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Find: Games - Movies - Music - Free Stuff! - Electronics - Computers
November 30, 2000
Midnight Club: Street Racing review - Comments (0) You are a member of a secret gathering of urban streetracers who cruise the streets of London and New York searching for a few thrills and spills. Okay so this premise has been done before but what is old shall be shiny and new again, thanks to the graphic power of PS2. Everything on screen looks fantastic. Buildings are detailed and all the lamp posts, mail boxes, phone booths and even the trash bags are rendered in full polygon glory.Full review PS2 games from Acclaim - Comments (0) Acclaim's offerings for the PS2's 128-bit system will be All-Star Baseball featuring Derek Jeter, NFL Quarterback Club, Acclaim's own ShadowMan, the Second Coming, a soon to be announced hit arcade conversion and a promising new title for the Company's already successful Max Sports division.The games will be released next year. Full press release Shadow of Memories screens - Comments (0) Next gen Lara movie - Comments (0) PlayStation owners can get a gander at the stunning footage by doing the following: start a new game, and hit "Select" in the inventory menu. Now go to the "Timex" icon and press L1, L2, R1, R2, down, circle then triangle.Full article Red Faction interview - Comments (0) AT: The constant terrain deformations must be causing some major problems, at least as far as the AI. How are you coping with the challenge?Full interview Elite Force for PS2 - Comments (0) ATV Offroad Fury screens - Comments (0) Views - Comments (0) Okay, it's pretty and it sounds good, but how does it play? Incredibly smooth! One would figure with the new graphical engine, the game play would have lost a step or two, but this is not the case. If you're familiar with FIFA, you'll jump right into the action. If you're a newbie to the series, you'll well... jump right into the action. It plays just that damn good. Calling plays, switching, tackling, passing, and scoring are all responsive with no signs of lag. There's a training mode to hone your skills, so you'll be a pro in no time. FIFA has to be, in my opinion, one of the best playing sports games to date.Full review Gamespot posted a preview of Capcom’s Resident Evil: Code Veronica Complete Edition: Code Veronica also further cultivates the series' cramped cinematic tone while fleshing out some of its action elements. The game's fully 3D environments allow for the implementation of a dynamic camera system, which enables radical perspective changes between scenes and really helps bring the game's environments to life. Also, the fact that Claire and company can simultaneously wield two handguns, Hong Kong action film-style, renews the novelty of shooting the undead.Full preview November 29, 2000 ESPN NHL National Hockey Night - Comments (0) This coming winter, ESPN the games will take center ice and unleash to the PlayStation 2 and Game Boy Color the most powerful and hard-hitting hockey gaming experience -- ESPN National Hockey Night. Boasting total ESPN integration along with fluid animation and graphics, this long awaited title will deliver all the earth-shaking body checks, lightning-quick skating action and goal scoring artistry of NHL Hockey. “ESPN National Hockey Night will be available in January of 2001 for both the PlayStation 2 and Game Boy Color at suggested retail prices of $49.99 and $19.99. Madden NFL 2001 review - Comments (4) Madden cards are back this year, and they play a larger role in the game this year since there are more cards than ever before. The Madden Challenge is a unique way to add replay value to an already deep game. During a game you are challenged to do certain things, such as complete a long pass, sack the quarterback, make five tackles with one player, and many other things. When you complete one of these challenges you are awarded tokens to go towards purchasing a pack of Madden cards. When you have enough tokens, you can buy a pack of cards and place them in your album. In the pack you will find player's cards, which if you play a specific players card during a game their attributes will be boosted, All-Time Teams cards, which unlocks new teams, and even cards that unlock new venues.Full review Browser and MP3 player for PS2 - Comments (0) Planetweb's PS2 Internet browser will allow users to send/receive e-mail, as well as to play MP3 files. The software, when used in conjunction with Sony's hard disk peripheral -- scheduled for release in this winter --, a USB modem and PS2's exclusive memory card, will enable PS2 users to surf the net.Full article ATV announced for PS2 - Comments (0) "ATV Offroad Fury immerses gamers in a realistic and fast-paced racing world complete with stunts, enormous environments and adrenaline-pumping action," said Ami Blaire, director, product marketing, Sony Computer Entertainment America. "Gamers and racing enthusiasts alike will be completely absorbed by the authentic feel and the challenging competitive action of this exciting new game for PlayStation 2."The game is scheduled for a January 2001 release. Thanks to gamers.com for the info. Media - Comments (1) Views - Comments (0) Likewise, even though Trial Mountain was the only track available at the Auto Show, it gives a good indication of the graphics potential of the final game. This course takes drivers through a wooded area where light pours down through a canopy of trees and is dynamically reflected off the chassis of each car. And with ten turns as well as a high-speed S-curve littered throughout this counter-clockwise course, Trial Mountain is also one of the most technical tracks in the game. It's also worth mentioning that the background music for this course was none other than Motley Crue's Kickstart My Heart.Full article Gaming Age posted a review of EA’s X Squad: One of the most mysterious aspects of the game is the fact that there are absolutely no multiplayer options of any sort. The engine is easily able to handle all four characters on screen in addition to the numerous enemies around, so it doesn’t make sense that the game’s engine is incapable of handling it. This, in addition to the fact that the normal game is rather on the short side, leaves X-Squad with little in the way of replay value.Full review Gamespot posted reviews of Bust A Move: Dance Summit 2001 and Real Pool. IGN kicked up a review of EA’s FIFA 2001: The third biggest point is that the overall sense of ball handling is exceptional. The ball physics, which up until the last World Cup game were rather shoddy, have continued to improve over the years, and in this version they're excellent. I still wish the ball rolled with a little more realism, but hey. But what's very noticeable in looks and feel is the way the players handle the ball. When the ball hits a player's chest, it thuds, bounces off with a controlled impact, lands at the players' feet, ready for dribbling.Full review November 28, 2000 X Squad review - Comments (0) The in-game controls are excellent. The developers did an admirable job utilizing all of the buttons on the Dual Shock 2 in a way that makes things easy to control and accessing weapons has never been made easier. The problem is not with the control and response of the main character but with how the other three team members act and respond to various situations. The much touted "unique and sophisticated buddy artificial intelligence" is not so intelligent after all.Full review Movie reviews - Comments (0) DVD remote from