Issue 88 (August 2007)

                                                                Issue 88, August 2007

Editor’s letter
       June was a pretty bad month for videogames. The annual summer drought of decent titles began in earnest (Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer being a ‘highlight’ – sheesh!). And then games started making headline news for all the wrong reasons. First there was the debacle between Sony and the Church of England over the depiction of Manchester Cathedral in PS3 title Resistance: Fall of Man. And then there was Manhunt 2. You’ve no doubt heard that the game was refused a rating by the British Board of Film Classification (BBFC), meaning it’s illegal to sell it in the UK. Shortly afterwards the Entertainment Software Ratings Board (ESRB) in the USA elected to rate the game Adults Only (AO) and, as is its policy with AO games, Sony refused publisher Rockstar a licence to release Manhunt 2 in the States. Uproar ensued among the gaming community, and many of you have written in to express your outrage at the decision. The heated debate has centred around censorship, freedom of choice and freedom of artistic expression. Flip the page and you’ll find our views on the affair. You may be surprised. Anyway, June was a bad month for videogames but when you read this issue, you’ll find things are getting much brighter. We’ve got exclusive playtests of this year’s Smackdown VS Raw title and Juiced 2, an exclusive review of Obscure 2, fresh news on GTA IV, a look at Guitar Hero Rocks the ‘80s, first details on Pro Evolution Soccer 2008 and much more besides.
                                                                    Nick Ellis, Editor

Features
Rocking Back the Clock – Guitar Hero Rocks the ‘80s. To get in the mood, OPS2 form their own 80s hair metal band, DethKrab.

Mod Almighty – Juiced 2: Hot Import Nights

Monthly Article
Funny Nicknames – This month, how many Facebook friends do you have?

Your Game in Lights – Readers submit their own game ideas. This month, Bod of War, in which the 70s cartoon favourite goes on a bloody quest for revenge. Would Bod fight other classic cartoon characters like Bagpuss, Mr Benn or Roobarb and Custard, I wonder?

Google Fight – Two games or characters are pitted against each other via Google Fight. This month, Harry Potter thrashes Manhunt 2’s Daniel Lamb with 52,500,000 hits to 1,430,000.

Could be a Classic – This month, Dungeons and Dragons Tactics, allowing you to play Dungeons and Dragons on PSP, with strategic positioning crucial to success.

Replay – Part three of the Tomb Raider: Anniversary walkthrough and a Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix walkthrough, online reviews for SOCOM US Navy SEALs: Fireteam Bravo 2 and Smash Court Tennis 3 and what the other mags said about Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End, Naruto: Uzumaki Chronicles, Raw Danger! and Driver 76.

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

                                                                This month's Save Point.

Monitor
Syphon Filter: Dark Mirror – “More Syphon Filter is always welcome on PS2, and with enhanced visuals and sound, we can forgive the lack of online multiplayer in this PSP port.” Boiling

Moto GP 2007 – “With SBK-07’s developer at the controls, this year’s Moto GP is showing all the signs of a sequel that could be genuinely different and more than a lacklustre update.” Hot

The Golden Compass – “With such fantastic source material, developer Shiny has all the substance it needs to craft a fine PS2 adventure game. Let’s pray they do Pullman proud.” Hot

The Legend of Spyro: The Eternal Night – “The second part of Spyro’s trilogy promises to be a slick, action-packed ride that’s designed to entertain rather than really challenge. Camp but cute fun for the kids.” Hot

Ben 10: Protector of Earth – “The subject matter suggests this could be a cut above the usual cartoon tie-in, so hopefully the developer has got its act together since its last PS2 releases.” Warm

ATV Offroad Fury 4 – “The series may have sold millions, but the earlier games were distinctly tepid – this looks like being the one to bring the world of ATV racing to a raging climax.” Boiling

Cars Mater-National – “We wouldn’t normally ask for much from a film tie-in. But Rainbow delivered last time and now we want more – and better. And kids can be even more demanding than us…” Hot

Dawn of Mana – “Beautiful and packed with energetic, physics-a-go-go combat; but the overemphasis on action could hold back Mana’s fresh approach to RPG adventuring.” Warm

Dragon Ball Z: Budokai Tenkaichi 3 – “More of the same, we suspect, but then that’s no bad thing considering how nice the previous versions are. Still, we can’t help but wish for something more…” Hot

Wipeout Pulse – “There will be plenty on offer for hardcore Wipeout fans in Pulse, but the old and rather dated formula is unlikely to garner much favour with newcomers.” Warm

King of Clubs – “It’ll never measure up to the comical joy and technical challenge of Everybody’s Golf, but tweak the bland settings and stillborn humour and it could be worth a tee or two.” Warm

Time Crisis 4 – “The wheel isn’t being reinvented here, but that suits us just fine. We’re just glad to be back behind the cross-hairs in a game that will stand up even if you don’t have a HDTV.” Boiling

PS2 Reviews
Obscure 2 – “Nightmarish, gut-wrenching and frustrating, but still a tempting prospect as long as you’re not looking for the next Resident Evil 4.” 7/10

Transformers – “With this subject matter it could’ve been great, but all the noise and effects in the galaxy can’t disguise the lack of invention or class.” 5/10

King of Fighters XI – “It’s getting on a bit, but judged on its own merits, this year’s King of Fighters is a solid addition to the series.” 6/10

King of Fighters: Maximum Impact 2 – “Not the most stylish fighter, but those desperately seeking a bruising helping of Tekken-lite action should look here.” 7/10

Metal Slug Anthology – “There is no argument. The Metal Slug games are cult classics and this collection offers the entire series for just £15. Bargain.” 8/10

Tony Hawk’s Downhill Jam – “Without motion-sensitive controls, Downhill Jam is a shallow (albeit somewhat enjoyable) game marred by some irritating bugs.” 6/10

Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer – “The How-To guide on how to murder a solid licence, the only thing this game succeeds at is being even worse than its predecessor.” 3/10

Shrek the Third – “Its unique sense of humour and well-rounded characters make this one to consider for a kid’s birthday present.” 6/10

The Shield – “Fans of the show might want to give it a quick rental, but everyone else: consider yourselves warned and watch the TV show instead.” 4/10

Hitman Triple Pack – “This box set is an absolute bargain, worth it for Blood Money alone – think of the previous titles as interactive historical extras.” 8/10

Lucinda Green’s Equestrian Challenge – “Too dull even to be worth buying as a gift for a horse-mad little girl. Spend the cash on a couple of hours’ pony trekking instead.” 4/10

PSP Reviews
Hard Rock Casino – “Possibly worth buying as a portable tutorial for those adults who fancy trying their luck in a real casino, but otherwise, no.” 4/10

Tomb Raider: Anniversary – “As a port, it does the job. But the convulsive controls and lack of new features makes TRA for PSP only an optional extra to the PS2 experience.” 6/10

Parappa the Rapper – “Parappa is just as refreshing today as he was 10 years ago, though somewhat hampered by the PSP’s control scheme.” 7/10

Disc Content
Playable Demos
King of Clubs
Viewtiful Joe 2
World Rally Championship 4
V Rally 3
Project Zero
Ghosthunter
Worms 3D
Sly 2: Band of Thieves
Broken Sword: The Sleeping Dragon
Micro Machines

Trivia
* After taking last year’s WWE cover off, the divas are back. There’s only one this year, though.
* The Editor’s Letter hints at it, but OPS2 were in favour of the decision to ban Manhunt 2 in an article that is unusually serious for them. When Nick said in the last issue that playing the game gave him horrible nightmares, he wasn’t joking.
* The Viewtiful Joe 2 demo is an interesting one, because despite being an older game, this is actually its first appearance on the disc. On release, Viewtiful Joe 2 was the cause of controversy when the demo that appeared on an American demo disc contained a severe game-breaking bug that wiped your memory card if you played it. Presumably, the delay before it appeared on a UK disc was to fix the bug.
* The results of the Writer Face Off are in, and Mike wins, with 3 readers agreeing with him about Final Fantasy XII being a bad game, compared to only 1 siding with Kim in liking it.
* The Hitman Triple Pack review re-reviews the three games that form the collection, as well as providing an overall score. Blood Money maintains its 9/10 score, but Hitman 2 and Chronicles are deemed to have aged poorly due to their overambition and their scores are dropped to 6/10.
* This issue was supposed to see the debut of the new look, but that was delayed to issue 90. In retrospect, it would have been nice had it debuted here, because then we could have had a full year with the final design.

