Issue 64 (October 2005)

                                                                Issue 64, October 2005

Editor’s letter
       Enjoy that? Good, because we’re just getting started. Pro Evo 5 is the first shot of a devastating salvo of exclusive reviews that also includes Burnout Revenge, Conflict: Global Storm, Spartan: Total Warrior and The Suffering: Ties That Bind. In each case we’ve argued long, hard and with shamefully high voices over the scores. I won’t spoil the verdicts, but let’s just say it’s an embarrassingly good month to be a PS2 gamer. Normally at this point, I’d bang on about all the other ace stuff we’ve crammed in. Like the first playtest of whiskey-soaked western Gun, a love letter to all things evil and our expose of the San Andreas sex scandal. But I’d rather use this space to make an apology. See, last month we awarded Lumines a commendable 8/10. What we hadn’t counted on, however, was just how deep the obsession would bite. Entire train journeys have evaporated in a blizzard of rotating puzzle blocks and weekends have dissolved in the sweet glow of collapsing two-tone superstructures – all soundtracked by deliciously cool techno you imagine only ever gets played in clubs populated by girls with impossibly pretty eyes and unusual haircuts. So we’re bumping the score up to 9/10, as you can see from this month’s PSP bible, which contains need-to-know info on all the machine’s features, plus expanded reviews for all the launch games. But it’s all about the Lumines. Nothing beats the feeling of seeing a whole screen’s worth of blocks melt in a haze of light and disco. Before we crack on, a word about the chronically-neglected Killer 7. I completed the mind-breaking adventure recently, and it’s got a zinger of a twist. Seriously, it’s amazing and you need to play it.
                                                        Tim Clark, Associate Editor

Features
Hustling, Whoring & Bar-room Brawling – Gun. This feature has two Lisa Ralphs on the same page!

                                               Because I already used Nute Gunray ages ago.

Eight games that want to weird you out – Including Okami, We Heart Katamari, Psychonauts and more.

We Love Evil – Resident Evil 4. Primarily, this feature goes over some of the PS2 exclusive features, but there’s also a sneak preview of Resident Evil 5.

Monthly Articles
Funny Nicknames – This month, what’s in your pocket?

Could be a Classic – This month, Spinout. What if Super Monkey Ball was a racing game?

Replay – Online reviews for Formula One 2005, Mortal Kombat: Deception and Juiced, and what the other mags said about The Incredible Hulk: Ultimate Destruction, Fantastic Four, Gametrak Real World Golf and Conspiracy: Weapons of Mass Destruction.

OPS2 Investigates – This month, Hot Coffee. The timeline of the San Andreas sex scandal and its resulting fallout.

                                                                This month's Save Point.

Monitor
Soul Calibur III – “There’s something for everyone in Soul Calibur III, from the simpler one-on-one battles through to character customising and the detailed Chronicle of the Sword mode. We simply cannot wait.” Meltdown

The Warriors – “We dig it. The missions are deeper and more diverse than expected, plus the fighting engine and visual detail are top quality. You might not have heard of the film, but you’ll want to play this.” Boiling

FIFA 2006 – “A much better, but still not quite beautiful game.” Warm

WRC: Rally Evolved – “It’s never been done before, but the game’s random event system is making way for a new kind of rally experience. We can’t wait to get back in the driving seat.” Hot

King Kong – “Finally, a movie-licenced game that doesn’t make us want to choke on our own popcorn. Playing King Kong you’re quickly caught up in the epic story of a giant monkey with a soft spot for blondes.” Meltdown

Tony Hawk’s American Wasteland – “Bigger is definitely looking better for the Hawkster.” Hot

From Russia With Love – “It’s got the Bond life blood pumping through its veins, we just hope there’s as much juice in the levels we’ve not seen. A far more promising candidate for 00 status than Goldeneye: Rubbish Agent ever was.” Boiling

True Crime: New York City – “It remains to be seen whether this can step up to compete with GTA, but we like the new star a lot more than the old kung fu fighting Nick Kang. Much hinges on how the good cop/bad cop dynamic will play out.” Hot

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire – “New magic system and co-op could make this sparkle.” Warm

PS2 Reviews
Pro Evolution Soccer 5 – “Pro Evo 5 is pure simulation, so may scare off many, but no other game has captured football so beautifully.” 10/10

Burnout Revenge – “Burnout Revenge is better than B3: Takedown, which makes it the best arcade racer available and an absolute must-buy.” 10/10

Heroes of the Pacific – “Never surprising but always competent – in the air, at least – HOTP is happily playable, but in no way essential.” 7/10

Conflict: Global Storm – “Full of gripping action, this is by no means a huge step forward for either the series or the genre, but it’s great baddie-bashing fun.” 8/10

Madden NFL 2006 – “The best American football game: deep, realistic and rewarding, but only true devotees will get the best from it.” 9/10

Beat Down: Fists of Vengeance – “Annoying, boring and just plain embarrassing, Beat Down: Fists of Vengeance needs flushing away rather than playing.” 3/10

Musashi Samurai Legend – “Not too hard and hardly a Final Fantasy or even Kingdom Hearts rival, but a nice slice of RPG-lite for in-between times.” 7/10

Spartan: Total Warrior – “Just shaded by God of War, but still worth a 9/10. Spartan’s combat is so good it makes every massacre the purest of joys.” 9/10

187 Ride or Die – “A just-about-adequate gameplay experience, but the childish, in-your-face presentation is insulting and, frankly, rather horrible.” 5/10

The Suffering: Ties That Bind – “This is not for the faint hearted, but it is a cleverly shocking and enjoyable demon-blasting game for those who can take it.” 8/10

Kuon – “A competent chiller for the already-converted, that could have used an injection of adrenaline and a less bizarre plot.” 6/10

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory – “What sweetness Charlie has is spoilt by poor signposting, a spasm-happy camera and irritating glitches. Watch the film, read the book, avoid the game.” 3/10

Pilot Down: Behind Enemy Lines – “A decent enough adventure, although hardly impressive. Pilot Down’s tense survival action is let down by some truly dim enemy AI. Shame.” 5/10

Eyetoy Kinetic – “An interesting use of the Eyetoy technology, but most of it is still the usual hand flapping, only a bit faster and longer.” 6/10

Resident Evil Outbreak File #2 – “Resident Evil is about to evolve into Resi 4, but Outbreak has got left behind. It may finally be online, but it’s nothing too special.” 7/10

ATV Offroad Fury 3 – “The off-road racing is appealing, even if the handling’s unpredictable. ATV is far from perfect, but it certainly has its moments.” 7/10

Echo Night Beyond – “Well presented and with a lovely atmosphere, it’d be worth a punt for 20 dabs were it not for the tragically dull and repetitive gameplay.” 5/10

The Nightmare Before Christmas: Oogie’s Revenge – “Surely not even the goth-liest of Burton-lovers want to be this miserable. Slow, far too simplistic, horribly confusing and terminally dull.” 4/10

Midway Arcade Treasures 3 – “A blight on the name of retro gaming. This collection ranges from ‘meh’ to bloody awful. You’ll get more nostalgic digging your old mobile phone out for a game of Snake.” 3/10

Fahrenheit – “Fahrenheit’s ambition is let down slightly by its brevity, but you know something’s good when you’re left wanting more.” 8/10

PSP Reviews
Burnout Legends – “This is an impressive port of the Burnout back history. It’s (mostly) excellent fun and absolute proof that it works on handheld.” 8/10

Untold Legends: Brotherhood of the Blade – “A decent attempt at cramming an RPG on to PSP but it only fits because all the good stuff has been left out.” 6/10

Coded Arms – “Once the ‘oh, it’s a shooter for PSP!’ gloss wears off, this is fairly unremarkable. The fact that levels are randomly generated makes it – literally – too random to love.” 5/10

Disc Content
Playable Demos
Burnout Revenge
Conflict: Global Storm
Crash Tag Team Racing
Everybody’s Golf
Fahrenheit
SLAI: Steel Lancer Arena International
Wild Water Adrenaline

Footage
King Kong
AND1 Streetball
City of the Dead
Ghost Recon: Advanced Warfighter
Buzz: The Music Quiz
America’s Army: Rise of a Soldier
Heroes of the Pacific
Okami
Prince of Persia: The Two Thrones
Stargate SG1: The Alliance
The Making of Tony Hawk’s American Wasteland
Goal of the Month

