Issue 14 (December 2001)

Issue 14, December 2001

Editor’s letter

“But will anyone know what E3 actually means?” It doesn’t exactly rank up there with “Why is Tracy Shaw famous?” but it’s a question we ask every time we cover a videogame trade show. Do you, our lovely reader, know what we’re on about? A quick explanation then. All game shows are the same – a large hall, some leaflets, a lot of bad suits, some more leaflets, and, thank God, the chance to play and report back on the best PS2 games around. That’ll be why we go then.

Actually, ignore the above because there is one videogaming show unlike any other – the Tokyo Game Show. Held twice a year in Chiba City, TGS can only be described as an eye-burning, high-kicking, polygon-tossing, no-prisoners bag of sweet, sweet madness that makes E3 look like Antiques Roadshow and Banzai look like Question Time. And we’ve just been.

The reason we subject ourselves to this insanity twice a year? Because Japan is the homeland of PS2 development, because we can stock up on copies of Piposaru 2001 while we’re over there and because of the games on this issue’s cover. It’s at Tokyo Game Show where we first saw Shinji Mikami’s Devil May Cry (Exclusively reviewed on page 92). It’s at TGS where we first played Metal Gear Solid (exclusive info on MGS2 on page 39). It’s at TGS where Konami first unveiled the PSOne version of Pro Evolution Soccer (The PS2 version is reviewed on page 108). Every six months, TGS coughs up the biggest action games, the coolest cult titles, and most importantly, an enthusiasm for games that knows no rival. Japanese gamers adore their PS2 and TGS gives them the chance to prove it. We’ll be bottling and importing that passion over the next few issues – if we make it back.

TGS, ECTS, Piposaru 2001… It’s often far too easy to slip into gamespeak, something not exactly helpful if you’ve only just bought a PS2 and this is your first issue of Official Playstation 2 Magazine. And if this describes you – welcome to our world. Each issue, we’ll assault your eyes with exclusive news, we’ll bring you the most respected reviews in the industry and we’ll do something that no other PS2 magazine can do – we’ll let you play the games for yourself. Every issue comes with an exclusive covermounted DVD filled with playable demos of the latest games for you to try before you buy. So read the magazine, play the games and then let us know what you think. We’ll have you fluent in gamespeak in no time.

Anyone for Forbidden Pet: Crazy Doctor’s Experimental Island?

Mike Goldsmith, Senior Editor

Features

OPS2 Interview: Martin Kenwright

One in a Million – Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? 2. Notable for the equally terrifying sights of Chris Tarrant’s bone structure, and a little girl with an adult man’s face.

Bjorn to Be Wild – Headhunter

Credit Where Credit’s Due – A number of gaming industry figures say which games influenced theirs, from the logical (Half Life influenced Red Faction) to the more out-there (Space Invaders and Gran Turismo as influences for Metal Gear Solid and Timesplitters. Bet you didn’t see that coming!)

Monthly Articles

Character Assassination – Creating Frankenstein’s Monster as a videogame character. This month, the ultimate fighting game character: Zombie Elvis Presley riding a Segway. He’d better be in Street Fighter 6 or I’m not buying it!

Pocket Heroes – This month’s cards are Helena from Dead or Alive and Solid Snake of Metal Gear fame. Snake is surprisingly the worst card yet – although he has an amazing attack stat of 97, his other stats are all dreadful.

30 Days in Tokyo – This month, the JAMMA arcade show demonstrates some new arcade machines, including O.R.B.S., a pod that displays the game around you, for anyone who has ever fantasised of recreating Minority Report.

The Burning Question – Asking 5 questions to 3 industry figures. This month’s theme: Are games too expensive?

Designer Genes – Readers write in with their game ideas and pitches. This month, Ring 3D, a bell-ringing game. Quasimodo would love this, if only there was electricity in the Middle Ages…

What If? – This month, what if games were illegal? They would be forced into the black market, with legitimate businesses as a front, Prohibition style.

Previews

Jak and Daxter: The Precursor Legacy – “Crash Bandicoot was the closest thing the PSOne got to a mascot. Will Jak and Daxter become the friendly faces of PS2?”

