in the30km exclusion zone sun-ounding the remains of Chernobyl'sReactor Four was met with much excitement. But when thegame slipped to 2003, that anticipation began to wane, andthe release of Half-Life 2 saw its thunder stolen. The hypemachine is definitely back in action though, and once againthere's a buzz sunûnding S.TA.L.K.E.R. Bolshakov explainedone of the highlights, an Al module called A-Life: "I'd like tointroduce you to the concept of the A-Life Life SimulationSystem, as we call it," he explains. "This is a unique featureof our game. This is the Al module that controls the entirelife within the entire game, including individual Stalkers andthe entire monster life within this zone. So we're talkingabout details of how this works with respect to individualcreatures within the zone. When speaking about Stalkers,the life simulation would onder and take care of them tolead their normal lives, like going around collecting artefacts,going on missions, communicating with each other, takingfood and taking rest. This would also be the cycle of life formonsters: they would take rest, go hunting, eat dead bodiesand whatever monsters would need to do.

On a global level, the A-Life controls the relationsbetween Stalker factions, the monster population,one faction attacking another, the monster populationmigrating and conflicting with Stalker groups. In total, thegame controls over a thousand monsters and characters."Indeed, the demonstration of A-Life that we were shownwas impressive, but S.T.A.LK.E.R. is being released at thesame time as the Half-Life 2: Episode 2 and Portal bundle,so we asked Bolshakov whether he thought that smartterrain and A-Life were enough of a feature to competewith Valve's apogee series and the ingenious Portal whichhas had the gaming community bouncing off the wallsof late. "Basically, yes, we really count on this as the keyfeature and interesting element. But on top of that thereare other features: RPG elements, communication andup to eight different endings as far as I remember. Sodepending on how you play, you will reach a differentending - it's a pretty open-ended game."

The subject turned to GSC's relationship with THQ andits importance to the developer's survival. "The timeswhen development here cost, well, very cheap have nowgone, and our budget for development is now comparablewith European and American development budgets,"he informs us. "So, for any developer, of course it's veryimportant for them to have a big and well-establishedpartner like THQ to work with."

Some carefully chosen words no doubt, especiallyconsidering Bolshakov was under the watchful eye of GuyCunis, THQ's global PR manager at the time. When askedhow it felt when THQ got more involved with hands-onproduction, Bolshakov deftly avoided the question with aBlair-esque response, "Well, all the developers are dreamersby default, so having our publishers look and do the samehelps a lot to speed things up, to move property along theschedule and development, and it's important to have thisco-operation, especially for S.T.A.L.K.E.R. [laughs]."

A note of resentment, periiaps? Creativity being stifled bythe money men is a story played out in every developmentstudio the worid over, and we usually advocate the art, butS.T.A.L.K.E.R.'s been in development for more than six yearsnow. We reckon THQ can be justified in pulling thepurse strings and putting its foot dowm this time.

S.TALK.E.R. Shactow Of Chernobyl was previewed in issue 51 and isdue for release in Q1 '07.

080 games' ' '

1 "THE TIMES WHEN DEVELOPMENT HERECOSTS, WELL, VERY CHEAP HAVE NOW GONE,

/ ' AND OUR BUDGET FOR DEVELOPMENT ISi NOW COMPARABLE WITH EUROPEAN AND

AMERICAN DEVELOPMENT BUDGETS"A N T O N B O L S H A K O V

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I N T R O D U C T I O N R E V I E W S

REVIEWSLost PlanetExtreme Condition 360Tr a u m a C e n t e r.

Second Opinion WiiPhoenix Wright Ace Attorney-Justice For All DSViva Piiiata 360Call Of Duty 3 MultiMedal Of Honor Heroes PSP

Resistance: Fall Of Man PS3Neverwinter Nights 2 PCSonic Rivals PSPThr i l lv i l le Mul t iTouch Detective DSMobile Suit Gundam:

Crossfire PS3Yoshi's Island DS DS

Rayman Raving Rabbids WiiRidge Racer 7 PS3Dead Or Alive: Xtreme 2 360

WarioWare: Smooth Moves WiiSid Meier's Railroads! PC

Tony Hawk's Downhill Jam MultiElite Beat Agents DSStarWars; Lethal Alliance PSPRafaNadal Tennis DS

86

90

91929495969899

100102

103106108109110112113114115116116

REFERENCE KITAll the PC content for the magazine is testedon the iiber-specced Alienware Area-51™7500 extreme performance desktop PC. Forinformation on Alienware products, point yourbrowsers to www.alienware.ca.uk or call themfreephone on 0800 279 9751.

A U E N W A R E f

0 8 4 s a n i e s ' "

REVIEW 1 LOST PLANET; EXTREME CONDITION I XBOX 360

LOST PLANET:EXTREME CONDITIONCAPCOM WELCOMES US IN FROM THE COLD

[FORMAT REVIEWED 1X b o x 3 6 0

[ O R I G I N " 1JapanP U B U S H E R

Capcom

I d e v e l o p e r "I n - H o u s e

i PRICE£ 4 9 . 9 9

I RELEASE12 January

IPLAYERS1 <2-16 Online)

■ Ifs useful that Wayne issbting enough to lug around VRweapons with ease.

pplauding Capcom has becomea frequent gesture around theseparts - almost to the point whereifs become a little predictable. The

company has had its fair share of low points, butit has to be said that when a good Capcom gameis made, it's made exceptionally well. And here wehave Lost Planet: Extreme Condition to raise theJapanese publisher's already soaring profile.

Again, this is predictable. The hype that hassurrounded Lost Planet for the last year or sohas been immense to the point where - in anoverly familiar fashion - there was no real waythe game could ever deliver all that was hoped ofit. At E3 this year, when speaking to Lost Planet'sproducer Jun Takeuchi, it was made clear thatpressure was building, and when points wereraised about the stunning visuals on show in thegame, he felt obliged to point out that Gears OfWar was currently a better looking game - anattempt to quell the rising hype? Perhaps, butmodesty isn't really well placed in this instanceas Lost Planet does indeed look gorgeous. Crispwhiteness doesn't offer a huge potential forflaunting visuals, but when the environmentdelivers regardless and is punctuated witharguably the most dazzling explosions seen on

a console to date, it seems all too worthy of thepraise that was awarded prematurely.

Celebrating visuals - no matter how stunningD- seems a moot point at this time. With manydevelopers pushing new hardware as far as they'recapable, and barely formed boundaries beingcrossed with each new title that arrives, it takesa far wider gaze to see where the commendablequality lies. Lost Planet exce\s in the creation ofatmosphere and emotion - an area that, Takeuchiwas keen to point out, has seen a lot of the team'sfocus. The awkwardly named protagonist, Wayne,is a character with limited memory and a selectionof possibly deceitful companions - it's a bleak butwell represented situation. Being stranded in anuninhabitable, barren world where even the mostbasic of missions are carried out alone, createslevels of panic and solitude that aid the deliveranceof the exact experience needed to make this formof title appealing. Not an easy task when you findthat, at the game's core, ifs actually regressing to afar earlier time.

"THE ENVIRONMENT IS PUNCTUATED WITHTHE MOST DAZZLING EXPLOSIONS SEENON A CONSOLE TO DATE"

Ya c i

REVIEW I LOST PLANET: EXTREME CONDITION | XBOX 360

LOST PLANET:EXTREME CONOmONCAPCOM WELCOMES US IN FROM THE COLD

1 FORMAT REVIEWEDX b o x 3 6 0

i ORIGINJ a p a nP U B U S H E R

C a p c o m

D E V E L O P E R

I n - H o u s e

fPRICE£ 4 9 . 9 9

[RELEASE12 January

! PLAYERS1 {2-16 Online)

■ Ifs useful that Wayne isstrong enough to tug around VR

pplauding Capcom has becomea frequent gesture around theseparts - almost to the point whereifs become a little predictable. The

company has had its fair share of low points, butit has to be said that when a good Capcom gameis made, it's made exceptionally well. And here wehave Lost Planet: Extreme Condition to raise theJapanese publisher's already soaring profile.

Again, this is predictable. The hype that hassurrounded Lost Planet iot the last year or sohas been immense to the point where - in anoverly familiar fashion - there was no real waythe game could ever deliver all that was hoped ofit. At E3 this year, when speaking to Lost Planet'sproducer Jun Takeuchi, it was made clear thatpressure was building, and when points wereraised about the stunning visuals on show in thegame, he felt obliged to point out that Gears OfWar was currently a better looking game - anattempt to quell the rising hype? Perhaps, butmodesty isn't really well placed in this instanceas Lost Planet does indeed look gorgeous. Crispwhiteness doesn't offer a huge potential forflaunting visuals, but when the environmentdelivers regardless and is punctuated witharguably the most dazzling explosions seen on

a console to date, it seems all too worthy of thepraise that was awarded prematurely.

Celebrating visuals - no matter how stunning[H- seems a moot point at this time. With manydevelopers pushing new hardware as far as they'recapable, and barely formed boundaries beingcrossed with each new title that arrives, it takesa far wider gaze to see where the commendablequality lies, Lost Planet exce\s in the creation ofatmosphere and emotion - an area that, Takeuchiwas keen to point out, has seen a lot of the team'sfocus. The awkwardly named protagonist, Wayne,is a character with limited memory and a selectionof possibly deceitful companions - it's a bleak butwell represented situation. Being stranded in anuninhabitable, barren world where even the mostbasic of missions are carried out alone, createslevels of panic and solitude that aid the deliveranceof the exact experience needed to make this formof title appealing. Not an easy task when you findthat, at the game's core, it's actually regressing to afar earlier time.

"THE ENVIRONMENT IS PUNCTUATED WITHTHE MOST DAZZLING EXPLOSIONS SEENON A CONSOLE TO DATE"

SUITS YOUVR suits play a huge role in Lost Planet, and there are plenty of variously

attributed VRs dotted throughout the game. Each suit has Its own unique abilitysuch as jumping, hovering, or transforming into a laser-firing drill tank, but neariyall can be customised with whichever weapons you find lying around the levels.

Ifs this element that adds meat to the gameplay as setting out to face a bosswith the wrong weapons attached could cost you a fair amount of play time.

You don't need a VR to take advantage of these weapons, however, Wayne ismighty strong and can lug a single VR weapon around with him on foot.

H S H ' I

i H =

5 b '

■ The explosions in lostP/anetare certaintv some of the greatest we've ever seen in a videogame. I Tliese enemies here are actually exactly the same as the first boss - yes. that's how hard the game becomes.

I This is just one of rr >us moments that the game hasto offer those blessed with the sense of sight

I Big horribly angry womts diat try to eat you are a ccmimon problemwhen trying to traipse across snowy plains - for some reason.

I The ever-persistant Snow Pirates may not be all that bright hut they'recertainly numerous.

For all the fancy cosmetics necessary for anXbox 360 title to be considered as such, the actual

gameplay featured in Lost Planet \s extraordinarilyprimitive. It's not the first time that a bacl<-to-basicsapproach has proven successful for Capcom. Thecheers that greeted Viewtiful Joe and its returnto two-dimensional brawling were unexpected,but it was a relief to see that gameplay of ahigh standard could be delivered using such aworn formula - the same is true for Lost Planet.Thoughts of flanking and cover usage couldn't befurther from the mind while playing this; there's

W H A T W a y n e

—

simply no need. Sublime environments providesuitable topography at every turn, but thesestructures seem in place only to build upon theatmosphere and believability of your surroundingsrather than any kind of tactical leverage.

Snow Pirates and Nevec Forces - your onlyDhumanoid foes - aren't equipped with stunningAl; most will stand in line while you take outtheir comrades with superior weaponry. A singlesoldier will happily take you and your sizable VRsuit on without ever standing a chance of victory,and in most cases it's the sheer number of bullet-absorbing foes that leads to progression troubles.In near every instance, it's a case of keepingyourself stocked with enough ammo for the rightweapons, and knowing exactly when to retreat.

Really, the most threatening enemy the gamehas to offer is the passing of time itself. With each

Q . W H A T ' S T H E M A I NB A D G U Y L I K E ?W e ' r e n o t a l l o w e d t o

say, but the second inc o m m a n d l o o k s a l o t l i k eJ e s t e r f r o m D M C 3 .

Q . W H A T ' S T H EB E S T B O S S ?

Again, we've been swornto secrecy when it comesto a l l the best ones. Restassured, there are somegreat baddies in there.

Q . I S I T J U S T S N O W ?Not at a l l . There are

plenty of caverns and ab i t o f vo l cano ac t i on t omix it up.

games ' * ' 087

REVIEW I LOST PLANET: EXTREME CONDITION i XBOX 360

"CAPCOM HAS A HABIT OF CREATING TITLES THAT MAYCEASE TO APPEAL AFTER THE SECOND LARGE BOSSHAS TRUMPED YOU FOR A SEVENTH TIME. REALLY,THIS DIFFICULTY IS NECESSARY TO MAINTAIN APPEAL"

T H E B E S T B I T S I N T H E G A M E A N DW H E N Y O U C A N E X P E C T T O S E E T H E M

n v t i '

O You've probablyreached the end ofthe reasonably shortfirst level and havebeen trounced bythe boss a couple oftimes already. Curseyoa Capcom.

O The story isbeginning to unravelbit by bit, and bynow you haveprobably foughtsome of the mostimpressive insectsyou've ever seen.

0 If you're persistentyou'll probably bepreparing to facethe final boss bythis point. Now togo through (tonthe harder difficultysetting...

I Ifs not all snow and ice, there are plenty of fire-based environments onoffer also - well, once you reach the volcano stages, that is.

I missing linkSnI this t i t le

second that rolls by, your thermal energy leveldrops. This needs to be replenished constantlyas any damage taken, any VR piloted, andeven some weapons drain this valuable supplyfurther. Enemies drop pools of the energy whendefeated, and supply tanks and top-up points(that also allow you access to a map of the areavia your PDA) are scattered throughout eachlevel, but this simple element effectively makeseach mission a form of time trial with the fullloss of thermal energy seeing your life bar drainand your ability to take advantage of the franklyessential VR suits removed. This is yet anotherfeature that adds to the panic and intensity of thegame - and certainly another example of toughlove from Capcom.

At the end of each of the hectic missionsawait colossal bosses - which alternatebetween giant, insectoid Akrid threat and VR-suit-covered war veteran - that will overpower

■ Big machines with hig guns - everyone should own a VR suit

you continuously until the pattern and correctweapon requirement is fully learned andunderstood. Lost Planet is a game that's wadedthough rather than skimmed over, and thisis where it may suffer at the hands of those

unwilling to persist.

So, as you may have come to realise by now,Cthis is a fairly difficult game. Capcom has ahabit of creating titles that may cease to appealafter the second large boss has trumped youfor a seventh time - take Viewtiful Joe and Devil

May Cry to name but two examples of suchfrustration - but at least frequent checkpointsfeature in Lost Planet, minimising missionrepetition to when you want to head back to findhidden items and achieve greater ranks. Really,this difficulty is necessary to maintain appeal.Without an adequate challenge, the entire gamewould become merely a case of running throughunchallenging levels, and the cries complainingof high difficulty would soon be replaced by

We have no idea why little men would tiy to fight such a huge piece of gun-wielding metal. You just wouldn't would you?

BUG BOYThe Akrid are a nasty bunch of insects that vary insize, shape and general vidousness, but each one

- no matter how colossal, how much ice it can spitat you, or how many boulders it can drop - has its

own weak spot. Fortunately for you, the weak spotis always coloured bright yellow, just so you cant

miss it, and will usually drop precious thennal energywhen struck hard enough. Be warned though, this

fact doesnt make them that easy to kill, you're still infor a very rough tide.

nnti ??

I Tlie problem witii these transforming tanks Is deciding wtiether to be atank or hovering spider-mobile. Spider It is, then.

complaints of inadequate content. So this is whereLost Planet's main downfall lies: it's a hyped 360title that's turned out to be nowhere near as casualas it should be in order to achieve the mass appealof, say, Gears Of War. Mind you, we'd be willingto bet that at no point was this what CapcomIntended anyway.

The multlplayer that has been added is awelcome touch, and is bound to lure in a fewmore fans of Capcom's second original IP of theyear, but no matter how well it's worked in thedemos that have recently been made availableover Live, you can't help but feel it's going toget lost among the charms of Gears Of \Narand Rainbow S/xthat will both undoubtedly be

well-established favourites by the time the gamefinally launches.

It all comes down to the fact that Lost Planetlacks westernisation - something that we are very

happy about. Capcom's previous efforts to appealspecifically in this territory haven't ended well inany instance, and Lost Planet delivers exactly whatyou'd expect of a quality Capcom title - achallenging, atmospheric, well thought outvideogame experience.

C H R O M E H O U N D S

■ Once you master the controllsof the various VR suits, Lost Plata

becomes a far simpler game.

B E T T E R T H A N

W O R S E T H A N

verdict8/jjq GEARS OF WARC A P C O M D E L I V E R S Y E T A G A I N

g a m e s " ' 0 8 9

REVIEW I TRAUMA CENTER: SECOND OPINION I NINTENDO Wii

I The usually simple task of saving a life with various injections ismade more difficult by the Remote. jigsaw. It's predictable yet enjoyable.

T R A U M A C E N T E R :S E C O N D O P I N I O N

{FORMAT REVIEWEDN i n t e n d o W l i

i ORIGINJ a p a nP U 8 U S H E R

N i n t e n d o

IDEVELOPERA t l u s

^ t C E

NURSE, COULD YOU REMOVE THE SCREENShe beauty of the Wii and its Remoteis that all those DS games thathave become so popular can beeasily dragged from their original

format to this new one. Trauma Center: SecondOpinion Is such a title. While it never enjoyedthe commercial success of Brain Training andNintendogs, Under The Knife was a fine exampleof the DS being used to its fullest, and despitethe superbly subtitled Second Opinion being thesame game with a visual overhaul and a smallbatch of extra mission/operations, we were morethan pleased to see the title take the leap.

We're sure any player of the DS gamewould agree that Under The Knife was atough game. Once the GUILT virus had beenproperly introduced, the pace and accuracy ofany player was stretched - important for whatwas essentially a fairly short game - and thiswas always to be the test of the Wii version'scompetence. Could the accuracy and speednecessary be achieved with a somewhatunwieldy Remote? Put simply, no, it can't - but it'snot as bleak as i t sounds.

While the machine does a commendablen job of coping, the accuracy simply isn't there- something thafs compensated for in a numberof ways. First, the margin allowed for error hasswollen dramatically. Missing a 'cut-line' by a fewcentimetres is still capable of achieving a 'Cool'

£ 3 9 . 9 9

IRELEASEFebruary(Japan/US: Out Now)

iPLAYERS

P L E A S E "rating, while syringes need only be in the generalarea of infected tissue to be effective. It seems alittle cheap that it's been addressed in this mannerat times, but with few other routes available it's

acceptable, and a tweak of the difficulty level can'fix' the problem if it truly offends.

The other means the game uses to keepup the speed of operations is the use of theNunchukto select instruments. It's now a

simple case of nudging the analogue stick in adirection to select a tool - a feature that allows

multitasking to become a real possibility andultimately makes those oh-so tricky later levels alittle more manageable.

It's unfortunate but, despite high quality,D Trauma Center: Second Opinion was outdoneby itself earlier in the year. The Wii controlmethod, however adequate, can't live up towhat was achieved with the DS game. The extra/enhanced operations that present fresh abilitiesand challenges make this a must for existingfans as well as new players, but we'd still rathersee a brand new Nintendo DS title - youcan't help but feel that it's where thisparticular series belongs.

VERDICT 7/10FA I L S TO B E T T E R F T S E L F

T R A U M A G E f ^ R ;UNDER THE KNIFE

0 9 0 g a m e s ' ' '

REVIEW I PHOENIX WRIGHT; ACE ATTORNEY - JUSTICE FOR ALL I NINTENDO DS

Maya's role is much more cnicial this time. Some characters push the boundaries of the absurd.

EINgerprimt'"tertexualilyabou^. pathos andPHOENIX WRIGHT: ACE

ATTORNEY - JUSTICE FOR ALLCAPCOM'S LAWYER-ADVENTURE TAKES THE STAND ONCE AGAIN

MF O R M A T R E V I E W E D

N i n t e n d o D S

! ORIGINJapan

P U B U S H E R

CapcomD E V E L O P E R

I n - H o u s e

[PRICE¥3,554 (about £16)

R E L E A S E

1 6 M a r c h

(Japan: Out Now)P L A Y E R S

ore of the same. It's all that reallyn e e d s t o b e s a i d a b o u t P h o e n i x

Wright 2. Those four words perfectlysummarise what is essentially

a rehash of last year's cult-hit lawyer sim.But what a rehash i t i s . Those who scoffed a t

Phoenix Wright's endless text conversations andbackwards-looking point-and-click mechanics willfind nothing to love second time out, but JusticeFor4//wasn't made for them; it was clearly put

together with fans of the previous game in mind.Though the return of several of the series'

core characters treads a thin line between 'lazy

sprite re-use' and 'gratifying cameo', the overalle f f e c t i s w e l c o m e . T h e n a r r a t i v e i s f o c u s e d m u c h

more on the lives of Phoenix and his personalf r i e n d s r a t h e r t h a n t h e i n d i v i d u a l d e f e n d a n t s o f

each separate trial. Major characters Maya and

Edgeworth both become entangled in plots thatblanket the game, making Justice For All as mucha digital soap opera as it is a graphic adventure.

In terms of the sleuthing itself, not much haschanged. The new 'Psyche Locks' are used

to make some investigative conversations playout similarly to the trials, and offer an involvingway to use evidence outside of the courtroom.The puzzles remain as well constructed as ever,and even though several are difficult to solve,each one can be unravelled with a spot of lateral

thinking. Each mini-victory, whether in court orat the crime scene, requires careful examinationof dialogue, clues and characters' behaviourand, when solved, can lead to some of the mostsatisfying triumphs in gaming.

In many ways the quality of Justice For Allfar exceeds that of the first Phoenix Wright. Thes t a n d a r d o f h u m o u r i s m u c h b e t t e r t h a n k s t o a

pun-filled script and a courthouse full of pop-culture references. The quality of the localisationis let down however, by the odd spelling mistake,which should hopefully be fixed by the game'sEuropean release. A more unforgivable flawthough, is that, unlike the first game, Capcom haschosen not to add a fifth DS-specific mission thatmakes further use of the handheld's touch screenand 3D capabilities. The loss can obviously beattributed to Capcom's work on the upcomingDS-exclusive sequel, but it's a loss that still hurtsin light of the previous game's inclusion.

In spite of its flaws though. Justice For Allremains a compelling, fulfilling experience. Onceagain. Phoenix M/r/ghf transcends its GBA rootsto find a natural home on DS, cementingthe handheld's reputation as the adventuregamer's console of choice in the process,

B E T T E R T H A N

A S G O O D A S

VERDICT 7/10LESS MEAT ON TWE BONE, BUT SOMEHOW FTS TASTIER

games ' ' ' 091

REVIEW I VIVA PINATA I XBOX 360

V I VA P I N ATA

I FORMAT REVIEWEDX b o x 3 6 0

I ORIGINU K

P U B U S H E R

M i c r o s o f t

I DEVELOPERR a r e

I P R I C E

£ 4 9 . 9 9

[RELEASEO u t N o w

I PLAYERS

RARE REDISCOVERS ITS FORM IN GRAND STYLE

n the days of the N64, Rareestablished a reputation as one ofthe most relentlessly innovativedevelopment studios in the

world. Banjo Kazooie, Blast Corps, Perfect Dark,GoldenEye: some of the finest games of that, orany other era were made not in Japan, but Inpremises near the English town of Twycross. Wehave no great tendency toward national pride, butwhen the games were of such a high standardthat they surpassed even Nintendo's stellar output,it couldn't help but make you feel a small tingleof appreciation for the fact that Rare was British.In retrospect, however, it was a run of form thatsimply couldn't last. The games that followed werefar from awful, but they came nowhere near thedizzy heights of Rare's peak.

For those that have been awaiting anothermasterpiece. Viva Pinata held promise. The titlegives away precisely nothing about the gamebeyond the fact that it inexplicably centres on agroup of Mexican puppets, but it was preciselythis ambiguously eccentric air that suggested areturn to form. However, with a television seriesof the licence on the air weeks before the game'srelease date, there was a sense that Viva Pinatamight be little more than an exercise in marketexploitation, resurrecting the spirit of Pol<emontora new generation of children. Fortunately, whetheror not the latter is true is entirely beside the point

because after playing you are left with nothingbut admiration for the quality of Rare's finestwork in years.

Essentially, this is a God game filtered throughthe cutesy aesthetics of Harvest Moon and

Animal Crossing. You start with a square of ugly,overgrown land that, with the help of your elfinguide Leafos, you must cultivate and expandinto a beautiful haven for the various speciesresident on Pinata Island. The first two hours arespent learning the gardening principles - usinga shovel to break the sun-baked topsoll, andusing a seed packet to plant some grass. Thesetools, and various others that you will acquireas you progress through the game, are foundon a menu opened with the X-button, with thepetals of the flower Icon in the screen's topleft-hand corner informing you of each tool'scontext-sensitive uses. Indeed, it takes a matterof minutes to pick up the game's fundamentalcontrols, but don't let that fool you: Viva PiUata isa surprisingly deep and complex experience dueto the sheer volume of ways that the commandscan be applied.

Once you have enough of your plot coveredwith grass and soil, the first of the pihatas, theWhirim, will be attracted to your garden. Eachvariety of pinata is attracted to certain things inyour garden, whether it is a species of flower, a

Q . D O T O E P I N A T A SA L L H A V E S W E E TN A M E S ?M o s t o f t h e m .

Buzzlegum for a bee,Mothdrop for a moth,Pretztai l for a fox.

Q . A N D T H E O T H E R S ?There are sour pinatastha t w i l l a t t ack t he o the rso r m a k e t h e m s i c k .

Q . W H A T C A N I D OA B O U T I T ?Kill them, or give themwhat they want andthey'll change colour andbecome good.

H A R V E S T M O O N

T H E S I M S

Sour pinatas are bad news, but if you feed them well thev can take aturn for the good.

I Your pinatas will often get into fights. When one dies, they send a shower of sweets spilling onto the floor.I You can look inside each pinata's house and observe their homelives.

Not too interesting, unfortunately.

0 9 2 g a m e s " *

type of fruit, a percentage of grass or pond cover,or the presence of another pinata species. Fulfilone requirement and it will appear beyond theboundaries of your garden, carry out anotherand it might wander in to explore, fulfil a thirdand it will change from black and white tobrightly coloured, becoming a resident. Eachspecies has its own specific requirements, whichcan be found in the encyclopaedia located inthe game's menu. Whirlm's are very easy toplease needing little more than some soil tomal<e them want to stay, allowing you to thenmove on to the business of breeding. The onlythings Whirlms require in order to feel amorousis a partner and a home, so once the house isbuilt a small heart will appear above the head ofeach one indicating they are ready to mate. Thislaunches a coin-collection mini-game tasking youwith guiding the piiiata through a maze to reachits partner within a certain time limit.

Needless to say, as the game progresses thepinatas become harder to convince to appear,

visit, take residence and mate - also increasingthe difficulty of the mating mini-game - and it'shere that Viva Pinata takes on a new lease of life.The plethora of cute characters won't appeal to

everyone, but after six or seven hours

SlFII\|GER /|\j7I ""like most other MicroLt

Costolot's is the most valuable shop in the game. You can buy anvthinghere, but you can also sell things for profit

of play, keeping your garden in order while alsodeveloping it, breeding from existing pinatas,attracting new ones, and keeping unwantedspecies out takes up a remarkable amount oftime, effort, and importantly, brain power. In onefive-minute period we were bombarded withdozens of warnings about sick pinatas, fights,deaths, births and any number of other matters,as well as being introduced to ten new pinatavarieties. The sheer variety of choice can makeyour head swim, and you are well advised tounderstand, for the want of a better term, thepolitics at play between the different species.

Viva Pinata can be almost irritatingly jolly andcolourful, but the game has a dark side. Very fewspecies can live side by side, and introducing thewrong kind can upset any delicate balance youmight have struck. Indeed, the game will surelysail high over the heads of young children andeven teenagers, but for the rest this is an RTSexperience without compare. We could tell youmore about the intricacies of growing plants,hiring staff and which pinatas to breed, but thatwould defeat the game's chief pleasure - thatbreathless sense of imagination, and discoveringall the ways that a garden can succeed and,indeed, fail. With Viva Pinata, Microsoft finallyhas the kind of property it has always sorelylacked - a game with a truly cross-generational

appeal and striking originality. Buy it for thekids, and then don't let them get near it.

VERDICT 8/10IF YOU CAN STOMACH THE VISUALS, FTS A DEUGKT

A LOCAL VILLAGEFOR LOCAL PEOPLE

To aid you in building the best garden is WillyBuilder, who will help construct homes for your

pifiatas. Then there's Costalofs, the store sellingeverything from seeds to fencing, which will also

buy your produce and pinatas in return for chocolatecoins, the game's currency. Eventually you can hire

people to heal your piiiatas, keep them from hurtingeach other, water plants and a range of other tasks.

Best of all is the Post Office, which lets you senditems from your garden to other online players.

Your pinatas will sometimes get sick, leaving you to chodeath and a doctor's bill.

1 Tlie journal is a treasure trove of information, and includes anencyclopaedia describing the pinatas and tfieir needs. I Tlie character in the background is Seedos. When he enteis your gaitlen he can be asked for free seeds.

g a m e s " * 0 9 3

REVIEW I CALL OF DUTY 3 I NINTENDO Wii

Wii COULD BE HEROES

CALL OF DUTY 3I missing linkIM Jll sameplay then that hasn't h e"''Ven/ng^ ■" 'Vsantecan, orshou,"

I FORMAT REVIEWEDN i n t e n d o W i i

I OTHER FORMATSPlayStation 3,PlayStation 2,Xbox 360, Xbox

[ORIGINU S

P U B L I S H E R

A c t i v i s i o n

IDEVELOPERTreyarchP R I C E

R E L E A S E

O u t N o w

P L A Y E R S

T B A

he godfather of modernvideogaming, Nintendo is reveredby gamers lil<e no other industryplayer. That no one else has

innovated quite so consistently over the yearsmal<es this statement justifiable. Looking at theastounding success of the DS during the last 12months reaffirms the company's reputation asthe game industry's key thinker. Now we have theWii, however, the future again appears uncertain.

A common concern is that the company hasproduced a console with a potential that onlyNintendo itself could ever harness. With a delugeof party games raining down from day one,hardcore gamers may have to be satisfied withimpatiently waiting for the new Ze/da, the nextMetroid and the latest exploits of Mario. Risingcosts have made developers anxious to releasetheir products on as many formats as possible,but more than any console before it, the Wiidemands that games be designed specifically tosuit its requirements.

And so we come to Call Of Duty 3, the XboxD360 version of which received eight out of tenlast issue. Mindless action isn't something thatNintendo has ever concerned itself with, but it is

unquestionably popular and Nintendo will needsuch games to ensure the success of its machine.That Wii is intended for parents, females andfamilies is an untested hypothesis that may never

come to pass, and the hardcore will certainlyexpect more depth than has been suggested byWii's flimsy launch line-up. The question is canNintendo's motion control work in a game thatisn't designed to use it?

On this evidence the answer is no. For an hourthe aiming was maddeningly erratic. On a levelwhere we dispatched scores of enemies withthe Xbox 360 control pad we killed perhaps ten,simply happy to have stumbled our way to thefinish. Even the slightest tremble of your hand cantranslate to a centimetre of movement on screen,and in a game where deadly accuracy is essentialthat isn't good enough. Our aim improved greatlywith time, but never so much that you could go fora long-distance headshot, forcing us to adopt thefun but dangerous tactic of close-range combat.

The Wii handles the scale admirably, with onlyminor differences in the size of the levels andnumber of enemies. The graphics are, of course,poor by next-generation standards, and whilethat may not affect the stylised universes of Marioand Zelda, it blunts the power of an experiencethat thrives on realism. None of this stops Call OfDuty 3 being enjoyable, but it does turn a goodgame into an average one, and raisesquestions over how democratic Wii willreally turn out to be.

tB E T T E R T H A N

W O R S E T H A N

VERDICT 6/10A GOOD GAME LET DOWN BY POOR COISTTKOLS

i L i J

P

CALL OF DUTY 3 [360]

I Wii handles the scale of combat very well, with every level remainingbasically the same as the Xbox 360 version.

