Issue 30 (February 2003)

                                                                 Issue 30, February 2003

Editor’s letter
       No, the tattoo’s not permanent, although Studio Cambridge did forward me a photo of the editor of Official Playstation 2 Magazine in Benelux who’d had the Primal symbol indelibly etched onto his back. This may have been an attempt to persuade me to follow suit, but I thought it was a bit beyond the call of duty. Yes, Primal’s a good game, but good enough to leave its mark on you forever? You’ll have to read our review and play our demo to make up your own mind. Anyway, I’m not too sure it would go with the tattoo of Ratchet and Clank on my arse…
       Many people are talking about Primal as a potential spoiler to Tomb Raider, and Jen’s certainly going to beat Lara to the stores. However, if you were almost ready to give up on ever being able to play The Angel of Darkness at all, we’ve got good news for you on page 34. Okay, so we didn’t get much of a chance to see Lara taking on enemies in full flow, but the action still looks spectacular, while Ms Croft herself is sleeker than ever. As The Getaway proved, just because a game is subject to delays doesn’t mean we should expect the worst. It’s conceivable that Core is taking the extra time to make the game even better. Let’s hope so.
Sam Richards, Editor

Features
Burning the Midnight Oil – Midnight Club 2

We Need a Hero – An election for the PS2’s new mascot. The candidates are Dante, Lara Croft, Ratchet and Clank, Rayman, Parappa the Rapper, Jak and Daxter, Tommy Vercetti, Mark Hammond from The Getaway, the Timesplitters monkey and Solid Snake. I’ll cast my vote for the monkey.

The Sound of Science – Music 3000.

Sound Affects – A how-to guide for installing surround sound, as well as the best systems to buy.

Monthly Articles
The Money Shot – Each month’s greatest gaming moment immortalised in a photo or illustration. This month, falling in love in The Sims.

OPS2 Interview – Chris Sorrell

From Zero to Hero – The minor characters of PS2 are given a day in the limelight. This month, Charlie Jolson from The Getaway goes straight and runs a meals on wheels business in The Great Pie ‘n’ Mash Caper.

To the Death – A bloody battle to prove what’s better. This month, Lara Croft VS Indiana Jones. Indy wins 4-2.

30 Days in Tokyo – This month, Kinji Fukasaku, the director of Battle Royale, films the cutscenes for Clock Tower 3.

The Big Issue – Answering a question that’s been on readers’ minds. This month’s question: Are games just for kids?

Designer Genes – Readers write in with their game ideas and pitches. This month, Ultimate Challenge. Form a team of ten players to climb a mountain and claim the prize belt.

The Butcher – Tearing into gaming clichés. This month, retro games. It’s funny when you consider that PS2 is retro by now.

Mash-Up – Combining two games. This month, Pac-Man World Championship Snooker 2002. A Pac-Man snooker game actually does sound quite fun!

Hideo Kojima at the Movies – The creator of Metal Gear gets his own monthly column celebrating the films that inspired his game. This month, Planet of the Apes.

Buyers Guide – Listing a selection of PS2 games from each genre, tiered under Essential, Excellent, Good, Average and Poor, and providing a PSOne Alternative. This month, Sports games. Pro Evolution Soccer 2 and Tiger Woods PGA Tour 2003 are Essential. FIFA 2003, Smash Court Tennis Pro Tournament, Madden NFL 2003 and Cricket 2002 are Excellent. NHL 2003, NBA Live 2003, LMA Manager 2003 and All Star Baseball 2003 are Good. ISS 2, G1 Jockey, Salt Lake 2002 and Sir Alex Ferguson’s Player Manager 2002 are Average. David Beckham Soccer, World League Soccer and the two Sven Goran Erikkson games are Poor, and Anna Kournikova’s Smash Court Tennis is the PSOne Alternative.

What If? – This month, what if game characters took out personal ads? Poor Agent 47 hasn’t quite gotten the hang of it yet…

Previews
Tomb Raider: The Angel of Darkness – “Tomb Raider: The Angel of Darkness is caught between two particularly knotty stools: do something totally new or please Tomb Raider fans. Currently, it’s erring on the side of familiar caution.” Boiling

Metal Gear Solid 2 Substance – “MGS 2 Substance is the definitive version of an exceptional game. The new missions and modes add welcome bulk to an experience that was previously a bit short-lived.” Boiling

True Crime: Streets of LA – “True Crime: Streets of LA would have been revolutionary this time last year. But coming after several similar games, its Hong Kong influence should make it stand out from the crowd.” Hot

Final Fantasy X 2 – “Final Fantasy X 2 introduces Yuna to guns and backflips. Has the FF universe gone crazy? We don’t think so. It’s about time Square revisited familiar faces and locations.” Warm

Die Hard Vendetta – “Die Hard Vendetta has a highly structured plot but, in a similar way to Deus Ex, gives players the freedom to make their own way through levels – so you get to think as well as shoot.” Hot

The Mark of Kri – “The Mark of Kri looks deceptively simple but after a brief try you’ll be mesmerised by its unique balance of story, gameplay and style. It’s gentle yet brutal. We hope the rest of the game is as engrossing.” Boiling

Splinter Cell – “Splinter Cell had us worried about how those fancy lighting effects and snazzy vision filters would look on PS2, but these first shots are very promising indeed.” Boiling

Pride FC – “Pride FC is looking great: a fight sim that blends wrestling and conventional fighting to create something new. It’s only the sport’s low profile that could handicap its success over here.” Hot

Updates for Devil May Cry 2, Return to Castle Wolfenstein, Jurassic Park: Operation Genesis, Batman: Dark Tomorrow, Battle Bots, Dark Angel, Silent Hill 3, Dr Muto and Evolution Skateboarding.

Reviews
Primal – “A finely crafted adventure which reveals its depths gradually, unfolding at a pace to suit even the most fantasy-challenged.” 8/10

The Sims – “Some of you won’t see what all the fuss is about. But The Sims is an innovative, engrossing and life-affirming game.” 8/10

SOS: The Final Escape – “Despite the lack of polish, SOS still shines and shows that there’s more to videogames than just shooting stuff.” 7/10

Star Wars: The Clone Wars – “One for the Star Wars collectors, and a great battlefield game in its own right. Shallow, but still worth investigation.” 6/10

Silent Scope 3 – “When arcade games were better than console games we were happy to have this. Now it’s just substandard.” 5/10

Contra: Shattered Soldier – “An ageing formula that was never going to compete with the big boys. Shattered Soldier is surviving on past glories.” 5/10

Wild Arms 3 – “Unless you enjoy really long films devoid of a plausible plot, we doubt you’ll go wild over this one.” 5/10

Hot Wheels Velocity X – “Velocity X is worth a punt, but only if you can pick it up cheap in the January sales.” 4/10

4X4 Evolution 2 – “Off-road racing that lacks va-va-voom. Plenty of features but thrills aren’t on the list.” 5/10

Legends of Wrestling 2 – “Nostalgia aside, there are better wrestling games out there. WWE Smackdown! Shut Your Mouth puts this firmly in its place.” 6/10

Grand Prix Challenge – “GPC offers a huge variety of race and set-up options in a nice-looking package. Pity about the handling.” 6/10

Donald Duck PK – “Although initially promising, this quickly reveals itself to be the usual Disney crap.” 3/10

Master Rallye – “More rallying, with nothing to make it stand out from the massed ranks of the competition.” 4/10

The Simpsons Skateboarding – “A game that may lure in both Simpsons and skateboarding fans with its cartoon-coated ramp-jumping. Don’t be fooled.” 5/10

Go Go Golf – “That this game even exists shows how far PS2 has penetrated the non-gaming market.” 1/10

Tokyo Road Race – “Find the arcade game. Play it once. Save yourself £18.99.” 3/10

Hardcore
A walkthrough for The Getaway and the final part of the Grand Theft Auto: Vice City walkthrough, plus 007 Nightfire, Haven: Call of the King, Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3 and The Simpsons Skateboarding.

