lssue022/july2002/£5^9 withdiscHE UK'S BESTSELLING PIAYSTATION.2 MAGAZINE

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NTE RETURNS IN CAPCMONIC NEW ADVENTURE,

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1n n n i r. o i i y K Q U . .

ighteous are those who defend the light, for thereis much work to be done. Good work. Virtuous work,

iidvance with pureness of heart and fear not thebloodsuckers. For the might of the G-con2 gun iswith you. Take them apart. Jblow them to bits. Tisthe only language they understand. Dance the merry jigof death as they become toast before your very eyes.They're going down, oh yes. They're gonna burn. Cometo papa. Come on who wants some? U ho wants it then?

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I S S U E 0 2 2 / J U L Y 2 0 0 2

GRITIE REMIELUE092V-RALLY 3

Taking the rally sim to mud-splattered, hardcore heights.

098 PRISONER OF WARFree-roaming WWII espionage at Herr Hitler's pleasure.

102 SOLDIER OF FORTUNE:GOLD EDmONThe PC's bloodiest first-person shooter comes to PS2.

1 0 5 F 1 2 0 0 21 0 7 F I R E B L A D E108 BRnNEVS DANCE BEAT110 «BALLY CHAMPIONSHIP111' DAVID BECKHAM SOCCER1 1 3 E V E R B L U El ie : ARMY MEN RTS117 HIGH HEAT MAJOR LEAGUE

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Dante, the PI with a devil (reputation, is baci^ in DeviMay Cry 2. Read aii aboutsequel on page 068 now.

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V

issue022/July2002

PlayStation,?/ a f r a t f t L M U G A U N E - U K

] N T H E D N DA SIDNKING BEW OF SIX PUWABLE DEMOS ANDELEVEN, COUhfT 'EM, ELEVEN EXCLUSIVE VIDEOS.

PLAYABLE DEMO ONE/F 1 2 0 0 2Formula One pros EA are back with the new seasonand you can get on the grid before anyone else.

PLAYABLE DEMO TWO/BRTTNEVS DANCE BEATMs Spears needs a dancer and youVe got an audition...

PLAYABLE DEMO THREE/G H T K R O O M A N

Guitar-wielding supertieromadness with a rhythmaction flavour it nacksl

PLAYABLE DEMO FIVE/TIME CRISIS 2Try Namco's cracl«hotPlat inum shooter

PLUS/VIDEO PREVIEWS OF:

PLAYABLE DEMO FOUR/2002 HFA WORLD CUPEA Sports' slickest footyfranchise packs its bagsand heads for Japan.

PLAYABLE DEMO SIX/t 4 T V M U S I CG E N E R ATO R 2

Cut-price tune making

Men In Black 2, Tumk Evolution,V-Rally 3, FifBbfade, Ape Escape 2,GT Concept Tekken 4, Ratchet &Clank Ula & St/tch and loads more.» FULL DE1AILS: mOE 010

F E R T U R E B

0 6 2 E 3 R E P O R T

Every May, 0PS2 Jets off to LA forthe E3 videogames show andbeams back all the latest news.For the lowdown on Stor Wors,Silent Hill 3, Metal Gear:Substance and more, read on.

058 HEX AND THE CITY0PS2 gets the exclusive on theresurrection of gothic action heroDante In Capcom's sequel to darkadventure Devil May Cty.

076 THE KRYPTON FACTORW/e fly to DC Comics HQ for arendezvous with the Man Of SteelIn his new PS2 adventurB,Superman: Sfiodow OfApokollps

082 GETTING AWAY WITH ITFor a while It looked like TheGetaway had gone Into hiding forgood. But 0PS2 tracked down Itsdevelopers, and they'd like a wordin your shell-like.

B n m EP R E M I E L U E

016 STUNTMANDriver meets Hollywood, but willyou make the final cut? Read ourexclusive preview.

020 WINNING ELEVEN 6Pro Evolution Soccer 2 in allbut name is out in Japanalready So what's changed?Find out here.

024 TRANSWORLD SURFSurfing learns a few tricks fromSSX and Tony Hawk's, but couldIt still wipeout in the UK?

026 CIRCUS MAXIMUS

028 EJAY CLUB WORLD

030 PAC-MAN WORLD 2

R E E U L R R 5

006 Editor 's Letter035 Spy

Tony Hawk 4's new tricks,plus news on TimeSplltters .Primal, ShinobI and more.

088 Next Month090 Reviews

Twelve new games ratedl118 PSone Reviews

Sky Sports Football Quiz, pluall the latest PSone news.

120 MediaSpeed and Bosic Instinct onDVD, PS2 comic reviews plusDJ Shadow's new album.

126 HardcoreOur exclusive Final Fantasy Xwalkthrough and much mor^.

134 Subscr ibeTwo Issues free and 0PS2delivered to your door

136 PostalFrom you to us with words.

144 CompetitionsWin a chance to meet TonyHawk! Or win a telly!

146 What If...PS2 game characters ran forpolitical office?

E N C R y EWHAT THE DEVIL DID DANTE DO NEXT? WE GO TO HELL AND BACK FOR THE EXCLUSIVE LOWDOWN PAGE 068

PlayStation®?' O F F I C I A L M A G A Z I N E - U K

PlayStation®?' O F F I C I A L M A G A Z I N E - U K

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-uture Publishing l_td,JO ivionmouth St,3ath BAl 2BWrelephone: 01225 442244=ax: 01225 732275imai l : PS2®futurenet.co.uk

E D I T O R I A L

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CONTRIBUTING EDITOR: Dean EvansCONTRIBUTING WRITERS: Eric Bratcher, Ryan Butt,Ste Curran, Nick Ellis, Daniel Goodleff, Ian Harris,Save Harrison, Lee Hart, Dave McCarthy, Mari<Walbank, Mark WyattCONTRIBUTING DESIGNER: Tina GiencrossCONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS: Mark Corke,3avln Roberts, Phillip Sowels, James WilsonCONTRIBUTING ILLUSTRATORS:Vlll Barras, Daniel MackielAPANESE OFFICE: Amos Wong

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you had any problems finding this issue of 0PS2, please caiiegina Erak in our Circuiation Department on 01225 320889mted in the UK by ET Heron' Future Publishing Ltd 2002

ABC 125,895 JUN-DEC 2001I A member of the Audited Bureau of Circulations

Jture Publishing Ltd is part of The Future Networic pic.he Future Network produces carefuliy targeted specialist magazinesnd web sites for groups of people who share a passion. We aim toatisfy their passion by creating titles that offer superb vaiue forloney, trustworthy information, multipie ways to save time andloney, and are a pleasure to read or visit This simple strategy haseiped create one of the fastest-growing media companies in theorld. Today we pubiish more than 100 magazines, over 45lagazine Web sites and networks from offices in six countries. TheDmpany also ilcenses 39 of its tities resulting in over 150 iocalditions in 30 other countries.

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ath, London, Milan,ew YorK Par is , San Franc isco Meaawmpass ion

'At E3 our task is tou n c o v e r d e t a i l s o f

all tiie latest titles,play early codeand del iver our

first impressions''

EDITOR 'SC H O I C EFlick here for immediatePlayStation 2 gratification.

1. E3 reportStop press videogame news directf r o m L A ' S E 3 s h o w ! 0 6 2

2. Devil May Cry 2Demonic Dante's back, and he'slooking in fantastic shape 0683 . P r i m a lSCEE's dark fantasy adventurecouid be a reai surprise hit 0424. Winning Eleven 6See just how Konami's improvingon footy game perfection 0205. Prisoner Of WarPure escapism from one of themost original games In ages ,,098

EDITOR'S LETTERThis issue is all about E3. For those who don't already know, E3 is

V the Electronic Entertainment Expo, held annually In the LosAngeles Convention Centre towards the end of May. It's theworld's biggest videogames show - an opportunity for everyone

in the International games Industry to get together, show off their latestproducts, make contacts and share information. More importantly It's theplace where most of the PlayStation 2 games you'll be playing over the nextyear or so are unveiled. All the major software companies have saved uptheir biggest announcements for E3, and Sony should also have a fair bit tosay regarding its online strategy for PS2.

Inside the Convention Centre Itself, the two show halls become teemingfestivals of videogame celebration as publishers aim to out-do each otherwith the scale of their extravagant displays while the Industry's finest fight toget a play of the latest pre-release gaming delights on offer. Throw In giantvideo-screens blasting out promo footage, hordes of busty models dressed Inthemed costume, a smattering of minor celebs (last year's 'big draw' wasGaiy Coleman of Diffrent Strokes fame) and a sea of bearded, obeseAmericans who seem to be granted entry to the show purely to block thepath of journalists sprinting to their next appointment, and you've got an ideaof E3's thrilling frenetic nature.

Our task Is to bring you news of the biggest games first; to uncoverdetails of all the latest titles and, where possible, to play early code anddeliver our first impressions. We're going right to the wire on this issue inorder to file stories back directly from LA As I write this, we're still In the UK,packing our Hawaiian shirts and suntan oil, hoping that we might get achance to grab a few hours of poolslde sun. Then again, if the rumours IVebeen hearing are true - a GTA add-on set In Miami, TimeSplitters 2 onlineSilent mil 3 and a new game from Metal Gear guru Hideo Kojima starringSolid Snake - the daiquiris and the celeb-spotting will just have to wait. Turnto page 062 to read our stop press E3 report and see what we uncovered.It's going to be a great E3, and that means it's going to be another great yearahead for PS2 owners.

06 PlayStation,E

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Overseas readers ca l l +44 870 444 8656Lines open 24 hours, seven days a week

R e n t . I t m a k e sless of a dent .

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AcIiVisioN,

R e l e a s e d 7 t h J u n e R e l e a s e d 7 t h J u n e

It makes much more sense to rent the latest PlayStation 2 games from Blockbuster. Not only are youpaying a fraction of the cost, you don't have to keep them if you don't like them. And there is a great rangeof titles to choose from at your local store. The Blockbuster Promise has also been extended to coverboth Spiderman and Medal of Honor, so you can rent either one on the day you want, or it's free next time.

Release dates correct at time of going to press. Terms and conditions appiy.

Bringing Entertainment Home"www.b lockbus te r. co .u l t

® 2002 ElectFonIc Arts Inc. AH rights reserved. Electronic Arts. EA SAMES. the EA GAMES logo. Medal of Honor Frontline and You Don't Play. Yoo Voliitlleffaat iiwiiila« ii||| ^ feN»#)MiitMnMll.tetitc.in the U.S. and/or other countries. Medal of Honor is a tradetrwrk or registert

Your first mission is to stay alive.

But on tlie beaches of Normandy, under heavy fire, that isn't easy.

And things become more hair-raising as you enter Nazi occupied Europe.

w w w . u k . e a . c o m You can't afford to put a foot wrong. This is about self-preservation. And that's an order, soldier.

I3-I3AY, JUNE ()TH. 1944.

machine (JUN<),J>NIPkR<), MORTARS, MINES AND GRI-NADI-S.

JUST WHAT YOU'D EXPECT FORA HERO'S WELCOME.

Play5tation»2 You don't play. You volunteer.'

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Lr / i PlayStation®^' O F F I C I A L M A G A Z I N E - U K

» D N T H E D M D

By the time you read this, the greatestshow on earth wiil be well and trulyunderway We're referring of course, tothat festival of football, the World Cup.ijove It or loathe It, footy has takenover the planet for a whole month andwe're all along for the ride. Fitting then,that this very disc should feature anexclusive playable demo of 2002 FIFAWorld Cup alongside several othergreat games

Of course, there are some of youout there who delight not in thepleasures of the onion bag For you,we've got excellent playable demos ofEA's F1 2001 the bonl<ens GitarooMan, the shapely Britney's Dance Beatplus a chance to try the latest gamesto go Platinum - MTV Music Generator2 and Time Crisis 2 Bargains.

The other greatest show on Earthis E3 - the annual videogames expowhere all the latest games areannounced. To celebrate, we've gottogether withSCEE to bring youexclusive footage of such future hitsas Kingdom Hearts, Tekken 4,Ratchet & Clank, Primal plus thelatest Gran Turismo title, GT Concept2002: Tokyo-Geneva

Now if only they all hadfootball mini-games in them. Tekken4-4-2 anybody?

F 1 2 0 0 2Publisher: EA/Game type: Racing/Out: Now/Players 1 (Full game 1-4|

Wrian l_awton

Deputy PlayStation Producer

"S To use this DVD, load it up on your^2. Then scroll between games and•oiling demos with the and t keysro choose within a section use «-snd Press ® to start up your;hoice. Please note, you may have toeset your PS2 after some demos.

T H E C O r ^ O L SL - s t t c k - S t e e rR-stick Up/Down -Accelerate/Brake

Accelerate (Selecthighlightedoption/action)B r a k eR e v e r s eInstant replay/Return toprevious screen

m Toggle camera anglesm R e a r v i e wCD Gear up (semi-automatic

transmission)CD Gear down (semi

automatic transmission]is Pause

T H E G A M EBoasting all the teams and drivers of the 2002 season,F1 2002 Is the most up-to-date Formula One experience tobe had on PS2. Rather than throwing players straight Into ademanding F1 season, EA's latest presents a series of GranTurismo-style driving tests that must be passed in onder tograduate to the race proper. With both normal andsimulation modes offering driving conditions to suit yourlevel of skill, plus the usual array of tweaks andmodifications we've come to expect from F1 sIms, F1 2002Is any motorsport fanatic's dream come true.

T H E D E M OOnce loaded, press 0 to select your language, then ®again at the next screen to choose 'Quick Race'. Use T/ito select your car and driver from the available teams ofFerrari, Toyota or Renault, then hit ® to begn the race.Our demo features the famous Monza circuit at iviilan, andgives you three dizzyingly fast minutes to make your waythrough the pack and get as far as you can.

>10 PlayStation-E

» P L P y R B L E D E m D T U J D

BRITNEY'S DANCE BEATPublisher: THQ/Game type: Rhythm action/Out: Now/Players: 1-2 |Full game 1-2)

T H E C O N T B O L SD-pad Dance (Press in

accordance witho n - s c r e e n

prompts)Dance (Press inaccordance witho n - s c r e e n

prompts)

T H E G A M EIt was only a matter of time until the all-conquering Princess ofpop put In a PS2 appearance and now, thanl<s to THQ, she'sdoing Just that Rather than being In control of twinkle toesherself, Britney's Dance Beat puts us in the fashionable daps ofher backing dancers, with the lady herself appearing at certaintimes. As you'd expect gameplay Is bemanl-style button pressesto the tune of five top Spears' tunes lincluding Hit Me Baby OneMore Time, Over Protected and Slave 4Ul and includes a frantictwo-player head-to-head mode for those post-pub moments.

T H E D E M OOur demo offers the level from the game featuring the fullversion of the track that made Britney famous. Baby OneMore Time and offers both One- and Two-player modeswith Rob and Elisa as the two characters available. Timeto pull on those dancing shoes and show Mrs Britneywhat you can do...

» P L H y B B L E D E m O T H R E E

2 0 0 2 H FAWORLD CUPPublisher: EA/Game type: Sports/Out: Now/Players: 1-2 (Full game 1-8) o ; » « - - » »

Bi i iUlUfT

THE CONTROLSL-stick: MoveR - s t i c k ; O n e - t w o

® Ground pass/Switch player

@ Lob pass//^resslve tackle

@ Shoot/Conservative tackle

® Sprint(Tap for extra speed)

CD Step-over (double-tap fordouble step-over)

ID Goalkeeper charge/Drop ball (keeper]

(B Ballspin rightCD Ballspin left

T H E G A M EBoasting the official RFA licence, with ali the players, teamsand stadiums of the big event, EA's 2002 FIFA World Cup letsyou re-live the highs (and lows) of the tournament in style.Crisp visuals (including some eerily realistic player likenesses),authentic crowd chants, plus commentary from Andy Grayand John Motson combine to make this as close as you'relikely to get to the real thing on your PS2. Pick your ownsquad of plucky contenders and take them all the way togloty - just like the real England team. Hopefully

T H E D E M OOur demo features a one- or two-player showdown betweenSpain and Mexico at the Seoul stadium in Korea. Once loaded,the demo takes you straight into the action, so press "S topause the game and assign controllers. In multiplayer, you canopt to play each other, or go up against the computer in aco-op match. You've got the first half of the game to see howmany you can put past the opposition.

^unnani

■■A

The Worid Cup only lasts a month, so prolong the pleasure with EA's finest.

Ta l K b a u s !» Comments and queries about this DVD should go tome, Adrian, at PS2@futurenetco.uk, Sorry, I can'tanswer your questions over the phone.»If you have problems with your DVD, pop it in anenvelope and send it to the foiiowing address. We'lltest it and, if faulty, send you a new DVD. We're atOfficial PlayStation 2 Magazine, Disc Returns,Customer Services, Future Publishing, Cary Court,Bancombe Road industrial Estate, Somerton,Somerset TAll 6TB.

' - /

'Remember, this DVD-ROM will only work on a PS2.

Messrs Ratche t andClank lead off ourE3 video special.

Video pi-evieiu!A glimpse of PS2 future...

t M M t j f f e i x ^ u j i - ' a y i r j o o

spetzialThe latest PS2 games, beamed straight in from LA

APE ESCAPE 2Publisher: SCEEAfter an obscure Japanese PS2 Incarnation ithe form of Ape Escape 2001, the true sequ(to the cult PSone simian adventure is finallyheading our way. Here we present the veryfirst video footage for your enioyment We'vealso got the latest news of this cheeky littletitle on page 046.

» y i D E O D N EF I R E B L A D EPublisher: Midway

Kuju's helicopter-based shooter takes playersthrough 18 missions across locations as diverse asthe Swiss Alps and Middle Eastern oil fields. Takethe helm of a Talon troop carrier and a Vendettaattack copter, packing an awesome arsenal ofweaponry, that includes Homing Missiles andSniper Cannons. Full review on page 107.

» V I D E O T l U GMEN IN BLACK 2:AUEN ESCAPEPublisher: InfogramesWill Smith and Tommy Lee Jones are back thissummer to mash up some more badass alienscum with Men In Black 2: Alien Escape, and thevideogame is heading our way courtesy ofInfogrames. Here we take our first look at specialagents Jack and Kay in action.

GT CONCEPT 2002:TOKYO-GENEVAPublisher: SCEEThis concept car GT3 update has beenkicking around in Japan for several monthsnow, but we're finally getting the Europeanrelease we've all been craving, with carsupdated for the Euro market Enjoy thisall-new trailer

KINGDOM HEARTSPublisher: SCEEWe've played the finished Japanese versionSquare and Disney's collaboration RPG andbelieve us, it's a corker! The PAL version's dlater this year but to make the wait easier,here's the exclusive video straight from E3..

UI jO& STITCHPublisher. SCEEBased on the forthcoming Disney movie ofthe same name, this cutesy platformerfollows the fortunes of escaped intergalacticcriminal alien Stitch and a young Hawaiiangirl, Lllo who adopts the little outlawbelieving him to be a dog.

»V IOEO THREEPREMIER MANAGER 2002Publisher: InfogramesThe footy season Is now over - think you couldhave done better? See how tough it is for yourselfwith infogrames' ace footy management sim.PM2002 Is far more player friendly than somemanagement game with face-to-face meetingsand 3D graphics to back up ail the stats.

» V I D E D F D U RTOCA RACE DRIVERPubl isher Codemasters

This latest trailer direct from Codies highlightsexactly why we can't wait for TOCA Sublime lookscombined with strong gameplay should make thisa winner Slight development delays mean noreview and playable demo this month (apologies),but keep your eyes peeled for both soon.

T E K K E N 4Publisher: SCEENamco's beat-'em-up daddy is back toreclaim Its crown from Sega's Virtua Fighband with PS2's poly-pushing power behincit's looking better than ever The King Of IrFist contest returns In September In themeantime, enjoy this exclusive E3 video.

RATCHET & CLANKPublisher: SCEEMeet Ratchet & Clank, the latest game tocome from Insomniac, the US developerbehind superb PSone platformer SpynoThe Dragon. Think Jak And Doxter, with amechanically-minded alien and his robotpal, set In gorgeous 3D environments, withgadgets and weaponry galore and you'reon the right track.

Publisher: AcclaimAcclaim's dlno-hunting extravaganza is getting anext-gen makeover for its PS2 debut - and damnfine it's starting to look, too. This latest trailerfeatures some great in-game footage showing thefeisty dino-kliier in all his glory.

» V I D E O S I XV - R A L L Y 3Publ isher In fogramesEden Studios' latest V-Rolly incarnation will beskidding Into shops any time now, and we reckonIt'll give World Rally Championship and ColinMcRae a run for their money Check out this latesttrailer then read the extensive review on page 092.

P R I M A LPublisher; SCEEMedieval and C-12 veterans StudioCambridge's third-person action adventuirevolves around a good vs evil struggle,centred on part-demon part-human heroJen and her sidekick gargoyle. Scree. To iout more turn to page 042. Like, Buffy wl

PlayStation E

m

m THE DRIUERS, RLL THE RRCES, HLL THE FEELIRG 111 THE 2002 SERSOR.

PREVIEW CONTEIsnS0 1 6 S t u n t m a n

The makers of the achlngly good Drivers are back with a bag of cunning stunts.s e r i e s

020 Winning Eleven 6How do you Improve the best football game

In the world? The answer's right here,

0 2 4 I Va n s W o r l d S u r fSurfs up (again) but will this version ride

the tube or disappear down it?

026 Circus MaximusFor those who are about to bomb around the

Roman Empire in chariots, we salute you!

028 eJay Club WoridHey, Mr eJay A new music creation title is

ready to storm the charts. Hit or miss?

0 3 0 P a c - M a n W o r i d 2! Iconic, spherical gobbler is back and'eiilpan ever. Doesn't he ever get full?

0

R E M

NL U a R D S ; D E R N E N R N 5

NFall from a tall building or roll a brand new car Now

you can be tlie unknown Stuntman who made Redfordsucli a star - just remember to fasten your seatbelt..

Publisher InfbgramesDeveloper Reflections

Players: 1Release: September

^ hink of the cowboys who get shot duringWild West gunfights, tumbling Improbablyover saloon balconies to the dusty groundbelow. And the sillers that chased JamesBond down the mountainside In The SpyWho Loved Me, picked off by a ski poie tha

turned into a rifle. Despite the advent of blue-screen specialeffects and computer graphics, movies will always need thosireckless souls who are prepared to throw themselves througlwindows, crash cars and set each other on fire for the goodcinema. In short, movies need stuntmen.

it's this dangerous lifestyle that has inspired the latestgame from Newcastie-based Reflections, the studioresponsible for Driver and Driver 2. As the stuntman of thetitle, you're initially hired to work on a low-budget, Snatch-stigangster flick called Toothless In Wapping'. The movie has fivcar-based stunt sequences that need to be filmed, each oneconsisting of a number of linked action elements. You mighthave to drive through a stack of barrels and then perform ahandbrake turn, for Instance, or jump recklessly over abuilding before flipping your car Into a barrel roil - and all fcthe cameras, of course If you complete the elements wellwithin a set time limit, you pass the stunt and move on to tfnext one. Fall to complete the sequence, though, and you'llhave to do the stunts all over again until you get them right.