Quote of the Month: “Faster, boy, play faster!” The peril of having to review a major game when it comes in just before deadline. The Transformers publisher knew what they were doing.

Cover price: £5.99
Page Count: 130

Issue 87 (July 2007)

                                                                    Issue 87, July 2007

Editor’s letter
       For this month’s cover we had a choice of two games: Manhunt 2 or Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix. You probably couldn’t get two more different titles. On the one hand, you’ve got a horrifically violent adventure with a psychopathic lead character, a game so exquisitely gruesome that it gave me horrible nightmares after I’d played it. On the other, you’ve got Manhunt 2. Ho! I jest, of course. In fact pretty much the only thing these two have in common is that the lead character in both titles wears specs (and we all know that specs are way cool, right?). In the end we sided with Potter, which might surprise you, but we think you’ll also be surprised at just how good Order of the Phoenix is. We certainly were. It’s not often you see a franchise completely reinvent itself for the better, but that’s precisely what’s happened here, and the game is so good in its own right that you don’t need to be Potter-mad to enjoy it. We’ll be seeing how the second Manhunt title fares next month. The rest of the issue is, as ever, jam-packed with the latest and greatest PS2, PSP and PS3 news, reviews, previews and features. Well that’s all from me this month, I’m off to pack my suitcase and head to the sun. Happy holidays!
                                                                    Nick Ellis, Editor

Features
Lights! Camera! Traction! – Stuntman Ignition

Recruitment Consultancy – What if game characters had regular jobs? Inspired by a reader letter in Issue 84, OPS2 sent mock CVs for Heihachi Mishima, Ratchet and Agent 47 to a recruitment consultant to find out what their ideal jobs would be.

Your PSP Summer – This extensive feature is dedicated to the PSP, with some of the best games to play during long journeys, the best accessories and movies to buy, and for one month only, a PSP Hot 100.

Monthly Articles
Your Game in Lights – Readers submit their own game ideas. This month, Alpha Company, in which a military unit goes missing under mysterious circumstances.

Google Fight – Two games or characters are pitted against each other via Google Fight. This month, Resident Evil defeats Silent Hill with 5,260,000 hits to 4,740,000 hits.

Could be a Classic – This month, Parappa the Rapper. The PSP port, to be exact. We already know this game is a classic, so including it here is a bit of a cheat, really.

Replay – Part two of the Tomb Raider: Anniversary walkthrough, online reviews for UEFA Champions League 2006-2007 and Death Jr 2: Root of Evil and what the other mags said about Spider-Man 3, Tomb Raider: Anniversary, SOCOM US Navy SEALs: Combined Assault and Diner Dash.

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

Trading Pages – Other magazines take over the back page. This month, Imagine FX use Photoshop to create digital art of Lara Croft.

                                                            This month's Save Point.

Monitor
FIFA 2008 – “Last year’s FIFA was a revolution and FIFA 08 looks set to extend EA’s return to form – so long as its new, tougher shooting model doesn’t get too convoluted.” Boiling

God of War: Chains of Olympus – “This is no lazy re-hash. Chains of Olympus looks set to raise the PSP bar and then crush the bar with its bare hands. We can’t bloody wait to play it.” Meltdown

Persona 3 – “The mix of an engaging storyline, the unique in-school community concept and the saving humanity stuff makes SMT:P3 a very exciting prospect for RPG fanatics.” Boiling

Silent Hill: Origins – “With moody atmospherics, creepy music and strong ties to the rest of the series, Origins looks set to stand as a credible addition to the history of Silent Hill.” Hot

Phantasy Star Universe: Ambition of the Illuminus – “Once this hits the shelves, the sheer size of PSU will reach universal proportions. With so many new features packed in, it’s an essential buy for PSU owners.” Hot

Ghost Recon: Advanced Warfighter 2 – “Shooters and the PSP have never had the best relationship, but GRAW 2 is shaping up to buck that trend and deliver something special.” Boiling

Kane and Lynch: Dead Men – “High-velocity gunplay and a pumping soundtrack make this feel suitably down-and-dirty for its adult storyline. Hopefully the missions will offer enough variety to keep things going to a bloody climax.” Hot

Ratatouille – “We can’t wait to see the movie, but don’t have as much appetite for the game, which looks set to be a solid but unimaginative dish for very young Ratatouille fans only.” Warm

Need for Speed ProStreet – “Final judgement will have to wait until it completes its costly makeover, but for now ProStreet threatens to reinvigorate the racing genre, and with some panache. It’s set to be an exhilarating ride.” Boiling

PS2 Reviews
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix – “The best Potter adventure ever and the best licensed game on PS2. For fans, it’s essential and for everyone else, it’s highly recommended.” 8/10

Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End – “Without the unlockables, this game lasts three hours. You’re better off using those three hours to watch the very wonderful film instead.” 5/10

Atelier Iris 3: Grand Phantasm – “The fighting and alchemy are great. But the repetitive questing, slow storyline and disappointing graphics will wear out the biggest RPG freak.” 6/10

Spongebob and Friends: Battle for Volcano Island – “What this game does, it does pretty well. But it’s a shame that it settles for merely good enough when it could have been great.” 6/10

Naruto: Uzumaki Chronicles – “RPG elements shoved into some half-cocked attempt at achieving depth of play, Uzumaki Chronicles is a missed opportunity.” 5/10

PSP Reviews
Heatseeker – “A once-fine example of dogfighting laid low by its transition to PSP, Heatseeker isn’t bad, but neither is it anywhere near brilliant.” 6/10

Driver 76 – “Despite a few technical glitches this is a solid back-to-basics effort with some extra bells and whistles and a load of groove.” 7/10

SOCOM US Navy SEALs: Fireteam Bravo 2 – “On its own, this is short-lived and has little new to offer, but the online options and improved Crosstalk bring it back from the brink.” 7/10

Hot Pixel – “Quirky games like this work only when there’s a huge amount of truly inspired imagination behind them. Here, there isn’t.” 3/10

Legend of the Dragon – “Possibly could have been better if more had been made of the bonkers storyline. As it is, file this one away under ‘fans only’.” 5/10

Aces of War – “Plenty of missions based on actual events? Roger. Lots of authentic WWII planes? Roger. Any excitement or fun? Nope.” 3/10

Gurumin – “As a fluffy fantasy adventure Gurumin pushes all the right buttons, although it’s hardly serious RPG fare.” 7/10

Burnout Dominator – “A perfect dash of arcade racing that takes the series back to its roots. Clearly made for the fans, an essential buy for anyone.” 9/10

Ghost Rider – “There’s plenty of content in this flowing, flaming adventure with a devilish difficulty level that’ll keep you chained to your PSP.” 8/10

Thrillville – “A superb work of handheld gaming – great fun and one of the most imaginative games for the handheld format.” 9/10

Test Drive Unlimited – “A racing adventure that’s more focused than the console version and manages to remain huge even though it’s on handheld.” 8/10

TMNT – “Cowabunga, dude, this is turtly rubbish!” 3/10

Disc Content
Playable Demos
Obscure 2
Lumines Plus
God of War II
Buzz Junior: Jungle Party
Destroy All Humans 2
Dog’s Life
Ford Racing 2
Hitman 2: Silent Assassin
Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater
Reign of Fire
Ghost Recon: Jungle Storm
War of the Monsters

