Issue 95 (February 2008)

                                                                Issue 95, February 2008

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

Features
Dark Force Rising - Star Wars: The Force Unleashed

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Brief History – This month, Resident Evil.

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

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

Top 10 – This month, hippy games.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Cover price: £5.99
Page Count: 114

Issue 94 (January 2008)

                                                                Issue 94, January 2008

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

Features
Alone in the Dark

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The Greatest – This month, weapons.

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

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

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

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

Brief History – This month, Final Fantasy.

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

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

Top 10 – This month, locations.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Cover price: £5.99
Page Count: 130

Issue 93 (Christmas 2007)

                                                        Issue 93, Christmas 2007

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

Features
Who you gonna call? – Ghostbusters

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The Greatest – This month, sidekicks.

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

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

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

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

Brief History – This month, Crash Bandicoot.

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

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

Top 10 – This month, hardest games.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Pro Evolution Soccer 2008 – 8/10

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

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

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

Cover price: £5.99
Page Count: 130

Issue 92 (December 2007)

                                                            Issue 92, December 2007

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

Features
Advantage Sega! – Sega Superstars Tennis

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The Greatest – This month, cameos.

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

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

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

Brief History – This month, Rainbow Six.

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

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

Top 10 – This month, cleavage.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Cover price: £5.99
Page Count: 130

Issue 91 (November 2007)

                                                            Issue 91, November 2007

Editor’s letter
       To be perfectly blunt, I’m not a fan of Crash Bandicoot. I’ve nothing against him personally, and I’ll admit that many of his games have been corkers, but there’s a large problem.
       It’s his PS1 racer, Crash Team Racing. Why? Well, it’s the only game my wife will ever play (ever) and she takes great delight in beating me every single time that we race each other, on any track. Wounded pride? You betcha.
       However, there are no karts to be found in Crash of the Titans, reviewed on p80, so maybe I’ll give him a second chance. Maybe.
       One game I would thrash the wife at is FIFA, which returns this year in fine form. The review’s on p100 and next month we’ll have a playable demo, along with a PES 2008 demo.
       It’s the biggest derby of the season and the two games are more closely matched than ever before. Game on!
       Finally, thanks for all of your comments about the new look of the mag. Keep ‘em coming.
                                                                    Nick Ellis, Editor

Features
Monster Mash-Up – Godzilla Unleashed

Box Art By You – Issue 89 ran a competition for readers to design their own custom box art, and this feature shows off the winners.

Resident Evil’s Scariest Moments – Celebrating Halloween with a look at the scariest moments of Resident Evil: Code Veronica X, Resident Evil Outbreak and Resident Evil 4.

Monthly Articles
Google Fight – Game characters or series battle it out via Google Fight. This month, Call of Duty defeats Medal of Honor with 73,500,000 hits to 19,000,000.

Mouth Piece – A staff member gives their view on a particular topic. This month, Mike explains why gamers need not fear politicians.

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

Reader Reviews – This month, Spartan: Total Warrior, Metal Gear Solid 2, Freedom Fighters, Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas and Pro Evolution Soccer 6.

Your Game in Lights – Readers submit their own game ideas. This month, Ultimate Granny Fighting League, an OAP fighting game, Shadow of the Colossus 2, Nuclear, a power plant management sim, and Mole Digger, in which a mole digs underground for food.

The Level – Celebrating the PS2’s best levels. This month, the prologue of From Russia with Love.

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

The Greatest – This month, bosses.

Unsung Hero – PS2’s best characters. This month, Jade from Beyond Good and Evil.

Quit or Retry? – OPS2 debate gaming questions. This month, which is the best Grand Theft Auto game? Nick says Vice City, Mike says San Andreas.

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

Scene Stealer – PS2’s best scenes. This month, Theseus has his head slammed in a door repeatedly in God of War II.

Brief History – This month, Burnout.

Collector’s Item – Gaming merchandise. This month, a life-size Lara Croft statue.

Great Game Ingredients – What goes into the best games? This month, Everybody’s Golf.

Top 10 – This month, heroes.

Playstation Workout – Get into a gaming genre through four games of increasing difficulty. This month, RPGs. Easy – Dragon Quest VIII: Journey of the Cursed King. Medium – Shadow Hearts: From the New World. Hard – Final Fantasy X. Killer – Valkyrie Profile 2: Silmeria.