Disc Content
Playable Demos
Mortal Kombat: Deadly Alliance
WWE Smackdown! Shut Your Mouth
Primal
Sly Cooper
Tiger Woods PGA Tour 2003
Space Channel 5 2
NBA Live 2003
ATV 2 Quad Power Racing
Crashed
Ghost Recon

Footage
Zone of the Enders: The 2nd Runner
Alpine Racer 3
Ape Escape 2
War of the Monsters
The Mark of Kri
LMA Manager 2003
Grand Theft Auto: Vice City
Judge Dredd: Dredd VS Death

Trivia
* New best game idea ever: Ozzy Osbourne riding a dragon in Savage Skies. Move over Brutal Legend, this is the most metal game ever… or it would have been, if Ozzy hadn’t dropped out pre-release, in which case the title goes to Dante’s Inferno. Brutal Legend tries too hard to be metal, which ironically costs it a few metal points. It’s still pretty metal, though.
* Speaking of which, I’ll never get an opportunity to bring it up otherwise, so I’ll do it now – If anyone from EA is reading this, please make Dante’s Inferno 2! You’ve got the market niche all to yourselves now that God of War wants to be taken seriously, and everyone else has shifted from ripping off God of War to ripping off Dark Souls.
* This issue includes an article on the Square Enix merger, which also announces a number of upcoming games including Final Fantasy XII, Kingdom Hearts 2, Dragon Quest VIII and Star Ocean: Till the End of Time. Presumably, Square wanted to restore investor confidence after the disastrous box office performance of Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within almost sank the company.
* Battle Bots is the American equivalent of Robot Wars, and the game was cancelled despite being pretty much finished because the show was cancelled just before the game was meant to release. In fact, it was cancelled so late, that the Battle Bots website started selling prototype copies of the Gamecube version at extortionate prices until their stock ran out. I bet they haven’t got robots as hard as Sir Killalot.
* The Simpsons Skateboarding review dreads future games such as “God forbid, the inevitable Simpsons platformer…” No need to worry about that, the series got all the crappy platformers out of its system in the early 90s.
* This issue’s demo disc is rather special, because for the longest time, it was the only way to play Space Channel 5 2 after the UK release was cancelled at the last minute, due to the child molestation allegations against Michael Jackson picking up again around this time.
* The Mortal Kombat demo is also noteworthy, in that the fatalities have been disabled. At least there's no sweat this time.

Quote of the Month: “All this battling with ferocious man-eating monsters has taken a terrible toll on my GCSE results.” This constitutes exceptional circumstances to apply for resits, right?

Cover price: £5.49
Page Count: 146

Issue 29 (January 2003)

                                                                    Issue 29, January 2003

Editor’s letter
       A split second after this photo was taken, I felt as if I’d ruptured a tendon. Although I guess that’s nothing compared to having your spine ripped out. Just ask cover star Sub-Zero, who regularly suffers that kind of punishment as contribution to the gloriously sick pantomime that is Mortal Kombat: Deadly Alliance.
       I’ve got to admit that we were sceptical about this game at first. Mortal Kombat was one of the world’s biggest game franchises in the pre-Playstation era, but time can often be cruel to series that outstay their welcome. Thankfully, Midway has rebuilt Mortal Kombat from scratch and satiated our appetite for a more instantly gratifying, flamboyant beat-‘em-up – compared to the straight-laced stylings of Tekken and Virtua Fighter – in the process.
       Mortal Kombat: Deadly Alliance is also the first great game of 2003 in what is poised to be the best year yet for Playstation 2. Our calendar feature starting on page 68 leads you, month-by-month, through all the biggest games of 2003, including those which are yet to be confirmed by their cagey publishers. With the Network Adaptor changing the face of gaming forever, it’s an exciting time.
Sam Richards, Editor

Features
Bling in the Ring – Def Jam Vendetta.

Casting the Net – More information on the imminent arrival of online multiplayer for PS2, including what you’ll need to set up, and the upcoming online games.

Welcome to 2003 – The annual look at the next 12 months for PS2.

Monthly Articles
The Money Shot – Each month’s greatest gaming moment immortalised in a photo or illustration. This month, Tim Clark is dead! He’s taken Kung Lao’s razor-brimmed hat to the forehead. Oh, the humanity!

OPS2 Interview – Chun Wah Kong

From Zero to Hero – The minor characters of PS2 are given a day in the limelight. This month, Father Vittorio from Hitman 2 must tidy the evidence of his new friend Agent 47’s line of work before a visit from the Pope in Heavens Above, 47! This would have been a great episode of Father Ted.

To the Death – A bloody battle to prove what’s better. This month, Accurate Reality VS Fantasy Future. A running tally is added this month, and Fantasy Future wins 4-1.

30 Days in Tokyo – This month, Ocha Ken, the dog with tea leaves for ears. Choose from herbal tea, coffee or oolong tea!

The Big Issue – Answering a question that’s been on readers’ minds. This month’s question: Does shock advertising sell games?

Designer Genes – Readers write in with their game ideas and pitches. This month, Learner Driver. A game to help you practice for your driving test.

The Butcher – Tearing into gaming clichés. This month, stealth.

Mash-Up – Combining two games. This month, Tekken 4X4 Evolution. The Tekken crew battle transforming vehicles. This must have been the inspiration for Nancy in Tekken 6.

Hideo Kojima at the Movies – The creator of Metal Gear gets his own monthly column celebrating the films that inspired his game. This month, North By Northwest.

Buyers Guide – Listing a selection of PS2 games from each genre, tiered under Essential, Excellent, Good, Average and Poor, and providing a PSOne Alternative. This month, Platformers. Ratchet and Clank and Jak and Daxter are Essential. Herdy Gerdy, Maximo and Crash Bandicoot: The Wrath of Cortex are Excellent. Ape Escape 2, Klonoa 2, Freakout, Treasure Planet and Taz Wanted are Good. Spyro: Enter the Dragonfly, Monsters Inc. and Scooby Doo: Night of 100 Frights are Average. Frogger: The Great Quest, Peter Pan: Return to Neverland, Evil Twin and Stitch: Experiment 626 are Poor, and Oddworld: Abe’s Oddysee is the PSOne Alternative.

