Issue 24 (September 2002)

Issue 24, September 2002

Editor’s letter

This issue we finally get to bring you the review and playable demo of the excellent TOCA Race Driver from Codemasters. I say finally, because we’re well aware that we promised this rare beast to you a couple of months ago. Hopefully it’s worth the wait to put pedal to metal in one of the most exhilarating racing titles to grace our console, but I just thought I’d take this opportunity to give you a little insight into why game demos and reviews don’t always make their appointed time slots (and why the pages in OPS2 that advertise next month’s contents are always labelled “subject to change.”)

Game release dates are originally drawn up by the publisher in discussion with the game’s developer. Both parties have slightly different agendas; the developer wants as long as possible to make its game perfect, while the publisher needs to get the game out by a certain date to satisfy financial demands. It’s easy to see where the tension occurs. Publishers will try their best to maintain the originally stated dates, but if a game ain’t ready, it just ain’t ready. There are thousands of potential problems that can arise with such a complex program as a videogame, and sometimes these can only be discovered at a very late hour. This was the case with TOCA – with the game at preview stage, Gavin Raeburn’s team realised that the animation was clipping badly when the game ran at its desired pelt. It was a problem that couldn’t be fixed instantly and hence the game had to be delayed two months (from June to August) so that Codemasters could deliver the top quality product expected of it.

Occasionally, these decisions have to be made right at the last minute. It’s inconvenient for everyone involved, but in most cases, unavoidable. Even if a release date is only pushed back a few weeks, it can cause difficulties for a monthly magazine such as OPS2. If the game’s not ready, we don’t get the review code and we don’t get the demo. This means that we can’t 100% guarantee issue contents until we actually finish each magazine! However, we work as closely as possible with publishers and developers to make sure we anticipate most release date slippages – our ‘incoming’ release schedule is still the most accurate you’ll find anywhere.

Sam Richards, Editor

Features

OPS2 Interview: Gavin Raeburn.

Claws ‘n’ Effect – X-Men 2: Wolverine’s Revenge. There’s also a superhero showdown pitting several superheroes against each other, with Wolverine defeating Batman in the finals.

Easter Egg Hunt – A selection of the more out-there secrets and unlockables on PS2, including a snowdroid in Star Wars: Jedi Starfighter, Onimusha’s panda onesie and seasonal costumes for Ready 2 Rumble: Round 2 and The Simpsons: Road Rage accessed by changing the date on your console.

Total Recon – A Tom Clancy extravaganza, including Ghost Recon, The Sum of All Fears, Splinter Cell and Rainbow Six 3.

Monthly Articles

Character Assassination – Creating Frankenstein’s Monster as a videogame character. This month, the perfect game babe – She bears an uncanny resemblance to Bayonetta, with the only difference being that her hair is blonde instead of black. As a result, she is also the first one of these who doesn’t look like some sort of abomination.

Pocket Heroes – This month’s cards are the Timesplitters monkey and pro surfer Kelly Slater.

30 Days in Tokyo – This month, Sakura Wars gears up its marketing campaign, and dating sim Tokimeki Memorial.

The Burning Question – Asking 5 questions to 3 industry figures. This month’s question: Are sequels a good thing for gamers?

Designer Genes – Readers write in with their game ideas and pitches. This month, Dream Demon, a horror game where the protagonist travels through people’s dreams in search of his kidnapped children, like a horror-themed spin on Psychonauts.

What If? – This month, what if special interest groups made PS2 games? The pick of the bunch is the fighting game starring royalty from all over the world. “Shut your mouth, your majesty!”

Previews

Timesplitters 2 – “Without a doubt, this is going to be one of the PS2 games of Autumn 2002. We’ve played it and we’ve already seen the light. Join us…”

Onimusha 2: Samurai’s Destiny – “Gorgeous to look at, atmospheric, fun and with oodles more depth than its predecessor, Onimusha 2 is shaping up to be a fine game.”

Hitman 2: Silent Assassin – “A little way to go just yet, but this promises to be an adaptable and action-packed shooter. It seems bald men really are more virile…”

The Thing – “Will The Thing take over the world or should it be left in natural cold storage for another millennium? There’s only one way to find out.”

Kelly Slater’s Pro Surfer – “If surfing is all about waiting for the perfect wave, this could be the videogaming equivalent. Are you prepared for the ride?”

Need for Speed Hot Pursuit 2 – “Not the most original concept in the gaming world, but still shaping up to be a great pursuit/street racer with style to spare.”