Top Chumps – PS2’s worst characters. This month, Joshua Hartwell from Raw Danger!

The Year in Playstation – This month, 1996. The Best – Tomb Raider. The Worst – Bubsy 3D. Underrated – Earthworm Jim 2. Overhyped – Primal Rage. Forgotten – Wild Arms. Never Again! – Area 51

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

Split Screen – Playing a game two different ways. This month, Fahrenheit in lover man and bitter man styles.

Previews
WWE Smackdown VS Raw 2008
Sonic Riders: Zero Gravity
Avatar: The Burning Earth
PDC World Championship Darts 2008
Pursuit Force: Extreme Justice
Midnight Club: Los Angeles
Viking: Battle for Asgard
Fallout 3
Metal Gear Solid: Portable Ops Plus
Steel Horizons
Warriors of the Lost Empire

PS2 Reviews
Crash of the Titans – “A delightful, brilliantly realised platformer, Titans would have scored higher were it not for its reliance on repetition.” 7/10

Moto GP 2007 – “A jewel in the biking helmet. Accessible, enjoyable and thrilling Moto GP 07 brings a sport, and gaming genre, to life.” 8/10

NHL 2008 – “It still rules the PS2 rink, but if you’re already familiar with the series, NHL 08 doesn’t do enough to prevent NHL 07 deja vu.” 7/10

NBA Live 2008 – “Still trails behind the NBA 2K series, but this is certainly an improvement on last year if you can get to grips with the camera.” 6/10

Naruto: Ultimate Ninja 2 – “It’s difficult not to find this fighter charming – even if the hero is a squeaky-voiced brat.” 7/10

King of Clubs – “We’re almost lost for words as to how bad this is. You’d have more fun playing real golf in the driving rain. Blindfolded and naked.” 2/10

Jackass – “A few stinkers aside, Jackass is a great bunch of mini-games that capture the essence of the show.” 7/10

FIFA 2008 – “Don’t expect a revolution, or even an evolution, come to think of it, but this is solid stuff and truly excels in multiplayer.” 9/10

PSP Reviews
SWAT: Target Liberty – “Not perfect, but still one of the best-quality, most fun games on the market.” 8/10

Final Fantasy Tactics: War of the Lions – “Hours of battling with beautiful drama to draw you into it.” 7/10

Brian Lara 2007: Pressure Play – “A great sports game that will satisfy fans without excluding newcomers.” 8/10

PS3 Reviews
Skate – “Makes skating feel like it should: often dangerous and always really, really hard.” 9/10

Folklore – “Too linear, but one of PS3’s most charming and satisfying adventures so far.” 7/10

Sega Rally – “Arcade-style racing with next-gen looks that’s best enjoyed in multiplayer.” 7/10

Disc Content
Playable Demos
Stuntman Ignition
Crash of the Titans
Tomb Raider: Anniversary
Freedom Fighters
Beyond Good and Evil
The Simpsons Hit and Run
Killzone
Amplitude
Rez
Wallace and Gromit: Curse of the Were-Rabbit

Trivia
* The Manhunt 2 saga continues, with the announcement that a censored version has now been approved for release in the USA.
* OPS2 ask this month, why does Sonic need a hoverboard if he’s so fast? The answer is that if he ran on foot, he would win every race, and it wouldn’t be fun for him or anyone else. Giving all the racers boards or cars puts everyone on a level playing field.
* I disagree with the implication in the Crash of the Titans review that Ratchet and Clank isn’t funny.
* King of Clubs is the lowest scoring game to have received a playable demo (it was on the disc for Issue 88).
* Following his then-recent death, this issue includes a tribute to Colin McRae.

Quote of the Month: “Imagine Dante from Devil May Cry bursting into an Irish theme pub and butchering the Pokemon drinking inside.” If that doesn’t pique your interest in Folklore, nothing will!