Tlie red indicator appears when you throw a grenade, h allowsyou to time your throw for when die grenade will explode.

M

REVIEW I MEDAL OF HONOR: HEROES I PLAYSTATION PORTABLE

MEDAL OF HONOR: HEROES

I F O R M A T R E V I E W E D

PlayStation Portable

; ORIGINC a n a d a

P U B U S H E R

E l e c t r o n i c A r t s

! D E V E L O P E R

I n - H o u s e

[PRICE£ 3 4 . 9 9

IRELEASEO u t N o w

EA'S LATEST PSP FPS EARNS A MEDAL

f there's one genre that PSP excelsat, ifs first-person shooters. Anyother piece of portable hardwarejust cannot compete with the

raw graphical and processing muscle requiredto power this genre, which would explain thenumerous PSP FPS titles - and the distinct lack ofthem on other portables. What does surprise usthough, is just how accomplished a shooter canbe on PSP considering the only comparisons to bedrawn are with PC and the big three consoles.

Medal Of Honor: Heroes, an exclusive toPSP, takes the series across five campaigns witha handful of missions on each, through fourcount r ies and on to the fina le . Each miss ion

consists of a series of primary and secondaryobjectives, which consist mostly of blowing vitalNazi constructions up, capturing strategic areasand collecting sensitive documents and items.

Heroes made an immediate impression

upon us: sure, we're losing something in thegraphical detail and overall finesse, but this isdistinctive Medal Of Honor. Right off the bat, wewere thrust into the action and were surprised athow tactile firing each weapon and killing Nazi's

felt on a PSP title. It's incrediblyaccessible, too, as there's noneed to think about any long-term strategy. You simply leada squad of soldiers, poweredby a (barely) adequate Al andfollow the arrows to your

IPLAYERS1 - 3 2

objectives, while fighting Nazis using a variety ofweapons and standard FPS methods of duckingand covering.

Heroes falls down on a number of small butn annoying points. The Al can't be expected tomeet the same standards of home systems, butit's quite frustrating when your comrades insist onlobbing grenades into the middle of your firefight.And despite the analogue sensitivity set to full,turning and movement in general is still quitesluggish - perhaps a deliberate ploy to stop framerates from dropping too low? The worst offenderis the control system: despite being offered avariety of control styles - Commando, Sniper,Specialist-with different button mapping on each,they still don't feel very intuitive, highlighting thegame's need for manual button mapping or evena second PSP analogue nub.

Medal Of Honor: Heroes'single-player missionswon't take more than ten hours or so to completeon Veteran (Normal) difficulty, but the unlockableextras, numerous rank and kill achievementincentives to be had, as well as the multiplayershould extend its lifetime well beyond this,especially for MOHfans. Despite its faults. Heroesmakes a decent showcase for PlayStationPortable's power and does justice to theMeda l O f Hono r se r i es .

C O D E D A R M S

IVERDICtTzifl M E D A L O F H O N O U R ;

E U R O P E A N A S S A U LT

A WORTHY ADOmON TO THE MEDAL OF HONOR FAMILY

Set the charge and let her rip. Ifs not a good idea to still behanging around at this point

Primary Objective: steal the Enigma machine. Then it's off BletchieyPark to spend a year cracking it I Despite the red crosses, these guys will hurt not heal you.

g a m e s " ' 0 9 5

REVIEW I RESISTANCE: FALL OF MAN I PLAYSTATION 3

R E S I S TA N C E :FA L L O F M A NFPS: PAINT BY NUMBERS

\mi FORMAT REVIEWED iPlayStation 3

l O R I G I N : IU S

i PUBLISHERS o n yD E V E L O P E R

I n s o m n i a c

I PRICE$59.99

R E L E A S E

M a r c h

(JapanAJS: Out Now)

i P L A Y E R S I1-4 (2-40 Online)

decent stoiv, but it nevercomes to fniitition.

o here it is. After Epic and IVIicrosoftexceeded the hype last month indelivering the immense Gears OfWar, ifs Sony's turn to present the

other great action hope for 2006. What shouldhave been a heavyweight title fight to kick-startthe so-called next generation has turned out to besomething of a mismatch. Klitschko versus Bruno,perhaps. In fact, comparing Res/stance to Epic'smonster is unfair. The two are quite different; FallOf Man's a very traditional shooter. The immediatepoint of reference is Call Of Duty 3-both featurestandard FPS mechanics, both are heavy onaction, both cram as many soldiers on screenas possible, and both are inescapably linear.But where C0D3 thrilled with its set pieces andterrifying atmosphere. Resistance ia\is noticeablyshort. All that punctuates its brighter moments aretunnels. Long, dark, never-ending tunnels.

In telling the story of man's struggle against thealien Chimera threat. Insomniac had the chance tostage some epic battles, and at times it flatters todeceive. At first glance, the Manchester and Bristollevels play host to skimnishes of Halo proportions,but upon closer inspection, the sense of scale isa mere trick. Res/sfance forces the player downcorridors, be they as wide as a battlefield or

as tight as a ventilation shaft, and any conceptof tactical warfare is lost in favour of straightshooting. Combat devolved, you could say.

Thankfully, the shooting itself is handled well.DThe guns feel meaty despite the lack of rumble,and the engine is reassuringly smooth, nevercreaking despite the large numbers of Chimera onscreen. It lends the game a speed and immediacymore in line with a balls-to-the wall action shooter- a Quake or Unreal. So when the first few hours

have you charging headlong into hundreds ofreasonably intelligent Chimera, blasting holes andhurling grenades, it's thoroughly enjoyable, in analmost retrogressive way. Then you hit the tunnels.

Unfortunately, Fall Of Man shows its hand far tooearly. The most memorable set pieces occur duringthe first half, leaving a game that tails off into a landof overpowered enemies and generic level design.The 90 minutes spent in subterranean pipes thatresemble the London Underground are dreadful,and when you hit the Capital itself, ifs clear that the

developer had mn the ideas fountain dry. Battlingupon a frozen Thames may sound arresting, butit could just as easily have been a patch of ice inKent, such is its banality. Instead of innovation, wesimply have more enemies. Tall ones, fat ones.

7 1 \ * f

Q . H O W A R E T H EG R A P H I C S ?

They vary from lovely todownright PS2 ugly.

Q . E N E M Y A l ?

Decent, but not on a parwith Halo, Half-Life orR E A R . .

Q . D O T H E P H Y S I C SA I D G A M E P L A Y ?

No, the/re just eyecandy. Good though.

^ - I

I S

0 9 6 g a m e s ' "

LCX:K AND LOADResistance's innovation is in its weapon set. From

the Bull's eye's comer-tuming bullets to the Auger'scover-piercing plasmas charge (complete with stylish

'wall-bleed' delay), the arsenal is impressive. Lessso is the staggered manner in which you receive it.

No grabbing weapons from fallen foes - Resistancestructures its gameplay around each new gun,

further compounding its restrictive linearity. Still,the thrill of experimenting with each new weapon

is the solo campaign's greatest strength. If only thelikes of the Hailstorm's self-powered gun turret orthe Laark 's rocket- f reeze could be used in a more

engaging game. Still, they're excellent in multiplayer.

■ Tlie interior lighting is undoubtedly atmospheric.

robotic ones... Resistance throws as much at youas the engine can handle, and asks if you have thepatience to stand up to it. On IVIedium difficulty,chances are you won't. This is not fun tough- Legendary tough - this is simply unfair tough.

The unerring accuracy of even the most basicDground troops, the unrelenting pace, andrelatively ineffectual cover (enemy bullets canbend around or pass straight through it) mean thatconstant movement, intelligent use of weaponryand pixel-perfect accuracy are a must. Yet theSixaxis' dead zones mean that snapping offheadshots is frustratingly tricky, the ammunition forbetter weapons is sorely lacking and the distancebetween checkpoints hasn't been acceptable foryears. If Resistance is here to hail a new generationof PlayStation, we'll stick with the last.

Of course, to tar an entire console with one

game's brush would be unfair - ifs obvious thatResistance is not taking full advantage of the powerat its fingertips. Even the visuals, while perfectlypleasant during the game's sporadic open-air battle

■ The occasional vehicle-based levels feel tacked on and inconsistent

sequences, are worryingly angular - reminiscent ofthe first two TimeSplitters games. Even the enemydesign lacks charm - the standard ChimeranHybrids are decent bipedal foes, but the largerChimera wouldn't look out of place in a PSonegame, especially considering it only takes a touchof determined circle strafing to defeat them.

Resistance's saving grace comes in itsmultiplayer modes. Co-op, as always, is anentertaining aside, but the monstrous 20-vs-20deathmatches are where Fall Of Man leaves itsm a r k . T h e f r a n t i c a n d s m o o t h c o m b a t t r a n s l a t e s

to multiplayer far better than the plodding solo

campaign, and ultimately save Insomniac's effortf r o m i r r e l e v a n c e .

One salient fact remains, however: Resistance:Fa l l Of Man - a PS3 launch t i t le w i th a thunderous

hype machine behind it - is vastly inferiorto a five-year-old Xbox game. It reallyspeaks volumes, doesn't it?

VERDICT 6/10 ; C A L L 0 F D I J T Y 3P L A Y A B L £ B U T U L T I M A T E L Y U N I N S P I R I N G

I It wouldn't be an PS without horties of critters gunning for your face. I Certain levels look lovely, but still lack the genuine scale of a Hah. I Tunnels. Tunnels, tunnels, tunnels. They're bloody everywhere.

g a m e s " " 0 9 7

REVIEW NEVERWINTER NIGHTS 2 1 PC

N E V E R W I N T E RN I G H T S 2

g enhanced3 ORIGIMAL

R 0 îFORMAT REVIEWEDP C

J

CAN THE K0T0R2 CREATOR FILL BIOWARE'Severwinter Nights was one ofthose games we liked to set asidequality time for: brew a strongcup of tea, tell the missus not to

disturb us for the next couple of hours, close theb e d r o o m d o o r a n d i m m e r s e o u r s e l v e s i n a w o r l d

of deep Dungeons & Dragons fantasy. Whenwe previewed Neverwinter Nights 2 In issue 50however, we were concerned not so much withthe bugs it was riddled with, but rather the lacl<of the characteristic atmosphere that compelledus to play the long line of NWN2's predecessors,back to the days of S/acfc Isle and Baldur's Gate.So allay any fears you might have had, becauseObsidian has obviously been putting in theovertime to deliver the same quality that madeNeverwinter Nights a resounding success.

Never has this series tried to cater for anyonewho was not either a fan or willing to put in somehard graft to discover the gem within, and thesame applies here. NWN2's character-creationscreen is Intimidating, even for those who haveplayed Oblivion. The range of races, classes andskills is just as extensive, but it's the intrinsic tiesto other attributes and the long-term implicationsof your choices that could put a newbie off beforethe/ve even set foot in the world of Aventla.It's well worth spending time here though,as the skill, feat, multi-class and, eventually,prestige classes that are made available to you

lOBIGINU S

IPUBUSHER ~A t a r i

|DEVELOPER~O b s i d i a n

E n t e r t a i n m e n t

j P R I C E ~£ 3 4 . 9 9

I RELEASE ~O u t N o w

iPLAYERS

I M I N I M U M S P E C I2.4GHz, 512MB RAM,128MB Graphics,1 6 - b i t S o u n d

S H O E S ?make gaining experience and levelling-up morerewarding than any other single-player RPG.

Get past the character creation, and you willencounter a game steeped in role-playing

ambience coupled with rich dialogue andwonderfully realised visuals. Voice acting ofsome NPCs is a little hammy at times, but thediversity of social flotsam you'll gather as youprogress, including Khelgar the dwarf fighter,E l a n e e t h e w o o d - e l f d r u i d a n d N e e s h k a t h e

tiefling rogue sound convincingly stereotypeda n d t h e i r v e r b a l I n t e r a c t i o n i s a l m o s t s e a m l e s s .

Our worries about monotonous dungeon-crawling have proved unfounded as Obsidianhas given this integral part of the game a goodshake up, ploughing surprises and intrigue intoevery dark cave and ancient ruin.

What W1/MV2 still lacks is polish. Unfortunatelyversion 1.0 is still buggy enough to frustrate us:there was the occasional crash, the keyboardfrequently locked out and, worst of all, ElaneeInexplicably refused to follow the rest of thegroup. Sure - these could be easily fixed with apatch, but they were enough to detractfrom our experience of Wl/W\/2 and,unfortunately, affect our final score too.

FA L L O U T 2

vebdictTzidA C H E S T O F U N P O U S H E D J E W E L S

S TA R WA R S : K N I G H T SO F T H E O L D R E P U B U C I I- T H E S T T H L O R D S

0 9 8 g a m e s " "

REVIEW 1 SONIC RIVALS I PLAYSTATION PORTABLE

That is indeed a giant robot turtle trying to kill Sonic.What's a hedgehog to do?

S O N I C R I VA L S

[FORMAT REVIEWED jPlayStation PortableO R I G I N

A m e r i c a

[PUBLISHERSega

D E V E L O P E R

B a c k b o n e

Enter ta inment /S o n i c T e a m

1 PRICE

THERE'S A LIGHT AT THE END OF THE TUNNELt never just rains Sonic- it pouis.It seems to be a growing trend forthe blue hedgehog to appear innumerous games at once rather

than dedicate himself to a solitary title. After thedecidedly average next-generation Sonic TheHedgehog, you'd think he wouldn't want to showhis face again for a while. You'd be wrong.

The most startling aspect about Sonic Rivalsis that it does actually return to the platformer'sroots. Considering this is what fans of the serieshave been calling out for, it's strange that Segahasn't made a bigger deal about it. Although the

in-game environments and character modelsare all beautifully rendered in 3D, the gameplayi t s e l f r e m a i n s t r u e t o t h e t w o - d i m e n s i o n a l c l a s s i c s

of the past; you can run left, you can run rightor jump, and that's about it. However, don't befooled into thinking that it follows the samethought process as the originals.

At its heart. Rivals is, of all things, a racinggame. You pick a member of the Sonic cast,

a course and then challenge another character- Shadow, Knuckles or Silver - to see who can

get to the end of the level first. It's essentially thesame as trying to complete a platfomer as fast asyou can. Unfortunately, the level design just isn'tgood enough for Rivals to successfully achievewhat it sets out to; the majority of stages are fartoo simple to ever pose a serious threat to your

R E L E A S E

O u t N o w

1PLAYERS

progress. Ironically, this weakness is exposedby the game itself. There are moments duringlater courses where you have to attack a seriesof platforms at maximum speed without makinga single mistake. They're exhilarating to attempt,and if you manage to overcome them on the firsttry you'll feel genuinely quite proud of yourself.It's then that you'll start to realise that thesesections don't feature anywhere near enough,souring your opinion of the segments that don'tpromote this sensation.

It's almost as if Sega didn't realise what itwas on to. Sadly, among the glimpses of geniusand mediocrity are some truly uninspired ideas,namely the boss fights that bring levels to a close.The racing dynamic is continued here, but tryingto kill a boss before your opponent does feelsdull mainly due to the bosses themselves beingparticularly unimaginative.

Rivals isn't necessarily a bad game, far fromit in fact. It's just unfortunate that its moments ofbrilliance aren't featured more as they underminethe parts that don't offer as much. You could dofar worse than invest in a copy of Sonic Rivals,and a nice foundation has been laid for a sequelto eradicate the cracks present here. If thatdoes indeed happen, then Son/c couldwell and truly be back on form.

SONIC THE HEDGEHOG[360/PS31

VERDICT 6/10HAD POTENTIAL, BUT FAILS TO EXECUTE FTS OWN IDEAS

g a m e s ' 0 9 9

REVIEW THRILLVILLE I PLAYSTATION 2/MULTIFORMAT

Great Scoti! Uncle Mortimer has clearly been taking fashion tips fromChristopher Lloyd. Sadly, he doesn't have a time-travelling De Lorean.

A successful park in action - happy customers andterrifying roller coasters mean money, money, money

lliere are three themes wtdiin each park - and where exactly do theserather riiythmic cheer leaders fit in?

T H R I L LV I L L ETHRILLS, SPILLS AND BELLYACHES...

aF O R M A T R E V I E W E D

PlayStation 2O T H E R F O R M A T S

PlayStation Portable,X b o x

O R I G I N

U K

P U B U S H E R

L u c a s A r t s

D E V E L O P E R

F r o n t i e r

D e v e l o p m e n t sP R I C E

£ 2 9 . 9 9

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magine being given a free passto Alton Towers, but instead of

just getting to go on all the rollercoasters, you have unlimited access

to every single ride, stall and arcade in the place.Sounds fun, right? After a while though, you'regoing to feel spoilt for choice, and wind up doingtoo many different things in too short a time andnot really getting the fullest enjoyment from theexperience. And so it is with Thrillville, a game thatalmost tries too hard to impress you - with such awealth of things to do, it's difficult to decide whatto approach next.

It starts out with an amusing cinematic featuringEmmet Brown-alike Uncle IVlortimer. He leavesyou in charge of his Thrillville chain of themeparks, which you have to try and maintain orimprove in order to stay one step ahead of a fiercerival intent on pilfering your ideas. It's a threadbareplot included purely to provide motivation behindwhich to build up your empire of parks, but thecut-scenes are well made with a nice line inhumour and bizarre comments from the frazzledinventor to keep you interested.

At first you only own one park, but a totalDof five differently themed locations can beunlocked, each with three distinct sections.Progress is accomplished not by the sort ofbuilding, destroying, training and financialbalancing methods you might expect from the

maker of the RollerCoaster Tycoon games, butvia a more console-friendly mission system. So,instead of just choosing to train your employeesby setting a slider to a certain level, you takea far more hands-on approach - controlling acleaner to clear up vomit stains, completing asimple electronic puzzle for maintenance staff,or performing a fun rhythm-action mini-gameto train your entertainers. It's a refreshing wayof doing things, and makes fairly mundanetasks much more enjoyable, and FrontierDevelopments should be applauded for such aneffective design choice, even if those looking forsomething more akin to PC park-managementsims will be disappointed.

On top of this and the fairly intuitive andflexible ride-building system, you're taskedwith keeping visitors happy by catering to theirvarious needs. This can be done by simplybuilding the right kind of stalls or conveniences,but there are also a number of challenges whichform missions of their own - beating someone ata certain arcade game or on the go-karts, or evenmatch-making by choosing the right dialogueoptions to flirt effectively.

Most of the mini-games are fairly brief andprovide an interesting diversion from the maingame-they Include rudimentary racing games,simple platform arcade games, and the like.Some, like the Wild West shooting gallery, aremore detailed; this particular example handling

O . T U T O R I A L S ?

Mercifully short, butactually very helpful-especially the coasterdesign one.

Q . A N D H O W D O E SI T S O U N D ?The music soon getsold, but there are someneat spot effects, and thedialogue's not bad.

Q . I S I T F U N N Y ?We found it amusingthat someone thoughtAnakin Skywalker wast h e c o o l e s t S t a r Wa r sc h a r a c t e r .

MARIO PARTY 7

R O L L E R C O A S T E RT Y C O O N S

1 0 0 g a m e s " '

■ What game worth its salt would be complete without a section whereyou throw bombs at robot pirates? One of the better mini-games, this.

very much like a traditional first-person shooter.I t ' s a n ice touch to find tha t the enemies behave

much as you'd expect from the genre: poppingin and out of cover, while headshots are muchmore effective than hitting the robot outlaws ontheir metal bodies. It's hardly Rainbow Six, butit's effective enough. You're graded at the end ofeach game, with a cash injection for your parkhanded out depending on how you performed.The initially low difficulty level adds credence tothe theory that Thrillville is targeted more at a

younger audience, but as you get onto the fourthand fifth parks, things get a little trickier than youmight think.

Eventually, however, Thrillville's limitations□ begin to tell - chatting to customers is funat first, but it soon becomes repetitive, and the

jokes in the dialogue crop up all too frequently.The initially pleasing contemporary soundtrackalso loops quite regularly while some of thetasks vary only from a cosmetic viewpoint andnothing more. It's not much of a looker either:while the simplistic style seems to suit the

game, the character models are barely abovePSone quality, but at least that means you canhave a packed park with no slowdown. Andthere's definitely an argument that less could

PA R T Y H A R DThe abilitY to play all of the mini-games unlocl<ed

in the main game straight from the menu is amost welcome inclusion, and indeed many of

the games actually work better out of contextand in multiplayer. It's easy to waste a couple of

hours attempting to better your high scores inthe racing games or the few arcade-based titles- including a top-down vertical scrolling shooter

that very closely resembles a certain old Capcomtitle. The best of the bunch is RC Cars - a four-

player demolition derby that's incredibly addictivethough some of the first-person-shooter-lrte

games are well worth a look, too.

have meant more - you'renever short of things to do, butFrontier should have polished up afew of the mission tasks and given others thechop. As it is, you'll return to a handful of themand forget the rest after one play. The lengthof some of the games detracts from the task inhand, too; it's all too easy to be blasting away inthe arcade and ignoring the work that needs tobe done in the park.

It's hard to dislike a game that displays suchbreezy charm, and it would be harsh to dismissThrillville as a kids' RollerCoaster Tycoon as it'ss t ree ts ahead o f much o f the l i censed ta t ou t

there - and besides, it's much more reminiscentof the PC's Theme Park World. But there's notmuch more than a fairly solid family-orientatedgame here - it's pleasant enough fare,but the Thrill' in the title might wellcontravene the Trade Descriptions Act.

VERDICT 6/10M O R E G U L U V E R ' S K I N G D O M T H A N A L T O N T O W E R S

A rather vomit-inducing first-person view from the frort of a coaster- it's a good laugh to try and create the wildest ride you can.

g a m e s " 1 0 1

REVIEW 1 TOUCH DETECTIVE I NINTENDO DS

New areas become available as you work your way throughepisodes, expanding the range of places to investigate.

It might have been translated into English, but the game still retains ahigh level of Japanese bizarreness.

I You can only examine items at a very superficial level, which isn'texactly telling of a good detective.

TOUCH DETECTIVEYOU GOTTHE TOUCH, BUT NOT MUCH ELSE

wF O R i y i AT R ^ I E W E DN i n t e n d o D S

O R I G I N

J a p a nP U B U S H E R J

A t l u s

D E V E L O P E R

Success/Beeworks

$39.99

R E L E A S E

A p r i l{Japan/US: Out Now)P L A Y E R S

hile ifs become something of atradition to declare point-and-clicl<adventuring dead, the truth of themat ter is that i t ' s a l ive and wel l .

Or breathing on its own without a ventilator, atleast. From the likes of Bone, A Vampire Storyand Sam & Max to the re-release of past classics(trust LucasArts to cash in on the revival of aseries it kicked to the curb), the genre's prettysolid on PC but, somewhat satisfyingly, it's alsofound a comfortable handheld home on DS.True, something like Phoenix Wright \s lessconventional for the genre, but then if you'relooking for a more obvious game you couldn'tfeel more at home than with Touch Detective. Atleast that's the idea.

Touch Detective certainly looks special; notonly does it employ the traditional point-and-clickelements, but also it's incredibly pretty to boot.That the wonderfully animated cartoon stylingsfit the premise of the game so well is great-theidea of a young girl trying her best to run apsychic detective agency while surrounded byditzy friends is so Japanese it hurts - but sadlythey're not representative of Touch Detective'sgameplay. Think the cutesy graphics and simpleinterface make for a game that's easy to enjoyand not in the least bit frustrating? Think again.

There are only four cases plus a mini bonusL case to play through so suffice to say the

game's short-lived action hasas many moments of brillianceand well thought-out puzzlesas it does logic that can onlybe described as being FUBAR.Not surprisingly, it's only these chunks ofsheer anger-inducing stupidness that preventthe game being over quicker as you'll wanderaround not only trying every item you'reholding with every other item in the world, butalso touching everything with the stylus in thehope that it might actually be something worthtouching. The problem is there's no visualdistinction between what is and isn't interactive- and the fact that some items are ridiculouslysmall and innocuous brings much gritting ofteeth. Trust us, those moments aren't fun, and,sadly, there are more than a few of them. Thatthere's only one correct path makes thingsworse still, as missing something obscure canleave you wandering cluelessly for hours.

The thing is we seem to remember several'classic' point-and-click games suffering fromexactly the same problem and yet they're stillconsidered classics. So does that mean thatTouch Detective WtW be seen in the samelight in ten years? Maybe, but for nowwe'd suggest you leave it on the shelf.

""Wluted, obv/™° """ys to solve n

B O N E ;O U T O F B O N E V I L L E

VERDICT 5/10F A R T O O C L E V E R ' F O R I T S O W N G O O D

P H O E N I X W R I G H T:A C E A T T O R N E Y-JUSTICE FOR ALL

1 0 2 g a m e s " '

REVIEW 1 MOBILE SUIT GUNDAM: CROSSFIRE I PLAYSTATION 3

SOME MECH GAMES ARE GREAT, SOME ARE UTTERLY RUBBISH

M O B I L E S U I TGUNDAM: CROSSFIRE

a wF O R M A T R E V I E W E D

PlayStation 3O R I G I N

Japan

P U B U S H E R

N a m c o B a n d a i

I DEVELOPED

P R I C E

¥5,800

R E L E A S E

A p r i l(Japan/US: Out Now)P L A Y E R S

here to begin? With Mobile SuitGundam: Crossfire's pixellatedmain screen? No, that wouldb e t o o o b v i o u s . H o w a b o u t w i t h

its opening movie that runs like a slideshow?Or with its audio that sounds like it's been

processed by a broken Dictaphone? Or perhapswith our disappointment upon realising that a4.5GB install had done nothing to remedy thisgame's catalogue of problems?

There's a game beneath this mess, and itsformat makes sense, but the debris of a brokendeveloper is strewn everywhere so it's difficultto make out. Look hard enough however,and you'll find an Earth-wide battle betweenZeon and Earth forces, each side equippedwith mobile suit technology. Missions can betackled from the overview of a world map andin any order you wish, while new assignmentsbecome available on a day-to-day basis. Playerscan pilot, upgrade and maintain mobile suits,and can fight for either side. Cash rewards formissions completed give you currency withwhich to buy better suits. In theory, that's howG u n d a m w o r k s .

In practice, Gundam: Crossfire is barelyn playable. We blame the game's frame rate,which we reckon must run as low as lOfps andonly as high as what looks like about 20fps.

Control is awkward and clunky even when theframe rate reaches its upper limits; at the lowerend Gundam: Crossfire brings a whole newmeaning to the term 'robot dancing'. Collisiondetection, too, is comically poor. Take a swipewith a sabre and you can inflict damage onanother mobile suit simply by cutting the airbetween you both. There's no need to actually,say, make a connection.

Of course, the advantage with most mechgames is their multiplayer possibilities; MobileSuit Gundam: Crossfire sadly can't lay claim tosuch a strength. A split-screen two-player modeis available, but this is flawed for the samereasons - outlined above, in case you missedthem - as the main game. The lack of an onlinemultiplayer mode, however, is not somethingthat we're mourning.

The fact that Gundam: Crossfire is aPlayStation 3 title only serves to highlight thegame's technical shortcomings. And, as is oftenthe case, severe deficiencies such as theseprove detrimental to the gameplay. PS3owners, please take our advice and saveyour money for Armored Core 4.

FRAME GRIDE [DC]

VFRniCT2/10 C H R O M E H O U I \ H ) S

AN EMBARRASSMEISTTTO ALL INVOLVED

g a m e s ' ' ' 1 0 3

▶

c a m m R r i D E R

REVIEW I YOSHI'S ISLAND DS I NINTENDO DS

YOSHI'S ISLAND DSIF IT AINT BROKE, WELL, YOU CAN AT LEAST MAKE A FEW CHANGES

F O R M A T R E V I E W E D

N i n t e n d o D S

O R I G I N

J a p a nP U B U S H E R

N i n t e n d o

D E V E L O P E R

A r t o o n

P R I C E

R E L E A S E

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■ Die lir^ boss, essendally a giantbogey, needs to have all hiscoloured balls licked off beforehe'll go down. Yes, really.

magine the scene: you're a relativelysmall Japanese developer with acouple of minor hits {Blinx The TimeSweeper and... er, Blinx 21 and at

least one absolute atrocity (Yoshi's UniversalGravitation) under your belt. Suddenly, the phonerings. What's that? Why, it's Mr Nintendo. "You'dliice us to make the sequel to what many considerto be the best 2D platform game of all time? Eventhough we screwed up the last time you gave usa Yoshi title?" That's some pretty intense pressure.After all, the eyes of the gaming world - or at leastthose people sporting rose-coloured glasses, wholove to criticise when things made today aren'tas good as things they played over a decade ago- are going to be focused on whatever you end

up delivering to Nintendo's doorstep, hoping andpraying that it's at least as good as it used to be,if not better. So, how do you make sure you don'tincur the wrath of ever/one who's just dying foryou to fail? Work hard? Come up with some kind ofrevolutionary new gameplay element that makeseveryone sit up and take notice?

Well, no. What you do is fairly obvious - youtake the original game, see what made it great,

and then copy it, changing enough to ensure thatthe result can still be categorised as a new gamerather than a rip-off or, more in keeping withNintendo's own past handheld exploits, a directport of something you've already released. To be

fair, this isn't always a bad thing so long as youdon't take it to extremes - and yet that's exactlywhat Artoon has done with the DS sequel toYoshi's Island. Or so it seems. You turn the gameon and skip through the requisite story (about howKamek the evil wizard Koopa has come along andkidnapped all the babies-including Baby Luigi- exactly as he did in the last game), then you seethe rotating image of Yoshi's Island (just as you didin the last game - seriously, it's a perfect replica,albeit one done in eel-shaded 3D), you then startthe game as a Yoshi carrying Baby Mario on hisback (ho ho, just as you did in the last game).Yes, it goes on like this for a while. You still collecthidden flowers that offer chances at life-givingbonus games, hunt for secret red coins scatteredamong the regular yellow ones, grab stars thatadd vital seconds to the time limit you have if youhappen to drop Baby Mario along the way - if wedidn't know any better, and sometimes we don't,we'd suggest that this might be the same gamewe played some 11 years ago.

Some five or six levels in though, you start torealise that it's not. Parts of levels go unexploredas you fruitlessly try to access them to no avail;newly created golden coins go uncollected simplybecause they exist only as dotted silhouettesand then, most importantly. Peach shows up.As a baby. With an umbrella. It's here, not evenhalfway through the game's first world, thatArtoon applies the biggest - and, admittedly, only

P L A Y E DT M I S A L R E A D Y ?You'd think so, but no-despite looking virtuallyidentical, this is actuallya completely new game.Really, it is.

Q . I T D O E S N TL O O K r r

Thafs the idea; it retainsthe proven mechanicsand then adds tinyt o u c h e s t h a t m a k e t h eo l d f o r m u l a e v e n b e t t e r ,

Q . B E S T B A B Y ?

We'd go with Peachb e c a u s e s h e c a n h o v e rand fly up to out-of-reachplaces-against her,Mario's so Eighties.

If you spot a fan, chances are you'll need to come back withPeach in tow and use her umbrella to reach higher ground.

While die action takes place primarily on die screen you're on,you need to watch for bonuses appearing eidier above or below you.

106 games" "

MINI-GAME, MAXI-FUN?One of the more throwaway elements that Artoon

has added to the mix are the all-new mini-games- a selection of short-lived antics, available in Easy

or Hard, that can be unlocked by simply stumblingacross them during the main adventure. Unlockingmini-games isn't hard, so long as you explore everynook and cranny of each level, but any that you dounlock become selectable from a menu at the start

of the game, and from there you can play them overand over to earn better medals. Why you'd want to

is anyone's guess because they're not exactly thebest thing. Seeing how far you can hover? Oh, per-lease - still, at least they're there if you want them.

© © © © © ©

■ So. Yoshi carries the babies around and die kangaroo carries Yoshl...?God knows why, but hey, rt wot1<s so we can't complain.