Game Saves
Gran Turismo 3
Jak and Daxter
Final Fantasy X
Kingdom Hearts
Killzone
Spider-Man 2
Need for Speed Underground 2
Call of Duty: Finest Hour
Pro Evolution Soccer 4

Trivia
* As you can see from the picture, this issue’s cover is double-sized, folding in on itself when you close the magazine.
* The Lumines score change in the editor’s letter is notable, as while there has been the odd re-review before, this is the first time that a game’s score has been changed.
* Speaking of scores, this is also the first issue to have two 10/10 scores in one month.
* In yet another first, there are no new entries to the Hot 100 this month.
* There’s a news story on the Fragdolls, a group of female gamers organised by Ubi Soft to make appearances at press events and gaming shows. Interestingly, one of the members is former OPS2 contributor Kirsten Kearney, who wrote the She’s Got Game column.
* Kuon and Echo Night Beyond are among the rarest, most expensive games on PS2, so it’s quite a coincidence to see them both reviewed in the same issue. I wonder if anyone who bought them on release suspected how highly sought after they would become.
* To coincide with the even more hardcore approach of Pro Evolution Soccer 5, there's no religious gimmick this year. It's either that or the Cult of PES got done for tax evasion.
* Crash Tag Team Racing has the best loading screen ever if you’re under the age of 12 and/or deeply immature, as mashing the face buttons will make all sorts of burp and fart noises!
* This issue has not one, but two Save Points. The second strip was a reader-submitted one, which I’ll include here as an unofficial bonus strip for you.


Quote of the Month: “Here’s your f***ing food you f***ing f**k!” The world’s most foul-mouthed waiter.

Cover price: £5.99
Page Count: 146

Issue 63 (September 2005)

                                                                Issue 63, September 2005

Editor’s letter
       Putting together this month’s all-you-can-eat football buffet, there have been times when I’ve felt less like Jose Mourinho and more like Harry Redknapp. It’s been a case of frantic wheeler-dealing – desperately trying to squeeze in a few more big names before the transfer window slams shut. But, debilitating stomach ulcer notwithstanding, it’s been worth it. Ensconced within the soundless confines of this issue you’ll find the full scoop on FIFA’s reinvention. This year EA is absolutely determined to deliver a game that scores as well as it sells. Starting on page 70, you can read exactly what we think of the results. But of course, it would be remiss of us to ignore the competition – and on page 82 you can see how we got on against John Terry at Pro Evo 5. But before that, spin to the start of Spy and check out the first shots of Pro Evo on PSP. You’ll find them next to the first ever images on Eminem in the 50 Cent game. I said, big names and lots of ‘em. We’ve also managed to cram in more King Kong shots than any other PS2 mag, the first screens of Resi 5 on PS3, a private look at Lara’s latest and forced the new Burnout and Need for Speed games into a death-or-glory drag race. So plenty for all the non-football fans, too. (Hi, Dad.) And with the PSP’s 1 September launch now within fondling distance, we’ve also rated the first 25 games as part of our brand new handheld section, which becomes ‘fully operational’ on page 105. The PSP launch line-up is incredibly strong – and with big hitters like GTA: Liberty City Stories and Pursuit Force on the way, the future’s bright for Sony’s new baby. One note of caution, though – if you drop yours in the pool, don’t come crying to us.
                                                            Tim Clark, Associate Editor

Features
Welcome to Skull Island – King Kong. This feature is done in the style of a comic again following the success of the Fantastic Four feature that did this.

Need for Speed Most Wanted VS Burnout Revenge – The two racers get pitted against each other, with Burnout emerging as the victor.

We Can Rebuild Him – FIFA 2006

Swords are the New Guns – A collection of sword-based action games, including Spartan: Total Warrior, Prince of Persia: The Two Thrones, Soul Calibur 3 and more.

Look, We’re Playing John Terry! – Pro Evolution Soccer 5

Monthly Articles
Funny Nicknames – This month, what would you reinvent?

Could be a Classic – This month, Th3 Plan. Commit heists from three different perspectives (hence the silly title).

Replay – Online reviews for Area 51, Splinter Cell: Chaos Theory and Moto GP 4, what the other mags said about Medal of Honor: European Assault, Brian Lara International Cricket 2005, Batman Begins and Formula 1 2005, and The Boot Room.

OPS2 Investigates – This month, Making the best games better. Ideas include Prince of Persia: Future Edition, playing as the guards hunting Snake in Metal Gear Solid, going to prison in Grand Theft Auto with the option to serve out your sentence or try breaking out, and more.

Did We Really? – OPS2 dig up their old shames to point and laugh at them. This month, did we really cover a man in bacon? There’s photographic evidence from the first time round, if you want to go back to Issue 33 and look at it again.

                                                                This month's Save Point.

Monitor
The Suffering: Ties That Bind – “Darker than a funeral in a mineshaft and bloodier than an exploding abattoir, Ties That Bind successfully ups the ante with tighter gameplay and truly unsettling shlock-horror gore.” Boiling

Fahrenheit – “Fahrenheit is still intriguing, and that’s a good thing.” Hot

Conflict: Global Storm – “This isn’t an earth-shattering advance in the world of squad-based action games, but it is shaping up to be a rewarding, intelligent shooter thanks to its logical controls and sharp troops.” Hot

Tiger Woods PGA Tour 2006 – “Tiger’s only learnt one new trick since we last took a long walk with him, but it’s a decent one. However, we’re concerned a new-fangled spin system isn’t enough to justify another update.” Warm

Michigan: Report from Hell – “A great idea done badly. Unless the voice acting is redone, the story rewritten and the game redesigned this won’t be worth a look even with the supposed erotic content.” Tepid

Mortal Kombat: Shaolin Monks – “First Lara, now this. The old games revival continues. If you thought it was over for Mortal Kombat then think again. Shaolin Monks is everything you could want from the series and more.” Boiling

Total Overdose – “Shooting people for prizes is an oddly addictive experience and the action is relentless. Total Overdose manages to mix guns and an extreme-sports scoring system to create an excitingly twisted action game.” Boiling

Crash Tag Team Racing – “Unoriginal but it does have some multiplayer sparkle.” Warm

SSX on Tour – “We’re massive fans of the SSX series, and that’s why we’re being a bit hard on it. Skiing is a welcome addition, but hopefully On Tour has a few more tricks up its salopettes, or this could feel rushed.” Hot

WWE Smackdown VS Raw 2006 – “Big words from a big man, but Shelts clearly knows his Smackdown! We’re even more certain this year’s game is going to cram an obscene amount of wrestletainment into its lurid stockings.” Boiling

Resident Evil 4 – “As the days and weeks go on, we get happier. Happier in the knowledge that soon – very, very soon – the finished game will be in our hands. Resident Evil 4 could well be our next 10/10, it’s that good.” Meltdown

We Heart Katamari – “Cool and unusual, Katamari Damacy is so far from the likes of Medal of Honor that it’s on another planet. Sure, it’s a niche hardcore-pleaser, but there should be fun in here for everyone.” Boiling

PS2 Reviews
The Incredible Hulk: Ultimate Destruction – “Without the constraints of a film tie-in, Hulk is free to roam far and wide. It’s a festival of destruction; not pretty, but fun.” 7/10

Big Mutha Truckers 2: Truck Me Harder – “The second best trucking game on PS2 (after 18 Wheeler), which is a bit like bragging about being the second tallest man in Lilliput.” 5/10

Armored Core: Silent Line – “You don’t need huge, expensive controllers to enjoy a decent mech game, but it does help if you have a decent mech game. This, sadly, is most definitely not one.” 4/10

Ys: The Ark of Napishtim – “Not groundbreaking or awe-inspiring but an old idea well-executed and, simply, a really nice world to be in. RPG newcomers should start here.” 7/10

Conspiracy: Weapons of Mass Destruction – “At every turn Conspiracy either frustrates, bores or flabbergasts with crude graphics and dull-as gameplay. Don’t waste your cash.” 2/10

Fantastic Four – “About as challenging as beating kittens with a stick, and only slightly less shameful. Keep it at a super-stretchy arm’s length.” 3/10

Colosseum: Road to Freedom – “Taking a deeper approach to gladiator combat than Shadow of Rome, this is quite a lot of fun. If only the camera was up to scratch.” 6/10

Black Market Bowling – “Like bowling? Get Super Monkey Ball Deluxe. The bowling mini-game in that is way better than this.” 3/10

Alpine Skiing 2005 – “Not only is this a surprisingly full game for a budget title, but there’s also currently little on PS2 like it. Rough, but worth a look.” 6/10