Sony - Comments (2) Top selling PS2 games - Comments (0) PS2 Technical Overview - Comments (0) The Emotion Engine is the main processor of the PS2 and performs all of the 3D geometry calculations. The major components to the Emotion Engine are the MIPS CPU core, the FPU, the MPEG-2 decoder, and two additional floating-point vector processors: VPU0 and VPU1. These are just different parts of the CPU, in the same way a GeForce has a 2D core and a 3D core. The vector units are the most unique components of the chip.Full article UK PS2 software launch figures - Comments (0) FIFA 2001 Major League Soccer ships - Comments (0) "The combination of soccer talent, innovative gameplay and music creates an unrivaled interactive soccer experience," said FIFA executive producer Marc Aubanel. "We've been making FIFA games for over eight years and we continue to find revolutionary ways to enhance the experience for our fans. With FIFA 2001 we were able to take the player holding the controls and teleport him onto the field. The crowds come alive with amazing crowd animation effects in a thunderous stadium. Special effects abound with incredible weather effects, animating shadows and breath-taking light refractions that simulate a living environment. FIFA 2001 provides the full range of visceral heartbreak or glory when that shot hits the crossbar and slips past the goalie."Full press release Two PS2 titles from Fox Interactive - Comments (0) Onimusha details - Comments (0) In Onimusha, the so-called Demon Gauntlet held by the main character aids in the absorption of enemy souls. When you defeat an enemy, the enemy's soul appears -- the stronger the enemy, the larger the soul. To collect the soul into your demon gauntlet, you press and hold the X button.Full article & screenshots Media - Comments (0) Views - Comments (0) Basically, Dynasty Warriors 2 is a massive revamp of the popular scrolling beat 'em-up genre, with the sideways scrolling levels of games such as Final Fight eschewed in favour of a third-person view as the chosen hero scurries across a 3D battlefield. However, while you could count the assailants in titles such as Final Fight and Golden Axe on the fingers of one hand, the Midas game has a cast of literally thousands - with dozens of battling warriors on screen at once. The game uses feudal Japan as its backdrop, with the player selecting one of several weapon-toting Warlords who are then pitched straight into these frenetic battles.Full review 3D Action Planet posted a preview of Core Design’s PC/PS2 adventure-shooter, Project Eden: Although there will be plenty of "bang-bang" shoot 'em up action, the emphasis will be on teamplay. You can take full control of any of the four members (Carter, Minoko, Andre and Amber) of your team to setup ambushes or flanking maneuvers. Each character will have their own strengths and weaknesses. For example, Amber is a robot, making her ideal for situations that involve gas or hazardous materials. Another member, Minoko, is adept with computers and electronics. You will also use abilities for solving puzzles by hacking computers and taking control of equipment that maybe lying around. Project Eden is a hybrid of genres where knowing your team's abilities is critical for taking down baddies and getting past obstacles throughout the game.Full preview Gaming Age posted a review of Koei’s strategy title, Kessen: Koei might have some of the greatest strategy games on the planet, but because of the complexities involved in being able to experience their games for what they are, they’ve hard an uphill battle in being able to carve a spot in the US market. For Kessen, Koei has essentially stripped down one of their other titles and popped in a more user-friendly interface. Before a mission starts, you pick four enemy armies that you would either like to defect to your side, or stay out of the battle completely. Following that, the initial battle strategy showing where individual armies will move (or in some cases, not move; it’s possible to set them up near a forested area for an ambush) from the start is chosen.Full review Gamespot posted hand on impressions of ATV Offroad Fury: The premise behind the game seems simple enough. Players choose a rider, customize their apparel, select from a number of ATV bikes - each with different values for handling, acceleration, top speed, and stability - and race them across wide-open areas. Judging from the limited build on display at the Auto Show, the physics seem to be quite liberal, making it possible to pull off wild midair stunts and impossibly long hang times.Full article Daily Radar posted a review of Acclaim’s Super Bust-A-Move: Evangelist games such as Super Bust-A-Move help bring new gamers into the fold. Thanks to its simple controls, bright graphics and quick learning curve, anyone (including small children, girlfriends, roommates, grandmas and possibly even puppies -- we're checking that one as we speak) can learn to play. This eventually means more opponents for us to destroy in real videogames.Full review November 27, 2000 NHL 2001 review - Comments (5) The players move quite realistically thanks to over 950 new motion-captured moves that were performed by actual NHL players. While the players look great, the coaches on the other hand all look the same. It is a shame the developers did not take the same approach as they did with Madden in order to capture all of the coaches. All of this eye-candy does come at a price as the developers had problems keeping the frame-rate a consistent level.Full review PS2 fever grips Europe - Comments (0) Near-riots ensued in the French capital and three people – reportedly in their late teens - were hospitalised in the crush to be the first to grab the next generation hardware. Thousands of prospective customers crammed Parisian stores, eager to nab one of the 70,000 machines available in the country, a situation compounded by 20,000 consoles being sold outside of the French pre-order system. Violence erupted as the deadline for launch passed. The shots below were taken from a Virgin MegaStore in Paris.Full article Super Bust-A-Move ships - Comments (0) Super Bust-A-Move brings the infinite re-playability of Acclaim's most popular puzzle franchise, Bust-A-Move, to the PlayStation 2, while taking advantage of the tremendous technical capabilities of the newly launched system.Full press release Media - Comments (0) New PS2 first party game - Comments (5) While the game and its contents are hard under wraps at the moment, Sony is prepared to admit the title does actually exist. "Fable is still quite a long way off," said Liz Ashford, European PR manager for SCEE. "Some people saw when we were doing Medieval 2, but as it's so early there's really not much point going in to it as yet. Red Faction interview - Comments (2) PN: Can we expect to discover some level of personality within the lead character, or will we be controlling a voiceless mute like Half-Life's Gordon Freeman?Full interview Obi-Wan for PS2? - Comments (0) "Following an extensive review of the project and a great deal of deliberation, LucasArts Entertainment Company has ceased development of Star Wars: Obi-Wan for the PC. The expected breadth and scope of the Obi-Wan project could not be met given limitations of technology and the company's recently heightened quality standards. LucasArts is now planning to bring the game and its assets to a next-generation console platform. Further announcements will be made in this regard next year.”Full article Tokyo Bus Driver for PS2 - Comments (0) Ridge Racer V interview - Comments (0) CVG: We have seen a huge leap in graphical quality from Ridge Racer on PlayStation to R4 on PlayStation. Will we see the same difference in time on PlayStation2?Full interview GT3 interview - Comments (0) Famitsu:How far along are you?Interview Part1 Interview Part2 GT3 interview #2 - Comments (8) IGNPS2: How many players will it support?Full interview Test Drive interview - Comments (0) IGNPS2: How many tracks and cars are in the game? And what kind of reward/cheat system is built into the game?Full interview Media - Comments (0) Views - Comments (3) First Defender of the Crown Sequel for PS2 - Comments (2) Players take on the role of Robin and must use strategy, cunning, and quick reflexes to defeat Prince John, rescue King Richard, and reunite England. Together with the help of Little John, Friar Tuck, Maid Marian and the band of merry men, Robin Hood must use his mastery of archery, swordsmanship, jousting, and siege warfare to lead the people of England to victory.Full article Oni interview - Comments (0) OC: Do you think the Oni comic will turn a few heads in the manga community (i.e. those who have no knowledge of Oni - shame on them! :)?Full interview MTV Music Generator for PS2 - Comments (0) "MTV is one of the world's strongest brands. As a license, it embodies music entertainment and using it, as a headline property in the US last year, the product became a tremendous success," said Jeremy Webster, Codemasters' Business Affairs Manager. "As our award-winning music software is enhanced to take advantage of the power offered by the PlayStation 2's hardware, the use of the MTV brand will be a major strength in our global marketing for MTV Music Generator."Full press release World Sports Cars for PS2 - Comments (0) "Razorworks has been working with PS2 since the beginning of the year and it has the technology and ideas to make World Sports Cars the best it can be on PS2.Full article Giants confirmed for PS2 - Comments (0) Luckee: Do you expect the PC version to be released first and do you expect the Playstation 2 version to be graphically similar?For information about the game check out the full interview. 14 PS2 titles for European launch? - Comments (0) Rock and Roll Racing for PS2? - Comments (1) Media - Comments (0) Views - Comments (0) The controls in R2RB: R2 as a whole are extremely tight and responsive - you always feel as though you're in charge of the action, and you never have to wait for an animation to finish before resuming play. The game's controls match the game's visuals exactly, which makes playing R2RB: R2 a joy.Full review Gaming Age posted a review of EA’s NASCAR 2001: Game play is the mark that keeps this from the "stay away" level, as the game plays terrific. Gone is the sloppy control of old. You can handle your cars accurately though turns, and obviously loose your control in crashes. It seems that more attention was paid to the control issues, than the overall engine. Why is it not possible to get both?Full review IGN posted an import review of Snowboard Heaven and kicked up first impressions of EA’s NBA Live 2001. November 20, 2000 Wild Wild Racing review - Comments (0) Replay value is quite high when you consider the number of tasks set out to complete the game. Many will complain that there are not enough tracks. True, but the sheer size of the ones present, plus the many routes that open up, gives more than enough challenge to be content with. Add to this a pretty credible two-player split-screen mode and you have a game that is worth a look at.Full review UK PS2 ad - Comments (0) PS2 racing engine from Climax - Comments (0) "Motorsports is an increasingly competitive area for publishers, and development time on PS2 is vitally important," said Tony Beckwith, managing director for Climax Brighton. "We've already seen a dip in the market this year as publishers and developers make the transition - the market needs product and it needs it quickly. Our technology offers publishers a springboard for product out in time for the all important Christmas 2001 season without comprising on quality."Full article Media - Comments (1) Views - Comments (0) As far as gameplay goes, NASCAR 2001 provides a solid game of racing. The courses reflect their real-world counterparts, such that each raceway's trademark assortment of sharp corners and banks makes things quite interesting. For example, the sharp bank in the second turn at North Carolina will throw your car into the wall if you're traveling too high on the racing line. The car control itself is standard - push X to accelerate, square for brake, and hit circle when you wish to switch views. The controls may be remapped, however, placing analog steering and acceleration at your disposal. Actual driving is a healthy mixture of simulation- and arcade-style racing, although the balance definitely depends on the difficulty you choose and whether or not you've enabled car damage.Full review IGN posted details along with 30 screenshots of Terminal Reality’s racer, 4x4 Evolution. "Off-road racing is a very violent experience. It's rough and tumble, and it's very dynamic. Stuff if constantly happening and we wanted to capture the wild, dynamic racing experience that these kinds of vehicles provide. We have paid a lot of attention to the dynamic affects of off-road racing. With 4x4 you get the true feeling of real life, constantly rumbling truck racing."Full article November 17, 2000 Rayman Revolution Preview - Comments (2) Ubi Soft promises Rayman 2 Revolution will be the most challenging game of the series and will see Rayman fighting up to 10 enemies at once! There is also a hint of an RPG element in Revolution. Details are scarce but there will be some sort of character build-up so Rayman will be able to augment and acquire new powers in some way as the game progresses.Full preview Red Dog for PS2 - Comments (1) Half-Life for PS2 - Comments (3) Half-Life PlayStation 2 is an all-new experience for console gamers featuring a complete next-generation upgrade of the original ground-breaking game as well as entirely new multiplayer cooperative and competitive bonus games set within the Half-Life universe. All new advanced technology, enhanced characters and weapons, upgraded environments and never before seen levels define Half-Life for PlayStation 2 as the most advanced and impressive Half-Life ever made.Full press release PS2Faction posted a small interview with Gearbox Software about the PS2 version of Half-Life. A slice: How is the multiplayer side of the game going to work? i.e. will it support split screen, i-Link, or support Sony's upcoming online plans?Full interview Media - Comments (0) Reviews - Comments (0) All 18 Premiership sides are present as well as 17 national leagues, each with about 20 teams (with promotion and relegation from season to season), and 58 international squads. Domestic league and cup competitions are included as well as international tournaments and a World Cup. There's also the option to create a custom competition and a transfer system so you can always keep your squad in sync with events in the real world.Full review Gamespot UK also posted a review of Midnight Club: Street Racer: Midnight Club is an arcade-style racing game - so while the physics have a realistic feel to them, they've been exaggerated for more impressive skids, jumps, and crashes. On wet streets, some of the cars will spin around a full 360 degrees when you pop the e-brake and yank the wheel to one side. The cars even jerk a bit when