-twist: introducing multiple abilities. By carryingdifferent babies on Yoshl's back - Mario Initially,Peach a little way In and then, eventually. DonkeyKong - Yoshl earns new abilities such as beingable to run fast a la Mario in, well, every 2D Mariogame; perform longer floating jumps and evenride on air currents to reach higher ground, likeSuper Princess Peach; and climb vines DonkeyKong Jr style. That these abilities are spread

J ( < £ : ^■ Hie route you take dirough the game needs to be a more considered

affair than usual - get diose Slinking caps on.

■ Only on DS. You wouldn't get a boss diat stretches over two scieens onany other handheld. Though diat's fairly obvious...

somewhat scattershot throughout all the levels- or as scattershot as organised level design canbe anyway - means that you have to swap outbabies at designated Stork Stops along yourtravels, leading to much experimentation as towho you need to access which secret areas andeven some semblance of backtracking throughprevious explored stages to capture those missingflowers, red coins and big gold coins. Hey, It's aMario-based platform game. The anally retentivecollecting of Items Is a must.

Not surprisingly. It's this rather Integral shiftaway from simple 'how the hell do I get up

there?' puzzle solving to a more cerebral methodof plotting your course through each level thatraises the game somewhat. True, more obvioustweaks - such as having the action spreadacross both screens, with the option to switchbetween them and look up and down at yourleisure - might seem impressive, but It's merelywindow dressing used to cover up a lazy way ofhiding items and other secrets just out of reachby comparison. And yes, there'll be people whocomplain that Yoshi's Island DS is incrediblyfamiliar despite these few tweaks, but that'shardly an issue. Not only is the percentage ofpeople who'll have played through both gamesrelatively small, but also a little familiarity neverhurt anyone. Two thumbs way up for Artoon then,which can only be a good thing, especiallyif those thumbs help us forget that Yoshi'sUniversal Gravitation ever existed.

VERDICT 8/10PROOF THAT THE OLD IDEAS ARE OFTEN THE BEST

I enhancedI|j| TWO UP, THREE down nI aeon - look out stretch

Y O S H I ' S S TO RY

B E T T E R T H A N

J U S T L I K E

Y O S H I ' S I S L A N D

I Shiny, happy people with giant spiky heads. Run, Yoshi.

games"" 107

REVIEW I RAYMAN RAVING RABBIDS I NINTENDO Wii

RAVING ABOUT RAYMAN ON Wii

R AY M A N R AV I N GR A B B I D S

8 X generation" rarely touch t/-« analogue or D-padTiote treatment.

T 1FORMAT REVIEWEDN i n t e n d o W i i

O R I G I N

F r a n c e

PUBLISHER ^ Û b i s o f t

i DEVELOPERI n - H o u s e

P R I C E

£ 3 9 . 9 9

RELEASE8 D e c e m b e r

PLAYERS1 - 4

I t stands in the shadow of thehype and anticipation of TwilightPrincess and Red Steel, so itsconceivable that Rayman Raving

Rabbids might not be considered a viablepurchase for games™ readers, especially asthe series has been developed with children inmind. But Ubisoft's latest Rayman game doesn'tconform to the model of its platform predecessors;it's been designed entirely around the Wii and itsmotion-sensing peripherals.

Ubisoft's Montpellier studio could be accusedof being short-sighted in its obvious application ofthe new technology for mini-games, though thiscan be forgiven as not only is it a launch title, butalso it's irreverent, entertaining and funny enoughto make us laugh consistently throughout thetime we played it. Despite the shallow storylineand obvious bent toward a younger generation ofgamers, it's effortlessly charming for all.

In this episode, Rayman has been capturedn by the Raving Rabbids and forced to take partin a series of challenges in a gladiatorial arenacomplete with Rabbid audience. The moods ofthe challenges range from quirky to madder thana bag of frogs, facilitated by the Rayman series'signature animation, a choice classical musicalscore and comic sound effects. Pulling wormsfrom teeth, filling scuba goggles with carrot

juice, drawing circles around farmyard animals,slamming toilet doors - there are some wildimaginations down in that continental studio. Andkudos to the genius that thought that slappingchoristers would make a good mini-game, wewere still chuckling about that one hours after wefinished with it.

Thoroughly exploiting the Wii control system,Rayman Raving Rabbids acts almost like ashowcase for the diverse range of actions theremote and nunchuk controller can be used forThey've even been categorised in the score modein the Start menu, from precision movements toWorkout mode - and that's no joke either Youusually get one workout challenge per day inthe story mode, which is enough when you'repumping your arms like an Olympic sprinter, evenif it is for only 20 seconds or so.

Rayman Raving Rabbids is a fun-size Wii titlewith universal appeal. It can't be considered aserious gamer's game by any stretch, though itwill make you laugh a lot, and even has somestaying power with the multiplayer challenges andextra modes to unlock. A compulsory purchasefor children, but our readers should onlyconsider Raving Rabbids if you have some f (Cspare cash after Zelda.

S U P E R M O N K E YB A L L A D V E N T U R E

B E T T E R T H A N

W O R S E T H A N

VERDinT7/inPLAYING FOR LONG PERIODS MAY CAUSE INSANFTY

Complete mini-games, gain more and more respect and even allyyou'll get treated like rovalty.

Rayman Raving Rabbids is definitely a far cry from any oftfie little legless dude's platform predecessors.

REVIEW I RIDGE RACER 7 I PLAYSTATION 3

NAMCO RELEASES ITS TRADITIONAL PLAYSTATION LAUNCH RACER. AGAIN. SAME OLD?

RIDGE RACER 7 8 GLOBALbaffles are ,

P[forwiat reviewed IPlayStation 3

[ORIGINJ a p a n

Ipub l isher"N a m c o

d e v e l o p e r

I n - H o u s e

P R I C E

¥5,800

1 RELEASEA p r i l{Japan/US: Out Now)P L A Y E R S

1 - 1 4

t wouldn't be a PlayStationconsole launch without a RidgeRacer release. And yet RidgeRacer 7 on PlayStation 3 isn't quite

as ludicrous as it sounds; in fact, it's a perfectmatch. /?/?7delivers on PS3's promise of 1080pvisuals - 60fps, all the way - and at the sametime provides online modes over PlayStationNetwork. It even makes use of PSS's hard disk,featuring an optional 5GB install that cutsloading times to almost zero. It's a showcasetitle demonstrating what the console can do, butis there much to Ridge Racer 7 beyond prettygraphics and solid net play?

The answer is yes, it also comes with soundgameplay. Cars handle wonderfully, driftingand powersliding around corners that haveobviously been designed for that purpose.There are no real-world courses or cars here;the whole thing is a racing fantasy The rewardfor effective drifting is nitrous turbo boosts thatcan be used in any of three levels of strength.As with every R/dge title since the series' PSPdebut, tactical use of these nitro charges is thekey to success. There is also now a slipstreamgauge indicating the aerodynamic effects ofyour driving line - get directly behind the car infront and you'll benefit from a hike in speed,

Namco hasn't neglected Ridge Racer's arcadeDorigins. Ridge 7's soundtrack-a collection of40 tracks including techno, house, and Ninetiesrelics such as happy hardcore and trance - isperfectly in sync with the game's unrealistically

colourful palette use.Everything here is 'maxedout'. There is no subtlety inRidge State. And it follows,naturally, that there is no reallearning curve in Ridge Racer 7 You'll figureout how to drive well and then you'll improveyour own game. It's all about cutting corners asquickly as possible, nitro-boosting at the righttime, and not losing your nerve. That's why themusic runs at such a high BPM.

There is a lot of game here. You beginby forging relationships with low-end carmanufacturers and, through series of racesand trials, eventually come to prestigiouschampionships and sign deals with the fakeFerraris of Ridge State. The incentive to continueis multifaceted: unlockable courses, motors,and audio tracks, as well as vehicle upgradesand modifications. Perhaps the most sustainedincentive however, is to be found online. It'sthere, in the game's global rankings, that friendsare made and fame discovered.

Essentially, what we have here is a furtherimproved and expanded version of Xbox 360'sRidge Racer 6. And that in itself makes RidgeRacer 7 notable as a great sequel. What preventsthis from receiving a higher score issimply that we've already played it sixtimes over before even booting it up.

RIDGE RACER 6

B E T T E R T H A N

W O R S E T H A N

VERDICT 7/10A THOROUGHLY DECENT SPOT OF RIDGE RACING

The blue flame of RKTs high-level nhro (other flame types are red andyellow) tears the peripheiy of the screen. Very impressive in motion.

Although jaggies are visible no matter what resolution it's played atdie game's scale and smoodiness of movement soon make you forget Drifting in Ridge Racer 7 is the quickest way to turn comeis. It's also great hrn.

g a m e s " ' 1 0 9

REVIEW I DEAD OR ALIVE: XTREME 2 I XBOX 360

DEAD OR ALIVE:X T R E M E 2BUYING IT FOR THE VOLLEYBALL? YEAH, RIGHT

I FORMAT REVIEWEDX b o x 3 6 0

[ORIGINJ a p a n

; PUBLISHERT e c m o

I DEVELOPERTeam Ninja

^ I C E£ 4 9 . 9 9

! RELEASEO u t N o w

1PLAYERS1 (1-4 Online)

ike it or not, all discussion of DeadOr Alive Xtreme 2 will be tingedby the situation Tomonobu Itagaki,its creator, now finds himself in.

Whether he is indeed guilty of sexual harassmentIs still unclear, though his persecutors will nodoubt delight in the release of his latest work,in which the voyeuristic and borderline sexisttendencies that are synonymous with the DeadOr Alive series are taken to new extremes. To thecasual observer, the content - or lack thereof - onshow here suggests some fairly damning thingsabout Itagaki's character.

Of course, we're here to review a game, notits creator, but even with all the goodwill in theworld we would struggle to find much praise forDOA: Xtreme 2. Despite the addition of somenew mini-games and girls to fawn over, this willbe very familiar to anybody who has played itspredecessor, and it inherits all of the game's flaws.

Dead Or Alive: Xtreme Volleyball wasbig on polish but

short on brains, and while this sequel is evenmore glossy, it's also every bit as vacuous.

For all the new features on show, there is littlesense you're getting a significantly different

game, and much of what's here starts to feelrepetitive a little too rapidly. The gameplay isnot so heavily focused on the volleyball thistime, with several new mini-games providing amodicum of depth. Purchase a ticket from thein-game sports store and you car gain access toa water slide, a deceptively simple looking taskcontrolled using the left thumbstick. Tug Of Warsees you and another girl standing on unstablefloating platforms, attempting to pull or fool youropponent into the water. It is more tactical thanit sounds - canny use of feinting is as essentialto winning as brute force - but not challengingenough to draw you in for long. Similar is thedubious Butt Battle where you and an opponentgo cheek-to-cheek on a large floating disc as youattempt to bump each other into the water. Withboth soft and hard attacks and a sidestep functionthis has a little more depth than it first appears,but like Tug Of War it's not significant enough toimpress. Beach Flags is easily the weakest of thedistractions on offer, showing little invention andboiling the task down to frenzied button bashing.

Q. HOW CAN YOUT E L L W H A T T H EG I R L S L I K E ?Trial and error mostly.There are a few cluesin the manual, but nottoo many.

Q . H O W D O Y O UK N O W W H E N T H E YL I K E S O M E T H I N G ?

They'll send it back ifthey don't, but evenwhen they keep it there'sno guarantee of success.

Q . S O U N D SC O M P L I C A T E D ?Not in general terms, butprobably more than its h o u l d b e .

X T B E M E B E A C HV O L L E Y B A a

D E A D 0 R A U V E 4

The water slide takes the foini of a racing game, with Hie lefl slick usedto keep you on the tack.

If you can find a quiet spot on the island, you'll be presented with a provocative a nee. Bring a camera.■ The camera angle on the volleyball is pooHy chosen and can often

result in unnecessarily lost points.

n o g a m e s '

Volleyball, the Casino and Pool Hopping allmake their return though little has been addedto freshen the experience. Pool Hopping - arace across the pool over a series of differentlyspaced floating platforms - is too simple aconcept to add much to, and like the WaterSlide it's a lot more difficult than it first appears.The casino has blackjack, poker, roulette andslot machines, and is the only activity availableafter each day's four time slots have been used,though that's unlikely to be enough to make youwant to visit too regularly. Despite the relativeabundance of other distractions, volleyballremains the game's most engaging pursuit. Afterfinding a partner - the game will immediatelyput you with Lisa, though a well-chosen presentcan win the affections of others - you can takeon two of the other girls at any time of day inseveral of the island's locations. Controls areshared between the A and X-buttons, makingthe game very simple to play, with decent Almaking amends for the brevity of each match.Of all the activities here, volleyball is the onlyone that actually becomes more entertaining asyou improve, the lightning-quick, frenzied ralliesstanding out as a high point in the gameplay.

Singling out DOA: Xtreme 2 as a flimsypiece of entertainment is far from a great

critical insight. Indeed, it could be argued thatthe game is lightweight by design. The realreason for its existence is to showcase Xbox360's power to realistically simulate jigglingbreasts, and whether that's your idea of agood time or not, the amount of attention paidis so exhaustive it's almost disturbing. Like

Certain locations allow you to 'be friendly' with your partner, tfs notnearly as interesting as it sounds.

some perverse analogy for chaos theory, eventhe tiniest footstep can lead to an eruptionof movement topside, and for many this willhave enough hypnotic power to keep youreturning. We, however, are not among them.The game's underlying goal is to befriend thebuxom women of the island by buying thempresents. The various activities may take upall of your time, but they're little more thanmoneymaking ventures to finance extravagantgifts. Ultimately, this means that unless you buyinto DOA: Xtreme 2's dubious central conceit, itis little more than a collection of fair to middlingmini-games. Each girl has her own distinctivetastes, style and favourite colours, which doesprovide a tactical element to giving a gift, butwhen the reward is a 30-second snippet ofanimated ladies grappling on a beach, the riskreally doesn't seem to be worth your time.

Of course, this is purely a matter of personalpreference. Pretending that there isn't a marketfor animated glamour girls is wilful ignorance,and simply because some people find it tastelessdoesn't mean that others won't find it titillating.Cheap thrills, however, are the only real reasonto give £50 and your precious time over to agame like this. Anybody who suggests that thevolleyball in DOA: Xtreme 2 is a good enoughsimulation to justify the expense either earns farmore money than we do or is simply too proudto admit that animated bosoms float theirboat. Just as Mr Itagaki intended.

WAVE RACEDead Or Alive: Xtreme 2's most promising new

addition is its jet-ski races. Using the A-button toaccelerate, left and right triggers to banl< and X for

a turtjo boost, ifs a cut above every mini-game buttlie volleyball. However, where the other activities

are challenging at first the jet-ski is surprisinglysimple to master, and as long as you have enough

money to upgrade your craft when required it is nogreat hassle to win every race you participate in. For

a game in desperate need of depth and variety thisis a real missed opportunity.

The Butt Battle really has to be seen to be believed, hut is little morethan a passing distraction.

verdictJ5/ioALL BEAUTY AND NO BRAINS

Any photos you take will be kept for posterity in a photo album. Justdon't let your mum see it I The jet ski is the most impressive new addition, but it does little to add any real value.

g a m e s * * 111

REVIEW I WARIOWARE: SMOOTH MOVES I NINTENDO Wii

■ This is exactly as difficult as it sounds. Just scribble with the Remote. ■ 9-Volt offers up a far amount of not-so-retro gaming this time around. Animal Crossing, for instance.

WARIOWARE; SMOOTH MOVESMETHOD THAT'S PACKED FULL OF MADNESS


N i n t e n d o W i i

'ORIGINJ a p a n

[PUBUSHERN i n t e n d o

i DEVELOPERI n - H o u s e

P R I C E

£ 3 9 . 9 9

[RELEASE

I PLAYERS

11 2 g a m e s ' "

he Nintendo Wii console is certainlynot going to be short of titles thatpromise fun in the form of 'mini-game madness.' We've already

seen known franchises like Tony Hawk's andRayman being overhauled and adapted to fit theWii philosophy, but WarioWare is a series thatwas ready for the WII some time ago.

The problem is that on the one occasion Itventured away from portable platforms, some ofthe charm that WarioWare provided died. Still, itdid have a superb range of multlplayer games,and that's what we were expecting with the WIIversion. Nintendo, on the other hand, doesn'tseem to have thought It necessary, opting insteadto concentrate on the single-player experienceprimarily, leaving the multlplayer games thatbecome available after a solid two hours of playfeeling a little tagged-on.

This Isn't necessarily a bad thing; themultlplayer options are adequate and providean entertaining enough experience. The troublearises because they're rarely more Inventive thansimple elimination games, and this makes It hardnot to see the glaring potential that the single-player campaign (If you can call It a campaign)takes advantage of so well.

It may not have turned out the way many[Hhad expected, but as a game played alone orby taking turns. Smooth Moves excels. All the

characters - plus a coupleof new additions - featurewith their own brand ofmicro-game, and the varietyavailable easily ensures thatthis Is among the best theseries has ever offered.

The extreme variety is, unsurprisingly, downto the WII Remote. Being prompted at the startof each micro-game to take on one of manydifferent Remote-waving 'Forms' slows the gamea little In comparison to some of the chaoticspeeds achieved by Its forerunners, but having amere three seconds or so to place the Remote onyour nose to assume the 'Elephant' position addsfar more to the experience than it perhaps should- as previously stated: WarioWare has been

waiting for WII to arrive.So a superb solo experience that can be

shared with ease is what's really on offer.Whereas the addition of better multiplayeroptions would have seen the title becomeessential, what's featured Is more thanenough and better than most of the manyalternatives that have appeared.

V E R D I C TA S M A D A S Y O U ' D E X P E C T

th is t i t le

REVIEW I SID MEIER'S RAILROADS! 1 PC

As each in-game year passes, newer technology and trains willbecome available.

I Yes, we think it is. Nothing feels better than a well-deseivedpat on the back. No siree.

I After a while, your landscape will be buzzing withnwnstrous trains headed toward their destination.

S ID MEIER'S RAILROADS!"OH, I'VE BEEN WORKING ON THE RAILROAD"

here's nothing better than feelingcompletely at ease on a Sundayafternoon. You've had a goodweekend, the sun's shining and you

just want to sit back and relax - Railroads! may bethe perfect complement for this mood. Charmingand addictive, it manages to tweak the basicfundamentals of a train simulator and in doing sooffer an accessible experience for anyone willingto spend some time with it. The spiritual successorto Railroad Tycoon III, it concentrates on makingthe game fun rather than overly involved. Granted,anyone who was enticed by the economicsand complexity of the third instalment may bedisappointed, but for those who want to enjoy thethrills of constructing their own railway empireneed look no fu r the r.

The genius behind Railroads! is its ability tosuck you in. All it takes to start any of the 15scenarios is a single track between two majorcities. As soon as your earnings begin to increaseand your productivity swells, you'll find it difficultto pull yourself away. As you have a giantlandscape to build upon, finding the optimumroute to deliver your goods is a real treat. There'salways the option to make a direct path, but thatdoesn't necessarily mean it's the best; it mayresult in intersecting trains requiring you to finda way to ensure they don't block one another.It's this continuous theme that makes Railroads!stand out - keeping an eye on what you've done


P C

O R I G I N

U S

P U B U S H E R

2 K G a m e s

D E V E L O P E R

F i r a x i s G a m e s

P R I C E

£ 2 9 , 9 9

R E L E A S E

O u t N o w

P L A Y E R S

1 (2-4 Online)

M I N I M U M S P E C

Pent ium/Ath lon1.4GHz, 512MB RAM,64MB Graphics,DirectX 7 compatiblesound card, 1.7GBHDD space

while making the right steps forward without theneed for too much fluff in the middle.

For those who so desire, there's the choiceto dabble with the economic side of things -

though it's not as complex as before - and you'llhave plenty of occasions to improve upon yourexisting technology. Fans of the series may find itslightly upsetting that these do not feature moreheavily, but they're still present in some form.The fun increases when going head-to-head withanother train mogul, be it human or Al. The truecapitalist beast will have to be called upon as thewinner is the first to buy their competitor out ofbusiness. This will require setting up the mostefficient routes and supplying the various citieson the map with supplies before your opponent.It's a fast, simple, intuitive form of pleasure.

This is not to say that Railroads! is withoutits faults. It does offer less content than someof its predecessors, and there's little point inplaying unless you have well over the minimumrequirements needed and have downloadedthe latest patch from 2K Games' website.Still, Railroads! offers a relaxing, engrossingexperience that is bound to attract thosewho have the mindset and patience.A subt le work o f ar t .

RAILROAD TYCOON I I I

VERDICT 8/10 RAILROAD TYCOON I IWILL WIN YOU OVER WITH ITS MILD-MANNERED CHARM

g a m e s " " 11 3

LMISSING link1 6 ^ ^ * V _ I L . l / \ i l \

THIS TITLE

REVIEW i TONY HAWK'S DOWNHILL JAM I NINTENDO Wii

A NEW STYLE FOR TONY, BUT THE FEELING'S BEEN PRESERVED

TO N Y H AW K ' SD O W N H I L L J A M

a g; ^ r r n m


N i n t e n d o W i i

O T H E R F O R M A T S

Nintendo DS, GameBoy Advance

O R I G I N

U S

P U B U S H E R

A c t i v i s i o n

D E V E L O P E R

Toys For BobP R I C E

£ 3 9 . 9 9

R E L E A S E

O u t N o w

P L A Y E R S

1 - 4

(though Wii has only been on ourshelves for a couple of weeks, thestmggle to make effective use ofmuttiformat releases is already

apparent. Shoehorning a 360 game onto suchincompatible hardware was always asking fortrouble. So it's great to see Toys For Bob create aTony Hawk's that ignores its trick-nailing brethrenin favour of a more arcade-like experience that'stailored to the technology and its audience.

Nintendophiles may equate it with 1080°but DownhillJam most obviously recalls EA'sSSX. Each event throws four skaters down a hill- first to the bottom being the winner. Boosts

may be activated by performing mid-jump tricks,and short cuts are placed liberally around eachlocation. It's not a revolutionary system for theextreme sports racer by any stretch, but it doeswork. Races exhilarate from start to finish, takingon an almost Sonic The Hedgehog fee\, as eachskater smoothly grinds and ollies from onepart of the scenery to another. As such, findingthe shortest racing line becomes of secondaryimportance to figuring out exactly which parts ofthe track offer the best trick opportunities.

The fast pace of the action demands preciseD analogue control, an area that DownhillJam

shockingly excels in. Tilting the horizontallyheld remote is analogous to the shifting of theskater's weight from one side to the other, andworks well both on a flat surface or on a rail. Newplayers will need a period of adjustment to getaccustomed to the controls, but it'll only be a fewseconds before they find themselves weavingbetween the San Fran traffic like a seasoned pro.

That Toys For Bob has managed to master Wii'scontrols so quickly is nothing short of a triumph.Ifs such a shame, then, that certain elements ofthe more traditional game design let the sidedown. Multiplayer modes, for example, suffer fornot allowing human players to compete againstCPU skaters. The biggest flaw however, is lessforgivable: each short cut is signposted with ahuge and needless red arrow - a slap in the faceto anyone who ever played a videogame. Half thefun of DownhillJam cou\d have been in huntingdown every last secret route, but Toys For Bobhas thrown away what would have been themost compelling part of the game. Still, despiteits condescending moments. DownhillJam remains an impressive extreme racerthat's difficult to not recommend.

VERDICT 7/10

D O W N H i a B I K E R S

BETTER THAN EXPECTED BUT NOT QUFTE BRILLIANTS S X O N T O U R

REVIEW ELITE BEAT AGENTS 1 NINTENDO DS

ELITE BEAT AGENTSIT'S READY, STEADY GO FOR THE WESTERN OUENDAN


N i n t e n d o D S

O R I G I N

U S

P U B L I S H E R

N i n t e n d o

D E V E L O P E R

i N i S

P R I C E

$39.99

R E L E A S E

TBA (US: Out Now)

P L A Y E R S

1 - 4

e m e m b e r O s s u ! Ta t a k a e ! O u e n d a n

r e v i e w e d b a c k i n i s s u e 3 7 ?

That was a niche Japanese releasethat became a genuine word-of-

mouth phenomenon and was a real signifier ofthe power of the Internet. Gaming forums buzzedexcitedly with discussion about this Idiosyncraticand massively addictive rhythm-actloner AmongIts strengths were Its remarkably Inventive andsometimes downright weird stories, not tomention Its catchy J-Pop soundtrack, so hopesweren't high for a Western translation given that ItsInnate 'Japanese-ness' seemed key to its appeal.Fas t - fo rward 15 mon ths and we have wha t I s

essentially a sequel - while EBA wisely retains thesame mechanics, the stories and songs have allchanged - and, amazingly. It's every bit as good asthe original.

Replacing the male cheer squad of Ouendan,the titular agents - their Blues Brothers cool

dented somewhat by their camp dance routines- are sent to help various people In distress.

They appear on the scene to save the day byswaying and singing along to a series of songs,which Is accomplished via the same numericallysequenced tap, drag and circle manoeuvres asthe first game, Nintendo and INIS must have hadtheir work cut out matching the quirkiness thatcharacterised Ouendan, but they've managedIt with a series of stories presented In a verysimilar style, but which are by turns surprising.

uplifting, funny and emotional. Thesoundtrack - a mix of recognisableoldies with a few recent US punk-pophits - Isn't as Impressive, but you'll likely end upenjoying stages with songs you'd ordinarily hate.

That's the beauty of this patented magicformula - when you find yourself hummingSkSrBoior Destiny's Child's Su/v;Vorduring theday, you know you've been playing somethingspecial; It's no coincidence that these songs havetwo of the best stories In the game. Top marks,however, go to the INIS trademark ballad - anOver The D/sfance-rlvallIng moment that'll haveyou In tears - and the last stage, which beatseven Ouendan's Incredible finale for making yourha i r s t and on end .

Add to this the new song-specific dance moves,three bonus stages, and enhanced multiplayeroptions, and you have yourself a sequel that ticksall the right boxes. All the original's most Importantfacets - its charm. Its unforced wackiness. Itsperfectly judged difficulty curve, and that feelgood factor - remain intact. Elite Beat Agents can'tmatch Its predecessor for freshness or tunes, butwith more intuitive beat placement and some later

stages that will test the reflexes of evenveteran Ouendan-'ites, Ifs just as essentiala purchase.

VERDICT 8/10A CULT CLASStC BECOMES... ER, ANOTHER CULT CLASSIC

R H Y T H M T E N G O K U

O S S U ! TATA K A E !O U E N D A N

■ A Hallywood director struggles to make his latest love-and-giant-catsblockbuster, 'Romancing Meowzllla'. Told you it was strange.

■ A deserted island witfiout a liatch, a smoke monster, and polar bears? ■ These material giris look like they're being attacked by a psychoticPertiaps we've been watching too much Lost raccoon, but apparently he's just keeping them wami.

g a m e s ' " 11 5

REVIEWS ROUND-UP

mFORMAT REVIEWED: PlayStation Portable OTHER FORMATS: Nintendo DSORIGIN: Canada PUBUSHER; Ubisoft DEVELOPER: In-House PRICE; £49.99R E L E A S E : 8 D e c e m b e r P L AY E R S : 1 - 2

The combat Is nothing more than perfunctoiy. h wofks, thafs about it

STAR WARS:LETHAL ALL IANCEIN A GENERIC UNIVERSE FAR, FAR AWAY...

hristmas is here again,and the l i cences a re

out in full 'force'. Itwou ldn ' t be the fes t ive

season without a sub-par Star Warsgame, and 2006 is no exception. TheLethal Alliance suhtitte may conjureimages of Vader working with Luke inan Ingenious Head Over Heels-sty\eempire builder, but this bland romp isabout a girl and her pet robot

Within minutes of the openinglevel, it's clear you're in familiarterritory. Corridors, lock-on, greywalls and lasers - stop us if you'veheard it before. Yes, Lethal Allianceis as generic as they come, withcontrived level design, dull gameplayand only a tenuous Star Wars link.

The one saving grace is the tag-team manoeuvres that Rianna and

her robot can activate. These rangefrom wall scaling, Metroid Prime-sl^\emagnet walking and a few bulletdodges. They do break up the one-button shooting, but the huge bluearrows that tell you when and whereto use these abilities detract from theirinventiveness. This is gaming for themasses; completely undemandingand uninspired, but solid enough toappease the cerebrally challenged.

Lethal Alliance is certainly not theworst videogame hitting shelvesthis Christmas, but its blandnessalmost makes it offensive. There arefar finer PSP action games out there- leave the licences to the

uninformed and the elderly.You know it makes sense.

VERDICT 4/10A S B L A N D A S I H E V C O M E

FORMAT REVIEWED: Nintendo DS ORIGIN: Canada PUBLISHER: CodemastersDEVELOPER: In-House PRICE: £29.99 RELEASE: 1 December PLAYERS: 1-2

R A FA N A D A LT E N N I SVIRTUA TENNIS DS, ANYONE?

■ l a g i a r i s m I n g a m e s I s

j ■ rife - the borrowingI of a mechanic like

. -- Halo's energy bar, orthe rip off of a concept (stand up.Saints flow) - ifs frowned uponbut RNTgets away with it. This isas unashamed a facs imi le of Vi r tua

Tennis, but it feels more like a cheekyscamp than a cynical cash-in.

Perhaps it's the novelty of tennison DS, or the fact that W isn'tavailable on the machine, but Rafa's

very likeable. There's an option fortouch-screen control, and while it's

largely useless, the effort that's goneinto its execution is clear. Whencontrolled with the touch screen, it

plays like a clumsy 'Wii Tennis'.

Played with the face buttonsthough, this becomes a competent

Virtua Tennis done with a decentselection of shots, and greatanimation, but a clone that reveals itsweaknesses over time. The lob, for

example, is near unusable against Alfoes, being too slow and high to catchanyone out. Also, your player willoften ignore easy volleys and groundstrokes despite you hitting the shotbutton. Frustrating in a tense rally.

Still, RNT'is a pleasant surprise;a proficient DS tennis game, andanother excellent use of the singlecart download system - two-playervideogame tennis will never get old.And, if nothing else, it's evidencethat Sega should unleash VTonNintendo's handheld, elseRafa may steal its crown. 3/

VERDICT 5/10A N U N A B A S H E D V I R T U A T E N N I S C L O N E

Its Advantage Rafa Nadal as DS moves in on theVirtua Tenn/s-style action.

Nadal Tennis also supports doubles, always themost frantic form of tennis.

Occasionally, you can team up with Zeeo tomove through on-rails boredom sections.

Hands up if you've done this sin a videogame. The different surfaces make little change to the flight or bounce of the ball.

116 games " *

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I M A C I N EP U B L I S H I N G

hXBOX 360 LIVE TEST

ONLINE ALL THE TIME - THAT'S THE XBOX 360 WAY. BUT THEN, ARE THE GAMES YOU CAN PLAY WORTH THE

TRIED & TESTEDThe games™ Xbox Live Test has ttended to feel like something of anafterthought: a cursory mention of theprevious few months' biggest and bestt i t l e s , a n d t h e o n l i n e m o d e s t h e r e i n .B u t a s w e m o v e i n t o 2 0 0 7 , w i t h s i xcurrent videogame platforms capableof providing broadband-fuelled gaming,it's high time the concept of an onlinereview was discussed and explained.

As we all know, the online space hasa number of unmanageable factors that,although outside of the developmentteams' control, are still integral to theexperience. Community, competi t ionand connectivity must be taken intoa c c o u n t a l o n g s i d e t h e s t a n d a r d a r e a sof (^ticism - the game itself, its modesa n d m a t c h t y p e s . S o w i t h t h i s i n m i n d .Halo 2's onslaught of teenage-Americanhatred would impact on its score if itw e r e r e v i e w e d t o d a y. L i k e w i s e , O u t R u n2 , w h i l e b a s i c i n t h e e x t r e m e , i s m a d e a l lthe more pleasurable by the mature andfriendly community it enjoys.

T h e s c o r e s s h o u l d b e t r e a t e d w i t h t h esame weight that our traditional reviewsenjoy, and as we sail into next year thesection will expand to encompass allspheres of online gaming, from PC toDS, and from Wii to PS3. As always,y o u r f e e d b a c k i s w e l c o m e , a n d w w w .gamestm.co.uk/forum is the place to airy o u r v i e w s .