HANDS-ON CONTROLThe first stunt seems simple enough. Drive down a busystreet and do a 180" handbrake turn. Then head back up thfstreet, around a corner (dodging the oncoming traflic),overtake a car and drive Into a pile of boxes. But even thisshort sequence requires practice, cool driving and spiit-secotiming One of the best things about the Driver series wasIts intuitive control system and incredibly realistic handlingStuntman doesn't disappoint In either respect Reflections

y n U ' R E G D I N EH O m E I N R Nn m B U L H N C ERecreate the thrills and barelyescapable spills of US stunt arenacarnage in Stuntman's playful StuntConstructor. It's a little piece ofDestruction Derby on your TV..

Completing movie stuntsequences unlocks equipmentthat you can then use in theStunt Constructor This is anopen-ended DIY stunt section;

. an empty arena that you canflii with ramps, stacks of cars,flaming hoops, barrels, boxesand other stunt-related toys'.

Using these toys', you canplace a ramp (positioning itwherever you like). At the end ofthe ramp, add a stack of carsand duplicate it so you have twoor three such stacks. Then pickone of the cars you've unlocked,drive it up the ramp and into thestacks of cars. Great!

You can also add extra eiemeto your stunts, such as a flamhoop or a pyramid of barrels.Connect a ioop-the-ioop sectito a second one and get a loithe-ioop-the-ioop, for Instanoor fire a police car from a stecannon. The Stunt Constructcyour 3D toybox of delights.

The 'Conspiracy'movie swaps carsfor a snowmobi le. lb

Create a stunt, drive a stunt and view yourvehicular antics from several camera angles. ~ V Pah! What's so 'daredevil' about driving through a flaming hoop?

PlayStation.E (

P R E NS n J N T M A N

//Be a driver, skidder,

/'umper and destroyervehic les . That means;ars, tanks, even a bus//

B has also made the driving conttDls pnessure-sensitive in orderto heighten the driving experience.

Before each stunt sequence, an animated Intro gives youan overview/ of the upcoming action. Then It's time to getbehind the wheel and tackle the urban obstacle course for real.As you begin to drive, the Director shouts helpfui instructions:"Drive through the rDadworksi" or 'Do a handbrake turn!" L^tgeyellow stunt Icons appear on the screen to mark VKhere theaction elements take place. They also indicate wfhat sort ofaction you need to take Isuch as overtake a car drive through agap or avoid a timed explosionl. Green chevrons guide you frommanoeuvre to manoeuvre, while checkpoints are Included tomake sure you maintain an exciting speed that's faster thanfrantic', but slightly slower than 'breakneck'.

Whether you fall or successfully complete a stunt sequence,you can always view a cinematic replay of your effort:s. it's herethat you begin to appreciate just how stunning Stuntman Is.When you're trying to complete a stunt, chasing a van thtDughback-alleys or speeding through a dim warehouse dodgingforklifts, you don't have time to admire the scenery. You missthe pattern of the brickwork on the sumoundlng buildings, theTV aerials on the rooftops, the reflections In windows... You cantsee the dents In your car's bodywori< after a mistimed cornereither; or the smoke and splintering metal, or the full shadoweffects that give the locations such a photo-realistic quality. Theattention to detail Is extraordinary. And you've barely got started.

After Toothless In Wapplng", five bigger; trickier movieprojects follow, each with Its own particular set of stunts. 'AWhoopin And A Hoilarin' is a Dukes Of Hazzard-sfyle chasemovie with elements of Smokey And The Bandit Hong Kongprovides the backdrop for 'Blood Oath', an action adventure Inthe style of John Woo. 'Conspiracy Is a Ciancy-esque politicalthriller set In the Alps. The Scarab Of iDst Souls' (an IndianaJones-style desert adventure) follows - think military vehicles,Nazis and ancient ruins. The game climaxes with a series of

lengthy, demanding stunts for the movie Live Twice ForTomorrow |a thinly-disguised Bond-style thriller set in Monaco,all fast cars and breathless chase sequences).

When you get to the end of a stunt sequence, yourperfomiance and accuracy are rated using a percentage score- you need to achieve 75 percent or more to progress to thenext pari: of the film. Score highly and you unlock stuntequipment Isuch as ramps, flaming hoops or steam cannons)and cars that can be used later In the Stunt Constructor mode.Once all of a movie's stunts have been completed, you need tosuccessfully pass a one-off stunt in the Daredevil Stunt Arenabefore you can access the next movie. The Arena recreates thesort: of OTT stunt shows that are big In America; wild and violentcar crashes in front of a hotdog-munching crowd. Completethis (score 75 percent or over! and elements of your driving getspliced into a movie trailer complete with animated cut-scenes,virtual actors, scripted dialogue and a voice-over

THATS GOTTA HURTPlaying Stuntman, you quickly realise that you have to learnfrom your mistakes. If a stunt has five elements to it, you maysail thtDugh the first and second, but fail the third and you haveto start: again. But in doing so, you learn what to do next time- where to drive, how fast to go and when to brake. PlayingStuntman is a constant search for perfection, developingthe skills required to complete an entire sequence, be It a30-second pursuit or a two-minute chase, making only thetiniest of errors. While the early stunts are fongiving the finalsequences require split-second timing By the end, you shouldbe an accomplished driver, skidder, jumper and destroyer ofvehicles. That means cars and monster trucks, a tank and asnowmobile, even a bus.

Unlike Driver Stuntman has limited locations, so you can'tgo anywhere, and con't Just cruise around for the sheersightseeing hell of It. But as the stunts get bigger they begin to

the main game mode, Stuntmanatures six different movie locations,ich witii tiieir own unique landscape,liiicies and appropriate stunt!quences to enjoy.

Toothless In WappingBritish gangsters and geezers,car chases and gunfights, set In theonly occasionally mean streets ofSouth London. Sort It out, mate.

A Whoopin And A HoilarinThe Dukes Of Hazzard meets SmokeyAnd The Bandit, with impnjbable carjumps and an appropriately twangybluegrass guitar soundtrack.

Blood OathJohn Woo action thrillers viiere theInspiration for this level set In thestreets of Hong Kong. The sb^ngethree-wheeler here Is a Tuk-Tuk

ConspiracyCiancy-esque intrigue In the AlpsInvolving chases on snowmobiles,skiers packing machine guns andarmoured, bomb-dropping microlites.

offer multiple routes, short detours that enable you to reach thesame point via a slightly different path. Extra spice is achievedwith an action button that activates speclai elements, such asexplosions or cannon fire. And you cant fail to admire thesuperb physics engine and damage modelling As you drivethrough gaps In the traffic and jump over broken bridges,overtake, spin, stop dead and reverse at will, overworked tyresv ill squeal. You'll crash, dent, bump and shunt, shattering thewindscreen, splintering the bodywork

Despite the linear limitations of Its Career mode, Stuntmanis addictive and great fun to play The Stunt Constructor (seeYou're Going Home In An Ambulancel provides a satisfyingdiversion - although If you don't gain high enough stunt scoresin the main game, you won't earn any Interesting equipment touse In it. Reflections has also gone out of Its way to giveStuntman the polished feel of a movie DVD. Alongside thegame Is a Making Of Stuntman video, an interview withstuntman and game consultant Vic Armstrong an eye-openingfeaturette on Tommy Trouble' McTague (a mad US stunt driver),plus a teaser preview of the studio's next PS2 game. Driver 3.

There's no denying that Stuntman Is going to be huge.But just how huge? Find out in the next issue of 0PS2. □

□N TRREETP 5TUNTmHN"""Driver-Style handling and incredible photo-realistic graphics... but isStuntman more than Just a movie-inspired obstacle course for cars?

G R A P H I C S

Absolutely stunning.This bodes well forD r i v e r 3 .

The yellow icon here indicates that you need to drive through the opening.

Each stunt sequence also has a series of checkpoints. Other action icons you'll see include: corners,You need to pass through them before the time runs handbrake-turns. Jumps and pyrotechnic areas wiout or you'll fall the level for driving too slowly. you need to drive close to dramatic explosions.

P R E M I E L UWINNING ELEVEN 6

LUDRD5: NICK ELLIS

\ J E ND

Can the beautiful game really get any better?With an Improved Master League, full Edit mode

and sharper graphics, It looking that way

Publisher KonamiDeveloper KCE lyo

Out Now (import only)Players: 1-8

I LDBE TO THE EDITJ longer will you have to reluctantly take the helm ofwdon' in the Master League. A complete Edit mode meansat now you can play as whoever you lilie. Hurrah!

great man once said that perfection is aniliusion. Maybe so, but last year's Pro EvolutionSoccer did a pretty damn good job ofconvincing us ttiat footy gaming couldn'tpossibly get any better Across the board, thevideogame press and public alike united in

agreement that this was the one - the best studs andstanchions sIm yet The game not only outplayed all rivals, itoutsold them too, and PES quicl<ly established Itself as the UK'sleading footy game.

in Japan, KCE Tyo's seminal football series enjoys similarpopularity and goes by the name of Winning Eleven. WinningEleven 5 was, for all intents and purposes. Pro Evolution Soccer.Over in the Orient, gamers are already savouring the follow upthat Is Winning Eleven 6. While clearly localised for the homemarket (and that means everything bar the title being InJapanese] WE6 gives us a pretty fair indication of what toexpect when PES2 hits the UK later this year Can there be animprovement on near perfection?

Oh yes. if the previous Instalment brought a lump to yourthroat, the follow-up is enough to make you weep with joy Themain body of the game has been left intact - if it's not injured,dont substitute it - but the developers have ironed out many ofthe original's little flaws that niggled away like an Italian strikerin a crowded penalty area, in addition to the graphical tweakingand fine tuning of gamepiay there are a few new features too,the most notable being a comprehensive Edit mode (see CloseTo The Edit],

On the pitch, the whole game feels distinctly sharper andswifter Although far from sluggish, PES often failed to capturethe same degree of excitement that ISS Pro 2 achieved onPSone. Not so in WE6. The action flows like a tidal bone at fullmoon. Your team members appear even more inclined tomake runs into space, support the strikers or peg it back tohelp out in defence. Passing is crisper, one-touch moves are

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>t suppose for a moment that you arent a Man Utd orlenai fan. Say the thought of playing as Uverpooi makes the; rise from deep within. With the number of national sides(ays being so minimal, the lack of a decent Edit mode has: a big hole in Konaml's previous football titles. Now, gamersm Cowdenbeath to Cornwall can edit in their favourite locale, which Is, to be frank, bloody orlliiant news. We couldn't; very far with It because of the language barrier, but itjears you can build a team from scratch, including name,colour, emblem and players. C'mon Plymouth Aijyie, Masterigue gioiy awaitsl

10 PlayStation. E

But didn't the Dutch fail to qualify for the International Cup? Little Owen's rendering is almost spot on.

The big yellow line justdoesnt put an end tododgy offside decisions. Enjoy those great moments over and over in Replay mode.

easier to execute and more effective, but perhaps the mostweicome advance is in the piayers' reaction times after they'vebeen taci^ied.

In both PES and eariier PSone incarnations of the game,when a man was taci ied or i<nocl<ed off the baii, he'd standand stare at his shoelaces for a few agonising moments,allowing the opposition to claim possession of the ball and runoff upfieid with it. Now, a player will recover from a normaltacl<ie almost instantly and can attempt to win the baii backstraight away Of course, if a cynical Argentinian has scythedyou down and your player is lying in a crumpled heap, there'snot a lot that can be done.

Graphical enhancements are more evident In the animationthan they are in the textures and player lii enesses. From takingset-pieces to tumbling over when fouled, the player animationshave been completely rejigged to give an unprecedented levelof realism. Keepers doing a few rolls after a spectacular divingsave are particularly pleasing as is the recreation of DavidBeckham's Inimitable style of whipping in corners or beltingfree kicks. From diving headers to screaming 30-yarders,scoring goals Is as spectacular as ever and without doubt themost satisfying thing since a life-size chocolate Kylle. With everynew version of Winning Eleven, it feels more and more likeyou're watching a real live game on the TV. This Is the key toKonaml's success; its game Is football,

A KIND OF MAGICOne aspect of KCE Tyo's recent football outings that reallygrates on the nerves Is the commentary. For a game that excelsin nearly every other area, Chris James and Terty Butcher'sinane and almost always inappropriate rambllngs are nothingshort of laughable In PES. You may as well switch the languagesetting to Mandarin. There's no way of knowing If this will beimproved for the sequel, as the commentary in WE6 isprovided only In Japanese, but we'd urge the developer to 0

M m T l C ■ ' '

' • ■ I f ' •

//Prom diviiig headers to , ^screaming 30-yarders, scoringis the most satisfying thingsince a life-size chocolate Kylie//

i n 5 m S T E R L E R G U E■nie most engaging sports game competition mode is back, and it's bigger and better than ever.

'Master League THvtsUmS _evening Qame

1. There are three divisions to battle throughthis time, you'll be starting In the bottom one.It'll be a long but joyous slog to the top flight

2. Rather than getting straight Into the action,we found ourselves plonked on the trainingpitch. What next, a club gotf course?

3. Along with the usual reams of player stats,a nevK menu allows you to see how well eachplayer links up with his team-mates.

4. With the pns-season tinkering and tramover, it's time to test your fledgling team.,100 games to win for the Division 1 title, 1

9

' R E NWINNING EL£VEN 6

0 address the issue in tiie PAL conversion. Arch ilvais KCE Osamanaged to provide perfectiy acceptabie punditry in ISS2 andthey had Mark l_awrBnson!

Then there's the music. No-one is pretending that tunesplay a major part in a footbail game but it's aiw/ays nice to havea catchy little number to hum along to as you're picking yourway through the menus, WE6 gives us,,. Queen, Yep, the openingcredits roli to the strains of We Will Rock You, a song that's amere 15 years oid and about as appealing as Brian iviay's curiyperm. Win one of the tournaments and your piayers jumparound to We Are The Champions, a tune usually resen/ed forbad TV game shows and civic receptions for triumphant ThirdDivision title winners. Sort it out!

One area of the game that has been sorted out though, isthe goalkeepers. Not only do they now look a good deaiflashier when making saves thanks to some new animation,they aiso act iike keepers are meant to. The actions ofstoppers In PES were often disgraceful. They'd seem to do allthey couid to ieap out of the way of a shot, almost pivotingfrom their torso rather than springing across the goalmouth toattempt a save. The mistakes the goalkeepers make In WE6 aremore natural, more errors of Judgement than basic mistakes,and this iends yet more realism to proceedings when there's aflapping Fabien to scoff at

There are other minor adjustments that must have beenvery simple to execute but serve to make the whoie gametighter For example, when a player Is booked, a yeilow cardappears above his head when you have control of him and youcan bring caution into his piay accordingly Offside decisions,always the most contentious in any match, are liiustrated with ayeliow line that clearly shows the position of an attacker inrelation to the iast defender supposedly putting a stop to anyarguments. You stili wont agree with half of them though, andthere's stiii no referee or linesman on the pitch at whom youcan vent your virtual frustration.

It's hard get a complete feei for the game as so many ofthe Intricate details like commentary, piayer names andmenu screens are in Japanese, However; the most Importantthing is what happens on the pitch Itself and W£6 displaysanother truly outstanding effort when it comes to the footbailaction proper It's as piayabie as ever, shines like a freshlypolished boot and has more scope for longevity than almostany other game, provided footbail is your sport of course. Nottoo much is likely to change for the PAL version aside from thelanguage, the commentary and the music, but, to be honest itdoesnt really need to be altered.

It looks like the Master League and many of theInternational teams will remain unlicensed, so there'll be noproper player names for the majority of the teams, but thenthis is nothing that cant be sorted out with a few patient hoursin Edit mode. The official suit-and-tle version of videogamefootbail is likely to remain in EA's RFA-branded hands, but dowe really care about authentic names when there's such anengaging game to hand? With WE6 coming to the UK as PES2in November, Konami is set to retain the hearts of footy-lovinggamers everywhere with a game that's, well, simply beautiful, □

□N T R R E E T PLUINNING ELEMEN EIt may be the NTSC version, but can Winning Eleven 6 live up to thePremier League standards set in Pro Evolution Soccer?

O

QUEENWe Will Rock you is arather inauspiciousopening for the game.

O

T R A N S F E R F E EEven in Japanese,there's still a vastgame to conquer

D -

I M P R O V E M E N T SGlitches of PES havebeen ironed out tomake a better game.

i H N E D T R K H T S U K R"Si's Lee Hart has a few worts with Shingo 'Seabass' Takatsuka,! Producer of the Winning Beven series and, of course, its Englishusin Pro Bmlution Soccer.

S Is recognised as quite simplys best football game ever made,iw have you managed to capture} feel of football so superbly?ank you for your compliments. Tohonest, we have not reached aIsfactlon level, Tliere are a lot ofngs we wanted to do for our:cer games which we havent:omplished yet. Therefore, we dot worry about what to do once wed creating one game and startnking about the next. For example,en we finished Winning Eleven 5,were pret^ sure of what to do forinlng Eleven 6, That's how it goesh our development We ai« veryifldent that we can now deliver our■nes with more enhancements.

' , „

Can you tell us about any changesthat have been made tor WinningSeven 6 and how the eventualEuropean release will differ fromthis version?We have totally renewed motioncaptures. We recently Introduced anew motion capture machine calledReactor In our studio, where we haveretaken player motion types andIncorporated them In the game. Itwas our very first attempt to use themachine and It required a lot of timeand effort but we are very pnsud toannounce that we have done our verybest within such a limited time frame.We also added some new stadiumsand reviewed and nsvlsed the playermodel. So visually speaking a lot ofenhancement can be seen at firstglance. But that is not everything. Wealso focused on the gameplay andenhanced the Master League, too.Overall, we were able to achieve whatwe were targeting as a goal. TheEuropean version should be evenmore adjusted from the JapaneseWE6 and we will deliver a well ripedgame, for sure.

Have you ever consklered makinga football management game?We feel the need to create a footballmanagement from listening to thevoices of our soccer game fans.We're not sure when we can officiallyannounce the brand new game, butplease do look fon«ard to it in thenear future.

I ' A

IVIuch of the original game engine remains untouched. Oof, get in there sonny, break some bones.

Ah, the sweet through-ball,always one of the joys of PES.

Goalmouth scrambles come thick There are plenty of dramatic longand fast, and seem more exciting. range strikes, too.

It's definitely easier to score from free kicks in WE6. Captain iVIarvel's style is captured almost perfectly.

%

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L I TR E S I S T A I V C E I S I M □ L D I V G E R F U T I L E

▶ Play5tation.c

C o d e m a s t e r s "G E N I U S A T P L A Y -

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T h e E n e m y i s e v e r y w h e r e , a n d t h a t ' s w h e r ey o u c a m e i n . I t ' s fi r s t - p e r s a n - s h o o t e r a c t i o no f t h e h i g h e s t o r d e r — a s y o u a n d y o u r e l i t eH a z a r d T e a m a t t e m p t t o d e f e n d y o u r s h i pa n d h e r c r e w f r o m c e r t a i n a s s i m i l a t i o n .G o o d l u c k . V o y a g e r i s d e p e n d i n g o n y o u . . .

VTeam AI is made seamless bythe Quake IH Arena™ engine.Characters react and adapt to forma truly impressive fighting team.

SlAR.COM Aa!Vi«OH

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An awesome arsenal of weaponrygives you a fighting chance againstsome of the most devastating aliensthe Voyager crew has evere n c o u n t e r e d .

The Quake III Arena™ enginegenerates textured, curved surfacesof staggering detail, bringing avariety of alien ships to life.

□ i p e d t - B a mT n T E R P I C T I V E www.maje$cogame5.com

TM ®, & © 2002 Paramount Pictures. All rigMs reserved. Published and distributed under license (rom Aclivision Publishing, Inc. by The Codemasters Software Company LimitedCCodemasters"). Star Trek, Star Trek: Voyager and related marks are trademarks of Paramount Pictures. This product contains software technology licensed from Id Software, Inc. Id Technology© 1999 - 2001 Id Software, Inc. All rights reserved. Aclivision is a registered trademark of Activision, Inc. and its affiliates © 2000 - 2002 Activision, Inc. and its affiliates. "Codemasters"® andthe Codemasters logo are registered trademarks owned by Codemasters. 'Genius at Play' is a trademark of Codemasters. All other trademarks and trade names are the properties of theirrespective owners. © 2001-2002 Majesco Sales Inc., All Rights Reserved.' A ' and 'PlayStation" are registered trademarks of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc.

' R E NTKANSWORU) SURF

L U D R O S : I R N H R R R B

N 5 R5 U

No real superstars, few people have tried Itand it's hardly ever on TV. Can surfing

make the grade on PlayStation 2?

Publisher InfbgramesDeveloper Angel Studios

Players: 1-2Release: 5 July

□U R F B E H D D L= D R B E G I N N E R 55aming the lingo is as easy as building a sandcasHe. It's thelaying afloat that'll pickle your paddle...

1. Just because you'rebobbing around in thesea clutching asurfboard, doesn't meanyou'll see any waves. Youhave to spot vifhere" they're forming andcatch them before theybteal(. Lucl<lly, thisbloody great blue arrowis there to help out...

2. Paddle up. then hit® when you're in thehump to stand on yourboard Now you'resurfing! Carve up anddown that glassy daddyand perform flici< andgrab tricks off the lip.

3. What everyone reallyw a n t s t o s e e i s t h ebarrel ride. After a fewseconds, the wave startsto barrel. Press ® tostall and It'll begin toclose in around you.Hold the analogue padsteady or...

4. ...Wipeout! Touch thesurf and you'll bedumped. Call jet-ski giriand hitch a lift to yournext watery conquest

Ithough programmers try to pretend thatsurfing is Just skateboarding on watei; theycant change the fact that instead of scootingaiDund parks, ramps and half-pipes on animpossibly-oiled board, you are actuallybalancing precariously on a fibreglass float,

chasing big humps of moving w/ater and making every effortto avoid drowning

Surfing sure looks bloody hand, so It's not much of asurprise that TransWorld Surf has a super-steep learning curve.The wave physics in the preview code we were given are morethan unforgiving: put one foot wrong and you're scuttled. Onceyou've 'wiped out', you're left to bob in the middle of the bayand you must either doggy paddle off in search of your next'breaker* or have the jet-ski plop you in front of one. Hitching alift only delays you by about five seconds, but that really startsto grate when you're falling off every 20 seconds. Things are,however, much better once you've mastered the skill ofactually keeping yourself on the board. Of course.

TransWorld Surf has three types of wave - normal, difficultand dangerous - and each one requires a different plan ofattack. On some waves you can carve up and down, thenbriefly ride along the top before performing a quick snap turnand riding back through the barrel. On others, you have toapproach more softly, standing up on your board only whenyou're sure the wave is going to hold.

It's hard to make surfing games fun, but Angel Studios Isclearly trying its best There are 13 rieal-llfe surfers and tenreal-life beach locations, each with different scenery and, erm,dIfferBnt waves. There are three single-player modes and fourmultlplayer modes, including a 'shark attack' Ocean Tag mode.There's also a weird innovation called the Karma Meter whichdictates how well you surf. It goes up when you're 'kind' toother surfers, and down when you're not - if you cut them upon a wave, for example. So don't.

