The OPS2 Hot 295 of Fame

                                                                The OPS2 Hot 295* of Fame

* I hope I counted correctly.
This is a full list of all the games that were in the Hot 100 or Hall of Fame, along with which issues they were on the list for.

Ace Combat: Squadron Leader (57 – 100)
Airblade (40, 42 – 47)
Alien Hominid (60 – 67)
Amplitude (41, 60 – 100)
Ape Escape 2 (40 – 43)
Area 51 (61 – 89)
Armored Core 3 (40 – 58)
Baldur’s Gate: Dark Alliance (40)
Battlefield 2: Modern Combat (66 – 100)
Beyond Good and Evil (41 – 100)
Black (70 – 100)
Brian Lara International Cricket 2005 (63 – 81)
Broken Sword: The Sleeping Dragon (45 – 64)
Brothers in Arms: Road to Hill 30 (60 – 100)
Burnout 2: Point of Impact (40 – 51)
Burnout 3: Takedown (52 – 64)
Burnout Revenge (65 – 100)
Burnout Dominator (84 – 100)
Buzz: The Big Quiz (72 – 84)
Buzz: The Mega Quiz (85 – 100)
Call of Duty: Finest Hour (56 – 67)
Call of Duty 2: Big Red One (68 – 81)
Call of Duty 3 (83 – 100)
Canis Canem Edit (80 – 100)
Capcom VS SNK 2 (40 – 58)
Chaos Legion (40 – 52)
Cold Fear (60 – 64)
Cold Winter (60 – 69)
Colin McRae Rally 3 (40)
Colin McRae Rally 4 (41 – 51)
Colin McRae Rally 2005 (52 – 100)
Commandos 2: Men of Courage (40 – 58)
Conflict Desert Storm 2 (40 – 64)
Conflict Global Storm (65 – 72)
Crazy Taxi (40 – 45)
Cricket 2005 (62)
Cricket 2007 (83 – 97)
Dancing Stage Megamix (40 – 67)
Dark Chronicle (40 – 58, 90 – 100)
Darkwatch (66 – 75)
Dead or Alive 2 (40 – 66)
Def Jam: Fight for New York (53 – 71)
Destroy All Humans! (62 – 78)
Destroy All Humans 2 (79 – 100)
Deus Ex (40 – 69, 90 – 100)
Devil May Cry (40 – 58)
Devil May Cry 3: Dante’s Awakening (60 – 89)
Devil May Cry 3 Special Edition (90 – 100)
Disgaea: Hour of Darkness (90 – 100)
Dragon Quest VIII: Journey of the Cursed King (72 – 100)
Dropship: United Peace Force (40)
Dynasty Warriors 4 (40 – 43)
Dynasty Warriors 4: Xtreme Legends (44 – 71)
Enter the Matrix (40 – 49)
Enthusia Professional Racing (60 – 67)
ESPN NHL 2K5 (58 – 79)
Everquest Online Adventures (40 – 58)
Everybody’s Golf (66 – 100)
Everybody’s Tennis (86 – 89)
Extermination (40)
Eyetoy Play (40 – 53)
Eyetoy Play 2 (54 – 100)
Eyetoy Antigrav (60 – 83)
Fahrenheit (65 – 100)
FIFA 2004 (41 – 52)
FIFA 2005 (53 – 73)
FIFA World Cup 2006 (74 – 77)
FIFA 2007 (78 – 91)
FIFA 2008 (92 – 100)
50 Cent: Bulletproof (68 – 71)
Fight Night Round 3 (72 – 100)
Final Fantasy X (40 – 43)
Final Fantasy X2 (44 – 81)
Final Fantasy XII (83 – 100)
Forbidden Siren (45 – 65)
Freedom Fighters (40 – 100)
Frequency (40 – 67)
Full Spectrum Warrior (60 – 72)
Full Spectrum Warrior: Ten Hammers (73 – 100)
Ghosthunter (41 – 44)
Gitaroo Man (40 – 65)
God of War (61 – 100)
God of War 2 (84 – 100)
Grand Theft Auto 3 (40 – 41)
Grand Theft Auto: Vice City (40 – 41, 90 – 100)
Grand Theft Auto Double Pack (42 – 89)
Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas (55 – 100)
Grand Theft Auto: Liberty City Stories (76 – 84)
Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories (85 – 89)
Gran Turismo 3: A-Spec (40 – 66)
Gran Turismo 4 (58 – 100)
Guitar Hero (72 – 81)
Guitar Hero 2 (83 – 93)
Guitar Hero 3: Legends of Rock (94 – 100)
Gun (68 – 100)
Half Life (40 – 60)
Hardware Online Arena (40)
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (88 – 100)
Haven: Call of the King (40 – 47)
Headhunter (40 – 52)
Herdy Gerdy (40 – 57)
Hitman 2: Silent Assassin (40 – 46)
Hitman Contracts (47 – 73)
Hitman: Blood Money (74 – 89)
Hitman Triple Pack (90 – 100)
Ico (40 – 100)
Indiana Jones and the Emperor’s Tomb (40)
I-Ninja (44 – 57)
Jak and Daxter: The Precursor Legacy (40 – 66)
Jak 2: Renegade (40 – 58)
Jak 3 (60 – 100)
James Bond: Agent Under Fire (40 – 43)
James Bond: Everything or Nothing (44 – 78)
James Bond: From Russia With Love (67 – 100)
Juiced (60 – 66)
Just Cause (78 – 100)
Kessen 2 (40)
Kill.Switch (44 – 65)
Killer 7 (62 – 100)
Killzone (52 – 81, 90 – 100)
Kingdom Hearts (40 – 78)
Kingdom Hearts II (79 – 100)
King Kong (67 – 89)
Legacy of Kain: Defiance (42 – 65)
Lego Star Wars (60 – 77)
Lego Star Wars II: The Original Trilogy (78 – 100)
Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers (40)
Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (41 – 77)
Madden NFL 2004 (40 – 52)
Madden NFL 2005 (53 – 64)
Madden NFL 2006 (65 – 77)
Madden NFL 2007 (78 – 90)
Madden NFL 2008 (91 – 100)
Manhunt (43 – 100)
Marc Ecko’s Getting Up: Contents Under Pressure (70 – 87)
Mashed (49 – 100)
Mat Hoffman’s Pro BMX 2 (40 – 46)
Maximo (40 – 43)
Maximo VS Army of Zin (44 – 71)
Max Payne (40 – 61)
Medal of Honor: Frontline (40 – 57)
Medal of Honor: Rising Sun (40 – 55)
Mercenaries (56 – 100)
Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty (40 – 89)
Metal Gear Solid 2 Substance (90 – 100)
Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater (58 – 78)
Metal Gear Solid 3 Subsistence (79 – 100)
Midnight Club 2 (40 – 58)
Midnight Club 3: Dub Edition (60 – 73)
Midnight Club 3: Dub Edition Remix (74 – 100)
Mortal Kombat: Deadly Alliance (40 – 58)
Mortal Kombat: Shaolin Monks (66 – 95)
Moto GP 3 (40 – 60)
Moto GP 4 (61 – 91)
Moto GP 2007 (92 – 95)
Music 3000 (40 – 100)
MX VS ATV Unleashed (60 – 65)
NBA Ballers (51 – 68)
NBA Street 2 (40 – 50)
NBA Street 3 (60 – 79)
NBA 2K7 (80 – 100)
Need for Speed Hot Pursuit 2 (40 – 41)
Need for Speed Underground (42 – 53)
Need for Speed Underground 2 (54 – 79)
Need for Speed Most Wanted (68 – 81)
Need for Speed Carbon (80 – 100)
NFL Street 2 (57 – 69)
NHL 2003 (40)
NHL 2004 (41 – 56)
NHL 2007 (80 – 86)
Obscure (53 – 71)
Odin Sphere (98 – 100)
Okami (83 – 100)
Onimusha 2 (40 – 48)
Onimusha 3 (49 – 100)
Outrun 2006: Coast to Coast (71 – 89)
Parappa the Rapper 2 (40 – 58)
Persona 3 (96 – 100)
Primal (40 – 54)
Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time (41 – 56, 90 – 95)
Prince of Persia: Warrior Within (55 – 67, 96 – 100)
Prince of Persia: The Two Thrones (68 – 89)
Prisoner of War (40 – 43)
Pro Evolution Soccer 3 (40 – 52)
Pro Evolution Soccer 4 (53 – 64)
Pro Evolution Soccer 5 (65 – 79)
Pro Evolution Soccer 6 (80 – 92)
Pro Evolution Soccer 2008 (93 – 100)
Project Snowblind (58 – 65)
Project Zero (40 – 89)
Project Zero 2: Crimson Butterfly (90 – 100)
Psychonauts (66 – 69, 90 – 100)
Quake 3: Revolution (90 – 100)
Rainbow Six 3 (46 – 89)
Ratchet and Clank (40, 90 – 100)
Ratchet and Clank 2: Locked and Loaded (41 – 53)
Ratchet and Clank 3 (54 – 100)
Ratchet and Clank: Size Matters (98 – 100)
Rayman Revolution (40 – 44)
Red Dead Revolver (48 – 100)
Red Faction 2 (40 – 55)
Resident Evil: Code Veronica X (40 – 58)
Resident Evil 4 (66 – 100)
Rez (40 – 51, 60 – 100)
Rocky (40 – 65)
Rogue Galaxy (87 – 100)
Scarface: The World is Yours (79 – 100)
Second Sight (51 – 100)
Shadow of Rome (57 – 64, 68 – 100)
Shadow of the Colossus (69 – 100)
Shellshock: Nam 67 (50 – 58)
Silent Hill 3 (40 – 89)
Silent Hill Collection (90 – 100)
Singstar (47 – 58)
Singstar Popworld (60 – 72)
Singstar Rocks! (73 – 100)
Sly Cooper (40 – 42)
Sly 3: Honour Among Thieves (67 – 100)
Smash Court Tennis Pro Tournament (40 – 47)
Smash Court Tennis Pro Tournament 2 (48 – 85)
SOCOM: US Navy SEALs (40 – 43)
SOCOM 2: US Navy SEALs (44 – 100)
Sonic Heroes (45 – 65)
Soul Calibur 2 (40 – 66)
Soul Calibur 3 (67 – 100)
Spartan: Total Warrior (65 – 100)
Spider-Man (40 – 49)
Spider-Man 2 (50 – 79, 90 – 100)
Splinter Cell (40 – 57)
Splinter Cell: Pandora Tomorrow (58)
Splinter Cell: Chaos Theory (60 – 81)
Splinter Cell: Double Agent (83 – 100)
SSX Tricky (40)
SSX 3 (41 – 100)
Starsky and Hutch (40 – 61)
Star Wars: Jedi Starfighter (40 – 56)
Star Wars Battlefront 2 (67 – 100)
State of Emergency (40 – 44)
Stuntman (40 – 57)
SWAT: Global Strike Team (41 – 57)
Super Monkey Ball Deluxe (60 – 100)
Syphon Filter: The Omega Strain (48 – 58)
Tekken 4 (40 – 58)
Tekken 5 (62 – 100)
Tenchu: Wrath of Heaven (40 – 57)
The Getaway (40 – 53)
The Getaway: Black Monday (54 – 58)
The Great Escape (40 – 50)
The Mark of Kri (40 – 61)
The Sims (40 – 41)
The Sims: Bustin’ Out (42 – 58)
The Sims 2 (83 – 92)
The Sims 2 Castaway (93 – 100)
The Suffering: Ties That Bind (65 – 89)
The Thing (40 – 67, 90 – 100)
Tiger Woods PGA Tour 2003 (40)
Tiger Woods PGA Tour 2004 (41 – 51)
Tiger Woods PGA Tour 2005 (52 – 65)
Tiger Woods PGA Tour 2006 (66 – 89)
Tiger Woods PGA Tour 2007 (90 – 100)
Time Crisis 2 (40 – 54)
Timsplitters 2 (40 – 100)
Timesplitters: Future Perfect (58 – 89)
TOCA Race Driver (40 – 52)
TOCA Race Driver 2 (53 – 69)
TOCA Race Driver 3 (70 – 100)
Tomb Raider: Legend (72 – 85, 90 – 100)
Tomb Raider: Anniversary (86 – 100)
Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 4 (40)
Tony Hawk’s Underground (41 – 53, 90 – 100)
Tony Hawk’s Underground 2 (54 – 66)
Tony Hawk’s American Wasteland (67 – 83)
Total Overdose (66 – 89)
True Crime: New York City (68 – 70)
24 (70 – 89)
Urban Chaos: Riot Response (73 – 89)
Viewtiful Joe (53 – 60, 90 – 100)
Viewtiful Joe 2 (58 – 89)
Virtua Fighter 4 (40 – 65)
Virtua Tennis 2 (40 – 61)
Wallace and Gromit: Curse of the Were-Rabbit (66 – 100)
War of the Monsters (40 – 58)
We Heart Katamari (70 – 100)
Wipeout Fusion (40 – 48)
World Rally Championship 2 Extreme (40)
World Rally Championship 3 (41 – 53)
WRC 4 (54 – 66)
WRC: Rally Evolved (66 – 100)
Worms: Forts Under Siege (96 – 97)
WWE Smackdown! Shut Your Mouth (40 – 41)
WWE Smackdown! Here Comes the Pain (42 – 52)
WWE Smackdown VS Raw 2006 (67 – 100)
XIII (41 – 100)
Zone of the Enders (40)
Zone of the Enders: The 2nd Runner (41 – 100)