Cover price: £5.99
Page Count: 130

Issue 90 (October 2007)

                                                               Issue 90, October 2007

Editor’s letter
       Please allow me to introduce you to your all-new OPS2.
       We’ve overhauled the entire magazine from the front cover to the back page, and we think you’ll love the results!
       The design’s changed and the pages are stuffed with dozens of new features, but one thing most certainly hasn’t changed: the passion we share with you for Playstation 2 gaming.
       As ever, we’ll be scrutinising the latest and greatest games out there under the OPS2 microscope.
       And what better way to kick off our new look than with a hands-on preview of The Simpsons? Head to p50 for the first verdict.
       And as well as covering the most exciting of today’s games, we also celebrate PS2’s distinguished heritage.
       If you’re not sure which great game to play next, check out the OPS2 Hall of Fame where you’ll find our all-time top 100 PS2 games. Another must-read is our celebration of 20 years of Metal Gear Solid.
       There’s plenty more besides. Enjoy!
                                                                        Nick Ellis, Editor

Features
A Great Game At Last – The Simpsons Game

Wii has a Problem… – Realplay, a collection of Wii-competing games, each with their own motion-sensing controller.

20 Years of Metal Gear – A look at the character casts of all the Metal Gear Solid games and their roles in each story.

Monthly Articles
Google Fight – Game characters or series battle it out via Google Fight. This month, Scooby Doo defeats Parappa the Rapper in a surprisingly close match, with 2,370,000 hits to 1,550,000.

Mouth Piece – A staff member gives their view on a particular topic. This month, Sophie is more excited for Guitar Hero 3 than Rock Band.

The World According to Playstation – Issue 82’s Around the World in 80 Games returns as a monthly feature, with various locations around a specific theme. This month, aliens.

Reader Reviews – This month, Final Fantasy X2, Scarface: The World is Yours, Hitman: Blood Money, Burnout 3: Takedown and Pro Evolution Soccer 6.

Your Game in Lights – Readers submit their own game ideas. This month, The Circus, where you run a circus, Halfbound, in which you must kill the devil to break a curse, Manhunt 3: Search for the Lambs, in which Daniel Lamb tracks down his relatives, and Xbox Hunter. You’ll never guess what you do in that one!

The Level – Celebrating the PS2’s best levels. This month, Mos Eisley Spaceport from Lego Star Wars 2.

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

The Greatest – This month, crimes.

Unsung Hero – PS2’s best characters. This month, Harman Smith from Killer 7.

Quit or Retry? – OPS2 debate gaming questions. This month, does the first game you play in a series always end up being your favourite? Nick says yes, Andy says no.

OPS2-O-Meter – Unlike the old version, which highlighted the best and worst moments of each month, now it measures games along a certain theme. This month, violence.

Scene Stealer – PS2’s best scenes. This month, Vayne’s boss transformation in Final Fantasy XII.

Brief History – Another returning feature, though it’s only a column now instead of multiple pages. This month, Spider-Man.

Collector’s Item – Gaming merchandise. This month, a statue of Cloud on his motorcycle.

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

Top 10 – This month, stupid game names.

Playstation Workout – Get into a gaming genre through four games of increasing difficulty. This month, stealth. Easy – Hitman: Blood Money. Medium – Shadow of Rome. Hard – Splinter Cell: Double Agent. Killer – Metal Gear Solid 3.

Top Chumps – PS2’s worst characters. This month, Ethan Waber from Phantasy Star Universe. OPS2 once described him as being so lame, “he can never ever get laid, not even if he rescued a pram from rolling into heavy traffic.”

The Year in Playstation – This month, 1995. The Best – Tekken. The Worst – Street Fighter: The Movie. Underrated – Warhawk. Overhyped – Battle Arena Toshinden. Forgotten – X-COM: UFO Defense. Never Again! - Myst

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

Split Screen – Playing a game two different ways. This month, Hitman: Blood Money in silent assassin and deranged slayer styles.

Previews
Mercenaries 2: World in Flames
The Sims 2 Castaway
Jackass
Ratatouille
Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare
Gran Turismo 5 Prologue
Prototype
Alien VS Predator: Requiem
Sega Rally
Star Wars Battlefront: Renegade Squadron

PS2 Reviews
Juiced 2: Hot Import Nights – “A surprising success, Juiced 2 is a glamorous, feature-rammed racer with variety by the hood-scoop load and mass appeal.” 8/10

Stuntman Ignition – “If you can handle the mental strain, ignition is worth a look but we wouldn’t jump through flaming hoops to get it on our PS2.” 6/10

Grimgrimoire – “There are a few frustrating niggles, but Grimgrimoire is stunning to look at and seriously addictive all the same.” 7/10

Tiger Woods PGA Tour 2008 – “Another year, another solid but not stunning addition to the Tiger series, despite the interesting new ‘confidence’ system.” 7/10

Madden NFL 2008 – “Looking to invest in some serious American sports action? Then there’s no better way to spend your 40 quid than on Madden 08.” 9/10 (Scott the Woz will be happy his favourite game scored well!)

