Issue 35 (July 2003)

                                                                         Issue 35, July 2003

                                            Haunting photos taken moments before disaster.

Editor’s letter
       It’s been a month of international jet-settery, celebrity touching, booze-fuelled nights out and playing lots and lots and lots of very good games.
       But as we spend most of the rest of the mag talking about the games, I thought I could waste this space telling you all about my new pals Arnie (yes, he is big, but not that big), Kristanna (she’s the new Terminator baddie and she’s bloody lovely), Jennifer Love Hewitt (I gave her a cuddle, she didn’t press charges) and, of course, Lara.
       Why are these people happy to have the likes of me mingle with them? Because – as you’ve always known and now everyone knows – playing games isn’t the (other) lonely bedroom pursuit for the friendless. Games are big business, they are culturally important and everyone and their mother is doing it. Which is no bad thing, you know. It really isn’t.
       And why is Lara acting like a snarling punk chick on the cover? ‘Cos we thought it looked bastard cool, that’s why.
                                                                Richard Keith, Editor

Features
Plastic Fantastic – Alter Echo.

#1. Six-Player Online. #2. No Car Damage. #3. Out This Christmas – Gran Turismo 4. Well, we got one of those things. Unfortunately, it was the one nobody likes.

Network Love at First Sight – Following on from last month’s soviet propaganda, the creative feature designs continue. Helen “Hels” Prior hosts this how-to comic strip for setting up online play.

Monthly Articles
Funny Nicknames – This month, reggae names.

“Oh Good Gawd!” – The worst promotional item and/or screenshot sent to the magazine. This month, a shaver.

Previews
Ghosthunter – “Ghosthunter combines the scare tactics of survival horror with puzzling and shooting gameplay. Like Madonna, it’s pretty scary at times, but undeniably attractive too.” Hot

Lord of the Rings: Return of the King – “Return of the King is already looking a lot better than The Two Towers, with more features, more characters and thrilling battle scenes that impressed us no end. Long live the king!” Boiling

Ratchet and Clank 2 – “Ratchet and Clank 2 could hardly fail to be promising – it builds on an already superb game with bigger everything. Sure it’s no revolution but look at these images and tell us you care.” Boiling

Conflict: Desert Storm 2 – “Conflict: DS2 promises to better its superb forbear by a long chalk with its intelligent, strategic, team-based action. A shameless cash-in on recent events? You know better than that…” Warm

Syphon Filter: The Omega Strain – “SF: Omega Strain is a close relation of the PSOne SF games, and we’re more than happy with that. Add PS2 power, an online element for replayability by the ship load and we’re looking at a huge hit!” Boiling

Resident Evil: Outbreak – “Resi: Outbreak could be the most exciting game of 2004. It looks great, it plays great and the co-operation adds an extra dimension to the classic gameplay. And there’s a year of development left!” Boiling

SSX 3 – “SSX 3 should be the leap that Tricky-ites have been asking for. The ‘one mountain’ structure works and the new challenges, tricks and characters really move SSX on.” Boiling

FIFA 2004 – “FIFA 2004 has everything in place to make a move on PES, especially with the added online attraction. But there’s plenty more for EA Sports to do before that November release.” Hot

Broken Sword: The Sleeping Dragon – “Broken Sword: The Sleeping Dragon is already demonstrating that Revolution has been spending its time well. Fluid controls, gorgeous graphics and top quality plot and puzzling await.” Hot

Amplitude – “Amplitude fever is unlikely to sweep the nation next month. This sort of game is usually ignored. But we can change that! Go out and buy this game when it’s released. You know you want to!” Hot

Updates for Rise to Honour, Backyard Wrestling, Deer Hunter, Zone of the Enders: The 2nd Runner, Beach Volleyball, Battlestar Galactica, Kya: Dark Lineage, NARC and Dynasty Warriors 4.

Reviews
Tomb Raider: The Angel of Darkness – “Croft addicts will revel in this drizzly monster. But is Lara tired? Let’s hope she perks up a little for our next date.” 8/10

Return to Castle Wolfenstein – “Only the high standards of the FPS competition prevent this from being a truly essential buy.” 8/10

Twisted Metal Black Online – “If you own the original TMB, this will be very familiar. If not, there’s great fun to be had… but it won’t last long.” 6/10

Virtua Fighter 4 Evolution – “Packed with things to do, VF4 still lacks the outright fun that makes Soul Calibur a game for everyone.” 8/10

Evil Dead: A Fistful of Boomstick – “Greater value than quality, but if you own Evil Dead 2 the game’s almost strong enough to stand on its own.” 6/10

Resident Evil: Dead Aim – “Engrossing action shooter that draws from the familiar Resi styles and fuses them together to stylish effect.” 7/10

Wakeboarding Unleashed Featuring Shaun Murray – “Fun and frothy, but slightly limited in scope and inevitably lies in the wake of its extreme sports big brothers.” 6/10

Futurama – “A likeable if unspectacular platform romp, given extra momentum by great characters and sharp gags.” 7/10

Tribes Aerial Assault – “Tribes has some entertaining elements, but is tiresome offline and fiddly. It just doesn’t make the grade.” 6/10

Clock Tower 3 – “A grisly horror title with some good ideas, damaged by lack of variation and a high level of frustration.” 5/10

Dark Chronicle – “If you’ve finished FFX and need a new fix, look no further. This is top-tier RPG fare, an essential purchase.” 9/10

Hulk – “Top fun for a while, but you’ll get bored of wading through an incessant stream of fist fodder.” 7/10

WWE Crush Hour – “Aimed at younger WWE fans, this budget-priced, spandex-clad spin on Twisted Metal just breaks even.” 5/10

World Championship Snooker 2003 – “Another feature-packed recreation of the sport from Codies marred only by a lack of graphical flair.” 7/10

Indycar Series – “A high-velocity, efficient and attractive take on the racing sim, but the tracks are damn boring.” 6/10

F1 Career Challenge – “At last, an F1 game that makes a priority of excitement and thrills over worthy but dull simulation.” 7/10

Cel Damage Overdrive – “This is no groundbreaker, but makes for some highly entertaining multiplayer deathmatch action.” 5/10

Black and Bruised – “Not funny enough, not clever enough, not anything enough. Expect to see this ‘pre-owned’ in a shop near you.” 5/10

Hardcore
Part 1 of the Enter the Matrix walkthrough and walkthroughs for Silent Hill 3 and Def Jam Vendetta, plus SOCOM: US Navy SEALs, SOS: The Final Escape, Rygar: The Legendary Adventure, Music 3000, The Simpsons Road Rage, Grand Theft Auto: Vice City, Tenchu: Wrath of Heaven, X-Men 2: Wolverine’s Revenge and Bloodrayne.