2 i £ l £ )

To which we canonly add the legend," W o o - h o o l "

TransWorld Surf might borrow boarding elements fromboth Tony Hawk's and SSX Tricky, but It's still very different toplay. While skateboarding and snowboarding titles have youcoasting around silky smooth ramps over several differentlevels, TransWorld Surf simply offers dirty great waves andsome different coloured seas to ride them in. Unfortunately,this makes the game more boring and much harder In TonyHawk's, you always land on your feet (unless you really messupl. In TransWorld Surf, land even slightly at the wrong angle,and you'll plunge straight in the drink.

With the small amount of current competition andhardcore appeal, TransWorld Surf could still carve out alucrative niche amongst South Coast dred-heads and surfingwannabes - Indeed, how many of the people who made theTony Hawk's series a surprise hit on PSone actually skate? WithSunny Garcia Surfing sinking without trace and Surfing H30being a complete washout, the only real dot on TransWorldshorizon Is Actlvision's promising Kelly Slater's Pro Surfer (dueout In August). And coming from the Tony Hawk's school ofboarding excellence, there's a good chance it could kick a fewgrains of sand in TransWorld Surfs face. Game on. □

□N T R R E E T PT R H N 5 U J D R L D 5 U R FShaping up nicely, but it will have to go some to transcend its hardcoreroots. Maybe Infogrames could micro-market it to Newquay schools?

1.^

G R A P H I C SWa t e r e f f e c t s a n d

surfers are not quiteas l i fe l i ke as we 'd l i ke .

T R I C K S

Clinging to a wall ofw a t e r m a k e s h a n d -

grabs rather difficult.

L E V E L S

Good mix of playingstyles, like freeingdolphins from nets.

//Surfing sure looks bloodyhard, so it^s no surprisethat the game has a super-steep leamii^ curve//

A i u y o i i j )

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"Only 125 points? But look at me! I'M A GOD!' Di f fe rent boards for d i f fe rent water. Flow with the current to catch the big breakers.

R E M I EaRCUS MAXIMUS: CHARIOT WARS

L U D R D E : T i m C L R R K

R C U 5n x

X1

\ : 5Racing goes back in time...27 centuries to be precise.

Swing low, sweet chariot!

Publisher THQDeveloper Kodiak Interactive

Players: 1-4Release: July

fter the Wild West, Ancient Rome liasto be one of the most cruelly under-represented eras in gaming. Now,thanks to Russell Crowe's gladiatorialscenery-chewing antics, it looks likewe can expect an influx of sandal-

scuffing toga-wearing escapades - starting with THQ'sCircus Maximus. The game combines frantic chariotracing with unbridled brutality, then slathers the wholelot in baby oil. The end result is inevitably something ofa mishmash, but quite an enjoyable one nonetheless.

The aim is to win races using a combination ofsupreme driving skill and the kind of dirty tricks eventhe Schumacher brothers would baulk at Taking controlof a Nubian warrior wearing only a nappy, you enter thearena and take up your starting position. In both Arcadeand Career mode. Circus l aximus plays at a freneticpace with regular crashes and almost constant fightingSuccess in Career mode depends on both placinghighly and dishing out maximum punishment, therebyearning enough denarii to unlock the next level and, onthe difficult setting additional characters.

Unfortunately out on the track the game isnt quitethe romp we'd hoped for The fi^me rate is more ricketythan the chariots, and bland textures combined withjerky animation mean the whole package whiffs of eaude PSone. The controls are overly complex given thenature of the action on-screen, but persevere and you'lleventually find yourself careening around bends on onewheel, lashing out at opponents on either side.

The key to cornering is tugging your mounts backsharply by pressing the lower shoulder buttons, thenleaning in hard with the left; analogue stick Twitchyhandling doesnt make matters easy, and combat itselfis a pretty rudimentary affair but with new rally and F1

games announced almost daily. Circus Maximus at leastdeserves credit for trying to do something different

The game shines in iviuitiplayer Locations take in allcomers of the empire, from Stonehenge to the sands ofAlexandria. Most courses feature hazards and short cuts,and you can pick up weapons, armour upgrades andspeed boosts that transform your four-legged gluefactories into flame-hoofed. Grand National winners.

At present, the rumble function only activates aft:ercollisions, or when you run over a spectator but we'rehoping final code will feature more feedback from thetrack surface - feeling your chariot rattle over cobbledroads would really add to the atmosphere. And despitea suitably stirring score, the constant wisecracks fromyour co-driver and the rival racers soon grate. Lines like"I'm gonna make you my slave," feel about as authenticas Ben Hur extras wearing digital watches.

What's certain is that there is a good chariot racerwaiting to be made. Whether this is that game is lessclear At present Circus Maximus is going to need a fairbit of polish to fulfil the potential In its premise. □

□N T H R G E T P C I R C I U Bm R X i m U B C H R R I D T L L I R R BWell, at least it's original, but will C/rcus Max/mus be a case of ChorlotsOf Fire or just plain dire? Rre those preview arrows!

C O N T R O L S

Fiddly, but reins forbrakes make arefreshing change.

o

C O M B A T B R i n A L T l YIffy collision detection You get to run downleads to a rather bystanders. Are youuninvoiving affair listening TOCA?

:HRR1DT5 FDR HIRE^omise chariot's setup, variable crew combinations to attemate steeds. Sadly though, our choice of Greekaftsmanship, Roman nags and busty Amazons felled to win over the notoriously hostile crowd at the Circus Nero.

!t back in. You can swapiurance deta i ls la ter.

J6 PlayStation.

i

'RE^IELJUE J AY C L U B W O R L D

U J D R D S ; 5 T E C U R R F H M

E J□ R

Boy! Hey Girl!Superstar eJoy?

Music creation is go.

Publisher EmpireDeveloper eJay Corporation

Players; 1Release: September

M O f M M : m a rH E S W C H T

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C A M C i T T ; M U W Tt fi t a S M M S : M M - I I M n i

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rtie majortty of ttie genres chosen by the eJay creators -EChno, trance, drum and bass, and so on - arent vocallyntenslve. and that makes the simulation easier to develop.^ow could they possibly provide enough sample words Intie pick n' mix selection screen to match the lyrics you'dvant to create? The only exception Is the Hip Hop sample;et which provides both male and female vocal soundbites- there are a few rhyming couplets, but most revolveiround the "uh uh uh-uh" theme. Let's be honest, you'relever going to create vocal mastery v«jth a music tool likehis. its definitely best used as a back-up to your ownpresumably supremely cooll lyrical flow. Mind you. it wouldake some serious freestyling talent to make anythingicceptable just using the samples that repeat "eJay* overind over again.

ell-known to wannabe PC DJsacross the country, eJayspremise remains identical onPS2. You're given a vast array ofmusic samples and an emptysilence to place them in. Those

samples, divided into a series of categories (bass, beats,vocals, guitar or whatever's apptDprlate to the genre)appear on request at the bottom of the screen. Theycan be instantly previewed, and when you've found oneyou like, you can take it from the bottom and place it inone of 20 empty tracks at the top. Program the drums,lay down the bass and then add some vocals that go"Uh, uh, uh". Arrange them to fonn a song listen to thesong tweak the song man/el at your own ability tocreate preordained harmony from nothing and thenwipe the tracks clean and start again.

And that's it. The complex control system appearsto have transferred Impressively well ftt)m keyboard toDual Shock and the new console-style menus make thewhole system much less intimidating Musical genres,for example, are divided into 'clubs', each of whichrepresents a different set of samples - Brooklyn Bridgeis hip hop, for example. But these arent levels. Thereare no points, no rewands, nothing to unlock or any wayof telling whether what you're doing is good, great orawful. The only reason to persist Is to achieve the senseof self-gratiflcation you get fnom listening to your DualShock deck-sterity.

Which may well be satisfying enough, actuallyalthough while your cut-and-paste funk might have youshaking your ass anound your living room, it's unlikelyyou'll be able to take your PS2 Memory Card down thelocal nitespot and ask them to stick it on their soundsystem. The solution Is to output your tunes through

O T T u n e M ak X T M C U

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the digital out to a MiniDisc or CD-R - which meansthat, in theory at least, you'll have clubs acnoss thecountry trembling to your beats in no time.

eJoys modular nature may be a little tooconstricting but it's a good start for those who fancydoing this sort of thing for real, although it wont proveas deep as a PC and sequencing software. There atemore console-style distractions, sure - the Video mode,which generates random llghtshows from your tunes,and the mixing and freestyle interfaces that let youImprovise on top of your compositions - but you mightnot have the freedom to be as freeform as you'd like.

Think of It as Lego, but with breakbeats andsamples: eJoy Club World is simple, creative andrewarding It's also very similar in concept to MTV MusicGenerator, but could be more attractive to musicnovices, due to its neat, logical interface, its database ofcrisp contemporary samples and its moody clubstylings (the finished game will include voiceovers fromCarl Cox). Currently, eJay seems to be spinning theperfect tune for the PS2 cnowd. □

□N T R R G E T PE ^ R y L l U B L U D R L DNot the biggest rush in the world, but if you put in the time. It lookslike eJoy may give sonlcally Impressive and incredibly satisfying results.

O

S M P U C T T YJust work out whatthe buttons do, thenstart to play.

g r a p h k : s r a n g eThey're functional, but Loads of differentthat's all a music samples to work yoursimulator needs. way through.

Some sample sets have the facility for keyboard composition,

It's just like Ibiza, except darker, and "Look at ttie pretty patterns my song Apply the finishing touches to yourwithout the drunken Idiots. makes. I call this one 'random noise'." mix by sorting out the sound levels.

rhe music video generator: hardly the new Spike Jonze.

128 PlayStatlon.E■ \ -

BE BRUTAIBE TYSON

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5 PlayStation.

^ s d S

M I K E

H E A V Y W E I G H TB O X I N G "

Whether you're fighting as Tyson or fighting against him, feel the pain in the mostchallenging boxing experience ever. 600 power punches, illegal moves, signature blowsand combos give brutal punishment in round after round of TV realistic action to satisfybloodthirsty boxing and beat-em-up fans. Aggressive fighting manoeuvres and intuitiveblocking and dodging pump up the adrenaline and create lethal knock-outcombinations. Get the first aid ready. Someone's gonna get hurt... real bad.

facial damage engine delivers 16 professional heavyweightsthe most brutal boxing ever and 20 international arenas

take your opponent apartwith 9 game modes

create your own unique boxer -over 40 manipulable body parts

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PlayStation.? JX L r n h m

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x e o x© 2002 The Codemasters Software Company Limited. ("Codemasters") All Rights Resemcd. "Coderaasters"® and the Codemastere logo are registeredtrademarks owned hy Codemasteis. "Mike Tyson Heavyweight Boxing'™ and "GENIUS AT PLAY"™ are trademarks of Codeinasters. "Mike Tyson'™ is atrademad; of Mike Tyson Enterprises and Mike Tyson's name and image are used under Ifcense, All featured boxers names ani) images are used under license.All other trademarks and trade names are the property of their respective owners. Publistied hy Codemasters. Developed t)y Atomic Planet Entertainment Ltd."i-" and "PlayStaUon" are registered trademarks of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. All Rights Reserved. Microsoft, Xbox and the Xbox logos areeither registered trademarks or trademarks ol Microsoft Corporation in the US and/or other countries and are used under license from Microsoft.All rights reserved. All other trademarks and trade names are the properly of their respective owners.

IC o d e m a s t e r s m

G E N I U S A T P L A Y "

l i X D R D B : D R X J O f T l c C R R T H y

1

RH N

2Pac-Man's latest update

provides an alternative to3D platformers.

P u b l i s h e r S C E EDeveloper Namco

Players: 1Release: July

H R L H D E H R L H N ENamco has kindly seen fit to include all of Pac-Man'sfbrnier arcade outings.

i s ^ *

Dne of the game's strongest areas Is Its appeal to retro:hlc. but any videogaming dinosaurs who lament Pac-Man'siransitton to 30 need fear not Poc-Mon World 2 featuresin exhaustive selection of Pac-Man's 2D arcade games:Pac-Man (19801; Ms Pac-Man 11981); Pac-Manio (1988) and'^c-Attac(t(1993).

Since each game requires a certain amount of tokens:o unlock, the Arcade mode provides further Incentive to5lay through the main game. It's even possible to unlock'ac-Man soundtracks using the jukebox, or open up levels)f the main game to be played as 20 puzzles.

he in-game arcade is one of the game's strongest points.

•30 PlayStation-E

PA C - M A N W O R L D 2

hanks to the current trend fornostalgia TV, it's nov* obvious thatthe original Pac-Man was but asophisticated metaphor for the typesof consumption patterns engenderedby the global spread of capitalism

[David? You alright? - EdI. But back in 1980, when thegame first appeared in arcades, Pac-Man was a simplebut maddeningly addictive, pill-munching puzzle game200rs PSone sequel Pac-Man World updated thissimple formula to appeal to gamers more comfortablewith 3D textured polygons. Now, in a bid to ride thewave of retro-gaming popularily, it's getting a sequel.

The plot of Pac-Man Worid 2, which sees oureponymous hero charged with retrieving golden fruit ina bid to stave off a great evil, is wafer thin. Productionvalues though, are extremely high with some technicallyimpressive cut-scenes introducing the action, and awell-structured learning cun/e that gently Introducesplayers to the subtleties of the control system. Thegame is an effective distillation of the uncomplicateddynamic of the original Pac-Man, but Is now beginningto show a more complex side,

Pac-Man Worid 2 boasts a hub structure that willbe familiar to anyone who's played almost any 3Dplatformer, with a series of levels branching off fromPac-Man's home village, Ijevels are a fairly standardblend of platforming staples, featuring deathly drops,roaming baddies and a host of collectables, such aspower pellets, health wedges and tokens that can beused to unlock a comprehensive back catalogue ofPac-Man's arcade outings (see Aroade Archive), Specialpellets, activated by switches, make previouslyunreachable areas accessible, while crates housefurther power-ups.

The sense of control Is precise and there's a rangeof manoeuvres - such as the butt-bounce and flyingkick - to take out enemies. Underwater sections arealso easily navigable, either by uncomplicatedswimming controls or with the assistance of a leadpellet that enables Pac-Man to stomp along the bottom.The camera also behaves itself remarkably well - If Itdoes play up. It can be corrected using the rightanalogue stick.

Now that games have got bigger bolder and better;and now that PS2 Is home to sophisticated, narratlve-rlch experiences such as MGS2 and Onimusha andauthentic simulations like GTS, Pac-Man Worid 2 mightseem like a bit of an anachronism. But while It'sprobably not going to win any awards for innovation, Itremains tnje to the arcade spirit of the original Pac-Manand boasts the same universal appeal. By keepingthings simple, and by combining ingenious level designwith a fluid control mechanism, It has the potential toprovide a decent alternative for those who've exhaustedthe likes of Jak And Daxter or Crash Bandicoot □

□N T R R G E T PP R C - m R N L U D R L D 2Poc-Man World 2 is solid and satisfying rather than innovative andinspiring, but it's a competent title and a comprehensive archive.

.^30>~4

E X T R A S T H E U W K R E T R O A P P E A LThe arcade games Intuitive camera and The unlockablealone are worth the crisp graphics create extras will appeal toprice of purchase, a sense of character any nostalgia-head.

Yellow fella starts his quest in Pac-Village.

^■4 0■ m

T B I T I T t i l !■ ( r i e i T . ^

The patli to glory is littered with potential pratfalls.

Chat to characters to unlock extras. All quests stem from a central hub. Red pills give Pac-Man wings. Right.

Cut -scenes and an ima t ion boas tImpressive production values.

"THIS GAME IS VIOLENT IN A WAY YOU COULD NOT POSSIBLY ENVISAGE. YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED" PSW MAGAZI

And we're not talking snow shakers and sombreros. More like several scars and four nuclearwarheads if you do your job properly. If you don't, you'll be coming home by courier.You are John Mullins, a 'consultant' hired to dispatch as many terrorists and enemy soldiers asnecessary to maintain international security.

Featuring the legendary GHOUL™ system from Raven Software and ten missions over fivecontinents, be warned, this is going to be no holiday.

www.maiescogames.cam

AdiVisioN

PlayStation.Ew w w . c o d e m a s t e r s . c o m

Codemasters®!^G E N I U S A T P L A Y " ^

Soldier of Fortune® ©1999-2002 Activision, Inc. and its affiliates. Published and distributed under license from AcUvision Publishing, Inc. by THe Codemasters Software Company Limited ("Codemasters"), Developedby Raven Software Corporation. Soldier of Fortune® is a registered trademark of Omega Group, Ltd. Activision is a registered trademark of Actvision, Inc. and its affiliates. "Codemasters"® and the Codemasters logoare registered trademarks owned by Codemasters. "Genius at Play" is a trademark of Codemasters. © 2001 -2002 Majesco Sales, Inc. All Rights Reserved. and "PlayStation" are registered trademarks of SonyComputer Entertainment Inc.

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. F R E E =R A D I C A L

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TimeSplitters © Free Radical Design 2000. The TimeSplitters and Free Radical Design names and logos are the property of Free Radical Design Limited. Published under licence by Eldos Interactive Ltd. 2000Published under licence by Eidos Interactive Ltd. 2002." " and "PlayStation" are registered trademarks of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. All rights reserved.

U N C D N E R I N E T H E L R T E E T N E L U 5 E N E R y m D N T h -

n e a d l i n t

E D I T E D B Y G E O R G E WA LT E R

The revolutionary Mark OfKhExclusive playtest of Primal

First shots of RTXRed Rock

Japanese earthquake sim • • •Brand new Indiana Jones title

WWFwrth guns and fast cars!Resident Evil movie rated

ACTMSION HAS RNALLY given 0PS2 ourfirst tantalizing glimpse of Tony Hawk's ProSkater 4. After stunning gamers with its firstPS2 instalment last October - wi i ich was also

one of the vanguard titles to feature a networi^play capability - Neversoft was cleariy eager todemo a level of its new genre-leadingskateboarding simulation.

Nearly every aspect of Tony Hawk's PrvSkater 3 has been dissected, amplified andreassembled with a more organic feel. Now,play begins in a kind of Freeskate mode, so youcan explore your environment, discover some ofthe new bail animations or Just skate around

without worrying about time limits or levelobjectives. When you're ready to get down tobusiness, your level goals are obtained bytalking to any of the numerous NPCs iNon-Piayer Characters! who populate eachenvironment (similar to the haunted houseowner section In THPSSs Suburbia level).

>/Neaiiy every aspecthas been dissectedand reassembled wi tha more organic feel/^

Only after accepting a particular challenge doesa timer appear to measure your progress. Andonce you've completed your goal, the gameseamlessly reverts back to Freeskate mode.

This may seem a small adjustment, but it'sInvaluable In creating the feeling that the worldof THPS is alive. One challenge we witnessedhad the player skating in a checkpoint race,warning your skater buddies at each locationthat a policeman was in hot pursuit Othersincluded doing half-pipe tricks for SteveCaballero as spectators called them out,collecting C-O-lvi-B-0 letters in a singlecombo, and doing a grind-gap combo for a 0

Fancy grinding anelephant? Now'syour chance.

More locations,more t r i cks - andopen gamepiay.

1 '

B O R E D O FB O A R D I N G ?Then try tennis or basketball,Tony Hawk style.

Another new development inT H P S 4 t h a t f e e d s i n t o t h e t i t l e ' s

living world mentality is theintroduction of mini-games, whichTony can enter into by conversingwith NPCs. Neversoft hasn'trevealed how many there are, butwe saw at least two. In one, Tonypicks up his skate deck and usesit as a racket to play a game oftennis; in another, he takes part Ina s u d d e n - d e a t h b a s k e t b a l lshoot-out. Suggestion was evenmade that at one stage you'll haveto take on a team of Americanfootballers... More than enoughto send our Imagination reeling atthe possibilities.

"There must be aneasier way to getto the office. . . "

m i

0 photographer. Feeding into this sensation arethe levels, which are larger and more dynamicthan ever One of the areas we saw bore acollege theme, which Incorporated a grassycourtyand with four university buildings, a parkwith tennis and basketball courts, a stadiumwith parking garage, and a small network ofstreets, lined with shops and bustling withtraffic. Neversoft hasn't confirmed how manylevels will feature in THPS4 but we've alreadyseen screens of a zoo level. Many objectives willalter the physical landscape of the level, too.One challenge we saw involves rousing asleeping forkllft driver After you've woken himup, he places a new ramp that provides accessto an additional area.

Some NPCs Ipartlculariy other skate pros)will even Insert new geography just for theirparticular challenge. In one section, we metJamie Thomas, who gave us a trick challenge.In order to do this, he adds a series of new

Unswayed by thearchitecture, our'boarder moves on .

/^New moves promiseto allow even greatervariety than the hugecombos of 1HPS3//ramps to the level. Beat Thomas's score andyou gain the extra elements. You're then able totoggle these new additions on and off at will.Again, many of these ideas are extensions oftrends taken from the last game, but nowthey've been expanded even further

These improvements even extend to thetrick set. Into which Neversoft has Intrciduced anumber of completely new Ideas. One is thecarplant, which enables the player to grind, rideor othenA/ise abuse any moving vehicles In thelevel. Another is the spine transfer, whichbasically enables a player who has beenvaulted straight up Into the air by one bowl to

land In another bowl and cont inue wi thout

ending the stunt combo. For example, whenencountering a carnival parade In which severalof the floats had curved roofs, we discoveredthat it was possible to trick our way from therear to the front roofs all in one smooth combo.These new moves promise to allow evenlengthier combos than the ludicrouslygargantuan stunts that THPSSs revert-linkingmove and ground tricks made possible.

Neversoft declined to reveal whether or notrHPS4 would include any online element, but Itwould seem likely, seeing as the last instalmenthad the option for network play via a USBmodem. 0PS2 predicts that Tony Hawk's ProSkater 4 will be at the forefnont of SCEA's online

game strategy when the Network package Isreleased in the US this August. □ EB

Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 4 is out this winterthrough Activision.

036 PlayStation E

m ! ' - :

X . .

" U N B R E A K A B L EB O N E S A N DMETAL CLAWS -W E L L W O R T HHAVING. . . "

WOLVERINEONPS2,PG039

E K R I - I N Z )Chaotic barbarian battier The Mark OfKri is unveiied by SCEA

ACTION ADVENTURE The Mark Of Kri will be the first PS2 game to come out of Sony's newiyformed San Diego studio, SCEA San Diego, The game promises a unique stylised appearance andan innovative new controi method which the developer cialms has never been used before.

The title's central character Rau, looking not too unill e Arnle's Conan the Barbarian, Is aidedby a spirit guide cailed Kuzo who takes the form of a iarge biack bird, Kuzo has a co-operative roleand is able to scout ahead for danger retrieve items and distract opponents. The two embark on asearch for six eiaborate 'signs' that, when brought together form the eponymous 'iviark Of Krf. Rauhas an unknown connection to this spell and sets out on a dangerous path to self-reveiation.

Spells aside, The Mark OfKri will be talked about most for its elaborate combat sequences.SCEA San Diego has created an innovative controi system allows Rau to take on up to nineenemies at once and attack each of them simultaneously. To do this, players must use the rightanalogue stick to lock onto their foe. Then each is assigned a button which, when pressed, willlaunch the attack on that particular character Rez meets old arcade classic Robotron? Could be.