Trivia
* 14 games managed two separate periods on the list.
* 4 games were on the list from beginning to end. (Freedom Fighters, Ico, Music 3000 and Timesplitters 2)
* 16 games were on the list for only one issue. 2 of these (Cricket 2005 and Splinter Cell: Pandora Tomorrow) were not added in Issue 40.
* 3 games were on the list for one issue, but returned for a second period later on. (Airblade, Amplitude and Ratchet and Clank)
* Grand Theft Auto and Ratchet and Clank are tied for most games on the list concurrently, with 3 each. GTA managed this feat from Issues 76-89, and Ratchet and Clank managed it for Issues 98-100.
* Grand Theft Auto also has the record for most individual games on the list, with a total of 6.

Cover Count

                                                                    Cover Count

This is a list of all the franchises that made the cover of the magazine, in descending order of appearances. Issues with variant covers are only counted once, the back covers of issues 78 and 79 also count. 71 franchises appeared on the cover, 14 of which appeared more than once.

WWE – 7 (13, 26, 50, 62, 72, 79 Back, 88)
Grand Theft Auto – 5 (3, 27, 48, 61, 67)
The Getaway – 4 (5, 28, 42, 53)
Metal Gear Solid – 4 (2, 17, 57, 73)
Tomb Raider – 4 (35, 68, 71, 85)
Star Wars – 3 (6, 45, 59)
Pro Evolution Soccer – 3 (52, 64, 79 Front)
Final Fantasy – 3 (12, 20, 81)
Devil May Cry – 2 (14, 22)
The Matrix – 2 (31, 34)
Splinter Cell – 2 (32, 58)
Resident Evil – 2 (10, 65)
FIFA – 2 (63, 76)
Mercenaries – 2 (55, 84)
Tekken – 1 (1)
Unreal Tournament – 1 (4)
Crazy Taxi – 1 (7)
Red Faction – 1 (8)
Gran Turismo – 1 (9)
Deus Ex – 1 (11)
Jak – 1 (15)
Headhunter – 1 (16)
Herdy Gerdy – 1 (18)
Virtua Fighter – 1 (19)
Spider-Man – 1 (21)
Stuntman – 1 (23)
TOCA Race Driver – 1 (24)
Timesplitters – 1 (25)
Mortal Kombat – 1 (29)
Primal – 1 (30)
Silent Hill – 1 (33)
Tony Hawk – 1 (36)
Soul Calibur – 1 (37)
Colin McRae Rally – 1 (38)
Medal of Honor – 1 (39)
Lord of the Rings – 1 (40)
The Sims – 1 (41)
SOCOM – 1 (43)
Burnout – 1 (44)
Hitman – 1 (46)
Need for Speed – 1 (47)
James Bond – 1 (49)
Killzone – 1 (51)
Batman – 1 (54)
The Godfather – 1 (56)
Black – 1 (60)
King Kong – 1 (66)
24 – 1 (69)
Driver – 1 (70)
Assassin’s Creed – 1 (74)
Call of Duty – 1 (75)
Just Cause – 1 (77)
Scarface – 1 (78 Front)
Kingdom Hearts – 1 (78 Back)
Superman – 1 (80)
Ghost Rider – 1 (82)
God of War – 1 (83)
Transformers – 1 (86)
Harry Potter – 1 (87)
Syphon Filter – 1 (89)
The Simpsons – 1 (90)
Crash Bandicoot – 1 (91)
Sega Superstars – 1 (92)
Ghostbusters – 1 (93)
Alone in the Dark – 1 (94)
Ferrari Challenge – 1 (95)
Spiderwick – 1 (96)
Ratchet and Clank – 1 (97)
Lego – 1 (98)
Hulk – 1 (99)
Sonic – 1 (100)

So that this isn’t entirely a dry list, here’s my Top 5 franchises that never made the cover, and which Issues I would have put them on the cover. I tried to replace franchises with multiple cover appearances whenever possible:

5 – Shadow of the Colossus (Issue 68 is the only option for this.)
4 – Destroy All Humans! (This would have been the cover for Issue 96 had Big Willy Unleashed not been cancelled. As it was, I would put this on the cover of Issue 61.)
3 – Onimusha (I would put this on Issue 48’s cover, and move San Andreas onto Issue 54’s cover.)
2 – Prince of Persia (Either one of Issues 40 and 67 would work for this cover. Issue 67 would be my first choice, then 40 which has lots of good cover options. San Andreas takes priority for Issue 54.)
1 – Guitar Hero (Issue 80 would be ideal for this, but Issue 93 would also work. Tomb Raider takes priority for Issue 71)

Honourable mentions: Persona, SSX, Beyond Good and Evil, Okami, Rogue Galaxy

Issue 100 (July 2008)

                                                            Issue 100, July 2008

Editor’s letter
       I’ve got some good news and some bad news for you this month. You want to hear the bad news first? Ok. This will be the last ever issue of Official PS2 Magazine.
       Yup, with 100 issues under its belt and over 12.2 million copies sold, the biggest and best selling games mag the UK has ever seen is coming to an end. It’s a sad day for us all.
       Now the good news. It’s our 100th issue, and as a big send off for you – our loyal readers who have stuck with us through thick and thin – we’ve put together a seriously special mag.
       Sonic Unleashed, Guitar Hero World Tour, Lego Indy, Harry Potter: they’re all in these centennial pages.
       Plus, we’ve got a whole host of retrospective features, including a look back at the greatest OPS2 moments, to help you remember the good times gone by.
       It’s been a fantastic 100 issues. We hope you’ve had as much fun reading them as we have making them.
                                                            Andy Hartup, Acting Editor

Features
OPS2 is 100! – Replacing the News section this month is this retrospective feature, in which the team name their favourite covers (Issues 35, 45, 52, 57, 58 and 98), and issues (2, 32, 59, 65 and 81), and more.

