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.
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
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