you peg the accelerator to the floor, thanks to the extreme torque some of the motors put out. The control is easy to figure out, and the variance between the game's numerous vehicles makes the game interesting from beginning to end. Full review IGN posted a review of Activision’s flight-sim, Sky Odyssey: While Pilotwings centered on having the player accomplishing a wide variety of difficult tasks while piloting different types of craft, the Adventure mode in Sky Odyssey has much more specific mission goals and variety in its environments. Instead of just trying to fly through targets and do things just to score points, Sky Odyssey has that same premise but complements it with more specific and realistic mission goals. Yes, scoring points by doing tricks, making it through mission under the specified time and flying through all of the checkpoints will reward the player by giving them better grades for the missions, which will in turn open up the hidden air crafts and upgrades, but it doesn't stop there.Full review November 16, 2000 Devil May Cry media - Comments (0) The Bouncer movie - Comments (0) Lance Schulters talks PS2 - Comments (0) “Videogames are definitely something that helps keep the team together,” Schulters told NFLUTH as he kicked back in our office and powered up the PlayStation 2. “Especially with the young guys. We also like to play cards and shoot pool, but videogames are always on and somebody’s always around to challenge you to a game of Madden.”Full article Ape Escape Sequel for PS2 - Comments (0) PS2 sales figures - Comments (2) PS2 Sweepstakes - Comments (2) In the "Sony PlayStation 2 Sweepstakes" on sears.com, each sears.com order of $50 or more will qualify for an entry. There are no limits to the number of qualifying entries on sears.com, and entries remain valid through the duration of the sweepstakes. This means those qualifying to enter the first week--will have a chance to win during any of the 250 drawings within the five weeks of the sweepstakes.Hit this link for more info Capcom reveals Devil May Cry - Comments (0) Mikami (the Resident Evil creator) demoed the game to NG and the publication witnessed Dante walking through a cathedral with many bodies hanging from the walls. As the protagonist walked underneath the bodies, they fell to the floor and attacked. Creepy stuff...Full article Resident Evil: CV for PS2 - Comments (8) Bloody Roar 3 for PS2 - Comments (0) MDK2 Armageddon Chat Transcript - Comments (0) Reverend-IGN Tech fun again!: In the last chat you said that low video RAM was limiting things like the textures and anti-aliasing. Isn't there some way you can take some Main RAM and assign it to be video RAM? And if not, why?Full article New Media - Comments (0) New Reviews - Comments (0) It's not just the visitors you have to worry about mind you, who do you think runs the park while you're taking advantage of the first-person mode? Of course, your employees. These fall into five different categories: mechanics, entertainers, researchers, guards and cleaners. One of each will be sufficient initially but if your wage bill grows at anything less than the same rate as your park you'll find yourself confronted with broken rides, gangs of thugs or mountains of litter. Each employee can be assigned to work a certain area of the park and it's even possible to send them on training courses to improve their skills. Work them too hard though and they'll start slacking off or even threatening to go on strike. Ah, the life of a suit - who'd ever have thought that balancing books and keeping a workforce happy would make for such an entertaining game?Full article Gaming Age posted reviews of Moto GP, Dead Or Alive: Hardcore and Orphen. Gamefan posted a review of EA’s NASCAR 2001: It’s not that NASCAR 2001 for the PlayStation 2 is terribly bad, it just never peaks beyond that all too common 'mediocre' benchmark. And the catch-22 with NASCAR games in general bleeds like an open wound in this PlayStation 2 rendition… if you’re not a fan of the real life sport, you’ll find the game just as boring.Full review IGN posted first impressions of Oni: The fighting action is quite unique. Traditionally, action games have made it very difficult to engage in hand-to-hand combat from any angle other than from the front. Konoko can fight anyone straight ahead of her, but she also fights from the side, or from behind, or from a diagonal. She has dozens of moves to thwart her opponents that feature straight out punches and kicks, but also suplexes, complex leg-slams, combinations, and jumping, flipping, neck breakers. As you progress through out the 14-level game, Konoko learns (earns) move devastating moves and grows stronger and more powerful.Full article IGN also posted a review of Konami’s old-school shooters, Gradius III and IV: Gradius' weapon system relies on just one type of power-up, but you can enhance your Vic Viper craft with five or six different types of weapons - a speed boost, missiles, double shots, laser beams, Options, shields, and more. The way it works is simple. Your upgrades are listed in linear sequence, and each time you grab a power-up (left by certain types of enemies) it moves the highlighted upgrade forward once. One power-up highlights the speed boost, two the missiles, three the double, and so on. Once the upgrade you want is lit, you hit a button and buy it, so to speak, which sends your count of power-ups back to the bottom.Full review November 15, 2000 Eternal Ring review - Comments (2) From Software has never deviated from the attack system used in previous games and by the looks of it that won't happen any time soon, just like King's Field killing your enemies requires you to run in swinging and then quickly retreat until you have the energy to take another swipe. As you gain levels it takes less and less swings to kill previously encountered enemies which helps with the incredible amount of backtracking you have to do. In the end though, each time you reach a new area, more powerful enemies appear that require greater amounts of attack. This repetitive swing and retreat style of combat gets stale very quickly.Full review World Rally Championship 2001 details - Comments (1) The Druid King for PS2 - Comments (2) "We are very excited about working with both the PlayStation™ 2 and Xbox™," stated Tyrone McAuley, Sidhe Interactive's Technical Director. “Having recently completed a PlayStation™ project, the team have taken extremely well to the new, more powerful technology.