It’s a Kind of Magic – Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince

He’s Back – Sonic Unleashed

Monthly Articles
Your Game in Lights – Readers submit their own game ideas. This month, The Selected Force, in which killer robots take over a school, Plague, in which Florida falls victim to a zombie outbreak, Blades of Creation, an RPG with a character creation mode, and King Drummer, a music game where you play the drums.

The PS2 Games you Should Own – PS2 cult classics. This month, Grand Theft Auto: Vice City.

The Greatest – This month, OPS2 moments to celebrate the 100th issue.

OPS2-O-Meter – Measuring games along a certain theme. This month, ladyboys, or androgynous to use a more politically correct term.

Scene Stealer – PS2’s best scenes. This month, shunting a rival into oncoming traffic in Burnout Revenge.

Where the Hell is? – Honourable mentions for the Hall of Fame. This month, Psi-Ops: The Mindgate Conspiracy.

Brief History – This month, Need for Speed.

Collector’s Item – Gaming merchandise. This month, the Resident Evil chainsaw controller.

Great Game Ingredients – What goes into the best games? This month, The Sims.

Top 10 – This month, OPS2 conversation topics.

Playstation Workout – Get into a gaming genre through four games of increasing difficulty. This month, horror. Easy – Obscure II. Medium – Silent Hill 2. Hard – Resident Evil 4. Killer – Forbidden Siren 2.

Top Chumps – PS2’s worst characters. This month, Lance Vance from Grand Theft Auto: Vice City.

The Year in Playstation – This month, 2005. The Best – Resident Evil 4. The Worst – Crazy Frog Racer. Underrated – Soul Calibur III. Overhyped – Tenchu: Fatal Shadows. Forgotten – Everybody’s Golf. Never Again! – Pink Pong.

Playstation Education – Demonstrating various examples of a certain item in PS2 games. This month, gadgets.

Split Screen – No games for the last one. Instead, how we wish OPS2 was made (parties and recreational alcoholism) VS how it’s actually made (lots of hard work and waiting on publishers).

Previews
Guitar Hero World Tour
The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor
Crash: Mind Over Mutant
Killzone 2
Lord of the Rings: Conquest
This is Vegas
R-Type Command
Endwar
N+

PS2 Reviews
Lego Indiana Jones: The Original Adventures – “It’s not perfect – but the humour, drama and pure fun of Lego Indy will keep you hooked to the end.” 8/10

Aline in the Dark – “Flawed, scruffy and inconsistent, but the small moments of magic go some way to make up for the lack of overall polish.” 7/10

SBK-08 Superbike World Championship – “Functional and deep but wrapped in a package inaccessible to all but the most ardent petrol heads.” 7/10

Guitar Hero Rocks the 80s – 7/10

PSP Reviews
Warriors Orochi – “Hopelessly repetitive and only offers the same amount of cheap thrills as every other Dynasty Warriors type game.” 6/10

Boulder Dash Rocks! – “There’s little here except nostalgia and a chance to use your favourite swear words.” 5/10

Dungeon Explorer – “A repetitive RPG-by-numbers. Only grind veterans will find a vague sense of enjoyment.” 5/10

Iron Man – 5/10

PS3 Reviews
Haze – “No amount of sharp gunplay can redeem Haze’s cliched script and patchy execution.” 6/10

Overlord: Raising Hell – “A non-offensive god-sim packed full of laughs and originality. Buy it.” 7/10

Enemy Territory: Quake Wars – “Ugly as sin, with clunky mechanics to boot. Not great value compared to other PS3 shooters.” 5/10

Disc Content
Playable Demos
Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater
Burnout Revenge
Pro Evolution Soccer 2008
Rogue Galaxy
Tomb Raider: Legend
Final Fantasy X
Timesplitters 2
Shadow of the Colossus
Okami

Trivia
* Sonic is holding a copy of the magazine on the cover, which has a picture of Sonic holding the magazine, which has a picture of Sonic holding the magazine… Oh lord, it’s one of those images that goes on forever! I’m sure there’s a name for this, but I couldn’t for the life of me tell you what it is.
* The Gaydar pings for the last time as Daniel expresses interest in playing as characters from diverse backgrounds.
* Big well done to Freedom Fighters, Ico, Music 3000 and Timesplitters 2 for being the only four games to appear in the Hot 100 and Hall of Fame without missing a single month.
* There is actually one last demo disc, which was released alongside Issue 80 of the Official PS2 Magazine Netherlands. That disc has 16 playable demos, finally beating the record set by Issue 38’s disc, and seems to have a theme of hidden gems and cult classics.
* The biggest selling issue is Issue 29, which sold 260,000 copies.
* If I had to guess, the magazine ended with this issue partly due to sales (not that I can find any sales figures to back this up), and partly due to wanting to consolidate everything in the new Official Playstation Magazine. Looking at the upcoming schedules, there are still enough worthwhile games being released that, under different circumstances, the magazine could have lasted to the end of 2008. 2009 would have been tricky though, with Persona 4 as the only notable release.
* Despite ending 8 issues sooner than the old Official Playstation Magazine, OPS2 hadn’t yet gotten to the point where there was absolutely nothing left to write about, which meant the magazine was given free rein to do whatever it wanted because hardly anyone was reading anyway, until Future Publishing noticed they’d forgotten to shut it down. That description sums up the last 18 months or so of OPM, which ran until 2004 despite PSOne releases having dwindled to virtually nothing by the middle of 2002. The continued growth of gaming news websites ensured such a scenario could not happen again.
* I’m glad that OPS2 reached its 100th issue, but I’m also sad that it ended on a celebratory milestone. It gives the issue a bittersweet feeling.

Quote of the Month: “Have you got a favourite mission you’d like us to feature here? Well, to be honest, you’ve left it a little late to tell us about it. These are the last few words in the mag, so from all the team: thanks for everything. We’ve been great… Next issue on sale NEVER.” What better choice than the final paragraph of the magazine?

Cover price: £5.99
Page Count: 98

On that note, this project is finally complete! Thank you to everyone who has read along, and gotten in touch with words of encouragement. I hope that I’ve been able to reawaken some fond memories for you, or taught you a little something new for those of you who didn’t read the magazine during its run. This project may have had a niche audience, but I am honoured to have any audience at all.

                                                                This is good, isn't it?

Issue 99 (June 2008)

                                                                Issue 99, June 2008

Editor’s letter
       So here we are – the awkward 99th issue. With so much activity focused on delivering a cracking centenary mag here at OPS2 towers, you’d be forgiven for thinking we’d decide to take it easy the month before.
       But with Hulk, Iron Man, Spider-Man, Harry Potter, Star Wars and Alone in the Dark all stuffed into one issue, we’ve set the bar high for ourselves. Topping all this PS2 goodness with an even better Issue 100 is going to be a real challenge.
       One thing that’s going to be particularly tricky to top is our enormous Incredible Hulk feature. We had to get real angry with Sega for the skinny on that game.
       Similarly, Atari was reluctant to let us go hands on with Alone in the Dark, but after we threatened them with a flaming chair (For ‘flaming chair’ read ‘stern email’) they relented. You’ll find an in-depth report on p20.
       So, onwards to Issue 100, via an action packed Issue 99!
                                                            Andy Hartup, Acting Editor

Feature
You’ll only like him when he’s angry… – The Incredible Hulk

Monthly Articles
Google Fight – This month, King Kong beats King Arthur, with 13,700,000 hits to 6,620,000.

Mouth Piece – A staff member gives their view on a particular topic. This month, Kim explains why we need unlockables.

The World According to Playstation – Various locations around a specific theme. This month, chases.

Reader Reviews – This month, SSX 3 and Scarface: The World is Yours.

Your Game in Lights – Readers submit their own game ideas. This month, Worldwide City Circuit. Despite what the name might suggest, you actually race around Europe.

The PS2 Games you Should Own – PS2 cult classics. This month, Shadow of the Colossus.

The Greatest – This month, battles.

OPS2-O-Meter – Measuring games along a certain theme. This month, the undead.

Quit or Retry? – This month, can games teach us anything? – Andy says yes, freelance writer Dave Harrison says no.

Scene Stealer – PS2’s best scenes. This month, Travis remembers his dad in Silent Hill Origins.

Where the Hell is? – Honourable mentions for the Hall of Fame. This month, Makai Kingdom: Chronicles of the Sacred Tome.

Brief History – This month, Tomb Raider.

Collector’s Item – Gaming merchandise. This month, Viewtiful Joe action figures.

Great Game Ingredients – What goes into the best games? This month, Guitar Hero.

Top 10 – This month, OPS2 Facebook group discussions.

Playstation Workout – Get into a gaming genre through four games of increasing difficulty. This month, god sims. Easy – Thrillville: Off the Rails. Medium – The Sims 2 Castaway. Hard – LMA Manager 2007. Killer – Age of Empires 2: Age of Kings.

Top Chumps – PS2’s worst characters. This month, Tidus from Final Fantasy X. In case you’re wondering, the laughing scene isn’t mentioned once.

The Year in Playstation – This month, 2004. The Best – Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater. The Worst – Miami Vice. Underrated – Silent Hill 4: The Room. Overhyped – Mortal Kombat: Deception. Forgotten – Final Fantasy XI. Never Again! – Catwoman.

Playstation Education – Demonstrating various examples of a certain item in PS2 games. This month, robots.

Split Screen – Playing a game two different ways. This month, the first act of Tomb Raider, circa 1996 and 2007.