What If? – This month, what if videogame characters fell on hard times? Turns out an unexpected bonus of the modern trend towards constant remakes, remasters and ports of everything (Hands up who genuinely believed Destroy All Humans! and Spongebob: Battle for Bikini Bottom, to name two recent examples, needed remakes) is that they keep game characters in work and stop them from becoming homeless.

Previews
Metal Gear Solid 2 Substance – “Metal Gear Solid 2 Substance, as these screenshots can attest, is set to raise the already established franchise’s game in fine style. Bring on those gigantic guards!” Boiling

Shinobi – “Shinobi boasts a simple premise, exquisitely presented. With no defend button, this game’s ethos is spelt out plain and simple. Cut, thrust and dodge through a storm of sensibility-shaking gut-splat.” Hot

Devil May Cry 2 – “Devil May Cry 2 will need some hands-on play before we can tell whether Lucia is as enjoyable to control as Dante, but for now this she-devil certainly looks the part.” Boiling

Zone of the Enders: The 2nd Runner – “Zone of the Enders: The 2nd Runner looks to be delivering just what we hoped for: an emphasis on action and style and not quite so many cut-scenes.” Hot

Primal – “Primal looks fantastic and although we’ve barely scraped the surface, it’s shaping up to be an epic adventure. Our only concern is if it falls into the same aimless wandering trap as Soul Reaver 2.” Hot

X-Men: Wolverine’s Revenge – “X-Men: Wolverine’s Revenge looks set to be one of the few comic book games to excel on PS2. By concentrating on gameplay and atmosphere this game could slice and dice the opposition.” Hot

Mace Griffin: Bounty Hunter – “Mace Griffin: Bounty Hunter looks to be a strong addition to the world of space shooters. It’ll need to blend its gameplay elements effectively to convince hardened gamers, though.” Hot

SOS: The Final Escape – “SOS: The Final Escape reveals an exciting RPG/puzzle/action hybrid. There’s some strange slowdown in places but the first 60 minutes of the game are a memorable tour de force.” Hot

Updates for Tomb Raider: The Angel of Darkness, The Sims, True Crime: Streets of LA, Pride FC, Midnight Club 2, Star Wars: The Clone Wars, Silent Scope 3, Warhammer 40K: Fire Warrior and Contra: Shattered Soldier.

Reviews
Mortal Kombat: Deadly Alliance – “A triumphant return. A truly individual and spectacular-looking game, only held back by its specialist appeal and lack of depth.” 8/10

Ape Escape 2 – “Daft and delirious, but not enough scope for free-roaming platform-heads. Games have evolved, monkeys haven’t.” 7/10

Battle Engine Aquila – “A novel spin on the FPS genre, and extremely well-executed. A few flaws, but overall, it’s well worth a look.” 7/10

Sly Cooper and the terrible generic European title which makes him sound like one of Sonic’s shitty friends so I refuse to use it on principle, especially since no-one even calls him by that name in-game anyway – “Visually stunning and boasts hugely varied platform gameplay – even if all of its best ideas are second-hand.” 7/10

Virtua Cop Elite Edition – “Fond arcade memories, neatly repackaged. But now this seems repetitive and dated.” 5/10

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – “Really does the source material justice, but some sections will have you shouting coarser words than ‘Flipendo!’” 7/10

Defender – “Classic gameplay revamped and 3D-ified. Different, but not better.” 6/10

X-Men: Next Dimension – “Mutton-dressed-as-lamb gameplay. Great characters and environments, but this mutant needs to evolve again.” 5/10

Big Mutha Truckers – “Once the thrill of driving a large lorry wears off (and it won’t take long) BMT is slightly less entertaining than hoovering.” 5/10

Lego Drome Racers – “Another pointless license, another pointless racer.” 4/10

ATV 2 Quad Power Racing – “Decently playable ATV effort, but one that’s more likely to frustrate than truly excite.” 5/10

Minority Report – “A decent fighting game for those who love to brawl, but considering the source material, it’s a missed opportunity.” 5/10

Dragon Ball Z Budokai – “Not for everyone’s taste, but a plucky scrapper that will tickle DBZ fans and astound everybody else.” 6/10

NBA Live 2003 – “A superbly balanced basketball sim that’s laced with some truly innovative touches.” 8/10

BMX XXX – “Surprisingly, we hoped this might’ve been a laugh. We didn’t even smile once.” 4/10

Total Immersion Racing – “Super cars and impressive AI, but a middle-of-the-road racer.” 6/10

The Powerpuff Girls: Relish Rampage – “It’s sufficiently cute, but you’ll complete it in a day and wish you hadn’t wasted your time.” 4/10

Hardcore
Part 1 of the Grand Theft Auto: Vice City walkthrough, plus The Getaway, Resident Evil: Code Veronica X, Rocky, Tiger Woods PGA Tour 2003, Timesplitters 2 and Scooby Doo: Night of 100 Frights.

Disc Content
Playable Demos
FIFA 2003
Pro Evolution Soccer 2
Rocky
Formula One 2002
Ape Escape 2
Eggo Mania

Footage
Devil May Cry 2
Midnight Club 2
War of the Monsters
Sly Cooper
Space Channel 5 2
Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 4
Primal
The Mark of Kri
The Making of Kingdom Hearts

Trivia
* The first murmurings of Killzone emerge in this issue, and the phrase “Halo beater” is already being bandied about with reckless abandon, much to developer Guerrilla’s chagrin.
* The story of Mortal Kombat comes in for criticism in its review, which is ironic considering that the later games would be praised for their stories, to the extent that every other fighting game would copy Mortal Kombat’s approach.
* Games that would never be made today #5: BMX XXX. Do I really need to explain this one?

Quote of the Month: “It’s as close as you can get to killing someone without being arrested or really killing someone.” Should we be concerned for anyone who buys Vice City for this reason?

Cover price: £5.49
Page Count: 146

Bonus: Snake’s New Piercing (Issue 65)

Bonus: Snake’s New Piercing (Issue 65)

While I have been doing this blog, I have received a few requests from readers asking for information. On one occasion, I was asked by Reddit user Poopybrain if I could help find a letter he had sent in that was printed. I thought that it would be nice to share it with other readers too, especially because it’s a pretty funny picture! I also had the idea that readers could ask me if they want me to share anything in the magazine for others to see it, such as their letter or a particular article. If anyone is interested, leave a comment on the blog, or send a message via Reddit, where you can find me via the blog update posts on the PS2 subreddit.

Without further ado, here’s Snake’s new piercing. What would his mother think?

