Issue 92 (December 2007)

                                                            Issue 92, December 2007

Editor’s letter
       The clocks have gone back, there’s an icy chill in the air, and the Christmas decorations are out in force in the shops. This can only mean one thing: gaming season is upon us!
       As ever, this time of year sees dozens of new titles crammed onto the shelves of game shops, and it can be overwhelming trying to decide which ones to buy and which ones you can do without.
       That’s where we come in. This issue’s reviews section is bursting with honest reviews of the great, the not-so-great and the downright pathetic. Make sure you check ‘em out before you open your wallet or pen your Christmas list.
       But it’s not all about this Christmas. We’re already looking forward to a mouth-watering new year.
       Sonic the Hedgehog and his mates star in our cover game, due for release in March, and you can read all about it in our exclusive hands-on preview on p50. Enjoy the issue!
                                                                    Nick Ellis, Editor

Features
Advantage Sega! – Sega Superstars Tennis

Gadgetron Winter Collection – A catalogue showing off a variety of weapons from throughout the Ratchet and Clank series.

Monthly Articles
Google Fight – Game characters or series battle it out via Google Fight. This month, Juiced is left to eat Need for Speed’s dust, with only 9,040,000 hits to a massive 184,000,000.

Mouth Piece – A staff member gives their view on a particular topic. This month, Kim asks why some Japanese games get localised but not others.

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

Reader Reviews – This month, 24, Manhunt, Metal Gear Solid 2, Guitar Hero 2 and Transformers.

Your Game in Lights – Readers submit their own game ideas. This month, The Paramedics, a hospital management game, a tie-in game for Signs, The Specialists, in which commandos search for a missing platoon, and Splinter Cell: Bean Agent, in which Mr Bean gets a job at the NSA.

The Level – Celebrating the PS2’s best levels. This month, Rockville from Destroy All Humans!

The PS2 Games you Should Own – PS2 cult classics. This month, Soul Calibur 2.

The Greatest – This month, cameos.

Unsung Hero – PS2’s best characters. This month, Sly Cooper.

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

Scene Stealer – PS2’s best scenes. This month, your first headshot in XIII.

Brief History – This month, Rainbow Six.

Collector’s Item – Gaming merchandise. This month, a set of Devil May Cry postage stamps.

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

Top 10 – This month, cleavage.

Playstation Workout – Get into a gaming genre through four games of increasing difficulty. This month, music games. Easy – Guitar Hero. Medium – Parappa the Rapper 2. Hard – Amplitude. Killer – Dancing Stage Supernova.

Top Chumps – PS2’s worst characters. This month, Bobby Zilch from Psychonauts.

The Year in Playstation – This month, 1997. The Best – Final Fantasy VII. The Worst – Independence Day. Underrated – Castlevania: Symphony of the Night. Overhyped – Tomb Raider II. Forgotten – Bushido Blade. Never Again! – Auto Destruct

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

Split Screen – Playing a game two different ways. This month, Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas in law-abiding (by GTA standards) and law-breaker styles.

Previews
Need for Speed ProStreet
Wild Arms 5
Persona 3
Saint’s Row 2
Uncharted: Drake’s Fortune
H.A.W.X.
Castlevania: The Dracula X Chronicles
Ben 10: Protector of Earth
Football Manager Handheld 2008

PS2 Reviews
WWE Smackdown VS Raw 2008 – “A definite step up in quality from last year, and there’s plenty to see and do. But many elements are still in need of a facelift.” 8/10

Pro Evolution Soccer 2008 – “Like FIFA 08, this season’s PES is largely the same as the last, but it’s still Champions League standard.” 9/10

The Sims 2 Castaway – “A brilliantly open-ended game that’s as great to learn as it is to master.” 8/10

The Legend of Spyro: The Eternal Night – “Spyro’s second outing is disappointing. Surely the plucky little dragon deserves better?” 6/10