SCEA San Diego's intention is to create huge action sequences, with Rau fighting fnsm allangles as well as executing multi-button combos. Weapons will include a broadsword, a bow andarrow, a battle axe and a spear with emphasis placed on selecting the right weapon for eachenemy - as a result of this, SCEA have given The Mark Of Kri the tag the thinking man's fightinggame'. Possibly the first time thinking' and fighting' have been uttered In the same sentence.

The action will be complemented by illustration-style in-game movies, showcasing SCEA SanDiego's multi-talented team, it's an eclectic bunch that includes traditional sketch artists and filmIndustry veterans, as well as the usual animation and game design experts. No formal plans for aUK release have been made yet but 0PS2 wouldn't be surprised If the barbarian battler rampagesIts way over the Atlantic in the not-to-distant future. □ GW

The Mark Of Kri is out in July in the US through SCEA

S L U E L I N E S» Square has announced that Afs Haley Joel Osment will provide the voice of Sora for the Western version of its Disney adventure Kingdom Hearts. Released to glowing reviews andhigh sales in Japan, the game is due in the UK this winter » Is Irem Software developing a PS2 version of cult 2D shooter, It-Type? » TDK Mediactive has acquired the rights to mal<egames based on ancient kids TV favourite, He-Man And The Masters Of The Universe » Namco has confirmed Time Crisis III for coin-op. A PS2 version will follow..

5 H R E D D I N E E H U R I K E N E ISega revives classic ninja battler Shinobi for Ps2. Hai!SEGA'S CLASSIC NINJA SERIES Shinobi is heading to PS2 aftera seven-year hiatus. Following Its arcade debut, Shinobi movedonto home and portable consoles [with its last appearance on theSaturn) and established Itself as one of Sega's most popularseries. Following the company's 'Vintage Brands revival' strategyannounced at last year's Tokyo Game Show Conference, the 2Dside-scrolling action game is a fitting candidate for resurrection.

The PS2 version of Shinobi takes place in a devastated Tokyoafter a major earthquake. When main protagonist Hotsuma'sOboro clan is marked for extermination by an unknown force, theclan leader must journey through the urban detritus to face theattackers. Naturally, ninja battles with a myriad of demonic andsupernatural foes ensue. While promising action-orientatedgameplay like its predecessors, Shlnobts latest incarnation marksthe series' long-awaited shift to 3D. Thankfully shedding the B-

movie-like digitised sprites of Shinobi Legion from 1995, Hotsumatruly looks the part of a stealthy and deadly ninja warrior

The new 3D presentation also allows ninja skills such asscaling walls - even across buildings, Crouching Tiger HiddenDragon style - to be depicted to their full effect. Not intended asmere eye candy, the technique will be essential for discoveringsecret passages and items throughout the levels, in addition to thetrusty katana and shurikens, Hotsuma can also summon ninjamagic. Endowed with superhuman speed, strikes on multiple foescan be chained together In an attack so swift, it leaves a ghostlyafter Image of Hotsuma's path. Cut to a moment of stillness untilthe blood starts spurting... Can't wait. □ GW

•Shinobi Is currently scheduled to appear at Sega's VIPpresentation at this year's E3. Our name's on the list

Star of Sega'sShinobi, thespookyH o t s u m a .

¥

S/i/nobrs Hotsuma takes on Spider-IVIan at his own game.

Hotsuma can cast a l l manner ofninja magic spells. Hexcellent!

Our hero is callously attacked whilesearching the car park for his Astra.

0 0 0U P O R T EWe check the progress offorthcoming PS2 titles.

T U R O K E V O L U T I O N

P u b l i s h e r : A c c l a i mL a s t s e e n : O P S 2 # 0 1 7Release: September 2002

Acclaim's first-pereon dinosaursiaughtener enters the fray with newscreenshots. Promising a totai of 15hours of piay, it's probably the onlyshooter to feature a bow and arrow.

H I T M A N 2

P u b l i s h e r : E i d o sL a s t s e e n : O P S 2 # 0 1 7Release: September 2002

Eidos has released new in-gamescreenshots showing some of /^ent47's killing skills. We partlculariy likethe one where he garottes someonewith a piece of wire. Ouch!

A N T Z R A C I N G

Publ isher EmpireL a s t s e e n : O P S 2 # 0 1 5Release: August 2002

Empire has released a playablepreview of its Dreamworks licenceAntz Extreme Racing. You race as acharacter from the film on a suitablysmall organic vehicle.

D I N O S TA L K E R

Publ isher: CapcomL a s t s e e n : O P S 2 # 0 1 5Release: October 2002

Capcom's lightgun-assisted FPS getsa new name and real-time gun-switching system: players can swapbetween sniper rifle, machine gunand grenades through the lightgun.

)38 PlayStation.E

— R U F T D R I B I N R .Core Design gives you the ciiance to build you own unique Lara Croft

EIDOS HAS REVEALED information on a new gameplay element set tofeature In Lara Cmft Tomb Raider: The Angel Of Darkness. As well ascharacter Interaction, which will enable Lara to talk to other characters andInfluence her path through the game, Core Design has incorporated whatt h e y ' r e c a l l i n g ' c h a r a c t e r e v o l u t i o n " . . ■

In practice, this means that each player Is able to Improve Lara'sabilities depending on how they decide to play. Si ilful players will beawarded for exceptional puzzle-solving and exploration in the form ofImprovements to Lara's brain power, jumping ability and upper bodystrength, to give just a few examples. It's hoped this will mai e every player'sexperience a unique one.

In one scenario, Lara Is seen to enter a large toom filled with highpillars. In order to progress, she has to negotiate these in a particular order.However, more dextrous players may choose to jump for a cage hangingfrom the ceiling A successful leap prompts the cage to swing and smashthrough a wall, tailing Lara into a secret area. Here, she can collect a rewardwhich boosts a certain aspect of her physical or mental mai eupConsequently, no two Laras In a game will ever be the same.

As ptBvlously reported in 0PS2, The Angel Of Darkness will tai<e theTomb Raider series into new territory with Its enhanced animation systemand massively-improved graphics. Lara Is now buiit from 5,000 polygons andboasts more than 250 different animations Her abilities have also beenextended - she can now engage in hand-to-hand combat, enter a stealthmode and even save her own life with the 'last chance grab'. Furthermore,Core has recently confirmed the inclusion of a new playable character calledKurtis Trent who has his own distinctive moves and gameplay mechanicsQuite what his role will entail is yet

"rrcoesamb™^ //Lam is HOW built fromwhat is probably the biggest name 5,000 polygons andin videogaming sounds Impressive, Krkiictc mnm t4ion OCAthe question remains whether ^ mOfC UldHpeople are still interested in Lara's different animations//buxom adventuring We'll l eep anopen mind until we've seen if for ourselves, although Core's efforts to addInnovative new elements to the game sound impressive. See our E3 specialstarting on page 062 for our first hands-on impressions □ GW

*CofB Design's The Angel Of Darl<ness Is out in November through Eidos. All this and a killer braintoo. Now Lara's ski l ls wil levolve as you play.

c

" I N T R O D U C I N GFEISTY JEN ANDHER STUMPYA C C O M P L I C ES C R E E "

PRIMAL, PG 042

5 F D R N N-up Activision's latest Marvel licensed beat-'em-up.

N D C L R U UX-Men: Wolverine's Revenge heads

WHILE SPIDER-MAN is tho cinema's current supcrliero of ciioice,wiien it comes down to it, most of us would rattier sport tiiepowers of Canada's premier mutant. Wolverine, Wail-crawiing andweb-siinging might mai^e running errands more interesting, butunbreakable bones, (luge metal claws and the strength of tenmen - now those are skills worth having.

Activision obviously thinks so and Is finishing off a third-personbeat-'em-up titled X-Men: Wolverine's Revenge, based around thecult comic book hero's unusual talent for a berserker brawl. Whilethe game is still a long way from release in the US, its basic form,which centres around fluid, close quarters combat, is already quitewell-shaped. Wolverine wields a wide variety of cool moves.

including a corkscrew flip wliich skewers one enemy and kicksanother, and special talents like the ability to track a retreating foe.

In addition to a solid combat model, X-Men; WR looks to boasta decent plotline, written by one-time Wolverine comic scribe LarryHania. Wolverine discovers that he is infected witli a unique virusthat wil l ki l l him within 48 hours so sets out to discover a cure and

make somebody pay dearly This quest will lead to the Weapon-Xlab where he was created, and to arch-enemies Juggernaut,Sabretooth and Magneto. Lawful heroes like Beast, Colossus andProfessor X are also scheduled to appear. X-cellent news! n EB

*X-Men: Wolverine's Revenge is out in the autumn.

FQlUMD

t h q ' i t ^ v A l b u mO u t 1 7 J u n e

available on limitededition CD with abonus disc featuringexclusive previously

f unreleased tracksso features the single

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n 50PS2 goes hands-on with Activision's latest aquatic extreme sports offerings.

SHAUN MURRAY'S PRO WAKEBOARDERIn conjunction with its new extreme sports labei 02, Activision isset to develop Shaun Murray's Pro Wakeboarder alongside itsother water-based title, Kelly Slater's Pro Surfer

Wakeboarding - a mixture of ali the wildest aspects ofwaterskiing skateboarding and snowboardlng - Is a relatively newaddition to the extreme sports ilne-up, and its current superstar;Shaun Mun^y, iooks set to make a huge splash on PS2. The term'wakeboarding' comes from the athietes' tendency to hit thetowboat's wash at fuii speed, whereupon they're launched Intothe air to perform a series of Impressive aerial stunts,

Gameplay in Shaun Murray's Pro Wakeboarder Is akin to thatof Activision's popular extreme sports title Shaun Palmer's ProSnowboarder. Both games offer a linear path through thecourses, with the opportunity to puii tricks en route, althoughPro Wakeboarder's milieu should allow for more versatile action.

And with Its smooth conttDis and first-ciass water model,Shaun Murray's title could well improve on Activision's ratherformulaic extreme sports offerings to date. □ EB

■Shaun Murray's Pro Wakeboarder is due out winter 2002, underthe Act iv is ion/02 labe l .

KELLY SLATER'S PRO SURFERActivision's upcoming 02-branded title, Kelly Slater's Pro Surfer,may be the first In history to accurately recreate the strangelyZen-iike experience that Is surfing

Graphically the game deftly balances aesthetics with cutting-edge technology, featuring waves that not only obey the laws ofphysics, but look beautiful with It - particularly on the moonlit,nIght-surfIng levels. This allure Is further enhanced by Pro Surfer's'living wave' system: each wave boasts at least 14 'action points',at which it will change In one of six randomly selected ways(swelling or flattening out, for Instance). Each wave is guaranteedto offer a different ride, during which you can perform tube, airand face tricks. The player can also make use of the entire wave,for an added sense of freedom and realism.

Completing the experience is a stunning soundtrack, whicheschews the genre's standard alternative/punk piayllst In favourof more spiritual, ethnic melodies. It's the perfect complement tothe game's atmosphere and reinforces our prediction that thisgame will out-rlde ail other PS2 surfing titles. □ EB

Kelly Slater's PtD Surfer Is due out September 2002, underthe Act iv ls lon/02 labe l .

Aerial tricks are complemented by grind tricl<s - performedon boats, floating piers or 'crazy' PVC pipe rails.

Locations include an indoor wave pool in Japan and the icyenvirons of Antarctica, so make sure you pack a thick wetsuit.

G O O D a E N I I LOur Heaven and Hell-styled 'ometer

Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 4.Normally when a game hasa fourth Instalment, It spellstrouble... With Neversott,t h i s I s n ' t t h e c a s e .

The Getaway. Rnally, SCEElet us actually play it!London never looked sogood in a videogame.

Winning Eleven 6. L^ook, we know it's labouring thepoint, but kCE Tyo has donethe Impossible and madet h e b e s t e v e n b e t t e r .Shootoo... Again!

Army Men: RTS. No that'snot a typo, and, no, it's notexactly a great game, but3 D 0 h a s a t l a s t d o n e t h esensible thing and gotsomeone else to makegames for them.

David Beckham Soccer. Asyou read this. Golden Ballsmight have taken Englandthrough to the SecondRound. You might be ableto forgive him for puttinghis name to this, then.

E3. It may be the mostimportant videogame eventon the planet, but It meantw e h a d t o w r i t e t h e

magazine in only 14 days.That's just flipping stupid.

The eventual sad death ofOPSZs PAL test machinesAnna and Nina after aprotracted demise. We'regoing to miss their weirdinability to load games...

Soldier Of Fortune: Gold #Edition Okay the game Isn'ta t o t a l w a s h o u t b u t t h eFour-player mode is justdismal. Makes PSone QuakeI I l ook l i ke Meta l Gear 3 .

P

4 IJ

S L U E L I N E S» EA has announced a brand new Bond game, entitled James Bond 007: NigfitRre. The gameplay spans ten exotic locations, including the French Alps and the South Pacific, andfollows a unique story line written specially for the title. Players will take control of Bond in both third- and first-person, and make extensh/e use of high-tech gadgetry. More onpage 062 » Rage has announced classic car-racing game Crush. Players get behind the wheel of hot-rods, muscle cars and concept cars with the sole Intention of writing them o

PlayStation.^ 0-

S P U

^ R i m R L I N S T I N C T SPrepare to be transfixed by Studio Cambridge's stunning adventure Primal.

OPS2 HAS ENJOYED extensive hands-on play with StudioCambridge's Primal and can confirm It as one of the mostpromising PS2 titles seen to date. First revealed In Spy In OPS2#009,the game introduces feisty heroine Jen and her stumpy accompliceScree In a fantasy adventure game brimming with new technology,stunning graphics and an involving story line.

Primal Introduces a huge environment known as the DemonRealms of Oblivion. This is split into four areas, each with its ownrace of inhabitants, history, climate and terrain. Jen enters theDemon Realms In order to find her friend Lewis who has been

/ / I a v a I c fl n w/ / U ; v d 9 I I U W O b l i v i o n d u e t o h i s h a v i n g

seamlessly togetheruuiril nn InaHinO realms, Jen meets Scree,WIU1 no lOaQing a 'Hving' stone gargoyle whotimes at all// becomes her aide. Scree can

cl imb wal ls and turn h imsel finto a block of stone and players can switch and take control ofeither character at any point In the game.

When Jen is forced Into combat with hostile creatures, she Isable to power herself up with energy which Scree stores inside him.This Is collected from power pods left around levels and from thebodies of defeated characters. Ttiese battle sequences have beenheavily Inspired by beat-'em-ups like Soul Colibur and Tekken and

the fighting style is suitably flamboyant and extravagant In acombat-based section we played, we found the fighting satisfyingwith tightly animated combination attacks and goty finishing moves.

Primofs biggest technological achievement Is Its use of'dynamic loading', a technique which means levels flow seamlesslytogether with no loading times While playing through the first levelof the Primal demo, this was demonstrated as we approached abuilding which formed the entrance to a new section. Jen was ableto Just open the door and walk straight In with no pause forloading time (eradicating a problem still common inadventure games). In another scene, Jen walks into a lakeand begins swimming As she hits the watei; a whole new 'game environment Instantaneously opens up beneath her

When in a different Demon realm, Jen's body and featuresmorph into that of the local race. This change will also affect theway she fights. For example, when she enters the underwaterAquis realm, Jen is able to breathe underwater and developslong tentacle-like arms which are good for long-range attacks.

Studio Cambridge is producing an original 1^2 title that so farlooks and plays as good as it sounds. From what we played, thedevelopment team seems to be cutting no comers in terms ofvisuals, sound, animation and overall ambition. It is possible thatPrimal could set new standards for game development; a good thingfor PS2 owners everywhere. □ GW

Tlie een glow on her back While in the Aquis realm, Jeri takes on the In fights, heroine is able to performindicates Jen's state of health. form of the Undine race. some brutal finishing moves.

I W

S i - " —■ \ ' V J v i . ' .

Lighting and specialeffects are some of thebest 0PS2 has seen.

The fai thful Scree.Players can takeon his role at anypoint in the game.

»42 PlayStation E

P R I M E D A N D R E A D Y0PS2 met Chris Sorrell, Creative Director on Pnmal, to find out moreabout tlie inspiration and background of the game.

Primal has a very clear and involved story. Where did the inspirationfor this come from?The starting points were the desire to make a game with two characters -a female lead and a gargoyle - and to fuse real world and fantasy worldelements together somehow. With the fantasy aspect In mind I drewinspiration from various mythologies, especially from researching Tarot.Now, Tarot and mythology alone arent the hippest things to present in amainstream game, so I decided to build up the characters, especially Jen,by taking inspiration from more modern sources: TV programs such asBuffy, Angel, Dark Angel and Fdrscape.

So there are a few Vampire Slayer fans in the office?There's no shortage of Buffy fans within the team; myself, Katie and Alexthe Designers, James the Lead Programmer, Mark the Lead Artist andplenty of others! This said, I personally think Angel has a slight edge overBufiy these daysl I would add that we haven't ever focused purely onBuffy, more on the group of modern sci-fi/fantasy programs that Buffymost typifies... These are great at mixing fantastical themes and cool,modern references and characters to create TV that appeals to a prettybroad audience, exactly what we wanted to achieve with Primal.

The fighting elements of the game seem to have been inspired bybeat-'em-ups lilte Soul Calibur What was your aim in doing this?We wanted to provide a combat system that goes some way beyond thatoften found In action adventures; not Just mashing a single attack buttonin response to loosely-targeted enemy attacks! Soul Calibur demonstrated

that full 3D movement and combat between ,characters of different sizes and with wildlydifferent weapons could all work brilliantly. Ourchallenge became to capture the essence ofthis alongside the exploration and puzzlingfound In the game.

You've utilised a lot of new technology in PrimalDo you plan to use it in any other games?Absolutely. We created the Primal engine knowingwe'd be using it to build the studio's second PS2game, and most likely more titles beyond this. Of jcourse, this Isnt to say that each new game Iwon't be adding to or refining the technology Iaccording to Its particular needs. I'm thinking 'specifically of some very cool graphical stuff that'llbe seen In the studio's second PS2 title!

How important is the relationship between Jen Vand Scree to the gameplay? ^This is core to both the storytelling and the gameplay it's alsoan important part of trying to do things a little differently to othergames in our genre. On the gameplay side, we use the twocharacters together for certain puzzles, individually for others. Bygiving each character clear abilities and purpose, their respectiveroles should be clear. Being able to switch characters at anytime enables the player to play the game in different ways. i

Do you have hopes for Jen to beiome a PS2 icon?Sure, that'd be great! Ideally I'd hope Scree couldhave a share of the glory too as he's a'torejfyfun character! The two of them arA \|Jc e r t a i n l y q u i t e d i f f e r e g i i ^ ^f r o m a n y o t h e r '■ l l ' ;v i d e o g a m e p a i r i n g s t 'I c a n t h i n k o f . a i : J

Combat plays an important part in Primal andprovides a level of variety to the gameplay.

r ,

The dark andbrooding Jen.Actually quitea nice lass.

P R I M A L TA L KSci-fi fans might recognise the voices behind Jen and Scree.

Indicative of the high production values exercised throughout Primal, StudioCambridge has used two sci-fi celebrities to voice Jen and Scree. The first,blonde bombshell Hudson Leick - who stars in Xena: Warrior Princess as Callisto- provides the voice for Jen. The second famous voice actor is Andreas Katsulaswho has played various characters in Babylon 5, Star Trek ISynd) and filmsincluding The Fugitive and Hot Shots Part Deux.

PlayStation

"IT'S P^ED TOTHE RAFTERSW I T H D A N C I N GS I M I A N S A N DM O N K E Y S W I T HLASER-GUNS. "

/WE ESCAPE 2, PG 046

WITH UNPRECEDENTED ACCESS to its upcomingmovie inspiration from early drafts of the script onwards,Kuju, the developer of Reign Of Fire, has been busyrecreating a future world where the human population Isbeing decimated by very real, fIre-breathIng dragons.

The rise of the human resistance against the dragonsforms the first nine levels of this third-person actloner,which Is set In three of the film's locations: NorfolK Doverand a carbonized London. The ultimate aim at this stageIs to destroy the father' of the dragons, a Boeing 737-sized 'Norfolk Bull'. On the way you'll carry out variousvehlcie-based missions (with Intuitive ITS-style controls)that Include providing an armed escort for a convoy ofresistance fighters and rescuing farmers under attackwhile simultaneously extinguishing their flaming crops. Asa human, you'll also be battling against five different sub

species of dragon: flightless Jakyls, Land Tanks, Spitfires,Napaimers - and, of course, the BuiL

However, if you think that sounds good, complete thefirst half of the game and you'll open up a second set ofnine, flight-based missions that you play from theperspective of a dragon, in these missions, you canexpect to drop flaming goats on hapless humans, joinan aerial assault on the resistance's castle base, andspit fireballs and napalm at biplanes in a unique spinon alr-to-air combat. With its encouragingly bleak lookand a canny two-games-in-one' structure. Reign Of Firelooks like It will be one of the more intriguing movietie-ins to hit PS2 in 2002. □ PF

•Reign Of Rre, the game, is due to be reieosed in October2002 tiirough Bam! Entertainment

Reign Of Fire lets you fight from a selection of army surplus vehicles. Everything has a flashpoint. Even you.

PlayStation.2' O F F I C I A L M A G A Z I N E - U K

RYAN MCKANEJOCk Race Dr iver

Age; 27 Height 5' 11" Blood Type; Castrol GTX

Distini > Features: One-slze-flts-ail racing suit anda determined ice-blue gaze.

L o o k s Pop Idol reject. Swarthy, bestubbledbeau hunk with a past. Naturally 7 3

A t t a c k 40 top cars at his disposal - andutterly ruthless behind all of 'em. 8 7

Defence Flame-retardant undergarments,shiny helmet and a roll cage. 2 3

Specials A hit with the ladies and never hastrouble finding a parking space. 6 9

Ryan's beloved father, Kyle, was once a famous racingdriver. After his untimely death on the track, Ryan rias feltcompelled to live up to his daddy's name. Kids, huh?

PlayStation®?' O F F I C I A L M A G A Z I N E - U KOFFICIAL MAGAZINE-UK

m r r

Age: 52 Height: 6' 1" Blood Type: Gushing

Distinguishing Features: Bongo film 'tache, a one-manarsenal - and a daft hat

Attack Great strength and speed. Has a fetishfor removing his enemies' limbs.

Defence With an attack like that, defenceisn't even in his vocabulary. .jp

Muiilns is known in the industry as a 'consultant mercenary'and takes jobs from a UN anti-terrorist group called The Shop.A kind of freelance hellralser; then.

COLLECT THE ENTIRE SERIES!SWAP WITH YOUR MATES!

CUT OUT AND KEEP!SEND NO CASH!

PLEASE KEEP LAUGHING!

i PlayStation,P

J l s

Seize control of both driver and warriorfor the ultimate racing challenge.

Friend or foe? You decide.Battle in 2 or 4 player co-op mode.