Issue 28 (Christmas 2002)

                                                                Issue 28, Christmas 2002

Editor’s letter
       Last issue it was Grand Theft Auto: Vice City, this issue it’s The Getaway. The fact that these titles have ended up as the two biggest games of the year is testament to your insatiable lust for blood, violence and general unpleasantness. But forget cheap psychoanalysis, which one should you buy?
       This autumn has been tough for serious PS2 fans due to the sheer number of must-have games being released. You either live on beans for weeks or miss out on top quality gaming stimulation. But when it comes to Vice City and The Getaway, we can only suggest that you buy both. They can’t be compared in the same way as FIFA and Pro Evo because, although they share similar elements, they are markedly different experiences.
       Vice City is cleverly cartoonish; The Getaway is bleak, uncompromising, and completely engulfs you in its plot. There’s not the same freedom as in Vice City, but you’re propelled through the game with much greater urgency, developing empathy with the characters. The bloody finale will leave you drained. In short, even if you’ve got Vice City, you need to own The Getaway too. Merry Christmas, you muppets.
Sam Richards, Editor

Features
Vice City Slickers – The 25 things you must do while playing Vice City. Fly helicopters, wield the minigun, drive an ice cream van…

Jumping on the Brandwagon – Celebrities endorsing sports games is nothing new, but these ones are more out there. Tom Jones and the Emperor’s Tomb, anyone?

Monthly Articles
The Money Shot – Each month’s greatest gaming moment immortalised in a photo or illustration. This month, visiting Buckingham Palace in The Getaway.

OPS2 Interview – Ted Price

To the Death – A bloody battle to prove what’s better. This month, Vice City VS The Getaway. The two are neck-and-neck, until The Getaway pulls off a surprise upset in the final round.

30 Days in Tokyo – This month, Final Fantasy X-2 is revealed, along with Yuna’s new hotter and sexier re-design.

The Big Issue – Answering a question that’s been on readers’ minds. This month’s question: Are PS2 games too expensive to make? It’s quite a shock to see the numbers being cited here as too big: 20 employees, £5 million budgets... Nowadays, that’s nothing, with budgets in the hundreds of millions and thousands of employees being the norm for AAA games.

Designer Genes – Readers write in with their game ideas and pitches. This month, Circus Freaks. A circus game where you can take part in every aspect of the show – lion tamer, clown, trapeze artist, you name it.

The Butcher – Tearing into gaming clichés. This month, Gran Turismo.

Mash-Up – Combining two games. This month, Alone in the Dark Summit. Zombies aren’t so scary when you can just snowboard past them!

Hideo Kojima at the Movies – The creator of Metal Gear gets his own monthly column celebrating the films that inspired his game. This month, Escape From New York. How this inspired Kojima should be obvious.

Buyers Guide – Listing a selection of PS2 games from each genre, tiered under Essential, Excellent, Good, Average and Poor, and providing a PSOne Alternative. This month, Racing games. Gran Turismo 3 and World Rally Championship 2 are Essential. Formula One 2002, Colin McRae Rally 3, World Rally Championship and Moto GP 2 are Excellent. TOCA Race Driver, Gran Turismo Concept and F1 2001 and 2002 are Good. V Rally 3, Le Mans 24 Hours and Stuntman are Average. Driving Emotion Type S, Super Trucks and Pro Rally 2002 are Poor, and Gran Turismo is the PSOne Alternative.

What If? – This month, what if the PS2 shopped for Christmas presents? I’ll have a Lucy model gamer, please.

Previews
Mortal Kombat: Deadly Alliance – “Mortal Kombat: Deadly Alliance looks to have everything that makes for a classic next-gen update. It retains the styling that marked out its forerunners but has reinvented the fighting system.” Boiling

Primal – “Primal is another high production value game from SCEE’s internal developers, pushing the bounds of graphics and sound. The innovative buddy-style gameplay here looks very interesting.” Hot

SOCOM: US Navy SEALs – “SOCOM digests the depth of MGS2 and adds even greater freedom to experiment. All the things you imagine you should be able to do, you can and being in charge of a team makes it more engrossing.” Boiling

Devil May Cry 2 – “Devil May Cry 2 continues to look great. God only knows what we’ll be seeing in the final version. Bosses are big, ugly and hard-assed and each has its own fiendish attack.” Boiling

Broken Sword: The Sleeping Dragon – “Broken Sword: The Sleeping Dragon may revitalise the tired adventure genre if it can deliver on the promise of mixing interactive, emotional storytelling with beautiful graphics and cinematic framing.” Hot

Sly Cooper – “It seems that we’re in a platform renaissance. More linear than the likes of Ratchet and Clank, this game feels and plays like the flipside of a hardboiled detective story.” Hot

The Sims – “The Sims is one of the most addictive games ever invented, and introducing two-player elements for PS2 is a great addition. Plus you can get yourself a monkey butler. Need we say more?” Hot

Ape Escape 2 – “Ape Escape 2 doesn’t just take the original concept to new heights, but it adds just enough zest to make it feel as refreshing to play as it did back on PSOne, and we’re loving every minute of it.” Hot

Updates for Tomb Raider: The Angel of Darkness, Bloodrayne, Metal Gear Solid 2 Substance, Wakeboarding Unleashed, Judge Dredd: Dredd VS Death, X-Men: Next Dimension, Defender, Tenchu: Wrath of Heaven and Battle Engine Aquila.

Reviews
The Getaway – “A compelling trawl through London’s criminal underworld. The most cinematic experience yet on PS2 – a landmark title.” 9/10

Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 4 – “Neversoft has delivered again with one of the most rewarding PS2 titles around. Not just a sequel – it feels like a new game.” 9/10

James Bond 007: Nightfire – “If the Bond movies seem rooted in 1967, the Bond games are stuck 30 years later. It’s progress, of a sort, but we want more.” 7/10

Auto Modellista – “Auto Modellista looks good, but the real bonus is how much fun it is to play. No online racing, but it’s great while it lasts.” 7/10

Virtua Tennis 2 – “This is one outstanding tennis game, and is one of Playstation 2’s essential multiplayer experiences.” 8/10

Reign of Fire – “A great idea that fleshes out the film’s anaemic plot, but is slightly restricted by its emphasis on vehicular battle.” 7/10

Star Wars: Bounty Hunter – “A Star Wars-themed 3D shooter with some optional bounty hunting. Good mindless fun, but it promised more.” 7/10

Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring – “Failing to capture any of the rich, creative landscape of the book, this game is fundamentally boring and a chore to play.” 4/10

Tiger Woods PGA Tour 2003 – “Tiger 2003 is a great golf sim and is easily the best around, but can take itself just a little too seriously.” 8/10

Ghost Recon – “Despite its flaws, this is everything you’d want from a Clancy title: hectic, realistic action.” 7/10

Castleween – “Run-of-the-mill platformer. Nice in places, but doesn’t compare with better examples of the genre.” 4/10

Run Like Hell – “A valiant effort, but a game that feels two years out of date. There are much better survival horror titles on the market.” 5/10

Robotech: Battlecry – “Unless you’re a fan of the anime series, any enjoyment derived from this is very short-lived.” 4/10

Alpine Racer 3 – “There are so many hot winter sports sims out there. This fails to keep up with the competition.” 3/10

Mobile Suit Gundam: Federation VS Zeon – “Brainless but bombastic and absorbing fun – even if you’ve never heard of either Federation or Zeon.” 7/10

Sega Soccer Slam – “Remember Macedonia? This is ten times more painful to endure.” 2/10

Spyro: Enter the Dragonfly – “Spyro was cute as a kid, but has turned into an ugly adult. What worked before is light years from what we demand now.” 6/10

Myst 3: Exile – “If this is the kind of game you really want to play, then a shopping trip to PC World is long overdue.” 3/10

Butt-Ugly Martians: Zoom or Doom – “Deeply flawed compared to its rivals. A waste of a license that wasn’t that great in the first place.” 3/10

Pryzm Chapter One: The Dark Unicorn – “Love trolls and unicorns? Then stick with the miniature lead figures and percentile dice.” 2/10

Hardcore
A walkthrough for Timesplitters 2, plus Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers, Grand Theft Auto 3, James Bond 007: Agent Under Fire, Hitman 2: Silent Assassin, Summoner 2, WWE Smackdown: Just Bring It!, Need for Speed Hot Pursuit 2, Red Faction 2 and This is Football 2003.