S o , w i t h t h a t i n m i n d , h e r e i s t h e fi n a lXbox Live Test, and the template to thefuture of our magazine's treatment ofthe online review. Enjoy...

GEARS OF WARDOES HALO'S CHALLENGER HAVE THE FIREPOWER?

As half of the games™ team raises itscollectively groggy head for another midweek working day, it's abundantly clear

that Gears Of War fever has taken hold. Thesymptoms? Obsession, tension, mood swings,disturbing dreams - usually involving explodingheads or the sound of revving power tools. Anda red cog permanently burned into the retina.The cure? Just keep on playing.

Gears'single-player campaign and offlineco-op and multiplayer wowed last month, butno one was prepared for how quite deep itsdeathmatch would sink i ts claws. A four-on-four exercise in close-range tactical combat, thegame relies on the judicious use of the headset,a keen eye and a steady hand. The coversystem that underpins the whole experienceis revelatory, instantly erasing any thought of'Gears Of Halo' and lending the game a Clancyfeel, albeit a brutal, visceral and surprisinglycerebral one.

The basic deathmatch, Warzone, wil l be mostplayers' first port of call, but jumping straightinto a ranked game will yield terrifying results.After the connection issues are bypassed - atfirst it seems impossible to get a game sojoin one with a low number of players - theoverwhelming difficulty of 'ranked' takes over.You will die, and die quickly. In order to 'learn'

Gears Of War, you'll need seven like-mindedindividuals and a private lobby.

And this is where the game begins to shine.Matches are tense, tactical affairs with the focuson teamwork, and generally the side with thebest communication skills will prevail. There areno respawns here so should you bite the bullet,you will be taken to the 'dead lobby' - a placeto watch CCTV footage of the map - or followa still-living team-mate. The living cannot hearthe dead, and vice versa, so expect to be caughtshouting orders that fall on deaf ears as yourhapless team-mate is outflanked by a maraudinggroup of locusts. And should you manage thewinning kill, the roar that greets your return tothe lobby is pure videogame elation.

After t ime, the ranked games becomeless threatening, and most players will haveevolved into the Execut ion match type. Here,you have to finish 'downed' opponents witha shogun or boot to the head, or a chainsaw.It encourages teams to pair up so they canrevive one another, and is far more rewardingthan Warzone. Assassinat ion, a mixture ofSaints Row's Protect The Pimp and Halo 2'sJuggernaut, is a fun aside, but cannot comparewith the might of Execution.

So, stepping back into the ranked field withrenewed confidence leads to mixed feel ings.

Unsurprisingly, as you can only enter a gamealone, the groups of strangers barely talkto each other. So, you have to look out foryour own back. Fantastic when you nail anunsuspecting Frenchman with a brain-poppingsniper shot; horrendous when the disgustinglycheap grenade tags cause you to explode intomany, many pieces. If ever a game needed aranked clan match, it was this. Epic, we prayyou are listening.

The community is generally decent, with agood mix of stoned Americans and hyperactiveteenagers, lacking the hatred of Halo 2 but alsothe enthusiasm of F.E.A.R. A comms bug thataffects latecomers is a pain, as is the inabilityto alter game types and maps from the lobby,and the occasional mild lag can make gamesagainst the US tough, but this is an onlinetriumph. The next big Live thing? Oh, you'db e t t e r b e l i e v e i t .

9 / 1 0IF EPIC FIXES Th IT WILL BE NEAR PERFECT

g a m e s ' " 11 9

RAINBOW SIX VEGASTHERE'S NO 'I' IN TEAM SHARPSHOOTER'

After witnessing a triumphant return toform for the Montreal Studio's tact icalshooter last issue, we spent the better

part of the weekend of its release trying out themost important aspect to any Rainbow title: theon l ine componen t .

As highlighted by our gun-toting Americancolumnist the most disappointing element inR6V\s Ubisoft's continuing decision to have twoseparate teams working on each component ofthe title, with the single-player module lookingvastly more polished than its online relation, ala GRAW and Splinter Cell Double Agent. Thisdecision, according to Ubisoft, is in the bestinterest of the consumer and their experienceonline. As such, a reduction in graphical quality,such as lighting effects, has been made in aneffort to improve online frame rates.

With some levels looking less refined thanothers - though this is more a passing thoughtthan a lingering problem - the online experienceis, for the most part, lag free. Lag only becomesan issue if a player with a poor connection isin your lobby so it would appear that Ubisoft'sdecision has proven successful - the manyhours we've pumped into this are testamentto that. However, given that Epic managed toproduce Gears Of War's onl ine combat withoutany visual sacrifice, this 'explanation' shouldn't

really be acceptable, especially with bothpowered by the Unreal Engine.

Disappointment aside. Rainbow Six Vegashas managed to capture the online spirit thatmade Black Arrow so successful. Spread overten maps, the game modes haven't differedgreatly from Black Arrow - Attack & Defend,Survival , Sharpshooter, Team Survival , TeamSharpshooter, Retrieval, Co-op Terrorist Huntand Co-op Story - with the latter incorporatingall the missions from the single-player gameand allowing up to four people to play. Betteryet, this online element features the full visualsof the single-player and is all the better for it.

One of Rainbow 6 Vegas' USPs is the facemapping achieved via the Xbox Vision Camera,something most Rainbow fans have beendrooling over - the anticipation of placing aheadshot between the eyes of one of yourmates (or, more realistically, a screamingAmerican teenager) is a satisfying prospect.While the quality of the face mapping is visuallygood, this selling point quickly loses its appealas anyone who has his or her face mappedwill hilariously receive the bald-on-top 'PatrickStewart' effect. You can use the tactical helmetto cover your shiny dome, but the custom faceis severely limited in options and is ignored bymost gamers .

As with Battlefield 2, R6Vfeatures a statussystem whereby rising through the militaryranks, by way of experience points, unlocksvarious headgear, body armour and weaponry.Points are earned depending on your finishingposition in the game, and your team'sperformance. Thankfully, points can be gained inranked and unranked (player) matches so you'renot punished for opting to play private matchesover publ ic.

The match customisations for the host isvaried: you can set your 360 as a dedicatedserver, employ various item restrict ions, setmap cycles, select ranked/player matches, andlimit the number of players within the lobby- up to 14 players only. In fact, the set-up feels

comfortably familiar to Black Arrow in almostevery characteristic, both in game and out.

While less visually next gen in onlineappearance. Rainbow Six Vegas is a thoroughlyentertaining game offering the best modesof the series, a healthy selection of maps- Ubisoft will officially confirm downloadablecontent next year - and a great community ofplayers. The bitter memory of Lockdown hasbeen firmly ban ished.

9/10SET TO REPEAT THE ONLINE PERFORMANCE OF BLACK ARROW

CALL OF DUTY 3ONCE MORE UNTO THE BREACH

Call Of Duty 2 on Xbox Live was a phenomenalsuccess - at least, once the lobby system hadbeen implemented some months after its initialrelease - and proved to be one of the most playedXbox Live games of 2006, coming second only tothe unflinching Halo 2, which itself only recentlysuccumbed to Gears Of War. Picking up where C0D2left off. Call Of Duty 3 expands the multiplayer arenasto accommodate the increase from 16 to 24 playersonline. While 12-on-12 team battles are reassuringlyimmense and thoroughly enjoyable - akin to thelarge-scale battles experienced in Battlefield 2:Modern Combat - ihe dec is ion to c rea te maps

designed for a minimum of 12 players is perhaps itsonly flaw. One of the reasons its predecessor provedso popular was because a group of between fourand eight friends could get together for continuous,none-public player carnage on appropriately designedmaps. Now, the same smallish group of friends canspend an eternity trying to find their next kill - hardlya recipe for sustained success.

That said, when you venture out into the massiveonslaught of public battles, the map sizes come intointended effect, offering a large battle experienceunlike anything seen or felt in Call Of Duty 2.Deathmatch battles are ferocious and frantic, butmost importantly lag free - something few gamescan claim, as most suffer the multiplayer migraine insome small way or another.

Surely inspired by Battlefield 2: Modern Combat'sConquest mode, Activision has designed its own re-imagining of it with War. This new mode - the onlynew addition over C0D2 - is in a similar vein, butrather than beginning with neutral zones, and bothteams fighting over control, the Allies must take eachAxis-controlled zone in a fixed sequence, with thegoal to secure all Axis-occupied zones within a settime. While a fun diversion from the bread-and-butterteam battles and popular Headquarters mode, it failsto work as well as the aforementioned, or indeed theclassic Capture The Flag.

1/10GREAT FUN, BUT NEEDS SMALL-SCALE DLC MAPS ASAP

S P U N T E RC E L LD O U B L EA G E N TDOUBLE YOURPLEASURE THIS IS NOT

When Pandora Tomorrowwas released, its onlinefunctions proved a successemploying the stealth tactics ofthe spy versus the first-personbrutality of the meres - onlywithout Sam Fisher. Two sequelson and the online componenti s f u r t h e r a fi e l d o f t h e c o r eattraction. Developed by adifferent team from the single-player, the Live multiplayer is awatered-down affair. Featuringvarious co-op and single-playerchallenges split into three skilllevels and straight up spy versusUpsilon Force meres (up to three-on-three), the online experienceis a shadow of the game itself,feeling more like a Splinter Cellt r i b u t e t h a n a n e x t e n s i o n o f i t .

Suffering from lag even withthe simplified visuals, the biggestdifferences are the weaponsand functionaPity of both sides,while the proxy alarm (a close-range movement radar fornercs) has annoyed many spies

|who prefer breaking necks tonpleting objectives. Also,

i online complaints over unfinished' games due to unsporting hosts

Iquitting when dying early hasJ sparked calls for a patch to fix this; and the stat system. Not Sam's

fi n e s t h o u r .

5/10NOT NEARLY AS ENGAGING AS

P A N D O R A T O M O R R O W

121

Xbox360 LIVE TESTONLINE ALL THE TIME - THAT'S THE XBOX 360 WAY. BUT THEN, ARE THE GAMES YOU CAN PLAY WORTH THE

P H A N TA S Y S TA RU N I V E R S EPUTTING AN END TOFINAL PHANTASIES

After the wild misfire that was Final Fantasy XI, a game that blindlyputs its faith in bee-murdering than it did hand-holding, it wasalways going to take one hell of an MMORPG to bring the curious backinto the fold. That's exactly what Phantasy Star Universe does. It hasthe accessibility and the fun without losing sight of the genre's need forplayer growth, and drama.

More importantly. Phantasy Star Universe also acknowledges thesocial side of MMORPGs, allowing you to drop in and out of parties withminimum fuss and automatically setting up new voice chat channelswithin your group. With a slim class system cutting down on inter-partypolitics as everyone decides who does what, it means finding people toplay with - the main reason anyone picks up an MMORPG - is incrediblysimple. With a mission-based structure keeping the gameplay tightwithout losing its freedom and streamlined controls, this is a lesson inhow console MMORPGs should be done.

9/10T H E O N LY C O N S O L E M M O R P G Y O U N E E D

T O N Y H A W K ' SPROJECT 8WHY ON EARTH ISTHERE NO HORSE?

If ever a game was crying out for online leader boards, it's Tony.Comparing combo scores with chums, and, if you're good enough, theworld, is the natural evolution of the series' numerical one-upmanship.Which leaves the actual online play feeling a little empty. When you canbeat your friends offline, why challenge them in person?

This is not to say Project 8's Live modes are particularly lacking,merely uninspired. The usual combo mambo, trick and score attacks arejoined by bizarre Tron/Snake hybrid 'Walls', and the lack of lag makes fora diverting online experience, but it all lacks permanence. Your greatestever combo is far more likely to come during a comfortable solitarysession in the skaters' paradise of Pro/ecf 8 than a quick-fire onlinechallenge, and as such, online is best left as an arena for casual play andconversation rather than competitive skating. Also, the lack of 'Horse' isborderline criminal, presumably left out so impatient teenagers wouldn'th a v e t o w a i t f o r t h e i r t u r n .

E /10SOLID STUFF, BUT HARDLY ENTHRALLING

T I G E R W O O D SPGA TOUR ' 07" G E T I N T H E H O L E . . . "

Golf is very inoffensive, and EA's latest capturing ofthe gentleman's sport is probably the best It hasever been - even if it is visually disappointing giventhe similari t ies to the previous incarnation. Online,

Tiger '06 proved a relaxing, so-so experience, if miredwith terrible lag that spoiled the experience.

Now smoother online. Tiger '07 instead suffersanother problem: that of missed putts.. . putts that,according to the commentary, were holed on yourscreen. The game seems to reverse that conclusionand instead continues as though you missed the putt.This happened on more than one occasion whileplaying online, and we'd be lying if we said it wasn'tincredibly upsetting, especially when money andpersonal banter with a friend are riding on holing out.Aside from this odd and somewhat rare occurrence.Tiger '07 is a very pleasant game both offline andonline, and, when played with friends over Live, offersan enjoyable and more sombre onl ine competit ion tot h a t o f G e a r s O f W a r a n d P G R 3 .

1/10

F I FA ' 0 7

E A S H O W S K O N A M I H O WI T S H O U L D B E D O N E

The match engine may be average at best, but theeffort EA has gone to in ensuring a stellar game ofonline football cannot be ignored. From the synchingwith TalkSport radio to the myriad tournament, leagueand co-op options to the lag-free matches themselves,FIFA '07 serves as a painful reminder of just howbehind the online times PES really is.

And because of this, FIFA '07 becomes far moreenjoyable as a Live game. With both players sufferingthe inadequacies of the engine (bizarre shooting, ropeyball physics), the challenge simply comes throughbesting your opponent at a videogame, rather than afootball match. And, as PES shows, scoring againstan unknown foreigner is scarily exciting, almost as ifyou're doing your patriotic duty by guiding a digitalsphere into a polygonal net. This is how online sportshould be played. Obviously, the FIFA engine becomesits own undoing causing frustration with its awfulfinishing and defending, but as a glimpse of the futureof football, you couldn't ask for more.

7/10HING TO DO ON A SUNDAY A BRILL IANT ONL INE TREATMENT OF AN AVERAGE GAME

Although not radicallydifferent from last year'seffort, NBA 2K7 plays anextremely good game of onlinehoops, with a multitude ofoptions, decent connectivityand a largely lagless net code.The ability to create your ownhighlight reel and upload it, a laBurnout, is inspired, and in theend, it's only the loudmouthsin your ear that let it down, butthis is not a game that trulyrequires a headset. Another fineexample of Xbox Live sportingcompetition from 2K Sports.

5/10

N H L 2 K 7

Again, the 2K Sports machinedoesn't disappoint, witha fine game of Live hockey tobreak up ail the shooting andmaiming. Beating the Canadiansat their own game is prettytough, but with practice anda b i t o f l u c k w e c a n s h o w o u rtransatlantic cousins a thingor two about puck control.Unfortunately, connectingto a game proves somewhattroublesome - hopefully a patchwill appear soon to fix it. All ina l l , a d e c e n t e f f o r t . _

7/10g a m e s " ' 1 2 3

Xb©x360 UVE TESTONLINE ALL THE TIME - THAT'S THE XBOX 360 WAY. BUT THEN. ARE THE GAMES YOU CAN PLAY WORTH THE

PRO EVOLUTION SOCCER 6TEETERING ON THE BRINK OF DISASTER

It was so close. If this review had beenwritten just a week earlier. Pro EvolutionSoccer 6 online would be staring down the

barrel of a 3. Before Konami's life-saving patch,it was impossible to enter a custom game,and nearly impossible to receive a challenge.And if you actually managed to get a match,the button-lag was absolutely crippling. PES, agame as reliant on split-second timing as StreetFighter, became a broken mess - a to-me-to-you challenge in running toward goal and preempting when to press shoot. Horrible.

Then, a month after the game's retail release,Konami released the fabled patch. The gamewas playable and, in fact, thoroughly enjoyableagain. Does it excuse the bare-bones options orthe mysterious disappearance of online co-op?Certainly not, but at least it gives the worldwhat it has always wanted, PES online.

The basic divisional structure adds spice to theranked proceedings, and the allure of overtakingyour friends proves PES's greatest draw, but intruth, reviewing this online must be a cautionarytale. Avoid anyone offering a five-minute match,as they'll attempt to go one-nil up then passthe ball between their back four until full time- not fun. Also, avoid the top-ranked players:not because you might be heavily beaten, theprospect of a giant killing is more than enoughreason to risk that. No, unfortunately, most ofthe top-ranked players will be using the pause-cheat to gain their results.

We won't advertise how to do it, but there'sa bug that freezes the game. So, if you're one-nil up with 88 minutes gone and your gamelocks up, you know what has happened. As youmay know, disconnecting results in a 3-0 loss,so these 'freezers' try to cheat the system toimprove their ranks. Disgusting.

If Konami hasn't patched this ridiculous bugby the time this review is published, then itis inexcusable. A good game ruined by a bugthat should have surely been flushed out waybefore release. Even if it is fixed, it will notstop the rather repugnant community usingevery cheap trick and tactic known to man togrind out a victory. Be it the overuse of man-tank Adriano or the flagrant hacking down of

online, and this is where the game shines. Aswith the offline multiplayer, the joy at scoringa wondergoal or landing a last-ditch tacklehasn't diminished in a decade of PES, and if itcomes against an anonymous foe, it is amplifiedfurther. It may be drowning in faults and foibles,but i t 's unavoidably compel l ing.

One recommendation for any PES onlinerso u t t h e r e : d o n ' t l o o k a t F I F A . W h i l e E A ' s m a t c h

engine still pales in comparison, its Xbox Liveefforts make PES look like a heroin-addled tramp.Next year, be it on PS3 or otherwise. Pro Evo needsa minimum of two-on-two, it needs tournaments, itneeds leagues and H needs to work properly straightout of the box. Or the devout Pro Evo followers may

begin to look elsewhere.

6/10RIDDLED WITH PROBLEMS, BUT HIGHLY ADDICTIVE

I KONAMI

E F F O R T ? W E ' V E S P E N T P L E N T Y O F T I M E W I T H E A C H O F T H E M S O Y O U D O N T H AV E T O WA S T E T H AT C A S H .

F E A R .

DELICIOUSLY OLD-SCHOOLS H O O T I N G T H R I L L S

With all the focus on Gears, Rainbow and Call OfDuty of late, it 's sometimes good to rememberthe online shooter's past. The Quafre-style arenabattle that felt less like urban warfare, and more likea gladiator ia l combat/every man for himsel f , wherespeed, accuracy and reaction time mean the differencebetween life and death. It's almost become a sport initself, and F.E.A.R. stays faithful to the genre's roots. Atheart, this is as retro as online shooting can get.

The whole thing moves with relentless pace- you're never more than a few seconds away

from combat, and the weapon set allows players tocarve out their own niche, be it a shotgun master or anail-gun machine. The slow motion batt les - a mixturebetween Halo's Juggernaut and The Matrix - help tofreshen up a slightly tired theme, but it's the out-and-out bloody fighting that wil l keep you coming back formore. F.E.A.R. is not for everyone, but for the Quakersof this world. It's like a dream.

7/10A FAST PACED. RETRO-FUELLED SHOOTER

NEED FORS P E E D C A R B O NCAUGHT BETWEEN AROCK AND A HARD PLACE

Whenever the series has ventured online it's beenan acceptable yet mediocre affair that's deliveredexactly what was expected of it In a relatively smoothmanner that's typical of EA and its effective lobbysystems. No surprises, then, that this latest instalmentv a r i e s l i t t l e f r o m t h i s n o w w e l l k n o w n r o u t i n e .

As you'd expect, the main race types from the single-player are available online with the actual process offinding and launching games being relatively painless.However, boosting the regular online package is theinclusion of Pursuit Tag and Pursuit Knockout modesthat both see some players (all except one in Tag andthe last in each lap in Knockout) assuming the role ofcops, effectively allowing the superb pursuit aspects ofthe game available online.

It's not the most essential online title, but with thegame likely to do very well in the Christmas charts- as usual - there's guaranteed to be plenty of decento n l i n e a c t i o n o v e r t h e n e x t f e w m o n t h s .

7/10AS GOOD AS YOU 'D EXPECT

A r c a d eP e r f e c tTHE NEXT BIG XBOXUVE HAPPENINGS.. .

S M A L L A R M SPlaying like an explosive tributeto Super Smash Bros Melee,online play finds itself at themercy of crude character balanceas the fun is exhausted by thesame two characters alwayscropping up. Ifs passable butwithout a strong offline modefeels like a missed opportunity.

D E F E N D E RE n h a n c e d m o d e c o l o u r s i n t h em o u n t a i n s w h i l e R e t r o i s a sfaithful a tribute you'll get, butboth suffer from 0-pad problems.A c h i e v e m e n t s a r e w e l l b a l a n c e dand Live play isn't bad, but sadlyyou have to get around that D-padto draw Defender ou t o f i t s she l l .

R O B O B L I T ZA cutesy platformer that showsthe fu tu re o f new IP on XboxL ive Arcade to be in rude hea l th .R o b o B l i t z c o m b i n e s r e s o u r c e

management shooting atother robotic enemies, puzzlesolving and, of course, a healthyamount of jumping onto movingplatforms to good effect.

g a m e s " ' 1 2 5

Violence and technology... not good bedfellows Prehistoric Isle 2, Arcade [SNK] 1999

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P O N Dt t h e b e s t « >ions, the USA or UK?a discusises his

RETRO NEWS, REVIEWS,CLASH OF THE TITANS,

HOWARD SCOTT WARSHAW,PUYO PUYO, MONKEY

ISLAND 2, AND MORE...

8 - B I T - ' E M - U P STTie best fighters on

Speccy & C64

H B O W R O O Me rise and fall of the

tiplayer arcade game

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Find out what's going on in thehere and now of retro gaming

Yes. Christmasi s u p o n u sonce again. Byt h e t i m e y o u

r e a d t h i s , m y N i n t e n d oWii should be firmlye n t r e n c h e d b e n e a t h

t h e T V s e t , r e a d y f o ra h a r d c o r e s e s s i o n o n

Z e l d a . B u t c h a n c e s a r e

that I won't be spendingt h a t m u c h t i m e o n a n yn e w c o n s o l e s a r o u n d

t h e C h r i s t m a s h o l i d a y .Yo u s e e , i t ' s b e c o m esomething of a t radi t iont h a t e v e r y D e c e m b e r Ih a v e t o d u s t o f f t h e S e g aS a t u r n a n d p l a y C h r i s t m a sN i G H T S t o c o m p l e t i o n ,u n l o c k i n g a l l t h e p r e s e n t sbefore the year is out.

T h e r e ' s s o m e t h i n gm a g i c a l a b o u t N i G H T Sa n d e v e n i f i d i d n ' t

h a v e a f e s t i v e l y t h e m e dv e r s i o n I ' d p r o b a b l y s t i l lb e p l a y i n g i t a r o u n dC h r i s t m a s a s i t i s t h a t

s p e c i a l . W i t h t h a t i n m i n d ,I ' m e s p e c i a l l y p r o u d t o

p r e s e n t t h i s m o n t h ' s l e a dRetro feature, a four-pageb e h i n d t h e s c e n e s l o o k

a t N i G H T S I n t o D r e a m s .

I can confidentially sayt h a t t h e r e ' s n e v e r b e e n

an interview in which Yuj iN a k a r e v e a l s a s m u c h

a b o u t N i G H T S a s h e h a sh e r e . E n j o y t h e a r t i c l e a n db e s u r e t o l e t m e k n o w

w h a t y o u t h i n k . H a p p yC h r i s t m a s .

Ashley Dayretrt^magine

- p u b l i s h i n g . c o . u k

N E W D R E A M C A S TSHOOTER FOR ' 07T R I G G E R H E A R T E X E L I C A P O R T E D F R O M N A O M I

Reported in Japanese arcademagazine Arcadia in lateNovember, the unbe l ievab le

news of yet another new Dreamcastgame reaches us this month.Trigger Heart Exelica was originallydeveloped by Warashi for Sega'sNaomi arcade system in May 2006and wi l l , according to Arcadia, bereleased on Dreamcast in Februarynext year under the new name ofTrigger Heart Extention. The verticalscrolling shooter received averagereviews fol lowing i ts arcade debuts o w e ' r e n o t t o o e x c i t e d a b o u t

Extention, especially as most otherNaomi ports have been identical tothe i r a rcade counterpar ts . Hav ingsaid that, the slightly altered titledoes suggest some kind of bonusc o n t e n t o r r e m i x . N e v e r t h e l e s s ,t h e v e r y f a c t t h a t a n o t h e r n e wDreamcast game is on its way can

only be extremely good news forfans o f the mach ine . Sega 's l as thome conso le recent ly ce lebra tedits eighth birthday, over five yearsafter Sega abandoned the hardwareto pursue third-party development.Yet with Trigger Heart Extention

and the ind ie shoo te r Las t Hopeboth on the way to Dreamcast in2007, it looks as though the oldconsole still has some life left in it.Now, if only someone would releasea game that isn't a shoot-'em-up.

LEMMINGS 2 FORP L AY S TAT I O N 3B R A N D N E W D O W N L O A D - O N L Y S E Q U E L

Following Team 17's hugelys u c c e s s f u l r e i n v e n t i o n o f t h e

Lemmings brand on PSP andPlayStation 2, the Yorkshire-baseddevelopment team is now busilyworking away on a sequel. Rathert h a n c r e a t e a j a z z e d - u p r e m a k eof 1993's Lemmings 2: The Tribeshowever, the team has chosen tocreate a completely original sequelwith fresh new puzzle possibi l i t ies

i n c l u d i n g m a c h i n e s t h a t w i l lteleport or clone the Lemmings,a n d a t l e a s t 4 0 b r a n d n e w l e v e l s .

The game will also take advantageof PlayStation 3's power with a fullwidescreen, 1080p HD display.

T h a t L e m m i n g s 2 w i l l o n l y b eavailable online is both a good anda bad thing. It 's great that online-enabled PS3 owners will get to buy

Lemmings 2 at a reasonable price;it's a shame that such a high-profilet i t l e w o n ' t b e a v a i l a b l e f o r t h o s e

without broadband. A more pressingmatter for Sony however, is thatTeam 17 is also working on Worms

H D f o r M i c r o s o f t ' s X b o x L i v e A r c a d e .

With such a killer app confirmed forM i c r o s o f t ' s s e r v i c e i t s e e m s t h a t

Sony has a tough battle ahead topersuade gamers that its serviceoffers a superior line up.

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DOUBLE DRAGONGOES LIVEC L A S S I C B R A W L E R C O M I N G T O 3 6 0

Feeling the current lull in XboxLive Arcade games? Fearn o t , t h e r e a r e m o r e j u s t a r o u n dthe corner s ta r t ing w i th Technos 'classic side-scroll ing fighter Double

Dragon. A l though few de ta i l s a rec u r r e n t l y k n o w n a b o u t t h e g a m e( i t h a s n ' t e v e n b e e n o f fi c i a l l yannounced as we type this) we dok n o w t h a t i t w i l l b e a v a i l a b l e i n b o t h

an arcade-per fect mode and a fu l l

h igh-definit ion mode.As can be seen in the screenshots,

t h e r e ' s a m a r k e d d i f f e r e n c e b e t w e e n

each vers ion . We pre fer the p ixe llook of the original ourselves, but it's

great that the publisher. Empire, hasoffered players a choice. Expect morei n f o a s s o o n a s w e h a v e i t .

▲ The high-res version of Double Dragon (arcade version, left).

VIRTUAL MSX FORWINDOWS PCSW O O M B . N E T F I N A L L Y L A U N C H E S

First announced several monthsa g o i n g a m e s ™ , w o o m b . n e t ,the service that allows IVISX gamesto be played on a PC, has finallylaunched. We spent an afternoongetting to grips with the service andare pleased to reveal that it doesn'td i sappo in t . Each game i s bough tand paid for on the websi te thendownloaded from a secure programthat s i ts on the PC desktop. The

p rog ram, ca l l ed MSXPIaye r, r unsl i k e a s i m p l i fi e d e m u l a t o r t h a ta l l o w s m i n i m a l t i n k e r i n g b u t i s

incredibly easy to run.T h e s e r v i c e c u r r e n t l y h a s 1 5

games ava i lab le a t less than teneuros each with more planned for2007. That ten euros might seemquite expensive, but the developerhas pu t a lo t o f e f fo r t in to eachd o w n l o a d . E v e r y g a m e c o m e swith a full digital manual, a file of

historical information and trivia, andin some cases, scans of the freebiest h a t w e r e o r i g i n a l l y g i v e n a w a ywith the games. More impressive ist h e f a c t t h a t s o m e o f t h e t i t l e s o n

W o o m b h a v e n e v e r b e e n a v a i l a b l e i nthe UK before. Compile's Golvellius2,for example, is an RPG that was onlyever released in Japan but has beentranslated into English especially fort h e W o o m b r e l e a s e .

An excellent service all round then;if anyone is even remotely interestedi n M S X g a m e s t h e n w w w. w o o m b .net should be their next port of call.

Ke txo-D I A R YOlilschool gaming is on the up, so games™dedicates itself to keeping you up to date withwhat's going down in the world of retro

J A N U A R Y ' 0 7

S A L A M A N D E R P O R T A B L EDate: 25 January Publisher: Konami Price: ¥4,679 Format: PSPKonami's three separate collections of classic shoot-'em-ups allarrive on the same day in January. Parodius Collection is mentionedin the release list on page 20, but what of Salamander? Thecollection includes Salamander, Life Force and Salamander2, whichare all excellent little shooters that play in the Gradius style. As abonus the disc also includes Xexex, an R-Type-style shooter that hasnever been ported to consoles before.

T W I N B E E P O R TA B L EDate: 25 January Publisher: Konami Price: ¥4,679 Format: PSPAlso out on the 25th Is Twinbee Portable, a collection featuringKonami's vertical-scrolling shooter. Included on this disc Is Twinbee,Detana Twinbee, Twinbee Yahho and Pop'n Twinbee. Although theTwinbee series isn't as well loved as Gradius or Salamander, it'sstill a very decent shooter that plays like a parody of Xevious. Thecartoony ships are able to shoot, throw bombs and even grab ateam-mate's ship and throw it at enemies.

I M P O S S I B L E M I S S I O NDate: 26 January Publisher: System 3 Price: TBA Format: DS, WiiDue to be re-released on DS and Virtual Console on the same day,the classic C64 platform game Impossible Mission is back. TheDS version makes great use of the bottom screen to include a fullmap and a touch-controlled puzzle section while the Wii version isexpected to be more traditional as with the upcoming PSP version.We've played both and can confirm that fans of the vintage Epyxgame will not be disappointed.

N E X T M O N T H I N

r e t r oG A M E Ri s s u e : 3 3

On Sale: 04 JanuaryP r i c e : £ 4 . 9 9

V " o

Highlights: The well-rounded Retro Gamer 33 features a healthymix of Japanese, American and British games. The Americanclassics Earthworm Jim and Alter Ego get the 'Making Of treatment.Policenauts and Street Fighter III keep up the Japanese end, while a'Company Profile' on Sensible Software celebrates one of the bestBritish developers. Oh and there's a six-page feature on the CD32,written by games™'s own retro writer. Don't miss it.

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1 0€

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Ipve .for fCaterina was now" l i t u a t t r r u i a w a s n o wHe reluctantly abandoned

DS BEARS THE 'LODE'

It's finally happened. After nearlytwo years of shoddy collectionsa n d b u t c h e r e d r e n n a k e s ,Nintendo DS has been graced

with a retro game that's as good asthe original classic and makes gooduse of the console's capabilities.

