A - Long Term Shelf Life
B - Deserves Another Play
C - Once Should Suffice

GHOST IN THE SHELL

I am not too sure whether Manga freaks will love or hate this game. Based on the successful Manga Anime with the same title, the game is hardly an RPG with a cinematic story-line. Although it has some cool animated link-up sequences, it is basically a mission-based shoot 'em up. The background story boils down to The Puppet Master (the ultimate secret agent) joining forces with a crack security agent to expose a corrupt government. We could all use a team like that, but then, this is 2029AD. You are placed in a spider-like assault pod, which can scale walls, ceilings, almost anything, as you blow your way clear to your objective. Some interesting areas test your wits and reflexes while end of level big bastards try to crush you at all cost. The underground tunnel level (complete green glow night vision) is quite a disorientating, but exciting affair. The game has an acceptable futuristic/industrial look with enough skill testing and different locations to want to push on and see what the next level holds. As usual, various power-ups are scattered about the wide areas. The inability to tilt your guns can be bypassed by jumping while shooting or walking up a wall to annihilate airborne ships up above. If you're not familiar with the movie or comic series, it could be harder to get in the swing of things, but perhaps it might spark an urge to track it down.

4 / B
- PB

G-POLICE - Weapons of Justice

One of the coolest things about this G-Police installment is the fact that you're not stuck with one type of vehicle, thus it opens up a wealth of possibilities. But, before I get to that, a brief backing story: In the wake of the Corporate War, terror is by no means history. Callisto is still in ruins with criminals making havoc daily routine. The G-Police have to investigate and sort things out. In Weapons Of Justice, you go through 30 missions where you have access to 5 different vehicles. Two of them are airborne gunships, there's a mech-robot, an armour car and a fast spacecraft. The free-roaming 3-D cities can become like mazes as you search and destroy (you can even blow up general traffic!). Canyons, tunnels and other tricky terrain will have you giving all you've got. You'll need to explore and find the criminal bastards before they blow you or your comrades up. They have 35 different types of craft with which to do it! Controlling your vehicles could take a while to master as it's quite sensitive at times and if an enemy craft zips to the left and away, it takes some skill to hover up, slide left, accelerate and shoot at the sucker (providing he's locked on in your target sights). The navigational target system reminds me a lot of that utilized by Blast Radius - a 3-D system with depth and 360 degree rotation that will be necessary for these vast environments. Sometimes you'll move with your eyes fixed on that and nothing else. You get to use improved weapons (a range of 25) as you progress while 5 hidden missions also await you. There are wingmen as well as ground team support, with constant info being fed on your mission objective and/or success/failure. The objectives of the game can be to act as escort, battle the enemy or bare-knuckled search & destroy missions. The variety makes it feel like a bunch of games in one. The opening motion capture sequences are phenomenal and real time links make the story flow. And for those gamers who are a little more fashion conscious, you'll be glad to know the police uniforms were designed by Diesel - oo-er!

3 / B
- PB

The ultimate racing game is yet to be outdone, outclassed and outranked. I cannot wait for its sequel. For me this was not merely the racing game of the year, but all time. If I'd experienced Carmageddon I might think otherwise, but as it stands, Gran Turismo is the one (even spawning a CD soundtrack of the bands appearing on the game, including Cubanate, Filter, Garbage etc). The advanced realism and choice of vehicles are incredible. The mindblowing tournament (depending on your owning a memory card and if you don't by now what the hell's wrong with you?), is an engrossing ongoing experience, taking on the world in your ever souped up car - that's if you win, of course, getting cash to upgrade. A more one-on-one arcade mode have four tracks on which to race. You can even set tyre damage and go for pit stops when you're racing a friend from a single to 30 laps or infinity. With a load of car makes to choose from (crappy Mazda family cars to monster Chevies) the fun is endless. For the Gran Turismo long term tournament, an innitial cashflow with which to purchase a secondhand vehicle, leave only the strong to survive and prove themselves skillful enough by outracing the rest. Each car has its own handling, speed, acceleration and engine sound. A Dual Shock controller makes a world of difference. The replays are great and this baby WILL be returned to for more speed at any time. Buy or die.

6 / A
- PB

Yeah! The GranDaddy of racing simulators is back with its sequel. Finally! With the original winning numerous awards and growing to be the biggest selling PS game in Europe, its follow-up can only be destined to follow in its rubber burnt tracks. This time round you get two discs. One for more straight forward Arcade action racing (in Classes A, B & C), and another complete disc for your long term, sleepless night Turismo challenge (where you buy a car, do drivers tests, build up a bank account with winnings and soup up your vehicle as you go along). There are about 600(!) cars to choose from, ranging from sports- and rally- to racing models. The 33 car manufacturers involved include Alfa Romeo, Audi, BMW, Lancia, Subaru, Toyota, Mercedes-Benz, Honda, Jaguar, Volkswagen, Dodge, Fiat, Vauxhall/Opel, Ford, even Mini's and a stack more. With 60 new license tests to prove your competence, this is as in depth as any racing game can get. In arcade mode you can also take part in rally races, in many ways more exciting than high-speed road racing. But with 28 available tracks, who's complaining? With tyre damage and the rest making ptstops necessary (and between 1-99 lap possibilities!), it's fun, as before, but visible damage and inability to roll or flip cars take away a bit of realism. The extras are too many to mention, though and if ever you've taken my word for anything, get into this baby's driving seat and you'll realise why other gaming developers have woken up and imitated the Gran Turismo way of turning digital info into a real driving experience. The soundtrack includes a great Faithless remix of the Cardigans as well as Fat Boy Slim, Stereophonics and more. With everything else, the engine sounds, car detail and adrenaline pumping excitement, this is one hell of a game.

6 / A
- PB