Disc Content
Playable Demos
SOCOM: US Navy SEALs
Alter Echo
Gunfighter 2: The Revenge of Jesse James
Jak and Daxter: The Precursor Legacy
Hitman 2: Silent Assassin
Twister Metal Black
Ico
Ratchet and Clank
WWE Smackdown! Shut Your Mouth

Footage
Dark Chronicle
Twisted Metal Black Online
Tekken 4: The King of Iron Fist Tournament – Footage from an international Tekken 4 tournament held in the UK, presented by Emily Newton Dunn. Israel's player wins, then goes on to dominate the game director 3-0 in the final match.

Trivia
* The big news this month is, of course, the long-awaited, long-delayed arrival of Tomb Raider… and it sadly fails to live up to the hype, unlike Metal Gear Solid 2, the other PS2 blockbuster that’s been hyped up since the PSOne era. This review is infamous for giving a high score despite the review text being mostly negative, and struggling to justify the score in the final paragraph. I get the impression that the reviewer knew deep down that the game wasn’t very good, but was in denial about it. Combine that with a competition to win a Lara Croft inflatable sex doll, and the cover ironically proclaiming “Never mind the bullshit, here’s the truth!” and it's funny in a sad way. (The clip's not sad though. That's all funny!) I’m being harsh here, so I’m willing to be nice and say that, aside from the heading, the punk-rock aesthetic on the cover does actually look pretty cool in all fairness.
* Onto non-Tomb Raider matters, this issue sees the first concrete word on PSP, which was officially revealed at E3 2003. The mock-up created by the team looks a bit like the Nintendo DS, but without a bottom screen.
* PS2 gets a price drop to £170 with a bundled game. The choices are “Ratchet and Clank, The Getaway, Primal, World Rally Championship 2, Formula One 2002 or, um, Kingdom Hearts.” Whaddya mean, um Kingdom Hearts?!? Surely a sports game that’s a year out of date is more deserving of a dismissive um?
* There are lots of new franchises debuting this month, including the controversial Manhunt, (which starts as it means to go on with a teaser website modelled after dark web snuff film sites... not that I would know, of course!), Forbidden Siren and Monster Hunter.
* The announcement of Shannon Elizabeth as the Bond Girl for 007: Everything or Nothing comes with a screenshot from American Pie. You’ll never guess which scene they went with!
* The Lord of the Rings preview promises a number of playable characters, “barring Gollum, who could hardly be expected to duff up cave trolls with his bony little fists.” Surprisingly, he’s playable in the Game Boy Advance version! Not that you’d want to play as him, because his attacks are very weak, he has low health and he can’t use equipment.
* WWE Crush Hour is the best idea for a crazy spin-off ever. Change my mind!
* Emma McFadden wrote in to Issue 32 asking for help with Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. This month she and her brother Andrew write in again to say thank you. Aw, bless!

Quote of the Month: “An enraged green mutant is crushing the sergeant’s head like a ripe watermelon. Suggest tactical retreat.” Hulk smash sergeant’s head!

Cover price: £5.49
Page Count: 146

Issue 34 (June 2003)

                                                                     Issue 34, June 2003

Editor’s letter
       I hope you’ve noticed that things have changed around here. And I don’t just mean my ugly mug turning up on this page, as enjoyable as that must be for you right now.
       A quick perusal through this hit-splattered issue should be enough to acquaint you with the ways of the new OPS2. In short – because you’re clearly keen to get on and check out Enter the Matrix, Gran Turismo 4 and all the other incredible, exclusive and head-explodingly exciting stuff we’ve got here – we’re intent on giving you the PS2 magazine you’ve always wanted: lively, funny, a little bit saucy and fit to bursting with exclusive coverage of games you have to play.
       Mostly this has involved subjecting the team to a rigorous and belittling regimen of full body searches, 15-hour days and flavoured milkshakes. I hope you like the results. If not, you know who to blame.
       And I didn’t mention regime change once…
                                                             Richard Keith, Editor

Features
New Jak City – Jak 2: Renegade. I wonder if there’s an alternate universe where Jak didn’t go darker and edgier after the first game, and the result was Jak 2: Paragon.

Fight For Freedom – Freedom Fighters. This feature is printed vertically for a double page spread of Josef Stalin as the Statue of Liberty, so you’ll have to rotate the magazine to read it. The feature is also written as in-universe Soviet propaganda warning of the protagonist and his allies and equipment. It’s a very creative way to cover the game, for sure!

Monthly Articles
Funny Nicknames – This month, a Wu Tang Clan name generator.

Hideo Kojima at the Movies – Having gone over all of his filmic inspirations since Issue 26, Kojima dedicates his last column to listing his top 20 favourite films of all time.

“Oh Good Gawd!” – The worst promotional item and/or screenshot sent to the magazine. This month, a picture of a bazooka from Conflict: Desert Storm 2.