Surf’s Up – “Surprisingly well made for a film tie-in, this should keep kids happily occupied for hours.” 7/10

Xyanide Resurrection – “Limited structure, minimal levels and invariably mindless. Not recommended.” 4/10

PSP Reviews
Worms Open Warfare 2 – “As addictive as they come and a great laugh to play with mates, but also features a highly enjoyable single player mode.” 8/10

Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End – “Good-looking, good-natured and entertaining but simplistic and shallow too.” 7/10

Exit 2 – “Takes a fair while to get comfy with, but you’ll really reap the rewards once you have.” 8/10

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix – 5/10
Shrek the Third – 3/10

PS3 Reviews
Stranglehold – “An exhilarating shooter brushed with John Woo’s genius, Stranglehold plays like Max Payne in a bag of snakes.” 8/10

Heavenly Sword – “Too short despite early promise of an epic, Heavenly Sword is quite a disappointment.” 7/10

Warhawk – “Highly addictive with a damn near perfect gameplay balance, Warhawk is the bomb.” 9/10

Resistance: Fall of Man – 7/10
Motorstorm – 8/10
Formula 1 Championship Edition – 7/10
Rainbow Six Vegas – 8/10
Transformers – 4/10

Disc Content
Playable Demos
Crash of the Titans
Tomb Raider: Anniversary
Rogue Galaxy
Syphon Filter: The Omega Strain
Spartan: Total Warrior
Shrek Super Slam
Yakuza
Project Eden
Moto GP 3
Crash Nitro Kart

Trivia
* The long-awaited redesign finally takes place in this issue. While the previous redesigns were largely tweaking what came before, this is nothing less than a complete overhaul! With only 10 issues left, it’ll take a bit of getting used to.
* Even the dimensions of the magazine itself change, with the pages now being smaller in size. The demo covers also change from DVD cases back to CD sleeves as with the first 5 issues. This time, the sleeves are made of card instead of plastic.
* In terms of layout, the letters page has moved from the front of the magazine to the middle, and is significantly expanded, with reader profiles, puzzles and the return of reader reviews. Choice quotes from the letters are also highlighted in yellow, which looks rather naff and tacky to be honest.
* The Hot 100, or the OPS2 Hall of Fame as it is now known, has also gone through significant changes. Instead of a list over two pages, it now covers 12 pages, with each game getting a profile, as well as associated facts or cheats. Instead of being an alphabetical list, the games are now ranked from number 1 to 100. On paper, this seems like a big change, but in practice it isn’t that different from before. When there is a new entry, it replaces a game as before, rather than being inserted into, let’s say number 45 as an example, then having every game move down one place, and the old number 100 being removed from the list.
* Previews no longer have a summary sentence or anticipation score, hence why that section is just a list now.
* Big change with the reviews: previously, each game was scored out of 10 in four categories (Graphics, sound, gameplay and lifespan). Those are gone, replaced with smileys to indicate pros and cons.
* PSP and PS3 coverage is dialled back significantly, with only four pages for each of them at the back of the magazine, in the same vein as the PSOne coverage in early issues. Ironically, this is when PS3 reviews start appearing. In case you’re wondering, some of the PS3 and PSP games only have scores and don’t get full reviews.
* Most of the older monthly features are gone, (Google Fight, Your Game in Lights and Playstation Education are the only remaining ones, because those three were still new) and there is a massive list of new features. This represents the biggest change to the magazine, as it shifts from new and upcoming releases (PS3 is becoming the primary console, and PS2 is now in the process of being phased out. As a result, there aren’t many new PS2 games left, and even fewer major ones – it’s mostly film and TV tie-ins, and new versions of Buzz and Singstar from here on in) to looking back at the PS2’s impressive back catalogue.
* The biggest criticism I have of this era is that there is a fair bit of redundancy in the monthly articles, not in their content which is as entertaining as ever, but in the concepts behind them. The World According to Playstation, The Greatest, OPS2-O-Meter and Playstation Education are all variations on the same theme. Ditto for Mouth Piece and Quit or Retry?, and The Level and Split Screen. Perhaps OPS2 themselves recognised the redundancy, as some of these ended prior to Issue 100.

