Issue 57 (March 2005)

                                                                     Issue 57, March 2005

Editor’s letter
       It amazes me that videogames get such a rough ride from non-gaming friends, parents and girlfriends. They’re “a waste of time”, they say, “unintelligent and boring.” And this from the same people who will drop everything to watch a former Radio 1 DJ gag as he swigs a beaker of pulped larvae. Our cover game Metal Gear Solid 3 is remarkably intelligent (cold war psychological warfare), never boring (you get to wear a dead guy’s face as you murder him) and when did experiencing what is potentially a genuinely new art form become a waste of time? Indeed this issue is brimming with games daring to go further, more weirdly and with a vision and verve lacking in many other creative mediums. It’s not just the more obvious gritty and gruesome stuff that’s grabbing our attention either. Turn to page 34 and discover why the grin-making Lego Star Wars has the makings of a ‘kidult’ classic. And find out on page 62 why the Fantastic Four game may actually piss all over the Hollywood film. Games are getting darker, odder, more surprising and a more and more vital part of creative culture. So next time some soil-brained simpleton knocks gaming, point out that today’s games are really just the first offspring from an ongoing and riotous creative orgy, offering fleeting glimpses of the visual barbarism and mind-polishing possibilities to come. Whereas reality TV is for twats. That should send them skulking back to their Nadia exercise video.
                                                            Stephen Pierce, Editor in chief

Features
Toy Story – Lego Star Wars. There’s also a collection of dreadful, but also hilarious, Star Wars merchandise, including a Darth Vader Mr Potato Head named Darth Tater, a Santa Yoda snow globe, and best/worst of all, Star Wars pet costumes.

                                         "Your cynicism cannot repel hilarity of this magnitude!"

“Downright abysmal” – Fantastic Four. That headline isn’t from the magazine themselves, they’re quoting AintItCool.com’s coverage of the film’s trailer. Anyway, here we have a short comic strip showing off the game in action.

April? £129? – A look at some of the PSP’s first wave of games, as well as release speculation.

Monthly Articles
Funny Nicknames – This month, least favourite food.

Replay – Revisiting Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty and Psi-Ops: The Mindgate Conspiracy, reader reviews for Jak 3 and Tony Hawk’s Underground 2, cheats for Mercenaries, Call of Duty: Finest Hour, Need for Speed Underground 2 and Prince of Persia Warrior Within, an online review for Ratchet and Clank 3, and The Crib and The Boot Room.

OPS2 Investigates – This month, San Andreas is Shit! The team pick a number of PS2’s most beloved games, including Timesplitters, Metal Gear Solid, Final Fantasy and more, then savage them for the lulz. “In case you’re wondering, we did try to find someone who hated Pro Evo. No takers…”

Back page list – This month, 10 new ratings for videogames.

                                                            This month's Save Point.

Monitor
Fight Night: Round 2 – “A highly polished update of what was already the best boxing sim out there. We just hope the multiple problems with the version we played are sorted in time. EA, it’s over to you.” Hot

Splinter Cell: Chaos Theory – “Chaos Theory’s looking brilliant. Review next month…” Meltdown

Full Spectrum Warrior – “It’s been a long time coming but this seems certain to be the best squad-based liberate-‘em-up on PS2. Cry-baby liberals will hate the politics, but that’s hardly the point. As military sims go, this is about as good as it gets.” Boiling

Conspiracy: Weapons of Mass Destruction – “The only conspiracy is how it got signed in the first place.” Tepid

Stolen – “Like a first-year student waking up with a hangover and a traffic cone on their head, this has all been done before. It might have been fun once, but that was a long time ago. Time to move on?” Warm

Haunting Ground – “We’re liking the dog, and we’re liking the girl, but for the most part it’s another nightmare by numbers. And, for the record, we think that an aromatherapy crystal remains a poor substitute for a shotgun.” Hot

Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith – “As with all things Star Wars, there’s a good chance this could go spectacularly wrong when it’s released. But for now we’re being optimistic. Done right, this could be a massive success. Here’s hoping…” Hot

World Championship Snooker 2005 – “Surprisingly addictive and a joy to control.” Hot

Kessen III – “Looking less like traditional Kessen than a smart evolution of the Dynasty Samurai Warriors experience, we’re cautiously optimistic about III’s chances. Roll on our playtest next month…” Hot

Brian Lara International Cricket – “Aiming to do for the game of cricket what PES does so well for football – ie, hiding ultra-realism behind a veneer of incredible playability. It’s still very early days, but BLIC is looking like a contender.” Hot

Resident Evil 4 – “Resident Evil’s return to PS2 is the best news we’ve had involving corpses since the police decided not to search the quarry last summer. Expect a massive feature soon.” Meltdown

Reviews
Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater – “A jungle remix where the result is a symphonic adventure that, once it grips you, swallows you whole. Don’t miss out on this one.” 9/10

Timesplitters: Future Perfect – “Future Perfect is the best PS2 shooter available. It’s ‘sold out’ on its hardcore roots but we’re the only ones complaining.” 9/10

SNK VS Capcom: SVC Chaos – “We wondered what’d finally kill our love for these characters, and this game very nearly did it. Capcom, please don’t do this any more.” 4/10

King of Fighters: Maximum Impact – “Doesn’t quite have the epic feel of Soul Calibur or Tekken, but this is still a quality slice of old-skool fighting. Well done, SNK.” 7/10

Gran Turismo 4 – “GT4 is unconditional love for cars. It’s something to luxuriate in; more fun, but more challenging. Don’t say we didn’t warn you.” 9/10

Project Snowblind – “A great shooter held up by a few flaws – the biggest being its anorexic length. Totally worth playing, but not at full price.” 7/10

Viewtiful Joe 2 – “Rather than a full-on sequel, this is more like Viewtiful Joe Version 1.5. But that doesn’t mean it’s any less brilliant.” 8/10

Constantine – “Not the worst film conversion we’ve seen, but far from an epiphany. Condemned by bog-standard action, enemies and gameplay.” 6/10

Gallop Racer 2 – “Up for something different? If so, your reward is an engrossing and comprehensive racing game. Worth a rental at the very least.” 7/10

The Spongebob Squarepants Movie – “An absorbent sponge that’s soaked up all sorts from many other games. It’s not bad but doesn’t have an original bone in its body.” 6/10

Cold Fear – “Technically outstanding as it is, Cold Fear’s seafaring survival horror is disappointingly gutless when it comes to innovation.” 7/10

Nanobreaker – “Both the neat visuals and potential for customising your abilities are gently suffocated by a great big unimaginative pillow of a game.” 5/10

Samurai Warriors: Xtreme Legends – “Too pricey for an expansion disc, not enough fresh meat for a stand alone title, Xtreme Legends is fan-targeted gaming at its niche-iest.” 6/10

The Punisher – “The most faithful comic-to-game since Spider-Man 2. Tries to be more violent than Manhunt, but it doesn’t quite have the balls.” 7/10