Previews
Medal of Honor: Rising Sun – “Medal of Honor: Rising Sun looks even better than we were hoping for. How satisfying the gameplay will be still isn’t clear. But we are looking forward to having a good war already…” Boiling

Beyond Good and Evil – “Beyond Good and Evil shows a lot of promise from the word go. Blending puzzle elements with vehicles and combat is nothing new but it’s done here really well. It won’t suit everyone, though.” Hot

Return to Castle Wolfenstein – “Return to Castle Wolfenstein is promising to be a truly great FPS. Sadly, without any multiplayer or online gameplay, this might just shoot itself in the foot.” Hot

Starsky and Hutch – “Starsky and Hutch is a cracking licence. We always dreamed of being a streetwise cop with an eye for the ladies, but it’s looking like Empire might let us down. Nice wheel/gun combo, though.” Warm

Clock Tower 3 – “Clock Tower 3 isn’t as detailed, deep or polished as the similar Silent Hill 3, but it is equally as sinister and definitely more disturbing. A BBFC ‘18’ certificate beckons, wethinks.” Hot

Virtua Fighter 4 Evolution – “Virtua Fighter 4 Evolution should raise the pulse in any beat-‘em-up fan. Fingers crossed there will be enough here to satisfy those who already own the current VF4 instalment.” Hot

Soul Calibur 2 – “Soul Calibur 2 isn’t massively different from the last one, but it’s been buffed to perfection. We reckon it’ll be the best beat-‘em-up on PS2, or we’ll swallow our swords.” Hot

Broken Sword: The Sleeping Dragon – “Broken Sword: The Sleeping Dragon provides a refreshing change of pace. A compelling story and real-world, non-abstract puzzles should garner it cult following at the very least.” Hot

Updates for Final Fantasy X2, Mace Griffin: Bounty Hunter, Dark Chronicle, Wakeboarding Unleashed, Indy Racing League, Chaos Legion, Destruction Derby Arena, XGRA and Ghosthunter.

Reviews
Enter the Matrix – “ETM comes highly recommended. It’s one of the finest movie tie-ins out there – if only the gameplay was a little deeper…” 8/10

SOCOM: US Navy SEALs – “Engrossing tactical action, with the added bonus of online play. But if you haven’t got broadband, you won’t fully appreciate it.” 8/10

Midnight Club 2 – “The first great online racer for PS2, with exhilarating speed, colourful attitude and tight-as-a-drum controls. Yes!” 8/10

Bloodrayne – “The blood-sucking, Nazi-slaughtering near-porn excitement soon dulls into all-too familiar adventure territory.” 6/10

Rygar: The Legendary Adventure – “This would make a fine and worthy addition to any action fan’s game collection. Brevity is the only pain.” 7/10

Ace Lightning – “Pedestrian platformer squeezed out of a weak licence. Don’t let lightning strike you.” 4/10

Downtown Run – “A mildly diverting racer. Much like when somebody says “Look, a bear!”” 4/10

Dancing Stage Megamix – “Top sweaty disco fun, marred by a flimsy selection of songs. All together now – big fish, little fish, cardboard box.” 7/10

Whirl Tour – “This is cutesy Tony Hawk’s with motorised scooters. Its irrelevance should be obvious to all.” 5/10

Syberia – “A genteel and often charming adventure with a diverting storyline, but there’s more excitement in a bag of crisps.” 5/10

Chessmaster – “Good virtual practice for playing the real thing, but it’s not really going to excite us, is it?” 6/10

Zapper – “Mediocre hop-along platformer proves that you can’t polish up a tired format.” 3/10

Speed Kings – “Great to have a gutsy motorbike racer at last. It’s perhaps not the classic that Burnout is, but is great fun all the same.” 7/10

Def Jam Vendetta – “Don’t be fooled by the rocks, this is a decent wrestler in Phat Farm clothing, but makes some rookie mistakes.” 7/10

Tom and Jerry in War of the Whiskers – “A shambling, punishing and emaciated excuse for a fighting game. It wants putting down.” 3/10

Premier Manager – “Brave. Different. At times even promising. But where’s the actual football management?” 3/10

Hardcore
The final part of the walkthroughs for Splinter Cell and Devil May Cry 2, plus Tenchu: Wrath of Heaven, Jak and Daxter, Silent Hill 3, Metal Gear Solid 2 Substance, Contra: Shattered Soldier, Big Mutha Truckers, Primal and Legion: The Legend of Excalibur.

 

Disc Content
Playable Demos
Silent Hill 3
Def Jam Vendetta
Virtua Fighter 4 Evolution
Rygar: The Legendary Adventure
Burnout 2: Point of Impact
Airblade
Baldur’s Gate: Dark Alliance
Wipeout Fusion

Footage
Enter the Matrix
SOCOM: US Navy SEALs
Jurassic Park: Operation Genesis
Pro Beach Soccer
NBA Street 2
Silent Hill 3
Shinobi

Trivia
* There’s another redesign this month, although it’s less drastic than the last one. It’s more of a retool than a full-blown new look. Look at the editor’s letter to see the major change. Specifically, the “a little bit saucy” part. Yes, we have now entered the infamous lad’s mag phase, which means lots of scantily clad women, any excuse to print bare breasts, a paparazzi-esque upskirt photo of Lisa Maffia as she is signing an autograph, a competition to find the fanservice in Enter the Matrix with a prize of getting to be a gimp for a day, and constant sex jokes. Practically overnight, the magazine has become akin to a 10-year-old boy who has found the word sex in the dictionary and thinks it’s the funniest thing in the world. I feel it’s demeaning to both the readers, who are treated in a patronising manner instead of being credited with some intelligence, and the magazine staff, who are dumbing down their work and not doing themselves justice when we know from the previous 33 issues that they’re capable of better and shouldn’t have to sink to this level.
* This month’s star letter is from Melissa in Hampshire, who writes in to complain about the coverage of Fear Effect: Inferno in a previous issue, and more generally, lesbianism as a marketing gimmick and source of titillation for straight men. The timing of this letter’s printing couldn’t be more unfortunate. If you’re reading this Melissa, I’m afraid you ain’t seen nothing yet.
* It took 34 issues, but the section of the magazine at the back that has DVD and music reviews and other non-gaming related articles finally has a name: Comedown. This month also sees the addition of Down the All-Night Garage, which reviews a crappy direct-to-DVD film based on the cover art. I quite like this one, and since it doesn’t appear every month, the joke doesn’t get stale. There’s also Rhythm Nation, which reviews porn films, and lasts until Issue 39. Now let us never speak of it again.
* Finally moving away from laddishness for now, this issue adds bios to the staff page for the core team members. This is a positive change as it enables more focus and personality for the whole team, whereas previously it was mostly the editor and one or two others who really got a chance to put their personality across. See, it’s not all doom and gloom this month!
* This issue also sees the debut of Kwik Fitz, a column hosted by Paul Fitzpatrick that collects various gaming rumours. This stuck around until Issue 89, well after Paul had left the team. The pun was just that good.
* The next issue promises a first look at Killzone, which is described as “The best game we’ve ever seen. Ever!” And you thought Halo-killer was hyperbolic!