Gametrak Real World Golf – “Not as pretty or as comprehensive as Tiger Woods, Real World Golf scores highly for its uniquely faithful control system. Impressive.” 7/10

Saint Seiya, Knights of the Zodiac: The Sanctuary – “Not a bad reserve team effort, but there’s nothing here to make you want to buy it over Tekken 5 or Soul Calibur 2. Only obsessive fans need apply.” 6/10

Madagascar – “If you enjoyed the film, then don’t tarnish its memory with this sloppy waste of space. The small child in your life deserves better.” 4/10

Yu Yu Hakusho: Dark Tournament – “Even if it weren’t incoherent it would still be a mess. Like a drunk in a doorway it makes no sense, is no fun to deal with and is potentially dangerous.” 3/10

Wild Water Adrenaline – “This at least proves that a canoeing game could work, but overall we’re left feeling damp. Not in a good way, either…” 5/10

PSP Reviews
Ridge Racer – “If you only buy one PSP game, it must be this. Near perfect in its execution, this is one of the most expertly judged racers ever made.” 9/10

Everybody’s Golf – “Sticks it to the golf ‘man’ with some, like, far-out attitude, but crucially backs it all up with truly entertaining play.” 8/10

Metal Gear Acid – “Only the Metal Gear faithful will bother mastering the card system, but this is nevertheless a playable if underwhelming spin-off.” 7/10

Tony Hawk’s Underground 2 Remix – “Few games are better at filling up a few spare minutes. Longer plays do expose bottlenecks but there’s plenty of variety all-round.” 8/10

Medievil: Resurrection – “It might be an old game remixed, but it’s still well presented slapstick action – not quite essential, but close.” 7/10

NFL Street 2 Unleashed – “It would’ve been nice to see more PSP-specific features, but this remains a satisfying, enjoyable and easy to follow American football experience.” 7/10

World Snooker Challenge 2005 – “Whether you play WiFi or solo, this is a comprehensive and sweetly optimised snooker experience for PSP. The analogue cue control is a particularly nice touch.” 7/10

NBA Street Showdown – “The whole thing is slickly produced, but NBA Street Showdown never feels that much fun to play. A definite case of style over substance.” 6/10

Spider-Man 2 – “Fun like fireworks – nice flash but nothing that lasts. It’s a lightweight adventure that has good bits, just not enough of them.” 6/10

Need for Speed Underground Rivals – “Cookie cutter street racing done exactly as you’d expect. Might keep you occupied but certainly won’t blow you away.” 6/10

Colin McRae Rally 2005 Plus – “Nice looking but easy to get lost in, Rally 2005 Plus has its moments, but is generally too frustrating for the PSP format.” 6/10

Smart Bomb – “This should have been addictive. Instead you’ll be hard pushed to squeeze out your money’s worth. An infuriating disappointment.” 3/10

Wipeout Pure – “Gaming genius on a tiny, shiny disc. An amazing racing experience you can take with you wherever you want.” 8/10

Ape Academy – “Over 45 mini-games long, this just tips the balance in favour of fun – we’d have preferred fewer, but longer challenges though.” 7/10

Mercury – “It may be a little short-lived, but Mercury is hugely inventive and visually distinctive with yonks of replay value. Roll on Mercury 2…” 8/10

Formula 1 – “Formula 1 looks good, but the racing feels overly simplistic and fails to generate any real excitement – it’s more David Coulthard than Fernando Alonso.” 6/10

Darkstalkers Chronicles: The Chaos Tower – “A trip down memory lane that conclusively proves 3D fighters are just plain better, and makes us realise how much we want a good one for PSP.” 6/10

Virtua Tennis: World Tour – “Virtua Tennis has always been a great sports series, but on PSP it’s found its spiritual home. Very enjoyable.” 8/10

Lumines – “Totally ingenious and mesmerising. The ingenious mix of music and puzzles make Lumines an unforgettable and addictive dose of fun.” 8/10

World Tour Soccer: Challenge Edition – “A solid if shallow effort. Great fun at first but without a league option World Tour Soccer remains a very competent stop-gap rather than a genuine title-contender.” 7/10

Fired Up – “Reasonable single-player action and a great multiplayer mode (assuming you’ve got enough mates to make up the numbers.)” 7/10

TOCA Race Driver 2 – “TOCA might not be as instantly accessible as Ridge Racer, but it’s almost as ace. Solid, responsive and with tons of replay value.” 8/10

Dynasty Warriors – “Nothing new but plenty to enjoy. Dynasty Warriors seems at home on PSP, providing short bursts of satisfaction. Good stuff.” 7/10

Midnight Club 3: Dub Edition – “Doesn’t feel like a ‘made for PSP’ game, hence it’s all a bit squashed in and uncomfortable. Racing games need more room to breathe.” 7/10

ATV Offroad Fury: Blazin’ Trails – “Not a patch on the PS2’s own ATV games. The handling’s all over the shop and the game design is knackered by several other serious flaws.” 5/10

Disc Content
Playable Demos
The Incredible Hulk: Ultimate Destruction
187 Ride or Die
Brian Lara International Cricket 2005
Tiger Woods PGA Tour 2006
Musashi Samurai Legend
Tekken 5
God of War
Juiced

Footage
Onimusha: Dawn of Dreams
Tomb Raider Legend
Call of Cthulhu: Dark Corners of the Earth
Battlefield 2: Modern Combat
Brian Lara International Cricket 2005
Burnout Revenge
Hitman: Blood Money
Goal of the Month

Game Saves
Gran Turismo 3
Jak and Daxter
Final Fantasy X
Kingdom Hearts
Killzone
Spider-Man 2
Need for Speed Underground 2
Call of Duty: Finest Hour
Pro Evolution Soccer 4

Trivia
* This is the last issue for Reviews Editor Michael French.
* Between John Terry in the Pro Evolution Soccer 5 feature, Shelton Benjamin in the WWE Smackdown VS Raw 2006 preview, and an interview with Thekla Roth for 187 Ride or Die, this issue has quite a bit of star power.
* The review for Colosseum: Road to Freedom notes that it is an otherwise excellent game ruined by one major flaw, a bad camera in this case, and without that issue, the score would have been higher.
* Unreleased game fans will be interested in this issue’s demo disc due to the inclusion of a trailer for a PS2 version of Call of Cthulhu: Dark Corners of the Earth. Lucky Xbox and PC players got, but unfortunately not us PS2 players.
* Wow, the PSP sure had a lot of racing games in the launch line-up, didn't it?

Quote of the Month: “Conspiracy: Weapons of Mass Destruction is a first-person shooter, but only in the way that the stripped, burning chassis of a Lada Riva is still a car, or the bloated carcass of a mongrel washed in on the tide is still a dog.” Ouch, that’s even more savage than last month’s quote of the month!

Cover price: £5.99
Page Count: 146

Issue 62 (August 2005)

                                                                 Issue 62, August 2005

Editor’s letter
       Here’s a true story. Back in the day, before the burgers had really taken their toll, I used to host WWE parties, attended by like-minded grapplephiles, during which we’d bet on the pay-per-view matches. That’s stupid, right? Because [look away now if you still believe in democracy] the outcomes are all pre-decided. Well, yes – but just because 24 has got a script doesn’t stop you watching, does it? Assuming you can’t say for sure who’s going to win, all that matters is showmanship. Which the WWE has got by the sweaty bucketful. So you won’t find any of that tedious ‘aren’t big men in spandex a bit gay?’ in this issue. What you will find is a celebration of the greatest show on Earth, in all its glistening-muscled, gravel-voiced glory. And yes, using your arse to inflict a friction burn on another man’s face is a legitimate move and in no way sexually questionable. More than anything though, Smackdown! earns its fourth cover (equalled only by GTA) on the strength of being a brilliant game. This year’s improvements are enough to tempt any lapsed fan back, even if its just to see the Divas going at each other like angry stoats in lingerie. The summer of Smackdown! starts on page 39. Elsewhere we’ve got world’s first plays of Hitman: Blood Money and Shadow the Hedgehog (don’t make that face, it rules) plus – get in! – the first Pro Evo 5 info and shots. We’ve also got the latest PS3 gossip, straight from the Sony source, and more super-cheap PSPs for sale alongside the full launch line-up. But just in case you think it’s all good news, we also expose the worst PS2 ideas ever, over on page 80. And before you ask, the Crazy Frog game is real. It’s the End Days…
                                                        Tim Clark, Associate Editor

Features
Chicks Dig Scars – WWE Smackdown VS Raw 2006

Wrong Headed Ideas – The worst game ideas on PS2, including ripping off other games, especially Grand Theft Auto, releasing anime games and American sports games in the UK, and The Bible Game.