Buzz! The Hollywood Quiz – “An ideal first game for Buzz! virgins or film buffs, but seasoned contestants will soon tire of it.” 7/10

NBA 2K8 – “Still the best basketball sim on PS2 and great value, but not much different to last year’s title.” 8/10

Spider-Man: Friend or Foe – “Its loose take on the Spidey mythology might annoy some, but this is a decent enough, multiplayer-friendly beat-‘em-up.” 6/10

The Simpsons Game – “Revolution in gameplay it ain’t, but its razor-sharp premise and humour make this the best Simpsons game on the market.” 8/10

Thrillville: Off the Rails – “A reasonably entertaining creation sim, good for dip-in, dip-out playing thanks to its quirky minigames.” 7/10

NHL 2K8 – “It’s still the best hockey game on PS2, but a lack of new features means it’s just last year’s game reloaded.” 7/10

Ratatouille – “Perfectly acceptable but largely uninspiring portion of generic platforming.” 6/10

Ben 10: Protector of Earth – “Okay for a spot of light relaxation but there’s nothing much here to write home about.” 5/10

PSP Reviews
Pro Evolution Soccer 2008 – “It may be a little rough around the edges, but PES is still the most action-packed footie game on PSP.” 8/10

Dead Head Fred – “So nearly a quirky classic. Worth a look if you’re the patient type.” 7/10

Wipeout Pulse – “Wipeout’s core chemistry is rich and balanced enough to merit continual evolution.” 8/10

PS3 Reviews
Ratchet and Clank: Tools of Destruction – “Ratchet and Clank may keep going through the same routine, but it’s impossible not to love them.” 9/10

Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare – “Too early to call it game of the year? Trust us, you’ll see…” 10/10

The Eye of Judgement – “Expensive and almost impossible not to cheat in singleplayer.” 6/10

Disc Content
Playable Demos
FIFA 2008
Pro Evolution Soccer 2008
Spider-Man: Friend or Foe
Soul Calibur 2
Space Channel 5 2
Return to Castle Wolfenstein
Destroy All Humans!
Ratchet and Clank 3
Whiplash
Tenchu: Wrath of Heaven
Need for Speed Most Wanted

Trivia
* The team is starting to leave again, as this is the last issue for John Strike. Unofficially, it’s also the last one for Nick Ellis – he doesn’t leave officially until Issue 94, but he goes on holiday after this issue and, aside from penning the Editor’s letters, he doesn’t come back.
* The cover hints at it, but Need for Speed ProStreet is the subject of a scathing preview, describing it as “without a doubt, the worst game in the series”, “Duller than a wet weekend in Dullsville” and “An experiment destined to fail.”
* Gaydar: This month, Daniel Gay returns to the original Tomb Raider.
* Pro Evolution Soccer 2008 is the first one since Pro Evolution Soccer 2 not to score 10/10 (besides Pro Evolution Soccer Management, but that’s a spin-off, so I’m not counting it). Criticisms include player likenesses being worse than last year (but animations have improved as a trade-off), terrible keepers (this isn’t a deal-breaker either as it applies to the AI too, so it’s always worth shooting at goal), and the Master League starting to get stale. I’m speculating here, but I suspect FIFA stepping up its game, and the emergence of Guitar Hero as the multiplayer game of choice also mean PES loses its PS1 Tomb Raider treatment and no longer gets 10/10 just for showing up.
* I can confirm how easy it is to cheat in The Eye of Judgement. The game doesn’t keep track of your deck or which cards you’ve used, so the only thing stopping you from having your most powerful card ready to go, and immediately replaying it whenever you need it is your own sense of honour.
* Wipeout Pulse was previously reviewed in Issue 89, so I don’t know why it’s being reviewed again here.

Quote of the Month: “You’d be equally surprised if Pro Evo radically altered its game and focused on, say, playing matches with a giant ball while driving karts.” Did OPS2 just predict Rocket League?!?

Cover price: £5.99
Page Count: 130