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SHADOW
MADNESS
Shadow Madness is reminiscent of early Final Fantasy games.
The story in this case unfolds as your lead character tells the bartender
his tale. His village was destroyed by a mysterious force, leaving few
survivors and deadly beasts roaming the land. Your quest is at hand.
Finding weapons and magic to assist you in attacks, your main aim is
to survive and ask people what's going on. They help you out, giving
clues and also provide info like how to use your fighting abilities,
special functions and more. Fighting sequences also rely on the one-for-you-one-for
me FF principle. Not as much fun as going for it as opposed to
pushing your button for attack, defend or flee. A long term adventure
on two discs for those who like to roam around, explore and have that
Final Fantasy kind of experience in a retro / futuristic setting.
3 / C
- PB
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SHAOLIN
Fighting games need to be real inventive to impress us nowadays. What
makes this one cool is the way you can pick a number different styles
and add that to whichever character's look you prefer. There is everything
from Thai Chi to Drunken Boxing. Some wicked combos can
also be perfected to kick living shit out of your opponents. In addition
to the arcade style fighting challenges laid before you, a free roaming
adventure / RPG style section is also included, elevating it from a
mere beat 'em up to another level (like Ehrgeiz and its extra
little games). Shaolin is great fun in the meantime till you wait for
the PlayStation 2 console and the Tekken Tag Tournament !
4 / A
- PB
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SILENT
HILL
Those who found the Resident Evil games engrossing adventures,
filled with thrills and spills, will be equally pleased with this baby.
This survival horror spectacular places you in the unfortunate shoes
of Harry whose car runs off the road near the town of Silent Hill.
His daughter, travelling with him, disappears, and he ventures into
the fog bound, mysterious town. Then things start hotting up. The brilliant
opening music and graphics is enough to get you in the mood. On your
way you find clues leading you to your daughter, but a horde of monsters
(four legged, airborne, you name it) will stop at nothing to have you
for supper. Weapons, maps, keys, first aid kits and more can be collected
and will prove invaluable in your task. Solving puzzles also make up
part of the action, giving it more cerebral credibility than a pointless
roaming bore. This game is nail-biting, thrilling and absolutely engrossing.
It not only has a dark backing story and filled with atmospheric moods
and situations, it also boasts amazing cinematic sensibilities. You
encounter alternate universes and various mysterious characters of whom
you're not sure whether to trust or kill... This is one hell of a kick
ass game that is meant for more mature players...but that's never stopped
you before, has it?
6 / B
- PB
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SLED
STORM
Snow
sport games seem to be leaning a bit heavily in the snowboarding direction,
so this snowmobile racing game is welcomed with open arms. With a choice
of 6 characters, 14 tracks and music by Rob Zombie, Econoline Crush,
Uberzone, E-Z Rollers, Dom & Roland (& more), who can go wrong? You
have 40 possible tricks and combos to pull off as you leap over ramps
and ditches. Besides the basic tracks, you can veer off into alternative
routes, knock over roadsigns, snowmen and small trees (and get points
credited!). The handling of the vehicles feel great and will get even
better as your victorious dosh buy upgrades that cover the likes of
a sport tune up, a 600cc engine, power reverse, tail scoop, sure start
(when you wipeout, you need to pullstart your vehicle a few times like
a lawnmower!), spotlight, centre treads, cutter skis, single pipe, sport
racing chip, special skims, single swingarm, light chassis and graphite
brakes. Huh? Huh?! Once you manage to get all of this you'll turn the
snow into H2O and leave the rest spluttering, dripping wet. One or multiplayers
can have a ball (up to 4) in either quickrace or championship modes.
Time trials are always present and is always a jol, trying to beat the
other guy's (or your own) best time. The terrain covers most snowy areas
and can take you down Pine Valley, Kodiak Canyon, Hard Pack, Eagle Ridge
and three Super Snocross courses. Using your L1 & R1 buttons to lean
around corners are great, but too much will have you chowing powder
in no time. Exciting, enjoyable and, yes, pretty addictive.