Designer Death – Hitman: Blood Money

Think you know Sonic? – Shadow the Hedgehog

Sim Chav – Mark Ecko’s Getting Up: Contents Under Pressure

Monthly Articles
Funny Nicknames – This month, who would you most like to wrestle with?

Could be a Classic – This month, Guitar Hero. An OPS2 favourite takes its bow (it even replaced Pro Evo as the multiplayer game of choice in the final issues). The character in the screenshots looks really goofy though. He looks like the Matt Damon puppet from Team America after a massive infusion of steroids. Matt Damon!

Replay – A Destroy All Humans! walkthrough, online reviews for Champions: Return to Arms, SRS: Street Racing Syndicate and Cold Winter, what the other mags said about Destroy All Humans!, Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith and 7 Sins, and The Boot Room.

OPS2 Investigates – This month, When Films Eat Games. A look at numerous upcoming videogame films. Of the ones that were actually released, Silent Hill and Tekken are the only ones that are kinda sorta okay, maybe? We also get our introduction to the dreaded filmmaker Uwe Boll, renowned for his videogame movies, which are abysmal even by videogame movies’ low standards.

Did We Really? – OPS2 dig up their old shames to point and laugh at them. This month, did we really give Tomb Raider: The Angel of Darkness 8/10? With this article, OPS2 move on to stage 3 of the five stages of grief, bargaining. They also regret not giving it 6/10 instead.

                                                                 This month's Save Point.

Monitor
Without Warning – “Granted, our playtest covered only a fraction of the game, but Without Warning has already tripped alarm bells with some uninspired textures and odd design choices. We’re still hopeful, but also a little anxious.” Warm

Pilot Down: Behind Enemy Lines – “A neat idea, but the AI needs a lot more work.” Warm

Canis Canem Edit – “The more we discover about CCE the more we want to play it. The idea of returning to the playground with carte-blanche to cause all kinds of mayhem is both unique and potentially brilliant.” Boiling

Star Wars Battlefront 2 – “By offering space battles and enabling us to play as Darth Vader himself, Battlefront 2 has already reserved classic status in OPS2’s heart. A definitive, saga-capping space shooter is on the cards.” Boiling

Gun – “There’s a lot on offer here. A wealth of missions, things to do and wide-open plains ripe for exploration. But if it doesn’t deliver on its Western GTA promise, we’ll be the very first in line to lynch it.” Boiling

Okami – “A quirky adventure with odd but compelling combat.” Hot

50 Cent Bulletproof – “Spectacularly violent (well, what did you expect?), but also looking surprisingly cool. The big question now concerns the gameplay. Let’s just hope that Bulletproof has the skills to pay the bills.” Hot

Tomb Raider: Legend – “With each month that passes, the Croft revival gathers pace. More action, more athleticism, less hideous Kerry Katona-style bangers. We’ll have the exclusive first play for you very soon.” Meltdown

Jak X – “Despite early fears, we’re secretly optimistic.” Hot

Call of Duty 2: Big Red One – “The more we learn about Call of Duty 2, the more we like. In following a single squad through some of WW2’s toughest campaigns, Big Red One has already secured our interest. We have high hopes.” Meltdown

Psychonauts – “It’s so off the wall it’s bounced into next door’s garden, but the platforming and adventure elements are very well handled. It might not be out till December, but it’s got sure-fire quality written all over it already.” Boiling

Onimusha: Dawn of Dreams – “The overly flashy presentation and less than stellar graphics are giving us cause for concern over Capcom’s ‘new beginning’ approach to a much-loved series. Will it alienate the fans? We hope not.” Hot

City of the Dead – “At present, City of the Dead has a lack of visual quality that doesn’t match the high expectations we have when it comes to dead-heading zomboids. Sort that and we could be onto a winner.” Hot

Project Zero 3 – “More psychological than your usual claret-spurters, the scares come from a mix of atmosphere and suggestion. Plus, the girls are cute. Think Hello Kitty notepaper but with scrawled death threats.” Hot

Reviews
Medal of Honor: European Assault – “Forever trying to force-feed you scripted moments, MOH’s bigger, free-form levels only serve to pinpoint just how out of date it is.” 6/10

Brian Lara’s International Cricket – “Getting started with Brian Lara is easy, and mastering it is hugely satisfying. This is the best cricket game on PS2.” 8/10

Worms 4: Mayhem – “Worms in 3D loses all the simple, effective punch of the basic 2D approach – another step back for the once great series.” 5/10

Bomberman Hardball – “A few extra games would’ve made this indispensable, but it’s still a pretty good compilation at a reasonable price.” 7/10

Samurai Western – “Loading is about the only thing that really works in this game. Even with upgrades it’s just a boring, relentless slog.” 4/10

Yetisports Arctic Adventure – “Dull, bland and uninspired, Yetisports is an unfriendly exercise in making yourself look like a complete idiot.” 2/10

Guilty Gear Isuka – “Full of colour and character, but look past the psychotic weirdery and Guilty Gear isn’t anything to get excited about.” 5/10

Batman Begins – “Batman Begins has all the gloss and noise of a Hollywood production, but none of the ambition. Disappointing.” 5/10

Formula One 2005 – “It’s Formula One 2005. The game. That’s it. You know what you’re getting, but it’s a tired formula that’s due a few new repairs.” 7/10

Rapala Pro Fishing – “Rapala is realistic, plays okay and looks nice, but even at budget prices there are more engaging alternatives to choose from.” 5/10

Shin Megami Tensei: Lucifer’s Call, featuring Dante from the Devil May Cry Series and Knuckles – “A manga twist on role-playing let down by a lack of innovation. Aside from looks, it’s basic, turn-based fare. Just about enjoyable.” 6/10

King of Fighters 2002 – “KOF ’02 may look out of date and chunky, but the enjoyably brash action means there’s always time for just one more go.” 7/10

Fairly Odd Parents: Shadow Showdown – “Customary ‘fans of the show will love this’ fare – not bad for them; not great for us. A cartoon of this calibre deserves a far better game than what’s on offer here.” 6/10

Strike Force Bowling – “Cheap and cheerful, with a fairly decent variety of gently amusing environments. But is that really worth your time or your money? Hint: no.” 4/10

Disc Content
Playable Demos
God of War
Formula One 2005
Madagascar
Area 51
Brothers in Arms: Road to Hill 30
Destroy All Humans!
Lego Star Wars
Fight Night Round 2

Footage
Pursuit Force
Battlefield 2: Modern Combat
The Incredible Hulk: Ultimate Destruction
Scarface: The World is Yours
God of War
24
Gametrak Real World Golf
7 Sins
Shadow the Hedgehog
The Godfather
Cold Winter
The Making of The Regiment
Goal of the Month

Game Saves
Gran Turismo 3
Jak and Daxter
Final Fantasy X
Kingdom Hearts
Killzone
Spider-Man 2
Need for Speed Underground 2
Call of Duty: Finest Hour
Pro Evolution Soccer 4

Trivia
* This year’s WWE variant covers feature the current roster of Divas. I’ve got Christy Hemme, and the other covers feature Joy Giovanni, Stacy Keibler and Jackie Gayda.
* There’s an error on the demo contents page, as Brave: The Search for Spirit Dancer is listed as a playable demo, but isn’t on the disc, nor is it mentioned on the demo case. No big loss though, since it had just been on Issue 60’s disc.
* The letters page features possibly OPS2’s most devious reader, who writes in to brag about how he was hired to write for a newspaper after plagiarising their Metal Gear Solid 3 review. I hope for his sake that the newspaper in question didn’t read OPS2…
* This month’s most bizarre news story: Dance Dance Immolation, a dancing game rigged to a flamethrower that blasts you whenever you miss a step.
* A forum thread for Resident Evil 5 ideas suggests obvious ones (bringing back zombies, making it more like GTA, and co-op, the latter of which actually did make the cut), as well as more wacky ones (zombies driving cars, everyone dying in the first level, and my personal favourite, robot vampires). To be fair, Resident Evil VIII is going to have vampires in it, so robot vampires are no longer quite so far-fetched.
* There’s not one, but two noteworthy minigames this month. First up, Mesal Gear Solid, the other half of the Metal Gear Solid / Ape Escape crossover that started with Metal Gear Solid 3’s Snake VS Monkey minigame. More importantly, the second is the infamous Hot Coffee sex minigame from Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas. We haven’t seen the last of that one…
* The complaint about anime games in the worst game ideas feature is a relic of a different time. Anime is much more popular now than it was 15 years ago, and practically every anime going has a game nowadays, whereas in the PS2 era, we had only annual Dragon Ball Z (and later Naruto) games, with the occasional Digimon or Yu-Gi-Oh! game. Anything that hadn’t gone beyond anime fans and into the mainstream was very rare. Worth noting, “Not everything from Japan is cool, you tit!” was a candidate for Quote of the Month.
* Games that would never be made today #10 – Yetisports Arctic Adventure. Why not? It’s a flash game you can play on the internet for free – why would ever pay £20 for it on your PS2? This doesn’t apply to Alien Hominid from a few issues ago, because the console version is massively expanded from the free internet game.