Trivia
* Gaydar: This month, Daniel Gay is concerned about the increasing push for photorealistic graphics resulting in fewer cartoony, stylised, unrealistic games being made.
* Alexander Mellar writes in with the idea for Star Wars Battlefront, but with Playstation characters instead of Star Wars ones. OPS2 weren’t fans: “One man’s dream is another person’s nightmare. Namely, ours.” With so little appetite for a Playstation crossover, it’s no wonder everyone hated Playstation All Stars Battle Royale.
* If you must destroy your old console to celebrate buying a new one, at least do it safely. Don’t be the gamer in Wyoming who urinated on his PS2 and ended up electrocuting himself because it was on at the time. Luckily, he survived.
* There is an article on rare and expensive games, and it's interesting to see the difference on what was was rare and expensive when PS2 was still relatively current, compared to now. On one hand, the likes of Psychonauts and Zone of the Enders: The Second Runner are readily available nowadays thanks to regular re-releases and ports. On the other hand, you could buy an import copy of Rule of Rose for around £40 in 2007. Today, you'd have to add an extra zero to the end. Speaking of which, why hasn't there been a remake or film/TV adaptation yet, to try and improve or remove the mediocre-at-best gameplay while retaining the story, which is apparently considered to be among the best in all of videogames?
* Funny story about Order of the Phoenix: Emma Watson mentioned in interviews that for a time after the game was released, whenever she and her brother got into a fight, her brother would vent his frustrations by turning the game on and battering Hermione repeatedly with benches.
* Hot Pixel was re-reviewed in this issue having previously been reviewed in Issue 81 because it wasn’t released at that time.
* This issue has a challenge to beat OPS2’s time in a race in Spider-Man 3. I entered the competition, but I didn’t win, despite getting my best time under 10 seconds. To this day, I’m still not certain if there was someone even faster, or if my entry didn’t reach them for whatever reason.

Quote of the Month: “It was my first time. It was his last time. [Uncontrolled sobbing].” Everyone knows having sex in a horror movie is one of the absolute worst ways to tank your chances of surviving. Only imminent retirement and/or having a family is worse.

Cover price: £5.99
Page Count: 130

Issue 86 (June 2007)

                                                                Issue 86, June 2007

Editor’s letter
       I bet you thought I was going to say ch-ch-ch-cheesecake! Nope, that would just be silly. Anyway, being the wrong side of 30, I’m more than old enough to remember the Transformers when they first appeared on the telly in 1984. I loved them then and I still dig them now: robots that transform into planes or cars or boats or whatever are just plain cool, no argument. And that’s pretty much the reason why we’ve been pestering Activision for months to get the exclusive lowdown on the new Transformers game. Our petitioning finally paid off this issue and on p18 Andy brings you our first impressions of the game after visiting Traveller’s Tales to see it. Regular readers will know that OPS2 will be undergoing its own transformation in the coming months, and I’d like to say a big thank you to all of you who’ve written in with your ideas, opinions and observations about the mag. Keep ‘em coming! One thing that will never change, though, is our dedication to bringing you the very latest news and info on PS2’s hottest games, and this issue is bursting at the seams with great stuff, from our Manhunt 2 hands-on update to the very first screens of Philip Pullman’s The Golden Compass and the exclusive review of Rogue Galaxy. Enjoy.
                                                                Nick Ellis, Editor

Features
Now Even Bigger! – WWE Smackdown VS Raw 2008

The Golden Compass

Guns, Trafficking and the American Dream – Grand Theft Auto IV

Cheapin’ it R£al – This feature is on budget games, and consists of an interview with Sean Brennan, chief executive officer at Blast! Entertainment, several budget game reviews, and a list of the 18 most bizarre budget games, including the likes of Gecko Blaster, Car Wash Tycoon, White Van Racer, and the infamous Snow White and the Seven Clever Boys.

The OPS2 Role Playing Game Dream Team – OPS2 form their own ultimate RPG team drawing from multiple RPGs, but still conforming to the archetypes of Leader (Sephiroth), Brawler (Joachim Valentine from Shadow Hearts: Covenant), Mage (Klein Kiesling from Atelier Iris: Eternal Mana), Engineer (Max from Dark Chronicle), Siren (Shania from Shadow Hearts: From the New World) and Wild Card (a Prinny).

Monthly Article
Funny Nicknames – This month, what budget game would you like to see made?

Google Fight – A new feature in which two characters are pitted against each other via Google Fight. This month, Solid Snake defeats Lara Croft with 230,000 hits to 197,00 hits.

Could be a Classic – This month, Grimgrimoire. A real time strategy game starring a witch in training.

Replay – Part one of the Tomb Raider: Anniversary walkthrough, online reviews for SOCOM US Navy SEALs: Combined Assault and Sid Meier’s Pirates! and what the other mags said about Medal of Honor: Vanguard, God of War II, UEFA Champions League 2006-2007 and Call of Duty: Roads to Victory.

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

Trading Pages – Other magazines take over the back page. This month, Quick and Easy Stitch and Craft give a PS2 a makeover.

                                                              This month's Save Point.

Monitor
Manhunt 2 – “Uncompromising, bloody, and every bit as savage as the original was, Manhunt 2 is shaping up to be the perfect sequel to the PS2’s premier videogame nasty.” Hot

Naruto: Uzumaki Chronicles – “Nutty for Naruto and all things anime? Then this is definitely one to watch. But if that kind of thing isn’t your bag, you may as well forget about this game right now.” Warm

Tony Hawk’s Downhill Jam – “If the controls are nailed then we fully expect Downhill Jam to be an accessible, fun and flamboyant alternative to the now-too-familiar Tony Hawk’s series.” Hot

Obscure 2 – “So far, this looks like more of the same. Still, if you like hair-raising scares alongside painfully cool teen angst, keep a severed eye on Obscure 2.” Warm

Odin Sphere – “Beautiful graphics, epic storyline, sparkly spells: the perfect formula for a killer RPG. And with real-time fighting it looks set to appeal outside the hardcore RPG fanbase too.” Boiling

The Shield – “Graphically it’s not bad, but in all other areas The Shield is as wafer-thin as one of the Strike Team’s warrants. And we don’t expect it to change greatly before release.” Tepid

The Darkness – “Neither a pure trouser-ruining horror nor an unadulterated pulse-raining shooter, but its combination of goth and gunnery means we’re quietly excited.” Hot

Castlevania: The Dracula X Chronicles – “Three classic Castlevania games on one disc? Are you kidding? This is already shaping up to be an essential portable game, even if you’re new to the series.” Boiling

PS2 Reviews
Rogue Galaxy – “Deep, addictive and awash with colour and character, Rogue Galaxy is a near-perfect take on the old-school Eastern RPG formula.” 9/10

Demon Chaos – “Demon Chaos is a valiant attempt, but ultimately it falls short of being the ingenious blend of genres that it strives to be.” 5/10

Raw Danger! – “Unique survival tactics and some interesting ideas meant Raw Danger! had the potential to be a classic, but poor delivery has crucified it.” 4/10

Shadow Hearts: From the New World – “Looks outdated, but is challenging, cheeky and charming. The combat and sidequests will keep you entertained for ages.” 8/10

The History Channel: Great Battles of Rome – “Definitive proof that even the most exciting bits of history can be reduced to a cure for insomnia. Shoddy, slow-paced and dull.” 3/10

Spider-Man 3 – “Despite a huge city and a great swinging mechanic with which to get through it, Spider-Man 3 is repetitive and disappointing.” 5/10

Asterix and Obelix XXL2: Mission Las Vegum – “A missed opportunity. As Asterix fans, we really wanted to like this game, but it’s one that’s best left to the young ‘uns.” 6/10