“Full press release Screens: pic #1, pic #2 New media - Comments (0) New reviews - Comments (0) Even though Silent Scope likely took up a rather short development span, Konami has opted to not include too many extras into the game, and the version that we have is basically the arcade game with the addition of a training mode. The meat of the game, the story mode, has you rescuing the President, his wife and his daughter from a group of terrorists, but even after moving through the multiple paths (there are six, in total), it doesn’t take more than two hours to explore all the available options. After that, it comes down to the training mode, the shooting range and time attack. The trailing mode is the best of the bunch, and all three of them can be entertaining for a short while, but they still don’t exactly last long.Full review IGN posted a review of 989’s NFL GameDay 2001: After about half an hour with the game, the conclusion made was that while it was obviously a lot less polished and refined than Madden that it was still a solid football game on its own and actually did many things better than EA's game. Well, after a few seasons in the game's franchise mode, a complete year in its season mode, and about 20 or so games in exhibition mode set to a wide array of play options, it can be said with a lot of conviction that GameDay 2001 for PS2 is not as good as Madden and doesn't really come close to competing with it. All the same, the comment about it doing many things better than EA's game still holds true as it does do a lot of things better than Madden, it's just that the stuff that it does worse outweigh it by a large margin.Full review The boys at Core posted their first impressions of the dame game (GameDay): In terms of playability, Gameday also falls flat. Playing against the computer is quickly boring, as you can continually exploit the same defensive holes. As briefly mentioned above, catching the ball often results in a split-second delay wherein you can be sacked or unable to run for a first-down. Furthermore, while the game generates realistic weather effects depending upon the home team, they seem to have no affect on the game-play whatsoever. Much like its visual presentation, Gameday 2001 feels largely incomplete.Full article November 14, 2000 Summoner review - Comments (1) The story in Summoner is one of the best to come along in great long while. Every character has a deep history with lots of defining moments and each one deals with another member of the party in interesting and often conflicting ways. This complex social interaction should have been the basis for a great game but poor draw in, camera placement, texture glitches and a pathetic automap feature pull the game so far down that it never gets back up again.Full review Site stuff... - Comments (0) TTT interview - Comments (0) Q13) Who is Unknown? Who or what is the wolf spirit – what does it represent? Why has Unknown replaced True Ogre as the final boss in Tekken? Why does Unknown have the same mark on her left arm as Jin? Will Unknown feature in Tekken 4? F1 Championship Season 2000 movies - Comments (0) New screens - Comments (0) New reviews - Comments (0) TimeSplitters is unpretentious shooting action and it's a barrel of fun. What it does it does exceptionally well. The multiplayer game is just about as good as a multiplayer shooting game gets and there is a ton of stuff to be unlocked and earned, and the weapons are suitably meaty. We can't help but feel that TimeSplitters is something of a missed opportunity though because with a little more time and imagination spent on the one-player game TimeSplitters would have been the PlayStation2's Perfect Dark. As it is though, it falls some way short of that.Full review Gamespot posted a review of 989’s NFL GameDay 2001: GameDay 2001 plays fairly well, mostly because it features the proven gameplay elements of the GameDay series, such as the total-control passing and running. Total-control passing lets you lead, overthrow, and underthrow your receivers so that you can throw more completions and prevent pesky defenders from intercepting your passes. The total control features in GameDay really make you an active part of a play's success. This sense of control is really the only thing that GameDay 2001 has going for it.Full review Daily Radar UK posted a review of EA’s Madden NFL 2001: Madden NFL 2001 on the PlayStation 2 is superb. The core game is still true to its 16-bit roots, only now it's far more difficult to differentiate between the game and its real-life inspiration. If a player wears a knee support in reality, you'll find the virtual athlete similarly clad. The same attention to detail applies to the coaching staff, stadia and even the individual playbooks. We can hardly argue with that highly irritating "It's in the game!" chap any more.Full review Games of November - Comments (2) Moto GP review - Comments (2) Take the Ridge Racer engine and replace the cars with high-powered motorcycles and you are pretty close with this game. The graphics are a mixed bag. They do blaze along at 60 frames per second refresh rate with absolutely no slowdown or pop-up. The track designs are taken from their real-life counterparts and the machines are detailed from the actual production bikes of famous racing teams. Where the graphic engine falters is in the same place as Ridge Racer V. While Mark will disagree, I can find the jaggies are noticeable from the lack of anti-aliasing. It may be a picky complaint but the overall look of the game would have been better with some sort of anti-aliasing in use. Having that said, the game is nice to look at and play. I want to also mention how incredible the replay mode is. It looks like a real television broadcast. The superior power of the PS2 is clearly demonstrated here.Full review Contents Of UK Demo Disc - Comments (0) Soldier of Fortune for PS2 - Comments (1) IGNPS2: So, why have you decided to bring Solider of Fortune to PlayStation 2? What kind of benefits will the PlayStation 2 bring out it?Full interview The Bouncer release date - Comments (0) Final Fantasy IX feature - Comments (0) New screens - Comments (0) New reviews - Comments (1) Game play is solid as the hockey ice below your skates. Sure, it may be 3D, but it still plays as well as the old 16-bit titles if not better. You have complete control of the game, be it dekes, checks, or even penalties. You want to get thrown in the box, poke that stick out there to trip that on coming skater. The A.I. has even been bumped up past the PC version, as it's more difficult to score. You are bound to find money plays, but it'll take a while, believe me. Bottom line, this game is fun, fun, fun. You can adjust the speed of the game to your liking, which is a big plus. If you're a fan of the NHL series, you're getting the same fun as hell game, just with a major facelift! The game is a joy to play, and luckily isn't effected in the slightest by the slowdown mentioned earlier.Full review Gamespot posted a review of Konami’s ESPN International Track & Field: Controlling the action is easy since the game has a straightforward and fairly basic control setup. However, getting good to the point of being able to consistently land tricks and jumps is another story. The game's realistic physics make it hard to learn how to play, since you're consistently fighting your board's amazingly natural tendency to slip out from underneath your feet. Learning not to fall is, of course, extremely important, since your career depends on it. Every time you fall when you're boarding on film, your pay gets reduced.Full review Daily Radar posted a review of Sony’s Flight Simulation game, Sky Odyssey: The Adventure mode tells the game's story. Players take on the role of a pilot flying a variety of missions in an unexplored area of the world. Four islands make up a mysterious environment, where harsh weather and treacherous terrain make flying small aircraft dangerous as well as difficult. Players attempt to accomplish a variety of tasks, with the ultimate objective being the discovery of an ancient ruin. In order to uncover the ruin, players must recover pieces of an ancient map, which usually involves landing in an abandoned temple.Full review NFL GameDay 2001 movies - Comments (0) Fear Effect game for PS2 - Comments (3) Ivan: What was the rationale behind the decision to make Retro Helix a PlayStation 1 game rather than a PS2 game?Full interview Kings Field IV interview - Comments (2) Question: How many different maps (areas) can we expect in Kings Field IV?Full interview New Namco game based on