Previews
Alone in the Dark
Star Wars: The Force Unleashed
TNA Impact
Dancing Stage Supernova 2
Guitar Hero Aerosmith
Williams Pinball Classics
Cid the Dummy
Dead Space
Mafia II
Ferrari Challenge
Everybody’s Golf 2
Secret Agent Clank
Buzz! The Master Quiz

PS2 Reviews
Iron Man – “One of the poorest movie tie-ins to date, Iron Man is ugly, tedious, boring and broken. No, we didn’t like it very much, and neither will you.” 5/10

Ultimate Board Games Collection – “An uninspiring collection that’s poorly presented and underwhelming to play. You have been warned…” 3/10

Doctor Who Top Trumps – “While we always enjoy a good Trump, we reckon there are more exciting ways to make a Doctor Who game.” 5/10

Soul Nomad and the World Eaters – “Far from the best effort from the NI stable but still a serious treat for fans of this plucky yet obscure Japanese dev. Worth a rental, at least.” 7/10

PSP Reviews
Final Fantasy VII: Crisis Core – “FFVII convinced many people to buy a PS1, and Crisis Core is the game that will spur you on to buy a PSP.” 9/10

Coded Arms: Contagion – “Simple, repetitive gaming, that offers immediate fun, but very little real substance.” 6/10

Bomberman Land – “Although once a trusty friend, Bomberman is too old and tired to compete on PSP.” 4/10

PS3 Reviews
Grand Theft Auto IV – “The most involving, witty, well-rounded and goddamn exciting GTA ever.” 10/10

Gran Turismo 5 Prologue – “Needs to make serious progress if Gran isn’t to become an indication of age.” 7/10

Ryu Ga Gotoku Kenzan – “Japanese or no, the lush 17th century looks and stunning sword play will kiss your eyes.” 8/10

Rainbow Six Vegas 2 – 8/10

Disc Content
Playable Demos
Black
Timesplitters 2
Rainbow Six: Lockdown
Second Sight
Medal of Honor: Frontline
Ghost Recon: Jungle Storm
Brothers in Arms: Road to Hill 30
Metal Slug 3
Killzone
24
Conflict: Desert Storm
Return to Castle Wolfenstein
Rez

Trivia
* The page count is reduced again for the final two issues, this time down to 98 pages.
* Rez and Wolfenstein are two bonus demos, not listed on the demo page or sleeve.
* Gaydar: This month, Daniel Gay is in favour of video game movies, and also writes another poem.
* When the Dalek uses its special ability, it screeches “Exterminate! Exterminate!”, whereas the other characters let the robotic announcer handle it. That’s got to be worth an extra point, surely?
* Although Metal Gear Solid 3 was released in 2005 in Europe, it was released in November 2004 in America and December 2004 in Japan, so I’ll give it a pass.
* This must have been a quiet month for PS3, as Gran Turismo 5 Prologue was already reviewed in Issue 95, and Ryu Ga Gotoku Kenzan is a Japan-only import review (and also referred to as Yakuza 3 throughout.)

Quote of the Month: “The day you stop being able to have a giggle by messing around inside videogames, then sir, you may as well stop playing them all together.” Wise words indeed!

Cover price: £5.99
Page Count: 98

Issue 98 (May 2008)

                                                                    Issue 98, May 2008

Editor’s letter
       I have a confession to make. Several years ago, when the first Lego Star Wars game appeared on PS2, I wasn’t a big fan.
       Alright: I thought the idea was daft and, in a review, I gave the game a bit of a kicking, saying it was too easy and full of cliches.
       Looking back, I can admit those criticisms were too harsh. Lego Star Wars was a bit of silly fun, and I was too much of an angry young man to see it. So, sorry.
       To atone for my error, the team and I have fought tooth and nail to bring you the biggest scoop on the new Lego Indy game that we can manage.
       You’ll find the glorious fruits of our labours on p48. And we challenge you to find a more action-packed preview anywhere else.
       Elsewhere in the mag, we’ve got the skinny on the new Hulk game, Yakuza 2, Iron Man and a review of the super-spooky Silent Hill Origins.
       It’s all the gaming goodness you’ll need to see you through the month!
                                                            Andy Hartup, Acting Editor

Feature
If adventure has a game, it must be… – Lego Indiana Jones

Monthly Articles
Mouth Piece – A staff member gives their view on a particular topic. This month, Andy asks if modern games are too easy.

The World According to Playstation – Various locations around a specific theme. This month, gangs.

Reader Reviews – This month, The Matrix: Path of Neo and Need for Speed ProStreet.

Your Game in Lights – Readers submit their own game ideas. This month, SFX League: Sonic Sound Team, a music competition against demons and ghouls to win a magic crystal and save the world.

The Level – Celebrating the PS2’s best levels. This month, Siberia from Alien Hominid.

The PS2 Games you Should Own – PS2 cult classics. This month, We Heart Katamari.

The Greatest – This month, furries.

Unsung Hero – PS2’s best characters. This month, Captain Qwark from Ratchet and Clank. I can think of at least four reasons he’s worthy: charming, sexy, brilliant, iron hard abs!

OPS2-O-Meter – Measuring games along a certain theme. This month, evil.

Quit or Retry? – This month, are games racially diverse? – Freelance writer Dave Harrison says yes, Kim says no. Another heavy topic, handled in a respectful manner.

Scene Stealer – PS2’s best scenes. This month, the bassist from Guitar Hero 2.

Where the Hell is? – Honourable mentions for the Hall of Fame. This month, Fur Fighters.

Brief History – This month, Star Wars again.

Collector’s Item – Gaming merchandise. This month, Final Fantasy potion drinks.

Great Game Ingredients – What goes into the best games? This month, God of War.

Top 10 – This month, disappointing games.

Playstation Workout – Get into a gaming genre through four games of increasing difficulty. This month, puzzle games. Easy – We Heart Katamari. Medium – Puyo Pop Fever. Hard – Bombastic. Killer – Lemmings.

Top Chumps – PS2’s worst characters. This month, Hermione from Harry Potter.

The Year in Playstation – This month, 2003. The Best – Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas. The Worst – Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon. Underrated – Worms 3D. Overhyped – Enter the Matrix. Forgotten – Ghosthunter. Never Again! – Mary Kate and Ashley: Sweet 16 Licensed to Drive.

Playstation Education – Demonstrating various examples of a certain item in PS2 games. This month, hands.

Split Screen – Playing a game two different ways. This month, Leisure Suit Larry: Magna Cum Laude. Will you woo the cowgirl or the quiet girl?

Previews
Yakuza 2
Iron Man
Diabolik: Original Sin
The Incredible Hulk
Speed Racer
Ultimate Board Game Collection
Soul Nomad and the World Eaters
Hawx
Haze
Golden Axe
Final Fantasy VII: Crisis Core
Boulder Dash Rocks!
SBK-08 Superbike World Championship

PS2 Reviews
Silent Hill Origins – “There are moments that’ll have you on the edge of your seat, but unwieldy combat and easy enemies takes away from the fear.” 7/10

Star Trek: Conquest – “Despite a budget price, Conquest still feels like a wasted attempt at Star Trek strategy. Fans and gamers deserve better than this.” 5/10

UEFA Euro 2008 – “The perfect accompaniment to the upcoming big cup and one in which England, Wales, Scotland and Ireland all have a shot.” 9/10

Samurai Warriors 2: Xtreme Legends – “A poor excuse of an expansion from a poor excuse for a sequel from an utterly knackered series.” 5/10

Singstar Summer Party – “A decent addition to your Singstar library, but Rocks! or Rock Ballads are better if you’re new to this karaoke franchise.” 7/10

Off Road – “The previous Ford games at least had some character, but this is dreadful. It’s too slow, too ugly and too pricey for what it is.” 3/10

George of the Jungle – “You’ll have to be a huge fan of the cartoon to get any joy from this. The slow pace and dreadful combat are just too hard to ignore.” 3/10

PSP Reviews
Castlevania: The Dracula X Chronicles – “Proof that Konami love us, this is a very generous thank you to fans and a great introduction for newcomers.” 9/10

Metal Gear Solid: Portable Ops Plus – “Disappointing. Should have been a download – as it is, it simply gets us down.” 5/10

Off Road – “Lacks the spark of passion or layer of imagination that would have made it stand out.” 6/10

PS3 Reviews
Viking: Battle for Asgard – “Where you should feel like a Norse action hero, you only feel like a dumb meathead, and no amount of entrails can make up for that.” 6/10

Turning Point: Fall of Liberty – “Why would you play this when you have the Olympics of shooters on hand in CoD?” 3/10

Dark Sector – “Worth weathering the doldrums for the good bits, but don’t rush through or you’ll miss them.” 7/10

Disc Content
Playable Demos
Burnout Revenge
Need for Speed Carbon
Outrun 2006: Coast to Coast
TOCA Race Driver 3
Stuntman Ignition
WRC: Rally Evolved
Mashed
Juiced
Moto GP 3
Ferrari F355 Challenge
Formula One 2006
Micro Machines V4

Footage
The Making of the Spiderwick Chronicles

Trivia
* In the spirit of this month’s Lego Indiana Jones feature, the team are represented by Lego versions of themselves instead of the usual photos.
* This is the final issue for Sophie Mason.
* The Spiderwick video is the last new content on the demo disc. Speaking of which, it’s a shame it wasn’t on last month’s disc, or even better, a playable demo. It would have been a perfect fit there.
* The Manhunt 2 saga ends this month, as after two rejected appeals by Rockstar, the Video Appeals Committee overrules the BBFC’s decision to reject the second appeal. As a result, the BBFC were left with no choice but to approve the game for release with an 18 certificate.
* Gaydar: Daniel Gay’s reader profile is featured this month.
* I’m in this issue too! This time, I’m gushing over Tombi following Issue 96’s PSOne feature. I even received a copy of Sega Superstars Tennis hot off the presses on release day as a prize!
* San Andreas wasn’t released in 2003, and was one of the big Christmas blockbusters of 2004, so how about we pretend another game is the best of 2003 instead? Soul Calibur II sound good?

Quote of the Month: “Yes, it was a bit weird but that’s the appeal.” This excerpt from my letter was highlighted as the letter quote of the month, so I will do the same. I think I’ve earned the right to toot my own horn here!