Lode Runner is essentially thesame game that has been aroundfor the last 13 years since its debuton Commodore 64. Although itstarted life as a Br0derbund game,the classic platformer has workedits way through numerous formatsand developers over the yearsand now rests wi th Hudson Sof tin Japan. Aside from the fact thatenemies have been replaced withBombermen, Hudson's Lode Runnershould be instantly recognisable to

■ Trap enemies by digging a hole in front ol them. Like so...

m s a . A

E ; W A

Format: Nintendo DSPublisher: Hudson Soft

Developer: In-HouseX Price: ¥3,550 (£16) J

anyone who grew up with the gamein the early-Eighties. The aim, asalways, is to collect the mounds ofgold that are scattered throughoutthe level while avoiding the enemiesthat re lent less ly home in on the

player The real tr ick comes fromthe main character's ability to diga hole either to the left or the rightso that an enemy momentarily failsin. Time the digging right and it'seven possible to kill an enemy whenthe pit magically refills and trapsthe enemy. As levels progress, thedifficulty soon ramps up as the goldmounds are placed in positions that,at first, seem impossible to get to butcan actually be located with somevery clever digging. It's because ofthis element that Lode Runner is

i ; ^ ^ a ; ' A i ^ a

■ The level-design mode works a treatNice one, dianks a lot Hudson.

often considered to be more of a

puzzle game than a platformer Forthe sake of comparison, it's almostlike a sideways Mr Driller.

As noted. Lode Runner DS hardlydiffers at all from previous iterations,but then that's not such a bad thing.Class ic re- re leases have far toooften suffered from unnecessarytinkering, so it's great to see thatHudson sticks to what it does best.This is an unashamedly old-schoolLode Runner that won't disappointseasoned fans. That said, Hudsonhas made a couple of additionsbased on the DS capabilities, butthey're all extras that improve theexperience without affecting thecore gameplay.

During the main game, the onlyreal addition is that the top screenconstantly displays a detailed radarthat shows where all the gold is aswell as the positions of the playera n d e n e m i e s . A s t h e b o t t o m s c r e e n

shows a zoomed- in v iew o f t heaction, it's tremendously helpful tokeep track of everything that's going

on with the radar The greatest use ofNintendo's DS however, is the touch-controlled level designer, whichworks just as you would expect. Allof the elements that make up yours t a n d a r d L o d e R u n n e r l e v e l c a n b e

picked from an icon bar that runsalong the bottom and then, usingthe stylus, positioned wherever youlike within the level itself. It's perfectlyintuitive and will take only momentsto get to grips with although itcan take several minutes to figureo u t h o w t o s a v e a l e v e l d u e t o t h e

Japanese menu. Once that's done,c u s t o m l e v e l s c a n e v e n b e w h i z z e d

across to someone eise's DS usingthe magic of Wi-Fi.

As a retro re-release. Lode Runneris a terrific little DS game. ThatHudson has opted not to mess withthe formula too much, works in thegame's favour - especially as theoriginal was so good to begin with- so we wouldn' t have a problem

recommending this to any longt i m e L o d e R u n n e r f a n . N e w c o m e r s

may want to think twice however,as this may be a bit too retro forthem. The difficulty curve is theone thing that's likely to put mostpeople off as after about five levelsthings become incredibly tricky. Ahuge time investment and a lot oflateral thinking will be needed, whichmay be too much for those who arelooking for a pick-up-and-play title.Those who are willing to put theeffort in, though, will find that whena levei is conquered, it's one of themost satisf/ing feelings in games.

■ The enemies are relentless; dawdling lor a secondcan mean dead).

O V E R A L LS C O R E

7 9 %

■ l 3 2 " G A M E S ' " R E T R O

A N D N O T AF I FA 9 5 I N S I G H T

Format; PlayStation PortablePublisher: Electronic Arts

Developer; In-HouseP r i c e ; £ 3 4 . 9 9 y

■ If you've never played Hauftdaglhea you'll neverknow what you're missing out on.

With PSP retroc o m p i l a t i o n saccounting for aliealthy portion of

the handhe ld 's month ly re leasesthese days, it was only a matterof t ime before EA (or ElectronicArts as it was known before lazyabbreviations became fashionable)released a collection of hits fromits own back catalogue. And hereit is: EA ffep/ay throws together 14of the mega-publisher's best gameson a single disc. But is the collectionworth the £35 asking price?

We l l , t h a t r e a l l y d e p e n d s o nhow much you like the games thathave been bundled. St i l l , there'sno getting around the fact that 14games simply isn't al l that manyw h e n y o u c o n s i d e r t h a t S e g a ' s

Mega Drive Collection offers over30 titles for only £20. It may seemlike an unfair comparison, but Sega,w h o s e c o l l e c t i o n s c o r e d 9 4 % i n i t s

games™ rev iew last month, hasraised the bar so high that anyonewho fails to jump over it will end up

being left behind, especially if thequality of the games isn't up to thes a m e s t a n d a r d .

S o d o e s E l e c t r o n i c A r t s h a v e

enough bri l l iant t i t les in i ts backcatalogue to warrant a full-price retroc o l l e c t i o n ? T h e s h o r t a n s w e r i s t h a t

it undoubtedly does, the problem isthat half of those games are nowhereto be seen in EA Replay. What hasbeen included here is essentially acollection of EA's 16-bit games, mostof which are emulat ions of thei r

Mega Drive ports. So although thism e a n s t h a t s o m e a l l - t i m e c l a s s i c s

such as Syndicate and Desert Strikeare included, it also means that itsw e l l - r e m e m b e r e d C o m m o d o r e 6 4

games, like Racing Destruction Setand Rea lm Of Imposs ib i l i t y, a re

■ ffoadffas/risstilljustassatisfyingasever

more conspicuous by their absence.Perhaps EA assumed that suchgames were too graphically crudefor PlayStation Portable owners, orperhaps there were legal reasonswhy they couldn't be included.Never the less , the i r absence w i l lcome as a particularly hard blowt o a n y o n e w h o r e m e m b e r s h o w

special the Electronic Arts games ofthe Eighties were.

There's no hiding the fact thatwe're pretty disappointed by EAReplay, but that 's not to suggestthat there aren't some decent gameshere. On the contrary, there areo n e o r t w o t i t l e s t h a t s t a n d o u t a s

some of our favourite games of alltime. Haunting Starring Polterguy isdefinitely the standout game of the

pack. For those who've never playedit. Haunting puts the player in controlof a teenage poltergeist whose task isto chase an entire family out of theirhome by possessing objects aroundthe house and causing them toperform all manner of creepy deeds.It's a startlingly inventive game, even13 years after its original release.

O l d f a v o u r i t e s l i k e R o a d R a s h a n d

Desert Strike are just as much funas we remember but are let down

by the inclusion of their sequels,which really aren't different enoughto bother with. And this is yet anotherproblem with EA Replay, when theidentikit sequels to Road Rash, DesertSt r ike and Wing Commander aresubtracted there are only actuallyten original games here. In short,EA Replay isn't a particularly bad setof games, it just isn't tremendouslygood value for money and is letdown by the fact that it could havebeen much, much more.

T H E F U L L L I N E - U P

B . O . B .

B u d o k a n

D e s e r t S t r i k e

Jungle StrikeHaunting Starring PolterguyMutant League FootballR o a d R a s h

Road Rash I I

Road Rash I I I

SyndicateUltima: The Black GateV i r t u a l P i n b a l l

Wing CommanderWing Commander: Secret Missions

O V E R A US C O R E

V 6 0 %

GAMES™ RETRO ■ 133

R e l e a s e d : 1 9 9 6F o r m a t : S a t u r nPublisher: SegaDeveloper: Sonic Team

IN AN EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW, YUJIN A K A TA K E S S O M E T I M E AWAYFROM HIS TOP-SECRET PROJECTSAT PROPE TO CHAT WITH GAMES™ABOUT ONE OF THE GREATESTSEGA GAMES OF ALL TIME: THEWONDERFUL NiGHTS INTO DREAMS

Yuji Naka: die man behind NiGHTS,Sonic and so many other classics.

Yuji Naka, and his former developmentstudio, Sonic Team, may well be mostfamous for creating Sonic The Hedgehog,

but over the years the veteran game designer hasbeen responsible for so many more significantvideogames than the 'hedgehog with attitude'. Youname it, Phantasy Star Online, Burning Rangers,Samba De Amigo. Naka has been responsiblefor a list of classics so long it could rival the workof even Nintendo's Shigeru Miyamoto. Of all his

games however, there is one that stands headand shou lders above the res t . I t i s s t i l l one o f the

most inventive and original games of all timeand is dearest to the heart of almost every longtime Sega fan. We are of course referring to thew o n d r o u s N i G H T S i n t o D r e a m s .

1996 was a landmark year for 3D platformers,with every major console playing host to a gamethat revo lut ion ised the genre. N64 launchedwith Super Mario 64, and the multiformat TombRaiderfound its natural home on PlayStation. TheSaturn, meanwhile, was bestowed with IViGHTS,a p l a t f o rm game so un ique , so comp le te l yunconventional that it's hard to call it a platformerat all. And while Mario and Lara leapt into thehistory books, NiGHTS was somehow forgottenby all but the hardcore. Those who do rememberit however, know that NiGHTS was a sublimeexperience. Its goal - to fly a floating jester-likecreature through the dreams of two chi ldren,col lect ing orbs and comboing ' l inks' betweencheckpoints - was unlike that of any other game,yet it was typical of just how different Sega was toits competitors in the mid-Nineties.

Pinpointing NiGHTS' inspiration is not easy.Though its speed and motion vaguely recall thefluid movements of Sonic, there really isn't agame like it, so it's unsurprising that Naka foundinspiration from outside the television screen."NiGHTS has been inspired by various titles andcharacters," he says, "I personally think that it wasinspired by my very favourite. Cirque du Soleil'sMystere". A brief look at the Las Vegas stageshow, in which graceful masquerade charactersbounce and soar through a dream-like landscapefilled with mesmerising patterns that shift with theaction, certainly throws up a few similarities. Thevisual likeness between performance and gameshows exactly where NiGHTS' fluid movementsoriginated, but how did Naka intend to transferthose movements into the hands of the player?

Of course, NiGHTS could function normallywith a standard Saturn control pad, but the ease

with which the main character could glide throughthe air, diving, looping and pirouetting at will,was at odds with the controller's stubbom digital

D-pad. A custom controller, specifically designedfor the acrobatic needs of NiGHTS was just whatSonic Team needed. "The analogue pad was amust-have item in terms of having the playersexperience the great feeling of flying in the air.Also, this might be a secret but the first personwho touched the trial version of the analoguepad was actually Steven Spielberg. When hevisited Sega, I did a presentation of NiGHTS, andthat is when he touched the pad," recalls Nakawith some pride for the innovative controller thatlaunched alongside the game just 12 days afterSuper Mario 64 debuted with its own speciallydesigned controller. The impact of Nintendo's padquickly resonated throughout the industry withother companies soon redesigning their own padsto match. In some ways this was a shame as thelimelight could so easily have shone on Sega'scon t ro l l e r had re lease schedu les been d i f f e ren t .

As w i th N in tendo 's own landmark , Sega 'scontroller brought the player closer to the game,involving them in the action as no other haddone before. It was a feeling that Sonic Team hadpersevered long and hard to achieve. "Expressingthe feeling of flying in the air and the creation ofa totally new system was very challenging and

required trial and error," says

■ L *

*\w'' S '•G A M E S ' " R E T R O 1 3 5

W I U K }Of all the games without a full sequel, l\JiGHTSInto Dreams is perhaps the one single game thatmost often receives requests for a follow-up.Naka himsel f has of ten stated that he's re luctant

to create a sequel because he feels that theoriginal is far too special to risk tarnishingwith an inferior successor, but the truth isthat an official sequel was once in the works.The truth lies in the Saturn's analogue pad

and its mysterious detachablecable. "With the cable part of

the analogue pad

\ / * j f Z f d i s c o n n e c t , w e^ • had been test ing

a c o n t r o l l e r w i t h a n

^ i n c l i n a t i o n s e n s o r , s of t h e u s e r s w o u l d b e a b l ek to experience a 3D flying action* game named Aero NiGHTS," reveals

' ' Naka. "However, with sensor-relatedissues, the project had to be cancelledat the experimental stage."

T h e c a n c e l l a t i o n o f A e r o N i G H T Swas a shame as Sega's motion-sensitivecontroller could have further improved

the connection between player and\ character that allowed for such% smooth, intuitive flight. With the

i| launch of Wii, motion control hasa b e c o m e a p r o v e n t e c h n o l o g y .

X Perhaps Aero NiGHTS will seethe light of day after all.

Cirque Du Soleil's Mystere: the visual inspiration for NiGHTS.

- <

Naka. "The intention was to have the players feelsynchronised and reflect itself to the playing character.This is the reason why we tested quite a lot of differentpatterns. I remember having to narrow them down."

The relationship between the player and thegameworld was obviously of the utmost importance toSonic Team, who strove to inject as much emotion intothe game as possible, so much so that the results oftensurprised Naka himself. "Since NiGHTS was created toaffect as many people as possible, we researched a lotof colours and meanings of things by using differentmethods including dream diagnosis. I remember cryingwhen checking the in-game movies. I have actuallydeveloped many games, but this was the first and lasttime I was moved by my own game," he unexpectedlyadmits. Continuing on the subject of emotion, hereveals that: "The part I feel most proud of is that wesucceeded In affecting people without using words. Inrecent games, characters speak words and I feel thatworldwide, people are less likely to play by sharing thesame emotions and feelings. Many people wrote to ussaying that NiGHTS had affected them very much, andour staff were also very ovenwhelmed by it."

Where NiGHTS impressed on an emotional level, itequally made waves in the technological department.Although utilising full 3D polygonal graphics, most ofNiGHTS had originally been designed to play on a 2Dplane with fixed camera angles determining the courseof the action. Yet the power of the Satum, which waspredominantly designed as a 2D console, allowed Sonic

o u t a n d t h e m a i n c h a r a c t e r ■would transform back into ahuman and p lummet to ear thready for the player to guide themback to the start before a rampaging alarmclock caught up and awoke them. It was a slightlynightmarish scenario but one that technically pushedthe Satum further than anyone knew possible asthe children could roam the 3D landscape with fullanalogue control. Later games like Tomb Raider andBurning Rangers would push Saturn's 3D capabilitieseven further, but back in July 1996, NiGHTS provedjust how much everyone had underestimated Sega'sunderdog console.

Innovations followed in Al too. Sonic Team beganexperimenting with what would become the A-Lifesystem: a feature that would reappear in Dreamcast'sS o n i c A d v e n t u r e b u t w o u l d r e m a i n a n u n d e r

appreciated addition among most players. "The A-Lifewas developed with the team's desire to show thelife of living creatures in a very realistic environmentthroughout the game. The characters performed muchbetter than I had imagined so I enjoyed it very much,"explains Naka. The A-Life creatures took the form ofcherub-like beings, called Nightopians, which hatchedfrom eggs, roamed the game's landscape and evolveddifferently depending on their experiences. Somewould learn to play musical instruments, some wouldbreed with the indigenous enemies to create new lifeforms and others could even die tragically if the player

Team to do much more with the game than they hadanticipated. "At the start we thought that developingin full 3D would be very difficult so we created a 2D/3Dsystem for NiGHTS, however, in the midstream westarted to think that it might be possible and startedto experiment. The result was great and that is whatcame to be Claris and Elliofs on-foot section." Thesection he refers to happens when the time would run

m m

flew too close to them. In reality, the Nightopians hadzero effect on gameplay, but they were one of the

many fascinating incidental parts of NiGHTS that keptdedicated players returning to explore the gameworld.

Upon release, NiGHTS scored well in most specialistmagazines, but failed to have any significant impacton the charts thanks to the Saturn's poor sales in theWest. Still, the game was adored by well-informed

Satum owners encouraged to play it by

I enthusiastic reviews in the likes of MeanMachines and Computer & Video Games.Those who put the t ime into NiGHTSwere rewarded with a quite unexpectedexperience. Though some thought thegame too easy because levels could becompleted by merely collecting enoughorbs and swiftly moving on to the nextlevel, they had mostly missed the point.NiGHTSwas a game that asked its playersto replay every level, perfecting their routearound the twisting courses so that theycould combo 'links' together by movingthrough every on-screen ring as quickly aspossible without missing any. In essence,it was the only platformer of the time thatcould be truly played as a score-attackgame, and would go on to influence many

1 3 6 G A M E S R E T R O

f o r thcomingv i d e o g a m e sincluding severalr h y t h m - a c t i o nt i t l e s a n d e v e n t h e

Tony Hawk's series,though few realise it.

T h i s w o u l d b e

t h e p o i n t a t w h i c hm o s t b e h i n d - t h e - s c e n e s

features come to an end,but for Sega fans there'ssomething about NiGHTSthat is even more preciousthan the game itself andwe couldn't resist asking Nakaabout it. Christmas NiGHTS was atwo-level demo of NiGHTS given toS a t u m o w n e r s a s a C h r i s t m a s p r e s e n t ~ i n

Japan in December 1996, and in the UK thefol lowing December The disc was more than justa simple demo however; the Saturn's intemal clockknew when it was being played, and changed the

game accordingly. It would play like an ordinary demountil Christmas time when the setting and characterswould magically go all festive with tinsel, presentsand Christmas trees everywhere. Rnishing the demorewarded the player with a random 'gift', some of whichwere very simple illustration galleries while others wereincredibly special such as the Karaoke mode or eventhe level that changed the main character into Sonicthe Hedgehog, and the level's boss into Dr Robotnik.Due to its inventive twist on the NiGHTS formula andthe fact that the game was completely free, ChristmasNiGHTS is as well loved as the game itself. To thisday, many Satum owners will habitually dust off thedecade-old classic every Christmas to re-live the joy of

A Nightopian: the first incarnation of Naka's A-Ufe system.

4 •

playing this unique videogame. So how didChristmas NiGHTS come about?

"NiGHTS was the las t t i t le I cont r ibuted to

as a main programmer and also the time thata position as a producer started to becomeclear," explains Naka. "In order to introducethe title to as many people as possible, Icreated promotional assets such as vWeosand pamphlets. However, most of all, bycreating Christmas NiGHTS I was ableto plan services for fans - it was a good

challenge for me. The creation of ChristmasNiGHTS had two purposes. [It] was to create

a wonderful game and let as many people aspossible know, and it was also a Christmas

present for the fans from us. To tell thetruth, I am a fan of [Lemmings], and at

the time I was developing Sonic 2 -I was in the United States. One day,

when I went to the store, I foundHV a product called Christmas Lemmings and

that felt like a Christmas present from thecreator of Lemmings. I wanted the fans tofeel that same happiness through the gamethat I c reated."

So there you have it. Although Nakaadmits that Christmas NiGHTS was intended as a

marketing tool, it's heart-warming to see how much heconsidered the happiness of Sega fans. In fact, NiGHTSis one of the last Sega games we can remember that feltso special. It was a magical experience that bewilderedthe uninitiated but permanently endeared itself to anywho gave it a whiri. If you've never played NiGHTS IntoDreams then we implore you to hunt down a Saturnand give the game a try. But then, we're sure that ourreaders know a truly special Sega game when theysee it. After all, it was voted the twelfth best game ofall time in issue 42, a fact we felt compelled to relay toNaka. And his response? "I am very happy to see this. Iam also a big fan of NiGHTS so I am overwhelmed thatit is loved. Thank you very much."

A design document sftowing someof NiGHTS" acrobatic moves.

Sonic Team may not have produced a truesequel to NiGHTS, but that hasn't stopped themsneaking references to it into some of their othergames. Here are a few that obsessive fans shouldtry out: characters from NiGHTS make cameoappearances in Burning Rangers, Sonic Shuffle,Billy Hatcher and Sonic fliders. NiGHTS pinballtables appear in both Sonic Pinball Party andSonic Adventure. A short Game Boy Advancev e r s i o n o f N i G H T S c a n b e d o w n l o a d e d f r o m

GameCube games Phantasy Star Online andBilly Hatcher. Finally, the PlayStation 2 EyeToygame Sega Superstars features a NiGHTS mini-game in which players must outstretch theirarms to actually fly through NiGHTS' levels.

i

NiGHTS flies into action on PlayStation 2.

G A M E S ' " R E T R O 1 3 7

Retro Opinion...

HOWARD SCOTT WARSHAWIn 1982, Atari's ET: The Extra-Terrestrial failed to sell the millions of units that were produced,and inadvertently led to the videog[ame crash of 1983. In subsequent years, an urban legendemerged that all the unsold cartridges were buried in the Nevada Desert. But were therumours true? After 24 years, ET's developer, Howard Scott Warshaw, unearths the truth...

trouble. You have a warehouse full of unusable

Inventory - that's a lot of recyclable cardboard,me ta l s and reusab le p las t i c cases . You caneither spend a lot more money destroying thisinventory or you can cannibalise it and reducethe cost of making new inventory. Hiring trucks,s t e a m r o l l e r s a n d a w h o l e l o t o f c e m e n t i s a

major expense for a company drowning in redink. Which would you choose?

A n d t h e n , o f c o u r s e , t h e r e ' s t h e A t a r i

grapevine. If all this had actually happened,someone would have had the irresistible urget o t e l l m e , ' h e y, y o u r g a m e s u c k s s o b a dthey ' re bury ing them in the deser t . " And themoment they did, I would have grabbed aphotographer, flown us both out to the site,and taken some pictures of me standing on topof the concrete mountain of buried carts. Howc o u l d I n o t d o t h a t ?

I've given this a lot of thought having beenasked the same question for so many years:'Is it true they buried millions of ET: TheExtra-Terrestr ia l carts in the desert? ' And theconclusion I came to is the same as that whichmost people came to about the ET game in thefirst place: I just don't buy it.

[ H o w a r d S c o t t W a r s t t a w n o w w o r k s a s a n

independent fiimmaker. His latest film, a documentaryabout the history of Atari, can be ordered fromwww.onceuponatari.com]

■ l 3 8 " G A M E S R E T R O

For over two decadesI've been hearingt h i s r u m o u r t h a t

A t a r i t r u c k e d m i l l i o n sof unso ld ET: The Ext ra-Terrestrial game carts outi n t o t h e d e s e r t o f N e w

M e x i c o , c r u s h e d t h e mu p a n d b u r i e d t h e m i n

cement . Even Snopes.com - arb i ter o f urbanmyths - claims the rumour is true in its article'Five Million ET Pieces'.

and anyone who's seen The Sopranos willknow how expensive it can be to bury things incement. So what's wrong with this picture?

T h i s w a s m e r c h a n d i s e A t a r i h a d d e e m e dtotally worthless, yet it felt the need to spendextra money to ensure it wouldn't get looted.I mean, the whole point is nobody wanted thisstuff in the first place. It's like buying a securitysystem for an outhouse to keep people fromstealing the contents. It sounds kind of absurd.

People have even done music videos aboutfinding this gaming cache, and some have

UNLESS YOU'RE DAVID COPPERFIELD,E L I M I N A T I N G M I L L I O N S O F C A R T SW I T H O U T T R A C E I S P R E T T Y I M P R E S S I V E 'The art icle states: "When distr ibutor returns

w e r e a d d e d t o t h e 5 m i l l i o n u n s o l d P a c - M a n

ca r t r i dges and ano the r 5 m i l l i on use less ETcar t r i dges , A ta r i f ound themse lves w i th tonsof unsellable merchandise to dispose of. [Atarithen] sent 14 truckloads of merchandise fromtheir plant in El Paso, Texas, to be dumpedin a city landfill in Alamogordo, New Mexicoin late September 1983." It goes on to say:"In order to keep the site from being looted,steamrollers crushed and flattened the games,a n d a c o n c r e t e s l a b w a s p o u r e d o v e r t h eremains . " Now tha t 's a lo t o f ex t ra e f fo r t todispose of something that isn't a biohazard.

used satellite imagery to try and validate it, butthe fact remains that not a single person hasever come up with one square inch of plasticor ROM or any credible physical evidence. Noone's ever heard from any of the truck drivers,steam ro l ler operators or cement contractors.It's all smoke. Think about it, unless you'reDavid Copperfield, eliminating millions of cartswithout any trace is a pretty impressive feat.C a n y o u i m a g i n e t h e s i z e o f t h e m o u n d ?Even after crushing them it'd be more of amonument than a dump.

Then there's the common sense factor. So,

your company finds itself in serious financial

O M K L A Xs gaining infittrated the home market a newbreed of gamer evolved. Dubbed the 'fanboy',he associated himself with a certain genre,machine or even developer or publisher,and then ridiculed all that opposed him.First recorded in playgrounds in the early-

Eighties, typical arguments revolved around who hadthe better machine, or which game looked best on whatformat. We aim to put a stop to years of squabbling byfinding the definitive versions of some classic titles. Thismonth, the 8-bit handheld versions of Tengen's Klax.

R D U n O 1 : U I 5 U R L 5G A M E G E A R : F u n c t i o n a l b u t u n i m p r e s s i v e .Game Gear Klax does the job but nothing more.But then a puzzle game doesn't really need to haveamazing graphics, it only needs to be clearly definedso that players can concentrate on what reallymatters: the puzzling. There's nothing really worthcriticising here, lefs move on.

GAME BOY: Oh, the shame. As a puzzle gamethat asks players to line up like-coloured tiles,Klax was never going to work properly on GameBoy. Nevertheless, Tengen made a valiant effort byapplying individual markings to each tile, but the

end result, when combined with Game Boy's blurrydisplay, is a confusing, barely visible mess.

LYNX: Although the graphical quality here is on apar with Game Gear, the Lynx version of Klax standsout thanks to its vertical orientation which requiresthe handheld to be turned on its side. The extrascreen space brings the game closer to the arcadeoriginal. Easily the most impressive of the three.

W I N N E R : L Y N XRUNNER UP: GAME GEAR

R D U n O E : R U D I D: i!: ;;: Not bad. The sound effects create

a sense of realism as the tiles flip and drop into thewell, and the theme tune is quite pleasing despitelooping a little too often. As with its graphics.Game Gear's sound is fairly unremarkable, butat the same time it's not really anything worthcomplaining about.

- ■ V Yuck. This has to be some of theworst sound we've ever heard emitted from thehumble Game Boy in a really long time. Eugh,There's no music to speak of and the sound effectsare fuzzy, irritating and just plain awful. Worse

still, they can't even be switched off. Thank Godf o r t h a t v o l u m e d i a l .

From the moment you first hear the brillianttitle mush; and the full speech between levels, it'sclear that Tengen pulled out all the stops for theLynx sound effects. There's a high quality of soundthroughout, including an audible groan or applausedepending on whether you win or lose. Excellent.


R D U n O 3 : E n m E P L R VGAME GEAR: Desp i t e i t s d i s t i nc t l y ave ragepresentation. Game Gear Klax holds up firmly in thegameplay department. Everything works exactlylike the arcade game, ensuring that this particularportable Wax is just as fun and addictive as it shouldbe. If you only have a Game Gear, you'd be perfectlyhappy with this conversion.

GAME BOY: Al though i t handles and controlswell enough. Game Boy Klax is rendered virtuallyunplayable by its indistinguishable tiles. It ispossible to work out which tiles are which if youplay the game on a Game Boy Color or GBA, but

on the original handheld's fuzzy, blurred screen thisis completely hopeless.

LYNX: On a technical level, ifs difficult to distinguishLynx's gameplay from that of the Game Gear, butthere's something about the outstanding presentationthat makes the gameplay that little bit better Thelonger playing field allows more preparation time andthe brilliant sounds encourage extended play


G A M E S R E T R O M l 3 9 I

THE BEAT-'EM-UP GENRE WAS, IT SEEMS, A LITTLE TOO BURLY FOR THELIGHTWEIGHT MACHINES THAT FACED IT IN THE HOME COMPUTING RING, BUTAS THE LITTLE DRAGON SAID: "OBEY THE PRINCIPLE WITHOUT BEING BOUNDBY IT" OVER THE YEARS, MORE THAN A FEW SOFTWARE DEVELOPERS HAVEFOLLOWED THIS DOCTRINE AND PROVED THAT, DESPITE THEIR SIZE, 8-BIT HOMECOMPUTERS WERE MORE THAN A MATCH FOR THE FIGHTING GAME; IT WASSIMPLY A MATTER OF STYLE...

WAY OF THEWARRIORIn 1979, Cinematronics - ofDragon's Lair fame - releasedt h e a r c a d e g a m e Wa r r i o rwhich used its highly unstableVectorbeam circuitry to draw abird's-eye view of two knightsbattl ing it out with swords.Due to the unreliability ofthe Vectorbeam technology,combined with thefact that thegame required two players.W a r r i o r n e v e r r e c e i v e d t h a tmuch attention despite beingthe first game to attempt theone-on-one fighting scenario.For the next five years, theidea lay dormant, suggestingthat Warrior didn't providemuch, if any, inspiration forthe games that followed.

Beat-'em-ups are unique inthat they developed quiteo r g a n i c a l l y f r o m s e v e r a ls o u r c e s a t o n c e r a t h e r t h a n

one semina l t i t l e . And 1984 saw thereinvention of button-pounding delight.

Looking at the development timesrequired to produce new software, itseems that of the three fighting gamesmade that year, none had any idea ofthe existence of the other two. But while

Kung-Fu Master and Karate Champmade use of dedicated arcade hardware,Bug-Byte's Kung Fu required little morethan a 48K Spectrum to redefine whatwe thought of computer game violence.

Croatian programmers Damir Murajaand Dusko Dimitrijevic told us how it allcame about. "I hadn't seen any othermartial arts games at the time," beginsDimitrijevic. "I thought it'd be fun to do.I really l iked Bruce Lee movies at thetime and it just seemed fun to beat upopponents in a computer game, martialarts style." Muraja shared Dimitrijevic'svision while unaware of Dimitrijevic'sinterest in martial arts. "I got involved inthe project after the whole concept stageof the game was finished," he explains.

Kung Fu was remarkable for manyreasons other than its strange newmethod of gameplay. The large, well-

animated graphics initially appearedto be vec to r d rawn, wh i le the te r r i ficbackdrop gave a level of depth andcolour rarely seen on Spectrum. But allwas not as it seemed, as Dimitrijevicexplains; "It appears to be vectors, butit was actually 'normal' bitmappedgraphics so it could look better without

losing any speed or memory. We werestill learning. Our real difficulties werewith equipment - all we had was twoSpectrums, without even microdrives.

That was our greatest challenge,"continues Muraja. "We wanted to makelarge characters because that had neverbeen seen on ZX Spectrum before. While

• CRL's Ninja Hafnsteritom 1987 was one of the more surreal one-on-onefighters to attempt to refresh the genre. It didn't really work, though.

■ 1 4 0 a G A M E S ™ R E T R O

» A decent game starring the man who inspired all the earlygames. Shame it wasn't an actual beat-'em-up.

doing it we had to learn about programsynchronisation with screen refresh. Wewere exc i t ed when we accomp l i shedsmooth movement of the characters."

Hot on the heels of the trai lblazingYugoslavian code warriors was a gamethat would mark a seminal moment in 8-bit computing. Melbourne House's TheWay Of The Exploding F/sfwas designedand built by Australian Gregg Barnett,and although Fist also started out as anindependent vision, Barnett admits thatonce work had begun and he saw KarateChamp in arcades, he was profoundlyinspired by the slick gameplay, andreinvented some of the ideas he'd seen.

Even so, when playing F/s( there isn'tany immediate sense of it being a KarateChamp clone. Barnett's unique designspermeate the gameplay and fighting

style enough for Fist to stand with itshead held high in the beat-'em-up annals.Just like Kung Fu, the initial concept ofF/st was born from a love of Eastern films.Barnett knew he had a hit five minutesafter he first set the game off compilingwhile he went to make a coffee. When hereturned to his desk, his co-workers werequeuing out of his office door trying tosample those incredible Exploding Fists.

By 1985, developers had decided thatbeat-'em-ups weren't just a passing fad,and set about turning their code intokung fu. Dogged by initial developmentdifficulties, veteran programming guruArcher Maclean was brought in to helpSystem 3 join the fray. "Around August1985 I started working on a whole newkarate game structure, and adapted itinto my proven Dropzone game shell,"Maclean recalls. "I set about drawing andre-drawing backdrops and animations,and wrote simple tools to allow me toanimate frames together and time soundeffects to trigger at exactly the right frametime. I also remember watching loadsof Bruce Lee and Jackie Chan films. I'dlived in Hong Kong in the Seventies andeven saw a Bruce Lee film being madeonce, so I had an interest in the genrefrom very early on." Intemational Karatewas a huge success - especially on C64,although the Spectrum version was a bitlame - despite much of its thunder beingstolen by arriving after Exploding Fist

"I remember fondly playing Fist overand over, with friends from university,"c o n t i n u e s M a c l e a n w i t h o u t a h i n t o fremorse. "On more than one occasionwe played right through till the sun cameup next day. It was seriously addictiveand I take my hat off to Gregg Barnett formaking it such a huge fun game."