Quote of the Month: “It’s like Granny’s good china on the day Jesus popped in for scones.” Jak 2 has really good graphics.

Cover price: £5.49
Page Count: 146

Issue 33 (May 2003)

                                                                      Issue 33, May 2003

 

 Editor’s letter
       Some of you may have been expecting to see me sporting a ponytail and a green vest-top (balloons shoved down the front) on this page, in anticipation of the Tomb Raider review we promised last issue. Well, we can only apologise. Lara has stood us up again, so my cross-dressing fantasies will have to wait for another time. Despite all kinds of promises and guarantees, Core Design still hasn’t finished making The Angel of Darkness and still can’t give us a completion date. We cling to the hope that the delays are due to last-minute gameplay improvements as opposed to an indication of panic on the developer’s part.
       Instead, we’ve decided to champion a game that arrived sooner than expected… and one which has turned out to be an absolute corker to boot. Silent Hill 3 is the most shocking, unnerving and disgusting videogame experience we’ve ever had – and we mean that in the best possible way. It has made us afraid of our own footsteps and has put us off bacon for life.
       This is my last issue as Editor or OPS2, but it’s always good to go out on a psychologically unbalancing note. Next issue there’ll be a new face on this page – I’ll leave the vest-top and balloons behind, just in case.
Sam Richards, Editor

Features
For Your Eyes Only – Eyetoy Play

The Great Escape – Erm, The Great Escape. This was brought to you by the Department of Redundancy Department.

Monthly Articles
The Money Shot – Sometimes you get a monthly article defined entirely by a single instalment that overshadows every other entry. This is one of them. Behold, the Silent Hill Bacon Monster!

Paul ‘Fitz’ Fitzpatrick wore a full-body meat suit made of 253 rashers of bacon for this. That amateur Lady Gaga needs to get on his level! Coincidentally or not, this is the last issue to feature The Money Shot. I choose to believe that everyone involved knew the feature had peaked and they’d never be able to top this.

OPS2 Interview – Tim Wright

To the Death – A bloody battle to prove what’s better. This month, Silent Hill VS Notting Hill. Silent Hill wins 4-2.

30 Days in Tokyo – This month, Final Fantasy X2 is released in Japan and sells gangbusters. That tends to happen when your game has not one, but three waifus in it.

The Big Issue – Answering a question that’s been on readers’ minds. This month’s question: Why don’t more Japanese games get released in the UK?

Designer Genes – Readers write in with their game ideas and pitches. This month, Battle My Crew, a dance battle game. This is another one that predated a virtually identical real game later on, in the form of B-Boy.

The Butcher – Tearing into gaming clichés and sacred cows. This month, The Sims.

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, Stealth games. Metal Gear Solid 2 Substance and Splinter Cell are Essential. Tenchu: Wrath of Heaven, Hitman 2: Silent Assassin, Conflict: Desert Storm and Deus Ex are Excellent. Headhunter, Prisoner of War, SOS: The Final Escape and Ape Escape 2 are Good. Sly Cooper and Operation Winback are Average. The Shadow of Zorro is Poor, and Syphon Filter is the PSOne Alternative.

What If? – This month, what if the Playstation 2 had never been invented? Without videogames, the world would face an invasion of do-gooders helping little old ladies cross the road and baking unlimited muffins for everyone. No-good do-gooders! I do fancy a muffin though.

Previews
Enter the Matrix – “Enter the Matrix is looking good, amigos. The martial arts fighting is fast and fluid while those punches and kicks really connect. And as for the bullet time, it’s the original and still the best.” Boiling

Freedom Fighters – “Freedom Fighters has come from out of left-field to become one of our most wanted titles. Why? It looks like GTA: New York with lots of guns and not many motors. Nuff said.” Boiling (So, not that much like GTA, then.)

SOCOM US Navy SEALs – “SOCOM US Navy SEALs looks like the first game to deliver the online promise. It also has an admirable single-player mode. Report for duty this summer and we’ll see you deep in the bush.” Hot

XIII – “XIII has the potential to take the FPS genre in a new direction. With its slick cartoon styling and in-depth story line we’re keen to see whether it’s a winner or just another nameless killer.” Hot

Final Fantasy X2 – “Final Fantasy X2 is Square’s first proper sequel so there will be high expectations. Whether these changes make the game better or just a bit different is yet to be seen.” Hot

Warhammer 40K: Fire Warrior – “Fire Warrior is looking great and having the Warhammer subject matter will guarantee us a huge range of weapons, enemies and locations to shoot up. Bring it on.” Hot

Dancing Stage Megamix – “Dancing Stage Megamix is the ideal game to play with your family. Everyone fancies themselves as Justin Timberlake after a few shandies, so now’s the chance to rate your rhythmic writhing.” Hot

Jak 2: Renegade – “Jak 2 is still a way off, but it’s looking like the game we all hoped for. A little darker, a little edgier, but staying true to the original. Platforms, shooting and furry friends. What more could you want?” Boiling

Updates for Soul Calibur 2, Broken Sword: The Sleeping Dragon, Wakeboarding Unleashed, Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon, Starcraft: Ghost, Ice Nine, Hulk, Dark Chronicle and Evil Dead: A Fistful of Boomstick.