Eyetoy Monkey Mania – “This is the first instance of Eyetoy looking a bit rubbish. Even the monkeys do nothing to improve the situation.” 4/10

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 2: Battle Nexus – “Visually this is a great companion to the Fox Kids cartoon. Sadly, the ‘game’ part is terminally average. What a crying shame.” 5/10

FIFA Street – “An entertaining mix of footie game and beat-’em-up, with the emphasis on Ronaldinho-style ‘larging it’. Good stuff.” 7/10

Suikoden IV – “A ponderous RPG experience delivering all the essentials but sadly lacking in excitement, fun or any hint of originality.” 6/10

Shadow Hearts: Covenant – “An adequate but unadventurous RPG. Pretty to look at and an enjoyable experience, just not a particularly new one.” 7/10

NBA Street V3 – “No longer the one you play if you don’t understand b-ball, this is the best-looking and most playable basketball game for PS2.” 9/10

Death by Degrees – “Even if Tekken’s stock was huge, we’d still question the wisdom of this as a spin-off. It’s not, and DBD is average, derivative and sleazy.” 5/10

Legend of Kay – “Likeable and well designed as it is, Legend of Kay just can’t outshine the crowded genre’s biggest hitters. Enjoyable nonetheless…” 7/10

Yu-Gi-Oh! Capsule Monster Coliseum – “You’ve got to feel sorry for the kids. A low quality, exploitative cash-in, with nothing but the Yu-Gi-Oh! logo on the box going for it.” 3/10

Disc Content
Playable Demos
Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater
Ace Combat: Squadron Leader
Full Spectrum Warrior
Death by Degrees
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 2: Battle Nexus
Mega Man X8
Legend of Kay
King of Fighters: Maximum Impact

Footage
Stolen
The Godfather
Rainbow Six: Lockdown
Splinter Cell: Chaos Theory
Brothers in Arms: Road to Hill 30
Goal of the Month

Game Saves
Gran Turismo 3
Jak and Daxter
Final Fantasy X
Kingdom Hearts
Killzone
Spider-Man 2
Need for Speed Underground
Call of Duty: Finest Hour

Trivia
* This issue comes with four variant covers by Yoji Shinkawa.
* Remember the Ladder of Lust from the earliest issues? This issue introduces its spiritual successor, Would you have a go on? Inspired by another magazine printing a story about dressing up as Lara Croft in the bedroom, a selection female PS2 characters are shown, and the qualities that make them attractive described in loving detail. That said, one of them is Mee Mee from Super Monkey Ball, so although the “who writes this crap?” angle from the Ladder of Lust is gone, it’s still not entirely serious. The rules for reader participation are also set early: “Any Lara ones are going straight in the bin.”
* The Haunting Ground preview tries to predict the twist – Fiona’s in a coma, and the traumatic events of the game represent the healing process of her subconscious. Luckily, the real twist is a bit more original than that.
* The Metal Gear Solid 3 review takes the Snake Eater subtitle literally for a box-out where the team import some snake meat and serve it for dinner. It tastes like pork, apparently.
* Legend of Kay is one of those cult classics that gets regular ports and re-releases, but is sadly not quite popular enough for a sequel.
* The Metal Gear Solid 2 article offers a defence of Raiden, before Metal Gear Solid 4 and especially Metal Gear Rising made him cool. Time (and having the mickey taken out of him in MGS3) heals all wounds, it seems.

Quote of the Month: “But darling, the hilt is encrusted with a real Force crystal.” Maybe a pendant in the shape of Yoda’s lightsaber isn’t an appropriate anniversary gift after all.

Cover price: £5.99
Page Count: 146

Issue 56 (February 2005)

                                                               Issue 56, February 2005

Editor’s letter
       Here at OPS2 we have a saying. Or we do now, anyway. And that saying is: ‘First or Best’. Everything in the mag should be a first, an exclusive, an ‘only in OPS2’ but where that isn’t possible – and sometimes it isn’t – the way we write about it, from the words to the design to the screenshots to the captions, must make it better than any other magazine – games or otherwise – could do.
       There are plenty of examples in this issue of that maxim at work. We’ve got the first look at EA’s attempt to knock GTA off its perch with the mega-licence, The Godfather plus exclusive Conflict: Global Terror news, the first-ever play of Black Hawk Down and plenty more. Even better we’ve taken Splinter Cell: Chaos Theory, Timesplitters: Future Perfect, The Punisher, PES4 and the PSP and given you the best-looking, best-written and most entertaining information you’ll get anywhere.
       And, yes, for the all-knowing among you, ‘First or Best’ is a Sony saying. Which is apt ‘cos Sony’s miraculous PSP might not be the first handheld, but it sure is the best.
       Well, that’s the end of me – this is my last issue – but you can expect OPS2 to continue to bring you the first and the best for a long time to come, starting next month on Thursday, 24 February.
                                                                Richard Keith, Editor

Features
Kings of New York – The Godfather

I’m Behind You – Splinter Cell: Chaos Theory

Monthly Articles
Funny Nicknames – This month, what couldn’t you refuse?

Could Be a Classic – An original non-sequel gets some focus. This month, Virtua Quest, a kid-friendly Virtua Fighter spin-off.

Replay – Revisiting Manhunt and Prince of Persia: Warrior Within, reader reviews for Pro Evolution Soccer 4 and Mortal Kombat: Deception, cheats for Call of Duty: Finest Hour, The Urbz: Sims in the City, The Getaway: Black Monday and The Incredibles, and The Crib and The Boot Room.

OPS2 Investigates – This month, what happened when an OPS2 reader dated a Playboy playmate. This was the prize for a recent competition, and reader Richard Jones got to meet Natalie Denning, the 2004 UK Playmate of the Year.

Back page list – This month, 9 jobs you only find in videogames.

                                                                This month's Save Point

Monitor
Timesplitters: Future Perfect – “After a tense few days we can safely say that the TSFP multiplayer is definitely not broken. With that out of the way, the more we play it, the better it gets – and there’s clearly so much we haven’t seen yet...” Meltdown

Shadow Hearts: Covenant – “Turn-based combat that’s not arse-rottingly pedestrian? We like.” Warm

Brothers in Arms: Road to Hill 30 – “Easily the most lush WW2 game we’ve seen, but developer Gearbox needs to fix a few glitches to ensure the gameplay matches the same standards set by the graphics. We’ll meet again in March.” Hot

Darkwatch – “Nothing new in terms of gameplay, but a dark atmosphere, unusual storyline and great looks could make Darkwatch a game well worth a closer nibble when it reveals itself next month.” Boiling

Samurai Warriors: Xtreme Legends – “A vital title for hack ‘n’ slash fans who missed out on the release of last year’s Samurai Warriors but the lack of satisfying extras make it less than essential for those in possession of the original.” Hot

