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RAPID
RACER
This is the first water racing action game I've taken on and it's quite
an impressive play. Besides the chaotic, speedy action and cool vessels,
two outstanding features blend together marvelously: the graphics which
deliver a great effect, especially with the water realism and surrounding
scenery might be a bit pixelated in parts, but while you're actually in
the heat of a race, you'll hardly notice it; Then there's the music by
Apollo 440, all bits taken from a great track also featured on
their CD (no, it's not Talkin' 'Bout Dub). The sound FX also add
to the rush as your vessel thuds against the water with the motor buzzing
away. There is even a voice-over commenting on shit moves or cheering
when you collect turbo beacons. The turbo could save your life when you
need that extra push to cross the line in order gain extra time. There's
nothing more frustrating than falling short and having to start over again
- and, especially if you're ahead of the pack - THAT'S a piss-off ! Endurance
and improved skills will gain you access to better boats and harder, but
great looking water courses - then again you can access them with a cheat
or two, which I won't give you, ha-ha! You might have some difficulty
with the original available speedboats as using them feels like you're
sliding on butter, over and under steering most of the time - but you'll
get the hang of it soon enough. Packed with excitement and adrenaline,
tracks range from Miami Beach to a glacier and rapid canyon level plus
more; and whether you're a seasoned veteran or wet behind the ears, this
baby will no doubt thump and dunk the shit out of you, maybe even blow
you out of the water ! (yuk-yuk). On many occasions the current will throw
you around and push on land, but you soon slide back - but when you're
in a rapid you might bob about left and right without managing to thrust
forward - frustrating ! What they should've done was make it possible
for you to flip the damn things. No matter how maniacal you race, you
cannot flip. Though it rests pretty much on the same principles of the
average motor racing game, at least you can access certain bonus rounds
if you excel in succession. Mainly it's just less boring than some of
the four wheel games available, unless it's Carmageddon of course (is
that out on PlayStation yet ??) Those of you who have a bit more cash
to fling around than the rest of us (or if you're one of those rare beings
who actually manage to save), then the added thrill of a proper steering
wheel and pedals could make it just a bit more realistic than under normal,
run of the mill PlayStation conditions. This certainly makes for a cool
change from the over flooded motor racing market. Even if you're not a
win-nut, Rapid Racer might just succeed in getting your competitive
gland pumping.
3 / B
- PB
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RAYSTORM
It's not easy to distinguish fly & shoot games since it all boils down
to pretty much the same old kettle of lazerbeams. But, the better the
graphics, the faster the game play and the most spectacular mother ships
and explosions will always have hungry destructive players heading that
way. I must admit, there are few more exciting gaming experiences than
a pointlessly indiscriminate blow 'em up spectacular. Raystorm
achieves in all of these categories. Various stages take you across
Europe and into the rest of the Universe destroying enemy craft and
landmarks. The mother ship at the end of each stage is spectacular with
so many weapons firing at you it's a good thing you can continue once
you're blown to bits. In addition to your traditional double firing
phazers an auto-lazer-lock-on device is available which can nail up
to 18 targets at once ! Thus, large scale destruction. Lining up targets
and dodging will be your main activity, but the result of countless
enemy bastards pluming into an orange, explosive demise will satisfy
most. The settings are really cool, ranging from cityscapes to oceans
to industrial orbiting structures. The varied music has a soft, laid
back mood which seems to take the edge off the hard core metallic genocide
- you could always drop the volume and play Ministry
while you're zipping about blowing up stuff, if the sometimes Casiotone
tinged tunes make you cringe.
3 / A
- PB
RAYSTORM in Afrikaans
Vir diegene wat daarvan hou om rond te vlieg en vyandige vaartuie af
te skiet en op te blaas, is Raystorm
net die ding. Met goeie grafika en 'n skerm deurtrek met ontploffings,
kan dit heel waarskynlik stres verlig deur net heeltemal wild te raak
en alles in sig weg te blaas. So tussen die ontploffings deur seil die
kalm, elektroniese musiek rustig saam. Selfs jy en jou maat kan saam
op een skerm speel - dan dans die poppe behoorlik ! Die indrukwekkende,
reusagtige skepe aan die einde van elke stadium kan amper 'n atoombom
weerstaan, so jy moet goed mik ! Die omgewing detail is ook iets besonders.
Baie soos Xevious 3D/G+ kom hierdie speletjie deurgaans daarop neer
dat jy vyandige vuur moet "dodge" - dit beteken egter nie dat dit jou
vir 'n baie lang tyd sal vermaak nie. R
3 /
A
- PB
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RAY
TRACERS in Afrikaans
Dit het nou wel 'n soortgelyke titel, maar hierdie motor jaag spelletjie
het niks met die een hierbo te doen nie. Met 'n keuse van verskillende
kragtige sport motors het jy die keuse om verskillende jaag bane aan
te pak of die slgte ouens jaag en van die pad afstamp. Dit klink na
kinderspelletjies, maar dit verg heelwat vaardigheid om nie tyd te verloor
nie. Die spoed moet mooi dopgehou word as jy nie in die mure wil vasbots
nie. As ander voertuie in jou pad kom, stamp jy hulle uitmekaar, vir
ekstra punte ! Die opening animasie is puik en die sport motors hanteer
heel realisties. Soos gewoonlik is die grafiese ontwerp en beligting
van beide die motors en omgewing baie na aan fantasties. Gordel vas
en sit voet in die hoek !!