Not wanting to miss the boat. ImagineSoftware (newly acquired by Ocean)quickly licensed Konami's surreal butpopular Yie Ar Kung Fu arcade title - thefirst l icence of i ts kind. This was alsothe first title to pit the player against acast of di fferent characters, each withtheir own individual techniques. Itscartoony sprites and energetic actionproved arcade fighting games could betranslated faithfully to home machines.

A year later and every last originalidea was being squeezed from the genre,though it seems they were still buildingfrom the original template. 1986 wasalso the year for sequels, as Fist II: TheLegend Continues was released, and Yie

Ar Kung Fu II was hurriedly turned out.This was part of a package of licencesImagine bought from Konami, and wasa conversion of an MSX game not anarcade title. Regardless of its origins, thepotentially great franchise stopped deadwhen the sequel failed to impress.

Clearly inspired by Exploding Fist,Gremlin Graphics' Way Of The Tigercould easily be considered a superiorc o n t i n u a t i o n t o M e l b o u r n e H o u s e ' s

premier title than its own sequel proved.The nicely animated characters, three-level scrolling, and the introduction ofweapons raised the bar higher than anyother beat-'em-ups of the year couldr e a c h . T h e h o m e m a r k e t m a y h a v estagnated for a few months, but it wasall happening in the arcades, and thatcoin-op investment was ready to pay offin the home market.

Variations on the same theme trickledout, serving only to water down thealready limited appeal of the one-on-one,but patient fans were rewarded in 1987by two ground breaking games. Ocean's

» Damir Muraja - one of the foundingfathers of the beat-'em-up indus^Y.

» "The music in Kung ft/was random,h used pentatonic scale and orientalsounding rhythm, but the notes arerandom. Damir coded tiiat"- Dusko 'Duke' Dimitrijevic

"I'D LIVED IN HONGKONG IN THE

SEVENTIES ANDEVEN SAW A BRUCE

LEE FILM BEINGMADE ONCE, SO IHAD AN INTEREST

IN THE GENRE FROMVERY EARLY ON"

ARCHER MACLEAN ON THEORIGINS OF INTERNAVONAL KARATE

Ke /(i//7g fi/proved extremelypopular on 8-bit systems, with skilledplayers able to repeatedly clock it

a definingmoment for arcade fighters,proving diey could be portedby skilled developers.

head of development Gary Bracey andveteran programmer and designer MikeLamb told us oftheir chart-topping, streetfighting, ball-crunching, skull-splittingcoin-op conversion of Renegade.

"We sourced the l icences ourselvesdue to the strong relationships wee n j o y e d w i t h t h e m a j o r c o i n - o pcompanies," explains Bracey, "However,Renegade was a bit of an exception asthe coin-op itself was comparativelyunknown, and Ocean made a great jobof the conversion, to such an extent thatit was an enormous success," With thelicence snapped up. Lamb soon foundhimself working on the new project, "Ijust finished work on Arkanoid, andRenegade just happened to be the

next thing in the pipeline," says Lamb."Ocean got the arcade game and it wasvery popular with all the programmersand artists. In fact, it was so popular themanagement had to put a lock on it tostop people skiving off work to play it."

Though it slipped under the radar formost arcade goers, once the conversionhit shelves. Renegade became anovernight success. With its limited playingfield and smaller sprites, conversionsonto 8-bit machines were extremelyfaithful, and so began a new age in beat-

'em-ups. Slick programming and cleangraphics ensured that Renegade playedbeautifully while retaining a hundred percent of the arcade's dynamic gameplay.It didn't go unnoticed by Bracey...

"Playing Renegade, we quickly realisedthat we had something special knowingit would be a hit," Bracey continues. "Allthe developers involved on Renegade,on all formats, put a lot of heart into it -and it shows. They were all very talentedpeople." It's a view shared by Lamb. "Thehome computers weren't particularlypowerful and I think Renegade playedto the strengths of the Spectrum andAmstrad in particular," continues Lamb.

"A lot of arcade conversions ran veryslowly on home computers. However,Renegade had relatively few sprites, andscrolling backgrounds weren't essentialto the gameplay, so the frame-rate wasnever a problem. The main issue was

trying to squeeze all the animations into

memory. There were a number of tricks Iused. We split the body into head, torsoand legs. I think everybody got the samelegs. It worked pretty well, except thehookers looked much better in fishnets."

Which brings us nicely back to ArcherMaclean - we're talking about theadditional characters not the fishnets, ofcourse - whose earlier work designingInternational Karate put him in goodstead to add a final twist to the one-on-one karate simulator: a third computer-control led opponent, who shunted IK's

sequel to immediate success."IK+ was a flash of inspiration while

trying to solve the problem of a gamedesign where opponents would beseated around the dojo," explainsMaclean. "I wanted the next player toget up and walk into the fight as the otherwent and sat down, or got carried off inpieces. Then I just decided to make it athree-player simultaneous game insteadof one-on-one as with International Karate.As soon as I had the idea, I knew it wasgood, and couldn't work fast enough tomake it happen, yet at the same timewas trying desperately not to tell anyonebecause it just seemed so simple to do."

The beat-'em-up had become theindustry's primary genre, but keepingfans interested was proving hard fordevelopers. Then, in 1988, just before thefailure of the home versions of Double

Dragon, Lamb stepped back into the ringwith an '8-bit only' sequel to Renegade.

L U

<

Kung Fu defined the fightinggenre on 8-bit systems.

I 1 4 2 H G A M E S ' " R E T R O

B U G - B Y T E

K U N G F UThe original still holds its own against thegreats that followed, which adds to itsachievements when you consider that theyhad no basis on which to actually work.Standing in the colourful and clearly drawndojo, the two hefty combatants are armedwith a small selection of your standardkarate techniques including chops, highkicks and sweeps. What is of particular notehere is the necessary use of defence andretreat. Although blocking was a commonfeature, a mastery of these aspects hasrarely been required in even the mostrenowned beat-'em-ups. Don't be fooledby its looks though, Kung Fu is well wortha cursory play through.7 2 %

THE WAY OF THEEXPLODING FISTThis was the yardstick by which all theother 8-bit beat-'em-ups - and beyond- found themselves measured. ExplodingF/sf still plays terrifically today with its largecharacters and easily adopted gameplay.Plenty of moves with varying difficultyof application - except, perhaps, for thedreaded shin kick which never fails - meantthat unlike today's beat-'em-ups, buttonmashers always fell foul of the well trained.With the skull-splitting, gut-busting soundeffects, you can't help but 'kiai' to yourselfevery time a difficult move lands. ForgetKarate Champ and play Fist instead,8 8 %

I N T E R N AT I O N A LK A R A T EIK had a difficult childhood. Developmentsfell apart, new designers had to start fromscratch, and there was hot litigation flyingaround the place like roundhouses andreverse punches. The end result was thatSystem 3's excellent one-on-one fighter lostin a photo finish with Fist and has lived in itsshadow ever since. With its thunder stolen,IK's list of improvements - like sampledspeech, bonus rounds, extra moves andwicked music - couldn't quite persuadepunters to buy another one-on-one. Werecommend trying it and re-evaluating youropinion - you may just be surprised.8 6 %

B In Japan, Kung Fu Masterwas called Spartan X,capitalising on the 1984 Jackie Chan film.

"People always want something newor better with videogames. Unlessbeat-'em-ups were going to continuallyimprove it was inevitable that theyw o u l d d i e o u t , " o b s e r v e s L a m b .

"Looking back, I can't think of anythingwe could have done to get more out ofthe Spectrum than Target Renegade. Itmay sound a little conceited, but I thinkwith Renegade and Target Renegadewe did the best for the Spectrum.Those games were very successful forOcean. I don't think anything that cameout since then outdid us technically andnobody came up with any gameplayinnovat ions e i ther. "

»The one-on-one beat-'em-up has come along way from its humble beginnings...

Target Renegade, with its rough urbaninflection and vigorous two-player cooperative gameplay, marked the zenithof 8-bit beat-'em-ups. Better yet, it hadeverything the highly anticipated homeversions of Double Dragon failed todeliver a few months later. Althoughseveral other games floated on by,including impressive conversions ofStreet Fighter and Final Fight, the 16-bitmachines were rapidly being established.

and the first genre to be usurped byconsoles - that boasted more than onefire button - was the beat-'em-up.

Although 8-bit home computers won'timmediately be remembered for theirfighting games, a few titles did pushthe boundaries of the machines furtherthan any other. 8-bit beat-'em-ups mustbe acknowledged for establishing thatmost underrated and enjoyable form ofcomputer-generated violence.

THE STYLE OFN O S T Y L EWhen Epyx licensed InternationalKarate and released it as WorldKara te Champ ionsh ip i n theUS, Data East proc la imed i tinfringed its copyright of KarateChamp, and sued. The DistrictCourt forbade Epyx from sellingfurther copies of World KarateChampionship and also orderedthe company to issue a recall.Epyx took the fight to the NinthCircuit Court, which reversedt h e d e c i s i o n o f t h e D i s t r i c tCourt, stating that "karate is notsusceptible of a wholly fancifulpresentation", and that "a 17.5-year-old boy would not regard theworks as substantially similar."

T h e c a s e h a s h a d l o n g -reaching repercussions as it setthe legal precedent for creatingmart ia l -ar ts-based games. In1994, the tables were turnedwhen Capcom sued Data Eastf o r t h e s i m i l a r i t i e s b e t w e e nStreet Fighter II and Fighter'sHistory. Due to the case DataEast had brought against Epyx,t h e c o u r t w a s f o r c e d t o r u l e i ni ts favour.

"LOOKING BACK, I CAN'T THINK OF ANYTHING WECOULD HAVE DONE TO GET MORE OUT OF THESPECTRUM THAN TARGET RENEGADE" mike IAMB

YIE AR KUNG FUWe were never a big fan of the arcademachine, but playing Yie Ar alongside allthe other 8-bit-'em-ups revealed it to besomething of an unsung hero. It made usrealise that 99% of early beat-'em-ups werebased on Japanese systems, while this littledelight really captured the essence of thecheesy Chinese B-movie. The strange kungfu styles, wildly different characters rangingfrom flying fat men to fan-dancing femmesfatales, and fast-paced, tongue-in-cheekcontinuous gameplay has helped this titleage better than any other of the time. Thecomical 'whoosh' noises that accompanyyour jumps only add to the title's innatec h a r m . E s s e n t i a l .9 1 %

• i i A C i . H \ y o i '

i c n I P * *i i V r t t r v f O W i I I - I W ( S B

WAY OF THE TIGER RENEGADE

"i=0SQ08Q

As part of a tie-in with the 'choose youro w n a d v e n t u r e ' b o o k s o f t h e s a m e n a m e .G r e m l i n t o o k t h e n e w l y e s t a b l i s h e ds t a n d a r d s f o r t h e fi g h t i n g g a m e a n dreproduced them as we l l as anybodyelse had done previously - if perhaps al i t t l e s l o w e r d u e t o t h e d e t a i l e d a n i m a t i o ni n v o l v e d . W h a t s t a n d s o u t h o w e v e r , a r ethe ways in which that basic gameplay hasbeen applied. With its dynamic playingfield shifting from scrolling action, througha mul t i -enemy, s ing le-screen arena toan 'end of level boss' scenario, this wasessential ly three games cleverly woveninto one. Great value for money, and triplethe longevity.7 5 %

Having since played both of the arcadev e r s i o n s - E a s t e r n a n d W e s t e r n - w e m u s tsay that we prefer Renegade's scenarioto that of Kunio (as it is known in Japan).The seed iness and permeat ing mal iceof gang land s t ree t b rawl ing g ives thegame a more tempered edge than Kunio'splayground skirmishes. Ocean's conversionis probably better remembered than theoriginal coin-op - and for good reason.Renegade achieved that most prestigiousgoal of finally bringing the arcade into ourhomes, regardless of which format youowned. The Speccy version was the bestof the bunch though - seems only fitting asClive's baby was a bit of a rebel itself9 0 %

YOUR KUNGFU IS GOODSpecial thanks go to thefol lowing for their helpwi th th is ar t ic le ( lest theykick our head in with their8-bit kung fu):Gary BraceyDusko DimitrijevicB i l l H a r b i s o nM i k e L a m bA r c h e r M a c l e a nDamir MurajaLao Tzu

G A M E S ' " R E T R O ■ 1 4 3 ■

a t t o j

1 1 i i T T I F OThe two-player, blob-rotating puzzle game Puyo Puyocelebrates its fifteenth anniversary this December afterappearing on almost every console, computer andhandhelciknown to man. To celebrate, games^"^ interviewsSega's Akinori Nishivama and Mizuki Hosoyamada aboutthe past, present and future of the franchise, and takes alook at some of the most notable releases to date

1 fpuy?lS ahniy

r e l e a

games™: How d id Sega become. involved in the Puyo Puyo puzzlek game franchise?B Sega: Puyo Puyo was first released■ f o r t h e M S X 2 a n d F a m i c o m D i s cW System on 25 October 1991, and

we then released arcade and Mega

^ Drive versions later on. Thesereleases were the beginning ofthe game's drive to become a

|(p representative title of the puzzlegame genre equivalent to Tetris.

Subsequently, Puyo Puyo Tsu,Puyo Puyo Sun, and Puyo Puyo~n werereleased, and many derivatives such asNazo Puyo also came out. The initial

development was done at Compile, butlater we acquired the publishing rights.Sonic Team developed Minna De PuyoPuyo, Puyo Puyo Fever, and Puyo Puyo

Fever2{Chw\), and Puyo Puyo.

g™: What changes (if any) were made afterthe series was acquired from Compile?S: We developed a new system calledFever mode, which allows the game to dropChain Seeds in Puyo Puyo Fever and after.Beginners can enjoy making easy chains,while advanced users can enjoy matchstrategy. Also, we changed the characterdesign completely.

g™: Which version do you consider to bethe definitive Puyo Puyo, to date?S: We believe each version has its own

uniqueness and taste. It totally depends onindividual gamers.

g™: How do you feel about Puyo Puyo notgetting as much recognition as Tetris andP u z z l e B o b b l e ?

S: It's because it's difficult to understandthe way to build up chains and strategies.

i| AI

The new Nintendo DS game features eight-player localWi-Fi and four-player online.

However, once you get used to it youget obsessed. We believe the series issupported by these fans. Another reasonthere may be less recognition for the gamein the West is that the title is character-orientated and the pop-art design isdirected at Japanese fans.

g™: What are the challenges of developinga puzzle game?S: We have to develop an engrossing andshort-period game with easy controls. Ifwe consider too much, the game becomestoo difficult; while on the contrary If thegame is too easy, users soon get bored.In the case of Puyo Puyo it was difficultbecause we had to add on new ideas to acompleted game.

g™: How do you manage to keep PuyoPufo feeling fresh with each new game?

Puyo Puyo [1991]The original MSX game lacked the versusCPU play that would later make Puyo Puyosuch a unique experience. This has more ofan endless quality like Tetris.

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Puyo Puyo Tsu [1994]This was the first to feature the series'hallmarks and was ported to 13 formats.'Tsu' means 'master', but is also the way theJapanese pronounce the English word 'two'.

Puyo Puyo Sun [1997]Update number three featured 'sun' pieces,which cou ld be used to dea l mass ivedamage to opponents if you worked themi n t o a c o m b o .

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Puyo Puyo Box [2000]The franchise went full circle as this PSoneexclusive included an RPG-based quest modein which all the battles take the form of PuyoPuyo matches.

Puyo Puyo-n [1999]The fourth main game featured some superbhi-res v isuals and a br i l l iant four-playermode. The Dreamcast vers ion is thought tob e t h e b e s t .

' l - ' . . .

'mi - • - Tm z z ? } ^ - - f ! !

Puyo Puyo Fever [2004]New character designs were the least radicalchanges of this update, which included largerformat ions o f b lobs and the mass ive combopotent ia l o f Fever mode.

S: We always focus on match strategy throughthe whole series. Also, we adjust the gamebalance reflecting users' feedback.

g™: How does Saga plan to celebrate thefifteenth anniversary?S: In Japan, we will release Puyo Puyo on NDS,PSP, and PS2. In addition to the first Puyo Puyo,Puyo Puyo Tsu, and Puyo Puyo Fever we willadd impressive new rules such as Suichu (underwater), Dai Kaiten (large rotation), and Kori Zuke(glacier). You can enjoy 12 kinds of Puyo Battleswith your opponents. The character in the firstPuyo Puyo will be included, and a total of 22characters appear in the game. A maximum offour players can have a match via Nintendo Wi-Fi

Connection on the DS version. Classroom mode,which teaches you how to build chains, andStory mode, which includes comedy dialogue,w i l l be i nc luded as we l l .

9™: And where do you see Puyo Puyo headingi n t h e f u t u r e ?

S: We cannot tell you in detail right now, but itwill definitely live up to users' expectations.

g™: Will Puyo Puyo be appearing on any onlineservices like Xbox Live Arcade or Microsoft'sV i r t u a l C o n s o l e ?

S: We cannot tell you this either, but we'd likePuyo Puyo to appear in various situations. Thankyou always for your support.

Most of the Puya character came from Compile s Madau Monogalari RPGs.

Puyo Puyo variations crop up in the strangest of places including this Lion King game. \ k ^ r o V ^ i v T B 4 - .S A 1

Ax,'

And this iconic symbol of a misspent youth- a monolithic repositot7 for unwanted

ten-pence pieces - has never been testedto the limits of functionality as it has in

multiplayer gaming, so here we take a look at themultitude of deviant methods arcade operators haveused to cram as many bodies around one machineas possible. There's been success and failure, butalways the boundless thrill of multiplayer gaming.

In some respects, the human figure dictates thebasic requirements of an arcade cabinet's design,and from the outset - with Nutting Associates'fibreglass Computer Space beast - the commercialgame machine has been an angular, syntheticsilhouette of our physical form. Once developersbegan demanding three or more gamers crowdaround a single screen however, elbow roombecame a valuable commodity and it took a skilledengineer to keep knuckles and jagged bone fromconnecting in all the wrong places.

The technology of the time limited gameplayto derivatives of the 'bat and ball' variety, butdevelopers' initial emphasis wasn't on new anddynamic types of game. The natural evolution of thearcade machine was the addition of more players.

Here's where cabinet designs were really put to thetest. Fitting an extra couple of paddles to the controlboard was easy; making those paddles accessibleto four players while still allowing them to view thesmall screen was not. All manner of new designswere put together in order to try and give gameslike Pong Doubles or Quadrapong the space theyneeded to ensure games didn'tdescend in to scuffles betweenlashed up joyst ick jockeys. i

It was here that the cocktail j,c a b i n e t w a s b o m - m o r e o u t o f i

necessity than aesthetic value. |Still, it was the most ergonomic [Iway for four drinkers to play Pong Jwith somewhere to put their beer. VG a m e s w e r e b u i l t i n t o o W t a b l e s , ' ib a n - e l s a n d a p l e t h o r a o f c u s t o m ibenches as the ideal shape was sought. After this |brief period of incubation, the quest for the ideal 'cabinet was forced to continue, moulding itself tonew requirements as increasingly advanced titlesdemanded more controls and more players.

A p i onee r o f t he mu l t i p l aye r cab ine twas one of the earliest driving games to

I 1 4 6 B G A M E S ™ R E T R O

"THE FOUR-PLAYER MONSTERGAUNTLET MADE NO ATTEMPT TOTOY WITH SPATIAL EFnCIENCY"

incorporate real is t ic contro ls ; Kee Games'influential 1976 racing title, Indy 800. The obscurecabinet design was a crossbreed of cocktail andupright, requiring players to stand at a mid-heighttable with a horizontally mounted 25-inch colourmonitor at the centre. The eight simultaneous players(yes, eight) gave the appearance of farmhandsstaring down a well at young Timmy in a Lassiemovie. The massive 16-foot square footprint of themonstrous cabinet took up a significant portion ofthe arcade operator's floor space, but assuming allpositions were regularly filled by coin-heavy punters,the revenue per square foot was probably qurtecompetitive. Indy 800 is without doubt one of themost ambitious, unique and ultimately successfulmultiplayer cabinet designs ever attempted.

The Indy games may have come first, but one ofthe most popular and long-running racing franchises- also from within Atari - was Sprint. Just to clarifythe legacy of this enduring series. Sprint 2 came firstin 1976, followed closely by Sprint 8 a year later, thencame Sprint 4 also in 1977 and eventually Sprint 1which wasn't released until 1978.

Once the onslaught of Pong derivatives caused theindustry to slow to within spitting distance of a marketcrash, the expensive, difficult-to-convert multiplayerarcade machines were first up against the wall. Itwould take the home computer revolution and a heapof work from some dedicated Japanese visionaries torebirth the videogame fad, and for the better part of adecade the multiplayer arcade concept lay dormant.

Itwasn'tuntil 1985when Atarionceagainattemptedto double the number of elbows jostling their wayaround an arcade monitor with Ed Logg's incrediblecreation. Gauntlet This new four-player monstermade no attempt to toy with spatial efficiency. Ittook the now standard model for arcade cabinetsand simply increased its size to accommodate four

I players - each needing a joystick, two buttonsI and enough room to bounce around like lunaticsI in accordance with the gameplay. The addictiveI dungeon exploration epic took the videogameI world by storm, more than earning its hefty ground' rent, and the first multiplayer machine in almost

a decade kick-started a new wave of games withm a n i f o l d c o i n s l o t s .

Equally poignant was the return of Sprint m 1986.We'd already had one, two, four and eight-players, sothe aptly named Super Sprint filled a small gap in theseries by catering to three simultaneous speedsters.The cab design went right back to basics, reflectingthe grandfather of the franchise. Sprint 2, with thecolourful addition of an extra steering wheel.

Although the series saw more incarnationsincluding the two-player Championship Sprint'm 1986and the post-apocalyptic Badlands update in 1989, theonly game that came close to topping Super Sprintwas Leiand's 1989 done, I ronman Ivan Stewarfs

Super Off Road. Another three-player cabinet withfar more dynamic tracks and the introduction of themagnificent 'nitro' function. The overboardnumber of animation frames on the carscame the closest to 3D that a hand-drawn 1 «character could ever hope to achieve. I Before the racing genre took an alternative •multiplayer direction that would eventuallyput an end to players crowding around asingle cab, a new game appeared in 1987 and •reinvented digital gang fighting. '

Double Dragon, from scrolling-fighter |pioneer Technos, took the arcade world by Jstorm with its two-player co-op gameplay,sending developers crazy for this new form ofvideogame violence. It was hard to hear thefew decent multiplayer beat-'em-ups of thelate-Eighties/early-Nineties singing theirsweet fighting songs throught h e s c r e a m i n g w h i t e n o i s e *o f t r i t e , u n i n s p i r e d j u n k t h a t 9l i t t e r e d t h e a r c a d e f l o o r . ' i » .Unp layab le mu l t i p laye re x p e r i m e n t s l i k e A t a r i ' s „ _f o r e r u n n e r t o t h e M o r t a lKombat craze, Pit-Fighter, ^made use of badly digitisedgraphics in its three-playero n e - o n - o n e ( o n o n e ) . ^

The sluggish, stilted Golden "A x e c l o n e . A l i e n S t o r m ,d i d n o t h i n g t o m a i n t a i n i t s w •p redecesso r ' s good name , and ^ [e v e n Te c h n o s i t s e l f c o u l d n ' t

resist the temptation to encumber the screen wrthhuman-controlled characters.

The Double Dragon creator set its good reputationon the road to ruin with the a pair of three-playerstinkers: the laughable The Combatribes and theunforgivable, profiteering atrocity that was DoubleDragon 3: The Rosetta Stone, which drove a fataldagger of despair through the hearts of the original'sfans. But not all multiplayer fighters at the beginningof the Nineties were bad. Two games of particularnote - both featuring four simultaneous playersand both under the respected Konami banner -successfully capitalised on the success of their TVshows. While it was no surprise that 1989's TeenageMutant Ninja Turtles was adapted into a spiffingfour-player fighter, the other was something of anunexpected visitor to the beat-'em-up world.

1991's TTieS/mpsonsfeatured everything a fightinggame fan and an avid viewer of the then new cartooncould want. A huge machine with plenty of precious

T Remember when Maivel Comics-haseA games weren'tconsistentlY terrible? Konami certainly does.

i t a . R m D C T D n

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i lBBSS

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▲ It was only for two players, but surely this is thegreatest versus arcade game of all time... ▲ Atari's Sprint Advances in multiplayer arcade

games go back further than you might think.

Namco's Final Lap. Racing games are anobvious candidate for increased participation. A Atari's Pit-Fighter. Sadly, not all multiplayer

games are guaranteed to be any good.

elbow room and a game packed to the top of itsspiky liaircut with action, jokes, button-bashingbonus bouts and mult ip layer mayhem. Althoughthe game was ported to C64 and DOS, there is yetto be a home version due to Konami never owningthe console licence rights. Saddening as it is, thisbrilliant game will never appear on a PS2 or Xboxcompilation. It makes you want to have a cow.

Although very difficult to find, two other wellrenowned beat-'em-ups were also capable ofrunning on a three-armed machine: Capcom's chop-sockey classic Final Fight, and its 1994 re-imagining.Aliens Vs Predator. Since both games were JAMMAcompatible, it was very rare to actually see thethree-player machines. Unfortunately, the three-player Final Fight has never been emulated by themagical MAME project. AVP, which was intendedfor release alongside the stillborn movie based onthe superb graphic novel, can be emulated in its fullmultiplayer glory, but for some inexplicable reasonhas never been ported to home machines. AVP wasnot the only comic connection to find its way intoa multiplayer beat-'em-up cabinet, with a host ofMan/el Universe characters showing up on multiplejoystick machines. Spidey and Captain Americaboth lent their names to four-player machines, andspecial mention has to go to the 1992 six-player X-M e n b e h e m o t h .

Featuring a specially made widescreen display,the giant of a machine was far too cumbersome andexpensive for arcade operators to justify, but hassince become something of a collector's piece simplydue to the impressive girth of the monster cabinet.Collectors love the sheer scale, with tons of roominside for kitting it out with all manner of emulationdevices, built to take a modern widescreen displaywith ease and incorporating a control board big

enough to land a jumbo jet on means there's noshortage of space for trackballs, joysticks, buttons,spinners and kitchen sinks. It's a ridiculous machine,b u t w h o w o u l d n ' t l o v e t o h a v e o n e ?

The beginning of the end for the traditionalmultiplayer cabinet was quietly marked in 1987 bythe appearance of a fairly average driving gamefrom Namco. Final Lap played very much in thesame vein as Atari's 1982 Pole Position with veryfew gameplay improvements made during thefive-year interval. It was the cabinet however, thatmade all the difference; up until now, multiplayermachines required gamers to share a screen.Final Lap gave them one each. This made a hugedifference to the players using the twin-seat cabinet.For the first time, they had the feeling of being intheir own car while still racing against a humanopponent. Coupled with the fact that four of thesetwin-seat machines could be l inked together, an

eight player race took on a whole new dimensionof multiplayer gaming. The popularity of 'linked'gaming was immense, and as regimented armiesof these machines took up more and more arcadespace, the larger single-screen multiplayer cabinetswere pushed out of the door and have yet to returnin any real form.

In 1998, Atari Games once again attempted arevival of the four-player cabinet with the poorlyreceived yet terrific reincarnation of GauntletLegends. The dungeon explorer went 3D and themonster cabinet was briefly reintroduced to thearcades. Other multiplayer games of yesteryearhave also been revived in an attempt to get thoseelbows knocking around one monitor, such as1997's graphically superior yet identical in gameplay.Rampage World Tour, and the post-apocalyptic finalepisode in the Sprint franchise. Badlands in 1989.

As the once majestic arcade now lies in ruin - avictim of its own avarice, populated by row uponrow of insipid linked driving machines - it seemsthe arduous life of the multiplayer cabinet hasfinally come to an end. There is some hope for thiswonderful, struggling species however, in the shapeof the home arcade enthusiast.

With the advent of MAME, kindly game buffshave been granting loving homes to these oldwarhorses for quite a few years, and thesevoluptuous multiplayer beauties have become thecabinet of choice for the fami ly- f r iendly arcadeemulator. A fitting end for a unique genus whichhas seen 30 years of hardship and exile in thecommercial sector, to finally find the love andrespect such ambitious entities deserve in thehomes of those who ignored them in the arcades.May they keep our elbows in close proximity for along time to come.

the worst

" F I N A L L A P H A D T H E F E EUeiNU A CAR WHILE STILL RACINGA G A I N S T A H U M A N O P P O N E N T '

,n the long run ere w« Themuttiplaver graced with thatshoot-'em-up was pja^co's mavXKmany multiplaye ' Galaxian 3 is- t h e a t r e s y s t e m T h e s i x -anything to 9° "V- «s ,3^ disks forplayer «'«'~9®;"Vackdrops, but all attention

. n d «gameplay. Such a aethe obvious 'JJ\arnament Edition

G A M E S R E T R O ■ 1 4 9

Selecting just one classic LucasArts game to profile is likepicking a favourite child, but we think we've chosen wisely.Read on to find out why, but beware for spoilers lie within

T H E S E Q U E L O FM O N K E Y I S L A N DAlthough players were shockedby the end ing to LeChuck 'sRevenge, i t was nothingcompared to the surprise thatcame with the fol low-up TheCurse Of Monkey Island. Thetwist had been completelyignored because Gi lber t le f tL u c a s A r t s i n 1 9 9 2 t o f o r m

H u m o n g o u s E n t e r t a i n m e n t .The series was then taken overby Jonathan Ackley and LarryAhern who had no idea whatGilbert's original intentions forthe series were. Gilbert has goneon record to say that none of thesequels reveal the real secret ofMonkey Island as hinted at in thefirst game, and with LucasArtsgiving up on adventures, we'llprobably never know.

A /Mo/iAieK's'sm'Jwas great but ignored theprevious game's ending.

Release: 1991Format: Amiga, Mac, PCPublisher: LucasArts

Developer: In-House

The Secret Of Monkey Islandhad it all; a terrifically humorousand compelling story as well as

some of the wackiest, most convolutedpuzzles in the genre. It was an instanthit... so why have we picked its sequelas this month's Greatest Retro Game?Well, quite simply. Monkey Island 2:LeChuck's Revenge was a better gamein terms of both story and puzzles, andto this day it's still the most heavilydiscussed of the four Monkey Islandtitles. One year on from the release ofthe original game, anticipation levels forMonkey Island 2 were through the roof.The specialist press had run severalpreviews detailing the fact that it wouldbe a staggering four times bigger thanits predecessor and that the graphicsand sound would be better than ever,but nothing could prepare the playersfor the completely unexpected curve-ball of a story that Gilbert had up hissleeve... but we'll get on to that later.For those who didn't manage to seeGuybrush's second adventure all theway to the end, LeChuck's Revenge stillendures as one of the best adventuregames of all time.

▲ Astandout moment from the M>n<reylsfanifseries.

Although, aesthetically speakingthere were several more technicallyimpressive releases in 1991, it's hard tofind another with such a high quality ofhand-drawn 2D art. Every backgroundand sprite in Monkey Island 2 cou\d beused in a pixel-art master class, suchis the level of detail, especially in therealistic lighting which adds a muchgreater sense of time and place than theoriginal game. Scale and perspectivealso saw significant improvementsas objects in the foreground wouldappear to be blurred, and spriteswould increase and decrease in size asthey moved from the front to the backof the screen. The music was similarlyimproved with LucasArts' patentedIMUSE (interactive MUsic and SoundEffects) system providing music thatadapted to suit the mood of the gameas it changed.

Although benefiting from animproved parser system and a selectabledifficulty level, the puzzles in Monkey

A How many other games feature a spitdng contest, eh?