SSX Tricky – “Powder is white, ice is blue, and SSX is as good as ever. Solid, fast and as spectacular as it was the last time. Only more…”

Moto GP 2 – “Bike racing for enthusiasts, and gorgeous graphics for everybody. The two-wheeled answer to Gran Turismo 3.”

Ecco the Dolphin: Defender of the Future – “One of the finest adventures on Dreamcast should deliver even more sea-soaked flipper festivities on PS2.”

The Simpsons: Road Rage – “Crazy Taxi gameplay combined with Simpsons humour for an entertaining, if somewhat shallow experience.”

James Bond 007: Agent Under Fire – “At last EA seems to be making a 007 game worthy of the licence. It is, dare we say it, potentially the best Bond game ever.”

Baldur’s Gate: Dark Alliance – “There’s much here to reward those who put aside their prejudices – it’s not all orcs and goblins.”

Polaroid Pete – “Games like Polaroid Pete unfortunately don’t get made in the UK. Why? Because Japanese game developers make them.”

Jet Ski Riders – “The lord has answered our gaming prayers and provided a jet ski simulation. But will it be wet and wild or just moist and mundane?”

Reviews

Devil May Cry – “Amazing, awesome and atypical. The vision and hard work of Shinji Mikami and team has culminated in another AAA title for the PS2.” 9/10

Half Life – “You probably won’t ever play a better single-player first-person-shooter than Half Life. Consider it your duty to buy and play this game to death.” 9/10

Crash Bandicoot: The Wrath of Cortex – “Fantastic to look at, but not enough innovations in the gameplay. A missed opportunity by Traveller’s Tales to take the ageing mascot to new heights of platform nirvana.” 6/10

World Rally Championship – “WRC is an amazingly immersive driving simulation but you don’t have to be a petrolhead in order to enjoy it. An essential purchase for every racing fan.” 9/10

Pro Evolution Soccer – “Realistic, fun and utterly addictive, this is the new benchmark in videogame football. Up there with GT3 as the best reason to own a PS2.” 9/10

NHL 2002 – “The definitive ice hockey videogame. Hugely playable, with fantastic graphics and a cool collection of extras that make it a must-buy for NHL addicts.” 8/10

Lotus Challenge – “On first glance this certainly looks like a driving game, but closer inspection reveals there’s little in the way of fun gameplay, and a total lack of racing action.” 5/10

Soul Reaver 2 – “Not a radical departure from its predecessors: dark, deep and enjoyable.” 7/10

Airblade – “Airblade’s intricate environments and sublime handling make so-called ‘extreme sports’ look like a walk in the park. It’s everything you wanted hoverboarding to be.” 8/10

Stunt GP – “Thankfully there’s plenty of far more accomplished alternatives to this racing game. A waste of anyone’s time or money.” 3/10

Silent Scope 2: Fatal Judgement – “A definite improvement over the original but now looking a little lacklustre. Still an enjoyable arcade experience despite looking a little dated among PS2’s AAA games.” 7/10

Supercar Street Challenge – “Little more than a turgid exercise in following the rules. If you’re looking for a totally average experience this game will dutifully provide.” 4/10

FIFA 2002 – “EA has blown away the major cobwebs, but the stubborn grime remains. Despite commendable gameplay innovations, Pro Evolution Soccer is still an easy winner.” 7/10

Arctic Thunder – “Don’t let the crude visuals put you off. This is archetypal Midway arcade racing – fast, fearless and furious.” 7/10

NYR: New York Race – “Smooth and frantic enough, but it has a severe lack of atmosphere.” 5/10

18 Wheeler – “Big, brash, colourful and very, very heavy, but without enough substance to please all but dedicated haulage fans.” 6/10

NHL Hitz 2002 – “Lacks enough depth to secure a high score. Buy NHL 2002 instead.” 6/10

Test Drive: Offroad Wide Open – “It’s a racing game that’s quite unlike any other racing game on the PS2. Except for Smuggler’s Run.” 6/10

Global Touring Challenge: Africa – “An otherwise unspectacular racer is lifted by clever use of interesting locations.” 7/10

Splashdown – “Splashdown does what it set out to do graphically but has neglected to include similarly impressive gameplay.” 7/10

DNA – “You’ll need to wear a hat for all the head-scratching, but for those who persist it can be rewarding.” 6/10