Disc Content
Playable Demos
The Getaway
Battle Engine Aquila
V Rally 3
Treasure Planet
MX Superfly

Footage
Defender
Mortal Kombat: Deadly Alliance
Big Mutha Truckers
Spyro: Enter the Dragonfly
Micro Machines

Trivia
* This issue has something fun for Christmas – a gaming themed snakes and ladders board!
* This issue has an excellent competition – players are tasked with creating their own levels in the Timesplitters 2 level creator, with the five winners being included on the demo disc. An ingenious method of distributing user-created content.
* The latest Tomb Raider delay is accompanied with the caption “Would you rather have a toss version now or an ace one later?” Why did we get the worst of both worlds? Nobody even think of citing that Miyamoto quote, I’m sick to death of hearing it and it’s no longer relevant!

* There’s an advert for Ty the Tasmanian Tiger which has Sonic, Spyro and Crash Bandicoot covered in bandages after an encounter with Ty. How did EA not get sued for this?
* The James Bond review predicts the future: “Rather than adapt one of the classic Sean Connery flicks…”
* Although Run Like Hell was reviewed in this issue, the UK release wouldn’t come for another year. Maybe the publisher decided a horror game wouldn’t sell at Christmas and delayed it until the following Halloween?
* Anyone holding their breath for Pryzm Chapter 2 should probably stop now.
* Spyro: Enter the Dragonfly gets 6/10, the same score as Crash Bandicoot: The Wrath of Cortex. Fair enough at first glance, since the central issue with both games is that they don’t advance their respective series and are simply more of the same. However, it’s awfully generous in Spyro’s case, as he gets a right kicking in the review. At least The Wrath of Cortex offered as much content as the older games and, dreadful loading times aside, worked as intended – which is more than you can say for Enter the Dragonfly.

Quote of the Month: “There’s something very wrong with that statement and it’s not just the fact that the Beatles were a bunch of gibberish-spouting, patchouli-sniffing hippies.” Not content with taking Gran Turismo down a notch, the Butcher takes aim at another sacred cow while he’s at it.

Cover price: £5.49
Page Count: 162

Issue 27 (December 2002)

 Issue 27, December 2002

Editor’s letter
       For months now we’ve been listening to Hall and Oates and wearing pastel jackets with the sleeves rolled up in anticipation of Grand Theft Auto’s Eighties-themed update, Vice City. Thankfully, as our UK exclusive review proves, the embarrassment at our big hair and shoulder pads predicament is soon eclipsed by the thrill of nicking cop cars and bludgeoning bystanders with baseball bats. Vice City is easily the biggest PS2 game of 2002, and the fervour with which we’re anticipating its arrival makes you wonder exactly how Rockstar has managed to concoct a gaming formula that’s so much more appealing than its rivals. I think the main attraction has to be the open-ended gameplay and the fact that in a recognisably real-world scenario, you can do things that in real life would have you arrested, imprisoned, sectioned, or at the very least, vilified by the media and disowned by your family. Not that the game objectives force you into mowing down pedestrians and sniping students, but do you know anyone who’s ever played GTA responsibly?
Sam Richards, Editor

Features
The Hard Cel – A feature on cel-shading, which was everywhere at the time, as the big list of upcoming cel-shaded games attests.

Big in Japan? – A look at some of the Japan-only games that fall squarely into the category of Weird Japanese Things. The highlight is Bad Magistrate, a game which involves Danny Devito’s Japanese counterpart running away from assassins trying to get him to give tax money back to the peasants he exploits. Really, you can’t go wrong when the word magistrate is in the title.

Monthly Articles
The Money Shot – Each month’s greatest gaming moment immortalised in a photo or illustration. This month, hijacking a police helicopter in Grand Theft Auto: Vice City.

OPS2 Interview – Martin Kenwright, returning from Issue 14.

To the Death – A bloody battle to prove what’s better. This month, Solo gaming VS Multiplayer gaming. Multiplayer wins, but at least single player pretends to put up a fight.

30 Days in Tokyo – This month, a man dressed as a bowling pin. The green guy from a few issues ago be like:

The Big Issue – Answering a question that’s been on readers’ minds. This month’s question: Why do violent games sell so well?

Designer Genes – Readers write in with their game ideas and pitches. This month, Wise Guys, AKA Grand Theft Mafia.

From Zero to Hero – A supporting character gets their day in the limelight. This month, a Resident Evil zombie in Stop the Rot! You’ve got a taste for flesh, and the more you eat, the slower you decompose.

The Butcher – Tearing into gaming clichés. This month, effeminate villains.

Mash-Up – Combining two games. This month, NBA Street Fighter. I’m imagining Zangief doing a spinning piledriver slam dunk to score.

Hideo Kojima at the Movies – The creator of Metal Gear gets his own monthly column celebrating the films that inspired his game. This month, The Guns of Navarone.

Buyers Guide – Listing a selection of PS2 games from each genre, tiered under Essential, Excellent, Good, Average and Poor, and providing a PSOne Alternative. This month, First-Person Shooters. Timesplitters 2 and Deus Ex are Essential. Medal of Honor: Frontline, Timesplitters, Half Life and Quake 3: Revolution are Excellent. Red Faction, Unreal Tournament and James Bond 007: Agent Under Fire are Good. Turok Evolution, Vampire Night, Ninja Assault and Dino Stalker are Average. Star Trek Voyager: Elite Force and Soldier of Fortune Gold are Poor, and Alien Resurrection is the PSOne Alternative.

What If? – This month, what if the Emotion Engine really was emotional? Machine learning isn’t such a good idea after all if it leads to your PS2 erasing your save data for not playing games as much as you used to.