Viewtiful Joe 2 – “There’s a lot to be said for sequels that serve up the same delicious experience all over again. No space for all that here, though – so let’s just be clear that Joe 2 looks just as brilliant.” Boiling

The Punisher – “So, it may not be as ultra-violent after all, and the shades of Max Payne are stronger than ever. But the variety to the kills is definitely there, and we’re still keen to get our hands on the final version.” Hot

Rainbow Six: Lockdown – “The more user-friendly style might offend the diehards, but it’s exactly what the series needs. They’re going to need to work like shiny-coated labradors to get the AI up to scratch in time, though.” Hot

Ys: The Ark of Napishtim – “Ys is a series with limited appeal making its first outing on PS2. Not quite the recipe for a sure fire hit, then.” Tepid

King of Fighters: Maximum Impact – “A retro fighter with a new look. The move to 3D seems to have lost some of the game’s style, but the old-skool control scheme shows its true colours. It’ll need a lot more to make an impression, though.” Warm

The Incredible Hulk: Ultimate Destruction – “Hulk stomps the fine line between ‘no-brainer’ and ‘entertainer’. The freedom and breakable environments can only be a good thing, but there’s still a suspicion that ‘old green thighs’ is stupid like sprouts.” Hot

Suikoden IV – “Some nice touches, but too few to make it stand out.” Warm

Gametrak Real World Golf – “It works, that’s for sure, and it’s far more impressive than Dark Wind, the previous Gametrak game. With a little graphical polish, this could be top stuff for those bored of Tiger Woods.” Hot

Cold Winter – “The reactive environments and intelligent enemy make for exciting shoot-outs, but the lack of freedom could leave the game little more than an interactive shooting gallery.” Hot

Eyetoy Monkey Mania – “It’s Eyetoy but not as we know it. The change in format might just lift the PS2’s camera back to the lofty height it once held. That’s back on top of the TV and not collecting dust down the side.” Hot

Delta Force: Black Hawk Down – “It’s got plenty of atmosphere and cinematic flair, but the combat just isn’t juicy enough to support it all. With a little less predictability though, this could end up being an exciting tour of duty.” Warm

Reviews
Shadow of Rome – “Occasionally frustrating but mostly fantastic. The battles are brilliant, the stealth bits passable and the overall effect stunning.” 8/10

Blood Will Tell – “There’s an inventiveness and style that largely manages to overcome some camera issues. A good slash-‘em-up that could’ve been great.” 7/10

Rumble Roses – “If you’re drooling for more after spanking Trish Stratus raw in Smackdown!, then you’re really going to love this...” 6/10

Sonic Mega Collection Plus – “Still a lot of fun to be had with the original Sonic games, but out of the 17 included, only a few are worthy of repeated play.” 5/10

Ace Combat: Squadron Leader – “Another sortie with the best fighter plane shooter you can buy on PS2. Okay, so it’s the ONLY one you can buy, but it’s still a blinder.” 8/10

UEFA Champions League 2004-2005 – “The work UEFA puts into creating a fresh new approach is blown away by the ham-fistedness of what really matters – the football.” 6/10

ESPN NBA 2K5 – “Licence-hungry hoop-dreamers may object but the NBA label means nothing. This is unfriendly, unwelcoming and unagreeable.” 5/10

ESPN NFL 2K5 – “ESPN provides a complex and bewildering level of authenticity. Only hardcore fans should approach the ten-yard line.” 5/10

ESPN NHL 2K5 – “A deep, fairly tricky but rewarding experience that can be enjoyed almost as much by Joe Casual as by, um… Herbert Hockeyfan.” 8/10

NFL Street 2 – “It won’t replace PES4 as the post-pub knockabout, but it does make a refreshing change for anyone willing to give it a try.” 8/10

The Polar Express – “Like a Christmas puppy a couple of months into spring, The Polar Express is small, pitiful and in dire need of a swift termination.” 3/10

Mega Man X8 – “An average blaster that bores as much as it bewilders. You could have more fun making zapping noises at strangers.” 5/10

Phantom Brave – “Not the best of the genre, but solid nevertheless. If you’re after an RPG with a bit more strategy, then we recommend Disgaea.” 7/10

Capcom Fighting Jam – “There’s franchise exploitation and there’s scraping the barrel. This paper-thin title comes perilously close to the latter.” 5/10

Neo Contra – “This is a fun old-skool blaster, but while there’s some enjoyment to be had with what’s on offer, a slice this thin won’t satisfy many.” 5/10

Trivial Pursuit Unhinged – “A perfect example of why board games don’t work on PS2, this is a truly painful experience with nothing in its favour.” 2/10

Habitrail Hamster Ball – “Real hamsters last a lot longer than this and also cost about the same. We recommend getting one of those instead.” 3/10

Zoo Puzzle – “A brilliant game in no way diminished by its simple concept and visuals. If you have to own one puzzle game it should be this.” 8/10

Astro Boy – “Ignoring the slow conversations and the mindless baby-simple boss battles, Astro Boy would still be classed as a bad game.” 3/10

Disc Content
Playable Demos
Timesplitters: Future Perfect
Ace Combat: Squadron Leader
Metal Slug 3
Nanobreaker
Athens 2004
Moto GP 3
Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time
Transformers
Eyetoy Chat

Footage
Constantine
Eyetoy Monkey Mania
Project Snowblind
Death By Degrees
Enthusia
Battlestations: Midway
Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas
Goal of the Month

Trivia
* For the first (and I’m pretty sure only) time, this issue has two demo discs. The second disc is for Eyetoy Chat and gives you 100 hours of contact time, which is a very generous offer indeed!
* As the editor’s letter states, this is Richard Keith’s last issue.
* “Most of you put our [sticker] faces on the bodies of assorted women and animals”. I didn’t: I put them on pictures of Sulley and Mike from Monsters Inc instead.
* A suggestion for a Dawn of the Dead game involves surviving as long as possible, with success or failure dependent on where you hid, your supplies and alliances forged with other survivors, which sounds a lot like Dead Rising. Ironically, this is followed by the sentence, “Please note, this probably won’t happen.”
* Global Terror was the original title for Conflict: Global Storm, which was changed for being a bit too on-the-nose at the time.
* Tim Clark makes a fool of himself when Gemma Clarke (no relation) of The Observer reviews Pro Evolution Soccer 4 and mentions attaching animals to the players’ heads. Only after firing off a bewildered angry e-mail did Tim dig through the customisation options and find this is indeed possible. Admittedly, it is a bizarre thing to include in a game as realistic as Pro Evo.
* Games that would never be made today #9 – Rumble Roses. Why not? See also, RE: BMX XXX.
* Starting this month, the Hot 100 no longer names which games were removed to make room for new entries. If you want that, you’ll need a copy of the previous issue for a compare and contrast.

Quote of the Month: “Where’s the paddle, or the whip, or the [OBSCURED ON LEGAL ADVICE]?” Yes, it is in all caps like that. But what was [OBSCURED ON LEGAL ADVICE]? One of the great mysteries.