, T '

Reign supreme on 19 menacing tracksthroughout the Roman Empire.

araisMa»mus:a,a«VVa,s©2002 Encore,l™:.MnghtsIBse. .a■cusMa»mL,s:Cha«Wa,s©2002Kcxiiak Interactive So»wane Studios Inc-toMaxImusi^Interactive Studios Inc. Sold and distributed by Thq Inc. All rights reserved. Mjctrasoft, Xbox & Itie Xbox logo, are either registered trademarte or trademarks of Microsoft CotporatKXi in the U.S.and/or other countries." Play5tation.2" is a registered trad iwk of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. All Righte Reserved.

E i m c o r e

W'. ■

"A MAflDfUVRETHAT WILL HAVEV E RT I G OSUFFERERSBREAKING OUT INA C O L D S W E AT '

ZETAI ZfTSUMD, PG 050

5 E E N B R E DLucasArts takes you on a thiitt erson adygnture in a galaxy not very far av»/ay -#5 RTX Red Rock

CONTOARY TO POPULAR OPINION.feere'smore to LucasArts than Star Wars. Not thatmuch more, perhaps, but RTX Red Rock isone of a trio of new titles to corRe fmm,theCaiifomia-based company. RTX stands for'Radical Tactic Expert, a futuristic ione-wolfoperative with toch-asslsted eyesight and ablonic arm that can act as a multi-purposetool, a modular weapon, and, at a pinch,a spare bottle-opener. Red Rocl< refers tomani^lnd's first coiony on iviars, a fragilehuman outpost inconveniently besieged by ahostile alien invasion force callcd the LE.D.S.Put the two together and you get a Swiss

Army Knife cyborg vs an ET army, with fiercetactical combat, mysterious environmentsand challenging puzzles.

Talking on the role of RTX-er EugeneZeilfr'EZ' Wheeler, you'll use your wits, skills

Nsefhanised forearm to combat theLEfcrea'Whcler's synthetic eye,moani ie, has- been designed to detecthidden enemies, traps'Snd power-ups. Tohelp with the game's more cerebral aspects,the hero also has access "to anJsdppcndentRemovable Infomiation System or IRIS. Thisportable computer'(wlth female personalitycircuit) can be plugged into a wide array of

electronic equipment, giving you the abilityto hacl^ into computers, control robots anddrive abandoned Martian rovers.

Featuring high-resolutlon 3Denvironments, the single-player game takesyou right across the surface of Mars on amission to rescue a band of survivingcolonists. In addition, RTX Red Rock willsupport a Two-player split-screen modefor one-on-one battles, capture-the-flag playand vehicle racing Rock on! D DE

< fed Rock Is cxpoctcd to stick a blasterIn oiirhe^ ttliiMiMim.

in .-f

Meet, Eugene Zeno 'EZ' Wheeler, RadicalTactical Expert and boy band member.

The rrv Digital monkey J jtook a strong stance in " 'the redundancy talks.

London Zoo 'sS e v e n t i e s t h e m enight proved area l success . Monkey muggings:

Hide your mobiles!

R N 5 E QCivilisation threatened by rampaging monkeys? SCEI's Ape Escape is back.

MONKEYS, EH7 Everyone loves the cheekiness ofman's haity precursors, which Is why we've beenbeating our chests so wildly over news that Ape Escape2 [Sarugetchu 2 In Japan) is on its way. The game isdue to arrive on Japanese shelves this July - the UKrelease is set for September - and will apparentlyfeature a fully reworked conttol system. Given that the

original made such innovative use of the DualShock's analogue sticks, we're expecting big things.

Thankfully, the latest shots reveal a beautifullyvibrant worid, so at long last it looks like Jak AndDaxter will have some competition In the

free-roaming action/adventure stakes.Unlike red hen-ing Ape Escape 2001 this will be

a full sequel, packed to the rafters with new gameplayand new varieties of monkey, including dancing simians

and - wait for it - monkeys with laser-guns. The gamestars a ten-year-old (and, needless to say, spiky-haired)boy called Hiraku, the cousin of the original game'smain character Kakeru. It seems it's up to him toprevent escaped lab monkeys from taking over theworid. Cleariy keen to keep ape-lovers on his side,however, our star will also be able to call on a smallmonkey sidekick called Pipochu.

You can also look forward to a host of newmonkey-snaring gadgets, fancy special moves andmini-game fun. Not that you care about any of that,right? The only thing that matters is it's got monkeys.Lots of 'em. Time to go ape. O TC

'Check out our exclusive Ape Escape 2 footageon this month's demo DVD.

The turn-out at the Final FantasyAnonymous meeting was poor.

16 PlayStation.

D R a S I N T D K y O

□Ha 1 (RPRIL SB)SCEI's cool CCTV game Surve/l/ance is ondisplay at Sony's GInza showroom withplayable demos as well as a gallery ofmecha, character and backgroundartwork Staff from Production IG, theanime studio behind the game, areholding talkshows throughout the day forthe company's 15th anniversary, 1 alsomeet the Director of interactive mangafilm, 6/ood; The Last Vampire. Cool.

□R y BIt's the Golden Week holidays andProduction IG's anniversary celebrationscontinue, with an art exhibition InAkihabara. The original eels from Ghost InThe Shell and Patlabor 2 would look verynice in my apartment A samurai sword(used for reference In Blood Omen] andEvangellon scripts lie behind glass whilemannequins sporting Sokura Warscostumes stand in a comer Beautiful andextravagantly framed artwork Is for sale,but with an asking price of ¥93,000 -way beyond my meagre budget!

□R i d I BDiscover that Mul/ho/fand Drive is stillshowing at an independent cinema inKichljoji. Excitement soon gives way todisappointment, as the movie turns outto be my least favourite offering fnDmDavid Lynch.

□R y KThe packed Asakusa streets during theholiday weekend feels like a rush hourtrain, but amidst the chaos I find a hugeUltraman store. ATMs and cash cardservices are shut down - in Japancomputers need rest, too. Will returnwith much moolah soon.

□R y I EChecl( out an Astro Boy exhibition, wherecomic book panels and coverillustrations from the Fifties, other classicanime robot Icons and real-life roboticsare on display. Strolling through thegallery. Astro Boy himself Is mobbed bykids and adults, after a photo op.Naturally, I go for my camera.

And the winner is... t l ieK I a I ^ a i a i K a e n l / l t i e o i l fi l i a l

GFKTIE GOURmETOur mission? To locate, devour and rate PlayStation 2-themed snacks.WHILE THERE ARE MORE character-brandededibles than you can poke a stick at in Japanesesupermarkets, tracking down every PS2-tBlatedsnack ptDved to be a bit trickier. Kamen Rider, BeyBlade and U/traman anime snacks are out, whilePotemon and Kirby instant curries areinadmissible for N64 reasons. PS2 mascot Toro's

snacks were spotted ages ago, but are now soldout. Luckily, recent Kingdom Hearts tie-ins make itfor the inaugural Spy In Japan taste test..X. Kingdom Hearts Vanilla Cream WaferA Single trading carti-sized biscuit. It fulfils thecriteria - light, crispy, more wafer than vanillataste, crumbs strewn everywhere - but the servingisn't enough. Bonus sticker enclosed! Rating: 2/52. PaRappa The Rapper Chocolate BiscuitsThe outside (printed with character port:raits) issatisfylngly light and crunchy. The chocolate creamcentre, however, lacks the richness and volume ofa truly delicious taste explosion. More importantly,there's ten bonus figures to collect! Rating; 3/5

3. Kingdom Hearts Asahl's Mitsuya CiderSparkling and lemony, this cider Is non-alcoholic,and, as with most soft drinks, would be better withgin. Think a Japanese Sprite. Keychaln and bottlecap figure giveaways included! Rating: 4/54. Kingdom Hearts Bireiys Orange Drini(Can't compare with the naturally-squeezed variety,yet quenches thirst admirably Rating: 3/55. Super Robot Meiiian sweetsThese tiny pellets are chalky, with a citrus flavour.Hardly satisfying or tasty. Fans probably buy thisfor the snap-together toy included. Rating: 1/56. Kingdom Hearts Chicken Ramen (noodles)The cup version's noodles ate stringy and lacktaste. The soup base Is vaguely poultry orientatedat best, and the less said about the floating yellow'egg' block, the better Rating; 1/5O v e r a l l W i n n e r

The Kingdom Hearts Cider wins, but it was aneasy victory. Our verdict? Best to just collect themrather than consume them... □ AW

^ a p a n iM O B I L E s u r r G U N D A MG I R E N ' S A M B I T I O N : Z I O NINDEPENDENCE WAR [BandaijW O R L D S O C C E RWINNING ELEVEN 6 [Konami]KINGDOM HEARTS [Square)2002 RFA WORLD CUP (EA Square)N E C H U ! P R OBASEBALL 2002 (Namco)ZETTAI ZETSUME TOSHI (Irem)NICHIBEtKAN PRO BASEBALL [Square]S U P E R R O B O TWARS IMPACT (Banpresto)TEKKEN 4 [Namco)

10. ARMOURED CORE 3 [From Software)

•Source; Dengeki April 29 - May 5 2002

Monkey mania! Plush soft toy versions of PlayStation's favouritesimian adorned every vehicle In a Tokyo Toyota showroom for aP/posoru (the Japanese name for Ape Escape] holiday promotion.Video footage of the forthcoming PS2 game (see this month's DVDlshowed banana pendulum-lined corridors, scuba-suited chimpsgliding underwater and the hero's special attacks, complete withfreeze frame and swirling camera. Gag videos of PIposaru clowningaround the building and in street-bound vehicles ensued. Successfullylocating a specifically attired monkey on a designated floor, asrequested by the staff, won visitors a much sought-after sticker

Edited by Amos Wong

S U B 5 T R N D H R D 5

U U N D E R I U R T E RU N I TMuch of the world has been submergedunder the ocean due to a globalcatastrophe In 2139. Six years later, theMelgis Empire Is founded with woriddomination in their sights. Players musttake control of the Cronos attacksubmarine in this Irem Softviare |R Type]PS2 title. Your mission: to stop the Melgi;Empire's armada from plundering anyremaining resources.

A sonar locates pick-up items,treasure and enemies, while specialweapons complement the standardarsenal of guns, torpedoes and missiles.Targets In -U- Underwater Unit Includevarious classes of subs and robots, whilewater surface battles pit the Cronosagainst aircraft, warships and helicopter;

H E I S T m E I S T E R !

L U P I N T H E 3 R D :m R J U T S U D UN O I 5 R NJapan's hugely popular anime masterthief is set for his first PS2 adventurefrom Banpresto. The plot's stili underwraps, but early footage shows himpeeling off disguises, nimbly dodgingbullets and leaping off a sl scraperrooftop, Just before it explodes. On thebrink of arrest, he escapes authorities va rocket-powered lounge chair Just likethe manga, except in digital 3D. Cool.

Unknown in the UK, Lupin The 3rcis huge in Japan. No, really.

PlayStation.2

M o b i l e S u i tG u n d a m t o p sthe Jap chart.

/

B E C I D N D R D C KF R D m T H E 5 U KNew information on Namco's online RPG Project Venus.

FURTHER DHAILS HAVE emetged regarding Namco's forthcoming online RPGProject Venus, a sequel to Seven: The Cavaliy Of Molmorth. TTie game was firstannounced at SCE's third PlayStation meeting In Tokyo earlier in the year whenSony revealed Its online game plans for the PS2 In Japan.

The cast Is led by a young boy named Blood Boall, who Is the leader of hisvillage's defence force. Despite appearances, '18-year-old' Blood has actually beenaround for over a century - he was granted eternal youth In a mysterious incidentlong ago. Described as someone who is always helping those In need, Blood isfittingly appointed to save the worid by a goddess named Aria (who may also havesomething to do with his immortalltyl. Prophecy has it that the world Is fated fordestruction... but only after 100 years of disaster and suffering! Naturally, In onder tothwart Impending doom and triumph over plenty of monsters, It's vital that Bloodrecruits other characters with appropriate skills to his cause. Completing the list ofcharacters revealed so far Is VIvl, a demonic girt with power of time travel.

Like Its predecessor; the game eschews 3D realism for the rich, painted style ofclassic RPGs, so expect old-skool conversation screens featuring characters' faces.Employing Seven's grid-based rotation battle system, combat looks to be heavilystrategically focused, too. Characters can be switched between three rows, wherethe front rank takes on the enemy, the middle rank supports them and the backrank recovers for further engagement Online features are sketchy so far; butcharacter ranking and real-time battles with other players across the network arepromised. Enemies will also be downloadable for offline face-offs. No news yet on aUK release, but we'll be the first to let you know. □ AW

■Project Venus Is scheduled for release In Japan later In the year.

A '

» m m * C A C y « - p g m a t y » r .

i ^ I

« 4 • *P r o j e c t V e n u s p r o A l i s e s * * -old-skool RPGing, butwi th an on l ine tw is t .

y m m / ^

D E S I G N E R I B E N E 5Games designed by you. This month: a ghoulish underwater mission goes horribly wrong... i

GAME NAMEDEAD DEPTHS

DESIGNERS C O T T R E A O

TTTLE MOVIE

While the credits role, Images of a sea accident flash up on screen... You see amini-sub leaving the surface... A voice-over from your commander outlines themission briefing.. The sub descends into the murky depths... A shipwreck comesInto view... The camera pans around the wreck..B A C K G R O U N D S T O R Y

Two years ago, a ship carrying a mysterious ancient artifact, the Chest Of Souls,sunk In unexplained circumstances. Now, after locating the wreck on the oceanfloor, you're sent down to retrieve it and find out what happened.L E V E L D E S I G N

The game is an adventure/survival horror; with a first- and third-person view. Thereare two characters: one male, one female. You can communicate with ships onthe surface at various points during the game, and the person you speak todepends on which character you play There are various rooms to negotiate -flooded rooms provide a good opportunity to create a tense atmosphere, withfloating bodies and debris In the water Your enemies are the bodies of the deadbrought back to life from souls that have escaped fi-om the Chest Of Souls.WEAPONS: Electrically-charged harpoon gun. Flare gun. Combat knife,9mm pistol, Uzl

ITEMS TO PICK UP: Harpoons, Flair Packs, Grenades, ammo. Health Packs

WRITE TODesigner Genes. Official PlayStation 2 Magazine, Future Publishing, 30 Monmouth Street,Bath BAl 2BW. Or email us at PS2@ftjturenet.co.uk. Send us a description of your gameidea and try to accompany It with a few sketches or drawings to bring your words to life. Ifwe use It we'll send you a T-shirt and a print of the box art designed by Moyler.

THE EXPERTS OPINIONP A U L G L A N C E Y

The setting - a confinedspace populated by theundead - sounds good, butthe rest does sound a bit likea Resident Evil game. Thatmay be no bad thing, though,because survival horror Is agenre thafs not been heavilyexploited. Publishers knowthat these games need giratgraphics, action and superbstory-telling to deliver thetension and shocks, andResident Evil has a big hendstart on everything. If you'rethinking along the lines ofRes/dent Evil mixed withMGS2, that sounds like thenext generation of survivalhorror Throw in some cleverplot twists and a spectacularcast of monsters, and youhave a strong proposal.

'Paul G/oncey Is CreativeManager at Criterion Studios

I PlayStatlon.E

Roni Size 'Railing Part 2(Carlton Richard's Rollin' Rhythm Soundclash)

.P v

VEverybody wants to be a DJ...Enter the world of 'Frequency' and let your senses take control. Feel the pounding of drumbeats in your head and release yourself throughthe rhythm. Before you know it you're addicted to the bass and there's no going back. Remix tracks by top artists, swap remixes with your mates.With tracks from Orbital, Paul Oakenfold, Roni Size, Jungle Brothers, Lo Fidelity Allstars, Dub Pistols and more.

a.'and TlayStatton-are registered trademarks of Sony computer Entertainment Inc. ft is a trademark of Sony Corporatioa PISyStatjOFDistributed by Sony Computer Entertainment Europe. All rights reser\red. Frequency IS a tradeira^of ny Computer Entertainment nca^ THE THIRD PLDeveloped by Harmonix Music Systems. © 2001 Sony Computer Entertainment. Amerwa Inc. Published by Sony Computer Entertainment Europe.uk.playstat lon,com

B R C I K T O B R B CYabasic expert Marc Gale, aka Xalthom, reveals howto get the most from the PS2's free programming tool.

WELCOME TO THE wondrous world fill triangle xl,yl to xl,yl-25 toof Back To Basic, the section of 0PS2 xl+30,yl-10that shows what you can do with fill triangle xl,yl to xl+30,yl-10 toYabasic, the program that comes free xl+30,yl+15on the demo disc of any new PS2.

Here's part three of my complete setrgb 1,100,70,70Yabasic game Gemoc/de. We've printed fill triangle xl+30,yl+15 to xl+3D,yl-10the first two sections in previous issues to xl+60,yl-25of 0PS2, and over the coming months fill triangle xl+30,yl+15 to xl+60,yl-25wiil continue to buiid up the game for to xl+60,ylyou. Simply insert the code at therelevant points, as shown. setrgb 1,120.90,90

This part of the code draws the fill triangle xl,yl-25 to xl+30,yl-40 toblocks and gem targets in random xl+30,yl-10places around the board. fill triangle xl+30,yl-10 to xl+30,yl-40

to xl+60,yl-25Place this code at Insertion Point 5 r e t u r n

r e m # # # # # # # # # # place this code at Insertion Point 6label drawsolidfill triangle xl+30,yl to xl+10,yl-25 to if piece=100 thenx l+50,y l -25 gosub drawblockfill triangle xl+10,yl-25 to xl+15,yl-33 r e t u r nto xl+50,yl-25 fifill triangle xl+15,yl-33 to xl+25,yl-36to xl+50,yl-25 if piece=101 thenfill triangle xl+25,yl-36 to xl+35,yl-36 setrgb 1,100,100,0to xl+50,yl-25 gosub drawsolidfill triangle xl-»-35,yl-36 to xl+45,yl-33 setrgb 1,255,255,0to xl+50,yl-25 gosub drawgemoutr e t u r n r e t u r n

A

r e m # # # # # # # # # # #T l

label drawgemout If piece-102 thentriangle xl+30,yl to xl+22,yl-20 to setrgb 1,0,100,0xl+38,y l -20 gosub drawsolidtriangle xl+30,yl to xl+10,yl-25 to setrgb 1,0,255,0x l+22,y l -20 gosub drawgemouttriangle xl+30,yl to xl+50,yl-25 to r e t u r nx l+38,y l -20 filine xl+10,yl-25 to xl+15,yl-33line to xl+25,yl-28 if piece-103 thenline to xl+22,yl-20 setrgb 1,100,0,0

gosub drawsolidline xl+25,yl-28 to xl+35,yl-28 setrgb 1,255,0,0line to xl+38,yl-20 gosub drawgemout

r e t u r nline xl+35,yl-28 to xl+45,yl-33 filine to xl+50,yl-25

if piece=104 thenline xl+15,yl-33 to xl+25,yl-36 setrgb 1,0,0,100line to xl+35,yl-36 gosub drawsolidline to xl+45,yl-33 setrgb 1,0,0,255r e t u r n gosub drawgemout

r e t u r nr e m # # # # # # # # # # # # fil a b e l d r a w b l o c k

setrgb 1,80,50,50 ♦Next month; Port 4 of Gemocide.

N <ZZT has the potentialfo r some ser iousadrenaline pumping.

~ D R P 5 2Save a city in perii in Irem's earth sliattering Zettai Zetsumei Toshi.

FEW GAMES RELEASED In Europe andAmerica could compete with the unique thrillsof cool survival adventure Zettoi Zetsumei Toshi.Played out against the baci drop of a fictionalJapanese city built on the water, the game beginswith grainy CCTV footage of a normal day at anairport terminal, until a huge earthquake hits,captured in shocking detail by a suri eillancecamera view which all too soon fizzles to black.

In the aftermath of the quake, you findyourself thrust into one of the most precarioussituations imaginable - stuck halfway across abridge that could collapse at any moment Whena rescue helicopter fails to pick you up, you'reforced to save yourself - but first you've got toget off that bridge. And fast

Few other PS2 titles provide as many edge-of-the-seat moments as Zettai Zetsumei Tosiiimanages in its first hour of gameplay Indeed,within the first five minutes you'll have to crass anartiDW ginder to reach a safe platform - amanoeuvre that will have vertigo sufferersbreaking out into ac o l d s w e a t

Elsewhere, cars and subway trains teeter offhigh ledges, creaking in the wind - think that bitin the Ids Angeles level of Tony Hawl<'s ProSl<ater 3. There's a real sense of keeping yourwits about you as the wrong move can and willbring the whole lot down.

In one area, your character must climb aladder to reach a high road section of the bridge.As the camera shifts to a top-down view, thedecking below the ladder gives way and you'releft hanging on with nothing but a big drop andwater beneath - a genuinely scary moment. Asthe game progresses, you're required to rescuevarious characters who then assist you for therest of the game. Items you find and collect alongthe way are essential to your progress, whichrevolves around puzzle-solving and exploring

Currently, ZZT is only available in Japan.However, 0PS2 would hazard a guess that suchan original and well-realised title would bedifficult to resist picking up for a UK release.Eidos's Fresh Games should take note... □ GW

iO PlayStation,E

Plug me in:the IVanceV i h r a t n r

GOOD VIBRATIONSRe-introducing the Rez trance Vibrator peripheral.Regular Spy watchers will know about the Trance Vibrator, aperipheral released with the Japanese version of musicshooter Rez Plugged into the PS2's USB port, it delivered avibration way more powerful than a Dual Shock 2 andcaused many a snigger in the office. Plug it in while playingZettai Zetsumei Toshi and you've got yourself a simulatedearttiquake and some genuinely shal^ moments. And theIdeal place to put it? On the floor under your feet Of course

t i m

b Pist(% 'Offfcial Che>rthwi<%1| olographi

Everybody wants to be a DJ...Enter the world of 'Frequency' and let your senses take control. Feel the pounding of drumbeats in your head and releasefhe rhlm Before yru knoit you're addicted to the bass and there's no going back. Remix tracks by top artists, swap rem,xes w,th your mates.With tracks from Orbital, Paul Oakenfold, Roni Size, Jungle Brothers, Lo Fidelity Allstars, Dub Pistols and more.

^ and PlayStation' are registeiBd trademarks of Sony Gomputsr Entertainment Inc. » is =I„;.ffistnbuted by Sony Computer Entertainment Europe. All rights reseived. Frequency is a trademark pomP"'®™Developed by Harmonix Music Systems. O 2001 Sony Computer Entertainment. America Inc. Publisned by Sony Computer Entertainment Europe.uk.p laystat ion.com

1 <»*-

After having squid> for dinner, the

irony was obvious. ALTER ECHO, PG 055 •••

CRLLING DR HDNEEIndy returns in LucasArts' action adventure The Emperor's Tomb.

¥ -/ / . r iif ieTi

Irawling combat' routines help Indy go Intelligent camera-tracking emphasises theands-on with this particular assailant. grandeur of the game's many locations.

Where would Indy -be without his whip?

W f e .