Previews
The Getaway – “The Getaway’s coming up for parole and the outside is looking tastier by the day. A slight problem with the game camera aside, it’s both looking and playing like a total diamond. Sorted? Almost, my son.” Meltdown

SOCOM US Navy SEALs – “SOCOM US Navy SEALs is a great blast made better by voice communication features. This opens up all manner of new opportunities for strategy. It’s going to set PS2 gaming alight next year.” Meltdown

Metal Gear Solid 2 Substance – “MGS2 Substance, just like the Special Missions on PSOne, gives the full game an extended life. The VR missions are just one great aspect of a package that looks to be pure Metal Gear, pure action and pure fun.” Boiling

Devil May Cry 2 – “Devil May Cry 2 still has its plot under wraps, but the acrobatic, bullet ballet action alone is exhilarating. If it delivers all of the enhanced features promised, this baby has ‘Hit’ stamped all over it.” Boiling

Judge Dredd: Dredd VS Death – “Judge Dredd VS Death is still a way off but it looks like Rebellion is staying true to what made the comics so good. We’ll keep you posted on its development, just to make sure.” Hot

Batman: Dark Tomorrow – “Batman: Dark Tomorrow is set in a comic book world that’s been recreated with admirable care. But issues, such as awkward, fixed viewpoints and clumsy combat could undermine the experience.” Warm

Tiger Woods PGA Tour 2003 – “Tiger Woods 2003 is an example of EA Sports pushing the boundaries, something it is attempting with each yearly sports title update. Can this really become the ultimate golf game on PS2?” Hot

Silent Hill 3 – “Silent Hill 3 ups the combat quotient with automatic weapons and more nightmarish creatures (not to mention foreboding atmosphere) than before, without resorting to a complete Resi-style makeover.” Hot

XIII – “XIII boasts a number of innovative features and neat touches that suggest this will truly be a first-person shooter to reckon with. Roll on March 2003.” Boiling

Updates for Mortal Kombat: Deadly Alliance, Alter Echo, James Bond 007: Nightfire, Reign of Fire, Zone of the Enders: The 2nd Runner, BMX XXX, Spyro: Enter the Dragonfly, Big Mutha Truckers and Rayman 3: Hoodlum Havoc.

Reviews
Grand Theft Auto: Vice City – “This is undeniably the best thing ever to come out of the Eighties, and it’s one of the greatest console games ever.” 10/10

Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers – “Even if the mention of orcs and goblins normally gives you the fear, if you like action games, you’ll love this.” 8/10

World Rally Championship 2 Extreme – “A really full-bodied sim, with a satisfying learning curve for those who can hang on for the ride.” 9/10

Colin McRae Rally 3 – “Perfectly playable and constantly challenging, Colin McRae motors effortlessly into the PS2 hall of fame.” 9/10

Red Faction 2 – “If you have a destructive streak then you’ll love Red Faction 2. Get it, if only for the Geo-Mod madness.” 8/10

Formula One 2002 – “A great game for F1 fans and serious race game lovers. The best of its kind on Playstation 2.” 8/10

Pro Evolution Soccer 2 – “Better than the original, better than all its rivals, if you’re into football games it’s time to shell out another £40.” 9/10

FIFA 2003 – “For fully-licensed footy you should feel no shame in buying this. There’s still work to be done, but it’s hugely enjoyable.” 8/10

Gungrave – “Gungrave is a short-but-sweet, ultraviolent, super-stylish, manga-inspired blastathon. Oh yes.” 7/10

LMA Manager 2003 – “If you think you can do a better job than Fergie and Wenger, here’s your chance to prove it.” 7/10

Haven: Call of the King – “Lots of fun and packed with brilliant ideas. Would be a landmark game, if not for the superior Ratchet and Clank.” 8/10

Rocky – “If boxing’s your thing, you really shouldn’t be without this. And it’s actually a really accurate and entertaining film adaptation.” 8/10

Kingdom Hearts – “An enticing and hugely entertaining collaboration between Disney fantasy and Final Fantasy.” 8/10

Summoner 2 – “An RPG-cum-action-adventure that, while initially rather basic, eventually reveals levels of much deeper complexity.” 7/10

The Sum of All Fears – “You’ll be enthralled in the early missions. After that, the repetitive format starts to hurt.” 5/10

Shox – “The gimmicks aren’t enough to compensate for this being a rather simplistic rally game.” 5/10

Superman: Shadow of Apokalips – “Stunning graphics, but the gameplay makes Activision’s Spider-Man game look like a work of genius.” 5/10

Blade 2 – “Enjoyable at first, but the mowing down of endless waves of creatures will have you fumbling for the hammer and stake.” 5/10

Dynasty Tactics – “All-too-rare on PS2, this is a strategy title with real depth and charm to boot.” 8/10

Ty the Tasmanian Tiger – “Weaker than watered-down Fosters, this uninspired platformer fails to impress.” 4/10

Rally Fusion: Race of Champions – “This is by no means poor, but we can’t recommend a hamburger when fillet steak costs the same.” 6/10

Treasure Planet – “Shameless platforming clone it may be, but it’s an enjoyably shameless clone.” 6/10

Legaia 2: Duel Saga – “A surprisingly approachable RPG. It’s not Final Fantasy, but it’s plenty of fun.” 7/10

Marvel VS Capcom 2: New Age of Heroes – “Lacks the depth of Tekken, but for sheer ‘pow’ factor, this will bowl you over.” 7/10

Wreckless: The Yakuza Missions – “A pick-up-and-play experience that’s great in half-hour bursts. Ideal for a quick, brainless blast late on a Friday night.” 7/10

Gumball 3000 – “One of the worst driving games for ages. Poor on almost every level.” 3/10

The Scorpion King: Rise of the Akkadian – “Tasty graphics, but the dull gameplay stands out like a snapped arrow shaft in the thigh.” 4/10

Knight Rider – “Only hardcore devotees of the Eighties TV show should look closer.” 4/10

Micro Machines – “We can’t justify a higher score than this – it’s just not a big enough step up from the PSOne game.” 6/10

Hardcore
A walkthrough for Onimusha 2, plus The Thing, Tekken 4, Grand Theft Auto 3, Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3, Hitman 2: Silent Assassin, MX Superfly, Mat Hoffman’s Pro BMX 2, Kelly Slater’s Pro Surfer, Blade 2 and Pro Rally 2002.

Disc Content
Playable Demos
Colin McRae Rally 3
World Rally Championship 2 Extreme
Alpine Racer 3
Ty the Tasmanian Tiger
Haven: Call of the King
Reign of Fire
Twin Caliber

Footage
The Getaway
James Bond 007: Nightfire
Kingdom Hearts
Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers
Rayman 3: Hoodlum Havoc
Activision 02 compilation (Includes Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 4, Mat Hoffman’s Pro BMX 2, Wakeboarding Unleashed and Shaun Palmer’s Pro Snowboarder)
Zapper
Way of the Samurai
Spyro: Enter the Dragonfly
Spider-Man film trailer