Axis - Comments (0) "We can't really say too much about it as yet, but it's an action adventure game," Denis Friedman, President of developer Chaman Productions told CVG. "Our real focus is to keep the game graphically as close to the CG movie as we can get it. It's very important that the level of graphics is the same as the movie." Sony to outsource chip production - Comments (0) A well-placed source said that Sony had engaged in intensive negotiations with Taiwan's TSMC, UMC and ASE for the feasibility of outsourcing its high-profit-margin system on a chip (SOC) technology. Sony hopes that such a move can be helpful to boost the shipments of the PS2. Sony's PS2 went on sale in the global market, but limited supplies meant that many customers are still empty handed.Full article PS2 giveaway - Comments (2) Kessen II interview - Comments (0) Question: The original Kessen revolved around special attacks and a simple battle system. What can we expect from Kessen II?Full interview New screens - Comments (0) Tekken Tag Tournament review - Comments (10) As for gameplay, TTT remains faithful to the arcade version and the previous installments in the series. Of course the new addition this time around is the ability to tag in a partner during a bout. There is quite of bit of skill involved here in order to utilize the tag feature successfully. As you progress through the game, you will find that certain pairings of characters will enable a stream of combinations moves using the tag. Beyond the tag feature, the control mechanism remains the same.Full review 3DO show PS2 movies - Comments (0) Sony cuts UK PS2 supply - Comments (0) Sony has confirmed that it will now receive only 165,000 PlayStation 2 units by Christmas instead of the originally anticipated 200,000. All outstanding pre-order forms for the machine are now to be withdrawn to "avoid disappointment" for punters holding forms expecting their consoles before Christmas. Forms are to be withdrawn as of next Friday. Sony is refusing now to guarantee all gamers will receive their PlayStation 2 before the Holiday period. Shadow of Memories interview - Comments (0) TT: What makes Shadow of Memories different from Silent Hill?.Full interview MDK2 interview - Comments (0) So what's new in this PS2 version that requires it to have "Armageddon" tagged on to the end of its name?Full interview Final Fantasy X release date - Comments (0) Square and SCE have announced plans for a major marketing campaign for early next year. Several key titles are slated to hit the market next quarter including Gran Turismo 3, Bouncer, Onimusha, and potentially Final Fantasy X. According to president Suzuki-san, there are currently no plans to change the scheduled March 31st release of FFX for the PlayStation2. Nevertheless, he couldn't rule out a possible delay until Q2 2001 depending upon ongoing developmental progress.Full article ESPN NBA 2Night impressions - Comments (0) The graphics in the game are very sharp. Though shorter and a bit more round than the characters found in NBA 2K1, NBA 2Night's players and faces are very realistic looking. Konami has scored the official NBA license, and NBA 2Night features all the actual NBA teams and players. Not only does each and every in-game player look like his real-life counterpart, but his behavior and signature moves have also been transferred to the game. The animations are very smooth, and the flow of the characters never seems jerky as they transfer from one set of movements to another. Konami has added a lot of detail to the game's graphics, from tiny dimples on the ball, which can only be seen through a telescopic zoom in the replay mode, to excellent reflections, lighting, and player effects. Nice touches like player interaction sequences and a totally interactive bench really add to the overall graphical package. Though you can completely customize your camera angle, the game also features several camera angles actually used in ESPN broadcasts.Full article Baldur's Gate on PS2 - Comments (1) New screenshots - Comments (0) New reviews - Comments (0) Game play is pure Madden. If you're a fan of this style, then you know what to expect from even the PS2 version. If one thing stands out for me, it is the A.I., it's terrific! Not only do you get the option of setting the game to rookie, pro, etc, you also have the luxury of setting individual A.I. toughness for certain situations. Is the All Pro level your challenge, but you throw too many interceptions? Simple, just lower the A.I. on the defense interceptions. Very cool! Running on the PS2 isn't as simple as the other Madden games, which was my biggest gripe of the series. Passing is also been toughened up, but not too tough that it's frustrating. Playing this game not only is fun, but also brings on a big challenge without allowing blowouts on either side. I'm very happy with the results of the PS2 A.I. It's almost perfect!Full review IGN kicked up a review of EA’s NASCAR 2001: Speaking of cramped, make no mistake, these tracks get crowded at times. NASCAR 2001 renders a 20-car field, which puts it well ahead of most competition (its PlayStation counterpart manages 18, but compare it to NASCAR Heat, which puts up all of eight). As a result, you have to race conservatively, with a soft touch on the pedals and steering. Weaving your way up through the pack is a vital skill to learn, especially if you've shortened the race, and qualifying for each race is a must to get a decent starting position. The game is kind enough to minimize the load times involved with setup, qualifying, and racing, though - to go through all three you'll only need to sit back twice.Full review November 7, 2000 Fantavision review - Comments (0) This may not be the pinnacle of the PS2's graphic abilities but the game sure is pretty and in a strange way somewhat hypnotic. There is even a neat replay option that allows you to view your performance after a round and change the angle and weather conditions. The fireworks themselves use PS2's particle engine to great effect with convincing sparks of light. Even the backgrounds are well rendered and fully animated with sweeping city scapes and deep space vistas.Full review New DOA2 ad - Comments (0) EA ships NASCAR 2001 - Comments (0) NASCAR 2001 for the PlayStation 2 takes full advantage of the console's graphic horsepower and the game features the best graphics in EA SPORTS NASCAR franchise history. Improved car physics and computer driver AI allows EA SPORTS to add greater depth to real-life driver tendencies in the game. Each driver is rated in five categories that translate his real-life abilities and tendencies onto the 'living racetrack' that exists in each game session.Full press release Core posted some impressions along with movies of the game: Moving on to game-play, Nascar performs well despite some minor problems. While the basic control is decent, the game does suffer from occasional frame-rate drops and minor slowdown. Specifically, problems seem to occur during scenes involving multiple vehicles including crashes. If you can get past the aforementioned quibbles however, Nascar is a simulation players dream. With realistic drafting and intensely competitive AI, the game has surprising replay value despite only having two main game-play modes; Single Race and Championship. Furthermore, considering there's a dozen tracks available and more than thirty drivers available, it's the definitive Nascar simulation.Full article Sony's US launch sales - Comments (5) New media - Comments (0) The Bouncer team