Cover price: £5.99
Page Count: 146

Issue 55 (January 2005)

                                                                 Issue 55, January 2005

Editor’s letter
       The first time we saw Mercenaries – and we were the first mag to see it – we knew developer Pandemic was onto something special (“It’s like GTA, but in a warzone” were the actual words our correspondent used.) And in the nine or so months since then we’ve been tracking it and hoping that it wouldn’t be another game where promise is lost to necessity and it’s rushed out all unfinished and sorry for itself. So we weren’t just happy, we were relieved, when the finished game arrived and lived up to all our expectations.
       But you don’t have to take our word for it. All you have to do is pop the DVD in your PS2 and try it for yourself with what might well be the best demo we’ve ever run. Just remember to go back and play it again once you’ve finished the mission because there’s a whole world of fun to be had.
       Once you’ve played it, I’m sure you’ll agree Mercenaries kicks off 2005 with a bang and, as you’ll see in Monitor, it isn’t going to stop there. It hardly seems like any time at all since I was saying the same about 2004 and, as our round-up of the year shows, it’s been that, and more. In fact, it’s been the best year ever. It’s a great time to be a PS2 gamer. Enjoy it and I’ll see you back here on Thursday, 27 January.
                                                                Richard Keith, Editor

Features
It’s Here! – OPS2 receive a PSP from Sony, following the handheld’s Japanese release on December 12, 2004. It’s in this issue that the PSP coverage really picks up steam, with a run-down of many of the games planned for the system, as well as its capabilities and features.

The Next Big Things – A look at some of the new trends of 2005’s gaming crop, including originality, celebrity voiceovers, urban and more adult content, among others.

The 20 Best Games of 2004 – A retrospective feature counting down the 20 best games of 2004. I’m surprised it took the magazine this long to do something like this. Anyway, Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas is number 1, accompanied by CJ saying “You could at least look like you’re surprised.”

Monthly Articles
Funny Nicknames – This month, the highlights of 2004.

Could Be a Classic – An original non-sequel gets some focus. This month, sticky ball-rolling favourite Katamari Damacy.

Replay – Revisiting Spider-Man 2 and Transformers, reader reviews for Sly 2: Band of Thieves and Burnout 3: Takedown, cheats for Jak 3, Prince of Persia: Warrior Within, Killzone and WWE Smackdown VS Raw, online reviews for WWE Smackdown VS Raw and TOCA Race Driver 2, and two new monthly sections for Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas and Pro Evolution Soccer 4, titled The Crib and The Boot Room.

OPS2 Investigates – This month, five budget games get put through their paces in Supermarket Sweep.

Back page list – This month, 10 desirables properties in the PS2 estate agent’s window.

                                                               This month's Save Point.

Monitor
Playboy: The Mansion – “Shamefully, we must report that Playboy: The Mansion is vaguely saucy, but only in a ‘The Sims goes softcore’ kinda way. We need to spend more time with the software before evaluating its merits fully. Ahem.” Hot

Phantom Brave – “Limitless combinations, months of gameplay and abnormally large heads. RPG gold, essentially.” Hot

Rumble Roses – “Behind the heaving woman flesh lies a surprisingly accomplished wrestling game that offers a fair amount of depth and variety. Only time, though, will reveal whether it’s a classic or a one-weekend wonder.” Hot

Constantine – “A third-person horror game with the emphasis on action rather than survival. It feels like Max Payne and might not give Resi anything to worry about, but it’s certainly looking respectable enough in its own right.” Hot

Timesplitters: Future Perfect – “We loved the Mapmaker from Splitters 2, but the new version is far superior. It places real power and creativity into the hands of gamers and will have your broadband pipes groaning long into the night.” Meltdown

Ace Combat: Squadron Leader – “Ace Combat looks incredibly sharp, and although the play mechanics will be familiar to veterans, those who haven’t sampled the series before will find it a largely refreshing experience.” Boiling

Devil May Cry 3 – “Capcom has assembled a pleasingly freaky supporting cast for Devil May Cry 3, and everything points to this being a major return to form for Satan’s favourite action series. Watch this space…” Boiling

Splinter Cell: Chaos Theory – “It’s easy to take Splinter Cell’s continuing brilliance for granted, but with better visuals, less trial and error, amid the joy of knifing pinko scumbags, Chaos Theory looks set to take the series into classic territory.” Boiling

FIFA Street – “It’s impossible to tell until we play it, but we’re mildly optimistic that FIFA Street could fill the gap in the football genre that’s marked ‘arcade-centric footie game with strong visuals and no burning balls.’.” Hot

Shadow of Rome – “Every time we see Shadow of Rome it just gets better, and the humour is starting to shine through. Slice off an enemy’s arms and you’ll receive a special ‘Disarm’ combo message. We can’t wait.” Boiling

Cold Fear – “Cold Fear delivers much more than we expected and is shaping up to be a real horror treat. In fact we’d go so far as to say that Resident Evil 4 might want to watch out. We can’t wait to dive in. Hah!” Boiling

Tenchu: Fatal Shadows – “Tenchu seems to be trying to learn some new tricks, and it’ll need them to take on MGS3 and Splinter Cell.” Hot

Commandos Strike Force – “Another FPS set in the conflict equivalent of black, WW2. It never goes out of style. With so much choice right now this one might have to fight if it wants to survive the upcoming onslaught.” Hot

Mortal Kombat: Shaolin Monks – “It’s early days, but if the potential for exploring the MK world in a plot-driven game can be harnessed – and if Midway delivers on its gameplay promises – this could set the series back on bloodied track.” Hot

Final Fantasy XII – “Let’s hope the game shines like the visuals.” Hot

Reviews
Mercenaries – “What a way to start 2005. Near-limitless in its scope and power, Mercenaries is the first brilliant game of the year – don’t miss it.” 9/10

Miami Vice – “Like a big Dyson sucking your soul out of your nostrils, Miami Vice is franchise abuse of the highest order. Absolute tripe.” 2/10

Ghost Recon 2 – “Ghost Recon 2 comes within a bullet’s width of brilliance, but the inability to save during missions is a total nonsense.” 6/10

King Arthur – “A tedious telling of the Arthurian legend, and a game which is uninteresting without ever being downright poor. Dull, dull, dull.” 5/10

Scaler – “Destined to be overlooked in favour of bigger, better games, Scaler is nonetheless a pleasant slice of platforming.” 6/10

Lemony Snicket’s A Series of Unfortunate Events – “Riddled with witty writing and excellent characters, but essentially it’s short, easy, and wholly unsurprising.” 5/10

Power Rangers: Dino Thunder – “Rangerettes might be temporarily roused with interest, otherwise it’s really not worth any of your time, money or patience.” 4/10

Spongebob Squarepants: Movin’ with Friends – “The usual Eyetoy games dressed in different pants. Not really a bad collection, but no real stand-out titles, either.” 6/10