Babe – “We just can’t imagine that even the biggest sheep-pig fan would get past the first few levels without giving up.” 4/10

Captain Scarlet – “Drearier than a motorway service station on a rainy winter Sunday, Captain Scarlet takes the already dodgy subject of vehicle-based combat, paints it brown and then makes you hate videogames. And life.” 3/10

BCV: Battle Construction Vehicles – “Who can argue with a game where your crane’s special attack is a giant bee that stings rivals?” 5/10

The Seed: Warzone – “Honestly, we had to check that our controller was plugged in – more than once – because at no point did we feel that we were actually playing The Seed: Warzone.” 3/10

Realm of the Dead – “Overall, Realm of the Dead is a reasonable game for the price, but its gore-ridden combat takes it well out of nipper territory.” 4/10

Twenty 2 Party – “If your party is so dull that this game is an improvement, you really need to get some more exciting friends.” 4/10

PSP Reviews
Crush – “Don’t let the game’s presentation scare you. If ever there was a game that screams cult classic puzzler, it’s this one.” 8/10

Smash Court Tennis 3 – “A deep, rewarding tennis game that lacks the fireworks of Virtua Tennis and also some of its fun. You will like it… eventually.” 7/10

Valkyrie Profile: Lenneth – “Proof that age cannot dampen a well-made game. Even seven years after the original it looks and plays like few other RPGs.” 8/10

Dragon Ball Z: Shin Budokai 2 – “An enjoyable beat-‘em-up despite the ADHD storyline. The smooth, ninja-tastic fighting is fun and there’s plenty of stuff to do.” 7/10

Death Jr 2: Root of Evil – “A Ratchet and Clank-style platformer based around the son of Death is a great idea. Unfortunately it’s been largely squandered here.” 6/10

Disc Content
Playable Demos
Everybody’s Tennis
Everybody’s Golf
Dark Cloud
24
Crash Tag Team Racing
Enthusia Professional Racing
Fahrenheit
From Russia With Love
Ratchet: Gladiator
Second Sight

Trivia
* As a reward for having to make the magazine almost singlehandedly while the old staff were leaving and the new staff were being hired, Andy is promoted to Deputy Editor this month.
* The Reader Face-Off this month is replaced with the Writer Face-Off, in which Mike and Kim argue over Final Fantasy XII. Kim considers it the best in the series, whereas for Mike it’s the worst in the series, and the only one he didn’t finish. Think of this as a preview of a new monthly feature coming soon.
* Transformers is the last non-Lego game made by Traveller’s Tales to date. It would be nice to see them give something else a go, but then I think about Lego Game of Thrones, or Lego Ghostbusters, or Lego Back to the Future, or… you get the idea.
* More Shadow of the Colossus news, this time in the form of screenshots of cut colossi. My favourites are the warthog colossus and the giant spider colossus.
* There’s an article on the Madden Curse. A player who makes it onto the cover of a Madden game will often have a worse season than before, with varying degrees of severity, to the point that superstition has it that the position is cursed. Logically, players at the top of their game will be chosen for the Madden box, and there’s nowhere to go from there but down, but that’s no fun, is it? A few athletes have escaped the curse, most notably Calvin Johnson for Madden NFL 2013, but it will take more than that to exorcise the curse for good.
* The Seed: Warzone was previously reviewed in Issue 44, where it scored 5/10. Evidently, the intervening three years haven’t been kind to it.
* Games that would still be made today, but would have to be censored: Shadow Hearts: From the New World. Why? I’ll let OPS2 take it from here: “When Shania, um, transforms, her, erm, clothes fall off and you get to see, err, the majority of her breasts. What?”
* The next issue promises a review of Manhunt 2. Yeah, about that…

Quote of the Month: “We’ve torn ourselves away from shagging, drinking, killing and kicking.” I notice cigarettes and rollerblading aren’t on that list…

Cover price: £5.99
Page Count: 130

Issue 85 (May 2007)

                                                                Issue 85, May 2007

Editor’s letter
       When the original Tomb Raider came out on PS1, I had a full head of hair (curly) and my thumbs didn’t ache when the wind turned to the north like they do now. Lara Croft has to take a lot of the blame for both my follically challenged bonce and sore finger joints, because I’ve played every one of her adventures (apart from – whisper it – Angel of Darkness) to completion. Well, I say completion, apart from when I reached the penultimate puzzle in the Great Pyramid in The Last Revelation and discovered I was missing a key to complete it. I never did find it. I could have cried. Anyway, we couldn’t be any more chuffed that we’ve bagged the exclusive review of Lara’s latest game, and you’ll find our verdict on p70. And to celebrate Lara’s 10th birthday, you’ll also find a complete history of the series starting on p94. It’s a whopping 12 pages long and features, among other things, a look at every game in the series, interviews with the original development team, the best of Lara’s outfits and the scariest of her obsessive fans. I’d tell you about the rest of the issue too, but I need to go and see a girl about a Scion…
                                                                        Nick Ellis, Editor

Features
The Hitchhiker’s Guide to Rogue Galaxy – Rogue Galaxy

Lara’s Story – This feature is a retrospective of the entire Tomb Raider series to this point, similar to the Brief History features from the 2006 issues, but going into more depth with material aside from the games. In this case, that includes merchandise, models, movies and the originally planned plot for Tomb Raider: Chronicles that’s a lot more interesting than the flashbacks with a funeral framing device that the final game went with.

Monthly Article
Could be a Classic – This month, Little Big Planet. You probably know this one, but in case you don’t, it’s basically a make-your-own-game kit.

Replay – Part two of the walkthroughs for God of War II and Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories and a SOCOM US Navy SEALs: Combined Assault walkthrough, online reviews for Test Drive Unlimited and Metal Slug Anthology and what the other mags said about Burnout Dominator, Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories, Brian Lara International Cricket 2007 and Sid Meier’s Pirates!

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

Trading Pages – Other magazines take over the back page. This month, Cross Stitcher provide a design and key for a knitted Kratos jumper.

                                                            This issue's Save Point.

Monitor
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix – “A fully interactive, finely detailed Hogwarts to explore? This is what PS2 owning Potter nuts have been dreaming of since they read the first paragraph of Philosopher’s Stone.” Meltdown

Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End – “From our hands-on sessions it appears that Pirates of the Caribbean has all the trappings of the uninspired movie licence tie-in and hence is found wanting in pretty much every department.” Tepid

The History Channel: Great Battles of Rome – “This is dramatized edutainment of a schools programme quality level dressed up in shabby real-time-strategy game clothing, and therefore we’re not too sure to whom it’s supposed to appeal.” Tepid

Shadow Hearts: From the New World – “Falls down in some respects, especially compared to the best current RPGs, but there’s enough originality and weirdness in here, and a big enough stock of crazy characters, to rocket it right back up again.” Hot

Crush – “With its genuinely taxing puzzles and inventive yet simple gameplay mechanics, we reckon Crush has the potential to be one of the best ever head-scratchers on PSP.” Boiling

Legend of the Dragon – “Not as complex as most beat-‘em-ups and disadvantaged by the fact that there’s no blood, but Legend of the Dragon is shaping up to be an entertaining, if basic, addition to the arcade genre.” Warm

ATV Offroad Fury 4 – “At long last, ATV Offroad Fury is doing what it should have been doing from the very beginning, proving that furious, multi-vehicle motocross isn’t just for next-gen. Extremely promising.” Boiling

Crash of the Titans – “Crash has been a poor second to the likes of Daxter and Sly in recent years, but Titans could well be the game where the wily bandicoot double jumps to the top spot once again.” Hot

Crazy Taxi: Fare Wars – “A comprehensive and slick port that we hope will provide the same pleasure as the arcade classic did several years ago. The problem is, though, we’ve a nagging suspicion that it won’t.” Warm