speaks - Comments (0) The team goes on to talk about some technical aspects of the game, commenting that compared to the PlayStation, they are able to get 2 or 3 times the number of polygons per characters. In the end one character in Bouncer is composed of 2000 to 2500 polygons. This compares to the team's experience with the PSX, where they were able to construct characters of between 400 and 800 polygons. The game switches between three different character models depending on the scene, using a similar technique to what used in the PSX days.Full article New reviews - Comments (0) Once players beat the story mode once, there is also a Challenge mode that opens up, making way for more secrets to come through. Each challenge presents a set of goals that have to be completed, and when Free Radical named them “challenges”, they meant it; these are hard. I spent over an hour and a half with the first challenge alone (it puts you in the mansion level with a shotgun, and gives the goal of lobbing off 50 zombie heads in two minutes) before finally completing it, and you’ll no doubt be slamming your first on the floor many times if you attempt to give Challenge a go. I will say, however, that they are good at improving your skills in a number of areas.Full review GA also posted a review of Rage’s Wild Wild Racing: The play control in Wild Wild Racing tries hard to simulate racing in loose gravel, dirt and other assorted rough surfaces. Even vehicles with supposedly better handling characteristics seem to under steer horribly, which as a result, usually sends you sliding into the track barriers, which then in turn, hangs you up. Annoying, especially when those CPU vehicles seem to adhere to a somewhat different level of physics, and just zip around the courses without problems. Overall, the control isn't all that bad really, but there are plenty of other racers that play much better.Full review Daily Radar UK posted a review of Konami’s arcade shooter, Silent Scope: What a game. A lightgun game without the lightgun, Silent Scope's challenge is to use the PS2's pad to eliminate evil and protect the public. You control the scope; holding down R1 will lift it momentarily to allow you to speed it to another point of the screen, releasing it will pop it back up for the accuracy necessary to make those crucial headshots. Once you've taken down enough criminals, your character moves to set up shot somewhere else. Buchaaaaaa, buchaaaaaa, buchaaaaaa, and so on, until you finally reach the end of area boss. A few bosses, a thousand more headshots, and it's all over.Full review Gamespot posted a review of Game Art’s mech shooter, Gungriffon Blaze: As far as playing goes, the Gungriffon Blaze experience is an enjoyable one. First, the point of view is set from within the mech - a distinctly FPS-style presentation. This makes for a more realistic feel while giving you a good look at your surroundings. Secondly, the control system, though it makes use of every single button and stick on the PS2's controller, is well suited to the game. The analog sticks control directional movement across the X- and Y-axes, as well as multidirectional FPS-style aiming. For weapons control, the right shoulder buttons toggle weapons and firing, while the left buttons allow for jumping and fine movement control. There's also a sniper mode that can be activated with the triangle button.Full review IGN posted review of Konami’s ESPN International Track & Field and Dance Summit 2001 Bust-a-Move. November 6, 2000 Smuggler’s Run review - Comments (1) As a driver for a gang known as "The Forgotten", led by Gordon Temple, you'll receive your missions via radio transmission from Radio Girl (Yes, that's her name) and you must complete these missions as quickly as efficiently as possible. Some of the missions are simple pick-up and drop runs, while others pit you against rival gangs in a race to deliver a certain item, or sometimes just a flat out race to impress your boss. The multi-player modes offer all out turf wars against rival gangs, and there is a variety of other multi-player modes, but they play mostly the same.Full review Mailbag updated - Comments (6) Star Wars Starfighter screens - Comments (1) Top 10 PS2 titles - Comments (0) WWF for PS2 confirmed - Comments (2) According to sources close to the company, Yukes – the celebrated Japanese developer behind the million selling wrestler and the soon-to-be-published sequel, Smackdown! 2: Know Your Role – is hard at work on the next title in the series. PlayStation 2 and Xbox are the only platforms confirmed for the game at the moment, but there's strong talk of a planned Gamecube version. Program your European PS2 - Comments (2) Z.O.E. impressions - Comments (1) Graphically speaking ZOE is first class. The giant mechs, or "Orbital Frames" are superbly animated and the environments are fully destructible (as you'll see in some of our exclusive movies). Some of the lighting effects are truly staggering - a fine indication of what the PS2 is capable of - although graphical excellence was always a given, coming from the man who gave us those lovely MGS2 trailers at this year's trade shows. No, what really sets this one apart is the sheer playability, the sheer enjoyment of hurling an enemy through a skyscraper and watching the whole shebang crumble in front of you. It's the feeling of power, the feeling of being immense, the feeling that you can take over the Universe. Ahem.Full article New movies - Comments (0) New reviews - Comments (0) To reach a wider audience, KOEI has opted to simplify their usual famously detailed gameplay. Gone is the micromanaging of cities, people, food, politics and diplomacy; instead this title focuses on the battlefield almost exlcusively. Kessen's massive battle sequences begin with traditional deployment and troop management; choose your generals, soldiers, then finally your battle outline. Battles then proceed in real time.Full review IGN posted a review of Ascii Entertainment’s surfing game, Surfing H3O: The gameplay functions in this game are simple, collect buoys for points, acquire points for tricks, and get tubed for points. If you beat the time limit, you'll receive another 100 points, too. But the actual execution of the tricks is quite a trial. Just like Ubi Soft's Surf Riders, it's truly possible to do the moves, but you'll be exhausted and annoyed and disgusted once you learn just how they're done, and how how lame they look and feel. First you use the meter on the screen to determine how fast you're going, then you aim up toward the lip and press an L button to pull off moves. Once in the air, you press various L buttons to pull off mutes, nose grabs, 360s, and others.Full review 3DO’s PS2 games - Comments (1) Twisted Metal: Black preview - Comments (8) The game, like it's predecessors, is all about vehicular madness and destruction. Players will be able to drive a total of 14 crazy contraptions loaded to the hilt with weapons of mass destruction. They look very cool with all their transformable and moving parts. Some of the special effects and explosions are utterly amazing, like the electric field surrounding the car.Full preview PS2 accessories from NYKO - Comments (0) "We are proud to introduce this line-up of PlayStation 2 accessories," said Herschel Naghi, president, NYKO. "NYKO's decision to market these accessories proves we're excited about the direction Sony is taking with PlayStation 2, and we especially look forward to furthering our competitive edge in the gaming accessories industry."Full press