Reviews
Silent Hill 3 – “Looks like we picked the wrong week to quit horse tranquilisers. The nastiest game on PS2 – we dare you to play it.” 9/10

Shinobi – “There’s a lot to be said for fun, no-brainer action games, and Shinobi’s brain is smaller than most.” 6/10

X-Men 2: Wolverine’s Revenge – “A quality action adventure that blends stealth with hand-to-hand combat. Only a few irritations deny this a higher score.” 7/10

Music 3000 – “A mightily authoritative music title, which works as a fun diversion or a serious tool. Unmissable for wannabe bedroom artists.” 9/10

NBA Street 2 – “A lightning-fast celebration of on-court invention freed from the didactic tedium of the NBA rulebook.” 8/10

ISS 3 – “Like the Adult Channel freeview, a ten-minute blast may well satisfy your curiosity and deter you from shelling out.” 6/10

Moto GP 3 – “By no means a revolution but still a highly recommended quality racer with plenty of depth and some fiendish challenges.” 8/10

Gunfighter 2: The Revenge of Jesse James – “More Billy the Squib than a rootin’, tootin’ blaze of glory, even hardened G-con twirlers may recoil.” 4/10

Dynasty Warriors 3: Xtreme Legends – “Not quite DW: Substance, but a worthy addition if you’re hungry for more Chinese takeout.” 7/10

Mystic Heroes – “For action fans it does the job and just about presses all the right buttons. Won’t change your world, mind.” 6/10

G1 Jockey 3 – “All you could want from a jockey sim and more. Will appeal to anyone into alternative racing games.” 6/10

NFL 2K3 – “If you have Madden, this isn’t really worth a look. Otherwise, it’s a tip-top sim which fans will adore.” 8/10

Choplifter: Crisis Shield – “PC gaming for PS2 can be great for realism. But this lacks enough personality to keep us interested.” 4/10

Sword of the Samurai – “There aren’t many hardcore Kendo-based samurai sims on the market. If the concept tickles your fancy then go for it.” 6/10

NBA 2K3 – “We’re loathe to say it, but there really is no other score we can give the damn thing…” 6/10

All-Star Baseball 2004 Featuring Derek Jeter – “Just 2 minutes and 37 seconds of joy. Then we’re left wanting to take a bat to the disc.” 5/10

Monster Jam: Maximum Destruction – “These monster trucks signal another surefire bet for bargain-bin obscurity.” 3/10

Mary-Kate and Ashley: Sweet 16 Licensed to Drive – “It’s misery being a teen, even if daddy did buy you that sports car.” 2/10

USA Racer – “Racing games really don’t get much worse than this.” 2/10

International Cue Club – “This is just the game if you need to know how carom differs from pool.” 6/10

Activision Anthology – “Nostalgia for parents to enjoy while the kids snigger in the background.” 5/10

Hardcore
Part 1 of the walkthroughs for Splinter Cell and Devil May Cry 2, plus Tenchu: Wrath of Heaven, World Rally Championship 2 Extreme, The Sims, The Mark of Kri, Reign of Fire, Ghost Recon, ATV Offroad Fury 2, The Getaway, Dr. Muto and Hot Wheels Velocity X.

Disc Content
Playable Demos
Shinobi
Moto GP 3
Pride FC
Evolution Skateboarding
Primal
World Rally Championship 2 Extreme
Conflict: Desert Storm
Dynasty Warriors 3
Herdy Gerdy
Project Eden

Footage
Evil Dead: A Fistful of Boomstick
Resident Evil Outbreak
SOCOM: US Navy SEALs
True Crime: Streets of New York

Trivia
* As the editor’s letter stated, this is the last issue for Sam Richards.
* This issue is the first one to give nicknames on the staff page. There’s a different theme each month, and this month it’s everyone’s favourite meat product. Except for advertising manager Scott Longstaff, who gets the nickname Finchy every month.
* Fun fact to tie in with this issue’s lead review, Silent Hill 3 features an unlockable OPS2 t-shirt! Enter the password extra_thumbs to access it. For obvious reasons, this is only in the PS2 version of the game.
* G1 Jockey 3 is reviewed in this issue, the first one was reviewed in Issue 20, so where the heck is G1 Jockey 2?
* The reviews section must have been running short of room this month, as the last five games reviewed are all squeezed onto a single page. These are the first reviews to be shorter than half a page.
* “I bet you won’t print this.” I’ll accept your challenge, ICOs-Aunt on the letters page!
* Starting with this issue, the number of new demos starts to slow down for a bit as we head into the summer and notable new game releases are fewer in number, with repeats themed around upcoming releases to make up the numbers.

Quote of the Month: “He couldn’t sneak up on a corpse.” Introducing Randy Cacophony, OPS2’s anti-stealth hero, who can’t go anywhere without making an almighty racket and being seen from a mile away.

Cover price: £5.49
Page Count: 146

Issue 32 (April 2003)

                                                                 Issue 32, April 2003

Editor’s letter
       Hope that this issue finds you in good stealth. We’ve been keeping a low profile this month, hiding in shadows and wearing lots of black. Yes, goth is back! No, hang on, that’s not it. Ah yes, it’s because we’re celebrating the ultimate culmination of stealth gameplay that began when Solid Snake first decided to sneak up silently behind a guard and snap his neck instead of hollering a war cry, unloading a full clip and then making ‘come and get me’ gestures at the security camera.
       Now stealth is a genre in itself, with every game from The Getaway to Harry Potter getting in on the undercover act. Alright, so most post-MGS examples of stealth gameplay have been a shambles, but this month Snake is back in the pure form of MGS2 Substance’s VR missions to show pretenders how it’s meant to be done. And then there’s the amazing Splinter Cell, which distils the formula further. It’s an adventure played at an entirely different pace in which thrilling tension takes the place of mindless blasting. It also looks stunning. Okay, you can get out from under the cardboard box now…
Sam Richards, Editor

Features
Wardrobe Watch with PS2 Stars! – How to dress up as a selection of Playstation characters, including Lara Croft, Parappa the Rapper, Agent 47, Tekken’s Paul Phoenix, and Heather Mason of Silent Hill 3 fame.