Syberia II – “Ponderous to the point of expiration: this is a nail in the adventure genre’s coffin that’s best left out in the cold.” 4/10

Garfield – “You’re an unfunny wiseass cat cleaning up a house. In real time. We can’t even begin to sum up how pointless this ‘game’ is.” 2/10

Fight Club – “If the first rule of Fight Club is you do not talk about Fight Club, then that’s fine by us. It’s best for all to pretend this never existed.” 5/10

Junior Sports Basketball – “All very well if you like your sports sims to be frantic, pointless and drastically unrewarding. Save your cash for NBA Street instead.” 4/10

GT Racers – “Short of illiteracy or raging madness, we can see no logical reason why this game should be bought. Even by accident.” 1/10

Call of Duty: Finest Hour – “Fresher, fiercer and graphically finer than Medal of Honor: Rising Sun, Call of Duty suffers in the final push from a lack of heart.” 8/10

Euro Rally Champion – “It’s highly unlikely that there was any point in the history of time that this would have been an acceptable videogame.” 3/10

Intellivision Lives: The History of Videogaming – “Just because the Intellivision system deserves a place in videogame history, it doesn’t mean you should be playing it in 2005.” 2/10

Disc Content
Playable Demos
Mercenaries
Rumble Roses
Mashed
Burnout 3: Takedown
Killzone
Splinter Cell: Pandora Tomorrow
Pro Evolution Soccer 4
Frenz-E

Footage
Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater
Haunting Ground
Destroy All Humans!
Ace Combat: Squadron Leader
Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex
Online leagues for Formula 1 2004, Hardware Online Arena, SOCOM 2: US Navy SEALs and This is Football 2004
Goal of the Month
The Making of Tony Hawk’s Underground 2
The Making of Call of Duty: Finest Hour

Trivia
* Issue 47 may have been the first one I read, but this issue was the first one I bought for myself. From here on in, I bought the magazine every month for the rest of its run.
* This issue has 4 variant covers – one for each mercenary individually, and the fourth with all three of them together.
* This is the first issue for Leon Hurley as a core team member.
* The Mashed demo on this month’s demo disc is special, as it’s not a repeat of the previous demo, as you would have expected from the disc’s best of 2004 theme. Instead, it’s a brand new DLC level for the game! What’s more, if you own a copy of Mashed, you can replace the demo disc with it while playing the Mashed demo, and if you do, the demo won’t end, allowing you to play the new level to your heart’s content.
* A game called Dealer: Chronic, Pills and Coke is mentioned, and the promotional art is trashed with the comment “We’re hoping the drawing board catches fire before the idea is given a chance to escape.” This was the first and last time the game was mentioned, so maybe it did?
* This issue gives us the blursed sight of the Incredible Hulk wearing a tutu.
* I’m inclined to think that the developers of Fight Club didn’t get the memo that the film isn’t really about fighting, despite what the name may suggest.
* One of the games in the Supermarket Sweep feature, International Golf Pro, was previously reviewed in Issue 47, where it scored a respectable 7/10.

Quote of the Month: “Imagine eating a huge, honey-roasted turkey with all the trimmings, then following it up a few hours later with a microwaved dog turd.” Driv3r’s fortunes go from bad to worse now that San Andreas is out.

Cover price: £5.99
Page Count: 146

Issue 54 (Christmas 2004)

                                                             Issue 54, Christmas 2004

Editor’s letter
       In Superman: The Movie, Christopher Reeve’s (RIP) boy-scout-with-powers hero turns back time to save Lois Lane’s life by flying really fast around the world, thus spinning it the wrong way. Neat trick, and all you need to do it yourself is the ability to fly at the speed of light.
       Apparently, though, this wouldn’t really work. Science (well Google) says no. All that would happen is that the sun would rise and set from west to east, instead of the other way round.
       My answer to this is: screw science. According to science you can’t fly, or have lasers for eyes or X-ray vision and you certainly can’t have them all and still hold down a job as a mild-mannered reporter on a daily newspaper. See what I mean? Sometimes you have to ignore the logical conclusion of cause and effect. For instance, you might assume that because every Batman game and most of the movies have stunk all the way to Krypton and back, that Batman Begins will be another licensing offence against gaming. We’re prepared to believe that the Bat will finally get the game he deserves. Go have a look and see what you think.
       Anyway, enjoy all the free stuff in the bag and I’ll see you back here on Thursday, 30 Dec for some New Year’s celebrations. Well, the sort that involves reading about games anyway.
                                                                    Richard Keith, Editor

Features
The Intimidation Game – Batman Begins

Where History Gets Interesting – Brothers in Arms: Road to Hill 30

The American Dream – Scarface: The World is Yours

Monthly Articles
Funny Nicknames – This month, what everyone wants for Christmas.

Could Be a Classic – An original non-sequel gets some focus. This month, The Regiment, effectively the British equivalent of Rainbow Six, starring the SAS.

Replay – Revisiting Tiger Woods PGA Tour 2005 and Soul Calibur 2, reader reviews for Obscure and Star Wars Battlefront, cheats for Need for Speed Underground 2, Ratchet and Clank 3, Lord of the Rings: The Third Age and Def Jam: Fight for New York, a walkthrough for The Getaway: Black Monday and an online review for Burnout 3: Takedown.

OPS2 Investigates – This month, Gentle Ben Richardson visits a Vice City-themed disco night. It’s not all about San Andreas, you know!

Back page list – This month, 9 reasons why videogame bosses are better than the real thing.

                                                Double length Save Point. Best present ever!

Monitor
Project: Snowblind – “We continue to be impressed. There’s a real drive to create a fluid FPS with depth of gameplay to match the furious shootery. We hope its arrival in a packed field of fraggers doesn’t rob it of the attention it deserves.” Boiling

Monster Hunter – “While we wish Monster Hunter was totally free-roaming between missions, we’ve had a great visit. Get a group of hunters together and the game really takes off. It’s no wonder dinosaurs are extinct, this is fun.” Hot

Destroy All Humans! – “Pandemic is rapidly marking itself as one of the most talented games developers working on Playstation 2. We can’t wait to begin our probing of rednecks early next year.” Meltdown

Timesplitters: Future Perfect – “It’s still one of our most wanted games of 2005, which pretty much says it all. Still tightly polished and well designed – and that innovative map maker (think of the possibilities) just sweetens the deal.” Meltdown

Enthusia – “If Konami really is creating handling to match the very pretty visuals then Enthusia should make for a quality alternative to the daddy of driving simulators. It’s about time GT had some serious competition…” Hot

Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater – “Kojima’s yet to disappoint with an MGS game and we’re confident the man won’t disappoint with MGS3. That said, this playtest has raised our alert status more than we’d like. For now we wait and hope…” Boiling