Quote of the Month: “They should’ve called it Sam Fisher Price, it’s so childish.” Holy Firefly, Batman! That sick burn is going to need medical attention!

Cover price: £5.99
Page Count: 146

Issue 61 (July 2005)

                                                                     Issue 61, July 2005

Editor’s letter
       My one disappointment since being given the OPS2 captain’s hat, is that I haven’t managed to install a klaxon. The idea would be that whenever a major gaming story broke, it would emit a deafening ‘whoop whoop’ sound. But given the galaxy-tilting month we’ve just had, it’s probably for the best. The bastard would’ve never stopped whooping. Much of what you’ll find in this issue comes from the Electronic Entertainment Expo in Los Angeles (E3 to its mates) where each year ‘men of games’ converge to drink Corona, talk trash and marvel at the latest in videotronic electrickery. This year, even the most even-handed observers agreed that Playstation 3 stole the show. The raw power in Sony’s demos was simply astonishing, as you’ll see in our comprehensive coverage, starting on p18. Meanwhile, with the PSP launch a matter of months away, we’ve got the world exclusive on its biggest game, Grand Theft Auto: Liberty City Stories. Before skipping to p71, just pause to think about that for a second. GTA in your pocket, all the time… Trust me, it’s everything you dared to dream. Of course, we haven’t forgotten to bring you the very best in PS2 reportage. It always astonishes me to read other mags crying about the lack of innovation and originality. This month, we bring you exclusive reviews of Destroy All Humans! and Killer 7 – two games absolutely popping with ideas. Meanwhile, King Kong shows how a movie game should be done, Jack Bauer kicks ass in 24 and we’ve even managed to squeeze in the scoop on True Crime: New York City. There’s stupid amounts more, but I’m outta space. And my typing finger hurts. Enjoy.
                                                            Tim Clark, Associate Editor

Features
The Biggest Skate Park in the World – Tony Hawk’s American Wasteland

What’s the Big Idea? – Grand Theft Auto: Liberty City Stories

I Heart NY – True Crime: New York City

Monthly Articles
Funny Nicknames – This month, what would you name Playstation 3?

Could be a Classic – This month, Buzz: The Music Quiz. The quizmaster muppet makes his debut this month.

Replay – A God of War walkthrough, online reviews for World Snooker Championship 2005, Midnight Club 3: Dub Edition and Full Spectrum Warrior, what the other mags said about God of War, Area 51, Monster Hunter and NARC, and The Boot Room.

OPS2 Investigates – This month, 100% scientifically proven ways to improve your gaming life. Do this with quality peripherals, snacks, and friends. I can do one of those…

Did We Really? – OPS2 dig up their old shames to point and laugh at them. This month, did we really have a Yabasic page?

                                                                This month's Save Point.

Monitor
Fantastic 4 – “Fantastic 4 doesn’t look as fantastic as we’d like. If the fighting can be improved and your teammates made a little less dense, then it would stand a better chance of living up to its name.” Warm

187: Ride or Die – “Cars and guns… what’s not to like? A fair bit, really.” Warm

Rogue Trooper – “There’s plenty of potential here. We haven’t forgotten the hugely disappointing Judge Dredd game, but Rogue looks set to do its ace source material justice.” Hot

The Sims 2 – “Freedom has always been the key to The Sims’ success. Strangely, the ability to take direct control only adds to the appeal. Then there’s a wealth of customisation options. You may never need real life again.” Hot

Stargate SG1: The Alliance – “Squad-based sci-fi tie in. One for SG1 fans, perhaps?” Warm

The Warriors – “As far as dedication to representing the movie, this is going to be spot on. Whether the relative obscurity of the source material will put newcomers off buying it is another question.” Boiling

Ultimate Spider-Man – “Even more go-anywhere gameplay, the return of the fantastic web-swinging and two totally different characters to mess about with mean this is shaping up to be the definitive comic hero / PS2 cross over.” Boiling

24 – “24 looks excellent and plays well, even this early on. And Sony’s got every detail that fans will be hoping for covered. We can’t wait to play the next 23 hours.” Meltdown

Shadow of the Colossus – “Ico’s sequel promises to repeat its ethereal success.” Boiling

King Kong – “Thanks to the garlic-enhanced brains at Ubisoft Montpellier – who brought us the disastrously overlooked Beyond Good and Evil – King Kong is set to play as brilliantly as it looks. Be the monkey! Genius.” Boiling

The Matrix: Path of Neo – “There are already so many games that rip off The Matrix, so – ironically – this one is going to have to work extra hard to stand out from the pack and not feel cliched. Keep the faith, Neophiles…” Hot

Need for Speed Most Wanted – “Car modding and police chases? Sounds arresting…” Hot

From Russia With Love – “Loads of variety, customisation and a superb jetpack – this is an exciting addition to the Bond universe. From Russia With Love definitely won’t have any problems with re-entry.” Boiling

Crashday – “DIY Burnout? If the gameplay’s right, then it could be.” Hot

Phantasy Star Universe – “Phantasy Star Universe is a raygun-packing badass. Which means an online RPG is now somewhere near the top of our most-wanted list. This is not a drill. We love this game.” Meltdown

Reviews
Destroy All Humans! – “With sharp humour and great design, this is the perfect antidote to a world of gritty shooters. Damn near essential.” 9/10

Killer 7 – “One of the most ambitious games on PS2. It’s unusual, but totally original and beautifully designed. Completely unforgettable.” 8/10

Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith – “Underneath the Lucas gloss lurks an unambitious game, further damaged by technical flaws. For Star Wars completists only.” 6/10

Cricket 2005 – “Cricket 2005 is not for casual, half hour sessions. It’s also sodding difficult. But persevere and you’ll find it’s a well-judged simulation.” 7/10

Dead to Rights II – “An unpretentious and fun shooter that ultimately becomes a bit tedious because of its relentless shoot shoot shoot gameplay.” 6/10

Delta Force: Black Hawk Down – “BHD does nothing new, but does it well and with an eye firmly fixed on playability. Undemanding, but totally enjoyable fragging fun.” 7/10

Animaniacs: The Great Edgar Hunt – “Don’t be fooled by the child-friendly colours, this is a lazy platformer that is unlikely to win over even the youngest of gamers.” 3/10

Motocross Mania 3 – “Not likely to break into your top ten, but the visuals, driving and weapons make this a budget game that’s value for money.” 6/10

7 Sins – “The makers of 7 Sins claim ‘Being bad is the new being good.’ If so, then this is one of the best PS2 games ever. That’s how bad it is.” 3/10

SCAR: Squadra Course Alfa Romeo – “Full marks for innovation but out on the track SCAR doesn’t even come close to challenging PS2’s top racers.” 6/10

Gungrave Overdose – “An action-packed shooter that’s really just a bullet-ridden one-trick pony. It does, however, do that one trick quite well.” 6/10

Project Minerva Professional – “A solid idea executed with all the charm and talent of an obnoxious, fat man doing a belly flop onto your face as you sleep.” 3/10

Tekken 5 – “The Tekken series soars again by returning to the formula that triumphed back in the day. A damn good fisting.” 8/10

Disc Content
Playable Demos
Destroy All Humans!
Tekken 5
Ys: The Ark of Napishtim
Worms 4: Mayhem
Pro Evolution Soccer 4

Footage
50 Cent: Bulletproof
Spartan: Total Warrior
Stargate SG1: The Alliance
Lego Star Wars
Mortal Kombat: Shaolin Monks
Total Overdose
Goal of the Month