This is Hardcore – Backyard Wrestling. This feature greets the reader with the lovely image of a man gushing blood from his forehead stapling money onto another man’s face. As you do.

Monthly Articles
The Money Shot – Each month’s greatest gaming moment immortalised in a photo or illustration. This month, shooting monsters mid-backflip in Devil May Cry 2.

OPS2 Interview – Greg Gobbi

To the Death – A bloody battle to prove what’s better. This month, game fighting VS real fighting. Real fighting wins 3-2.

30 Days in Tokyo – This month, Inu Toasabu Dogstation, an arcade cabinet that tasks the player with looking after a dog. Nintendogs is more practical, what with being portable and all. Cult strategy RPG Disgaea also makes its debut this month.

The Big Issue – Answering a question that’s been on readers’ minds. This month’s question: What will be the big sequels of 2003?

Designer Genes – Readers write in with their game ideas and pitches. This month, The Sims: Serial Killer takes the sadistic impulses to torment and kill your sims every player has to their logical conclusion.

The Butcher – Tearing into gaming clichés. This month, the Butcher takes aim at his biggest target yet: Pro Evolution Soccer. Has he bitten off more than he can chew? An encounter with Sam Fisher later in the issue suggests yes.

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 James Bond franchise.

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, Extreme Sports games. SSX Tricky and Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 4 are Essential. Mat Hoffman’s Pro BMX 2, Aggressive Inline, Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3 and SSX are Excellent. Freekstyle, Kelly Slater’s Pro Surfer, MX Superfly, MX Rider and MX 2002 are Good. BMX XXX, Jet Ski Riders, Evolution Skateboarding and Metal Gear Solid 2 Substance are Average. The Simpsons Skateboarding and Alpine Racer 3 are Poor, and Freestyle Scooters is the PSOne Alternative.

What If? – This month, what if PS2 characters had psychiatrists? It’s going to take more than a few therapy sessions for Solid Snake to work through his increasing paranoia and blackouts.

Previews
Tomb Raider: The Angel of Darkness – “Angel of Darkness isn’t a rumour after all. It looks and plays like classic Tomb Raider despite the new features. Whether that’s enough to maintain the franchise’s unbroken 10/10 record…” Boiling

Soul Calibur 2 – “Soul Calibur 2 is unlikely to be as groundbreaking as its predecessor (which revolutionised the genre), but why fix what’s not broken? Bet everything on this being the best PS2 brawler yet.” Boiling

Def Jam Vendetta – “Def Jam Vendetta is less flexible than WWE but strikes all the right notes with casual players. Button mashing yields instant results, while experts can revel in signature moves and deft reversals.” Hot

X-Men 2: Wolverine’s Revenge – “Wolverine’s Revenge embellishes its primitive fighting premise with plenty of neat diversions. Appealing to comic fans and gamers, this might be the first game to do the X-Men license justice.” Hot

Enter the Matrix – “Enter the Matrix has the potential to be the best game / movie tie-in ever. Okay, the film looks like a videogame to start with… but who are we to complain when we get the best of both worlds?” Hot

Judge Dredd: Dredd VS Death – “Dredd VS Death is unveiled, and it’s a relief to see it looking so good. It’ll be a while before we can actually take to the streets of Mega City One for a playtest, but it’s time to start getting excited.” Hot

Die Hard Vendetta (Two games with Vendetta in the title in one month?) – “Die Hard Vendetta may not be the sharpest looking game, but it’s fast and captures the spirit of the movies to a tee. It’s about time we had a brash FPS with a likeable, wise-cracking hero.” Warm

Warhammer 40K: Fire Warrior – “Fire Warrior is a strange creature; a game that could have easily been a weak money maker. But with its dark, slick styling, attention to detail and sharp gameplay, it could be really special.” Hot

Updates for Silent Hill 3, XIII, Driv3r, Resident Evil: Dead Aim, Final Fantasy X-2, Mace Griffin: Bounty Hunter, The Great Escape, Ice Nine and Gladius.

Reviews
Splinter Cell – “Tension, action, spectacular moves and gadgets combine to make Splinter Cell one of PS2’s best. A stealthy triumph.” 9/10

Metal Gear Solid 2 Substance – “MGS2 virgins should buy this sharpish. Others should question what they are actually getting for the £39.99 price tag.” 7/10

Devil May Cry 2 – “DMC2 is still slicker than your average action fare, but as a sequel this is more of a whimper than a bang.” 7/10

Rayman 3: Hoodlum Havoc – “Doubters be damned! Rayman 3 is vivid, vibrant and thoroughly charming – stick it up there with the platforming greats.” 8/10

Pride FC – “A very realistic take on the Nipponese no-holds-barred sport, but a lack of followers could make it fall flat on its face.” 7/10

War of the Monsters – “Colossal cartoon creatures brawling like drunken dads fighting at a school sports day. And yes, it is just as fun.” 8/10

Jurassic Park: Operation Genesis – “A prehistoric premise, sure. But Operation Genesis puts a fresh spin on the God sim genre. Hammond would be proud.” 7/10

Vexx – “Vexx is quality platform fare but its shortcomings can be summarised in four words: Ratchet, Clank, Jak and Daxter.” 6/10

Dark Angel – “What Buffy the Vampire Slayer gets right, Dark Angel gets wrong. You won’t be missing out on much.” 5/10

Galerians: Ash – “Confusing, poorly designed and a displeasure to play. All but the most action-starved should think twice.” 3/10

Everblue 2 – “Has a quirky charm all of its own, but there’s very little real gameplay.” 4/10

Sega Bass Fishing Duel – “The Gran Turismo of fishing games. Sadly that makes it a very dull experience indeed.” 4/10

Ben Hur – “Circus Maximus is better. Is there anything more humiliating than being the PS2’s worst chariot sim?” 3/10

Largo Winch: Empire Under Threat – “It promises ‘adventure, suspense and glamour’. But, lady-loving aside, this is complete merde.” 4/10