The Punisher – “The ultra-violence and homicidal way Frank goes about the vigilante business gives The Punisher a bloodthirsty twist but at heart it’s a simplistic Max Payne-style shooter, and we’re not sure if that’s enough.” Hot

NARC – “NARC has an interesting setup, but – in light of other more dependable crime games – it will have to produce more evidence of something special if it’s going to be a major player next year.” Warm

Super Monkey Ball Deluxe – “Play the main game for a thrillingly original and intense experience. Then unwind with 12 utterly superb monkey-filled mini-games, several of which are worth the price of admission on their own.” Boiling

Area 51 – “It’s clever, funny and hugely satisfying. Unfairly, other big shooters have managed to overshadow Area 51, so let’s be thankful that you can sink your teeth into it once the dust has settled in April.” Boiling

25 to Life – “Ignore the GTA comparisons, 25 to Life is more a fast-paced SOCOM-style shooter that’s swapped tattooed thugs for soldiers. It’s all about the gameplay, though, and we’ll have a full report for you very soon.” Hot

God of War – “Think of this one as Devil May Cry versus Prince of Persia, as directed by the steady hands of Ray Harryhausen. OPS2 will be campaigning for a UK release from here on – let’s wait and see what happens, eh.” Boiling

Reviews
Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas – “Rockstar has taken a genre-defining game and lifted it higher than we thought possible. Genius is the only word for it.” 10/10

Leisure Suit Larry: Magna Cum Laude – “Parts of Larry are funny. But gags are spread too thinly between a series of uninnovative parlour games. For desperadoes only…” 5/10

Prince of Persia: Warrior Within – “The darker focus is just an OTT sheen. Beneath the surface you’ll find the prince is on incredible form. It’s one hell of a game.” 9/10

Backyard Wrestling 2: There Goes the Neighbourhood – “More like a particularly dodgy fighter than a wrestling game – and short on options as well. Get Def Jam or Smackdown! instead.” 4/10

Goldeneye: Rogue Agent – “A disappointingly bland effort – not a patch on the ancient GoldenEye or the PS2’s big FPS hitters Killzone and Timesplitters.” 6/10

.Hack/Quarantine – “Kudos to Bandai for an original idea, but wringing £160 out of people for four identical games? None of which were very good? That ain’t right.” 3/10

Spyro: A Hero’s Tail – “A perfectly pleasant and competent platformer that’s sadly outshone in practically every department by numerous other efforts.” 6/10

Gadget and the Gadgetinis – “Gadget fan or not, there are better, slicker ways for infant gamers to get their jollies. They deserve much better than this.” 3/10

The Incredibles – “A Faberge Egg of a game (nice looking, hollow inside) with nothing new to see but not the total disaster it could have been.” 6/10

Outlaw Golf 2 – “The focus on tits, ass and violence dulls the overall effect, but ignore it and there’s a rewarding game mechanic to be enjoyed.” 8/10

Knight Rider 2 – “A car combat game that’s a mindless and pointless piece of licence milking, even for consummate Hasselhoff stalkers.” 3/10

Blowout – “It may wear the old skool shooter clothes but it has none of the swagger. Contra: Shattered Soldier is older, but far better.” 4/10

The Urbz: Sims in the City – “So much more accessible than previous Sims games, The Urbz is a brave step out of the usual format that pays off in spades.” 8/10

Guilty Gear X2 Reload – “Hardcore as a heavily mascara’d housewife in a field of donkeys, but there’s still a good game here if you can manage to stomach it.” 6/10

Duel Masters: Limited Edition – “However popular the TV show, Duel Masters: LE is unlikely to convert anyone not already versed in the ways of card battling.” 5/10

The Dukes of Hazzard: The Return of the General Lee – “Slippery physics manage to badly let down what we’re sure would otherwise be a cheap and pretty likeable TV tie-in.” 5/10

Digimon Rumble Arena 2 – “An adequate fan pleaser, but a spectacularly ordinary experience for the rest of us, which is directly due to its multiple shortcomings.” 5/10

Crash ‘n’ Burn – “Provides some knockabout fun for a while, but drab presentation and simplistic – yet awkward – races means it never grips.” 5/10

Mega Man X: Command Mission – “A sadly linear action RPG, which is only enlivened by some great combat touches and the Mega Man character himself.” 6/10

Godzilla: Save the Earth – “Screamingly average monster battler that doesn’t do the Godzilla licence justice. Fine for an hour or two, but no keeper.” 5/10

Dancing Stage Fusion – “If you already own a Dancing Stage game or Singstar, then there’s little point in this. Newcomers may want to climb aboard, though.” 6/10

Disney Move – “A very limited and uninspiring collection of simple excuses to flap about like an idiot. A shocking waste of a perfect licence.” 4/10

Disc Content
Playable Demos
The Getaway: Black Monday
Prince of Persia: Warrior Within
Forgotten Realms: Demon Stone
Eyetoy Play 2
Dancing Stage Fusion

Footage
Brothers in Arms: Road to Hill 30
Devil May Cry 3
Area 51
Midnight Club 3: Dub Edition
Gran Turismo 4
Singstar Party
Eyetoy Chat
Goal of the Month
Name the Game – Footage from five different games, and you have to guess what they are!
Online leagues for SOCOM 2: US Navy SEALs, Formula 1 2004, Hardware Online Arena and This is Football 2004
The Making of Tony Hawk’s Underground 2

Game Saves
Primal
The Getaway
The Mark of Kri
Ratchet and Clank 2
Onimusha 2
Enter the Matrix
XIII
007: Nightfire
WWE Smackdown! Shut Your Mouth
Silent Hill 3
Return to Castle Wolfenstein
SSX 3
Final Fantasy X2
Medal of Honor: Rising Sun
Beyond Good and Evil
Lord of the Rings: Return of the King
Hitman: Contracts
Splinter Cell: Pandora Tomorrow

Trivia
* This issue came with a 2005 preview magazine, in which the whole team got the dressing up box out (The highlight being Ben Richardson in a leather jacket and his underwear, which was printed again in a later issue). My copy of this issue came from Ebay, so unfortunately, I don’t have the preview magazine and can’t go into any more depth on it. If anyone else can elaborate, it would be much appreciated.
* This issue’s In the Fade (the current incarnation of the OPS2-O-Meter) is dedicated to various moments from San Andreas. The jetpack is at the top of the positive side, and rightly so.
* There’s a missing preview this month, as Blood Will Tell (which has since become one of PS2’s rarest and most expensive games) is listed in the contents as being on page 47, but it’s not there. At least the review isn’t far off.
* The one concern in the God of War preview is the boss battles being quick-time events, a feature that went on to be iconic of the series. I’m assuming the concern was down to the implication that these would be the whole battle, and not just the finishing move as in the final game.
* I associate Prince of Persia: Warrior Within with Jak 2 and Shadow the Hedgehog as the trinity of formerly-family-friendly-franchises (try saying that five times fast) that underwent grimdark makeovers to try and appeal to edgy teenagers. Prince of Persia is both the most extreme and the most shameless in this regard, as the decision was fuelled by the disappointing sales of The Sands of Time and caused creator Jordan Mechner to leave the series because he disagreed with the new direction. Still, it was worth it for the comic where the Prince smoulders with generic rage.
* Do Mega Man fans call themselves Mega Maniacs? If not, they should. It’s quite the catchy moniker.
* This disc has a secret game on it, a scrolling shooter named Frenz-E, in the vein of the Net Yaroze games on the old PSOne demo discs. Bad news, I couldn’t find where it was hidden. Good news, it’s on the next disc too, and no longer hidden!