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

Trivia
* Of course, the big news this month is the reveal of the Playstation 3. Following months of speculation, the official announcement finally gave us some concrete information on the console, its capabilities, the dearly departed banana controller (R.I.P.), and the games.
* Speaking of games, the charge is led by that Killzone 2 trailer. You know the one. The one Sony insisted for over a decade afterwards was 100% real, long after it became obvious that this was not the case, and it was actually bullshot (that’s an actual term, not censorship on my part) to demonstrate what Guerrilla were aiming for. Yes, that one. There’s also Resistance kicking off the fine tradition of being upstaged by Killzone, Motorstorm, and a super-early (as in, over a decade before release) version of Nioh.
* Stargate SG1: The Alliance is previewed this month, and a trailer also appears on the demo disc. The game ended up being cancelled when it turned out that the publisher didn’t have the Stargate SG1 licence, which resulted in a two-year legal battle. Whoops!
* After 61 issues, I’m finally getting around to mentioning the Caddicarus video on Official Playstation Magazine. It’s a pretty good and entertaining video, so watch it if you haven’t. However, I’m bringing it up now because (you may want to sit down for this) I’m going to defend the magazine to an extent, and somewhat disagree with the moderately popular Youtuber. Basically, Caddy says in the video that the magazine became perverted and misogynist, and therefore rubbish. I’ve been documenting some of that in this blog, though I’ve tried not to go too far with it because I want this to be fun and light-hearted. 7 Sins scored 3/10, and Caddy says this is a bad thing, because 3/10 on the review scale is “Extremely disappointing”, the implication being OPS2 wanted 7 Sins to be good because they’re perverts. The problem with this is, the review scale in question is no longer in use at this point. Looking at the coverage of 7 Sins prior to this issue also makes clear that OPS2 never expected 7 Sins to be any good. I don’t think Caddy gives OPS2 enough credit as, even aside from 7 Sins, softcore porn games never scored well. Rumble Roses is the best of a bad bunch, and even that only got 6/10 (that it comes closest to being a ‘proper’ game probably contributes to that.) The way Caddy goes on, you’d think all porn game reviews could be summed up as “Bewbs! 17/10!!!” There’s plenty of evidence for Caddy to argue his point without him needing to reach for it (he also states that Rate Your Mate was a regular feature, when it only appeared in one issue), and that he does so anyway diminishes his argument slightly.
* To change the subject before I bring down the wrath of Caddicarus fans upon myself any more than I already have, (Caddicarus fans are the new Nostalgia Critic fans. Remember when Nostalgia Critic had fans? Remember how annoying they were? Exactly.) Tekken 5 is also reviewed this month, and it’s Ratchet and Clank 3 all over again. By which I mean, a game that had barely any coverage pre-release because OPS2 got bored of the series and championed its rival instead (in this case, Soul Calibur), which comes out of nowhere on review to be a big hit, not to mention a pleasant surprise.

Quote of the Month: “If some of our games have been successful now, what we think that buys us is the freedom to get future games right.” Rockstar are uncharacteristically humble about the popularity of Grand Theft Auto.

Cover price: £5.99
Page Count: 146

Issue 60 (June 2005)

                                                                    Issue 60, June 2005

Editor’s letter
       I’ve mostly been wondering about what Jose Mourinho would do. Specifically, I’ve been wondering how the Portuguese firebrand would impose his brand of man-management on the world’s finest videogames magazine. The answer is this: he would give the team a rousing, inspirational speech. So rousing, that some would shed a silent tear. Then he would send them off like attack dogs trained to hunt down the juiciest games. They would return swiftly, clutching screenshots of SSX 4, Ultimate Spider-Man and Call of Duty: Big Red One in their teeth. But that wouldn’t be enough for Jose. He’d also want the scoop on the biggest thing to happen to shooting since Heckler met Koch. The game is called Black, it’s from the Burnout boys, and it’s going to rock your world. But Jose still wouldn’t be happy. He’d also want to interview 50 Cent, flog more PSPs for under a fiver and bring you even more exclusive shots of Tomb Raider: Legend and Hitman: Blood Money – plus the first everything on Onimusha 4 and Burnout on PSP. Yup, all that stuff, and everything else you’ve come to expect. Like the best reviews in the business (God of War and Area 51 are both ‘must buys’) and the only DVD that actually lets you play games. He’d also want to do something special for the loyal fans. Like setting up a readers-only website, stuffed with top secret game footage. Ultimately though, Jose isn’t calling the shots… I am. Which means ‘phase three’ of my plan for global domination is complete, and you can expect more madness like this next month. One thing’s for sure, this mag really is the ‘special one.’ Enjoy.
                                                            Tim Clark, Associate Editor

Features
Surprise! – This feature includes a number of upcoming games that take big deviations from what came before, including Tomb Raider: Legend, Jak X, Mortal Kombat: Shaolin Monks, Ratchet: Gladiator and more.

Black – Black

OPS2 Raps With Fiddy Cent – An interview with 50 Cent to discuss his game, 50 Cent: Bulletproof.

Please Love Me! – Onimusha: Dawn of Dreams.

Monthly Articles
Funny Nicknames – This month, what is the loudest noise you’ve ever heard?

Could be a Classic – This month, Spytoy. Turn your Eyetoy into a spy camera that can record everything it sees!

Replay – Walkthroughs for Gran Turismo 4 and Lego Star Wars, online reviews for Timesplitters: Future Perfect, Project Snowblind and Brother in Arms: Road to Hill 30, what the other mags said about Midnight Club 3, Devil May Cry 3 and Full Spectrum Warrior, and The Boot Room.

OPS2 Investigates – This month, How to make your girl love games in just 5 days. A guide to get non-gamer girlfriends into the hobby, just in case you need it.

Did We Really? – OPS2 dig up their old shames to point and laugh at them. This month, did we really give Grand Theft Auto 3 8/10?

                                                                   This month's Save Point.

Monitor
Hitman: Blood Money – “Previous Hitman games have all been hugely under-appreciated classics. Blood Money looks set to be the pinnacle of the series, with its deep in-game modification, lush looks and intelligent stealth action.” Meltdown

Burnout Revenge – “Bigger, better, faster, more is the motto for Burnout Revenge. Bigger crashes, better looks, noticeably faster and loads more tracks. No matter how speedy it is, Revenge can’t get here quickly enough.” Meltdown

Total Overdose – “Anything this insanely OTT has our attention.” Hot

Fahrenheit – “For a game named after a measurement of heat, it’s fitting to rate this one ‘hot’. It’s looking like a gory tale well told, but there’s a slight doubt that the clever control system masks an average adventure game.” Hot

Crime Life – “Looking about as hardcore as Blazin’ Squad.” Warm

Shadow the Hedgehog – “Sonic’s a huge star but he always was a bit of a wuss. Whether or not big guns fire Shadow to similar heights of spiky mammalian fame depends on how well the new arsenal works with the old gameplay.” Warm

Marvel Nemesis: Rise of the Imperfects – “Marvel Nemesis is probably our most wanted superhero game. The mix of Def Jam-styled fighting and the coolest/toughest/sexiest/weirdest Marvel heroes ever created is downright irresistible.” Boiling

Prince of Persia: The Two Thrones – “Another outing for one of our favourite gaming heroes – like we wouldn’t be excited. They just need to get the stealth right and ditch Warrior Within’s ‘angry’ take on proceedings, or there’ll be hell to pay.” Meltdown

Without Warning – “Ready to leave the shadows and start shooting? Us too.” Hot

Final Fantasy XII – “Okay, so maybe we’re reading too much into it. But shades of Star Wars mean this could be the best crowd of heroes to have ever populated an RPG. A full hands-on in the coming months will answer that question.” Hot

Jaws Unleashed – “Playing as the shark will offer all sorts of people-eating potential. Free-roaming missions as the largest sea predator sound great, but if ‘being’ Jaws doesn’t feel right, this could well be a fish out of water.” Warm

Reviews
God of War – “If this doesn’t make Ancient Greece the new LA we’ll want to know what’s up. It’s one of the best games you’ll see this year.” 9/10

Monster Hunter – “Playing without a network connection doesn’t do Monster Hunter justice. You must play online to get the full experience.” 7/10

Area 51 – “Area 51 is atmospheric, fun, challenging, amusing, exciting and impressively gory by turns. Arguably the best shooter on PS2.” 9/10