3 / B
- PB
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REAL
BOUT FATAL FURY
Well, not very fatal, not quite furious...This basic arcade style 2-D-left-to-right-scrolling-hand-to-
hand-combat-game smacks of those shitty Streetfighter games still littering
small cafe's around the country. I could never get into them. The flat,
cheezy, cartoonish characters don't vary much in the "original department"
and it's your basic beat-'em-up tournament. Although you get blood splatters,
it's not enough to soup up this lukewarm crapper. With so many fine
3-D fighting games available, I can't for the life of me understand
who would choose this above great games like Tekken
or Toshinden,
yet, this could perhaps appeal to cult followers of the pioneering arcade
games - those players with a sense of history.
2 / C
- PB
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RESCUE
SHOT
Like Namco's Point
Blank
games, this one is another shootin' spectacular. But, the cartoon-style
narrative takes you along a trail with some conventional and other crazy
targets to shoot through, in stead of a shooting gallery choice. The
G-Con45 will once again be the best choice.
3 / B
- PB
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RESIDENT EVIL 2
Chilling, thrilling and goddamned scary is what this is! Raccoon City
is overrun by zombies and you can play either Leon or Claire (each on
their own disc, to get to the bottom of the Umbrella Corporation's evil
experiments. It will take a lot for developers to match the atmosphere
and sheer terror wrapped in this package. Shooting zombies, collecting
better weapons, medical packs, keys and clues embroils you in an action
packed mystery that comes to its own only if played alone in the dark.
You'll shit yourself! A masterpiece.
5 / B
- PB
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RESIDENT
EVIL 3 NEMISIS
The killer game is back! This great upgrade not
only offers more exciting new challenges and an army of zombies to blow
away, but also presents a new foe - the Nemesis project monster with
added firepower. The pre-rendered scenery is amazing (as usual) and
this time you get to play a male and female character in one game as
opposed to the same scenario on two discs of the previous chapter where
you get to try the same set-up but with the different characters. Here
it is integrated and part of the same narrative. Expect some gravely
atmospheric scenes, great cut scenes and a huge area to cover as you
need to collect a battery to activate this, a key for that etc. - you
know the drill. Once you finish the game you unlock the Mercenary section
where you have to beat the clock, saving civilians and blowing the heads
off zombies! Explosive, scary and totally killer.
6 / A
- PB
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RESIDENT
EVIL SURVIVOR
Resident Evil goes First Person Shooter! Armed
with your G-Con light gun, you wipe out zombies & monsters as
you wake with memory loss after a helicopter crash. Not as aesthetically
pleasing and innovative as the regular RE games, but it adds another
first person dimension, placing you in the action. Thing is, you also
cannot save when you like, you have to finish this baby in its entirety!
So, get ready for some late nights.
4 / A
- PB
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RONALDO
V-FOOTBALL
One of the biggest footie stars finally gets his own game.
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RETRO
FORCE
This
arcade style blast 'em trip seems to lack something. Maybe you know
what it could be?
2
/ C
- PB
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ROLLCAGE
A
revolutionary race game only comes along now and again. This is one
of them. Fast, furious and adrenaline pumped, Rollcage adds action powerups,
immobilizing weapons and force fields to mean mutha fururistic cars
on great sceneic tracks. You can flip your car, but the large wheel
diameter keeps you going no matter which side is up! When hitting a
tunnel, you can stick to the roof, not the mention any surface you encounter.
Quite a blast.
5
/ A
- PB
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ROSCO
McQUEEN
Most 3-D platform adventures have hard core violent themes. In Rosco
McQueen
we find a cool cartoon character in a pretty hot situation, sans blood
& guts. Refreshing. You are
Rosco McQueen,
fire-fighter extraodinaire! With your blonde quiff, axe, water backpack
and suave quips, you bash and squirt your way through 15 levels of burning
skyscraper. Sounds dull? Au contraire, my pretties! This super smooth,
comical adrenaline fest will keep you glued for an endless amount of
precious time, with action galore. Great, colourful graphics and sharp,
cinematic camera angles add to the atmosphere, while fluidity and pace
really makes it kick. The uber villain's variety of robots start the
endless fires while, as if fighting infernos weren't enough, you still
have to save civilians! Hidden rooms and plenty of special weaponry,
sustenance and water refills will have you explore every nook and cranny
of this tremendously innovative game. To top it all, you get no less
than 7 funky 70's styled tunes to boost you on your way. This one will
take a while before it bores you to death. Hot stuff !
4 / B
- PB
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