4
/ B
- PB
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THE
SMURFS
These little blue buggers have a part of most of our lives in some way
or another. Personally we got into collecting figurines from the gas
station in the late 70's. Now they've invaded the PlayStation! Although
it's aimed at the 4-8 year old market, you'll be surprised how you could
end up enjoying this little time killer. A Basic, but detailed 2D platformer,
you cruise along with Hefty Smurf, looking for Baby Smurf and 9 other
Smurferoos kidnapped by Gargamel's creation, the Gorgs! With Smurfs
covering everything from TV cartoons, dolls, music albums, books and
more covering over 30 countries, it's a good, visible element to be
introduced to the PlayStation and get younger players into the swing
of things. There is a Tamagochi style level where you need to take care
of Baby Smurf. 10 platform levels full of happenings with functions
covering walking, jumping, swinging, climbing, swimming, slipping, throwing,
catching, somersaults and more to be utilized in order to succeed in
your progress. There are special levels like skiing, rodeo, haunted
castles and mole & butterfly catching. Cute, fun and blue.
3 / B
- PB
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SPACE
DEBRIS
Yeah,
aliens just keep on stirring it up in our peaceful little solar system.
UED (United Earth Defense) fleet head, pilot James Bryant is stranded
behind enemy lines when the aliens force a retreat. They're heading
for earth and Bryant has to save the day, and, well, the human race.
Here we're given 10 levels of blast 'em up space action. There is a
choice of 6 fighter craft, all with special weapons and the like. While
much of the action is linear, there are also free roaming sectors. It
feels a lot like those Phoenix arcade games of the early '80s, alien
craft zipping in at you in single file - only here it's 3D. There are
cinematic links that aids in the progression of the story line. Gigantic
ships beg to be blown up and claims are made of break through lighting,
polygon and colour techniques - but, you'll have to be the judge whether
it is revolutionary or not. Personally it didn't blow me away, but then,
we tend to get used to things a little easy - pity.
3
/ B
- PB
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SPEED
FREAKS
Where Mulan helps to turn children into bright sparks, this game will
probably turn them into delinquents! This whacked-out racing game has
9 loony, original characters (3 of them hidden) who skip (and break
out of) school to race like hell in their special modified go-karts.
The characters all have their own personalities and skills and cover
everything from meatheads to cute girlies and brainy professor-type
kids who put their feet down to the floor to be the winner. What makes
them a little more interesting is they're limbless physique. Bodies,
heads, hands and feet...missing arms and legs, get it? As Rollcage,
Wipeout (and most racing games nowadays), you have weapons, powerups,
attacks, bombs and more with which to cheat your way to the front, providing
you nab them and not speed by. The 12 tracks are quite diverse and contain
hidden areas, shortcuts, water pools, dirt patches, oil spills and lava
patches with which to liven things up a bit (if the frantic speed and
weaponry isn't enough to get your butt cheeks pouting. On many tracks
the crowd boos you if you race poorly. For readers with a multiplayer
tap, there are an additional 12 tracks on which to burn cartoon rubber.
The game boasts a customized league system where you can pick your favourite
tracks and race them in order of your choice. Once you get sucked in,
you might be addicted sooner than you think, but the main thing about
Speed
Freaks
is the crazy cartoon style, yet in the end, it's just another racing
game in the go-kart vein - like the bandwagon all the cartoon characters
and existing game franchises are jumping on
4 / B
- PB
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SPICEWORLD
Ai-yai-yai!
My goodness, what an industry these ol' slappers became. Their own PS
game. Crikey! Dance to their music and get up to all sorts of boring
Spice crap or check out clips of your favourite one. Fortunately I never
had a favourite. Strictly for fans.
1
/ C
- PB
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SPYRO
THE DRAGON
Here we have another revolutionary title which employs an advanced engine
allowing players to see the whole gaming area and not just a few pixels
ahead. No fogging or clouding effects con you here. The maneuverability
of the cutesy little dragon, Spyro,
on his mission to save his elders from their crystalised state, is so
much better with a Dual Shock. The sheer size of the worlds you enter
are an adventure in itself. Weird & loopy characters cross your path
and you can either bump the baddies with your little horns or singe
them with your fiery breath. Gliding from one area to another is also
important to finish some levels. Exciting and cute all rolled into one.