Shining Force Exa – “The twin facts that the developer has taken into account what folks didn’t like in the last game and added new ideas, too, means Exa has the potential to be hotter than a Texas Chilli Dog.” Warm

The Club – “A fresh spin on the tired ‘men with guns’ genre, The Club has the potential to be the most pulse-pounding shooter this side of Christmas. Let’s just hope it’s more substance than style.” Boiling

PS2 Reviews
Tomb Raider: Anniversary – “Could be slicker, but stays faithful enough to the original to remain a spellbinding adventure with few rivals.” 8/10

Everybody’s Tennis – “Maintains the Everbody’s good name by being a deceptively brilliant sports sim that constantly surprises and challenges.” 8/10

Buzz Junior: Robojam – “Designed to satisfy only the very easy-to-please, and therefore bound to disappoint anyone expecting a game of real bite.” 5/10

Pimp My Ride – “A collection of mini-games and a couple of dreadful driving sections. Just watch the show and play Need for Speed Carbon.” 4/10

Harley-Davidson: Race to the Rally – “An offence to Harley lovers and gamers alike, Race to the Rally crams all the worst crimes in gaming into one package.” 3/10

SBK 2007 Superbike World Championship – “It’s good to see someone taking bike racing seriously, but make sure you can do without stabilisers – this is no easy rider.” 7/10

Meet the Robinsons – “Some issues with the control system can’t stop this being a fun and surprisingly enjoyable game for fans of the film.” 7/10

Pac-Man World Rally – “A fun, competitive racer. There are enough features, options and unlockables to entertain but it does feel ‘been there, done that’.” 6/10

Skate Attack – “Appears to be trying to target younger skaters, but is uncool and stagnant. Doesn’t even have guys in baggy trousers, for god’s sake.” 4/10

PSP Reviews
Ratchet and Clank: Size Matters – “It’s still just Ratchet and Clank, but that’s no bad thing. It feels as fresh and fun as ever, despite the change in format.” 8/10

World Championship Poker 2 – “Lots of variety with some interesting touches but it’s still just poker, only without the banter, gambling and beer.” 6/10

Diner Dash – “A simple concept that makes for a fiendishly tricky and addictive game. Sadly let down slightly by some clumsy controls.” 5/10

Call of Duty: Roads to Victory – “The campaign lacks the depth of its console counterparts but while you’re involved it’s one of the most atmospheric shooters on PSP.” 7/10

Full Auto 2: Battlelines – “Dull, repetitive, uninspired – had it been anything like its PS3 cousin, Battlelines could have been a great game. As it’s not, it’s not.” 3/10

Disc Content
Playable Demos
God of War II
UEFA Champions League 2006-2007
Mercenaries
Tomb Raider: Legend
Beyond Good and Evil
Alias
Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Chaos Bleeds
Cy Girls
Primal
Transformers

Footage
Final Fantasy XII

Trivia 

* Kim Richards joins the team this month, and they're finally back up to full capacity.
* God of War II had a promotional website, Battle of the Gods, in which a group of LARPers dressed as the game’s characters (and Chubby Kratos, who is a separate character from regular Kratos) and do battle. I checked and sadly, the site no longer exists. I would like it if Chubby Kratos was carried over to the games. That way, we could have a battle between Chubby Kratos and Doughnut Drake for the title of Fattest Alter Ego.
* The God of War II walkthrough shows off the unlockable costumes, of which the Cod of War is easily the best.
* The original plot of Tomb Raider: Chronicles involved Lara finding herself on a desert island after her seeming death at the end of The Last Revelation, but the island is owned by an eccentric billionaire (is there any other kind?) who brings people to the island in order to hunt them. Lara’s goal was to escape the island, and presumably take the billionaire down while she’s at it.
* Those with an irrational dislike of Sonic’s Shitty Friends (meaning, every character except Sonic himself and Dr Eggman, or Dr Robotnik as these people are more likely to call him) will enjoy the picture a reader sent in of a dismembered Knuckles doll, with the saw visible in the picture and ketchup squirted around the cuts to resemble blood.
* The Knitted Kratos Jumper wins the Bacon Monster award for short-lived feature defined by one brilliant instalment. Now, what if the Bacon Monster wore a Knitted Kratos Jumper?

I dug this out of my dank meme stash because someone wrote in to say that Olette is the best Kingdom Hearts waifu. Okay, they didn't use the word waifu because waifus weren't a thing yet in 2007, but it's the same principle. It's convenient I had this ready to go, really. I swear it wasn't planned!

Quote of the Month: “Tens of thousands of bones will become ashes when one general achieves his fame.” Apparently, this is an ancient Chinese proverb that means great people need others to sacrifice themselves on their behalf.

Cover price: £5.99
Page Count: 130

Issue 84 (April 2007)

                                                                    Issue 84, April 2007

Editor’s letter
       What’s your price? Me, I’d settle for a bar of that posh chocolate with cherries in it and a device for cleaning out all the muck from the little grooves on the DualShock 2. Our Mercenaries 2 cover star, Mattias Nilsson, charges a little bit more than that, as anyone who sampled the excellent original game will know. We had feared that Nilsson and the rest of the Mercs crew had deserted PS2 for next-gen pastures, so when EA suddenly coughed up news that our fears were unfounded, we were delighted. And, of course, immediately went about getting the development team to tell us all about the PS2 version so we could share the good stuff with you lot. But the top-drawer PS2 previews don’t stop there. We’ve got exclusive shots and info for Spider-Man 3, Tomb Raider: Anniversary, Manhunt 2, Painkiller, Pirates of the Caribbean 3, Juiced 2… loads of stuff! I keep hearing people going on about how PS2 is on its last legs now that PS3 is out. Fools! You and me, we know different, right? Right. With that in mind, can I point you to page 26? There you’ll find a story about how we’re going to freshen up the mag in the coming months. Please drop me a line at ps2postal@futurenet.co.uk, or via old-fashioned snail mail to the usual address if you prefer, and let me know what you think                                                                                    Nick Ellis, Editor

Feature
The Amazing… – Spider-Man 3

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

Could be a Classic – This month, Raw Danger!, a survival game where you must escape a flooded city.

Replay – Part one of the walkthroughs for God of War II and Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories, online reviews for Metal Gear Solid: Portable Ops and The Warriors and what the other mags said about Ghost Rider, God Hand, The Warriors and Little Britain.

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

Trading Pages – A new feature in which other magazines take over the back page. This month, Metal Hammer and Classic Rock give their dream tracklists for the next Guitar Hero.

                                                                This month's Save Point.

Monitor
Tomb Raider: Anniversary – “Intelligent, exciting, beautiful to look at and to play, Anniversary has all the elements in place to be the most complete Tomb Raider experience yet. It looks like the future is bright for Ms Croft.” Boiling

Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End – “With all the licensed content on board plus a sword-swinging system that sounds mighty promising, At World’s End is looking sexier than Keira Knightley wearing nothing but a tricorn hat and a smile.” Hot

Manhunt 2 – “Sure, it shares plenty of its core ideas with the original, but that doesn’t mean that this suitably uncompromising sequel feels devoid of originality, especially when it’s looking to be even more volatile and violent.” Meltdown

SBK-2007 Superbike World Championship – “Official license notwithstanding, SBK-07 isn’t a radical reinvention of the Superbike series, but still remains gripping, high-octane fun for fan and novice alike.” Hot

Juiced 2: Hot Import Nights – “Juiced never got the exposure it deserved but some hot MTV styling, a revamp to the engine and some cracking new gameplay features all mean this sequel is sure to ‘spook’ the competition.” Boiling

Painkiller: Hell Wars – “Gore, horror, massive weapons and a weighty plot: Painkiller ticks all the right boxes and, providing the gameplay is as smooth as it looks, Hell Wars is all set to be a stonking PS2 shooter.” Boiling

Alien Syndrome – “Alien Syndrome is a deceptively deep reworking of a much-loved coin-op classic that suits the handheld format down to the fingertips. Sega could have yet another PSP hit on its hands - and in ours.” Hot