Dynasty Warriors 5 – “Feeling old and out of date, there’s been almost zero evolution over previous games in the series. One for the most hardcore fans only.” 6/10

Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex – “While not broken, this doesn’t really bring anything new to the third-person shooter party. Deeply average, with only the occasional flash of style.” 4/10

CT Special Forces: Fire for Effect – “While rough around the edges and generic, CTSF rattles along with enough pace and brainless arcade action to make it a fairly decent laugh. Worth a rental.” 6/10

Championship Manager 5 – “CM5 lacks the flair of other ‘console’ management games and relies on a fairly small player database. Good then, but not that great.” 7/10

Moto GP 4 – “As technically polished as ever, Moto GP 4 is now much more accessible too. Recommended, even if you’re not a fan of bikes.” 8/10

Predator: Concrete Jungle – “The Predator name is ripe with potential, but Concrete Jungle squanders it to make a completely unrewarding experience.” 3/10

SRS: Street Racing Syndicate – “SRS pursues the pack, but never gets its nose into the lead. And the novelty extras do little to raise the score, either.” 6/10

Jimmy Neutron: Attack of the Twonkies – “Polished but average, the well worked flow is let down by a few annoying controls. Not a bad buy for £20, though.” 6/10

Master Chess – “Pushes real hard for title of Worst PS2 Game Ever. We’ve only given it a point because chess itself has been around for ages. Awful.” 1/10

Pinball Fun – “There’s a few minutes’ joy to be strangled out of this mess but it mainly involves twatting the table with the ‘tilt’ function. Avoid.” 2/10

Choro Q – “A cutesy kiddie racer that thinks it can take on the pros. But the mess of ideas and no content to make them work turns this one into a car crash.” 4/10

XII Stag – “Let’s be clear about this – XII Stag isn’t very good at all, hoping to get by with retro charm alone. But as a bargain buy it’s not entirely useless.” 5/10

Volleyball Challenge – “This game made us so angry we actually punched a desk. This not-at-all-worth-it 20 quid purchase has scarred us both mentally and physically.” 1/10

Winnie the Pooh’s Rumbly Tumbly Adventure – “Boring spoon-fed adventure, tied to a cute toy box that will keep younger fans of Pooh happy on rainy afternoons.” 5/10

Motorbike King – “Merits a three because it has the merest dash of ambition, but remains deeply rubbish. Do. Not. Play. This. Game. Ever.” 3/10

Energy Airforce – “Promising, up until the point at which the game begins. And what the hell does ‘Energy Airforce’ mean anyway?” 3/10

Aces of War – “The only game ever to ask us “Do you want to sally forth?” as an actual menu option. Complete rubbish in every way.” 2/10

Disc Content
Playable Demos
Brothers in Arms: Road to Hill 30
SRS: Street Racing Syndicate
Singstar Popworld
Brave: The Search for Spirit Dancer
CT Special Forces: Fire for Effect
Super Monkey Ball Deluxe
Stolen
Robots

Footage
Beat Down: Fists of Vengeance
LA Rush
The Suffering: Ties That Bind
Without Warning
Alien Hominid
Area 51
Resident Evil Outbreak: File 2
Tony Hawk’s Underground 2 Remix
Splinter Cell: Chaos Theory
Goal of the Month

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

Trivia
* Another new letters page feature this month: Reader Face Off, in which two readers argue for and against a certain topic, with OPS2 declaring the winner. On an unrelated note, someone also sent in an envelope full of hair.
* Gaydar: This month, Daniel Gay writes in brag about convincing a child to sell him a copy of Devil May Cry for £2.20, before selling it on at a £3.80 profit. You think that’s impressive? Well, I once bought a copy of Manhunt 2 for £1 and sold it on for £13, so there!
* Speaking of Daniel, another reader writes in having noticed his regular letters and asking if someone else could get a chance to be printed.
* At this stage of development, Prince of Persia: The Two Thrones is following in the grimdark footsteps of Warrior Within, but the edginess was luckily reined in by the time the game was finished. Between this and the Prince’s new design for Warrior Within coming pretty late in development, Ubi Soft sure do like leaving things until the last minute, don’t they?
* God of War came very close to a 10/10. The review states that the exact moment one point was knocked off the score came in one of the last levels, during the infamous ‘climbing up a rotating spiky pole’ bit.
* It’s around this point that the novelty of Dynasty Warriors wears off, and the review scores will only decline further as more games are released.
* Strangely, Energy Airforce is reviewed after Energy Airforce: Air Strike from Issue 58, which I assume is the sequel to this game due to the addition of a subtitle.
* After the Hot 100’s break last month, OPS2 take the opportunity to give it a complete overhaul. This month, there are no less than 19 new entries, a mix of clearing the backlog from the last couple of issues, and some older games entering or re-entering the list.
* This issue sees the first appearance of Lisa Ralph, OPS2’s go-to model for feature photos. Here, she plays the girlfriend for the photos in the How to make your girl love games in 5 days feature. She really is very attractive, so luckily we’ll be seeing more of her over the coming issues!

Quote of the Month: “Ay wass crackalackin?” Oh, stewardess? I speak jive.

Cover price: £5.99
Page Count: 146

Issue 59 (May 2005)

                                                                      Issue 59, May 2005

Editor’s letter
       I’ve got a lot to tell you this month. Firstly, we’ve a massive line-up of exclusive first-look games: Battlefront 2, 007: From Russia With Love, Prince of Persia 3 and Soul Calibur 3 not to mention Tomb Raider: Legend. We’ve got more Burnout 4 shots too, following on from last month’s world first look. It’s Star Wars that takes centre stage this month though, and our giant trilogy of coverage kicks off on page 64 – although purists might want to skip page 76 as we’ve only gone and spazzed the whole Ep III plot. For God’s sake play Lego Star Wars on the disc though; it’s bloody fantastic.
       A PSP for £9.99? Impossible, surely? But no, as a quick detour to OPS2’s Big Bargain Boutique on page 34 will reveal. Simply put, we are going to flog PSPs and other great stuff for bargain basement prices every month on Ebay to you, our loyal readers. Just remember (before the inevitable rip-offs appear) the original is always best.
       As a further display of stupid generosity, how about this… The first five people (I’ve never met) to approach me holding a copy of this magazine and say “come on Mr Playstation, let’s have a copy of God of War”, will be sent a copy. Simple. And if you don’t know God of War, check out page 58 – it’s had no hype but it’ll blow your mind.
       Finally remember, OPS2 is your magazine. Are you happy with it? Please write to me at the usual address with your loves, hates, likes, dislikes, wants, needs and, most of all, ideas. The best ones will receive something special in the post. Enjoy the issue.
                                                            Stephen Pierce, Editor in chief

Features
24 – 24

When someone asks you if you’re a god… – God of War

The Circle is Complete – To celebrate the release of Star Wars Episode III ending the saga for the second time, we’ve got a massive Star Wars feature, encompassing Episode III (both film and game), Battlefront II, the Lego Star Wars review and demo, and special guests including Nick Gillard (the choreographer for the prequel trilogy) and Matt Lucas (No, I don’t know what he has to do with Star Wars either.)

Is this guy really the star of the next 10/10 game? – Soul Calibur 3. The guy in question is Zasalamel, an ace-looking scythe-wielding newcomer to the roster. To answer the question, he wasn’t, because other games came out first that got a perfect score. But what were they? You’ll have to keep reading to find out…

Holding the PSP’s Hot Handful – This month’s PSP update playtests five of the launch titles, and ranks all the UMD movies confirmed for launch.

Monthly Articles
Funny Nicknames – This month, what would tempt you to the Dark Side?

Replay – Revisiting Star Wars Battlefront and Shadow of Rome, reader reviews for Project Snowblind and Gallop Racer 2, what the other mags said about Gran Turismo 4, Timesplitters: Future Perfect, Metal Gear Solid 3 and The Punisher, and The Crib and The Boot Room.

OPS2 Investigates – This month, The day we ate bees with Mr Metal Gear. An interview with Hideo Kojima takes a turn for the surreal when he invites the interviewer to a restaurant that serves delicacies such as bees drowned in vodka and scorpions dipped in chocolate. This is the last time Kojima-san gets to choose the venue!

Did We Really? – Replacing the back page list is this new feature which digs up OPS2’s old shames to point and laugh at them. This month, did we really put Herdy Gerdy on the front cover?

                                                                   This month's Save Point.