Quote of the Month: “There’s an awful lot of eerie nodding going on.” 90 issues in, and I’ve finally got an excuse to post a Simpsons GIF! Hooray!

Cover price: £5.99
Page Count: 130

Issue 89 (September 2007)

                                                            Issue 89, September 2007

Editor’s letter
       Would you believe that I’ve not managed to play a single game this month? That’s why the expression on my face in this photo is rather grumpy. The first reason for my lack of PS2 action is that the remote control for the telly broke, and I can’t flip to the AV channel that the PS2 runs through. D’oh! The second reason is that I’ve been super-busy helping to redesign OPS2. Next month (barring floods, hurricanes, earthquakes or similar unforeseen circumstances) you’ll be holding a shiny new version of the mag in your hands. Although the look of OPS2 will be changing completely, there’s one thing that we will most certainly be keeping the same: stuffing each and every issue with coverage of the very best games in the world. This month is no different, and although my own thumbs haven’t touched a DualShock, the rest of the team have been busy playing their socks off. We’ve got details of all the brand new games announced at this year’s E3 game show in Los Angeles, a world-first review of Syphon Filter: Dark Mirror, huge features on the excellent Simpsons and Star Wars games and a first play of the new Need for Speed title. And of course lots more besides. I’m off to buy myself a new remote…
                                                                        Nick Ellis, Editor

Features
100% Spoof – The Simpsons Game

Box Art International – A compare-and-contrast of the box art of several games across UK, USA and Japan. The American box art for Killzone is amazing!

The Star Wars Celebration – Nick and John visit a Star Wars convention, and get to try out The Force Unleashed while they’re there.

Sing When You’re Winning – A Singstar retrospective, including the top 10 best songs in the series, how the mics work, exclusive songs and versions for foreign markets, and the tracklist for Singstar 90s.

Monthly Articles
Your Game in Lights – Readers submit their own game ideas. This month, Domination, in which the world is taken over by evil space dominoes led by their queen, the Dominatrix (Possibly a sequel to No-One Can Stop Mr Domino?), and A Gun in my Pocket, in which a crazed stalker of Sharon Osbourne tries to justify his desire to break into the Osbournes’ house to kill them. The crazed stalker part isn’t referring to the game, by the way.

Replay – Online reviews for Rainbow Six Vegas and Parappa the Rapper and what the other mags said about Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, Fanastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer, Transformers and Parappa the Rapper.

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

                                                                The last ever Save Point.

Monitor
Need for Speed ProStreet – “It’s a bold move for EA to tamper with its top-selling series, but it’s a move NFS fans will love. More casual players may find the emphasis on safe driving a turn-off, though.” Hot

Spider-Man: Friend or Foe – “There’s something warming about the prospect of tagging moves with Green Goblin, but will that glow keep us cosy throughout the whole game?” Warm

Crash of the Titans – “Crash has been an underdog in recent years, but our hands-on with Crash of the Titans makes us sure he’s ready to fight back to the top of the platforming ladder.” Boiling

Thrillville: Off the Rails – “More of the same from Thrillville is fine by us, especially when the rides are more extreme than anything in the real world. Owning and managing a mega-theme park simply cannot be dull. Ever.” Hot

Grimgrimoire – “Addictive gameplay, worthy opponents, an intriguing storyline and plenty of eye candy. We want this game and we want it right now.” Hot

Harvey Birdman: Attorney at Law – “Not seen the show? Doesn’t matter. What with DVDs of the show only available in America (only playable on a region-free DVD player over here), this is looking like the best way we Brits can get our Birdman fix.” Boiling

Naruto: Ultimate Ninja 2 – “How you see Ultimate Ninja 2 depends on whether you understand the appeal of the anime. If not, think of it as a colourful beat-‘em-up with a zany plot; if you’re a fan, think of it as the best Naruto game yet.” Hot

Final Fantasy Tactics: The War of the Lions – “It’s about damn time the PSP started getting some classic PS1 games ported its way. Why should the PS3 have all the fun? Well, rejoice! FF Tactics is coming.” Meltdown

Final Fantasy – “The new generation of Final Fantasists might find the original hard going, but Square Enix has pulled out all the stops to make this an essential purchase.” Hot