Dark Sector – “Shaping up to be a solid halfway house between stealth puzzling and full-on blood-spilling action. The version we saw needs more polish than a brass statue, but Digital Extremes look to be onto a winner.” Hot

PS2 Reviews
Medal of Honor: Vanguard – “Shoddy, dull and filled with recycled WW2 content we tired of years ago. The weakest MOH on PS2: nothing more than a poor man’s Call of Duty.” 5/10

The Red Star – “A decent, short-term hack‘n’blast that’s best with two players who like old-school games, but a far cry from today’s big action titles.” 6/10

UEFA Champions League 2006-2007 – “Blatantly a cash-in, on the back of the knockout stages of the Champions’ League. But still a formidable football game.” 7/10

Championship Manager 2007 – “For all its good intentions and fine qualities it lacks the magic to make it the life-consuming experience it so wants to be.” 7/10

Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Summoner – “A fairly average RPG, rescued from mediocrity by some unique mechanics, an oddball plot and the dozens of demons at your disposal.” 7/10

TMNT – “A sprawling platform brawler with a few frustrating sections, but there’s plenty of fun to be had with your little green pals.” 7/10

The Fast and the Furious – “A competent but characterless racers that rolls, rather than roars over the finish line. Not so much a Maserati as a Mondeo.” 5/10

Singstar Pop Hits – “Providing you have a taste for the Top 20, or are a pre-adolescent girl, Pop Hits delivers another welcome helping of tacky karaoke goodness.” 8/10

SOCOM US Navy SEALs: Combined Assault – “Stomach-churning graphics and bad AI undermine an otherwise solid tactical shooter. Has ‘For Hardcore Fans Only’ written all over it.” 7/10

Buzz! The Mega Quiz – “Not as educational as the upcoming Buzz! Schools, but Mega is a packet of guaranteed rainy-day entertainment.” 8/10

Samurai Warriors 2: Empires – “With its veneer of strategy, Empires improves on Samurai Warriors 2, but crowd combat should be more fun than this.” 6/10

Freak Out: Extreme Freeride – “Boarding’s twin-planked brethren may get some kicks out of it; the rest of you should look elsewhere to get your sofa-adrenaline rush.” 4/10

Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories – “If you don’t own VCS on PSP there’s nothing stopping you from enjoying this. Never played the original Vice City? Buy that as well!” 8/10

PSP Reviews
Afterburner: Black Falcon – “So it’s not an epic free-roaming adventure, but Afterburner is finely formed arcade shooting: a perfectly proportioned aerial shooter.” 8/10

Virtua Tennis 3 – “A lack of realism does nothing to dampen the sheer fun and depth of play behind Virtua Tennis 3. It’s, ahem, ace.” 8/10

300: March to Glory – “Anyone who’s played God of War will recognise lots here, but 300 sets itself apart with some unique ideas and set-pieces.” 8/10

M.A.C.H. – “There’s not enough to it, and what there is of it, there’s too much of, if you follow us. Good, but in an over-saturated market it needs more.” 6/10

Sid Meier’s Pirates! – “The charming rogue of handheld gaming, Pirates! is a blast to begin with, but it can get tiresome if you’re with it for too long.” 8/10

Gunpey – “A decent enough puzzler, but at a wallet-punching £30 you’d do better to get yourself a copy of Lumines on the cheap instead.” 6/10

Zendoku – “For sudoku addicts the competitive element breathes new life into the game and forces you to up the ante, but without a real-life opponent the lifespan may be limited.” 6/10

Metal Slug Anthology – “Still as fun as it was in the arcades years ago; although it has minor technical niggles, all of those are forgivable if you’ve got the Slug in your blood.” 8/10

Disc Content
Playable Demos
Brian Lara International Cricket 2007
Everybody’s Tennis
Ico
Rise to Honour
Soul Calibur III
Maximo VS Army of Zin
God of War
Castlevania: Curse of Darkness
Mashed
Virtua Fighter 4 Evolution

Trivia
* Mercenaries 2 is the first cover game not to be reviewed, because the game wasn’t released until after the magazine ended.
* Mike Sterry joins the team this month.
* George Walter returns briefly as a freelance contributor. His choice of tattoo would be “The OPS2 logo – for old times’ sake.” Aww, bless!
* The article mentioned near the end of the Editor’s Letter is the first hint at an upcoming redesign. The current design has been around for three years at this point, and it’s relatively similar to the ones that came before it, so with all but one staff member having joined the team in the last few issues, it makes sense that they would want their own take instead of continuing to use the design they inherited. There’ll be more on this to come.
* After Medal of Honor and SOCOM were praised and slated respectively in last month’s previews, it’s ironic that their fortunes should switch come review time.
* Eyetoy Antigrav and Tony Hawk’s American Wasteland are both eliminated from the Hot 100 this month, making room for God of War II and Burnout Dominator. I bring this up because those two were the last remaining 7/10 games on the list. As of this month, every game in the Hot 100 scored 8/10 or higher.

Quote of the Month: “Panda! Sumo! Flower! You bastard!” Sophie gets really into Zendoku.

Cover price: £5.99
Page Count: 130

ABC Sales Figures: The figures have changed now to calculate over a year period instead of 6 months as before, so I won’t be comparing with the last figures. As well as the continued move towards websites for gaming info, the new Official Playstation Magazine had started by now, so a significant amount of readers have likely moved over to the new magazine, along with the old team. It’s worth noting that sales are now slightly below when the magazine began.

Jan – Dec 2006: 76,351

Issue 83 (March 2007)

                                                                   Issue 83, March 2007

Editor’s letter
       Hiya. I was going to introduce this month’s mag by telling you all about how I had to have one of my wisdom teeth out, just to conjure up a bit of sympathy, but that would be insufferably dull. So lets talk about PS2 instead. What a year it’s turning out to be for the console, and it’s still only March. We’ve had one of the finest adventures of all time in Okami. We’ve had one of the finest RPGs of all time in Final Fantasy XII. And now we’ve got God of War II and Burnout Dominator, two awesome games and shining examples of their respective genres. Naturally we’ve busted our balls to bring you the exclusive reviews of both titles: you’ll find Kratos going berserk from p82 onwards, while Dominator slams into gear on p96. With the above in mind, the way I see it, PS2 already owns 2007. Sure, I’m a little bit biased in favour of the world’s finest console, but can you show me another machine that’s had four games of such outstanding quality released this year? I bet you can’t (and saying that the graphics are better on said machine doesn’t count.) Speaking of other machines, you’re probably already aware that PS3 will launch in the UK on 23 March at a price of £425 for the console and £50 a pop for the games. We’ve made you a handy guide to the games that will be out on launch day, and also suggested some alternative – and in many cases, superior – PS2 titles. Now then, about that tooth…
                                                                    Nick Ellis, Editor

Features
Back to the Future – Tomb Raider: Anniversary

When Games Meet Movies – A look at the growing relationship between film tie-in games, and videogame movies.

Ready, Steady, Go… - An interesting article on speedrunning. The team members also give it a go themselves, but you won’t exactly be finding their attempts in the record books…

Monthly Articles
Funny Nicknames – This month, what would you be god of?

Could be a Classic – This month, Castlevania: The Dracula X Chronicles, a PSP double pack that includes Rondo of Blood and Symphony of the Night.

Replay – Part two of the Final Fantasy XII walkthrough, online reviews for Phantasy Star Universe and Pro Evolution Soccer 6, and what the other mags said about Okami, Rayman Raving Rabbids, Metal Gear Solid: Portable Ops and Crazy Frog Racer 2.

Playstation Education – Demonstrating various examples of a certain item in PS2 games. This month, beards. Also includes a cut-out-and-keep image of the number 1 beard to wear on your face.