Trivia
* The infamous Starcraft Ghost makes its debut in this issue. This was meant to be a more action-based spin-off of the South Korean PC favourite, but it became a permanent resident of Development Hell before the third set of developers finally called it quits and put the game on indefinite hold in 2006, quietly cancelling it later. There was a somewhat happy ending though, as an in-development build of the Xbox version leaked earlier this year.
* This month’s great one-and-done game: Criminalympics, both a great pun and the title of a minigame collection that’s a sports competition that’s been gangsta-fied – think drive-by skeet shooting, for instance. Presumably, this game was unreleased because the novelty of the comedy concept would quickly wear off, but that pun is too good to waste!
* The biggest criticism of Pro Evolution Soccer 2 in its preview a few issues ago was the use of Queen on the soundtrack, but come review time, and it’s grown on them, described as “Dramatic, bombastic and, dare we say it, camper than a window box… the perfect intro.”
* Games that would never be made today #4: Haven: Call of the King. Why not? Variety was a big thing in games at the time; the more different things you could do and styles of gameplay you had, the better. Not so much nowadays, as games that do one or two things really well are more valued today than games that let you play a million and one different genres at once, but don’t excel at any of them.
* On the letters page, David Williams writes in to raise the issue of lacking racial diversity in game characters. This quote from OPS2’s response, specifically the second part “The lack of non-white (and non-Japanese) characters in videogames is a serious issue, and one that is raised regularly without ever being properly addressed” is telling in how it’s still the case today, almost two decades later, with Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas remaining the highest-profile example of a black lead character who isn’t part of an ensemble playable roster, a licensed game, or player-created. Ethnic diversity in game characters doesn’t seem to have had the same push behind it that female characters have gotten, so let’s hope it comes soon.

Quote of the Month: “To avoid bringing shame on our employer, we crank up the juice and avoid all stop signs.” OPS2 actually get quite into Let’s Go By Train! Ryoji Hen, to their pleasant surprise.

Cover price: £5.49
Page Count: 178

Issue 26 (November 2002)

Issue 26, November 2002

Editor’s letter
       Welcome to the new issue of OPS2 and we hope you like the new direction. No, we’re not about to set off on a jazz odyssey, but we have made some positive changes to the magazine, and after almost two years of existence, we felt it was high time for a spring clean.
       The first difference you’ll notice is the absence of a section called ‘Previews’. This has been replaced by the all-new Monitor section, an entirely fresh way of tracking the progress of the biggest games in development – it also gives you the chance to influence our coverage by voting for the games you want to read about.
       The Spy section has been overhauled – it’ll still feature the latest news and announcements, but you’ll also find a whole raft of bite-sized features within its pages. Our Shortlist database is now much more user-friendly and it will offer a definitive Buyers Guide to a specific genre each month.
       The world of Playstation 2 is constantly innovating and evolving as this month’s batch of exciting new games proves. You can always be sure that, as the official magazine, we’ll be innovating and evolving along with it.
Sam Richards, Editor

Feature
The Alternative Gaming Rulebook – A set of challenges to liven up your next multiplayer session or replay of an old game. Suggestions include one-man doubles in tennis games, racing in reverse or playing with one hand and/or your eyes closed while someone else gives you instructions on which way to move. I’ve actually done some of these. It’s quite fun!

Monthly Articles
The Money Shot – Each month’s greatest gaming moment immortalised in a photo or illustration. This month, the Morph-o-Ray from Ratchet and Clank.

OPS2 Interview – David Doak

To the Death – A bloody battle to prove what’s better. This month, Old games VS New games. New games wins in a one-sided stomp.

30 Days in Tokyo – This month, a visit to Gundam World 2002, and Ultraman haiku.

The Big Issue – Answering a question that’s been on readers’ minds. This month’s question: Why can’t I play Timesplitters 2 online?

Designer Genes – Readers write in with their game ideas and pitches. This month, Legend of the Voodoo Mask. An action-adventure where your character, the Wolf Man, must explore an island to find four voodoo masks in order to defeat the evil Shadow.

From Zero to Hero – A supporting character gets their day in the limelight. This month, Otacon: A Date With Destiny. Given the poor guy’s awful track record with romance, I’m not sure I want to play that game…

The Butcher – Tearing into gaming clichés. This month, bullet time. Blame The Matrix for this one.

Hideo Kojima at the Movies – The creator of Metal Gear gets his own monthly column celebrating the films that inspired his game. This month, The Great Escape.

Buyers Guide – Listing a selection of PS2 games from each genre, tiered under Essential, Excellent, Good, Average and Poor, and providing a PSOne Alternative. This month, Horror. Devil May Cry and Resident Evil: Code Veronica X are Essential. The Thing and Silent Hill 2 are Excellent. Project Zero, both Onimushas and Dino Stalker are Good. Alone in the Dark: The New Nightmare, Blood Omen 2, Shadow of Memories and Shadow Man 2 are Average. Resident Evil Survivor 2: Code Veronica, Vampire Night and Ninja Assault are Poor, and Resident Evil is the PSOne Alternative.

What If? – This month, what if the PS2 started a world religion? Of course, the Playstation religion wouldn’t be complete without it’s Ten Commandments, which are duly provided.

Previews
Grand Theft Auto: Vice City – “If GTA: Vice City handles as handsomely as it looks, Rockstar will have another sure-fire winner on its hands. And anyway, even if we told you the game stank, you’d still buy it. Exclusive review next month, people!” Meltdown

The Getaway – “The Getaway’s hype may be huge, but SCEE’s flagship title is living up to most of it. On this form, you’ll have to buy The Getaway and GTA: Vice City. Maybe a bank job’s in order? Geezer.” Meltdown

Devil May Cry 2 – “Devil May Cry is the coolest action game on PS2 and seems certain to be returning with more action, more depth, an extra character and big bad Dante as cool as ever.” Hot

Mortal Kombat: Deadly Alliance – “Mortal Kombat: Deadly Alliance is looking and playing way better than ever. With superb animation and attention to detail, it looks like we could all be in for another Mortal Monday (ask yer dad.)” Boiling

Kingdom Hearts – “Kingdom Hearts is the lovechild of the American ‘Mouse House’ and the Japanese Final Fantasy universe. Don’t be deceived, this is not a kiddie FF-lite game. It’s a unique, charming and huge action RPG.” Hot

Pro Evolution Soccer 2 – “Pro Evolution Soccer 2 is a safe bet for the title Best Football Game Ever. Mind-bogglingly realistic, incredibly deep and playable, and more addictive than strawberry-flavoured crack.” Meltdown

Auto Modellista – “Auto Modellista features reassuringly good gameplay and a stunning aesthetic. It’s array of customisable aspects should keep you tinkering away in the garage, too.” Boiling

Metal Gear Solid 2 Substance – “MGS2 Substance is the result of Konami listening to its fans and giving them what they really want. More than just an enhanced MGS2, this promises to be a profoundly satisfying game in its own right.” Boiling

Red Faction 2 – “Red Faction 2 is easy on the eye and instinctive to control. A massive Multiplayer mode as well as flying and underwater action are all eventually promised. The future looks rosy.” Hot

Star Wars: Bounty Hunter – “Star Wars: Bounty Hunter is an enticing prospect, exploring the seedier side of the Star Wars universe. It looks as if the action will come thick and fast for Jango, so let’s hope the game has depth.” Hot

Tomb Raider: The Angel of Darkness – “Tomb Raider: The Angel of Darkness promises to bring new finesse to the biggest-selling Playstation series ever, but Core mustn’t change the two elements people love: the girl and the guns.” Hot

Updates for Colin McRae Rally 3, Rocky, James Bond 007: NIghtfire, World Rally Championship 2 Extreme, Robocop, Haven: Call of the King, Ty the Tasmanian Tiger, Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 4, and Micro Machines.