Fisherman’s Challenge – “A thoughtful fishing sim. Consequently, as dull as the real thing.” 4/10

NHL 2K3 – “Regarded by US gamers as the best on the market, Sega delivers top quality NHL action.” 7/10

Runabout 3: Neo Age – “Wallet friendly this may be, but there’s little to recommend about this shallow urban racer.” 3/10

Guilty Gear X2 – “Guilty Gear X2 is a labour of love that now has all the features you wanted in the previous game.” 8/10

Dakar 2 – “Dakar’s the star? Not really. Like its forefather, there’s little here to excite.” 5/10

Hardcore
Walkthroughs for Mortal Kombat: Deadly Alliance and SOS: The Final Escape, plus Crash Bandicoot: The Wrath of Cortex, Evolution Skateboarding, Legends of Wrestling 2, X-Men: Next Dimension, Star Wars: The Clone Wars, The Sims and Tiger Woods PGA Tour 2003.

Disc Content
Playable Demos
Tenchu: Wrath of Heaven
Vexx
Mobile Suit Gundam: Federation VS Zeon
Dakar 2
The Scorpion King: Rise of the Akkadian
Ape Escape 2
Splinter Cell
Silent Hill 2
Spyhunter
Zone of the Enders

Footage
Shinobi
Def Jam Vendetta
Devil May Cry 2
Broken Sword: The Sleeping Dragon
World Championship Snooker 2003
Gran Turismo Concept
The Making of War of the Monsters

Trivia
* “When did Sonic ever go to prison?” Jason Rubin asks rhetorically when Jak 2’s darker and edgier turn is discussed. Sounds like someone hasn’t played Sonic Adventure 2.
* Issue 29 had an article on the 20 most influential PS2 figures, and at the end asked readers to vote for who should be number 1. This issue has the results, and the winners are Ken Kutaragi and Hideo Kojima, tied with 25.5% of the vote each. Sam Houser is a distant third with 13%, and Kazunori Yamauchi manages 8%, being the last entrant to break 5%.
* The letters page has more suggestions for celebrity games following Issue 28’s feature on the subject. The best ones in my opinion are Simply Red Faction, Stallone in the Dark and The Sum 41 of All Fears.
* Remember back in Issue 7, how I commented that the cancellation of the Battle of the Planets game must have come as a disappointment? Scratch that, as in this issue OPS2 seem embarrassed to have had any enthusiasm for it.
* The online page includes a link to the Hypnotoad website. What does that have to do with games? There’s no reason to ALL GLORY TO THE HYPNOTOAD!
* Sam Fisher wins the battle of the stealth giants this month, but Snake will be back for a rematch, no doubt about it.
* Speaking of Snake, the 7/10 for Substance is based on the new content only, the review clarifies that for anyone who doesn’t own the base game, that’s still a 10/10. Between this and Devil May Cry 2 (which could have gone below 7/10, frankly), we’ve got two overhyped duds this month. OPS2 are left looking rather silly after featuring those games in the previews section almost every month since Issue 26. I’m reminded of the Lisa Lionheart episode of The Simpsons.

                                At least Spyro got his skateboard minigame in a timely manner.

Quote of the Month: “Remember kids, [descends into unprintable madness].” Backyard wrestler Horn Dog is prevented from sharing his advice. Considering his signature move involves slapping his opponent across the face with his genitals, this may be for the best.

Cover price: £5.49
Page Count: 146

Issue 31 (March 2003)

                                                                   Issue 31, March 2003

Editor’s letter
       Human beings are a disease, a cancer of this planet! You are a plague and we are the cure! Sorry, just empathising with my temporary Agent Richards persona a little too strongly there. A hired suit, a pair of shades and a pot of Brylcreem and suddenly I think I can walk through walls and dodge bullets. Lucky I tested out the former ‘ability’ first and escaped with only a slight graze to the forehead.
       Matrix fever has descended and suddenly everyone is wandering around the office in long leather coats, spouting cod-philosophical platitudes. If you haven’t seen the trailer yet, point your browser to www.thematrix.com and watch agents trampolining on the bonnets of moving cars, Trinity’s thrilling motorbike chase and Neo fighting off 100 cloned Agent Smiths. Then turn to page 70 to find out why Shiny’s Enter the Matrix videogame is just as important to the Wachowski brothers as the two new movies, Reloaded and Revolutions. We’ve also been the first magazine to actually play Enter the Matrix and can exclusively report that it makes Max Payne’s ‘bullet time’ look like a pensioner tripping over his laces.
Sam Richards, Editor

Features
Ghost in the Machine – Starcraft: Ghost

Game Online – An online playtest with Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 4, Everquest Online Adventures, SOCOM US Navy Seals and Tribes Aerial Assault.

Evil Unleashed – More online action, this time in the form of Resident Evil: Outbreak.

Enter the Matrix – Go on, guess what game this feature's about. It also covers all three films, the Wachowskis and even The Animatrix.

Monthly Articles
The Money Shot – Each month’s greatest gaming moment immortalised in a photo or illustration. This month, doing splits above patrolling guards’ heads in Splinter Cell.

OPS2 Interview – Ed Boon

From Zero to Hero – The minor characters of PS2 are given a day in the limelight. This month, Yorda’s Bemani Ballet. After escaping the castle at the end of the original, Ico’s other half gets a hobby, and practices in rhythm action style.

To the Death – A bloody battle to prove what’s better. This month, The Sims VS the real world. The Sims wins 3-2.

30 Days in Tokyo – This month, drums and ping pong with Taiko No Tatsujin and Excite Ping Pong.

The Big Issue – Answering a question that’s been on readers’ minds. This month’s question: How do you get a job making PS2 games?

Designer Genes – Readers write in with their game ideas and pitches. This month, The Prisoner, in which your character is imprisoned for a crime they didn’t commit and must escape. Watch out for Rover!

The Butcher – Tearing into gaming clichés. This month, Medal of Honor.