Endgame – Game endings. This month, Sonic the Hedgehog.

                                                              This month's Save Point.

Monitor
UEFA Champions League 2006-2007 – “There’s not much to get excited about in this package unless midweek European nights are the be-all and end-all of your world: both in terms of options and quality it looks inferior to FIFA 2007 and PES 6.” Warm

Medal of Honor Vanguard – “Marking European Assault down as collateral damage and looking to the origins of the MOH series, EA looks to have one of the best WW2 shooters on its hands, if not the most ambitious FPS on PS2 in quite some time.” Boiling

Everybody’s Tennis – “It may look like a kid’s game on face value, but Everybody’s Tennis offers up enough depth to impress, while still remaining accessible to younger players. It’s, well, you know, a tennis game for everybody.” Hot

SOCOM: Combined Assault – “SOCOM appears to be down to its last clip of ammo, and unless something miraculous happens between now and April, it really should do the honourable thing and save the last bullet for itself.” Warm

Championship Manager 2007 – “Quicker and cleaner than almost any other soccer boss sim, CM 2007 has clearly been designed to solve many prior problems, although some new, hopefully fixable, flaws seem to have appeared.” Warm

Rogue Galaxy – “Another Level 5 adventure that ticks all the right boxes. Gorgeous visuals, beguiling gameplay, oddball characters and a level of scale and ambition that puts other games to shame. More on Rogue Galaxy very soon.” Hot

Sega Rally – “Pitch-perfect controls and unashamed pride in being a videogame will help bring that now almost mythical Sega playability to the PS3, and for that we’re expecting to be truly thankful.” Hot

Crazy Taxi: Fare Wars – “It might not power-slide far from the template tried and tested in every arcade and on every console since the Earth’s crust cooled but this port is polished and improved enough to set anyone’s meter ticking.” Hot

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix – “The fully interactive Hogwarts is a very enticing idea, but it would have been interesting to see EA reflect the development of Harry as a character with a game that would appeal to a slightly older audience.” Hot

Valkyrie Profile 2: Silmeria – “A curious blend of a role-playing game and platforming, but one that really works. Throw in cute visuals and an engaging story that requires no knowledge of the first game and you have an enticing proposition.” Hot

Yakuza 2 – “With many tweaks and improvements to the original Yakuza’s promising formula, we could be staring down the barrel of a great sequel. After all, half a million Japanese gamers can’t be wrong.” Boiling

PS2 Reviews
God of War II – “Accessible, exhilarating and macho as all hell, it’s another thunderous outing for PS2’s angriest anti-hero. Essential.” 9/10

Heatseeker – “Lets you live out your airborne ace fantasies but fails to really test your piloting skills or your mind for that matter.” 7/10

Dancing Stage Supernova – “If we needed to shed some lard, this is how we’d do it. If we needed birthday presents for the kids, we’d buy them Singstar.” 7/10

NFL Street 3 – “Another sports effort spat straight out of the EA Street mould. Perfect if you’re new to the series: pointless if you’ve already got an NFL Street.” 6/10

Capcom Classics Collection Volume 2 – “A superb package with great games and some truly inspired extras – and a real trip down memory lane for some of us.” 7/10

Burnout Dominator – “Another cracking Burnout. It isn’t for the weak-hearted because of the difficulty of later levels, but when it shines, oh boy, it dazzles.” 8/10

Alpine Ski Racing 2007: Herman Maier VS Bode Miller – “Accurately recreates the thrills of going insanely fast down a mountain but it’s one for true skiing fans only.” 6/10

Avatar: The Legend of Aang – “Its simplicity is its strength when you start playing, but quickly becomes a weakness due to lack of spark and variety.” 5/10

Little Britain – “Yeah, but no, but – just no. This is absolute drivel. Barely funny, barely playable and barely worth even a second of your time.” 2/10

Brian Lara International Cricket 2007 – “A quick-fire, enjoyable game of cricket, but Lara needs some serious polish before it can claim EA’s much-prized wicket.” 7/10

PSP Reviews
The Warriors – “A violent, ballsy, moody, stylish adventure that oozes late-1970s street cool and stays true to the spirit of the film. We can dig it.” 8/10

Metal Gear Solid: Portable Ops – “A fun game for short sessions, suited to the system and with some clever ideas, but it’s not the proper Metal Gear Solid title we were expecting.” 7/10

Chilli Con Carnage – “A treat of a game that lives and dies by its simple gameplay. You’ll love the intense bullet action but it is repetitive. Worth a look.” 8/10

Harvest Moon: Innocent Life – “Takes time to blossom but grows into the kind of game PSP was made for. One to enjoy little and often rather than in long sessions.” 8/10

Capcom Puzzle World – “Super Puzzle Fighter II may still be capable of stealing men’s souls, but the rest of CPW is now no more than the stuff of freebie Flash game fodder. Approach with caution.” 4/10

Yu-Gi-Oh GX: Tag Force – “A sprawling RPG/card fighter that deals out a solid cartoon-based battler, once you get past the tutorial. Colourful and cute, but it would have made more sense on PS2.” 6/10

Disc Content
Playable Demos
Heatseeker
Dancing Stage Fusion
World Rally Championship 4
Juiced
Stuntman
Formula One 2004
Ferrari F355 Challenge
Need for Speed Hot Pursuit 2
The Simpsons Hit and Run
Kill.Switch
Rocky Legends
Zone of the Enders: The Second Runner

Footage
Brian Lara International Cricket 2007

Trivia
* There two new team members this month, as Mark Mitchell and John Strike join the art department.
* The Demo Disc Lifecycle has now entered stage 4: mostly repeats of old demos from across the PS2’s lifetime, with a few new demos.
* Edward Barnes writes in asking where he can find a PS1 cheats book. OPS2 wittily respond “the 90s”, before giving a serious answer.
* A cool Half-Life 2 mod shows a giant headcrab fighting one of the colossi from Shadow of the Colossus.
* There’s a look at an early version of Okami, which differs from the finished product in one major way: it has realistic (and very impressive to boot) graphics.
* The section on Shrek the Third in the films-to-games feature mentions several upcoming Dreamworks films Activision also acquired the game rights to, including something called Rex Havoc. I can find no information on this, so I have no idea what it could be. My best guess is that it’s possibly an early version of Megamind.

Quote of the Month: “Don’t pretend you’ve ever moved an island using giant horses.” How about a fleet of aircraft carriers instead of the horses, would that be plausible?

Cover price: £5.99
Page Count: 130

Issue 82 (February 2007)

                                                                Issue 82, February 2007

Editor’s letter
       “C’mon guys, it’ll be a piece of cake,” I said to the team when I suggested that we should put together a feature encompassing a verdict and score for every single PS2 game ever released in the UK. I was wrong. As I’m typing these words, I can hear Lee, our sub-editor, sobbing gently as he checks all 28 pages of the feature for mistakes. Again. And I think the stabbing pain in my ribs is the art staff jabbing needles into a bald, bespectacled voodoo doll. But despite it being a task of Herculean proportions for us, I know you’re going to love the results, which you’ll find on pages 96 to 123. It’s the ultimate secondhand buyer’s guide, ensuring you’ll never have to suffer a duff game again. But it’s also a historical document charting more than six years of PS2 gaming as seen through the eyes of the ultimate PS2 magazine, and it’s sure to stir up memories both good and bad. Well, that’s the past; the rest of the issue is all about the future, and as ever we’ve got the latest and greatest offerings for you on all three Playstation formats. Highlights include the exclusive review of the very respectable Ghost Rider, exclusive hands-on previews of Burnout Dominator and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and the first details and shots for Medal of Honor: Vanguard. There’s also the most comprehensive guide to Final Fantasy XII you’ll find in any magazine. Finally, it’s my sad duty to inform you that OPS2’s longest-serving staff member, ‘Gorgeous’ George Walter, has left the mag after working on it from issues 1 to 81. A fine innings. We also say a fond farewell to our art editor Simon, the man who makes all the pages and covers look pretty. Two people gone in a month? It must have been something I said…
                                                                        Nick Ellis, Editor

Features
Around the World in 80 Games – 80 different global locations, tied to 80 different games.