^ ONE OF THE WORLD'S favourite actionheroes is set to make his PS2 debut inLucasArts' third-person action/adventureIndiana Jones And Jhe Emperort Tomb. Setin 1935, The Emperor's Tomb sees Indyencountering danger at every turn as he takeson both the Black Dragon Triad and Germanmercenary Albrecht Von Beck. Both haveforged an evil alliance to steal the Heart OfTlie Dragon, a black pearl that gives its ownerthe power to mould people's minds. Thesought-after treasure is rumoured to be buriedin the crypt of China's first Emperor - and therace is on for Indy to stop it from being stolen.

Featuring a classic Indiana Jones story linewhich manages to encompass the Far East,the Gennans and an undera/ater palace inIstanbul, The Emperor's Tomb sets up apromising adventure for the famous fedora-wearing archaeologist While Indy's pistol andwhip will make an appearance, LucasArts hasalso integrated 'brawling combat' into hisrange of abilities, for when Indy must tacklemultiple enemies skilled in various martialarts. Our hero can also improvise with shovels,chairs and broken table legs, something the

game's developer hopes will recreate thefrenetic pace of the original films.

Providing an isometric third-personviewpoint. The Emperor's Tomb also features asophisticated camera-tracking system toensure you always have an optimal viewof the action and the expansive, interactiveenvironments. Indiana Jones is back In a waythat players have never seen," promises TomByron, Director of Product iviarketing forLucasArts. "Indiana Jones And The Emperor'sTomb faithfully recreates all the heroism,action and edge-of-the-seat adventure of theblockbuster film series."

In fact. The Emperor's Tomb marks the firstIndiana Jones game for a console since TheInfernal Machine was released for the N64 in1999. Fans probably don't need reminding thatLucasArts' PS2 offering comes in advance ofthe next, as yet untitled Indiana Jones film,being worked on by Steven Spielberg andstarring Harrison Ford and Kate Capshaw. It'sscheduled for release in 2004. □ GW

• Indiana Jones And The Emperor's Tomb Isreleased In Autumn 2002 via Activism

B L U E L I N E S"e™ Hugo and his friend Commander Jyo (a huge goose)entenng town of Dark Kran. You explore environments in full 3D and battling takes place using the imptessive sounding 'THnlty Sight System' » A Japanese newsLoer hasreported that Sony expected to sell 200,000 PS2 broadband units in May » Codemasters has acquired the licence for the Indy 500 game, with Brain In A Jar handling development

H M V C H R R T 5

#2: GRAND JHEFT AUTO 3Every month it defies expectationto retain its lofty chart placing andquite right too. it's cieariy the mostpopuiar PS2 game ever Just lookout for the GTA3 add-on pack thatwili be released later in the year(see page 062 for info).

7 T T L £

. L M A M A N A G E R 2 0 0 2 .

GRAND THEFT Aim) 3^ -DMA Design. GRAN TURISMO 3: A-SPEC (PlAnNUM)_Polyphony DIgital-SCEE. M E T A L G E A R S O U D 2 K C E J P N K o n a m i. TEKKEN TAG TOURNAMENT (PUmNUM) -.Namco--.. TONY HAWK'S PRO SKATER 3 IMeversoft-THIS IS FOOTBALL 2002 (PlAnNUM|„

. P R O E V O L U n O N *

. M A X P A Y N E

0 . T I M E C R I S I S 2 .

- S C E E

^ c t i v i s i o n

-S tud io L jondon SCEE- K C E T Y O K o n a m i

— R o c k s t a r-Remedy >- N a m c o —

"Source; HMV w/e 13 May

#1; LMA MANAGER 2002Codemasters' managementsimulation takes the top spotjust as the Premiership ends.An unsurprising entry realty,considering the success of othersimilar titles on PC, and the factthis is the first exceptional PS2game of its type.

#3; GRAN TURISMO 3: A-SPECGT3 rides on In platinum fonn.Watch out for the appearance ofexperimental cousin GT Concept2000: Tokyo-Geneva in the chartsbefore too long As for GT4, wellwe're catching up with Kazunori>^mauchi at E3, so let's hope hespills the beans.

topclc»gforgameswvm.hmv.co .uk

G U E S T C H H R T 5PlayStation 2 Top Tens from around the world

1 1 TO P 1 0 I R I S HP S 2 G A M E S

1 . 2002 RFA WORLD CUP EA Sports2 . GRAND THEFT AUTO 3 R o c k s t a r3 . GRAN TURISMO 3: A-SPEC

(PUOINUM) S C E E4 . VIRTUA RGHTER 4 S C E E5 . LMA MANAGER 2002 C o d e m a s t e r s6 . METAL GEAR SOUD 2 K o n a m i7 TEKKEN TAG TOURNAMENT

(PLAHNUM) S C E E8 . THIS IS FOOTBALL 2002

(PLATINUM) S C E E9 . M A X P A Y N E R o c k s t a r10. STOTE Of EMERGENCY R o c k s t a r'Source: Chart Track w/e 13 May

I I T O P 1 0 F R E N C HP S 2 G A M E S

1 . V I K R J A H G H T C R 4 S C E E2 . ROGER LEMERRE 2002 Codemas te r s3. COUPE DU MONDE 2002 EA Sports4 . G R A N D T O E I T A i n D S R o c k s t a r5. PRO EVOLUTION SOCCER Konami6 . M E W L G E A R S O U D 2 K o n a m i7 . D Y N A S T Y WA R R I O R S 3 M i d a s8. KNOCKOUT KINGS 2002 EA Sports9 . S H A D O W H E A RT S M i d w a y1 0 . A C E C O M B A T 4 S C E E•Source: mm.nilcromanla.fr w/e 13 May

: PlayStation.

Kemco ' s Ba tman : Da rkTomor row h i t s PS2later this year.

i n c o m i n gThe most accurate release schedule in the biz.

J u n e G e n r e P u b l i s h e r 1 R e d F a c t i o n 2 F P S THQ

B a r b a r i a n Beat-'em-up Virgin Interactive RoboCop F P S T i t u s I n t e r a c t i v e

F 1 2 0 0 2 Racing sim E A Rocky Boxing sim Rage

Frequency Rhythm action S C E E Scooby-Doo: Night Of 100 Frights P l a t f o r m e r THQ

Le Tour De France. Cycling Sim K o n a m i Star Wars Bounty Hunter Action/adventure A c t i v i s i o n

Medal Of Honor: Frontline F P S E A Superman: Shadow Of Apokolips A c t i o n / a d v e n t u r e Infogrames

Prisoner Of War Strategy C o d e m a s t e r s The Getaway Driving S C E E

Smash Court Tennis Pro Tournament Te n n i s s i m S C E E T h e Te r m i n a t o r A c t i o n Infogrames

Soldier Of Fortune: Gold F P S C o d e m a s t e r s TimeSplitters 2 F P S E i d o s

Star Trek Voyager: Elite Force F P S C o d e m a s t e r s X - M e n : N e x t D i m e n s i o n Beat-'em-up A c t i v i s i o n

V-Rally 3 Raliy Sim InfogramesG e n r e P u b l i s h e r

Ju tv G e n r e P u b l i s h e r A l i e n s ; C o l o n i a l M a r i n e s F P S E A

Armored Core 2: Another Age Mech fighter M e t r o 3 D Alpine Racer 3 Extreme sports S C E E

Freekstyle Extreme sports EA Sports Big A u t o M o d e l l i s t a A r c a d e r a c e r Capcom

Jimmy White's Cuebali Worid S n o o k e r s i m Virgin Interactive Batman: Dark Tomorrow A c t i o n K e m c o

Ulo & Stitch P l a t f o r m e r S C E E Big Mutha Truckers Driving Empire

Master Rallye Rally Sim M i c r o i d s Broken Sword: The Sleeping Dragon Adventure T B C

Men In Black 2:Alien Escape A c t i o n infogrames Bruce Lee: Quest Of The Dragon Beat-'em-up U n i v e r s a l I n t e r a c t i v e

Sven Goran Eriksson's World Cup Challenge F o o t b a l l s i m 3 D 0 C l u b F o o t b a l l F o o t b a l l s i m C o d e m a s t e r s

Sven Goran Eriksson's World Cup Manager Management sim 3 D 0 Dead To Rights A c t i o n S C E E

Tiny Toons Adventure P l a t f o r m e r Swing D e k a v o i c e A d v e n t u r e S C E E

TransWorld Surf Extreme sports Infogrames Devil May Cty 2 A c t i o n Capcom

Dragonkind A d v e n t u r e T B C

August G e n r e P u b l i s h e r 1 Dr Muto A d v e n t u r e Midway

Conflict: Desert Storm C o m b a t s i m S C i Ecks Vs Seve r F P S B a m ! E n t e r t a i n m e n t

C i r c u s M a x i m u s A r c a d e R a c e r THQ EverQuest Online Adventures R P G T B C

Endgame Ughtgun shooter Empire Falcone: Into The Maelstrom F P S Virgin InteractiveGravity Games Extreme sports Midway F u t u r a m a A d v e n t u r e S C i

6T Concept 2002: TolQ^o-Geneva Racing sim S C E E Gungrave A c t i o n S C E E

Gumball 3000 A r c a d e r a c e r S C i Hidden And Dangerous 2 A c t i o n Ta k e 2

Mat Hoffman's Pro BMX 2 Extreme sports A c t i v i s l o n Indiana Jones And The Emporer*s Tomb A c t i o n / a d v e n t u r e A c t i v i s i o n

Minority Report Action/adventure A c t i v i s i o n Inquisition A d v e n t u r e W a n a d o o

Premier Manager Management sim Infogrames Judge Dredd Vs Judge Death F P S T B C

Jurassic Park: Project Genesis Management sim Universal interactive

September G e n r e P u b l i s h e r 1 Kengo 11 Beat-'em-up Ubi Soft

Akira Psychoball P i n b a l l Infogrames Lara Croft Tomb Raider; The Angel Of Darkness Action/adventure E i d o s

Ape Escape 2 P l a t f o r m e r S C E E LMA Manager 2003 Management sim C o d e m a s t e r s

Coiin McRae Raliy 3 Rally sim C o d e m a s t e r s Lord Of The Rings A d v e n t u r e E A

F355 Challenge Racing sim S C E E M a l i c e P l a t f o r m e r S i e r r a

Formula One 2002 Racing Sim S C E E Mercedes Benz World Racing Driving T D K

Hitman 2: Silent Assassin A c t i o n / a d v e n t u r e E i d o s Mortal Kombat Deadly Alliance Beat-'em-up Midway

I r o n S t o r m F P S W a n a d o o Pillage R P G T B C

Kelly Slater's Pro Surfer Extreme sports A c t i v i s i o n P r i m a l A d v e n t u r e S C E E

Onimusha 2 A d v e n t u r e Capcom Ratchet & Clank P l a t f o r m e r S C E E

Pac-Man World 2 P l a t f o r m e r S C E E Rayman 3 P l a t f o r m e r Ubi Soft

Project ZERO A d v e n t u r e W a n a d o o Red Dead Revolver A d v e n t u r e Capcom

Reign Of Fire A c t i o n B a m ! E n t e r t a i n m e n t Return To Castle Wolfenstein F P S A c t i v i s i o n

Space Channel 5 v2 Rhythm action S C E E Robotech: Battlecry M e c h a c t i o n T D K

S t u n t m a n Driving Infogrames Run Uke Hell A c t i o n Interplay

S u m m o n e r 2 R P G THQ Sly Raccoon P l a t f o r m e r S C E E

Taz Wanted P l a t f o r m e r Infogrames SOCOM: US Navy SEALs C o m b a t s i m S C E E

Te k k e n 4 Beat-'em-up S C E E Sou l Ca l i bu r I I Beat-'em-up S C E E

The Thing A d v e n t u r e U n i v e r s a l I n t e r a c t i v e Spyro The Dragon 4 P l a t f o r m e r U n i v e r s a l I n t e r a c t i v e

This is Football 2003 F o o t b a l l s i m S C E E Starsky & Hutch Driving Empire

T O C A R a c e D r i v e r Racing Sim C o d e m a s t e r s Te n c h u I I I A d v e n t u r e A c t i v i s i o n

Turok Evolution F P S A c c l a i m T h e L o s t A d v e n t u r e T B C

Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 4 Extreme sports A c t i v i s i o n

lOctober G e n r e P u b l i s h e r 1 Total Immersion Racing Racing Sim Empire

B l a d e 2 A c t i o n / a d v e n t u r e A c t i v i s i o n Travis Pastrana's Pro MotoX Extreme sports A c t i v i s i o n

Dino Stalker Ughtgun shooter Capcom Tw i n C a l i b e r A c t i o n Rage

D i n o z P l a t f o r m e r P P G V e x x P l a t f o r m e r A c c l a i m

Freaky Flyers Flight action Midway Wolverine's Revenge A c t i o n A c t i v i s i o n

Jo Jo's Bizarre Adventure 5 A c t i o n / a d v e n t u r e Capcom World Rally Championship 2 Raliy Sim S C E E

Kingdom Hearts R P G S C E E W r e c k l e s s Driving A c t i v i s i o n

Ijeglon: Ijegend Of Excalibur Strategy Midway XIII F P S Ubi Soft

MX Superfly Extreme sports THQPride FC Beat-'em-up THQ *Game release dates are correct at the time of gomg to pre.

n n o E TU U R N T E D

This month's games werechosen by Jack Gleesonf r o m H e r t f o r d s h i r e .

' . 0 ^ II

1 . K I N G D O M H E A R T S"Square and Disney are sure tomal<e an excellent team."Release date: October

2 . RATCHET & CLANK"Insomniac makes fantasticplatformers, so this should be awicked addition to the genre."R e l e a s e d a t e : T B C

3 . C R A S H B A N D I C O O T 5"Previous Crash games areclassics. If this were to happen,it would be sure to follow suit."R e l e a s e d a t e : N / A

4 . J A K A N D D A X T E R 2"I want to know whats behindthat door In the first game!"R e l e a s e d a t e : N / A

5. LORD OF THE RINGS(BOOK VERSION)"I've read It the book, and thegame should be briliiant."Release date: N/A

6 . LORD OF THE R INGS(FILM VERSION)"If It stuck to the story line of thefilm, this would be pretty cool."R e l e a s e d a t e : T B C

7 . H N A L FA N TA S Y X"This will keep me occupied allthrough the summer holidays,"R e l e a s e d a t e : N o w

8 . R AY M A N 3"Roymon's my favouriteplatformer Nothing much willhave to change for the sequel,"R e l e a s e d a t e : T B C

9 . H N A L FA N TA S Y X I"Even more fantastic hack 'n'slash action for my PS2.R e l e a s e d a t e : N / A

1 0 . M R M O S K E E T OThis blood-sucking game looksvery Interesting..."R e l e a s e d a t e : O u t n o w

Y O U R G O !Drop us a line with the gamesyou can't wait for and and why,plus a photo of yourself and we'lldo the rest Most Wanted,Official PlayStation 2 Magazine,Future Publishing, 30 MonmouthStreet, Bath BAl 2BW,Email PS2®futurenet.co.uk

PlayStation.E 0!

5 E R EWIJbL-eT

Free Radical Design's time-trotting aliens are back in VmeSplitters 2. New screenshots and info follow... ENERK PREXIIELU■nUESPUTTERS WAS SO RIDICULOUSLY frantic, you had toremind yourself to blinl< Just to stop your eyeballs running down yourcheel<s. Thanks to its nitrous-injected gameplay, the original gamebuilt a reputation as one of the finest multiplayer games around andwas arguably PS2's best launch title. Having checked out the latestplayable code, it's clear that the first game was just a warning shot.

Due for release in September; TImeSplitters 2 places the sameemphasis on multiplayer carnage. No surprise, really given thedevelopment team at Free Radical Design includes alumni fromRare's N64 classic, GoldenEye. So what's new? Well, now you'll beable to play multiplayer games without split-screen by way of ani.Link cable. This will enable up to eight-player deathmatches - if youcan fit eight TVs, eight PS2s and eight people into one room, that Is.

The game is set across nine, chnonoiogically diverse episodes,including the Wild West. Visually, it retains the same highly stylised

look of the first outing but, this time around, the sparsely tenuredmaps have been replaced by huge, iushly-drawn environments, allfeaturing interactive elements and cheeky cinematic references. TTiecharacters also benefit from enhanced animation routines whichresult in much more impressive death sequences.

Elsewhere, things are as customisable than ever The excellentMapmaker function retums, but now you can now create single-player levels, too. Having obviously taken onboard criticisms of theoriginal's unengaging solo play. Free Radical is pouring plenty ofeffort into this aspect of the sequel. Ttie Story mode in TimeSplitters2 promises a much more involving adventure, with plot twists andshifting objectives adding Intrigue to the usual sci-fi plots.

With buckets of new special effects, more ludicrously over-sizedweapons and lashings of cartoon ultra-violence, all we need now arenew retinas and bionic trigger fingers. □ TC

'Head over to our E3 report for more on TimeSplitters 2. Hopefully.

Cant wait to get your mitts on a copy of T!meSplitters 2? Fancy winning a playable demo ofthe game monttis before release? Read on...

Eldos Is giving 50 readers ttie chance to win aTimeSplitters 2 playable demo! Ttiese uniquetreasures are exclusive to 0PS2 and cannot befound anywhere else on the planet. The demofeatures the gripping 'Oblask Dam, Siberia 1990'level of the as yet unreieased game and 50 of ourluckiest readers wiii get to see and piay it beforeanyone else! And trust us, this level rocks.

The rest of the population will have to waituntil this autumn when 0PS2 will exclusivelyfeature this playable demo on our cover DVD.

TTIE QUESTIONWhat company is developing TimeSplitters 2fA F r e e R a d i c a lB F r e e L u n c hC Free Nelson Ivlandela

H O W T O E N T E R1. Write your answer on a postcard and send toSplitters!, Official PlayStation 2 Magazine, FuturePublishing 30 t^onmouth Street, Bath BAl 2BW.2. Email us with the answer atPS2composefuturenetco.uk - remember to put'Splitters!' in the subject line3. You must include your name, address andphone number (including mobile If appiicablel.•For full competftlon rules, turn to page 144.

The game shifts along at an incredible lick,without showring even a hint of slowdown.

\ V X

n E NThis Is Football 2003 details revealed to 0PS2.

THE POPULAR FOOflY GAME series that has been described as across between a sim and an arcade titie, This Is Football, hasundergone a complete overhaul for the 2002/3 season. The StudioLondon team has ditched every element of the PSone title and builtan entirely new game that is PS2 from the ground up - this includesstadiums, animations, cut-scenes and gamepiay The developer isaiming to create one of the best-looking PS2 football titles on themarl<et and the game will attempt to assimilate elements of bothFIFA and Pro Evolution Soccer.

While visiting Studio iDndon, 0PS2 saw some of the new playeranimations demonstrated thnough a PS2 dev kit, Including heading,fouls, off-the-ball movement and goal celebrations. "We're particularlyproud of the players'facial animations,' enthuses Tony Racine,Producer of the game, 'We've gone as far as animating five fingers oneach hand, which definiteiy enhances the realism." We were unableto see the players actually taking part in a game, but the improvedmodels had advanced significantly from TIF 2002 - their faces wereamong the best we've seen in any PS2 football game to date.

The man in charge of making the game feel right Is Kevin Mason,Lead Designer He's adamant the new TIF will be the most playable of

R L L E Rthe series. "We've studied books and videos of numerous matches aswell as strategy manuals to make sure the teams behave properly,"he reveals "if a defender makes a run, a midfielder will drop back tofill the gap and the fonwards will make better moves Into the box."

TiF2003 will allow players to build their own squad from aselection of 15,000 players and to take part in even morecompetitions than previously possible. New leagues Include the J-L^ague, K-League, MLS, Brazilian and Argentinian leagues. Anotherexciting element Is the revamped Career mode. Starting out as aschool team, you can progress to league football and eventuallyto the top of the Premiership, with the ultimate aim being toreach the final of the Champions League.

interestingly, Racine hinted to 0PS2 that TiF 2003 willfeatutB "some online elements" and HDD support:, which willsignificantly reduce loading times as well as provide additionalmemory space for saving teams and tournaments TiF 2003looks like It may be able to hold its own against Pro Evo 2 andFIFA when It's released later this year GW

'Studio London's TIF 2003 Is out this autumn through SCEE

new album out 17 juneincludes the single 'she loves me nof

"A FOUtiVlEMORYOF BADLY SUNGSEA SHANTIES,W AT E R E D - D O W NR U M A N D L I M BA M P U TAT I O N S . "

CHARACTER ASS, PG 057

See the first shots of the weather effects in Colin McRae Rally 3.NEVER HAVE WE BEEN SO excited by the prospect of rain - or more accurately, byadvanced raindrop physics and proprietary water 'smearing' engines. The shots here arefrom the eagerly awaited Colin McRae Rally 3, showcasing the extraordinary weathereffects that have been implemented in the game. And It's not just simulated cloudburststhat will obscure the driver's view, but also sieet, snow and mist Codemasters Isconfident that its meteorological mastery Is unsurpassed on PS2, and that it enhancesthe piayabliity and defines new levels of tsaiism for the rally genre. On this evidence, wemight be inclined to agree, n DE

*Colin McRae Rally 3 is scheduled for release in September 2002.

□E R D C E R T F R D i n T K QWrestling, morphing suits and gore - Spy checks out THQ's forthcoming PS2 offerings.

THQ HAS ANNOUNCED THREE new games forPlayStation 2, all scheduled for release in early 2003. Theyhead a strong line-up for THQ, coming hot on the heels of arecent licensing agreement with Marvel to make gamesbased on comic books such as The Puntsher, CaptainAmerica and Nick Fury, and a deal with Disney Interactiveand Pixar Animation Studios to produce PS2 versions offorthcoming flicks Finding Nemo, The Incredlbles and Cars

WORLD WRESTUNG CRUSH HOURPACIFIC COAST POWER & UGHTAfter extensive speculation that THQ would announce aPS2 sequel to WWF Smacl<Downl 'Just Bring It!', this racingthemed wrestling title comes as quite a surprise. CrushHour takes 20 WWF stars out of the ring and plonks them ina totally new arena - super car combat. - with eachwrestler in charge of his own specially tailored vehicle (theRock drives a speedster, for instance, while the Hardy Boysmuscle about in a tooied-up racer|. Battles take place in12 fully destructible levels, with commentary provided byWWFs very own Jim Ross. Wrestling cars and fighting Whoin their right mind could resist?

A L T E R E C H O

OUTRAGE GAMES

Developer of PC series Descent (the game most famous forbeing one of the first multi-directional 3D space shoot-'em-upsl. Outrage Is now attempting to bring pioneering design

and technology to the PS2. Alter Echo introduces reluctanthero Nevin, who has the ability to morph his special 'PolySuit' Into three differf;nt combat fonms: Melee mode, whichallows rapid movement and hand-to-hand combat,- Gunmode, which transforms Nevin into a huge giant with acannon and grenades; and Stealth mode, which makes theplayer Invisible to enemies. Nevin's unlikely enemy is theworld he is inhabiting - the actual surface of the planetspawns his adversaries, it's an original premise that willhopefully deliver quality gameplay.