And did I mention vast?
5 / B
- PB
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SPYRO
2 - Gateway to Glimmer
Spyro
and his firefly buddy is sick of the rainy weather. They decide to zip
off to a beach world. But, they get sucked into Glimmer where the residents
have been trying to lure a dragon to save them from an arch foe. Spyro's
task is at hand again to save a world. Many new bits are added this
time, like picking up, aiming and throwing rocks, learning to climb
and a host of other new handy tricks. Not to mention 100 new characters.
Collecting gems and smashing bad guys amoung huge stretching landscapes,
caves, nooks & crannies again takes up the bulk of the game as you edge
your way to the bad guy. A 'Spirit Particle' system allows devolpment
for Spyro as gameplay progresses. Hidden games allow you to play an
ice hockey match or fly a plane.
5 / B
- PB
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STAR
OCEAN the second story
This
twin disc quest game throws in a lot of the usual ingredients of good
& bad characters to help or nail you on your way, while magic, other
weapons and goods can be selected from your inventory to move you through
the narrative at as quick a pace as you can set yourself. It has its
moments.
3
/ C
- PB
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STEEL
REIGN
Besides Pong,
the first real video game I can remember which preceded
Space Invaders,
Asteroids
and Pac
Man,
is the good ol' Tank.
The evolution from the green on black top-view combat-simulation had
come an unbelievably long way. With Steel
Reign you're
launched into the game's 3-D environment by means of real time video
of you escaping from the last outpost with your super tank, up against
General Storm and his flunkies, out to blow you to hell and back - and
vice versa, of course. What seems like a basic breeze proved to be quite
a sticky battle as the shields on your tank (a choice of 3 machines)
get blown to bits and your special weapons run out. Even when you collect
new ones you get trigger happy, and spend your ammo before you know
it. The levels range from the likes of desolate desert terrain to full
scale cities - bastards lurking alongside every rock, around each corner
and behind every grassy knoll - or else they just wait for you in the
wide open. Consulting your map and inventory of weaponry when you can
park in a secluded, liberated spot, will be a great help. It will also
highlight the location of your main targets whereas your smaller on
screen display of the area will highlight enemy tanks and other offensives
like helicopters swooping in to nail your ass. The pounding soundtrack
drones along with the soundFX of mass destruction as you clench your
teeth and smirk with a curse, sending another sonofabitch to his maker.
In between levels there are such cool inserts like real-time video of
a female TV reporter doing her CNN-style frontline broadcast, then getting
harassed by the bad guys, beating up the cameraman! Your various tanks
will have their individual strong points and weaknesses - you'll need
to decide which level needs speed or more weaponry as you wheel your
way across the land with your heavy metal thunder, destroying the enemy's
hardware, tactical landmarks & bases while foot soldiers can be run
over with a red splatter and a distressed yelp (!). So much for the
Geneva Convention, eh?
3 / B
- PB
...the 2nd Opinion...
STEEL REIGN
Time to blow stuff up, guys & dolls! This nuts seemed an easy one to
crack., until the enemy blew me away on countless occasions! Your choice
of 3 tanks seems too few but their varied stats can't really change
too much - speed, armour and ammunition capacity. Your arsenal comprises
of regular cannon shells, machine guns, missiles, lasers and special
weapons of mass destruction. If it weren't for the shield restoration
bonuses you can hunt out, I'd still be on level one! Tanks, jeeps, helicopters
and foot soldiers make your life miserable as you try to pound forth
in search of the notorious General Storm. If hooked up to a substantial
sound system, this game could be a great non-violent stress relief as
you blow up tanks, radar facilities and enemy bases. On the other hand,
frustration could kick in if you don't stick to it and blow all their
asses away before they do you. Like I said, this nut shouldn't be taken
at face value. If you think, "Oh, big deal, blow stuff up with a tank",
reassess your attitude, soldier! - Getting over-run by helicopters from
the north, tanks from the south while stuck in the middle of a mine-field
with a depleted shield and no back-up, 10 metres away from your objective,
sure 'aint pretty. See how much of an accomplished one-man bombshell
you are and take on the Steel
Reign.