Final Fantasy II – “In terms of gaming history, this isn’t as important as its predecessor but if you can’t get enough Final Fantasy, you’ll still be glad you gave this a look.” Hot

Grand Theft Auto IV – “Thus far IV bears all the hallmarks of a classic GTA game and the level of detail is astonishing. As long as the shooting mechanic works effectively, we think everyone will be more than pleased.” Boiling

PS2 Reviews
Syphon Filter: Dark Mirror – “On PSP it set new standards but this port, enjoyable spy romp that it is, simply seems a bit dated when brought to the PS2.” 7/10

ATV Offroad Fury 4 – “A confident end to the PS2 ATV series, Fury 4 goes out in style by tossing in lots of options while keeping the game’s signature gameplay intact.” 8/10

Rugby 2008 – “Doesn’t challenge the likes of Pro Evolution Soccer or Tiger Woods in the sports sim stakes, but Rugby 08 will delight even casual rugger fans.” 7/10

Nascar 2008: Chase for the Cup – “Adeptly coded and enormously comprehensive for fans of Nascar. An energy-sappingly boring racing game for everyone else.” 6/10

Valkyrie Profile 2: Silmeria – “The detailed fighting and character development systems will mess with your brain at first. But master them and this is an absolute joy to play.” 8/10

Falling Stars – “We applaud the attempt to create a substantial RPG for kids, but sadly the flat characters and limited battle options make this rather patronising.” 4/10

Final Armada – “Don’t be lured by its low price tag. Final Armada is dire, dull, dolorous, distressing, doleful, dismal, drab and downright depressing.” 3/10

Warriors Orochi – “Still the same old, unsubtle scything we expect from a Warriors game, but given extra substance by some neat strategic twists.” 6/10

Premier Manager 2008 – “Undemanding bosses might get a bit of enjoyment out of this but there’s far too little depth or realism to satisfy LMA veterans.” 4/10

PSP Reviews
Monster Hunter Freedom 2 – “MHF2 is a joy to play. There’s tons to do, and immaculate attention to detail really brings this charming and gritty game to life.” 8/10

Ghost Recon: Advanced Warfighter 2 – “No teammates, no cover system: GRAW 2 PSP couldn’t feel further from its console brothers if it tried. Stick to SOCOM.” 6/10

Crazy Taxi: Fare Wars – “The crazy racer is now showing its age up against some strong competition, and its eccentric handling is all over the shop on PSP.” 4/10

Wipeout Pulse – “The core gaming is still very much the same, but the extensive multiplayer options raise Wipeout Pulse above the average.” 7/10

Valhalla Knights – “Very average RPG mechanisms, diabolical missions, non-existent storyline, monstrously difficult battles… it’s a bleak outcome.” 3/10

Practical IQ – “The levels are colourless and lack life, the puzzles aren’t anything special and the whole thing is as sterile as a laboratory.” 4/10

Disc Content
Playable Demos
Rogue Galaxy
Obscure 2
Okami
Final Fantasy X
Firefighter FD18
Forbidden Siren 2
Finding Nemo
The Incredibles
Freedom Fighters
Juiced

Trivia
* According to the demo page and box, Nightshade is meant to be on the disc, but it isn’t there. Even more oddly, there’s no mention of Juiced or Freedom Fighters, so you won’t know they’re on the disc before playing it.
* This issue includes a game character personality quiz, in which you are given points depending on how you answer each question. As are worth 1 point, Bs 2 points, Cs 3 points and Ds 4 points. The total score determines which character you are. 20-30 points is Leisure Suit Larry or Ashley from Resident Evil 4, 31-45 points is Sora or Jade from Beyond Good and Evil, 46-65 points is Dante or Lara Croft, 66-79 points is Kratos or Ivy from Soul Calibur, and a full 80 points is reserved for Daniel Lamb from Manhunt 2, whose bio consists only of “Stay away from us, you psycho.” I got Sora when I took the quiz.
* There is an article on gaming when disabled, and the variety of hardware adaptations that have been done to enable gamers with a variety of disabilities to continue playing their favourite games.

Quote of the Month: “I would cast J-Lo Bum on my girlfriend so she would have a bum like J-Lo.” Someone’s clearly an ass man!

Cover price: £5.99
Page Count: 130