release Where are the PS2s? - Comments (21) Some stores have started to take pre-orders again for spring 2001. A disbelieving consumer told FGN Online, "The clerks at Electronics Etc., Lynnwood, WA, told me that the next shipment of PS2s will arrive next spring. The store has said that people can now start pre-ordering the system."Full article Sony has previously stated that 100 000 units will be shipped each week... Extreme Skiing game from 3DO - Comments (0) The 3DO Company has signed US Olympic gold medal skier Jonny Moseley as the "cover boy" for a series of upcoming extreme skiing games for next-generation platforms. The company expects to release the first game in the series prior to the 2001 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City. The game will focus on elements of the sport of skiing that are new and unique, such as big mountain heli-skiing, moguls, terrain parks, big air, kickers, rails, twin-tip skis, skier cross, and freestyle skiing.Full article Test Drive Off-Road screens - Comments (0) NHL 2001 review - Comments (2) While NHL 2001 has brought the series a long way in the graphics department, it still has some distance to go where gameplay is concerned. The pace of NHL 2001 seems slow and plodding on the default speed setting, but it may be adjusted to kick up the action a notch. Anyone who has a shortage of friends to play against may find NHL 2001 less than challenging. There are four difficulty settings, but even the all-star setting fails to require adept playing skills. The AI isn't particularly intelligent, as the computer refuses to dump the puck, even while playing with muck-and-grind teams like the Sharks or Flyers.Full review November 2, 2000 Ridge Racer V review - Comments (0) With great looking cars your going to need some interesting scenery to drive by and ogle at, fear not because Namco got the roads as well covered as the vehicles. Everywhere you look there are minor details like full polygonal traffic lights to some of the best looking trees I have ever seen in a game. Sun flares and dramatic lighting are the norm for this game not the exception. Where most in game roads suffer from that jagged and straight edged look, RR5's roads curve smoothly and realistically.Full review Bob Brenly as color commentator for All-Star Baseball 2002 - Comments (0) "We are pleased to be the first baseball title to offer color commentary by a current Major League manager," stated Michael Jerchower, director of licensing for Acclaim Sports. "Bob's broadcast style and managerial insight will greatly enhance the presentation and authenticity of our product."Full press release Twisted Metal: Black movie - Comments (0) Red Faction FAQ - Comments (0) PS2 giveaway - Comments (0) Tenchu confirmed for PS2 - Comments (0) Ron Doornink, president and COO, Activision, said, "The acquisition of this property further underscores Activision's commitment to brands that can be market leaders across all platforms. The PlayStation 2's advanced technology will allow us to build and expand on the revolutionary gameplay already established by the Tenchu series."Thanks to FGN for the info. Rockstar Games Interview - Comments (0) IGNPS2: What about your games on PS2? Are you in development with Grand Theft Auto for PlayStation 2?Full interview New screens - Comments (0) SSX review - Comments (2) The Gameplay in SSX is difficult to convey in a review, but it is some of the most outstanding I have ever experienced. Even though Showoff mode is fun, Race mode is what this game is all about. Here EA has found a good mix between difficult and fun, making this game enjoyable for hours on end. When you race a course, you must prove your abilities by placing in the top 3, in three different rounds, before you win a medal. This can sometimes get monotonous, but it does a great job of preparing you for the next level. As you launch yourself downhill it seems like there is always something keeping you from reaching the bottom of the hill. Whether it's a pesky opponent trying to bump you off course, a huge jump, or that daunting "Cliff >>>" sign, it takes total concentration to make it down the course in one piece.Full review Spy Hunter details - Comments (1) "The gameplay and feel of Spy Hunter has been morphed into a 3D world," said Gottlieb. "Enemies are now much smarter - instead of merely driving up next to the Spy Hunter and trying to run him off the road, the enemies unexpectedly blast out of ambush points, organize into strategic formations and fire at you from all directions. On the flip side, the Spy Hunter's vehicle has been upgraded to include many more sophisticated weapons including some experimental weapons." Twisted Metal: Black next summer - Comments (3) "With the technological advancement of the PlayStation 2, art direction has become an integral part of the video game development process, just as it is in the movies," said Dave Jaffe, director and lead designer for Incognito Studios. "With Twisted Metal: Black, we were finally able to implement all of the creative ideas we had envisioned for the first two games. The result is a darkly atmospheric, profound, and strategic game, which is also easy for gamers to get into and lots of fun to play."Full article Snowboard Heaven details - Comments (0) On offer, in addition to a variety of vast slopes, will be four modes of play. The included Boarder Cross Mode involves racing down the slope against multiple CPU opponents, avoiding obstacles as you make your way down. It's possible to slam into an opponent and fall over, so keep an eye out! You can also familiarize yourself with the courses via the included single player Free Run mode, and can race against opponents via the horizontal split screen versus mode. Want to get a cinematic view of the proceedings during a race? The try out the obligatory replay mode. You can save your runs in any of the modes for future viewing.Full article New movies - Comments (3) New screens - Comments (0) New reviews - Comments (0) Tracks from Mix Master Mike, Rasmus, Skank, Aphrodite and Mickey Finn and (GA Staff's personal favorite) Hybrid give SSX a pulse that's interwoven with the tricks. As you get air for a trick, the music softens and the beat drops slightly. When you land the trick, the beat kicks back in and gets your blood flowing. Unless of course, you bail, in which case a skipping record sound assaults your ears momentarily (as well as earns you a diss or two from the announcer). Each trick when successfully landed is announced, which is impressive considering the number of tricks available in SSX.Full review GIA posted a review of Shade’s RPG, Orphen: Scion of Sorcery A bit: The parade of the expected doesn't stop with the gameplay. Orphen's characters are universally hackneyed, trite, and, what's worse, extremely talkative. Players are subjected to scene after scene of Cleo acting jealous of Sephy, of Magnus whining to Orphen, of Orphen acting like a jerk to everyone, including one scene where he lusts after a ten year old girl. There's nothing wrong with extended story sequences driving a plot forward, but many of the conversations here are nothing but arguments, sniping, and witless banter. Granted these exchanges serve to flesh out the game's characters, but when the characters are as charm-free and tired as the cast of Orphen, you'll seldom want insight into their hidden motives.Full review Gamespot has been busy an posted reviews of Moto GP, ESPN International Track & Field and Fantavision. |
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