Island 2 were significantly harderthan in the first game but altogethermore fun to hammer through thanksto the excellent standard of humourEverything from Bambi to Bond islampooned throughout the course ofLeChuck's Revenge with references topast LucasArts games and Lucas filmsin between. Trying to buy a BloodyStump cocktail, for example, will resultin the bartender replying: "I can't, thechainsaw is out of gas", a well-lovedquote from LucasArts' first adventuregame. Maniac Mansion. Steve Purcell'sSam & Max characters also appear ina costume shop even though MonkeyIsland 2 was made two years beforeHit The Road. The game also featuredplenty of jokes that didn't require anintimate knowledge of videogameshowever, and is to th is day rememberedas one of the funniest adventures ofall time. A particular favourite, here atRetro, takes place toward the end ofthe game when Guybmsh, dangling

1 1 S O B G A M E S ™ R E T R O

▲ Few games are as genuinely funny as Monkey Island.

i t E V E R Y T H I N G F R O MB A M B I T O B O N D I SL A M P O O N E D

above a pit of acid, is asked by LeChucl<if Ine lias any last questions and replies,in typically witty fashion, "Where dobabies come from?"

Hilarious jokes, mind-bendingpuzzles and outstanding presentationaside, where Monkey Island 2 reallystands out, and qualifies itself assuperior to both the original game andevery other adventure in LucasArts'back catalogue, is in the outrageouslyoff-the-wall ending thafs divided bothfans and the LucasArts developersthemselves for the last 15 years. Inan underground lair, at the climax ofthe adventure, Guybrush managesto defeat LeChuck with the aid of avoodoo doll and, at the request of

the zombie-pirate, he unmasks himto reveal his own brother. Chuckle,underneath. At this point, the gametakes a further unexpected turn as aman appears and tells the pair thatthey're 'not allowed down here' beforeescorting them out of the lair and intoa theme park named Big Whoop. Asthey leave the park, both Guybrushand LeChuck/Chuckie appear as youngchildren and it seems that the wholeof Monkey Island 1 and 2 was nothingmore than a childhood fantasy thoughtup by two brothers... at least untilChuckle turns to the screen as his eyesflash green for a second, casting acloud of uncertainty over the wholeshocking scenario.

O T H E RI H I G H L I G H T S II O F 1 3 9 1

O N T H E R A D I OWith their fifth album, released in 1991,Meta l l i ca made a concer ted e f fo r t to a imfor commercial success... and got it. Thelead single Enter Sandman was catchierthan previous releases, but lost none ofthe power or darkness of their classics o u n d . I t t i e c a m e t h e t h i r t e e n t h m o s t

requested song on American radio thatyear, a massive achievement for metal.

A T T H E M O V I E SReleased at the height of Billy Crystal'spopularity, 1991's City Slickers told theamusing tale of a group of friends whodecided to spend a holiday herding cattlei n o r d e r t o c o m b a t t h e i r c o l l e c t i v e m i dlife crises. Things quickly spiral out ofcontrol of course, and hilarity ensuesas the group realise they're not exactly'bui l f for rura l l i fe .

O N T H E T E L E V I S I O N1991 also saw the beginning of the BBC'sThe Brittas Empire series staning RedDwarfs Chris Barr ie as incompetentleisure centre manager Gordon Brittas.The programme was both a showcasef o r B a r r i e ' s c o m e d y t a l e n t s a n d aclassic example of the British comedyarchetype: overambitious. Ignorant andpetty. Which of course all makes for greatcomedy. Plus it was filmed just up theroad from the games™ offices.

A Subtle references to the fiist game crop up here and there.

G A M E S ' " R E T R O ■ 1 5 1

TODAY'S GAMERS ARE USED TO LOCALISATION, BUT THE C64'S WORLDWIDE POPULARITYIN THE EIGHTIES SAW DISTINCT ARCADE CONVERSIONS BEING CREATED ON BOTH SIDES OFTHE ATLANTIC. THESE WEREN'T NTSC OR PAL FIXES, BUT ENTIRELY DIFFERENT GAMES. SOWILL WE BE SINGING 'USA! USA!' OR A ROUSING RENDITION OF RULE BRITANNIA BEFORETHE DAY IS DONE? READ ON, DEAR READER, READ ON AND FIND OUT..

720 DEGREESAtari's fondly rememberedskateboarding title would feel athome in the modern era of 'extremesports' titles. The game finds youperforming tricks for money thatis then used to buy kit and to enteryourself into tournaments. ' ] [ : i i i ; r 1 I 1 I 1

H f X I l l l . K I I 1 1 1 l l l i M l l i l l

U K V E R S I O Nus Gold's UK release of 720 Degrees was leftin Chris Butler's more than capable hands, andhe rose to the occasion, squeezing this playable,responsive conversion into one single load. Sure,the graphics are rather blocky, but they manageto resemble the arcade game more than thecartoon-like US version; most importantly, theboard's 'feel' and weight is spot-on, and althoughthe arcade version's 'rotate and kick' controlmethod has been dispensed with, the game's stillvery tough. A great start for the UK.

U S V E R S I O NMore advanced loading systems don't alwaysresult in superior games: this disk-based efforthas a painful multi-load, even requiring aseparate load to access the map. We have noidea where the extra memory is used - outsideof competitions, this version is almost silent, andalthough the sprites are more cheery than theirUK counterparts, the game's scrolling is oftenso wobbly that it makes you want to vomit. Still,keeping down your lunch adds a much-neededchallenge to the easy gameplay.

U K V E R S I O NHere's what the UK conversion of After Burnerhas in common with its arcade parent: youfly a plane, and you shoot other planes. Withthis being the original version's core gameplayelement, 'so far, so good', right? Unfortunately,the 3D effect and other graphics (such as thewildly flickering main sprite) are so laughably badthat it's nigh-on impossible to tell what's goingon at any given moment. This is just the type ofgame that gets sent to the 'bad place' when itdies and deservedly so, it really is utter garbage.

U S V E R S I O NFeeling a little like 'After Burrjer Lite', the USversion sacrifices terrain detail and enemynumbers in favour of speed. But this is not invain because the result is the closest the C64comes to matching the arcade game - evenElite's graphically superior First Strike lacks thisgame's frantic, non-stop gameplay. As with theEuropean version, the multi-load makes for aslightly fragmented game, but at least Blum andStubbington's effort plays like its arcade parent,even including the refuelling and canyon levels.

11 5 2 I G A M E S ' " R E T R O

I K A R I WA R R I O R SAkin to a thinking-man's Commando,this vertical-scrolling shoot-'em-uprequires a considered, stealthyapproach. Neat touches include asimultaneous two-player mode,various weapons upgrades and theability to drive tanks.

U K V E R S I O NThe astonishing (for the time) 18-month gestationof the UK version of Ikari Warriors meant thegame was initially met with derision, especiallyupon seeing the decidedly workmanlike graphics.However, it took little time playing the gameto realise that this was a top-notch conversion,perhaps even surpassing the arcade original interms of playability. With the original's featurespresent and correct, including swarms of soldiers, asimultaneous two-player option and drivable tanks,this is the definitive 8-bit Commando-style shooter.

U S V E R S I O NFrom a game that took 18 months to one thatlooks like it was cobbled together in 18 minutes- in SEUCK. Ignore the weedy tune, sparse spoteffects and ineffectual push-scrolling, and you'llstill wonder why half the original's features andmaps are missing (along with the simultaneoustwo-player mode), why enemies and projectilesdisappear at random, why the graphics are soterrible, why the mission takes so little time tocomplete, and, ultimately, why you loaded thegame in the first place.

STREET FIGHTERThe first in the popular series of one-on-one fighting games. A combinationof well-defined, unique charactersand 'hidden' special moves elevatedStreet Fighter above the competition,and provided the blueprint for manysubsequent games in the genre.

g g g j g m j m i u

U K V E R S I O NBased upon your first impressions of this game,you might be forgiven for thinking that you'dloaded Lego Street Fighter by mistake, such isthe chunkiness of the sprites. The gameplay hereis sorely lacking, too, suffering from 'unbeatablemove syndrome' (rapid leg sweeps to win everyround, fact fans). Most of the challenge comesfrom trying to stop the searing pain in youreyeballs as you try to keep tabs on the fighters,who suffer from 'the judders' and a distinct lacko f a n i m a t i o n f r a m e s .

US VERSIONAlthough this doesn't actually look very muchlike its arcade parent, the American Street Fighterconversion at least avoids any chunk-o-visionproblems, instead aping a console game. Theneatly defined sprites and colourful backgroundswork well, although there's no scrolling, andthe 'bouncing' of the fighters as they movelooks extremely comical. Controls are a littleunresponsive, but the game is playable enough,and as it didn't blow up our computer, it prettymuch beats the UK version by default.

AN INTERVIEW WITH STE RUDDYStephen 'Ste' Ruddy programmed the UK conversion of Bionic Commando andworked on both sides of the US/UK arcade conversions phenomenon. "SoftwareCreations cultivated a good relationship with Taito of America following on fromthem publishing the Software Creations conversion of Bubble Bobble in theUSA," he says, adding that this led to plenty of NES work for the company. Asfor multiple C64 versions of the same game, Ste reckons this was partly downto hardware issues: "The extra frame-time you got on PAL gave you a chance todo more, and the UK was cassette focused, so some US imports were butcheredin the UK to get them on tape." Rather than wreck existing games, it often madesense to create something new.

The Commodore 64's reliance on cassettes in the UK played a part in Ste'swork on Bionic Commando: "After playing the arcade machine, it was obviousthe game had to be a multi-load," he recalls. "Because tape-loading was slow, wekept the number of loads to a minimum, putting two levels in each, apart fromthe standalone third level, which was large and had big animating robots in thebackground." The biggest challenge was implementing the bionic arm: "Thatwas the defining component of the arcade machine. A big line of spites extendingfrom the main character - without flickering - was not C64 friendly, but wenonetheless handled it using a software sprite system."

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BIONIC COMMANDOCapcom's tricky but addictiveplatformer would be long forgotten ifit wasn't for the blonic-arm elementthat enables your character to swingaround the levels like Spider-Man (ifSpider-Man used an extendable metalarm instead of webbing, that is...)

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C A B A LA pseudo-3D mix of Space Invadersand Operation Wolf, Cafaa/finds youcontrolling a lone commando fendingoff enemy attacks. Power-ups provideadditional firepower for destroyingenemies and scenery, and walls offertempora ry p ro tec t i on .

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U K V E R S I O NPerhaps this doesn't match the arcade gamein visual accomplishment, but this BionicCommando conversion sounds great, thanks tothe musical talents of Tim Follin, and is a joy toplay. The 'feel' of the bionic arm is right on themoney, and you can use inertia to catapult yourcharacter across divides. Sure, the game is hardgoing at times, but although you may come closeto smashing your joystick to pieces upon failingto complete Level 4 yet again, you'll likely comeback for just 'one more go'.

U S V E R S I O NUnfortunately, the team behind this conversionmust have had a thinking process that wentsomething like this: 1) note down all theimportant elements of the arcade version 2)wreck the unique feature - the extendable metalarm - by making it far too short thereby makingit very awkward to use 3) wreck everything else.The graphics are poor, the tune is weak, andmany of the arcade game's features are missing.On the plus side, well, it's marginally better thanBionic Granny.

U K V E R S I O NAlthough it lacks the coin-op's simultaneoustwo-player mode and the bizarre little dance-cum-victory-run that the commando does uponcompleting each level, everything else has beencrammed into this conversion. It's not perfect - thesound effects are sparse, and the backgrounds areoccasionally iffy - but the game is great fun andbecomes frantic on later levels. And although thegunfire sounds like a mad bongo player, this is amajor improvement over the sound effect used fort h e A m e r i c a n v e r s i o n .

U S V E R S I O NAt a glance, this looks like a pretty tasty recreationof the arcade game, with well-defined charactersand colourful backgrounds. Playing the game isa different story, though. The irritating gunfiresound effect (strangely reminiscent of a 3:4 drumrhythm), annoying 'invisible bullet syndrome',and a lack of frenetic gameplay (due to ageneral shortage of on-screen foes) result in therealisation that the game is mostly gloss, andis actually rather nasty underneath, like a tastylooking chocolate bar filled with lard.

A N I N T E R V I E W W I T HDARRIN STUBBINGTONOarrin Stubbington is well known in the game industry, having worked for thelikes of Midway and Acclaim, but his career began on C64 converting Segacoin-ops. "I came to the US to do PAL-NTSC conversions, but when we cameto After Burner, the existing version was dire so we redid it," says Stubbington."At the time, the capabilities of coin-ops were beyond what the C64 couldhandle so we had to compromise, retaining the most important essence of thegames and recreating this as best as possible with what the C64 had to offer."Stubbington remembers the After Burner coin-op being particularly graphicallyintense, with many craft flying at you at once: "For the C64, we had to reducet h e n u m b e r o f e n e m i e s a n d t h e a m o u n t o f t e r r a i n d e t a i l . "

Stubbington reckons different coin-op conversions appeared on both sidesof the Atlantic largely due to different perceptions of what made a great game,and from his perspective there wasn't a belief that results were superior in theUS or Europe: "Let's face it: a great game is a great game, but a stinker canbe recognised by anybody. Generally, multiple versions also depended on awillingness to invest by publishers. Furthermore, games in the USA at the timewere all disk based, but cassette-based games were still required in the UK,a n d t h i s m a d e f o r s o m e n a t u r a l d i f f e r e n c e s . " v '


R A M P A G EThis appropriately named BallyMidway game finds you takingcontrol of a trio of unfortunate peoplewho'd been mutated in to monsters .Your aim is to wreak havoc, demolishbuildings, eat people, and avoid thearmy's onslaught.

J A C K A LSuperficially similar to Ikari Warriors,Jackal fmds you commanding avehicle - an armed-to-the-teeth jeep- rather than a lone soldier. In each

level, you rescue POWs, transfer themto helicopter dust-off locations andbattle an end-of-level boss.

U K V E R S I O NSurprisingly regarded a classic, we've alwaysthought Rampage's immediacy was but a thin veilcamouflaging a game of abject tedium. Sadly, thisconversion makes the going even more wretched,offering finicky controls, sluggish gameplay anda bunch of annoying bugs such as 'eating peopledoesn't replenish your energy' The computercontrols the other monsters when human playersaren't present - a nice touch, until you realisethe computer players are idiots, rarely smashingbuildings, but all too fond of smashing you.

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U K V E R S I O NOne of the more forgetable arcade games outt h e r e l e d t o - a n d t h i s ' l l c o m e a s a s h o c k - a

thoroughly forgetable home conversion. Thegame's slightly preferable to repeatedly smashingyourself in the face with a C64, but only just. Forevery good element, such as dispensing with thearcade game's upwards-only main weapon fortrue multi-directional firepower, there's a reallybad one, say, the maddening difficulty level- preserving the arcade game's belief that a singlebullet can cause a jeep to explode. In short: avoid.

I n

U S V E R S I O NPoor or George the giant monkey looks like he'sbeen repeatedly smashed in the face with anugly stick, and the levels loop too rapidly, butthis version of Rarrtpage gets one thing right: it'sactually fun, which is largely down to the gamebeing much faster than the sluggish Europeanversion. Also, eating people actually replenishesyour energy, as it should, thereby providing areason for munching on the populace - otherthan out of spite for their hatred of hyperactiveo v e r s i z e d m o n s t e r s . A d e s e r v e d w i n n e r .

U S V E R S I O NIt would take a very special effort for the USversion of Jackal to be as bad as the Europeanone; thankfully, creator Mike Hutchinson avoidsa similarly catastrophic conversion, largelyby toning down the difficulty. The game's notwithout problems - this version retains its arcadecounterpart's annoying vertically orientated mainweapon, and bullets have a nasty tendency toappear and disappear at random - but the gameat least verges on 'fun' and won't make you hurlyour C64 out of the window. Phew.

C O N C L U S I O NAnd so we reach the end of our battle ofthe titans, with both sides putting in a goodshowing. In terms of sheer quality, the UKarguably wins out with two classic entries{Ikar i Warr iors and Bionic Commando),

while the US has to make do with a decentconversion of After Burner and the knowledgethat most of its victories occurred due to theUK conversions being so utterly disastrous.Still, totting up the points using our entirelyjust and fair one-point-per-win system, we findthat it's four-all, and so everyone's a winner.

(Note: anyone who paid for the US version ofIkari Warriors or the European conversion ofAfter Burner clearly isn't a winner).

There's a moral to this story somewhereand games™ hopes you've all learnedsomething from this encouraging and life-affirming conclusion. Now, however, we'reoff for another game of Ikari Warriors-theEuropean version, naturally.

C * L ' A ' S ' S ' h C C ' O ' N ' S ' O ' L ' EB U Y E R S ' G U I D E Q U I C K R E F E R E N C E

It might be easy to play retro gamesthrough emulation, but there's nothingquite like owning the original system -that musty smell of ancient electronics can

never really be replicated with a PC. Of course,there's always a price to pay and unscrupulousdealers out to make a quick buck, but youreally don't have to pay through the nose ifyou look in the right places. Charity shops,car boot sales and eBay are all good places tostart, but before you do, use our guide to seehow much you should be paying...

[ 3 D 0 ]P a n a s o n i c 3 D 0 £ 4 0 - £ 6 0

G o l d s t a r 3 D 0 £ 4 5 - £ 6 0

[ACORN COMPUTERSB B C M i c r o £ 1 5 - £ 2 5

Acorn Electron £ 1 0 - £ 2 5

[AMSTRADAmstrad CPC 464 £ 1 0 - £ 2 5

Amstrad CPC 664 £ 2 0 - £ 2 5

Amstrad CPC 6128 £ 2 5 - £ 5 0

Amstrad GX4000 £ 2 0 - £ 6 0

Atar i VCS 2600

Ata r i STAtari LynxAtari Jaguar

£ 2 0 - £ 3 5£20+ (depending on model)£15+ (depending on model)

£ 2 0

C O M M O D O R E

Commodore Vic20Commodore 64Commodore AmigaC o m m o d o r e C D T V

C 6 4 G S

Commodore CD32

£ 1 0 - £ 3 0

£ 1 0 - £ 3 0

£20+ (depending on model)£ 2 0 - £ 5 0

£ 3 0 - £ 5 0

£ 2 5 - £ 5 0

GCE Vectrex (General Consumer Electronics)£ 6 0 - £ 2 0 0

M B Ve c t r e x ( M i l t o n B r a d l e y ) £ 1 5 0 - £ 2 0 0J A M M A C o m p a t i b l e c a b i n e t s £ 1 0 0 - £ 3 5 0

(depending on model)Super Gun £120-£400 (depending on model)

PC EngineTu r b o G r a f x - 1 6

T u r b o D u o

PC Engine GTSuper Grafx

£ 5 5 - £ 7 0

£ 3 0 - £ 5 0

£ 1 2 0 - £ 1 8 0

£ 7 0 - £ 1 5 0£80 (prices can fluctuate)

N I N T E N D O

Game & Watch £1-£200 (depending on model)£ 1 5 - £ 2 0

£ 5 - £ 1 0

£ 1 0 - £ 1 5

£ 2 0 - £ 4 0

£ 8 0 - £ 1 0 0

£ 1 0 - £ 2 5

Nintendo Entertainment SystemGame Boy/Game Boy Pocl<etGame Boy ColorSuper NintendoVirtual BoyN i n t e n d o 6 4

Master System £10-£30 (depending on model)Mega DriveG a m e G e a r

Mega CDSega 32XSega NomadS a t u r n

D r e a m c a s t

S INCLA IR

£ 1 0 - £ 2 0

£ 1 5 - £ 2 5

£40-£70 (depending on model)£ 3 5

£ 7 0 - £ 1 4 0

£30+ (depending on model)£25+ (depending on model)

Z X - 8 1

ZX Spectrum 48KZX Spectrum +ZX Spectrum 128KZX Spectrum +2ZX SPECTRUM +3

£ 4 0 - £ 7 0£ 2 0 - £ 5 0

£ 3 0

£ 4 0

£ 3 5

£ 4 0

Neo Geo MVS Single Slot (arcade system)£70+ (depending on model)

N e o G e o A E S ( h o m e S y s t e m ) £ 1 5 0 +N e o G e o C D £ 1 0 0 +N e o G e o C D Z £ 8 0 +N e o G e o P o c k e t C o l o r £ 3 5

■ 156H GAMES™ RETRO

Right then, you've just picked up a second-hand computer and are looking for some classicgames to play on it. The only problem is, you're not too sure what to buy. Hopefully wecan help. This month, inspired by EA Replay, we take a look at some of Electronic Arts' bestCommodore 64 games... o

A r c h o nE s t i m a t e d P r i c e : £ 5 - £ 1 0P u b l i s h e r : E l e c t r o n i c A r t s

Ye a r o f P r o d u c t i o n : 1 9 8 3

Imagine the ancient game of chesscrossed with the style and logic ofDungeons & Dragons and you wouldend up with something resemblingArchon. This classic strategy t i t lew a s a t w o - p l a y e r s e n s a t i o n o nCommodore 64, but despite consoleports and a couple of sequels, i tsoon faded into obscurity, which is acrying shame. Archon remains oneof the best strategy games of all timeand is simply begging for a modern-day remake.

T h e B a r d ' s Ta l eE s t i m a t e d P r i c e : £ 5P u b l i s h e r E l e c t r o n i c A r t sYe a r o f P r o d u c t i o n : 1 9 8 5

T h e B a r d ' s Ta l e w a s o n e o f t h e fi r s t

c o m p u t e r r o l e - p l a y i n g g a m e s t obe presented f rom a firs t -personp e r s p e c t i v e , b u t i t s r e m a r k a b l einnovations didn't stop there. Beingable to explore an enormous city andbattle through expansive dungeonsm a d e t h i s o n e o f t h e d e e p e s tadventures on any home system.Although others had preceded it, thiswas the first epic Western RPG toreally capture the public's imagination.The road to Oblivion began here.

Legacy Of TheA n c i e n t sE s t i m a t e d P r i c e : £ 1 5P u b l i s h e r : E l e c t r o n i c A r t sYe a r o f P r o d u c t i o n : 1 9 8 7

Ta k i n g p l a c e i n a n o t h e r w o r l d l ymuseum. Legacy Of The Ancientswas an original RPG with dungeonsaccessed through the museum's ownexhibi t ions. I t stood out at the t ime forits multiple viewpoints depending onlocation, and the wealth of mini-gamesand puzzles that had to be conqueredin order to enter new areas or improveskills. Nearly two decades on andLegacy Of The Ancients remains oneof the most original RPGs of all time.

TE6^#ANags

N e u r o m a n c e rE s t i m a t e d P r i c e : £ 5P u b l i s h e r : E l e c t r o n i c A r t s


Nine years after Game Boy, Nintendofinally released a colour version ofthe handheld. Sadly, despite havinga vastly improved screen - It was inco lou r a f te r a l l - i t l acked the back - l i tsc reen tha t d idn ' t su r face un t i l 1998 ' sGame Boy Light, The biggest issuewith Game Boy Color though, wasthat many of its early games weresimple ports of Game Boy originalsand it was little more than a stopgapt i l l t h e e v e n t u a l a r r i v a l o f t h e G a m e

Boy Advance.

NEUROMANCER

iiiAf ':

y

T h e S e v e n C i t i e sO f G o l dE s t i m a t e d P r i c e : £ 5

P u b l i s h e r : E l e c t r o n i c A r t sYe a r o f P r o d u c t i o n : 1 9 8 4

R e a l m O fImposs ib i l i t yE s t i m a t e d P r i c e : £ 1 5P u b l i s h e r : E l e c t r o n i c A r t sYe a r o f P r o d u c t i o n : 1 9 8 4

R a c i n gD e s t r u c t i o n S e tE s t i m a t e d P r i c e : £ 5P u b l i s h e r : E l e c t r o n i c A r t sYe a r o f P r o d u c t i o n : 1 9 8 5

A bit like Sid Meier's Pirates!, this one.Set in the Century, p layers tookcontrol of Christopher Columbus andsailed around the world discoveringnew lands, just like real life. Except,this being an interactive game, playersweren't bound to historical accuracya n d w e r e f r e e t o s e n d C o l u m b u s

anywhere they l i ked . As we l l asexploring uncharted waters, CC couldtrade with natives and even ki l l them ifhe felt like it.

Although the graphically rudimentaryRealm Of Impossibility was populatedsolely by stick figures, this action RPGwas one of the best on the system.T h e a i m w a s t o r u n t o o n e e n d o f a

dungeon, collect a treasure and thenleg it back to the exit, all while avoidingthe relentless enemies. Doing so wasaccomplished by clever use of theterrain as well as magic spells, whichwere collected from single-use scrollsfound scattered throughout the levels.

Racing games with track designerswere ten-a-penny on C64, but noneof them quite had the polish andimagination of EA's Racing DestructionSet. The track designer featured all ofthe usua l t i le se ts bu t exce l led thankst o i t s m o r e l u d i c r o u s f e a t u r e s s u c has ice patches, dirt tracks and evenvarying levels of gravity. If that wasn'tenough, every custom track could beraced on in the game's superb two-player mode.

U l t i m a t e W i z a r dE s t i m a t e d P r i c e : £ 5P u b l i s h e r : E l e c t r o n i c A r t s


Essentially a variation on Jumpmanand Lode Runner, Ultimate Wizard wasa decent single-screen platformer thatoutclassed its predecessors thanks tothe wizard's spell-casting abilities whichadded extra depth to the gameplay,a n d t h e s e l f - r e f e r e n t i a l h u m o u r t h a teven took pot shots at Mario. Now,here's a piece of trivia for you: UltimateWizard was an expansion of Wizard,with extra levels by Paul Reiche IIIwho worked on Archon and, later, thea w e s o m e S t a r C o n t r o l .

G A M E S ™ R E T R O ■ 1 5 7 ■

PS2 I PSP I XBOX I XBOX 360 I GAMECUBE I DS I GBA I PC

E S S E N T I A L STOO MANY GAMES, NOT ENOUGH MONEY. THANKFULLY NOT ALL OF THEM ARE WORTH SPENDING YOUR HARD-EARNED CASH ON. IF YOU WANT TO TASTE THE CREAM OF THE CROP, YOU'VE COME TO THE RIGHT PLACE

N L N T E M D □

yGAMECUBE TEN MUST-HAVE GAMES

M E T R O I D P R I M EP u b l i s h e r : N i n t e n d o

Deve loper : I n -HouseG e n r e : A d v e n t u r eP r i c e : £ 1 9 . 9 9

As the first game of only three toever earn full marks in games™,Metroid Prime's position asthe most essential GameCube

purchase was never in doubt.Talcing all the conventions ofthe adventure-game genre andtransplanting them into a first-person perspective certainlyfooled those expecting a brainlessshooter, but the innovationsecured its reputation as perhapsthe standout product of itsgeneration. Essentially a platformgame, Metroid Prime was equallyas concerned with malting youthink as it was with destruction,and covered all of its brilliancewith an impeccable level ofpolish. You can buy a GameCubetogether wi th Metroid for a lmostthe same price as a single Xbox360 game - if you ask us that's ana b s o l u t e s t e a l .

ISSUE: 2 SCORE: 10

. m > ' . m i

158

R E S I D E N T E V I L 4

Resident Evil 4 came as close to full marks as It's

possible for a game to get, but don't let the 'nine'fool you, this is still streets ahead of most gamessince. Brilliantly conceived, it revived the fortunesof an ailing franchise and provided one of the fewcompelling reasons to buy Nintendo's console.

Xbox had the power, PlayStation had thepopularity, but if GameCube is remembered forone thing it will be as the most unique consoleof the three, and W//er7 is arguably its mostdistinctive game. The gameplay can frustrate, butthe visuals and story are superb.

Publisher: Treasure Developer: In-HouseGenre; Shoot-'Em-Up. Price: £12.99

By giving the enemy two different types ofbullets (black and white) and the player twodifferent types of ship - each of which wasimpervious to one of the bullet types - /fcsrugaoffered a shooter with tactical depth. Not for thefaint hearted, this is notoriously difficult.

< T H E L E G E N D O F Z E L D A :T H E W I N D W A K E R

Publisher: Nintendo Developer; In-HoiG e n r e ; A d v e n t u r e P r i c e ; £ 1 9 . 9 9

The Wind Wal(er is essentially the same as everyo t h e r 3 D Z e l d a b u t w i t h t h e a d d e d b o n u s o f s o m e

truly astounding art direction. The eel-shadedvisuals rubbed some people up the wrong way,though we suspect that they have hearts of solid,black rock and souls of poisonous gas.

E T E R N A L D A R K N E S S :S A N I T Y ' S R E Q U I E M

Publisher: Nintendo Developer: Si l icon KnightsG e n r e ; S u r v i v a l - H o r r o r P r i c e : £ 9 . 9 9

Fright is an emotion that games can elicit withgreater efficiency than even cinema, but few gameshave done so in quite the way that Eternal Darknessdid. Frequently breaking through the 'fourth wall' totoy with the player as well as the protagonist, this isunsettling in the most potent way.

I K A R U G A

Publisher: Nintendo Developer; In-HouseG e n r e : S i m P r i c e ; £ 2 9 . 9 9

Sim C/f/smashed the notion that games neededan ending; Animal Crossing suggested that theybarely even need a point, and came a whiskeraway from greatness in the process. The joy ofthe game is merely to exist within its lovablecommunity. Rewarding, except there's no reward.

Could this be the fastest racing game ever made?Burnout pushes it close, but we feel this takes thecrown. The greatness of F-Zero GX, however, isthat it never lets the incredible speed compensatefor weakness - the quality of the track design andnumber of opponents still astounds today.

V I E W T I F U L J O E

Publisher; Capcom Developer: In-HouiGenre; Beat-'Em-Up Price: £9.99

I S S U E : N / A S C O R E : 8

A N I M A L C R O S S I N G

It may not be the longest game you'll ever play,but by God Viewtiful Joe makes you work everysingle second. The 2D graphics and rock-harddifficulty led some to criticise it as a throwback;others saw it as a timeless slice of gaming - as athome today as it would have been a decade ago.

ill A L I E N H O M I N I D

Of all the games on this list. Alien Hominid hasthe most flaws, however, that doesn't stop itfrom being a curiously involving experiencewith excellent animation and a wicked sense ofhumour. Certainly not to everyone's tastes, but itsurely can't hurt to try.

g a m e s 1 5 9

PS2 PSP I XBOX I XBOX 360 I GAMECUBE I DS I GBA I PC

E S S E N T I A L STOO MANY GAMES, NOT ENOUGH MONEY THANKFULLY NOT ALL OF THEM ARE WORTH SPENDING YOUR HA

RE.A.R.Nearly a year has passed since F.E.A.R crept intothe public consciousness, and we've all had timeto sneak a go with the atmospheric shooter. Forthose who haven't, one of the best-conceivedaction games in years has arrived on Xbox 360.

Burnout RevengeCall Of Duty 3

The Elder Scrolls IV; Oblivion

Gears Of War

Project Gotham Racing 3Rainbow Six Vegas

TONY HAWK'S PROJECT 8With its superb 'nail the trick' function - slowdown the action mid-jump and move each legindependently to spin the board - Project 8 isa r e t u r n t o i n n o v a t i o n a f t e r s e v e r a l l a c k l u s t r e

Instalments. It sounds suspect, but it really works.

Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon: Advanced WarfighterTony Hawk's Project 8

B U R N O U T 3Atop-scoring game, Surnouf 5 is the pinnacleof arcade racing, and one of the most excitingtitles. Even the next-gen-powered Burnoutffevenge couldn't overtake its immaculatepredecessor. We'd choose Burnout 3 every time.

GUrTAR HERO IIIf a sequel can be criticised for offering more ofthe same, then 6H//could be the worst sequelever. It isn't, of course, it's bloody brilliant. Afterall, when 'the same' involves frantically pickingthe solo to Free Bird, we can take all you've got.