Cover price: £5.99
Page Count: 114

Issue 97 (April 2008)

                                                                  Issue 97, April 2008

Editor’s letter
       There’s a lot to be said for giving things a second chance. Take our cover game, Size Matters, for example.
       A couple of months back, we slammed developers for making lazy ports from PSP to PS2, but right now we’re more than happy to welcome Ratchet and Clank back onto PS2.
       Why? Because a great game is a great game, regardless of what format it’s on, and providing it’s handled with care, why shouldn’t the game be ported to other systems?
       Same goes for Silent Hill Origins. Why should non-PSP owners be denied the opportunity to see where Konami’s now legendary series began? That’s right, they shouldn’t.
       Alone in the Dark? Started life as a PS3 game, but now it’s shambling onto PS2 – check out how the game is shaping up on p28.
       Now, if Sony would indulge us and port God of War: Chains of Olympus and Syphon Filter: Logan’s Shadow over from PSP, I’d be very grateful.
                                                        Andy Hartup, Acting Editor

Feature
Playing Dirty – Off Road

Monthly Articles
Google Fight – Game characters or series battle it out via Google Fight. This month, The Simpsons beats Futurama, with 69,000,000 hits to 12,300,000. At least Futurama gets the consolation prize of having a higher score than most previous winners.

Mouth Piece – A staff member gives their view on a particular topic. This month, Kim asks if games need celebrity voices.

The World According to Playstation – Various locations around a specific theme. This month, monsters.

Reader Reviews – This month, Valkyrie Profile 2: Silmeria, Devil May Cry, Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories and Sega Mega Drive Collection.

Your Game in Lights – Readers submit their own game ideas. This month, two of the PS2’s platformer trinity team up for Ratchet and Clank and Jak and Daxter (I guess Sly Cooper is being saved for the sequel), Penguin Adventures, in which you collect snowballs and avoid seals, Toy Soldiers, a war game with toys, and Fur Fighters 2: Friend or Fur.

The Level – Celebrating the PS2’s best levels. This month, 2,000,000 Leagues Under the Sea from Viewtiful Joe.

The PS2 Games you Should Own – PS2 cult classics. This month, Legacy of Kain: Defiance.

The Greatest – This month, baldies.

Unsung Hero – PS2’s best characters. This month, Guybrush Threepwood from Monkey Island.

OPS2-O-Meter – Measuring games along a certain theme. This month, thugs.

Scene Stealer – PS2’s best scenes. This month, meeting the Bound Man from Project Zero.

Where the Hell is? – Honourable mentions for the Hall of Fame. This month, Grimgrimoire.

Brief History – This month, Ratchet and Clank.

Collector’s Item – Gaming merchandise. This month, a controller modelled on Yuna’s guns from Final Fantasy X2.

Great Game Ingredients – What goes into the best games? This month, Disgaea.

Top 10 – This month, ridiculous names.

Playstation Workout – Get into a gaming genre through four games of increasing difficulty. This month, kids games. Easy – Eyetoy Play: Astro Zoo. Medium – Winnie the Pooh’s Rumbly Tumbly Adventure. Hard – Buzz Junior: Monster Rumble. Killer – Ape Escape 3.

Top Chumps – PS2’s worst characters. This month, Ashley from Resident Evil 4.

The Year in Playstation – This month, 2002. The Best – Timesplitters 2. The Worst – Reign of Fire. Underrated – Space Channel 5. Overhyped – Stuntman. Forgotten – Sly Cooper. Never Again! – Britney’s Dance Beat.

Playstation Education – Demonstrating various examples of a certain item in PS2 games. This month, boobs. People were still angry over the Babe-o-Meter, and they do this? They probably weren’t concerned about backlash at this point, since the magazine was ending imminently anyway.

Split Screen – Playing a game two different ways. This month, Resident Evil 4 in valiant and fearless styles.

Previews
Silent Hill Origins
Alone in the Dark
SBK-08 Superbike World Championship
Dynasty Warriors: Gundam
Ghostbusters
Resistance 2
Damnation
TNA Impact
Lego Indiana Jones
Lego Batman
Harvey Birdman: Attorney at Law

PS2 Reviews
Ratchet and Clank: Size Matters – “An engaging and highly enjoyable romp. Size Matters is a welcome return to form for Ratchet and Clank.” 9/10

Sega Superstars Tennis – “A solid serving of tennis-lite, but in the face of Everybody’s Tennis, can only really be recommended to the Sega hardcore.” 7/10

Fire Pro Wrestling Returns – “There’s no finer grap game out there. At £20, this deserves to be bought and adored by every PS2-owning wrestling fan.” 9/10

Odin Sphere – “Exceptional in looks, sound and story, Odin Sphere has all the makings of an instant cult classic. Everyone who owns a PS2 should at least give it a try.” 9/10

Naruto: Uzumaki Chronicles 2 – “The weakest title yet from the Naruto series. It feels unsurprisingly familiar, and lacks any real punch.” 6/10

El Tigre: The Adventures of Manny Riviera – “Pointless, boring and annoying: a one-idea game that’s so difficult it’ll make your kids hate themselves.” 4/10

Ar Tonelico: Melody of Elemia – “An average RPG that could’ve been so much more if Gust hadn’t ignored their solid ideas and focused on the ‘sexy’ innuendo.” 5/10

Buzz! The Pop Quiz – “Entertaining, but anyone familiar with the series will find nothing new here. Disappointing.” 6/10

PSP Reviews
God of War: Chains of Olympus – “An unmissable, epic adventure that’s as dramatic as any of Kratos’ full-sized games.” 10/10

Flatout: Head On – “A stupendous game you really must own, even if you don’t like cars.” 9/10

Patapon – “Gets repetitive after a while, but overall a charming, crazy treat.” 8/10

PS3 Reviews
Army of Two – “Likable as its twin leads are, AOT’s gameplay is hobbled by unbalanced guns and AI that’s far too sharp to be fun.” 6/10

Lost – “In its attempt not to spoil the TV show, Lost on PS3 simply skirts all the good stuff.” 5/10

Blacksite: Area 51 – “What could have been a decent shooter is crippled by big technical problems.” 5/10

Disc Content
Playable Demos
Okami
Crash of the Titans
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
Arthur and the Invisibles
We Heart Katamari
The Incredibles: Rise of the Underminer
Klonoa 2: Lunatea’s Veil
Wallace and Gromit: Curse of the Were-Rabbit
The Simpsons Hit and Run
Tak and the Power of Juju
Bionicle Heroes
Dark Cloud

Trivia
* I’m surprised it took this long for Ratchet and Clank to make the cover, but better late than never.
* This is the final issue for Mike Sterry. On a larger level, Phil Harrison also departed from Sony this month.
* At this late stage, there isn’t much news left to report on, and more rumours and speculation are needed. As such, Yoshinori Ono saying that Street Fighter IV doesn’t need high-quality graphics to be fun becomes “Street Fighter IV confirmed for Wii!”, which then leads into a campaign for a PS2 version, in a stretch that Dhalsim would be proud of.
* Gaydar: This month, Daniel Gay muses on the nature of art.
* With three games scoring 9/10, this month is the strongest review section we’ve had in a while, even more so than Persona 3, which had to carry its review section.
* Sadly, Fire Pro Wrestling Returns wasn’t released in the UK. The European version was only released in Italy, Spain and Portugal.

Quote of the Month: “Just don’t think about the human fist writhing around in his skull.” I’ve now ruined Kermit the Frog for you forever. You’re welcome!

Cover price: £5.99
Page Count: 114

Issue 96 (March 2008)

                                                                     Issue 96, March 2008

Editor’s letter
       Is it just me or did Hollywood take a bit of a nose-dive in 2007? Last year’s crop of so-called blockbusters was average at best, and depressingly, their gaming spin-offs were even worse (Pirates of the Caribbean, anyone? Spider-Man 3?).
       So, for me, 2008 can only be an improvement. And with that in mind, let’s talk Spiderwick…
       On the surface, The Spiderwick Chronicles books and film look like yet more tiresome Harry Potter clones.
       But look a little deeper and you’ll find its actually a deep, well-crafted fantasy with serious stuff to say about the break-down of the modern family.
       It’s the perfect antidote to the dreadful recent adaptation of Northern… sorry, The Golden Compass. And the Spiderwick game, which you can find reviewed on p70, is a similarly massive improvement on the spin-off Compass game.
       To top off the good news, Lego Indy and Lego Batman both look damn fine. Roll on the summer!
                                                                Andy Hartup, Acting Editor

Feature
Blasts from the Past – A throwback feature on the PSOne, with a selection of the classic games that still hold up today, as well as how rare and expensive – or not – they are to track down.

Monthly Articles
Google Fight – Game characters or series battle it out via Google Fight. This month, The Bible Game beats Evolution GT, with 2,250,000 hits to 1,580,000.

Mouth Piece – A staff member gives their view on a particular topic. This month, Andy argues that games are too expensive.

The World According to Playstation – Various locations around a specific theme. This month, battles.

Reader Reviews – This month, The Simpsons Game, Hitman: Blood Money, Xyanide Resurrection and Zoo Puzzle.

Your Game in Lights – Readers submit their own game ideas. This month, Time for War: Rise of the Four Nations, in which World War 3 has broken out, The Blood of Humans, in which dinosaurs go on a rampage, Shadow Man, in which you destroy the world, and Final Fantasy XIV, starring Lara Croft of all people.

The Level – Celebrating the PS2’s best levels. This month, rescuing General Carrington in XIII.

The PS2 Games you Should Own – PS2 cult classics. This month, Project Zero.

The Greatest – This month, budget games. Greatest in this context is noted as standing for “a certain carefully crafted naffness”, as opposed to actually being good.

Unsung Hero – PS2’s best characters. This month, Lego Admiral Ackbar.

