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CARNAGE
HEART
In 2073 the evolution of warfare has stretched to the outer rims on
the moons of Jupiter. In stead of human soldiers, heavy metal Mech-warriors
annihilate one another. What makes this one different from other "start
up and destroy" games, is the design and planning necessary before you
can get crunching. Extreme strategists will love this baby - I'm a tuck-in-and-blow-away
kinda guy myself, so the impatient factor grabs my gumball a little.
For those focussed ones within your ranks, you'll quite involved, from
the design aspect which entails programming and manufacturing the micro
chips to assembling Mech's (bodywork, engine, weapons etc.), upgrading
your robots, forming a production line and planning your attack or utilizing
your strategic cunning. Keep an eye on your finances. All this to mess
up the enemy. The game is relatively atmospheric and with its dramatic
music and truly thought provoking approach, it's more than a mere destruct-o-rama.
It's 3 / C rating should not discourage anyone to check it out, 'cause
it might just be your cuppa' tea.
3 / C
- PB
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CASTROL
HONDA
Finally another bike game. I played one a long time ago (the name of
which I'd thankfully forgotten) and it sucked - granted it was developed
in the PlayStation's infant days. But there are so many four wheel motor
racing games...where are all the bikes? This cracker could have more
than just motorcycle fans craving for more. With the cool bike handling,
choice of tracks (14 from around the world), sheer rush of leaning around
corners with other bikers on your tail and popping wheelies with sheer
power, Castrol
Honda
might just become many a gamer's favourite. If only because motorcycle
titles are so rare and it's a fresh departure from the saturated 4 wheel
market. Practice sessions will come in handy before you take on the
big boys. The Trainer session gets a bit frustrating as they keep you
back, slow you down at corners and give you instructions when you just
want to burn rubber instinctively. A single race at first is also advisable
before you go into the Championship as either a Rookie, Novice, Amateur,
Semi-Pro or Pro. You can go 3 laps to a full race of 100kms. As you
climb the skill ladder, things get much harder. A Rookie gets everything
on a plate and you could easily throttle to the front, while at the
Pro stage you're right there in it with hardly any help. The speed ratios
feel a little inaccurate at times where there's not enough of a visible
difference between 20 and 200kmh. Or maybe it's just my glasses. Some
people could feel disoriented when there's no music playing as you race
- well, shove your Matrix
soundtrack in the CD player, dorkus! Castrol
Honda
is great fun, and like most racing games, is even more so when played
with a friend.
4 / B
- PB
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CHASE
THE EXPRESS
In
the vein of the Syphon Filter series, chase the express takes a basic
idea and make it flower with possibilities. You're Jack Morton a military
NATO bodyguard trapped on a runaway train , the Blue Harvest, hijacked
and controlled by The Knights Of The Apocalypse, holding the French
ambassador and his family hostage for a ludicrous ransom. They have
a nuclear bomb on board and thus the wheels are set in motion for an
action packed (and stealth ridden) adventure filled with surprises and
excitement. With over a dozen high tech multi level train couches to
explore, you're faced with one heck of an embroiled experience. Terrorists
are posted all over the place, you collect notes and briefs unfolding
the story line, you meet other characters (friend of foe?), pick up
ammo and firepower, card keys for access and more. Obviously they don't
make it easy for you, so don't expect too much of a walk in the park.
The user-friendly controls are quick to learn (especially if you're
a Resident Evil, Syphon Filter, Dino Crisis veteran). With the train
speeding across 12 European countries and 30 cities, you don't have
as much time as you have to think on your feet, act quickly, be cautious.
If you're the long term gamer, don't pass up on this one.
5
/ B
- PB
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COLIN
McRAE RALLY 2.0
V-Rally 2 is quite an exciting little racing game, but Colin
McRae 2.0 could give it quite a run for its moolah. The realism gets
jacked up even more as you tackle difficult tracks from around our globe
with a range of conditions in which to prove your driving skills. The
realism comes in especially with the damage you can cause your vehicle:
windows smash, bumpers fly off, you can stuff up your gearbox...Thus,
it needs to be taken as seriously as the real thing - well, almost...but
then, this IS your reality, isn't it?
5 / A
- PB
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COLONY
WARS - RED SUN
Usually the backend tale of space shoot 'em ups are pretty irrelevant.
With the Colony
Wars
series it's quite the contrary. While the previous Colony
Wars Vengeance
installment rages on at another end of the galaxy, Red
Sun places
you in the reluctant boots of Valdemar who has a prophetic dream. The
dream is in fact a holographic intrusion by a mysterious guy known as
The General, who points Valdemar to a great destiny (and possible doom),
around the voyage of a great spaceship to earth. You have a whopping
50 missions to tackle. They start out relatively easy but then become
sticky little bastards to complete. The money you make with the successful
completion of each mission can go towards purchasing any of the vast
array of weapons (30 in all), a new craft (9 of them), or even go gamble
your earnings in a casino! What makes this so enjoyable is the variation
of the missions. Besides straightforward adrenaline filled dogfights,
you get to blow open cargo hatches to extract a target to be captured,
blow up huge ships. Escort convoys, maneuver your way in towards your
location through shadow asteroids (to avoid burning up from the heat
of a nearby sun), pick up items, shoot weapons from the backs of giant
endangered creatures and more. Colony
Wars - Red Sun
is an epic saga with fabulous animated link-up sequences throughout,
its atmospheric and huge symphonic score re-establishing this fact.