X b o x T e n M u s t - H a v e G a m e s

Electronic Arts Criterion

Activision Infinity WardCapcoin In-House

2K Games

Microsof t EpicMicrosof t Bizarre Creations

Ubisof t In-House

Ubisof t In-House

Battlefield 2: Modem Combat Electronic Arts DICE 38 8

1 Burnout 3 Electronic Arts Criterion 23 10 1Halo 2 M i c r o s o f t Bungie 26 9

Jet Set Radio Future Sega Smilebi t N/A 8

Ninja Gaiden Black Microsof t Tecmo 18 8

Oddworld: Stranger's Wrath Electronic Arts Oddworld Inhabitants 28 9

OutRun 2 Sega Sumo Digital 24 8

Rainbow Six 3; Black Arrow Ubisof t In-House 22 8

Street Rghter Anniversary Collection Capcom In-House N/A 8

TimeSplitters: Future Perfect Electronic Arts Free Radical 29 8

I P f a y S t a t i o n 2 T e n M u s t - H a v e G a m e s |Amplitude Sony Hamion ix 8 8

Beyond Good & Evil Ubisof t In-House 12 8

Devil May Cry Capcom In-House 30 8

Disgaea 2: Cursed Memories Koei Nippon Ichi Software 48 9

God Of War Sony In-House 32 9

I Guitar Hero II RedOctane Harmonix 51 9

Ico Sony In-House N/A 9

Rez Sega Uga N / A 8

Shadow Of The Colossus Sony In-House 39 9

Virtua Rghter 4: Evolution Sega In-House 5 8

1 Sony PSP Ten Must-Have Games ■ ■ ■Burnout Legends Electronic Arts Criterion 37 9

Every Extend Extra NamcoBanda i Q Entertainment 49 8

Football Manager 2007 Sega In-House N/A 8

Grand Theft Auto: Liberty Crty Stories Rockstar In-House 39 8

ON THE HORIZON THEY MAY NOT BE HERE JUST YET, BUT WE FEEL THAT

S U P R E M E C O M M A N D E R

Along with Relic's recent WWII epic CompanyOf Heroes, Supreme Commander \s gearingup to revitalise the FiTS. Managing yourforce from the broadest stroke to the tiniestdetail, whether land, sea or air. SupremeCommander's most obvious asset is itssense of scale. The models are inventive,and access to nukes promises a level ofdevastation to suit the enormity of thecombat. The most exciting FiTS in years?

F o r m a t ; P C P u b l i s h e r . T H Q D e v i r : G a s P o w e r e d G a m e s

160 games ' "

TEN ESSENTIAL MUST-HAVE GAMES

EARNED CASH ON. IF YOU WANT TO TASTE THE CREAM OF THE CROP, YOU'VE COME TO THE RIGHT PLACE

Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories Rockstar In-House 51 8

LocoRoco Sony In-House 46 9

1 Lximinesll Ubisoft Q Entertainment 51 8

Power Stone Collecton Capcom In-House 49 8

Ridge Race Sony N a m c o 28 8

WipEojtPure Sony In-House 31 8

: N i n t e n d o D S T e n M u s t - H a v e G a m e s |Animal Crossing: Wild World Nintendo In-House 40 8

Daigassol Band Brothers Nintendo In-House 29 8

Kirby: Power Paintbrush Nintendo HAL Labs 31 8

Mario KartDS Nintendo In-House 39 7

Meteos Nintendo Q Entertainment 31 9

Ossu! Tatakael Ouendan Nintendo Inis 37 8

Phoenix Wright Ace Attorney Nintendo Capcom 23 8

StarFox Command Nintendo Q-Games 48 8

Trauma Center Under The Knrfe Nintendo Atlus 39 8

Z o o K e e p e r I g n i t i o n E n t e r t a i n m e n t S u c c e s s 3 0 8

1 G a m e B o y A d v a n c e T e n M u s t H a v e G a m e s : iAdvance Wars 2: Black Hole Rising Nintendo Intelligent Systems 8 9

Castlevania: Aria Of Sorrow Konami In-House 6 8

The Legend Of Zelda: The Minish Cap Nintendo In-House 25 9

Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga Nintendo AlphaDream 14 9

Metroid: Zero Mission Nintendo In-House 17 8

M o t h e r s Nintendo In-House 47 8

Pokemon Pinball: Ruby & Sapphire Nintendo In-House 11 8

Street Rghter Alpha 3 Upper Capcom Crawfish 1 8

Super Mario Advance 3: Yoshi's Island Nintendo In-House N/A 8

Nintendo In-House 31 8 .

P C T e n M u s t - H a v e G a m e s 1Battlefield 2 Electronic Arts DICE 34 9

Defcon Introversion Software In-House 49 9

Football Manager2006 Sega Sports Interactive N/A 9

Grim Fandango LucasAns In-House N/A 8

Half-Life 2 Vivendi Valve Software N/A 9

The Movies Act iv is ion Lionhead Studios 39 9

Naked War Zee-3 The Pickford Brothers 50 9

Sam & Max Hit The Road Act iv is ion LucasArts N/A 9

1 Unreal Tournament 2004 Atari Digital Extremes 18 8 \Worid Of Warcraft Vivendi Blizzard 30 9

T H E S E T I T L E S C O U L D B E A P P E A R I N G I N T H E S E L I S T S I N T H E N O T- TO O - D I S TA N T F U T U R E . . .

THE OUTSIDER

The schedu led re lease for The Outs ider is so fa r in

the future it's depressing, but this is already oneof the nnost exciting games of next year. A hugelyambitious project that promises to simulatehuman emotion rather than just thrills and spills- as well as being made in conjunction with a

feature film - with David Braben at the helm, wehave high hopes that The Outsider can live up toits lofty promises. At the very least we expect anadmirable failure. Braben, don't let us down.

Format: PS3, X360, Wii Publisher: TBA Developer Frontier

LUMINES I INot to damn Mizuguchi's work with faint praise,this is the best block puzzler since Tetris. Thefusion of gameplay and music makes it a hypnoticexperience, and the bigger track list with the abilityto rearrange the song order really set it apart

M A R I O K A R T D SIn retrospect our score of seven was perhaps a bitharsh as this handheld update of the evergreenfranchise still keeps us busy at lunchtime. It mayseem slow at first, but persevere and you'll make itto higher race classes, where the real fun begins.

WA R I O WA R E : T W I S T E D !With Smooth Moves postponed till 2007, we'llhave to turn to our neglected GBAs for our fixof bite-sized insanity. When played non-stop forlong periods, you emerge dazed as if from amalarial dream, by tums confused and elated,

U N R E A L TO U R N A M E N T 2 0 0 4The superb Gears Of War has prompted usto turn to Epic's previous triumphs - morespecifically the brash multiplayer thrills of UnrealTournament. An update - with hoverboards - isdue in 2007; till then this is your best bet.

games ' " 161

Yoshiki Okamoto's Genji 2 gets the games™ reviewt r e a t m e n t n e x t m o n t h .

M O R E . . . R E V I E W SSadly, with the new year comesanother brief gaming lull, so thereviews section may feel slightlymalnourished in comparison torecent times. But have no fear, dear

readers, because with the secondbatch of PS3 launch software, aswell as a smattering of Wii and 360efforts to get through, there'll still beplenty for you to get your teeth into.

' 'WHAT WAS ONCE THE FUTURE IS VERYMUCH THE NOW. PS3 HAS ARRIVED''

Lost Odysse/could be the game that finally setsXbox 360 in motion in Japan.

M O R E . . . P R E V I E W SThis issue, games™ has told theworld about all of the games weshould be getting excited about in2007, so next month is going to beall about playing them. We'll begoing hands-on with the new SegaRally, Microsoft's stunning RPG LostOdyssey, and a host of the year'sother spring releases. It's going tobe another busy month.

CAN SEGA'S ONCE PROUD RACER FINDTHE RIGHT PATH ONCE AGAIN?"

N e x t m o n t h t h e e n t i r e r e t r o s e c t i o n w i l l f e a t u r e

classic titles such as Speedball 2: Deluxe Edition.

M O R E . . . F E AT U R E SWe'll be sitting down with NickBurton to discuss all things Rare, plusreporting on how the Nintendo Wiilaunched in all three territories. And, asif that wasn't enough, we'll be back tothe games'^'*" bible, ready to dissect thealways-inventive rhythm-action genre.And for the retro-heads among you,the en t i r e sec t i on w i l l be ded i ca ted t othe glorious Amiga.

PAGES OFTO E - TA P H N G

GOODNESSON SALE 25 JAN '07

g a m e s ' " 1 6 3

CONTACTILLUMINATING THE WORLD OF gaiKSEnough of what we think - now you get to show off your rapier wit to praise, criticise or mocl< the game industry. Or not...

I ff%e/?acer2maynotbemuclidifferenttoitspredecessor, but to avoid confusion let's say its better.

i International sales of the PSP prompted a lawsuitfrom Sony and the subsequent collapse of Lik-Sang.

M a k i n g C o n t a n t□ There are many wonderful ways to get in touchwith games™, The traditional postal method isperfectly acceptable using this address

games^", Imagine Publishing Ltd, Richmond House,33 Richmond Hill, Bournemouth, Dorset BH2 6EZ

□ However, there are quicker ways to reach usthanks to the technological marvel that is thein te rne t . Ema i l us a t t h i s add ress

gamestm@imagin&-pub}ishing.co.uk

I RECENTLY STARTED subscribing toyour excellent magazine. However, in

issue 49 you gave Ridge Racer 2 on the PSP6/10.1 believe you gave the original RidgeRacer 8/10, yet your review said it was notmuch of an improvement on the original.Question: if I don't yet have either game,which one should I buy?

If your answer is Ridge Racer 2, you needto change the score of that game. I don'thave time to play all games, nor money tobuy them. Not everyone is in the privilegedposition of being a game reviewer with accessto every game. If 'Some Game 2007' is onlyslightly better than 'Some Game 2006', then forheaven's sake don't give it a lower score. Howon earth am I supposed to know what to buy?Roger Wemersson

games™: Thanks for your question, Roger.The Ridge Racer review you are referringto actually states quite clearly that if youalready own Ridge Racer the sequel isrepetitive. It also says that if you don't ownthe original then the sequel is one of thebest racers on PSP. Take a look: paragraphthree, line six - it's all there. It is impossibleto treat a sequel - which, in the case of mostdriving or sports games are basically justupdates - in Isolation from its predecessors.

If a sequel does nothing more than trotout the same experience then the fact thatit's of a similar quality becomes completelyirrelevant when scoring. We know that thereare people out there who don't have the firstgame, and that's why the review specificallyaddressed them. Unfortunately, you haveto realise that there are people who dohave the original, and we need to considerthem too. The short answer for you though,Roger, is buy Ridge Racer 2.

I WAS JUST wondering if you'll be doingan article on the closure of Lik-Sang

by Sony? I think other gamers would like toknow what Sony has been up to. Many onlinepetitions have sprung up in favour of Lik-Sang. This is a massive error on Sony's part,especially at a time when its financial resultsfor the year are worse than expected.

Of course, there are other sites to importfrom, but how long before Sony goes afterthose? Why didn't Sony go for eBay? I wasn'tplanning to get a PS3 and certainly won't buyany other Sony product. This is how strongly Ifeel about this situation.Dave Keryk

games™; We covered the controversysurrounding Lik-Sang's closure, in the Newssection last issue, and it's clear that Sony'sconduct has raised a few eyebrows. We'd bemad to make any definitive statements abouteither side, lest a lawsuit be our reward, but itseems there is certainly more to the situationthan meets the eye. One thing must be madeclear though: Sony did not close Lik-Sangit sued them. That Lik-Sang shut down as aresult was not necessarily Sony's intention.eBay protects itself by claiming no legalresponsibility for the transactions that takeplace on the site. Lik-Sang enjoys no suchluxury. What we can't understand however, iswhy something that hasn't been a problem inthe past, and still isn't for the other platformholders, suddenly became such an issue forSony. We may never know, but the law isclearly on Sony's side.

I R E A D M A R K M u l l i n s ' l e t t e r i n i s s u e 5 0- the one about about coming up with

a new term for all those free-roaming gameslike Grand Theft Auto - and decided to adapt

1WASNT PLANNING TO GET A PS3 AND CEFHAINLYWONT BUY ANY OTHER SONY PRODUCT. THIS ISHOW STRONGLY I FEEL ABOUT THIS SITUATION"

164 sames™

33 Richmond Hi l l , Bournemouth, Dorset BH2 6BZT e l : + 4 4 1 2 0 2 5 8 6 2 0 0

We b s i t e w w w. g a m e s t m . c o . u k

M A G A Z I N E T E A MEditor Paut Morgan+44 (0) 1202 586257

paul.morgan@imagine-pub!ishing.co.ukEditor in Chief Simon Phillips

Deputy Edi tor Rick PorterGames Edi tor Jon Denton

Staff Writers Ashley Day, Matthew HandrahanArt Edi tor Duncart Crook

Assistant Designer Rebecca JldmanSub Edi tor Helen Laid law

Contributors Ben Biggs, Alexander Gambotto-BurkeJohn Francis, William Haley, Ryan King

Mart in Mathers, Simon Mi l ler, Graeme NicholsonTim Rogers, Chris Schilling, Dave Shaw

Spanner Spencer

Cover: Halo 3 © 2007 Microsoft Game Studios andBungie Studios. Ail rights reserved

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are available on requestAdvertising Director Scott Caisley

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I N T E R N A T I O N A Lgames™ is available for licensing.

Please contact the International Department now todiscuss partnership opportunities

International Manager Cathy BfackmanTel:+44 (0)1202 586401

Email: [email protected]

■ Is Saints ffowFree To Roam or a Free-Roaming Adventure?The pesky open-world conundrum continues.

his idea of Free To Roam (FTR) a little. The

suggestion I came up with was Free RoamingAdventure or FRA. What do you think?M a r k R o b i n s o n

games™; it's certainly not without its charm,and it does roll off the tongue. We may havea winner. Well done, Mark.

DOES ANYONE ELSE feel slightlyunderwhelmed by Xbox 360? I've had

mine since February now, and I'm still tryingto find a truly next-generation game. I'veplayed The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion, andyes, it is shiny and it is huge, but talk aboutpop up. I thought such things were goingto be a thing of the past, but I played TestDrive Unlimited, and again graphical glitcheshamper the experience. The best thing aboutXbox 360 is Live; it's a fantastic service andshould always be way out in front of othercompetitors. Let's just hope we start seeingsome genuinely next-gen titles very soonbecause I'm getting pretty tired of the lack ofquality in the games I play.m r B e a t z

games™; Temperamental graphics areone thing, a lack of quality is somethingquite different. Flawless graphics are not aprerequisite for quality and they never willbe. Too many people have bought into next-

■ Games like O/ra/n/suggestthat perhaps we hadn't yet drainedthe best from the last generation before pushing forward.

generation hype - created by the platformholders in the first place - and have sincespent every day criticising games for notliving up to a non-existent standard.

You should remember that we may neveractually see a game as revolutionary asMario 64 or Grand Theft Auto III ever again,and yet many seem unwilling to show anylove to the new consoles until somethingsimilar comes along. Who's to say that thenext generation isn't just the same gamesbut bigger and shinier, and with all the usualflaws. It hasn't stopped games being brilliantIn the past and it shouldn't prevent themfrom receiving accolades now. We pray tothe gaming gods every night for the arrival ofa new age, but until then it's only fair to takeeach release on its own terms, and not thosecreated by hype.

I CAN REMEMBER a time when a gamemachine's life was only over when you

could no longer get anything more from it.And now today I witness the slow, fade-awaydemise of the old Xbox simply becauseMicrosoft was determined to beat Sony tothe crunch in the next round of the consolewar. This seems strange because Xbox hadn'tbeen truly pushed to its limits: Halo still looksexcellent, PGR2tracks still amaze. So, whatdo you think of the attitude toward the nextgeneration of consoles. Are they necessary?

S U B S C R I P T I O N STel: +44 (0) 870 442 1097

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© 2006 Imagine Publishing LtdISSN: 1478*5889

games™ 165

\

C O N TA C TILLUMINATING THEW O R L D O F s a m e s rEnough of what we think, this is where you lotget to show off your rapier wit to praise, criticiseor mocl< the game industry. Or not...

For all your games™forum needs, point yourb r o w s e r s t o . . .www.gamestm.co.uk/ f o r u m

ResuK from games™ teamversus reade rs a t Gea rs O fM/ar (30 Nov 06): games™won 15 games to 1 (orsomething, we lost count).

Am I missing the point of the new consoles?Am I just a whining old fuddy duddy?T r e b o w

games™: Trust us, you're none of thesethings. This industry is dragged along bytechnology, and will keep moving whether weneed it or not. Given two more years we mayh a v e s e e n s o m e o f t h e m o s t i n v e n t i v e a n d

brilliant games of the last generation, but asyou say, market competition forced the next-gen push. The more distressing development,as evidenced in the letter from MrBeatz above,is that many think that the new technologystill isn't powerful enough. What kind of worlddo we live in where GRAW's graphics don'tfeel like a step forward - it's absurd, baselesscriticism. We all crow on about there being nogood games, but how can anyone develop toa console's full capacity when their toolkit isbeing changed every five years?

I'VE RECENTLY DEVOTED many hoursof my life to killing Germans via Call

Of Duty and Medal Of Honor. After endlesshours of frantic gunplay, I realised that thesegames are not designed or intended to teachus of the brutality of WWII and what the Nazisaccomplished. They instead turn the events ofthat time into a fun experience that you canswitch on or off any time you please with utteremotional detachment. If only the Jews andsoldiers of that day had the same choice.

So I wonder, then, if the point of thesegames is only about the thrill of killing, arewe not doing it at contemporary Germany'sexpense? I wonder how typical Germangamers today feel about popular videogamefranchises pumping out best-selling gamesbased around the idea of killing theircountrymen? No doubt the choices of theirfathers' fathers have left a stain on the pride

FROM THE FORUMW H A T I S f T A B O U T V I D E O G A M E S ?

and face of Germany that won't ever fade,and though it's not wrong to teach of suchhistorical facts, I believe it's wrong to exploit itby offering up such terrible times as a palatefor making games that are merely meant forkilling. Don't understand what I mean? PlayCall Of Duty for an hour or two then watchSchindler's List. Can the exploitation be anymore obvious... and tasteless?

games™: This is rather more philosophicalthan Contact usually gets, but we're happy tohelp. In our opinion, the important distinctionto remember is that in WWII games, you are

killing Nazis not Germans, and the citizensof contemporary Germany acknowledgethat. The Call Of Duty and Medal Of Honorfranchises sell as well in Germany asanywhere else, and that's because Germansh a v e d i s t a n c e d t h e m s e l v e s f r o m w h a t

happened, leaving them free to analyse theevents without feeling guilt.

They need not apologise for It, but asthe single biggest event of the modern ageit's only natural for entertainment media toexplore it. Videogames don't currently havethe qualities necessary to produce a trulythoughtful and respectful study of the conflict,though they are getting closer Schindler'sList is about the holocaust, which historians

agree should be considered separate from thewar, but even so, comparing one of the finestfilms ever made to a videogame is a trifleunfair. There are plenty of war films that showlittle or no respect to those that died, and ifsuch an approach makes you uncomfortablethe solution is simple; don't watch or play

anything that chooses that path. Besides, the'fun' in the game is your reaction to it - ifsnot inherent in the code. That shootingNazis is fun says more about the

player than it does the programmer.

'CALL OF DUTY AND MEDAL OF HONOR ARE NOTDESIGNED TO TEACH US OF THE BRUTAUTY OF WWII'

■ Si 51Okay, as gamers the typical response we giveto non-gamers who question why we playgames is because we want to escape realitya n d b e c o m e i m m e r s e d i n a v i r t u a l w o r l d a t

l e a s t f o r a f e w m o m e n t s . I m m e r s i o n a n d t h e

c rea t i on o f i t seems to be t he f undamen ta l

aspect of creating a successful, if not classic,game. However, there is an increasing trendof current games that seem to encourage adetachment from the game world. NintendoWii's control system never allows the userto forget that they are playing a game. Theneed to move the remote In pre-set directionsin o rde r t o i n i t i a te a t t acks and moves

paradoxically distances the user from thegame rather than immerees them in it as theyare constantly aware of what is in their hands.

■ S c o t s Wa h e y1 don't agree with your feelings on theWiimote. If you are looking at the screenthen that's what your focus is on. Thenatural movement of your body is far moreimmersive than twiddling your thumbs on ajoypad. Wii may let you feel more Involvedwith the game and therefore more Immersed

It doesn't apply to something like Pac-Man.There's no real immersion to speak of. It'sabstracted enough that detachment wouldn'tbe relevant. It applies more to modern

games. I just wanted to make the distinctionthat Immersion isn't relevant in alt games.

Personally, I play games that test my reflexesand skill so I'm not really seeking escapism.

9 The Last GingaI find that in games like Robotron, Tempestand many other old-school games, you hitthe zone and a re immersed in I t . Recen t

games that have done it for me are few andfar between, but Geometry Wars Is a primeexample. Then, on the other hand, story-based games draw you in and you "become"the character you are playing, and time flieswithout realising, again immersed.

■ S h a o l i n . M o n k e yOkay, a game can be immersive, it can beabstract, it can be virtual reality, however,for most blokes, If it doesn't satisfy theneed to hunt and gather Ifs unplayable. Wehaven't got anything left to hunt. The malesocial structure is no longer based aroundwho supplies the tribe with the most food,but rather who licks corporate ass. If you'renot a bit 'metro' these days women aren'tinterested, so if you have any bodily hair, alumpy forehead and smell a bit too much ofBO and male pheromones, you can forget it.

166 games ' ' '

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DEVEWPER WHOXREATED S OFTHETOP RANKING FIRST PERSON SHOOTERS?

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WOULD YOU LIKE TO WORK WITH A

DEVELOPER WHO IS CURRENTLYt \

PARTNERING WITH UBISOFT

AND LUCASARTS?

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WE ARFCOTkING FOR!' 5 ^ a a i « K .

GRAPHICS I RENDERING PROGRAMMERS

SENIOR Al IGAMEPLAY PROGRAMMERS

S E N I O R P R O G R A M M E R S - ^ '

TOOLS PROGRAMMERS

PROGRAMMERS

ENVIRONMENT ARTISTS

ANIMATORS

■- •" ■■■■•■* T?i-

i r i i ^VISIT www.frd.co.uk for more details

Applications should be addressed to:Personnel Dept., Free Radical Design, Unit 1, Interchange 25, Bostocks Lane, Sandiacre, Nottingham NG10 5QGor emailed to [email protected] applications are always given prior consideration over agencies. Do not rely on an agency to supply your details to us.

R e c r u i t m e i i t g a m c y 0 1 2 0 2 5 8 6 4 3 3

Due to our on-going success in signing a number of majornew tit les, across all platforms. Atomic Ranet is actively

looking to recruit candidates to fill the followng positions....

P r o d u c e r sExperienced individuals with a proven track record oftwinging quality games to market on time and on budget

P r o g r a m m e r sTools and Technology programmers for next generat ionconsoles, Cameplay programmers, A. I . programmers.Previous published games is rxjt a necessity, tHJtyou mustbe able to VAXk as part of a team.

3 D A r t i s t s / A n i m a t o r s3D Environment Character Artists, Animators. Experience

jjsing Max is preferable and must have a good knowledgeof Photoshop. You must be able to work well independentlyand as part of a team.

f G a m e s D e s i g n e r s■- Talented and imagnative Came Concept Designers and

^■^Level Designers. Previous experience is r>ref able but note s s e n t i a l .

S M i « W u r C v aH R O w w lw n c w

i l t i c e n M i i i a l B W t a t t o :

E A S T M E E T S W E S T G L O B A L M M O G

I M U d h n k m i t K O a w i M . T S M F

Real Time WorldlCUTTING-EDGE TECHNOLOGY | Unreal® Engine™ 3 AND REVOLUTIONARYI N - H O U S E T O O L S

PROFESSIONAL WORKING ENVIRONMENT | EXCELLENT QUALITY OF LIFE

WE ARE EXPANDING OUR TEAMSL E A D S O F T W A R E E N G I N E E R SS O F T W A R E E N G I N E E R SW E B S I T E P R O G R A M M E RL E A D A R T I S T S3 D D I G I TA L A RT I S T SU I / F X A RT I S T SSENIOR DESIGNER (MMOG)A S S I S TA N T P R O D U C E RO A M A N A G E RO U T S O U R C E M A N A G E R o ,

w w w. r e a l t i m e w o r l d s . c o m

VENOM GAMES are lookingor talented and passionate people

0 join the experienced team at theirNewcastle studios bringing exciting

mes to a new generation of consoles

We are currently seeking:

PROGRAMMERS& ANIMATORS

www.venomgames.co.uk

R e c r u i t m e n t g a m e s " " 01202 586433

feW-7-

Where are you headiniCHARACTER ARTISTS

Applicants hoping to make their way into this role shouldhave the ability to create high and low-poly meshes alongwith a good understanding of Maya, Zbrush and Photoshop.A successful Character Artist will be required to model,sculpt and texture some of the industry's most recognisablecharacters using high-level shaders and normal maps,

Showreels should contain examples of 20 concept artworkand excellent 3D character modelling, demonstrating greattexturing and an equally good grasp of lighting.

A N I M AT O R S

Hopefuls for an Animator position will need experienceand understanding of the basics of traditional animationincluding the importance of strong posing and precisetiming. A clear vision of how characters should moveact and behave is also crucial along with the ability towork with passion and initiative as part of a team

Showreels should contain examples of both realistic andcartoon-style animation, making it clear which partsof the reel applicants are personally responsible for.

M i c r o s o f t ' ^g a d # 0 s

For more information aboutthese roles please visit:

R E " w w w. r a r e w a r e . c o m

^ ; ' 4 :

# • ' A ,

Wanted: Industry Hot Shots*The Stainless Games team has been based on the Isle of Wight for 12 years, and in that time we'vebeen responsible for a number of innovative titles on a variety of platforms.

Right now we have TEN Xbox 360 Live Arcade titles either released or in production, with several more in the pipeline.We are always looking to augment our already strong team, and currently have the following vacancies to fill:Lead Programmer: You must be a strong all-rounder with industry experience, have the proven ability to finishprojects to completion, and be able to work as part of a team.Programmers: Have you just graduated, and want the best start you can get on Live projects? Then we want to hearfrom you.

Experienced Artists: If you have a show reel, we'd like to see it - with a view to improving it for you.Experienced Testers: Get to thrash the living daylights out of our titles before anyone else does.*Pool-playing skills are also an advantage (although not essential),as our team's league position is currently perilous.If you're interested, and would like to know more about why the Island is such a great place to work,please send your CV to;

[email protected]

111 - ^ o t a l n l e s s g a m e swww.stainlessgames.com T i ^ a member

Recrui tment/Course Guide

2004 Mario2005 Metroid2000

wanted:

p rogrammerswww.fusegames.com

01202 586433

Do you have ambitionto go beyond just playing?

Degrees in Games Technology at Kingston UniversityDid you know that the UK is now not only the third largest market forvideo games, it is also the third largest producer of games in the world?Huge growth in the computer and video games industry, and aworldwide shortage of high-quality computer programmers, meansgraduates in games technology can find work not only in gamesdevelopment but in many related industries, such as virtual reality andcomputer s imulat ion.Now you can study for a degree in this exciting area at Kingston, auniversity highly respected for its teaching qualityAt Kingston University this Joint Honours degree is offered in fivecombinations, so you can combine your interest in computer games im. .development with a wide selection of topic areas to study for a degree " gm a t c h e d t o y o u r a s p i r a t i o n s . I

Games Technology and Media Technology (BSc)Games Technology and Mathematics (BSc)Games Technology and Statistics (BSc)Games Technology with Business (BSc)Games Technology with Entrepreneurshipand Management (BSc)

Mario and Metroid are trademarks of Ni

To find out more about our Games Technology degrees visitwww.kingston.ac.uk/games or contact our Admissions Coordinator on020 8547 8234 or [email protected] i

Kingston University LondonFaculty of Computing, Information Systems and Mathematics

BA (Hons) AnimationBA (Hons) Computer and Video GamesBSc (Hons) Computer Games DevelopmentWhether you're interested in developing games throughsoftware engineering or want to work in the industry as

^ an artist or designer, we've got the right course for you.

/ Click your way to wvvw.solent.ac.uk, give us a callo r send us an e -ma i l .

T: 0 8 4 5 6 7 6 7 0 0 0

E: [email protected]

Are You Ready toCreate the Future?Then take a look at the exciting portfolio ofchallenging and stimulating courses offered withinour Faculty of Creative and Cultural Industries.The Faculty of Creative and Cultural Industries at the University of Portsmouthis at the heart of the booming creative and cultural industry in the South Eastof England, itself one of the most successful and dynamic regional economiesin the world. Our highly knowledgeable and enthusiastic staff, drawn fromacademia and industry, target programmes towards the real worid bymaintaining close links with International companies.Our students participate in a range of technical and creative activities, whilsthaving access to a large-scale immersive 3D virtual reality suite, gamesresearch laboratories. Digital and Analogue sound studios and a Foley studio,as well as an extensive range of multimedia, video-editing and post-productionhardware and software.

Undergraduate courses include:• Animation • Computer Animation • Computer Games Technology• Creative Computing Technologies • FdSc Creative Technologies and Enterprise• Design for Interactive Media • Digital Media • Digital Video Technologies• Entertainment Technology • Enterprise in Entertainment Technology• Music and Sound Technology

Postgraduate courses include:• Computer Animation • Computer Games Technology• Creative and Computational Sound • Creative Technologies and Enterprise• Design for Digital Media • Digital Media • Real-Time Media Communications

We are here to equip you to work prafessionally withinthe creative industries. For further information contact:

t 023 9284 2421 (Ret: GT11)e [email protected] www.port.ac.uk/cci

w w w . s o l e n t . a c . u k

Southampton

S O L E N TUniversity

Course Gu ide g a m e s " 0 1 2 0 2 5 8 6 4 3 3

j r t h o m p s o n l @ u c l a n . a c . u kw w w . u c l a n . a c . u k

ru c l a n

B.A. (Hons ) An ima t i onB.Sc . (Hons) Computer Games Deve lopmentB.A. (Hons) Games Design

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BsaG L A M O R G A Ns c h o o l o f a n i m a t i o n

s © 4 'sk i l ls i^ t

H N D / B AA n i m a t i o n &

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S k i l l s e t A c c r e d i t e dThe on ly course in the UK Tr ip le -Accred i ted as aTo p T r a i n i n g P r o v i d e r I n A n i m a t i o n a n d G a m e s A r tby the sk i l l s & t ra in ing watchdog Sk i l l se t

B A F T A N o m i n a t e dOne o f t he few s tuden t -p roduced an ima ted fi lmst o e v e r b e n o m i n a t e d f o r a W e l s h B A F T A

I n d u s t r y E n d o r s e dinc reas ing ly be ing recogn ised as a p remie r t ra in ingground by the animation and games, industry, withlarge numbers of graduates established in majors t u d i o s i n b o t h t h e U K a n d t h e U S

our mission is to provide quality education and training in the community

Course Gu ide g a m e s ^ 01202 586433

Education with a ReputationReal Education in Games,Computer Science and Software DevelopmentBSc, MEng, MSc and PhDYour first step to a job as a games programmer

"The course is rigorous and demanding, but in the end worth the hard work.I got two job offers from leading companies in the games industry within amonth of completing my course." Hussain Sheikh,Graduate 2006 - Core Technology Programmer, Climax Racing.

"I applied for loads of games jobs before coming to Hull University and gotnowhere. Prior to completing the MSc at Hull I received a job offer fromCodemasters". Phillipa Leighton, Graduate 2005 - Games Programmer.

For more quotes from ex-students, examples of student work and syllabus informationplease visit: www.dcshull.ac.uk For infomiation on our open days pleaseemail: [email protected]

image courtesy of Codemastefs All rights reserved i

T H E U N I V E R S I T Y O F H U L L

INNOVATION NORTH CREATIVE GAMING

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Innovat ion northleeds metropolitan university

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Tel: 0113 283 7421/7595emai l : innadmiss ionsra ieedsmet.ac.ukvisi t : wwv\/ . leedsmet.ac.uk/ inn

GET YOUR GAME ON!Train for a career In the games industryInteractive Entertainment DiplomaMajor in Games Programming or 3D Animationcourses also available in Audio Engineering - Digital Film - Web Design + Development

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4TiSTAFFORDSHIREU N I V E R S I T Y H

are youIf you're going to be one of the next generation of games designersthen Staffordshire University, with their state of the art technologyand carefully tailored courses, have exactly what you need:

Computer Games DesignComputer Games ProgrammingCGI and Animatronics

Computing Science: GraphicsComputing Science: AlPlus MSc Awards in Computer Games

Developed with Industry for Industry

For full information on all the courses on offer please contactStaffs Uni on

t: 01785 353370e: [email protected] .s ta f fs .ac .uk

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