OPS2-O-Meter – Measuring games along a certain theme. This month, OPS2 reject humanity and return to monkey.

Scene Stealer – PS2’s best scenes. This month, Travis Bell from Killer 7.

Where the Hell is? – Honourable mentions for the Hall of Fame. This month, I Ninja.

Brief History – This month, Pro Evolution Soccer, which previously received the bigger version of this feature back in Issue 69.

Collector’s Item – Gaming merchandise. This month, Grand Theft Auto dice.

Great Game Ingredients – What goes into the best games? This month, Onimusha.

Top 10 – This month, film games.

Playstation Workout – Get into a gaming genre through four games of increasing difficulty. This month, football. Easy – FIFA Street 2. Medium – FIFA 2008. Hard – Pro Evolution Soccer 2008. Killer – Championship Manager 2007.

Top Chumps – PS2’s worst characters. This month, Lee Chaolan from Tekken.

The Year in Playstation – This month, 2001. The Best – Grand Theft Auto 3. The Worst – The Weakest Link. Underrated – Kengo: Master of Bushido. Overhyped – Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone. Forgotten – Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver 2. Never Again! – The Flintstones in Viva Rock Vegas.

Playstation Education – Demonstrating various examples of a certain item in PS2 games. This month, the elderly.

Split Screen – Playing a game two different ways. This month, Mercenaries in stealthy and Indiana Jones styles.

Previews
Lego Batman
Lego Indiana Jones
Silent Hill Origins
Odin Sphere
Baroque
Twisted Metal Head On: Extra Twisted
Race Driver Grid
Lost
Highlander
The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift
Blokus Portable: Steambot Championship
Dungeon Explorer: Warriors of Ancient Arts

PS2 Reviews
The Spiderwick Chronicles – “An enjoyable and enchanting adventure with a few flaws but fountains of fun, especially (but not exclusively) for kids.” 7/10

Sonic Riders: Zero Gravity – “As a straight kart racer, Zero Gravity performs well. There’s just not enough depth and content here to propel it higher.” 7/10

MX VS ATV Untamed – “A motocross game that’s jam-packed with options and content, but nothing that raises the pulse or even peaks the interest.” 6/10

Wild Arms 5 – “Fun, comical and light-hearted, but does get tiresome due to endless random battles and the hero’s over-the-top quips.” 6/10

Godzilla Unleashed – “A big, stodgy pudding of a beat-‘em-up that lacks any punch or bite.” 4/10

Phantasy Star Universe: Ambition of the Illuminus – “Still offers the definitive MMO experience on PS2, but online is still the only way to get the most out of this expansion.” 7/10

Puzzle Quest: Challenge of the Warlords – “This is puzzling with a purpose – simple to get into, it quickly becomes addictive.” 8/10

PSP Reviews
NBA Live 2008 – “Whether you want to play in-depth for hours or just drop in, keep it PSP for the finest NBA experience.” 8/10

Warhammer 40K: Squad Command – “Thoughtful, strategic and neat, but you may get bored after a while.” 6/10

Spider-Man 3 – “A loveless afterthought that’s best avoided.” 5/10

PS3 Reviews
Devil May Cry 4 – “PS3’s premier slash-‘em-up, DMC 4 will make your eyes pop, although it won’t stop you hankering after God of War III.” 9/10

Condemned 2: Bloodshot – “The first proper horror experience on PS3 and it’s a cracker. A skull cracker…” 9/10

FIFA Street 3 – “Flamboyant fun, but doesn’t feel like you’re playing real football.” 6/10

Disc Content
Playable Demos
Tomb Raider: Anniversary
Prince of Persia: Warrior Within
Ico
Shadow of the Colossus
From Russia with Love
Hulk
Rocky Legends
The Incredibles
Arthur and the Invisibles
Bionicle Heroes
Sonic Riders

Trivia
* Demo disc life cycle phase 5: With no more new demos, the demo disc now has a different theme each month instead of the mix-‘n’-match approach of the last year.
* Destroy All Humans! Big Willy Unleashed was meant to be reviewed in this issue, but the PS2 and PSP versions of the game were cancelled as a cost-cutting measure following underwhelming sales for many of publisher THQ’s 2007 releases. If it was that close to release, wouldn’t it have made more sense to finish the game and release it in order to recoup at least some of the money spent on it, instead of letting it all go to waste?
* Gaydar: This month, Daniel Gay writes reader reviews for The Simpsons Game and Zoo Puzzle.
* There’s a slight spruce-up to the Hall of Fame this month, as several games change positions on the list. Most interestingly, there’s also a surprise new entry in the form of Worms: Forts Under Siege. Despite it only scoring 5/10 on its original review, the current team felt this was too harsh and increased the score to 7/10. It’s only a fleeting visit, though – we may be only four issues away from the end, but Worms doesn’t even last that long.
* This month’s Year in Playstation is the only one to include both PSOne and PS2 games, due to 2001 being a transition year between the two consoles. Had the magazine lasted a little longer, maybe 2007 could have been another transition year featuring both PS2 and PS3 games?

Quote of the Month: “Can I drive the Batmobile today? No. Please? No. Tomorrow? No.” Is Robin insured to drive it?

Cover price: £5.99
Page Count: 114

Issue 95 (February 2008)

                                                                Issue 95, February 2008

Editor’s letter
       If you’d have told me two years ago, when I joined OPS2, that my first issue as Acting Editor would not only include a potentially great licensed Ferrari game (something that has so far eluded almost every console) but a 10/10 review score for an RPG as well, I’d probably have chortled a little and waved you on as a potential nutter.
       But here we are, at the beginning of 2008, with that exact scenario!
       Ferrari Challenge is every bit the dream game for car enthusiasts. It’s got the licences, the experts and the technical nous to be a winner.
       Likewise, Shin Megami Tensei: Persona 3 is everything a roleplaying game fan could want: gorgeous visuals, sexy characters and a stack of charismatic creatures to battle. And all with a unique twist…
       Then we have Destroy All Humans 3, Sega Superstars Tennis, Rock Band, Mercenaries 2, Lego Batman and stacks more on the way. It all adds up to a rip-roaring start to 2008 for PS2, so stay tuned.
                                                            Andy Hartup, Acting Editor

Features
Dark Force Rising - Star Wars: The Force Unleashed

The Silent Hill Files – A Silent Hill retrospective that covers the entire series and expanded universe material, but primarily focuses on Silent Hill 2, 3 and 4.

Monthly Articles
Google Fight – Game characters or series battle it out via Google Fight. This month, Canis Canem Edit upsets Deus Ex, with 647,000 hits to 335,000.

Mouth Piece – A staff member gives their view on a particular topic. This month, Sophie takes publishers to task for half-assed PS2 ports of Wii, PS3 and PSP games.

The World According to Playstation – Various locations around a specific theme. This month, viruses.

Reader Reviews – This month, Beyond Good and Evil, Star Ocean: Till the End of Time, Soul Calibur III and Canis Canem Edit.

Your Game in Lights – Readers submit their own game ideas. This month, Law Enforcement Officer UK, a police officer simulator, Stick Man Madness: Emo Edition, in which a mad emo stick man kills everyone, Zombies Take Over!, which is self-explanatory, and Fight Over the Planet to the Death, a superhero fighting game that has Galactus in it.

The Level – Celebrating the PS2’s best levels. This month, Sindain from Dark Chronicle.

The PS2 Games you Should Own – PS2 cult classics. This month, Psychonauts.

The Greatest – This month, love stories for Valentine’s Day.

Unsung Hero – PS2’s best characters. This month, Lars Umlaut from Guitar Hero.

Quit or Retry? – This month, are games art? Mike says yes, Sophie says no.

OPS2-O-Meter – Measuring games along a certain theme. This month, hunks. Following on from last month’s Babe-o-Meter, it’s the men’s turn to be objectified this month. Hey, at least they’re equal opportunity this time.

Scene Stealer – PS2’s best scenes. This month, the parachute in Just Cause.

Brief History – This month, Resident Evil.

Collector’s Item – Gaming merchandise. This month, Metal Gear Solid Kubrick figures.

Great Game Ingredients – What goes into the best games? This month, Prince of Persia.

Top 10 – This month, hippy games.

Playstation Workout – Get into a gaming genre through four games of increasing difficulty. This month, platformers. Easy – Lego Star Wars 2: The Original Trilogy. Medium – Ratchet and Clank 3. Hard – Psychonauts. Killer – Prince of Persia: Warrior Within.

Top Chumps – PS2’s worst characters. This month, the sacrifice from God of War.

The Year in Playstation – This month, 2000. The Best – Resident Evil 3: Nemesis. The Worst – Frogger 2: Swampy’s Revenge. Underrated – Vagrant Story. Overhyped – Tomb Raider Chronicles. Forgotten – Front Mission 3. Never Again! – 102 Dalmations: Puppies to the Rescue.

Playstation Education – Demonstrating various examples of a certain item in PS2 games. This month, the military.

Split Screen – Playing a game two different ways. This month, Pro Evolution Soccer 2008 in daring and fancy dress styles.