Turok Evolution – “Can Turok become gaming’s comeback king or should this fossil remain buried forever?”

Blade 2 – “There may be puzzles, but Blade 2 is really a roaming fighter, and thanks to the new fighting system and wanton gore, it’s great fun.”

Rally Fusion: Race of Champions – “With countless racing sims already available, Rally Fusion will have to add a new spin to impress. Thing is, it looks like it’s doing just that.”

UFC Throwdown – “Throwdown’s predecessor, Ultimate Fighting Championship, was something of a damp squib on PSOne, but this promises more.”

Reviews

TOCA Race Driver – “Another realistic simulation of Touring Car racing from Codemasters, blending tough and uncompromising gameplay with an evolving story line.” 8/10

Conflict: Desert Storm – “Deftly mixing gung-ho combat with stealthy dune-ducking, Conflict: Desert Storm gives the third-person shooter a superb team-based spin.” 8/10

Project Zero – “Project Zero should be applauded for its unique gameplay and horror visuals. Its problems will pale into the background for those who embrace its unnerving charms.” 8/10

Dino Stalker – “Despite some unwieldy controls, Dino Stalker requires much more tactical nous than other lightgun games, and boasts plenty of power-ups and unlockables.” 7/10

Men in Black 2: Alien Escape – “What initially promises to be a decent film licence soon disappoints, with flawed, frustrating and simplistic gaming elements.” 4/10

MX Superfly – “Formidable churning motocross action, with an adrenaline-charged mix of man and machine power. Nice graphics, great leaps and heaps of tricks.” 7/10

Ejay Clubworld – “Endless entertainment – if you can tell the difference between Parisian deep house and German techno. The perfect music creation game for gurning dance music obsessives.” 8/10

Sven Goran Eriksson’s World Manager – “A respectable but all-too-shallow management sim, with a release timed like a Thierry Henry tackle.” 5/10

PSOne Reviews

Formula One Arcade – “F1 puts its best tyre forward into the arcade world with top results.” 8/10

Delta Force: Urban Warfare – “An excellent first-person shooter with a great story and clever design.” 8/10

Hardcore

The final part of the Final Fantasy X walkthrough, and a Spider-Man walkthrough, plus Gran Turismo Concept: 2002 Tokyo Geneva, Pro Evolution Soccer, Endgame, No-One Lives Forever, DNA: Dark Native Apostle, Star Wars: Racer Revenge, Medal of Honor: Frontline and Army Men RTS.

Disc Content

Playable Demos

TOCA Race Driver

Conflict: Desert Storm

Downforce

Need for Speed Hot Pursuit 2

Aggressive Inline

Jak and Daxter: The Precursor Legacy

World Rally Championship

Footage

Colin McRae Rally 3

Devil May Cry 2

Timesplitters 2

Tomb Raider: The Angel of Darkness

Gran Turismo Concept: 2002 Tokyo Geneva

Jurassic Park: Operation Genesis

Battle Engine Aquila

Gumball Rally 3000

Reign of Fire

Conflict: Desert Storm

Trivia

·         This issue features the reveal of Far Cry, which used PC screenshots for the article. I mention this because it was currently only announced for PC, with rumours of a PS2 port later, but ultimately nothing came of it. Maybe the game was too advanced for PS2 to run? A console specific version came later, but that was exclusive to Xbox.

·         Yes, there are two different Sven Goran Eriksson games, that wasn’t a re-review or a mistake on my part. To reduce confusion, this month’s game is a management sim, and the previously reviewed World Challenge is a regular football game.

·         You’ll notice I brought the PSOne reviews section back, because this issue is the first one to have more than one PSOne review since Issue 19. Don’t get too attached though, because it’ll be gone again after the next issue, this time for good. Moment of silence for Old Grey.

·         Another great advert, because we haven’t had one of these in a while: An advert for Virtua Fighter 4 showing a man not reacting to a dog biting his groin, with the caption “The true master only engages the worthy opponent.” It’s good for a chuckle, I reckon.

·         A night out with Gorgeous George Walter sounds like great fun: “He ended up slurping oysters and crème de menthe from the navel of a 50-year-old High Court Judge wearing nothing but a fez and a pair of leather chaps, as Luther Vandross crooned from the speakers.”

Quote of the Month: “You do want to unlock that playable monkey character, don’t you?” Definitely, even if it is only as a test to reveal which of your friends are dishonourable scumbags for picking the short character. It’s basically cheating!

Cover price: £5.49

Page Count: 146