Top Gun: Combat Zones – “A flight sim that appears to have been designed by people who’ve never flown a plane. Now, how much for that Breakfast Club license?” 4/10

Penny Racers – “A half-baked, underfed and weedy racer, with a few good tracks.” 4/10

Batman: Vengeance – “Despite the cool superhero setting, this is an all-too-typical cartoon conversion. A moodier edge and less mollycoddling could have made it a winner.” 6/10

The Mummy Returns – “Want high adventure? Get Devil May Cry. Want by-the-numbers puzzling? Stick with the Tomb Raider collection.” 5/10

The Weakest Link – “There’s more enjoyment in playing along with the tv programme.” 4/10

Robot Wars: Arenas of Destruction – “We already have enough mech games thank you very much.” 5/10

Lego Racers 2 – “It’s Lego! Build cars and characters! Then race them! And that’s it!” 5/10

PSOne Reviews

FIFA 2002 – “The extra control gives fresh legs to this old pro. Worth picking up again.” 8/10

One Piece Mansion – “Not the perfect puzzle game, but still a lot of fun. As with many Japanese oddities it deserves more attention that it’ll get.” 7/10

Rocket Power: Team Rocket Rescue – “Absolute rubbish. Fire a rocket up its ass and send it straight back whence it came.” 3/10

Spongebob Squarepants: Super Sponge – “A solid platformer with few aspirations, but still a bit rough around the edges. You are unlikely to play it more than a few times.” 5/10

Hardcore

The final parts of the Gran Turismo 3: A-Spec and Red Faction walkthroughs, plus Twisted Metal: Black, Pro Evolution Soccer, MX 2002 Featuring Ricky Carmichael, Time Crisis 2, Klonoa 2: Lunatea’s Veil, Spyhunter and Silent Hill 2.

Disc Content

Playable Demos

WWF Smackdown! Just Bring It!

Wipeout Fusion

Silent Hill 2

Airblade

World Rally Championship

Dark Cloud

Baldur’s Gate: Dark Alliance

Tarzan Freeride

Footage

Devil May Cry

Jak and Daxter: The Precursor Legacy

Jet Ski Riders

FIFA 2002

Global Touring Challenge: Africa

Crash Bandicoot: The Wrath of Cortex

Parappa the Rapper 2

The Simpsons: Road Rage

World Rally Championship

Trivia

·         A screenshot for Largo Winch has two characters T-Posing at each other, asserting their dominance for all eternity since they can’t move in print. If you've ever wondered what happens when an unstoppable force meets an immovable object, then look no further!

·         Silent Scope 2 had a different subtitle, Dark Silhouette, when it was previewed in a previous issue. I like the new subtitle better.

·         It may not be obvious from the title, but New York Race is a kart racer based on The Fifth Element, specifically the scene near the start with Bruce Willis flying his taxi through New York. An odd choice of license for a kart racer to say the least. At least Star Wars Episode 1 Racer was released in a timely manner, not 4 years after the film!

·         DNA stands for Dark Native Apostle. I don’t know about you, but I love word salad titles, especially ones like this that are random words chosen for the sake of a contrived acronym.

·         This month’s instalment of Games That Would Never Be Made Today: Movie Tie-ins, as represented by The Mummy Returns. Why not? Making a console game is a long, expensive process, and there’s no guarantee that it will sell, even if the film is popular. Also, the film’s release sets a hard deadline for the game to be released by to maximise sales, which is at odds with quality or polish. Nowadays, they’ve been replaced with free-to-play mobile phone apps, which can be made faster and more cheaply, and are more profitable between the lower budget and opportunity to recoup money from in-app purchases.

·         The phrase “You are the weakest link. Goodbye.”, or any variation thereof is not used in the Weakest Link review, presumably because that would just be too easy and lazy.

·         One Piece Mansion has nothing to do with Luffy and the Straw Hats, and Jessie, James and Meowth are nowhere to be seen in Team Rocket Rescue. My disappointment is immeasurable and my day is ruined.

·         This is the last issue for news editor Jamie Sefton.

Quote of the Month: “A shoe company wanted us to repurpose one of our games, so that you drove around in giant shoes, as opposed to cars.” The world is not yet ready for a shoe racing game.

Cover price: £4.99

Page Count: 178