Previews
Ferrari Challenge
Sega Superstars Tennis
Destroy All Humans! Big Willy Unleashed
Fire Pro Wrestling Returns
Far Cry 2
Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots
Top Spin 3
Flat Out: Head On
MX VS ATV Untamed
Super Hind

PS2 Reviews
Persona 3 – “Spellbinding stuff with lashings of imagination: well worth top marks!” 10/10

Bee Movie – “An interesting blend of mini-games and bee-based action that’s undermined by poorly thought-out challenges.” 6/10

Asterix at the Olympic Games – “Should have stuck with the athletics minigames, because next to other platformers this takes the wooden spoon.” 5/10

PDC World Championship Darts 2008 – “It’s as close to perfect as a darts game can be but, thanks to the nature of darts, that means it’s still a bit dull, really.” 6/10

PSP Reviews
Football Manager Handheld 2008 – “Engrossing, in-depth and exciting, this is the closest you’ll ever get to being Jose Mourinho (unless you already are Jose Mourinho.)” 8/10

Final Fantasy – “Buy it if you didn’t play it the first time, but otherwise prepare to be disappointed.” 7/10

Sonic Rivals 2 – “Basically good but let down by annoying and compulsory combat sections.” 7/10

PS3 Reviews
Unreal Tournament 3 – “Technically very accomplished and graphically gorgeous, but ultimately unsatisfying, even in online multiplayer.” 7/10

Gran Turismo 5 Prologue – “A very welcome, tantalising glimpse of what’s to come from this iconic racing franchise.” 8/10

The Club – “Straight arcade action with no depth; play for points, though, and you’ll relish it.” 7/10

Disc Content
Playable Demos
High School Musical: Sing It!
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
Jak 3
Ratchet: Gladiator
24
Rise to Honour
Dragon Quest VIII: Journey of the Cursed King
Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time
Sega Superstars
Brothers in Arms: Earned in Blood
Spyro: A Hero’s Tail

Trivia
* We’re fully into the wrapping things up phase by now, as you’ll notice Andy is Acting Editor rather than Editor. The page count has also been reduced by 16 pages.
* Ferrari Challenge seems like an odd game to put on the cover at first glance, bearing in mind Persona 3 is reviewed in this issue and would have made for a more unique cover. Having said that, it’s possible Persona 3 was too niche, and there hasn’t been a racing game on the cover in four years (the last one was Issue 47, which had Need for Speed Underground 2 on the cover), so another one was long overdue.
* High School Musical is the last new playable demo to appear on the disc. It’s a slightly underwhelming game to be the last demo ever, because as a karaoke game, an additional peripheral is required so not everyone can play it. In addition, I’m not sure how much overlap there is between OPS2 readers and High School Musical fans.
* Following on from last issue’s news section, the Romantics had their lawsuit against Guitar Hero (they argued that the cover used in the game was so good, people couldn’t tell it apart from the original) thrown out of court.
* Gaydar: This month, Daniel Gay writes a reader review for Canis Canem Edit.
* Sora and Kairi are included among the PS2 love stories, which notes “Although their love is more of a friendship, they are soulmates.” This hits different after Kingdom Hearts 3 got them as close to being a couple as it could get without explicitly confirming it.
* Persona 3 is the last PS2 game to score 10/10. I specify PS2 because there are a couple PSP and PS3 games that score 10/10 still to come.
* Speaking of which, one final instalment of Games that would never be made today: Persona 3. Okay, you could still make this one, but holding a gun to your head to summon demons would be an absolute no-go, so there will have to be some changes. Frankly, I’m surprised they were allowed to do this the first time around.
* The next issue promises a review of Destroy All Humans! Big Willy Unleashed. Yeah, about that…

Quote of the Month: The prize bundle for one of this month’s competitions includes “A busload* of OPS2 stickers. *May not literally fill a bus.”

Cover price: £5.99
Page Count: 114

Issue 94 (January 2008)

                                                                Issue 94, January 2008

Editor’s letter
       Happy new year! We all hope you had a fab Christmas and that Santa brought you all the games that you asked for. Me, I didn’t even get the Ratchet and Clank socks that I wanted.
       To kick off 2008 we’re taking a look at the best games coming out in the months ahead. Heading up the previews is our cover game, Alone in the Dark. I popped over to France to have an exclusive first play and you’ll find our huge feature on p52.
       Meanwhile, the rest of the team have gone ga-ga for Rock Band, and there was nearly a scrap when deciding who got to write the preview on p20.
       There are loads more games in our preview section, too many to mention here. But I do have to mention the Art of God of War feature on p68, a thing of great (but gory) beauty we think you’ll agree.
       In other news, after 16 issues as editor, this will be my final month at OPS2’s helm. So it’s with a tear in my eye that I bid you a fond farewell.
       Thanks for reading!
                                                                            Nick Ellis, Editor

Features
Alone in the Dark

The Art of War – A gallery of previously unrevealed concept art for God of War, including Blue Kratos and African Tarzan Kratos, who had the Blades of Chaos tied to his dreadlocks. There’s also commentary from the artists on the direction they were going for with each piece.

Monthly Articles
Google Fight – Game characters or series battle it out via Google Fight. This month, Final Fantasy beats Kingdom Hearts, with 51,900,000 hits to 6,640,000.

Mouth Piece – A staff member gives their view on a particular topic. This month, Mike asks is Guitar Hero killing music?

The World According to Playstation – Various locations around a specific theme. This month, superheroes.

Reader Reviews – This month, Guitar Hero II, Pro Evolution Soccer 2008, WWE Smackdown VS Raw 2007, God of War II and Final Fantasy VIII.

Your Game in Lights – Readers submit their own game ideas. This month, Zombie Blast, in which you bring about the zombie apocalypse, Mind Openers, a puzzle game, Ring of Pain, a fantasy wrestling game, and Mushroom Kingdom, which has nothing to do with Mario.

The Level – Celebrating the PS2’s best levels. This month, Naszran Foundry from Black.

The PS2 Games you Should Own – PS2 cult classics. This month, Devil May Cry 3.

The Greatest – This month, weapons.

Unsung Hero – PS2’s best characters. This month, Dr N.Gin from Crash Bandicoot.

Quit or Retry? – This month, are games sexist? Kim says yes, Andy says no.

OPS2-O-Meter – Measuring games along a certain theme. This month, babes.

Scene Stealer – PS2’s best scenes. This month, the first t-rex in King Kong.

Brief History – This month, Final Fantasy.

Collector’s Item – Gaming merchandise. This month, Onimusha 3’s katana controller.

Great Game Ingredients – What goes into the best games? This month, Timesplitters.

Top 10 – This month, locations.

Playstation Workout – Get into a gaming genre through four games of increasing difficulty. This month, racing games. Easy – Outrun 2006: Coast to Coast. Medium – Burnout Dominator. Hard – Colin McRae Rally 2005. Killer – Gran Turismo 4.

Top Chumps – PS2’s worst characters. This month, Spyro’s sidekick Sparx the Dragonfly.

The Year in Playstation – This month, 1999. The Best – Metal Gear Solid. The Worst – Ford Racing. Underrated – Silent Hill. Overhyped – Final Fantasy VIII. Forgotten – Ape Escape. Never Again! – Army Men: Sarge’s Heroes.

Playstation Education – Demonstrating various examples of a certain item in PS2 games. This month, evil geniuses.

Split Screen – Playing a game two different ways. This month, Star Wars Battlefront 2 in rebel and imperial styles.

Previews
Rock Band
The Spiderwick Chronicles
Sonic Riders: Zero Gravity
Dirt: Origin of the Species
Persona 3
Iron Man
Ar Tonelica: Melody of Elemia
Star Wars: The Force Unleashed
Lego Indiana Jones
Destroy All Humans! Big Willy Unleashed
The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian
Ghostbusters
Sega Superstars Tennis
Mercenaries 2: World in Flames
Godzilla Unleashed
Nobunaga’s Ambition: Rise to Power
Speed Racer
Fallout 3
Conflict: Denied Ops
Unreal Tournament III
Echochrome
Patapon
God of War: Chains of Olympus

PS2 Reviews
Realplay Pool – “It works, but a lack of variety and entertainment value means Realplay Pool is no substitute for the real thing.” 5/10

Realplay Racing – “Want to race with a steering wheel? Buy Burnout, buy a proper wheel peripheral, avoid this game like the M25 at rush hour.” 2/10

Realplay Golf – “A feeling of accuracy is what you need in a golf game, but this peripheral doesn’t provide a shred of it.” 4/10

Realplay Puzzlesphere – “It’s a rare title that makes us ashamed that we play videogames. That is Puzzlesphere’s sole achievement.” 2/10

Buzz Junior: Monster Rumble – “A multitude of monstery mini-games that makes for a festival of family fun.” 7/10

Eyetoy Play: Astro Zoo – “It gets thin pretty quickly, but it’s a definite necessity for kids’ parties and all-round cutesy good times.” 6/10

International Cricket Captain III – “This stuffy management game requires the patience and dedication of a Franciscan monk to play.” 5/10

Alvin and the Chipmunks – “It’s primary-schooler-friendly, but without all the gimmicks found in other rhythm-action titles, it’s essentially a £30 mini-game.” 5/10

CSI: 3 Dimensions of Murder – “An old-fashioned point-and-click game with stories that are interesting enough but give new meaning to the phrase ‘slow-paced’.” 6/10

High School Musical: Sing It! – “Almost a 10-year-old girl’s dream come true, but too short and too no-frills: could have been a lot more.” 6/10

PSP Reviews
Alien VS Predator Requiem – “Concentrates on totally accommodating casual players, at the expense of entertaining fans.” 7/10

Syphon Filter: Logan’s Shadow – “Make room, Metal Gear Solid: ballsy, tough, heroic spying is officially cool again.” 9/10

Pursuit Force: Extreme Justice – “Extreme, yes; pursuit, lots of it; fun, mostly; but essential? Not really.” 7/10

FIFA 2008 – 8/10
The Simpsons Game – 8/10
WWE Smackdown VS Raw 2008 – 8/10
Football Manager Handheld 2008 – 8/10

PS3 Reviews
Burnout Paradise – “Burnout Paradise is a truly superb racer; fast, vast and there’s plenty to do under that super-slick surface.” 9/10

The Orange Box – “With the right people playing with you, this is one of 2008’s top shooters.” 8/10

Timeshift – “A workmanlike shooter with a cute gimmick that isn’t close to being enough.” 6/10