A to Z – This behemoth of a feature has scores and review quotes for pretty much every game reviewed to date. When we last saw this in Issue 39, before it was replaced by the Hot 100, it was 8 pages long, but since then it has ballooned to 28 pages!

Monthly Articles
Funny Nicknames – This month, what is your favourite PS2 game?

Could be a Classic – This month, Crush, a puzzle game where you can switch between 2D and 3D at will.

Replay – Part one of the Final Fantasy XII walkthrough, online reviews for Call of Duty 3 and Bliss Island, and what the other mags said about Superman Returns, Final Fantasy XII, Star Wars: Lethal Alliance and Brothers in Arms: D-Day.

Endgame – Game endings. This month, Pro Evolution Soccer 6.

                                                            This month's Save Point.

Monitor
Burnout Dominator – “With its winning formula and fresh approach, this really feels like a ‘Best of Burnout’, with the flabby bits trimmed off and chucked away by the expert race surgeons over at Criterion.” Meltdown

M.A.C.H. – “Racing with super-sonic jets? It just might work…” Hot

Heatseeker – “With its slick controls, natural-feeling gameplay and intense dog-fight action, Heatseeker has already discovered a warm place in our hearts. Smoke up a kipper, we’ll be back for breakfast.” Boiling

Virtua Tennis 3 – “Virtua Tennis 3 adds nothing new to the basic elements of the series that already make it the best tennis game out there. We say get it on PSP instead and wait for a truly next-gen tennis game to emerge.” Warm

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles – “Okay, so it shamelessly robs from Prince of Persia, but the end result is shaping up to be not only a half-decent movie tie-in, but also one of the most exciting kids’ games of the year.” Hot

Brian Lara International Cricket 2007 – “More accessible than EA’s delightful but somewhat dry and difficult offering, Brian Lara 2007 sees many of the flaws that niggled in 2005 addressed, and is looking all set for another fine innings.” Hot

Tiger Woods PGA Tour 2007 – “The first stage of Tiger’s next-gen cub.” Hot

Ghost Recon Advanced Warfighter 2 – “GRAW 2 has beauty, gadgetry, intelligence and violence and what’s more, it finally has the technology to match the tactics. This, plus the promise of online warfighting, should make PS3 a much happier hunting ground.” Meltdown

God of War II – “God of War II is as bloody as its first incarnation, but there’s more to it than a claret-fest: the depth of gameplay and sumptuous screens scream quality through and through. It’s bloody brilliant.” Meltdown

Afterburner: Black Falcon – “Super-sonic jets are hot right now, and this looks like the pick of a pretty decent bunch on PSP. Sega should have some nice multiplayer surprises up its sleeve to get this one off to a flying start.” Boiling

Rogue Galaxy – “Buy your eye patch and start growing that dubious moustache now; this follow up to Dark Chronicle is the perfect RPG for commitment-phobes, would-be space travellers and pirate fetishists alike.” Boiling

Ninja Gaiden Sigma – “Though it is a remake of an old Xbox game, Ninja Gaiden Sigma should have enough new extras to ensure cult status on PS3. Besides, it packs a bigger visual punch than a 62-year-old Stallone haymaker.” Boiling

PS2 Reviews
Ghost Rider – “Bursting with superhero energy and verve, and makes up for what it lacks in inspiration with water-tight execution.” 7/10

Naruto: Ultimate Ninja – “Pushes the right buttons but the uninitiated can bash away and still win, so it doesn’t match the flair or control of Virtua Fighter.” 7/10

God Hand – “A game to throw in your PS2 when you’re looking for a quick fix of fun violence, even if it’s a little rough around the edges.” 7/10

Arthur and the Invisibles – “A platformer with promise, but it makes the gamer work far too hard for the few moments of magic that it provides.” 6/10

Shin Megami Tensei: Digital Devil Saga 2 – “Much better than the last game and one of the best PS2 RPGs. Let down only by the relentless fighting and steep learning curve.” 7/10

Test Drive Unlimited – “Impressive, immense and pretty but somehow it fails to achieve greatness due to shortage of a variety of high-speed thrills.” 7/10

Free Running – “Hardcore free runners may find something to jump up and down about; everyone else should stick to watching Sebastian Foucan.” 5/10

PSP Reviews
Rocky Balboa – “A tidy boxing game in itself, but one that lacks the punch of previous Rocky games or any real element of sophistication.” 6/10

Battlezone – “Short-term staccato bursts of messy joy don’t make up for the shortage of originality, options or the chance to slaughter or cooperate with others.” 5/10

Shinobido: Tales of the Ninja – “Stealthy play brought low by weak AI, protracted combat, clumsy controls and an inability to see the enemy you’re meant to be sneaking up on.” 5/10

Disc Content
Playable Demos
Okami
Pro Evolution Soccer 6
FIFA 2007
FIFA Street 2
Eyetoy Play Sports
Fight Night Round 3
Rugby 2006
Singstar Rocks!
Tomb Raider Legend
Sonic Riders
Suikoden Tactics

Game Saves
Primal
The Mark of Kri
Jak II
Amplitude
Metal Gear Solid 2
Star Wars: The Clone Wars
Star Wars: Bounty Hunter
Timesplitters 2
Zone of the Enders 2
Auto Modellista
Enter the Matrix
007 Nightfire
Silent Hill 3
Return to Castle Wolfenstein
Chaos Legion
Ford Racing 2
Medal of Honor: Rising Sun
Beyond Good and Evil
Lord of the Rings: Return of the King

Trivia
* This is another variant cover issue. The other cover has Ghost Rider on his motorcycle.
* Following George’s departure, there are now no team members remaining who had worked on the magazine from the start. His and Simon Middleweek’s departures also mean Andy Hartup, who joined in Issue 69, is now the most senior team member.
* On the bright side, Sophie Mason joins the team this month.
* The newest version of Buzz is announced in this issue: Buzz: The Schools Quiz, an educational version for use in schools and aimed at children in Key Stage 2 (ages 7 to 11).
* Tory MP for Henley-on-Thames and future prime minister Boris Johnson wrote an anti-videogames essay for the Daily Telegraph, arguing that videogames were responsible for a drop in children’s literacy levels, and that gamers become addicted and threw tantrums when made to turn the game off. However, he didn’t provide any specific examples or evidence to back up his argument, so few readers were convinced by it.
* The review directory and Final Fantasy XII walkthrough take up a little under half the magazine between them, which comes in handy for a quiet month like this. I’m surprised the directory didn’t become a recurring feature updated every few months given all the work that went into it.
* Not many games are reviewed in this issue, and if I’m honest, I would take an extra point off most of them. It seems we’re in the endgame inflation era now, where games get better scores than they would have when the release schedule was healthier.
* The review directory also has re-reviews for certain games, another thing that I’m surprised didn’t become a regular feature. The following have their scores lowered: Area 51 (from 9/10 to 6/10), Enter the Matrix (from 8/10 to 7/10), Killzone (from 9/10 to 7/10), Need for Speed Carbon (from 9/10 to 8/10), and Star Wars: Jedi Starfighter (from 8/10 to 7/10).
* Stage 5 of Tomb Raider grief: Acceptance. Instead of quoting the original review, Angel of Darkness gets a new quote: “We were clearly mesmerised by Lara’s pert polygonal buttocks when we gave this 8/10. In hindsight, this is pants.” Ironically, they didn’t take the opportunity to re-review it.

Quote of the Month: “We must paralyze the Playstation.” The conclusion of Boris Johnson’s essay.

Cover price: £5.99
Page Count: 130