EVIL DEAD: A RSTFUL OF BOOMSI1CKVis INTERACTIVEVIS has already made a name for itself with the tabloid-baiting State Of Emergency Now the Scottish developerlooks set to do the same again with a PS2 version of videonasty masterpiece. The Evil Dead Fully sanctioned by theoriginal creators Sam Raimi. Robert Tapert and BruceCampbell, players fill the interminably unlucky boots of Ash,the central character in The Evil Dead trilogy. Fans willnotice the trademark shovel, chainsaw, gatling gun and shotgun as A Fistfui Of Boomstick will try to encapsulate asmuch of the films' inherent black humour as possible.Undoubtedly building on the strength of its State OfEmergency engine, VIS is piling on the carnage with up to50 undeads on screen at once, all vying for gory slaughterAnd to think it all started on a shoestring budget raisedfrom Sam Raimi's hometown shopkeepers. □ GW

lie Rock inl is automobi le. '

The surreal delights

You may needa g r o w n - u pto help you..

I□H R R R C T E RR 5 5 H 5 5 1 N R T I I O NIn the last ever Character Assassination we design the ultimate anti-hero, the Nemesis of any trusty warrior. And, of course, it's made upof all those games that have committed a crime against PS2.

WORDS: GEORGE WALTER

r

CHARACTER ASSASSINATION #666

THE MOST EVIL PS2 NEMESIS EVER:! '

1. The head of 6 Bass from, youguessed it, Bass Strfte,, Quake atthe prospect of those (ilead eyespromising damp, unrertllttlngboredom and tfe accarnpanyingrank odour of pond wqed ,and, wefish. Six second irfiSmo^ doijld bea problem, mind. I

I Peter Pan's pixie boqts.:He mlgHt;beijust a little boy pt heart, but hii'pathetic mincing In those daft ;pointy boots still manages toarouse In us a nigh on pathologicalrage. An excellent! foCuS for hate.

3. A torso made out of some RobotWars reject Acts as a self-rightingmechanism should our Nemesisfall over The acrid smell of geekwafting from its titanium bodyworkwould dishearten any warrior

4. Baloo from Walt Disney's JungleBook Groove Party, a stupid fatbear with tendency to burst Intosong. You can't fight if your handsare clamped over you ears.

5. A cutlass from Pirates: TheLegend Of Black Kat Pirates makegood villains, but this sword servesas a foul memory of badly sungsea shanties, watered-down rumand unanaesthetlsed amputations.Yo ho noooooo!

6. Jonny ivtosely's skis from JonnyMose/y's Mad Tr^, Snowboarding iscool, ski-Ing is fori rich people withridiculous yeti bo^ts and no senseOf balance. And no-one. likes aposh show-off i ! I

7. Tarzan from Tqi on Ffeerlde'sfetid loin cloth. Irte feaij of catchinga glimpse of his'danglirigappendage mid-bbttle rememberPeter Beardsley's notorious fallout- is enough to send you packing.

8. An aerial and remote controlunit from RC Revenge Pro. Beingremote-controlled gives ourNemesis the propensity tomalfunction and embark on aneven more erratic rampage thanit had in mind.

9. Woody Woodpecker's beakThis could hammer-peck you towithin an Inch of your young life.Failing that, his hideous helium-pitched cackle could drive youcompletely insane.

10. Ljego figure hands from LegoRacers. Because all evil villainshave to have some kind of hideousdisfigurement. "Keep those evilyellow Lego claws away from me,you freak!"

' L ' ' ■ ' 7 / 7 - ^ ;

- V '^er decadent and

, V dang^oukworld of

' jgladiatorial combat. Described as an epic combat RPG, LucasArts givesyou Glodlatoi; point-and-click style...For Gladius. LucasArts has taken Its inspirationfrom the gladiatorial contests of ancient Romelor direct from the movie Gladiator- youdecide). Picking one of two featured characters- Ursula or Valens - you'll roam four regonsrecruiting and training wanlors to fight In 20different arenas. So Instead of becomingRussell Crowe, you are Oliver Reedt manager ofslabbers and gut-sltcers. rather than a fighteryourself. You'll encounter 100 different gladiator

types in the game, each of which can gainexperience and new combat moves - somecan even cast battle magic. There are also ove400 unique weapons, helmets and shields,polygonal 30 action and unfolding narrativesoffering around 36 hours of play Swords andsandals meet story and strategy, □ DE

•Gladius Is being developed by LucasArts anddue for release via Actmslon in spring 2003.

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M a -T i,|%k*4

"I've sneezed scarier things than you."Michelle Rodriguez and undead friends.

T H E C R N N I BResident Evil hits the silver screen and Milla JqTHE MOTHER OF ALL PS2 horrors finally makes it to the ?multiprex - and now, thanks to a sneak preview, 0PS2 canreveal whetheresident Evil does the game justice, orwhether it's Bol Hoskins in dungarees ail over again.

The film opws on an accident in The UmbrellaCorporation's test laboratory The Hive. Yes, you've gues d it- the T-Virus is out and there's no escape for the innocents

trapped deep underground. Melhile, in a mansion nearRaccoon City, a beautiful womanvovichl wakes up on thebathroom floor, suffering from amrlk and clad only in askimpy ffiower curtain. Soon enoiJle's joined by thegung-ho S.T.A.R.S team, including feisty tomboy Michelle

L R U N .|)vich hits some zombies. Buffed any good?Rodriguez, and together they stornUnbretla HQ for someanswers. Suffice to say 20 minutestfc there'smichscreamjgg shooting and njnning as the itjgues are set uponby peSiombie workers and the lab's evil computer If thissounds onlaguely familiar, it's because Resident Evil usesthe populaSeries as the basis for a new story, rather thanrehashing ffie game plotlines we're all familiar with.

The simple characters and gloomy tone are faithful to thespirit of the series, and the whole movie looks great, as doesthe neck-cracking gore and hard-shooting action. Traditionally,it's the puzzle-solving, interactive nature of videogames thatmake their incamations on Aim so weak Director Paul

Andn avoids this here, slapping on a Marilyn Mansongoes-techno soundtrack every time Milla turns into an a-.'.kicking nutcase to crank up the adrenaline. And it works

Resident Evil wotf win any Oscars, sure, but it's arguaone of the better gai| o film conversions we've seen.Whether you like it ojpt will depend on whether you wato see a conspiracy thriller or hordes of undead gettingblasted. Either way,t!|ances are you won't be venturing inan underground test! teboratory any time soon... Well, notwithout an ex\p|rmodel by your side. □ MW■Tiesident Evilrt/flcote 15, goes nationwide on 15 June.

T H E Ld P U E 5 T I I O N 0PS2 grills the videogames Industry's finest on a hot topic.

PEi s gettingIIie i)2psrWhich PS2 games have reallyraised the bar in their use ofthe console's power?

Gran Turismo 3, M And Baxterand Metal Gear Solid 2.

Gron Turismo 3 and Metal GearSolid 2 are the obvious choices.But I would also add NaughtyDog's technically superb Jak AndBaxter There are some amazingthings going on in there. And it'sa great game, too. I've yet tocomplete it, though!

Both Gran Turismo 3 and MetalGear Solid 2 did that recently,but I've seen several games indevelopment with Sony that lookmany times better Expect to seeThe Getaway and some of theseother games later In the year.

When do you think developerswill fully harness the maximumpotential of the PS2?

Perhaps another 18 months.

The next two years are going tobe really exciting on PS2. Peoplewill be surprised.

It will be a long while beforedevelopers max out the PS2.As projects become moreambitious, intricate game designswill require new technologiesto be explored and developed.We're still at an early stage intemis of understanding thepotential of the PS2.

How long will PS2 gamesquality continue to improve?

Right up until the arrival of PS3I

It will improve as long as thereare coders around the worldworking on the harelwane.

As long as developers remaincreative and don't become overlypower-hungiy. Better graphicsand music will only please thegamer for an hour, but give yourtitle some depth and fulfillinggameplay and that will keepthem coming back

W h a t a |I add-ons couldmake the PS2 even better?

A refrigerator - to keep mydrinks chilled and readilyaccessible during play

Personally, I'd pay good moneyfor a really decent car-qualitysteering wheel. Full leathergearstick and pedals - the lot

Not too far from where I'm sitting,a team is working on a gamethat's controlled using a cameraplugged into your PS2. Thistechnology opens up manyopportunities. It's as much funwatching people play as it isplaying yourself!

Do you think developersare getting the mostout of the PS2 yet?

(8 PlayStation.E

Shady Records Cousins EntertainmentInterscope Records Anermath Records Chrome Rumher Films Presents:

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THE PlayStation ^ INTERVIEW/ mCML MAGAZINE-UK

WORDS; GEORGE WALTER/PHOTOGRAPHY: NICK MOYLE

T ai - f - n i LUilliThis is the man responsibie for bringing WWII to life on PS2. We spoke to the Senior Producer atEA Los Angeles about his courageous ambitions for Medal Of Honor. Frontline.

C u r r i c u l u m V i t a e

Name: Tarmie WilliamsJob title: Senior ProducerDate of birth: 22/07/69Place of birth: Vancouver,C a n a d a

Gameography:1989: Distinctive SoftwareMiss/on Impossible1992 - 2000: ElectronicA r t s C a n a d aWhere In Time Is CarmenSandlego?, Need ForSpeed, NBA Uve '95,NBA Live '96. NBA Live '97,NBA Uve '98, Street SkSerRusMown, Street SkSer 2,V-Rally 2, Kessen2001 - now: ElectronicArts Los AngelesMedal of Honor: FrontlineHobbles: Movies,mountain biking, Internetsurfing, reading, whisl(eyFavourite film Directors:David Cronenberg, DavidLynch, James Cameron,Luc Besson, Ridley ScottF a v o u r i t e a u t h o r s :Neal Stephenson,David Brin, Jack Chalker,Roger Zelazny, RobertHeinlein, Orson ScottCard, JRR TolkienFavourite music: K&D,Mozart, Bartok, NineInch Nails, PWEI,Holly Cole, KMFDM,Rise Robots Rise, WilliamOtt)it, Paul OakenfoldFavourite people to thank:The MOH Team and theirvery understanding andpatient families.

I As one of the top creative mindsbehind MOH: Frontline, TarrnieWiUiams was charged withcreating a WWII scenario that

t has had as much impact on thegaming world as Sauing Private Ryan had on thefilm world. And with that film's Director, StevenSpielberg on board, his task was a little easier.

The finished product proves that a realisticWWII game is possible. It's an experience thatsoldiers who actually fought in the battle believeto be thrilling in both its intensity and loyalty tothe cause. 0PS2 met Williams two monthsbefore the release of MOH: Frontline to find outhow he felt the game's development had gone.

How did you originally get involved withthe Medal Of Honor games?I've been involved for about a year. 1 came inpart way through the production of MOH:Frontline Prior to that 1 was on NBA Live, NeedFor Speed and Kessen. The Executive ProducerRick Giolito knew they were a bit behind andcalled me in to see what I could do.

The MOH series has developed apassionate following. Why do you thinkit's strack such a chord with the public?World War II is a central part of history thatmost people have grown up with in one way oranother. It's very easy for people to get into, asthey can picture their grandfathers or otherrelatives they know who've fought in these kindof wars. It's more emotionally involving becauseit's real, because we're representing events thatactually did happen, in battles that did occur.

The first mission is really quite harrowing.Do you feel you have a responsibility toteach people about WWn as well ase n t e r t a i n t h e m ?

Definitely. One of the main themes we'repushing is that the game is a World War IIproduct. We have a quality level that we need toachieve in order to get people completelyimmersed in the experience. We want it tobe as acceptable as possible - wewouldn't call it accurate but we wouldcall it authentic. People have criticisedus for not having much blood in theproduct, but we felt that if we pandered tothe audiences and upped the gore factor,we'd lose a sense of what we were doing.

Have you had any feedback fromgenuine veterans?Some said that the

feelings the

>60 PlayStation.E

scenes evoke are pretty intense. Scott Langteau(Producer] received a number of letters fromveterans, talking about their experiences. Theteam is excited about being able to bring thoseexperiences forward to a new generation, doingit in a different way. Movies can tell a story butthe viewer is always the third party - withgames you actually get to be the protagonist andthus become more involved.

Steven Spielberg has had an influence inthe previous AIOH games. Did he haveany involvement in Frontline?He had some input at the beginning - less sothan in the previous two games. But he's alwaysaround and often drops by, gets a build of thegame to give feedback and then gets his sonMax in to give thoughts.

'It's emotionallyinvolving becauseit's real. We'rerepresenting eventsand bat t les thatactually happened"We recognise the Temple Of Doom'srunaway minecart...It's nice, but that's not actually his influence!

Did members of the development teamvisit any locations in preparation ?Our Art Director Dmitri Ellingson and his teamtravelled through Europe and took photographicrecords. They were looking for textures andgetting a sense of what the atmosphere was like.You can only get the feeling and smell of theplace and the taste of the air - all of thosethings that are hard to put into a videogame -if you've actually been there yourself.

How are the enemy troops smarter inM O H : F r o n t l i n e ?

We have enemies with different

aggression levels. You can come upagainst a group of Germans and some

of them \\t11 rush forward to grabcover positions, while others will

^ blend into the side and headback to the rear. The soldiersambush, guard machine gunnests and work together as a

MOH has every intentionto battle on a lot further.

team. If you shoot the gunner another soldierwill take over. Sometimes, when you've got thetwo forces facing-off, you can just sit and watchthem lob their grenades. The other side wiU thenpick them up and throw them back.

What's your favourite level or mission?I would say my favourite level is DestroyedArnheim - you fight alongside British troops todestroy the centre of Arnheim. The music forthat level is a very sad piece and you get asense of just how devastating war can be. Youcan see all the buildings that used to be thetown centre, and the walls of the people's homesare caved in. It's very poignant and intense.

Frontl ine introduced us to Private Barnes.Is he being groomed for greater things inmore MOH games?I can't really say in terms of detail. One of thethings we definitely want to do with the series iscontinue to add more characters to interact withand we are currently talking about adding moreemotional involvement and content. Somethingwe really strive for is to have a story where theplayer becomes as emotionally involved aspossible. As we move forward, the products thatwe'll be working on will hopefully create evenmore of a feeling of being immersed. World WarII is really about ground-level combat - you goout there and converse with the people you'refighting with. We will continue to introduce newcharacters and have them weave in and out ofthe story line.

How many more Medal Of Honor gamesdo you envisage?There's an awful lot of material to work from inWorid War II. I don't know if there's even a limiton what we could do there. I'm focusing on it indifferent ways. Tm looking at it from the wholeof Worid War 11 where there are many differenttheatres of operation, an awful lot of differentbattles. There are many stories to be told.

Are there any online considerations forfuture games?No, not officially. It is something that we wouldbe interested in though. 1 know as a gamer I'dlove to be able to play online and when I lookat it that way, I think it would be cool toincorporate an online team-based element.

Are you working on any other Medal OfHonor games at the moment?Well, 1 can't really go into any great detail aboutthat right now. But it would be safe to say thatw e a r e . , . □

^ r P In

Tarmie Williams swaithe war to rn ba t t lefieof WWII for the moretranquil environs of E

PlayStation E

W » i

F I R S T P U Y !

TENCHU I I IPUBUSHER; ACnVISrON/DEVELOPER: K2/D U E : T B C

m

AFTER HEARING NOTHING on thistitle for a year, 0PS2 discoveredsome Tenchu III game pods hidinground the corner of the Activisionstand - rather apt given thesteaithy nature of the title.

New gameplay additionsIncluded a head-to-head and cooperative TvKo-piayer mode, newstealth moves with Devil May Cry-style camera angles and much-improved visuals. Unique to PS2was the special stealth metercomplete nine stealth kills andyou're awarded a new combatmove. The game felt incredibly fluidwith 360" movement and slickanimation. While weather effectslike rain and lightning werecomplemented by heat haze onflames and reflective wet surfaces.

Tenchu III can be played withthree separate characters, eachwith their own route through theadventure. This game wins goriestPS2 moment with the 'play dead'move - self-impale yourself on asword and, once your opponent haspassed you off as a corpse, jump toyour feet and slit his throat Let'shope we don't have to wait another12 months for more news. □ GW

S a m - m a s t e r o fstealth - sneaks up onthe Tenchu III gamepods for a quick blast.

NEW MEIAL GEAR

METAL GEAR SOUD 2: SUBSTANCEPUBUSHER: KONAMI/DEVELOPER; KCE JPN/REULftSE: SPRING 2003 ■•"M V WH

PACKED WITH MORE extras than Ghondl, the double-slded Metal Gear Solid 2:Substance DVD will go some way to answer those who criticised MGS2 for having toomuch plot and not enough game with its focus firmly on action. Allow series creatorHideo Kojima to explain: "Please think of it as two games in one. It comes with SonsOf Liberty and then you have all of this other stuff. Alternate missions. Snake Tales,and VR Missions are inspired by Sons Of Liberty, but you don't have to play Sons OfLiberty to enjoy those other arenas."

The VR Missions are inspired updates of their PSone forebears and number agrin-inducing 200 in total. The gorgeous virtual arenas seem Inspired by Rez andthere are a number of playable characters to take through them, each of whomchange aspects of the tasks. Pick of the bunch that we saw? Snake sneaking througha blocky landscape while Godzilla-sized guards thundered around searching for him.

The 100 Alternative Missions use locations from Sons Of Liberty but weave newmission objectives, weapons and character options around them. Snake wielding agrenade launcher in the Tanker level and Raiden dressed in the Ninja costumebattling guards with a sword were just two examples we saw. If that's not enough,there are the intriguing Snake's Tales. Kojima-san again: 'Tliese are for those peoplewho want more Snake, and are story-based. We have short ones, medium ones, longones. You'll see characters like Emma appear in one of the Snake Tales, but she couldbe there as someone else, such as Meryl. And you can go skateboarding."

Ah yes, the skateboarding Thanks to a spot of Konami cross title osmosis withthe upcoming Extreme Skateboarding, one mission will see you as Snake grindingand doing handplants around the Big Shell. Excited yet?

Add to this rumours of an interactive 'Making Of DVD to be bundled i la Wesker'sReport with Res/dent Evil Code: Veronica X and this could well end up being the mostprofoundly satisfying spin-off project In gaming history. So, Kojima-san, would it beuncharitable to ask about the next full MGS game, then? "I've been told not to talkabout Metal Gear Solid 3 before I left Japan so no comment."

Looking at how Substonce is shaping up, we think we can let that slide. This time.Next month Kojima talks exclusively to 0PS2. □ PF

B R E A K I N G N E W Sstraight from the show,0PS2 gets you the hottestand most up-to-dategaming news. More onthese titles next month.

0PS2 grabbed a brief exclusiveinterview with Sega AM2's top bodYli Suzuki. He all but admitted thata VF4 update entitled VIRTUAFIGHTER 4: EVOLUTION would becoming to PS2......The multlplayer RPG SIAR WARSGALAXIES, described In exalted

tones by PC magazines. Is nowslated for PS2 sometime In 2003.Oh yes......Cute world-building RPG sequelDARK CUXJD 2 was a late additionto Sony's stand. More on ttiis whenwe can work out what's going on......On 0 similar Japanese RPG tip.

mLD ARMS 3 has also beenrevealed for PS2 although aEuropean release Is unlikely......Eidos showed a video of FEAREFFECT: INFERNO. The series' coolgraphical look is enhanced on PS2and the adventure has apparently

1 tripled in length from PSone

S2 PlayStation S

AOne mission will seeyou as snake grinding anddoing handplants aroundthe big shell. Excited?/^

SEE METAL GEAR SOL/D 2: SUBSTANCE

LOOK WHO'S TOLKEiN

LORD OF THE RINGST H E T W O TO W E R SPUBLISHER; EA/OEVELOPER; STDRMFRONT/DUE; NOVEMBER

W I Z A R D N E m

H A R R YP O T T E R A N DTHE CHAMBEROF SECRETSPU8USHER: EA/DEVrLOPtR EA UK (CHERTSEYS T U D I O S / D U E ; 1 9 N O V E M B E R

( M S i U N E P L AY T I S T !

EVERQUESTO N U N EA D V E N T U R E SP U B U S H E R : S O N Y O N U N E E N T E R T A I N M E N T /D E V E L O P E R : S O N Y O N U N E E N T E R T A I N M E N T /R E L E A S E D A T E : M A R C H 2 0 0 3

EA'S RRST PS2 Harry Potter gamewas a surprise show at SCEE's pre-show press day. Taking in plotpoints from tlie bool< - whichcovers Harry's second year atHogwarts School - this third-person action game has also beenInspired by the upcoming WarnerBros film.

0PS2 had hands-on play of thefirst level which Involved Harry, Ronand Fred Weasley de-gnoming theWeazley's garden and confirmedthat a Quidditch level will also bein place. Much of the humourinjected into the novels by RowlingIs evident throughout: one spellbattle pits Harry against apossessed washing machine. PS2-owning muggles can take Harry fora spin this winter □ GW

George gets to grips withHarry's magic wand.

4

I t s

0PS2 SAW RPG Everquest OnlineAdventures played online in realtime with ten other players inSony's San Diego studios. Thegame's battle system has beenredesigned to complement the DualShock 2, and gameplay will offer20-minute quests, not the three-hour epics of the PC title. Everquestwhich only needs the NetworkAdaptor will be tested by SCEA thisAugust Players will buy a 'start up'disc and all further material will bestored on dedicated servers.Everquests Producer Ben Bellrevealed that SOE is looking atglobal servers that would allowgamers to play each other all overthe world. The online gaming battlestarts here - well, eventuallyD MG

F O U R - P L A Y F R O M B O N O

J A M E S B O N D0 0 7 :N I G H T H R EP U B L I S H E R ; E A / D E V E L O P E R : E U R O C O M /R E L E A S E D A T E : N O V E M B E R

FOLLOWING CLOSELY in thefootsteps of Agent Under Fire, thisIs an original story for the smoothsecret agent. However, a few set-pieces will complement theforthcoming Bond movie (also duefor release in November). A total of20 missions cover ten locationsincluding Austria, Tokyo, Paris andthe South Pacific, with drivingmissions breaking up the stealthyFPS action. Upgradeable gadgetty isa new feature and these devicescan be used in the four-player split-screen deathmatches. Q would beproud. □ SR

< ■ ^

THE TWO TOWERS is based on theforthcoming Lord Of The Rings film, butalso includes plenty of set-pieces fromThe Fellowship Of The Ring. Those whohave seen the footage of this action-packed adventure have been veryImpressed. You play as Aragom orLegolas and are pitched into massbattles armed with swords and flamingarrows. Combat is a cerebral cut aboveyour average hack 'n' slash, while thegraphics are breathtaking. What couldhave been a by-the-numbers beardy RPGis in fact shaping up to be an epic actiongame that should still be faithful enoughto satisfy hardened Tolkienites. Morenews on this RPG next issue. O SR

AlOTft not as beardy as theProducer's appearance suggests

.■I T 1113

...Among several PS2 gamesnetworked up on the show floor wasT R I B E S ; A E R I A L A S S A U L T. I t s n o tthe most instantly impressive FPS butacolytes of the PC series weresuitably impressed......Alpine Racer 3? TTiot game's nowc a l l e d D O W N H I U R A C E R N a m c o ' s

5 WELL AS giving US tne lowaown on MUi.- iuostonce, iiraeiiongslde colleague Shuyo Mirata to enthuse about ZOE 2, seqtie. He reveals that the game will be more expansive than thearth vs Mars war theme allowing for more varied locations. Ycow take on up to 100 enemies at once. There are new ballistian also grab enemies to use as missiles or shields, tear strudulidlngs to launch at your foe and even teleport. With Yoji Shliew mech designs and the Metal Gear graphics team going tonimations. ZOE 2 is lookine stunning, i 1 SR

F K S TP L A Y !