Quote of the Month: “Fruit is dangerous, and anyone who offers it wants to hurt you.” Inspector Gadget’s origin story involves stepping on a banana peel. Robocop wishes that’s all it took for him to be turned into a cyborg.

Cover price: £5.99
Page Count: 146

Issue 53 (December 2004)

                                                            Issue 53, December 2004

Editor’s letter
       Crime has never been my thing, mainly due to being weighed down by a particular kind of English morality where I don’t want to face the embarrassment of getting caught. I was, however, once chased 150 miles across India and held captive for four days after writing a bad cheque. In the process, though, I did get to see some parts of India I’d never have seen otherwise, and the man holding me captive was not only thoroughly pleasant, but able to sell me a range of quality goods at a fraction of their retail cost. Really.
       Which only goes to show, while you can’t always get what you want, sometimes you get what you need. What I’m imagining many of you wanted from this issue was a review of Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas. Well, there isn’t really much need for it, as the game came out last week and chances are you’ve already bought it. What you need, though, is to know that The Getaway 2 is back with a bullet, Killzone is still awaiting release and Mercenaries might just be the game of 2005. This and more awaits a turn or two of the page.
       See you back here for plenty more of what you need on Thursday, 2 December…
                                                                Richard Keith, Editor

Features
On a Different Level – Gran Turismo 4. Like the recent Killzone and Mashed features, this one also has a panel of readers trying the game out.

Grand Theft Warzone – Mercenaries.

Monthly Articles
Funny Nicknames – This month, favourite gangsters.

Could Be a Classic – An original non-sequel gets some focus. This month, Haunting Ground, a survival horror game in the same vein as Clock Tower, but with a dog sidekick.

Replay – Revisiting Second Sight and Timesplitters 2, reader reviews for Drakengard and Timesplitters 2, and cheats for Def Jam: Fight for New York, Rocky Legends, Pro Evolution Soccer 4 and Tiger Woods PGA Tour 2005.

OPS2 Investigates – This month, “Oh sweet lord, only the loons are still here.” Nathan Ditum visits a Lord of the Rings convention a year after the movie hype has died down and only the die-hard fans remain. He also meets Bernard Hill, who played Theoden in the films.

Back page list – This month, 10 most overlooked movie licenses.

                                                                This month's Save Point

Monitor
Rumble Roses – “Rumble Roses is to feminism what battery acid is to cocktail mixers. We like it an almost embarrassing amount, and barring disaster this could be our favourite ruck buddy. Next time: the weapons.” Hot

Constantine – “The jury’s out, but the vote may swing in its favour.” Warm

Sniper Elite – “Focusing purely on sniping is definitely a great and highly original idea, and although the tectonic pace will turn some people off, we reckon the uber-tense gameplay could make for a surprise hit.” Hot

Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater – “It’s a familiar routine by now, but with each fresh trailer, the new Metal Gear just looks better and better. We love the new boss characters and the Shagohod completely, like, rocks. Release it now!” Boiling

Brothers in Arms: Road to Hill 30 – “Notably brainier than the other WW2 shooters, Brothers in Arms has the potential to be the best. We’ll drop into action for a full playtest next month. Until then, tell mother we miss her.” Hot

Lego Star Wars – “A stunningly fresh new take on Star Wars that ticks all the usual boxes for a title based on the saga (those sound effects, the whiff of merchandised bankrolling), but also adds a few pleasingly unexpected ones.” Boiling

Okami – “Cel-shaded games usually sell like dog sandwiches, but open your minds and this could be something very special indeed. Expect a “you’d be barking mad to miss it” headline next year.” Hot

Shadow of the Colossus – “A vast epic adventure pitting a mighty solo hero against monsters as tall as skyscrapers that are covered in copious amounts of body hair? Hmm, we like the sound of that. Where do we sign up?” Boiling

Reviews
The Getaway: Black Monday – “Black Monday feels too similar to its predecessor to land classic status. It’s stylish and gritty, but there’s just no evolution.” 8/10

Singstar Party – “Party is a welcome addition to the Singstar family, but next time the answer has to be separate versions tailored to specific genres.” 8/10

Jak 3 – “You can’t go far wrong with Jak 3 for an all-round, rewarding experience. Returning fans, however, may feel differently.” 8/10

Tony Hawk’s Underground 2 – “Precise, sharp and ultimately enjoyable: another class effort. Prepare to feel more than a little déjà vu, though.” 8/10

WWE Smackdown VS Raw – “Not so much a leap forward as a geriatric shuffle. It doesn’t fix many of the last version’s flaws, but still delivers plenty.” 8/10

Eyetoy Play 2 – “We are vindicated. Eyetoy Play is better second time around and it’s the best of the bunch this Christmas, but only just.” 8/10

Sega Superstars – “It’s a bit of a mixed bag, really. But the use of Sega’s back catalogue of stars is definitely a stroke of genius.” 8/10

Under the Skin – “Despite being massively original and fun while it lasts, Under the Skin is a game that eventually gets on the nerves.” 6/10

World Rally Championship 4 – “Genuinely different from WRC3 – it’s way more realistic but still accessible – and great fun with a decent steering wheel. Quality.” 9/10

Need for Speed Underground 2 – “The open racing isn’t entirely successful, but as an expanded version of last year’s NFSU, it’s an addictive, fast and thrilling racer.” 8/10

This is Football 2005 – “Smart Eyetoy gimmickry isn’t enough. This is insultingly similar to TIF 2004 and is, therefore, still inferior to PES and FIFA.” 6/10

Ratchet and Clank 3 – “A love-bullet to the brain, this is filled with an incredible amount of detail. Clearly put together with proper care and attention.” 9/10

Get On Da Mic – “Rap wannabes might get some joy out of this, but trying to rhyme with the likes of Missy and DMX is likely to end in some harsh dissin’.” 5/10

Premier Manager 2005 – “An improvement on last time, but solid - if bland-looking – management fare is let down by dodgy game graphics.” 6/10

Total Club Manager 2005 – “Pips Premier Manager to the title, thanks mostly to a superior overall experience, friendlier options and much better graphics.” 7/10

Pool Shark 2 – “Imprecise and uninvolving, even the well-constructed online mode isn’t enough to make it worth missing a trip to the pub for.” 5/10