Need for Speed ProStreet – 6/10
FIFA 2008 – 6/10

Disc Content
Playable Demos
Asterix at the Olympic Games
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
Crash of the Titans
Lumines Plus
Singstar Rocks!
Lego Star Wars 2: The Original Trilogy
Black
Timesplitters: Future Perfect
Need for Speed Carbon
Outrun 2006: Coast to Coast
Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater

Trivia
* Videogames have it rough this month, and it’s not because of Manhunt 2 for a change. First, The Romantics sued because a cover of one their songs in Guitar Hero Rocks the 80s was so good, people couldn’t tell the difference between the cover version and the original. Second, the England football team blamed their failure to qualify for Euro 2008 on videogames, which the spokesman for a children’s football charity described as “At best, overly simplistic and, at worst, negatively focusing attention away from much more pressing issues.”
* Major clanger this month, as after the mature and civil “Are games sexist?” debate, in which both sides raise valid points and come to an agreement on how to improve the situation (that debate would be far more hostile today), the Babe-o-Meter is on the very next page. They could have at least spaced them out a bit, or not had the two articles in the same issue so they don’t shoot themselves in the foot.
* There were two other Realplay games planned, Realplay Bowling and Realplay Tennis. Aside from boxart mock-ups, it doesn’t appear that these two were ever released. If they were, they weren’t reviewed anyway.
* After several months of readers sending in their Guitar Hero high scores, a dedicated section for them is added to the magazine this month.
* Following in the footsteps of Tim Clark last month, this month sees Ben Wilson return for a cameo appearance, providing a second opinion on International Cricket Captain III.

Quote of the Month: “We would have the best team if we could go into every household and throw away every Playstation, Xbox and videogame.” Sour grapes much?

Cover price: £5.99
Page Count: 130

Issue 93 (Christmas 2007)

                                                        Issue 93, Christmas 2007

Editor’s letter
       I managed to grab a few weeks holiday this month (which was very nice indeed, thank you). Upon my return I found that everyone in the office had, rather suspiciously, managed to become experts at Guitar Hero III.
       Now they’re all laughing at my feeble attempts to master Sunshine of Your Love by Cream on the Easy setting. They won’t be laughing as much when I hand them their P45s.
       So my hols meant I missed out on the Guitar Hero sessions, and indeed playing any of the other games that are packed into our review section like so many presents under the tree.
       However, I did manage to win the Master League double in PES on the Professional difficulty setting. Result!
       I’m sure you’ll all be playing plenty of games in December, too. Don’t forget to write in to Playstation Nation and tell us what you think of them, or how you’ve set an unbeatable high score.
       Merry Christmas! See you in 2008.
                                                                        Nick Ellis, Editor

Features
Who you gonna call? – Ghostbusters

Don’t Leave 2007 Without… – The annual best-of feature. Instead of being a countdown as with the last three years, this year instead highlights the best game of each genre, and some honourable mentions.

Monthly Articles
Google Fight – Game characters or series battle it out via Google Fight. This month, The Great Escape beats The Getaway, with 49,900,000 hits to 9,450,000.

Mouth Piece – A staff member gives their view on a particular topic. This month, Andy argues it’s time to give film-based games a chance, instead of immediately dismissing them.

The World According to Playstation – Various locations around a specific theme. This month, assassinations.

Reader Reviews – This month, The Warriors, Fahrenheit, Black, Brian Lara International Cricket 2007 and Gottlieb Pinball Classics.

Your Game in Lights – Readers submit their own game ideas. This month, Carbon Footprint, a game where you must bring global warming under control, Demon Blood, in which you must find a cure for cursed demon blood, Grand Theft Auto: Raccoon City, a GTA / Resident Evil crossover, and Citadel, in which you must demolish a skyscraper.

The Level – Celebrating the PS2’s best levels. This month, Rosa from Rogue Galaxy.

The PS2 Games you Should Own – PS2 cult classics. This month, Return to Castle Wolfenstein.

The Greatest – This month, sidekicks.

Unsung Hero – PS2’s best characters. This month, the Merchant from Resident Evil 4.

Quit or Retry? – This month, are cheats a good thing? Sophie says yes, Kim says no.

OPS2-O-Meter – Measuring games along a certain theme. This month, stealth.

Scene Stealer – PS2’s best scenes. This month, the intro to We Heart Katamari.

Brief History – This month, Crash Bandicoot.

Collector’s Item – Gaming merchandise. This month, a statue of Piggsy from Manhunt.

Great Game Ingredients – What goes into the best games? This month, Metal Gear Solid.

Top 10 – This month, hardest games.

Playstation Workout – Get into a gaming genre through four games of increasing difficulty. This month, first-person shooters. Easy – Call of Duty 3. Medium – Killzone. Hard – Black. Killer – Timesplitters 2

Top Chumps – PS2’s worst characters. This month, Ken Rosenberg from Grand Theft Auto. He couldn't intimidate a baby - believe him, he's tried!

The Year in Playstation – This month, 1998. The Best – Gran Turismo. The Worst – The Fifth Element. Underrated – Parasite Eve. Overhyped – Medievil. Forgotten – Theme Hospital. Never Again! – Asteroids

Playstation Education – Demonstrating various examples of a certain item in PS2 games. This month, dinosaurs.

Split Screen – Playing a game two different ways. This month, The Sims 2 Castaway in sociable and hermit styles.

Previews
Destroy All Humans! Big Willy Unleashed
MX VS ATV Untamed
Phantasy Star Universe: Ambition of the Illuminus
Devil May Cry 4
Soul Calibur 4
Condemned 2: Bloodshot
God of War: Chains of Olympus
Bomberman Land
Syphon Filter: Combat Ops

PS2 Reviews
Torrente 3: El Protector – “If you liked the film, you’ll probably like the game. But, frankly, that says more about you than it does about the game.” 1/10

Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock – “All the best stuff from the first two games has been kept in and everything that’s been added just makes this GH the best yet.” 9/10

Tony Hawk’s Proving Ground – “Grey, unfair, buggy: it’s a lacklustre entry to the series. Still, it’s better than Downhill Jam.” 6/10

Cars Mater-National – “As a racing game, Cars is good, straightforward family fun. As a movie licence, it’s a must for all fans.” 7/10

Dragon Ball Z: Budokai Tenkaichi 3 – “Looks great, good fun and packed full of modes but most fights play out the same way once you work out a winning formula.” 7/10

Alan Hansen’s Sport Challenge – “Unimaginative, uninspired and just plain unexciting.” 3/10

Cheggers’ Party Quiz – “Underdeveloped, underwhelming and just plain unbelievable.” 3/10

Boogie – “Like an X-Factor winner, this is nice to look at and entertaining for a little while, but is ultimately vacuous and short-lived.” 6/10

Avatar: The Burning Earth – “More than a little mindless, The Burning Earth is definitely one for fans only. Everyone else should leave it well alone.” 6/10

Singstar Bollywood – “All the classics are there, but they feel watered down because of the language.” 7/10

Looney Tunes: Acme Arsenal – “Frustrating, disheartening and broken in places: a perfect recipe for making kids cry.” 4/10

Need for Speed ProStreet – “Illegal street racing makes for a fun game. Auto testing on a runway doesn’t.” 6/10

The Golden Compass – “Not a disaster, but sorely lacking in polish. It is riddled with problems and takes too many liberties with the franchise.” 6/10

PSP Reviews
Silent Hill Origins – “Interesting details for fans but also works as a standalone game – plus it maintains the chilling atmosphere of the big-screen games.” 8/10

Star Wars Battlefront: Renegade Squadron – “Disappointing effort; scrapes the barrel more than it feels the Force.” 6/10

Medal of Honor Heroes 2 – “So simple that it’s actually a bit limited, despite a substantial multiplayer offer.” 7/10

PS3 Reviews
Uncharted: Drake’s Fortune – “Like Tomb Raider but with more guns and fewer puzzles, Uncharted deserves to be 2007’s sleeper hit.” 9/10

Assassin’s Creed – “Not as good as expected but still a fun playground to be let loose in.” 8/10

Kane and Lynch: Dead Men – “An unrelenting, ugly parade of death and loss and regret. With bad controls.” 5/10

Pro Evolution Soccer 2008 – 8/10

Disc Content
Playable Demos
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
PDC World Championship Darts 2008
FIFA 2008
Spider-Man: Friend or Foe
Rogue Galaxy
Okami
Tomb Raider: Anniversary
Stuntman Ignition
God of War II
Everybody’s Tennis
Heatseeker
Brian Lara International Cricket 2007

Trivia
* Former editor Tim Clark makes a cameo appearance, presenting a Golden Joystick award.
* Gaydar: This month, Daniel Gay prefers linearity in games due to increased focus on story and character, and provides the reader review for Gottlieb Pinball Classics.
* Avatar: The Burning Earth is notable on Xbox 360 for being the Holy Grail of achievement hunters, because there are only 5 achievements, and it’s very easy to get all of them within minutes of starting the game. That’s one way of securing additional sales from demographics who wouldn’t give your game the time of day otherwise (see also: Terminator Salvation.)
* That watered-down language bit in the Singstar review isn’t a race joke, it’s a reference to how the game uses phonetic lyrics so that non-native speakers can also play it. As a side effect, this makes the game harder for native Hindi speakers, as they have to hold back and play within the constraints of the game.
* The best of 2007 feature also includes the year’s worst games, which is where Torrente 3 comes in. Speaking of which, it is the last game to score 1/10.
* Fun Ghostbusters fact: the Ecto-1 was originally going to be black, but it was changed to white after it was pointed out that a black vehicle would be difficult to see during night-time scenes.

Quote of the Month: “What’s up, glock?” I could easily imagine that as the title of a Looney Tunes cartoon.

Cover price: £5.99
Page Count: 130