Mash-Up – Combining two games. This month, robots play football in Ring of Red Card.

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

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, Fighting games. Virtua Fighter 4 and Mortal Kombat: Deadly Alliance are Essential. Tekken Tag Tournament, Marvel VS Capcom 2, Guilty Gear X and Dead or Alive 2 are Excellent. Tekken 4, WWE Smackdown! Shut Your Mouth, Ready 2 Rumble: Round 2 and Rocky are Good. The Bouncer, Bloody Roar 3, Dragon Ball Z: Budokai and Barbarian are Average. X-Men: Next Dimension, Mike Tyson Heavyweight Boxing and Godai: Elemental Force are Poor, and Soul Blade is the PSOne Alternative.

What If? – This month, what if Sony made customised editions of PS2? Choose from hippie, baby and OAP models.

Previews
Metal Gear Solid 2 Substance – “MGS 2 Substance is made for the Attention Deficit Disorder generation. With loads of great challenges, mini-games, Snakeboarding and a Document bonus disc, you’re looking at a definitive package.” Boiling

Devil May Cry 2 – “Devil May Cry 2 just keeps looking better and better. Leave all fears of unvaried gameplay and samey environments behind and look forward to next issue’s review.” Boiling

Splinter Cell – “Splinter Cell looks better than we dared dream. Crucially, the gameplay is spot on, and a better balanced checkpoint system means the PS2 version should be less frustrating than the Xbox version.” Boiling

Club Football – “Club Football has it all to do. The fact that it is an officially licensed product of 17 separate teams is building it up for a potential fall, but from what we’ve seen so far it could surprise us all.” Hot

Silent Hill 3 – “Silent Hill 3 is shaping up to be an absolute horror show. The visuals look filthy (in a good way) and with a heavily expanded arsenal, this should be our bloodiest visit to Silent Hill yet.” Boiling

Music 3000 – “Music 3000 can’t be mastered quickly – it’s a huge and occasionally daunting prospect. But stick with it and you’ll have one of the most advanced music creation utilities at your disposal.” Hot

War of the Monsters – “War of the Monsters is full of monstrous cartoon ultra-violence. But will it possess the addictive endurance needed to match its massive strength?” Hot

Updates for Tomb Raider: The Angel of Darkness, RTX Red Rock, Rayman 3: Hoodlum Havoc, Vexx, Shinobi, Moto GP 3, Frogger Beyond, Galerians Ash and Guilty Gear X2.

Reviews
Tenchu: Wrath of Heaven – “An infusion of ninja style and killer gameplay across nine sumptuous levels. A great return to form for a classic title.” 8/10

The Mark of Kri – “Not quite a classic but the ‘looks nice, plays nasty’ dynamic is inspired. A real dark horse.” 7/10

Silent Hill 2: Director’s Cut – “A more complete package than SH2 – but still leaves plenty of loose ends that only your own intelligence can tie up.” 8/10

Dr. Muto – “A very playable platformer indeed, but one that merely fattens rather than advances the traditional genre.” 6/10

Evolution Skateboarding – “Wait for MGS2 Substance – its brief use of this game engine will tell you all you need to know about Evolution.” 4/10

Disney Golf – “PGA Tour Golf + Walt Disney toon icons = a surprisingly enjoyable and playable game.” 6/10

Rocket Power: Beach Bandits – “Niggly, unevenly paced, ‘kiddie game’ effort that does very little to stimulate or excite.” 3/10

Pac-Man World 2 – “A cute, uncomplicated platform game that frustrates at times, but may appeal to younger players and retro fans.” 5/10

Shrek Super Party – “Funny film, funny old game. It’ll be a laugh combined with friends but only until they grow up.” 4/10

Speed Challenge: Jacques Villeneuve’s Racing Vision – “There are so many better racing games out there. Not even the budget price can save this one. A pity.” 2/10

Air Ranger Rescue Helicopter – “Despite no-frills production values, this provides short-lived but genuine entertainment.” 4/10

Evolution Snowboarding – “Ugly graphics, irritating music and barely any gameplay to speak of. A poor excuse for a game” 2/10

Monopoly Party – “You shouldn’t buy this for the same reason you wouldn’t buy the Burnout 2 board game.” 2/10

Lego Island: Extreme Stunts – “A pick and mix of ideas that’s perfectly weighted for its younger audience. A small success.” 5/10

Hardcore
A walkthrough for 007: Nightfire, plus Grand Theft Auto: Vice City, WWE Smackdown! Shut Your Mouth, Zone of the Enders, Dragon Ball Z: Budokai, Ape Escape 2, Treasure Planet, Virtua Tennis 2, Sega Soccer Slam and Star Wars: Bounty Hunter.

Disc Content
Playable Demos
Splinter Cell
Rayman 3: Hoodlum Havoc
Dr. Muto
The Mark of Kri
Zapper
Wakeboarding Unleashed
War of the Monsters
Grand Prix Challenge
Timesplitters 2

Footage
Pride FC
Vexx
Shinobi
Rolling
The Making of Primal
The Making of Tomb Raider: The Angel of Darkness

Trivia
* It’s a throwback to see the Wachowskis referred to as brothers, considering they’re sisters now.
* The teaser poster for Final Fantasy XII is revealed this month, and the team aren’t impressed, comparing it to “a crap prog rock album cover” and “a new age craft shop poster.”
* Sad news this month as publisher and develop Rage is reported to have closed down. Some of their unreleased games were picked up by other developers, but Lamborghini wasn’t so lucky. However, a playable demo was released by Official Xbox Magazine, so it still exists in some form.
* At one point, Hideo Kojima considered acquiring the rights to make a Dawn of the Dead game, but he felt he couldn’t do the film justice. Ah, what could have been…
* Turns out, there really is a Burnout board game! Who would’ve thought?

Quote of the Month: “I keep getting wafts of ylang-ylang oil.” The final verdict on the Final Fantasy XII poster. It would go well with the hippie PS2 model, now that I think of it.

Cover price: £5.49
Page Count: 146