NBA Live 2005 – “As good a five-on-five game as you’ll see anywhere, but Street fans may miss Off the Heezays and 360° layups.” 6/10

The Lord of the Rings: The Third Age – “Goes deeper to reach the places other Lord of the Rings games can’t reach, but lets itself down with samey gameplay.” 7/10

Crimson Tears – “This is another impressive and engaging effort from Capcom that’s worth a closer look, despite offering few real surprises.” 7/10

Worms: Forts Under Siege – “This worm has chanced its luck on the super gaming highway once too often and is now consequently rather flat.” 5/10

Flatout – “It looks like a destruction derby game, plays like a rally sim and punishes the behaviour it incites. It’s fun, but not like you’d expect.” 7/10

Metal Slug 3 – “There’s a very good reason why arcade machines collect so much money, you know, and SNK’s Metal Slug is one of them.” 7/10

King of Fighters 2000/2001 – “More flamboyant than Street Fighter 2, but it requires real effort to get at the meat of the depths on offer.” 6/10

Ford Racing 3 – “A half-hearted attempt at a racing game, not pardonable just because it’s offered at half the normal price.” 5/10

X-Men Legends – “As a budget game this would be worth checking out, but at full price it’s underwhelming. We suggest Baldur’s Gate instead.” 6/10

Driven to Destruction – “Basic, frantic and forgettable, but still huge amounts of fun. Driven to Destruction is the gaming equivalent of a pulp novel.” 7/10

1945 1 and 2: The Arcade Games – “Laughable old-skool graphics, sound that’s the very best 1983 had to offer and gameplay that’s about as basic as it gets.” 4/10

Terminator 3: The Redemption – “Has a genuine Terminator feel to it, but suffers as a result of the mix of styles and an inability to do any of them really well.” 6/10

Ribbit King – “Original but childish. It’s good to see something new in the Playstation 2 world. It’s just a shame it isn’t that successful.” 6/10

Midway Arcade Treasures 2 – “Treasure? Not quite. This lot are better left dead and buried – they’re little more than evidence in the case against retro games.” 5/10

Jackie Chan Adventures – “Spectacularly fails to capture any of Jackie’s charm or charisma – and it’s arguable that he’s got that much to catch.” 3/10

Ty the Tasmanian Tiger 2: Bush Rescue – “A likeable Jak 2 clone that should be a bargain for younger gamers. Inconsistencies in the difficulty level scupper higher scores, though.” 6/10

Dragon Ball Z: Budokai 3 – “As ever, DBZ possesses style and fan-pleasing touches but is let down by beat-‘em-up dynamics that don’t make the grade.” 6/10

Crash Twinsanity – “The script is there, but, while concentrating on being entertaining, Twinsanity has forgotten to be actually playable.” 5/10

Robotech: Invasion – “Robotech: Invasion has done itself no favours in ditching its rich Japanese history. Disappointingly average.” 5/10

Shark Tale – “High on production and low on creativity – your typical inoffensive, uninspiring movie tie-in.” 6/10

Disc Content
Playable Demos
Need for Speed Underground 2
Jak 3
Tiger Woods PGA Tour 2005
TOCA Race Driver 2
This is Football 2005
Driv3r
Sega Superstars
World Rally Championship 4
The Incredibles
Jackie Chan Adventures

Footage
The Getaway: Black Monday
Gran Turismo 4
Cold Winter
Oddworld: Stranger’s Wrath
Mercenaries
Viewtiful Joe 2
Challenges for Driv3r, Eyetoy Groove, Grand Theft Auto: Vice City, Need for Speed Underground and SSX3

Game Saves
Primal
The Getaway
The Mark of Kri
Ratchet and Clank 2
Enter the Matrix
XIII
007: Nightfire
WWE Smackdown! Shut Your Mouth
Silent Hill 3
Return to Castle Wolfenstein
SSX 3
Final Fantasy X2
Lord of the Rings: Return of the King
Hitman: Contracts
Onimusha 2
Medal of Honor: Rising Sun
Beyond Good and Evil

Trivia
* The final part of the esoteric cover trilogy is given to The Getaway: Black Monday, with the headline London’s Bleeding, and a picture of the United Kingdom with a bullet hole denoting London. Like Issue 51’s Killzone cover, this is another creative cover that offers something more memorable than a CG render
* Killzone continues to benefit from excellent marketing. An advert in this issue shows a Helghast soldier, and a close up of his helmet shows burning, suffering people the Helghast have conquered, accompanied by the tagline “The eyes are the window to the soul.” There’s a reason the Helghast became the face of the series.
* The News section includes a very controversial game titled Survivor. This game involved the player having to survive disasters such as the sinking of the Titanic, Hiroshima, 9/11 and more. The 9/11 level in particular was met with cries of “Too soon!”, so it comes as little surprise that the game was unable to secure a publisher. How would you be able to survive Hiroshima anyway?
* A running them in this month’s reviews section is a number of major games disappointing slightly, either by being too similar to previous entries in their series (Need for Speed, Tony Hawk), or by failing to fix existing issues (WWE, The Getaway).
* Despite being rivals throughout the PS2 era, this is the first time Jak and Ratchet both have new games reviewed in the same issue. Ratchet wins the battle this year, and ironically exceeds expectations when many others, Jak included, failed to live up to theirs. This rivalry is also an example of OPS2 backing the wrong horse in hindsight, as previous issues had a lot more coverage of and enthusiasm towards Jak 3, whereas Ratchet and Clank 3 got the bare minimum and had a faint whiff of contractual obligation about it.
* One odd point in the Jak vs Ratchet rivalry was that Ratchet’s review mentions a concern that newcomers wouldn’t be able to follow the story, despite Ratchet’s stories being much more episodic than Jak’s. In addition, OPS2 admit in the Jak 3 review that they lost track of the plot halfway through Jak 2, and since Jak 3 begins immediately where Jak 2 ended, they had no idea what was going on or why they were doing anything. In retrospect, Jak’s greater emphasis on plot was the start of Naughty Dog’s shift towards prioritising storytelling. At least you got to play Jak, unlike their newer games like Uncharted 4 and The Last Of Us 2, which are glorified films with roughly 10 minutes of gameplay for every 4 hours of cutscenes, quick time events, and those bits where you walk really slowly in a straight line while an NPC spouts exposition and you just want them to shut up and let you shoot things already!
* Poor Crash Bandicoot has gone from being the PSOne’s mascot (and his own feature last month), to a quarter-page drubbing at the back of the review section, stuffed in with all the budget games. At least there’s nowhere to go from here but up!
* In a spectacular case of bad timing, the magazine reveals this month that the PS2 version of Oddworld: Stranger’s Wrath has been cancelled, the same month a trailer appears on the demo disc.

Quote of the Month: “I have never been this thankful to solid wastes.” Yutaro Nakahara celebrates winning a Metal Gear Solid 3 camouflage competition with his poo themed camo.

Cover price: £5.99
Page Count: 146