Monitor
Bloodrayne 2 – “Better controls, characters and looks – better everything basically. Bloodrayne 2 is worlds apart from its clumpy predecessor. On the whole, things are looking good for the red-haired vamp.” Boiling

Batman Begins – “The stealth is definitely of the diet variety, but this is miles away from being a Catwoman-shaped atrocity. If they can get the fighting to feel punchier, Batman fans will be in for a dark treat.” Hot

SCAR: Squadra Corse Alfa Romeo – “Not a premier league racer, but SCAR’s got nice ideas.” Warm

Tekken 5 – “We may have some minor quibbles over the animation, but Tekken 5 has been muscled up with stacks of extras. We’re still a little undecided if any of them are genuinely useful, though.” Hot

Sniper Elite – “A great looking change of pace with a good aim so far.” Hot

The Incredible Hulk: Ultimate Destruction – “Already it’s clear they’ve got the most important thing right – the actual feel of the Hulk – so in terms of accuracy we have little to worry about. Anything else will just be a bonus.” Boiling

Marc Ecko’s Getting Up: Contents Under Pressure – “We wanted to hate it, just on principle. But, suitably shamed, we can see the exciting potential just busting to get out. The Eckomeister really wants this to be excellent, and so do we.” Hot

Spartan: Total Warrior – “Spartan: Total Warrior looks like an incredible adventure – huge atmospheric levels and great action – if the gameplay is as stunning as the visuals, this could be history in the making.” Boiling

Evil Dead: Regeneration – “Our love for the chinned-one is the main saving grace.” Warm

Battlefield 2: Modern Combat – “All online PS2 gamers go ahead and consider this a ‘Meltdown’ proposition. For everyone else, it’s looking tasty, but let’s save the fireworks until we get our hands on the single-player game.” Boiling

Shadow of the Colossus – “Clearly more action-orientated than Ico, but still likely to play best with the arthouse crowd. Everything now rests on how the game is going to feel. We’ll let you know next month.” Meltdown

Reviews
Lego Star Wars – “It may be shallow, easy and ‘for kids’, but that’s the point. Lots of charm and fun, making for an irresistible package.” 8/10

NARC – “A great idea that’s been badly realized, but one that might thrill us if it resurfaced as NARC 2: Now we’ve done it properly.” 5/10

Singstar Popworld – “It’s still Singstar, so it’s still brilliant. The tracklist threatens to derail the soul train, yet doesn’t crash the party too much.” 8/10

Enthusia Professional Racing – “Pitches itself against the daddy and fails, ironically bypassing enthusiasm on its way to earnest okay-ness. A missed opportunity.” 7/10

Kessen III – “In trying to be accessible, Kessen III ends up being plain and unrewarding. Forget the tactics, KOEI, we just want to fight!” 6/10

TT Superbikes – “The bikers might go mad for it, but anyone who doesn’t know what ‘pillion’ is should really steer clear of this.” 6/10

Cold Winter – “Cold Winter may be corny and have all the finesse of a made-for-cable-TV movie, but it’s bloodthirsty fun all the same.” 8/10

Alien Hominid – “A classic example of style over substance, but there’s enough of the former to forgive the lack of the latter. Good fun.” 7/10

World Snooker Championship 2005 – “A perfectly enjoyable and absorbing effort that’s frustrating because a little spit and polish would have made it great.” 7/10

Super Monkey Ball Deluxe – “The implausibility of completing later levels on the Dual Shock takes the sheen off a bit, but at £25, you just can’t grumble.” 8/10

MX VS ATV Unleashed – “Not as fun as belting a BMX through GTA’s Badlands, but fans of previous MX or ATV games will be in a hog heaven.” 7/10

Midnight Club 3: Dub Edition – “This is as good a street racer as you’ll find on PS2. Strangely, that doesn’t make it the most exciting game you’ll ever play.” 8/10

Spindrive Ping Pong – “There’s a limit to what you can get for a tenner, and a good ping pong game is evidently somewhere beyond this.” 3/10

Gunbird: Special Edition – “Far from outstanding games, but good solid shooters and, at a mere ten bucks, certainly outstanding value.” 6/10

Juiced – “A quality street racer with a real edge and cool respect dynamic that’s only compromised by handling with a split personality.” 7/10

Tenchu: Fatal Shadows – “So old you’ll want to help it across the road and pop by its house every now and then to check it’s okay.” 6/10

Red Ninja: End of Honor – “A lacklustre stain on the stealth genre. Repetitive and lacking in imagination, Red Ninja is a better idea than it is a game.” 4/10

Robots – “Visually accomplished but with far too simplistic find-and-collect gameplay. Despite this, Robots will probably do well enough off the back of the film.” 5/10

Pink Pong – “Wooden and unpleasant to play as a representation of ping pong, the option to ogle the female cast in a variety of poses is poor compensation for the main game.” 2/10

Haunting Ground – “Initially intriguing, but too dreamlike and distant to engage for long. Plus there aren’t any guns. What’s that about then?” 6/10

Tak 2: The Staff of Dreams – “Gaining a point for the reduced price, Tak 2 trips up the final step to gaming greatness through a last-minute lack of effort.” 7/10

Mashed: Fully Loaded – “One of the best multiplayer games around with some extras and an attractive price. Perhaps not worth it if you have the original though.” 8/10

Disc Content
Playable Demos
Lego Star Wars
Enthusia Professional Racing
Fight Night Round 2
The Spongebob Squarepants Movie
Rugby 2005
Juiced
Full Spectrum Warrior
Killzone

Footage
ESPN NBA 2K5
ESPN NHL 2K5
ESPN NFL 2K5
Marc Ecko’s Getting Up: Contents Under Pressure
Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith
Eyetoy Antigrav
Pilot Down: Behind Enemy Lines
Darkwatch
PSP Launch Line-Up (Includes Wipeout Pure, Ape Academy, Ridge Racer, Everybody’s Golf, World Tour Soccer, World Rally Championship, Fired Up and Medievil: Resurrection)
Colin McRae Rally PSP
Goal of the Month
The Making of Ace Combat: Squadron Leader

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

Trivia
* There’s a bit of a change on the letters page this month, as Handbag is replaced by Fat Crying Baby, which is pretty much the same thing minus the booby prize, and we also get the first edition of Games for Tat, in which the first reader to send in whatever strange thing OPS2 asks for gets a free game.
* To tie in with the Star Wars theme for this month, In the Fade has replaced the red and blue arrows with lightsabers and been rebranded as In the Saber. Surprisingly, this wasn’t a one-off and stuck until Issue 89.
* The Big Bargain Boutique is notable for featuring Tim Clark in a sparkly gold suit jacket.
* You can tell this issue predates Borat going mainstream because Kazakhstan is described as an obscure country.
* The Star Wars feature includes a theory that Anakin going to the Dark Side and helping bring about Order 66 was how he brought balance to the Force, because there were thousands of Jedi versus only two Sith. The theory then goes on to say the true balance was found in Luke, the last remaining Jedi who also had a few things reminiscent of the Dark Side, like his black outfit in Return of the Jedi, his robotic hand, and most importantly, that he doesn’t suppress his emotions like other Jedi were taught to.
* “Let’s just pray Luke doesn’t sire any sprogs. If he does, it’s all going to kick off again.” Did OPS2 predict the sequel trilogy a decade early?
* Lego Star Wars gets 3 pages and a highly enthusiastic review, quite a contrast to nowadays, where the novelty has worn off of Lego games due to getting a new one every few months, and they tend to be met with a half-page shrug to the tune of 6-7/10.
* Juiced is re-reviewed following its phoenix-like rise from the unreleased game graveyard, but it gets the same score as last time.
* For those who don’t know, a pillion is the back seat of a motorcycle. I bet you didn’t expect to learn things from reading this blog, did you?
* The Hot 100 takes a month off from the magazine. Instead, one of the free gifts for this issue was a book that reprinted abridged versions of the reviews for the games currently on the list.

Quote of the Month: “Do you want some shit? No, he doesn’t. His head looks like an after-party birthday cake and he’s floating in a pool of his own pureed giblets – he’s had just about all the shit he can take!” Remember kids, say no to drugs!

Cover price: £5.99
Page Count: 146

ABC Sales Figures: The sales figures don’t increase in the second half of the year for the first time, which means this is likely the point where we’ll see a steady decline. That said, the reduction is only half as much as the previous sales drops, and the figures are still very high.

Jan-Jun 2004 – 177,450
Jul-Dec 2004 – 172,593 (Down 4,857)