Reviews
WWE Smackdown! Shut Your Mouth – “The Smackdown! series moves to a new level. Aspects of play still need perfecting, but this is still a great value package.” 8/10

Ratchet and Clank – “Brilliant. A gripping comic space opera that’s outstanding in every way. Gaming really doesn’t come much better.” 9/10

Hitman 2: Silent Assassin – “Ethically it’s on shaky ground, but if you’re the kind of steely soul untroubled by sentiment, Hitman 2 is a stone-cold killer.” 9/10

Burnout 2: Point of Impact – “A massively enjoyable collection of four-wheeled thrills that leaves you itching for just one more go...” 8/10

Ferrari F355 Challenge – “Competent, challenging and realistic, but probably a bit too fiddly and specialist for anyone weaned on Gran Turismo.” 7/10

This is Football 2003 – “Noticeable improvements make a good game better, but it’s still scrapping with FIFA for second place in the footy war.” 7/10

Need for Speed Hot Pursuit 2 – “Breathless driving, police interference, cool short cuts and superb 3D. This is an enjoyable and hugely satisfying racer.” 8/10

Madden NFL 2003 – “A polished, tweaked and greatly enhanced revision of the most authentic gridiron series around.” 8/10

Riding Spirits – “A good attempt at offering a two-wheeled GT3 but may be too intimidating for some.” 7/10

Terminator: Dawn of Fate – “We were looking forward to this, so it’s a real wasted opportunity. Another potentially decent film licence trashed.” 4/10

Twin Caliber – “A semi-interesting idea for a shooter, utterly cocked-up in execution.” 3/10

Way of the Samurai – “To be blunt, this below-par slash-‘em-up will only appeal to swordaholics” 5/10

Kelly Slater’s Pro Surfer – “Kelly Slater’s Pro Surfer looks great and initially entertains, but ultimately proves to be a shallow thrill.” 6/10

Taz Wanted – “Beyond the vibrant look this is a game that tries every trick in the book to appeal. It fails...” 5/10

Crashed – “Initially enjoyable, but there’s nothing to keep you coming back. A missed opportunity.” 5/10

NHL 2003 – “Keeping the excellent core of NHL 2002, with some well-placed tweaks and new features.” 7/10

RC Sports Copter Challenge – “Fed up with death and destruction? This provides a few hours of chilled out chopper action.” 4/10

UFC Throwdown – “Bold, brutal, blood-spattered. UFC Throwdown is not pretty, but then neither is the sport it simulates.” 6/10

NHL Hitz 2003 – “Fast, furious, all-out arcade fun, but still lacks the depth of its EA rival.” 6/10

WTA Tour Tennis – “In-depth game modes are betrayed by an engine that fails to excite. And where’s Kournikova?” 4/10

Sub Rebellion – “Ace Combat beneath the waves? No, just that familiar sinking feeling.” 4/10

Street Hoops – “A fair basketball game, but its blinging good looks aren’t matched by its predictable moves.” 5/10

Hardcore
A walkthrough for TOCA Race Driver, plus Prisoner of War, Freekstyle, Stuntman, Devil May Cry, Onimusha Warlords, Aggressive Inline, Rez, Turok Evolution, MX Superfly, Transworld Surf and Rune: Viking Warlord.

Disc Content
Playable Demos
Tekken 4
Red Faction 2
Burnout 2: Point of Impact
Superman: Shadow of Apokalips
Summoner 2
Ferrari F355 Challenge
Hitman 2: Silent Assassin
Ratchet and Clank
Micro Machines
Crash Bandicoot: The Wrath of Cortex

Footage
Alpine Racer 3
The Getaway
Kingdom Hearts
World Rally Championship 2 Extreme
Total Immersion Racing
Shox
Star Wars: Bounty Hunter
Star Wars: The Clone Wars

Trivia
* The big subject this month is, obviously, the new look. By this point in the PS2’s life, it had fully replaced the PSOne and gone mainstream. The directive of the redesign, therefore, seems to be to make the magazine more mass-market and pivot away from exclusively the hardcore audience and early adopters. This can be seen in things such as the more irreverent and casual tone of the writing, the editor’s letter being much shorter than before, down from 400-500 words to around 200 (I’ll be honest, I miss the essays), and the busier, more vibrant design, with less of the blue aesthetic prominent in earlier issues.
* To elaborate on the Previews VS Monitor differences, the biggest one is that there is now an audience participation element, where readers can e-mail, visit the website or send in the form included in the magazine to say which games they want covered in this section (In practice, this resulted in the same games coming up every month, so it didn’t last long). Some previews have the writer playing the game for one hour and describing the experience (In this issue, Kingdom Hearts and Red Faction 2 get this treatment), and there’s an Update section at the end for those games that don’t have enough new info for a full article.
* Monitor also measures how much the team anticipate the release of the game being previewed, on a five-point scale from Tepid, through to Warm, then Hot, Boiling and finally Meltdown. I’m simplifying a little bit here, because there was initially a sixth score at the bottom of the scale, Frigid, but no game ever scored this and it was quickly dropped.
* A few features have been given a bit of a shuffle. The demo pages are moved from the front of the magazine to the back, the OPS2 interview is now part of Spy instead of being a separate feature, and the sales chart has moved from Spy to the Shortlist at the back. Thanks to there being more space now, it’s also expanded from counting down only the top 10 to the top 20.
* As a counterpart to the Star Letter, the letters page has also added Handbag!, a section for making fun of the worst letter received that month, and awarding a handbag as a booby prize.
* Highlights of this month’s Spy section include a rumour that videogames had been banned in Greece (It’s not true, by the way), and Shinji Mikami going on the radio to promote a conspiracy theory that Sony deliberately made Playstations break easily to inflate sales numbers through purchasing replacements, while complaining that Kingdom Hearts outsold Resident Evil 0. Nowadays, Mikami could just fire up Twitter for that sort of thing.
* Odd advert of the month: Crash Bandicoot in bed with a bevy of lovely ladies to promote The Wrath of Cortex. It’s not entirely unexpected though; Crash did famously put Sex: Yes on his driver’s license, after all.
* Despite getting a rave review without a single criticism or flaw, not even the slightest nitpick, Ratchet and Clank doesn’t get 10/10. If I may put on my tinfoil hat, I wonder if it’s because they didn’t want to face accusations of dumbing down or getting more lenient with their scores so that it’s easier to get 10/10. Before the last issue, there had been only one 10/10 in two years, and had Ratchet done it, there would have been three 10/10 games in three consecutive issues (spoiler alert for next month, although Vice City was a lock for 10/10, especially after the GTA3 debacle).
* Star Wars Episode II is referred to as “the best Star Wars movie since The Empire Strikes Back”, which is almost certainly the highest praise it’s ever been given.

Quote of the Month: “God, it’s shit being a frog with no brain isn’t it?” It took decades, but Frogger has finally thought of trying to cross the road when the green light is showing.

Cover price: £5.49
Page Count: 146