Be a creator of havoc and destruction in your lounge, not the friggin'
streets.
3 / B
- PP
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STREET
FIGHTER EX2 Plus
I've never been a great fan of this classic Arcade series. The 2-D look
always put me off. With this latest installment, though, I think they
might prove me wrong. It gets a more "Tekken"
look with more fluid movement and 3D characteristics. Crazy characters
with wild powers light u the screen as you bash each other up real good.
3 / B
- PB
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SYPHON
FILTER
Guerilla/espionage
first person action/adventures are far more involved and exciting than
at first glance. In this cool, complex game, you are Agent Gabe Logan,
out to stop a nutzo international terrorist organistation from unleashing
the Syphon
Filter
virus that will wipe out life in about a 200 mile radius. The terrorists
could cause global massacre with this deadly virus and it's up to you
to make the best of your reconnaissance, stealth and combat skills to
prevent such a disaster. You infiltrate the area with limited back-up,
mostly solo, wiping out hoods to get to the head honchos, but they're
slippery and tricky. Labyrinthine situations in city streets, inside
buildings, cellars, tube stations, everywhere, has you on the run to
and from danger. You collect a wild array of weaponry and accessories
(if you keep your eyes open for special boxes). From a 9mm silenced
pistol and M-16 assault rifle, to a sniper rifle, shotgun, grenades
and nightsight rifle. A torch comes in handy when you're dumped in darkness,
while the flak jacket makes life a lot easier. These cunning bastards
are all over the place though, hiding on rooftops, running while nailing
you with gunfire. Burning cop cars or any other fire source will set
you alight if you get too close. You need to think on your feet and
make snap decision, also making sure you don't kill your own men. Kneeling
behind some kind of cover and popping up to nail the bastards seem obvious,
but helps a lot in the long run. Throughout you're in touch with Lian,
who gives you valuable information on your directives, objectives and
dangers to be encountered. The game covers 20 levels of complete 360
degree areas with hidden passages, lifts and the like, taking you all
over the place. Ammunition is collected when crossing a snuffed enemy
while your 4 targeting types succeed in pleasing almost everyone's style
of playing. The sniper target comes complete with distance meters and
all. An auto targeting system (R button) will instantly point at a baddie
once he's in the area. Ammunition is not limitless, so shoot sparingly
(some guys need to be plugged quite a few times, also having flak jackets).
You can also select 1st or 3rd person views, depending on your preference.
This game will have you addicted in no time, even if this kind of thrill
isn't your bag.
5
/ B
- PB
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SYPHON
FILTER 2
The original Syphon
Filter was
a very exciting covert operations adventure game with a whole bunch
of elements rolled into one. The same goes for the sequel, and then
some! This time the game is much bigger, stretching over 2 discs. You
get to play more than ne character and there is an added deathmatch
game included. The latter is a two player game where you run around
a huge selection of locations, plugging your buddy with everything you've
got - the same cool selection of weapons as in the main game scattered
about for your armament. Once you step into the actual game, you're
faced with great challenges from the outset. You need to be quick witted
in addition to your quick trigger finger. The basics of the story line
again place you in the boots of agent Logan straight after the first
installment. Your co-agent, Lian, is infected with the Syphon
Filter
virus. Besides getting to her, you need to reach your destination with
the top-secret discs (without the corrupt Agency's numerous soldiers
sniping your ass, riddling you with bullets). Some sections will have
you screaming to get past, until you use your head for a little more
than stopping bullets (blood effects for head shots not censored). Syphon
Filter
is even more engrossing and exciting than its predecessor - as it should
be, most sequels just a re-hash. Using stealth to sneak past guards
(or up behind them to slit some throat) and other heavily armed enemies
will also be necessary in many cases, adding another dimension of tension
to this cracker. But there is a certain rush in blowing away these punks,
or slowly & systematically nailing the bastards in the head with your
telescopic sniper rifle.
5 / B
- PB
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