We've certainly come a long way since Space Invaders…with a lot of historic
reverberation created by Star Wars.
5 / B
- PB
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COOLBOARDERS
2
The Nagano winter Olympics might be over, but there's no reason why
you can't hit the slopes - and I don't mean sand surfing in the desert...You
can snowboard in the comfort of your own lounge at any time of day or
year! The hip, funky follow-up to Coolboarders is now available. Downhill
runs, freestyle, tournaments and competition can be tackled with a choice
of characters, snowboards and wardrobe. Achievement and skill will give
you the points you so desperately need to advance into the game. The
"rad" commentator spurs you on or rips you off, depending on your ability
- and he can be one annoying bastard! Specific control commands are
given so you can bust some moves for maximum points. The game has a
great feel and a cool, authentic look, an excellent opening sequence
with real-time video footage and groovy Prodigy-style
music (did you know The
Prodigy
are snowboarding nuts?). Coolboarders
2
is one hip rush and a cool alternative to conventional motor racing
games. Check it out, dude!
4 / B
- PB
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COOLBOARDERS
4
If you
still don't have a snow boarding game (and God knows there are loads),
then this might be the one. Lucky bastards like us got a box-set with
an orange CB4 snowboarding beenie!
4
/ B
- PB
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CRASH
BASH
This highly
entertaining longlife character has spawned three amazing play-anytime
games that gave the platform adventure a total face-lift. This spin-off
is hardly as in-depth and multi-layered as it predecessors, but fun
nonetheless. Here you team up with a choice of other Crash characters
(friend and foe), having face-offs in an assortment of arenas with speed
of execution its essence. Basically you chuck boxes at the other guys
as well as bombs, or collect power-ups to gain an advantage over the
other team. The time limit makes it more crucial to pound the other
punks. Your colourful levels include all the Crash Bandicoot
styled terrain from icy to forest, while the rest of the segments do
transcend the basic free-for-all as mentioned before. Puzzle related
scenarios also make it a bit more hectic. Whereas the Crash games
were always a one-man affair, now you can get a bunch of pals in on
the franchise with this games multi-player opportunities.
3
/ B
- PB
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CRASH
BANDICOOT 2: Cortex Strikes Back
The follow-up to everyone's favourite bouncing, spinning marsupial is
loaded with a ton of cool levels which include the traditional forest
area, sewer trails, water & platform levels, a snow covered ice area
and some superb futuristic sites. Collecting ripe fruit to gain free
lives are the least of your hassles, man. The story line in this game
has the evil Cortex conning Crash (ie. You) into collecting a couple
dozen crystals & gems which he needs for his own evil plan. You find
yourself in warp rooms from where you're sent to the different locations
to collect these crystals. The 5 warp rooms have 5 levels each. With
an array of colourful, menacing (and cute) characters trying to thwart
your attempts at speeding through the aesthetically dazzling, yet at
times, super hard levels, you just can't go wrong. A task level stands
between you and the next warp room. The first few are a breeze but then
it gets hectic. The colourful, detailed graphics throw you into a fun
filled world of zany, wacky events and surprises. One level will have
you ride an ice bear cub while at another you'll strap into a jetpack,
flying through a space station. You even swing from monkey bars or jump
about on ancient looking ruins. Besides the weird critters and holes
blocking your mission, there are the regular TNT & Nitro blocks to blow
you up. Some levels also have you running towards the screen in an Indiana
Jones-like fashion, with either a huge rock rolling after you or a gigantic
bear in another stage. Crash is so full of character and his motions
so authentic that it feels like you're playing an animated movie. Comedy
abounds, even when you're knocked off (eg. turning into an angel playing
a digeridoo!). A bunch of bonus areas can get you extra lives or it
could sometimes cost you more! The loading time for each level is minimal
and the enormity of each exciting new stage will deliver hours of nonstop
action and fun.
5 / A
- PB
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CRASH
BANDICOOT 3: WARPED
Our favourite
furry funky cartoon character in sneakers got one cool make-over in
this latest installment. The fresh improvements not only includes new
levels, but also allows you to play Crash's sister, either riding a
jet-ski, riding a baby tiger on the great wall of China or flying a
Bi-plane. Bloody marvelous. Other levels also has crash in a leather
jacket hitting route 66 on a motorbike or swimming underwater. Crystal
collection is again the objective, but this time Cortex has a higher
power to which he has to answer. The inbetween levels are even harder
than the previous two games while Crash also gets to attain a few power
moves like higher jumps and super spins that can make him float. Again
never short on humour, the incredible look and catchy music actually
outdoes the originals. Crash is a guy we won't forget soon.
6
/ A
- PB
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