REDFACTION 2

AFTER SCEPS COMMITMENT tothe broadband revolution, StudioCamden's multlplayer nnilitaryshoot-'em-up will kickstart therollout. On a deathmatch playtestwith eight other participants(although a total of 16 can takepart) 0PS2 noticed that Hardwarehas kept gameplay very simple. Wewitnessed a series of militaryvehicles face-off In arenas andblow each other to pieces.

Weapon power Is upgradeablethrough the collection of power-ups that will be scattered aroundthe levels; the arsenal will rangefrom lasers to homing missiles.Hardware will be an online onlytitle and It's hoped that thefinished version wil l cither bebundled with the broadband unitor will be sold as a stand-alonegame at a low price point. ; : GW

Sam tries his hand at aspot of Hardware.

PICKING UP FIVE years after RedFaction left off, the I first-personshooter's sequel takes place onEarth, and once again the workersaren't happy with their lot. Theanswer? Go on the rampage withguns (15 different ones, to beprecise). First Impressions suggestthat the visuals have improved andthat the game moves a lotsmoother than before. Players cannow use two weapons at once anddrive vehicles - we commandeeredboth a hover flyer and a submarine.

Perhaps one of the biggestimprovements to the game Is theinclusion of a Four-player Split-screen mode for multlplayerblasting - this drew In the crowdsfor impromptu fragfests.Interestingly for those more athome with a PC-style of control.Volition has included full supportfor a USB mouse and keyboardsetup, □ GW

KONAMI USED E3 to announce that the bestselling horror adventure series Silent It'' fHill Is to return to PS2 next year. While no playable code was on offer, a trailerrevealed that the game will once again return to the dark, foreboding town of Silent]"Hill. This time, the title focuses on an as-yet unnamed female character. ■■'

Sporting blonde hair, a hooded top, an orange T-shirt and carrying the famousflashlight of the last title, the trailer showed her running around a macabre town ofrusty chainmail fences, walls with paint peeling off, tube trains and, of course, themost horrific monsters this side of the House Of Lords. One multi-limbed, facelesscreature was pictured leant over, eating the face off a non-player character.

0PS2 exclusively talked to Team Silent (expect the full Interview next issue) fromKCE Tokyo and while they remained tight-lipped over the game's story line, they didpromise a new level of fear, believing that the actual gameplay was not as scary asthe cut-scenes - this time around, expect gameplay to be as terrifying the FMVs.The team also revealed that they chose a female character, because they werelired of working (on a game) with middle-aged men." The game engine Is alsocompletely brand-new and that the in-game sound will continue to build on thebreathtaking Dolby 5.1 soundtrack ofSH2 - Sound Director AkiraYamaoka promises "somethingv e r y n e w , " ^

A fi n a l w o r d ? " W e ' d l i k e t o "offer a feeling of something thatcrawls or creeps into you..."e x p l a i n s g a m e D i r e c t o r iK a z u h i d e N a k a z a w a . D o n ' t tt u r n t h e l i g h t s b a c k o n ^ ' 5 ' ^ * /j u s t y e t . . . a M G ;■ 1 /

The makers of SH3 getexcited about their game.

F I R S T E V E R I j O O K ! f f fFREEDOM: THE BATTLE FOR 1U B E R T / I S L A N DPUIiUSHt.R EA/DtVF.lOHlR: 10 IMTIIWCnVE/til Jl DECEMBER

IN A SURPRISE announcement, this game - from themakers of Hitman 2 - appeared from nowhere and is

P already displaying real potential. Taking on thepremise that the Cold War never ended. Freedom■ L V >. presents a scenario in which the Soviets have

I W occupied New York, turning it into another West Bank.1 There's a great feel of post-apocalyptic anarchy asI y o u p l a y a r e s i s t a n c e l e a d e r a t t e m p t i n g t o

recruit a mob and stage an uprising by force.Gameplay-wlse, it's reminiscent of a next-gen

■ i _' Syphon Filter and. In places, resembles■ ; lH' MGS2. Simple squad deployment■ ' m e c h a n i c s a n d o p e n - e n d e d m i s s i o nI o b j e c t i v e s l o o k t o o f f e r r e a l

gameplay spice. More on this' A impressive new title very soon. CI SR

and stadium models in Codies' CLUBFOOTBALL are the best we've yetseen in a sports game. Gameplay IsIncomplete, but with Pro Evolution asa model, they're on the right track......Most disturbing PlayStation 2 gameof the show award goes to DAVEMIRRA'S XXX Nude bikers, peep

shows, profuse swearing andindividual boob physics made thisseem like a joke gone wrong. ExceptAcclaim obviously thinks that it'sgenuinely funny......Ttie surprise hit on the Actlvlslonstand was TRUE CRIME (right) billedby the developer as a mix of GW3

and Devil May Cry In an accuratelyrecreated Ljos Angeles. One brilliaittscene showed a vicious bar brawlwith fully destructible tables, chaiisand bar Could give The Getaway irun for Its money......RETURN TD CASTUWOLFENSIBN failed to impress the

064 PlayStation 2

/^Blasting through the aircourtesy of Jango^s handyjetpack is a certifiedgaming thriilA

SEE STAR WARS.- BOUNTY HUW7ER

B L A Z E O F G L O R Y

R E D D E A DR E V O LV E RPUBLISHER: CAPCOM/DEVELOPER; ANGELSTUDIOS/RELEASE: WIMTIR 2002

UNVEILED AT THE CapcomProducer Day in Los Angeles wasWild West action shooter Red DeadRevolver Paying homage to thedusty frontier styling of SergioLeone's classic spaghetti westernmovies, Red Deads all-actiongameplay is a mix ofstraightforward blasting and BountyHunter-style take 'em alive'elements. Besides gunflghting skills,the game offers the chance to hopon your horse to ride betweenlocations and indulge in deadlyhand- to-hand combat .

While freely admitting that theStory mode won't last that longProducer Ray Nakazato insistedthat the Four-Player Spllt-Screenand Co-Operative modes will keep

players hooked for months.While other details were

sketchy, Nakazatohinted that there will

be many unlockableelements to bediscovered andTime Crisis-stylepenalties for felling

civilians. Expect tohear much more on

Red Dead here in0PS2 very soon. □ AL

CONTRA INDICAnONS

C O N T R A :S H AT T E R E DS O L D I E R

an alien attack.a s i o n t h r e a t

capes to baCue manic

epower, a h(e s a w m u t a r

ding bosses,bra in creatuloze whenDhlne gun firther darker

the Contra team next issut

crowds due to a s/uggish fromrote, even thougii the Nazibashing was still enjoyable.Hopefully the developer wiil use thremaining development time tos m o o t h i t o u t

Majesco's BLOODRAYNE wasu n m i s s a b l e - t h e r e a t - l i f e v e r s i o n

C L O N E W A R S

STAR WARS: THE CLONE WARSDEVELOPER: PANDEMIC/LUCASARTS/PUBLISHER: ACTIVISION/RELEASE: OCTOBER

BEGINNING IN THE midst of the battle that forms the climax of Star Wars Episode 11and following the story of the ensuing 'clone wars', this is an impressive action/strategy title. You play as Anakin, Obi-Wan or Mace WIndu depending on the mission,and you get to pilot a series of impressive fighter planes, tanks and other craft. Theaction is explosive from the get-go and blasting the clone armies is deeply satisfying.The strategy element comes into play when you're required to deploy the rest of yoursquadron during battle. The Clone Wors looks to be another great addition to anincreasingly exciting LucasArts line-up. We'll have more next issue. □ SR

A F E W V r a R S E T H A N l O m

STAR WARS: BOUNTY HUNTERD E V E L O P E R : L U C A S A R T S / P U B U S H E R : A C T 1 V I S I 0 N / R E L E A S E : O C T O B E R

OUR RRST CHANCE to go hands-on with Jango Fett doesn't disappoint. BountyHunter is a fast-paced third-person action game exploring the grungier elements ofthe Star Wars universe as Jango goes in search of bounty - he can haul in thosecriminal scum dead or alive, although the latter pays more. Wielding dual blasters,grenades, a sniper rifle and a directional missile launcher, Jango pays no penalty forshooting civilians. The intuitive controls complement the no-nonsense gameplayand targeting two enemies simultaneously while blasting through the air courtesy ofJango's handy jetpack is a certified gaming thrill. With ILM on hand to flesh out thestory-advancing cinematics, expect excitement by the truckload. □ SR

■ ■ ■ ■ ■

E3 SHQUJSTdPPERS^ e w m o d e s i n c l u d e ^Six-Man Tag andSlobber Knocker// 4^ Wg

S E E S m C K D O m 4 ^

A L L N E W F O R P S 2

T H E S I M SPUBLISHER: EA, DEVELOPER: MAXIS/EDGEOF REAUTY/DUE: NOVEMBER

REJOICE! THE SIMS has finallymade It to PS2, with a full 3Dmakeover and brand-nevK gamemodes. You will still be able to playclassic open-ended Sims - createa person, build them a house, findthem a mate, see what happens -but now there's also the option ofgoal-based gameplay

Now you have to drag yourcharacter from gutter to glamourin the fastest possible time. You'lleven be able to compete or cooperate with a mate in Split-screenmode. The menus and interfacehave been adapted cleverly for theDual Shock 2, while we're alsopromised half a million possiblecharacter combinations and PS2-speciflc furniture (such as a strippoker table!) to add excitement tothe Sims' virtual lives, □ SR

RING THE CHANGES

S M A C K D O W N

THQ HAS ANNOUNCED theprovisionally titled World Wre<Enter ta inment SmackDown! 4Shut Your Mouth. The latest ocash cow wrestling games.SmackDown 4 will be releasealongside WWE Crush Hour (aarena based, car combat titlethe famous wrestlers in the diseats) and will have an updatiroster of World Wrestlingsuperstars including HollywooHulk Hogan, Stacy Keibler, DDl?ic Flair.

T h e s a m e ' s v i s u a l s a n n e ; ) i

e n a c t s , w n i i ehave been extightened. Soiwe played intCaptain Fail Tand Slobber Iof which are iwill also be pnew Superstawell as doublim o v e s , a r e i n

A L L - N E W G I A

GRAND THEFT AUTO: VICE CITYPUBUSHER: TAKE 2/DEVELOPER: ROCKSIAR/RELEASE DATE: NOVEMBER 2002

ROCKSTAR HAS FINALLY confirmed Grand Theft AutO: Vice City, but all thedeveloper has released is a cartoon strip of GTA3-style artwork (featuringspeedboats, helicopters, bikinl-clad ladies and a couple of expensive cars) andsome sunset photography with the GTA.VC logo. 0PS2 can also confirm that this isa brand-new game, not the rumoured add-on pack. In development since GTA3was finished back in November 2001, the new title is set in an imaginary city basedon Miami in the Eighties [Miami Vice? - Ed). Rockstar President Sam Houserrevealed the vibe is glamour, power and corruption," and that we'll be runningaround a newly-built city featuring all-new characters, vehicles and weapons. Moreinfo will be revealed this June. The countdown begins now. □ IVIG

PS2 ONUNE GOES UVE

SONY ONUNE ANNOUNCEMENTThe news we've all been waiting for is revealed at Sony Computer1 waitingEntertainments's press conference.

THE DAY BEFORE E3, SCE America and SCE Europe held an impressive pressconference, the primary focus of this was to release their online plans. The NetworkAdaptor is still slated for a 27 August release in the US at $39.99 and the package isset to include an Ethernet Adaptor and a 56k Modem. Users will be able to choosetheir own ISR and the start-up disc will contain demos of Madden NFL 2003,Frequency, Tribes: Aeriai Assauit and T/meSp/itters 2. Other online games planned forUS release in the autumn include SOCOM: US Navy SEALjs, Twisted Metai: Oniine, TonyHawk's Pro Skater 4, Auto Modeiiista and a slew of Sega Sports titles. FFXi, EverquestOniine Adventures, Star Wars Gaiaxies and Resident Evil Oniine are due to follow in2003. SCEA celebrated by holding a game of Madden NFL 2003 between a livepart:icipant at the presentation and an opponent situated in Florida, with commentaryvia satellite by John Madden himself

SCE Europe's online strategy, however, is less clear A November launch istentatively scheduled, but in the UK we may be offered a Broadband Unit (containingthe 40GB Hard Disc Drive and Ethernet Adaptor but not an Analog Modem) insteadof the Network Adaptor, at an estimated price of £120. The UK's online game line-upshould be much the same as the impressive roster announced forthe States.

Much more online news next issue. □ SR

...0PS2 hooked up with MR T for aone-to-one chat and discovered thathe Is the nicest hardman in theworld He even let us wearsome of

flying in real life, too.

-PS Extreme Magazine

The only In fhe K tfng gameMake a career out of pulling offt "irrtoiit Jnsane iQline4 it$ ever,

t ^ n r t K i n ^ i i > l 4 i c i n a n w * « i t l i a r n a > f a ^ _

N I N T e N D 0C 5 A M E C U B E . X O O X ^ E B D y A E ^ ^ i W C E

w w w . a c c l a i m . c a m

laim ® & 151200? Acclaim Entertainment Ltd. All Rights Reserved. All Rights Reserved, PlayStation and the PlayStation logos are registered trademarks ofIt Inc. Micro5|((box and the Xbox logos ate either registered trademarks or trademarks ot Microsoft Corporation in the U.S. and /or in other countries andn Microsoft. Tt^. ® and the Nintendo GameCube logo are trademarks of Nintendo. © 2002 Nintendo,

ysust ciff your giant sword! Break out the shotguns! And get ready toWiet-juggle marionettes to a rawl( soundtrack! Yes, Devi/ May Cry israck with new weapons, new characters and a new city to explore.0PS2 talked to Devil May Cry 2 Producer Tsuyoshi Tanaka about thereturn of Dante and his all-new 'bad-ass attitude'.

Having seen off the forces ofdarkness in the original DevilMay Cry, the most bad-assaction videogame hero ever isabou t to embark on an even

I more epic adventure. Half-demon, half-human private investigator Danteis back - and thanks to ten months o f i n tense

development from a brand-new team he'll beback with bigger guns, cooler looks, a wholehost of new moves and the smal l matter of a

new partner with whom to merrily raise hellonce again.

As the sequel to one of PlayStation 2's bestgames to date. Devil May Cry 2 has the enviabletask of pushing the system to its limits onceagain. 0PS2 tracked down game ProducerTsuyoshi Tanaka to Capcom's Osaka offices forthe low-down on one o f the PS2 's most

anticipated sequels. The stage is set for DevilMay Cry 2. Verily, it is time to rock.

IN -mE BEGINNINGOur adventure begins back in the summer of2001, when Capcom first started developmenton Devil May Cry 2. Intriguingly, original creatorMikami has bequeathed development of thesequel to Tanaka and an all-new team. "Noteam member worked on the original," confirmsTanaka. He assures us, however, that the gameis in more than competent hands - this is norehash of the first (or a superficial polish ofDMCs engine) but the new team is in constanttouch w i th the fi rs t DMC crew. "We are

communicating daily with the original team toshare the world settings and their developmentprocess," asserts Tanaka.

According to the Producer, the original DMCteam was just finishing its work when DMC2was started. Sadly, if understandably, Capcomis keeping quiet on what project the originalDMC team is beavering away on right now.However, Tanaka can reveal that DMC2 is set

to be released this winter, although he can'tconfirm whether that's worldwide or just Japan,

T T I E c n v O F T H E D A M N E DSo what's the game about? Much of Dante's newquest is still shrouded in mystery, but from thedetails Tanaka does reveal, it's more thanenough to get us excited about the possibilities."The game's story line has been built fromscratch, of course. This time, a whole city is yourplayground. You will have a much broader areato explore." So far, the game area is divided intotwo zones: the lower city and the upper city.

of the new ugliesDante has to takeout in DMC2.

//Hell be back with biggerguns, cooler looks, a host ofnew moves and the smallmatter of a new partner//

According to Tanaka, the former "looks like anold European town," with the upper cityfeaturing massive skyscrapers and ruins.Tanaka's team is aiming for much more varietyin the stage design overall as opposed to thesomewhat enclosed environs of the first game.So don't expect empty streets and alleyways;this town is going to be alive.

According to Capcom, the ruler of the citywill be Dante's chief nemesis in Devil MayCry 2, but his master plan - and full identity -will remain a secret for the time being. "Thischaracter is aiming to revive the demons onceagain," is all Tanaka will reveal at present. Withthe bigger game world comes a biggeradventure, too. "You will surely need more timeto complete the game than you did for theoriginal," assures the Producer. Great news forall those who felt that Dante's first outing wasa tad on the short side and proof of theseriousness with which the new team has takento its hellish task. 0

T H E Y S H O U L D H A V EA N T E D R E S S E D I NL A C K L E A T H E R . . . "hat do fans of the original Devil

Cry want in the new game?one thing to do. Ask them.%

), Dante's gonna get new weapons,new partner, a new city to runtout in and a new set of togs - butlat else? Tanaka Isn't talking justt so we headed to the spoolsrums of Survival Horror infoww.survlvalhorror.lnfol and askede most devoted disciples of theivillsh Dante what they wanted toe in the new game

:apcom should give us PALi m e r s a d e c e n t f u l l s c r e e n /)hz option."i m A n t S m i t h

think it's best for everyoneti-ish doesnt return. I meanle looked like Dante'sother, and it certainly looksle he had the hots for her!"EOrif [Craig Gllmore)

)evil May Cry 2 shoulda t u r e c h a r a c t e r s w e c a nay in different modes -e Sparda."mtegirl' fjesse C)

>MC2 should have severalission goals. This would addthe reply value. You couldive 'orb collecting challenge',leed challenge' etc"m A n t S m i t h

would like a Street Fighter-:que battle systemcorporated in parts of DMC2,:e v ere Dante comes up}se and personal with aiss and the camera swoopsa side view of both as theyigage in hand-to-handimbat - but in 3D of course!> 20 bo l locks ! "izarii' (Craig Glimorel

IDMC2, I'd like for Dante tot out more as opposed ton staying inside a castle allly long, ft gets boring after aiile. Have him crash up the^clubs or some otherylish' place. Get him outi Heeds some sun. At least h isir does, anyway.."mtegirl' (Jesse CI

d love to see Dante wieldingo swords in DMC2. Maybeme more custom weapons,e guns strapped to his arms,a grappling hook, to saveie on long vertical jumps."m A n t S m i t h

his time, give Dantee m a t e c l o t h e s . H a v e h i m5ssed in back lea ther ortter yet, a bear suit> At leastcompete with the Pandae seen in On imusha! Yeah! "ntegirl' (Jesse CI

MC2 should have a separatetry and not feature theemies from the first game...ain, like in Resident Evil 2."77 Ant Smith

g ups to head demon Sam Antith and ail the electric dwellers ofvivoi Horror Info, the best darnedloky games site in this world (andte possibly the nextlvisit, if you dare.

Dante d ishes ou tjustice with guna n d s w o r d(pictured) butexpect all-newweapons in thefinished game.

0 Probably the biggest addition to the sequelso far is a new playable character, who'll haveher own gameplay style and a story line thatdevelops separately from Dame's - imagine anexpanded take on Leon and Claire's scenariosin the PSone's Resident Evil 2. Capcom isn'tmaking the new character's identity public yet,but would divulge that she's a "new heroine,"leading 0PS2 to believe that Dante's businesspartner Trish is sitting this one out

In addition, Tanaka says we can expect atleast a couple of main, non-playable charactersto make an appearance, though they definitely

//He's a leaner, meanerDante, who has ditched hisgoth trenchcoat in favour ofa more streamlined get-up//

0 Play5tatlon,E

won't fight alongside Dante a la Onimusha 2."Devil May Cry is supposed to be a 'stylish'action game which requires you to hone yourskills so you feel like a cool guy," he says."You can't be helped by somebody." Fair point.

IF LOOKS COULD KILLWith the new development team comes awhole new look for our hero. 'ITiis time out, he'sa leaner, meaner Dante, who has ditched hisvelvet goth trenchcoat in favour of a morestreamlined get-up. But Dante's fashion senseisn't the only thing that's changed. For starters,this game's atmosphere's not going to be quiteas gloomy, "In the original DMQ there werequite a few dark areas," explains Tanaka. "Thistime, we are trying to make sure players caneasily recognise the player character, enemiesand items during the game. You will find DevilMay Cry 2 enjoyable even if you are justmoving around in the game world - it isvisually stunning."

Dante and his foes are also going to sportbetter animaUon - including Dante's new coatblowing in the wind - and Capcom ispromising significant enhancements."Backgrounds, character graphics, visual effects,player and enemy animation have all beenimproved," continues Tanaka, "We are creatingthe ultimate supreme action game which hasbeen improved in every possible way overthe original including gameplay, visuals,presentation and sound, yet succeeding inthe original's concept of a 'stylish' game,"

A random thought occurs. In theoriginal game, Dante was shown as a fanof motorbikes. Given the game's penchantfor branching off into other game genres(remember the underwater first-personshooter level or tiie Panzer Dragoon bit atthe end?) could Dante actually ride onein Devil May Cry 2? Even betier, couldhe ride one as part of the game a laJack Wade in Sega's PS2 Syphon Filterclone, Headhunter?

"ft is still under consideration,"admits Tanaka, enticingly, "We agree thatDante would look very cool fighting on amotorcycle!"

S t r e w t h !

N E W G A M E P L A Y.NEW DANGER"You will see a renewed Dante who isfull of bad-ass attitude," ensures anexcited Tanaka, "We expect gamersall over the world to challenge thiscool new game with their evencooler techniques controlling thisrenewed Dante character."

What techniques is Tanakatalking of? The Producer and hiscomrades are keeping the newabilities under wraps, though,revealing only that we can expect

Dante to have more than just a couple - andthat they'll have us just as gobsmacked as thefirst time we saw him 'juggle' bad guys with thebullets from his twin Ebony and Ivory guns."Dante will have some new abilities and the

game system will be modified around these."Tanaka does reveal that Dante's demon

form will be "more fierce and more flashy" thistime out, and that the game system will betailored to suit this, so expect much more thana mere cosmetic tweak.

"We won't make too many changes to thecombat system," he continues. "However, wewill tweak the camera placement to make thegameplay even more stress-free. You will beable to control Dante as you wish and will beable to execute his moves exactly as you want."

Again, good news and proof of the newteam's intent to eradicate the few things - theglitchy camera, the iffy game length - thatmarred the original game. But enough of thepast, what about the oh-so-cool arsenal?"There will, of course, be new weapons, plus acouple will be there from the original,"according to Tanaka. "These new weapons willadd a new dimension to the gameplay," headds mysteriously. Using more than twoweapons simultaneously (beyond Dante'strademark Ebony and Ivory pistols) is stillunder consideration, although, as Tanakareveals: "Depending on which weapon you use,you will be able to attack more than twoenemies at once this time around." The teamalso plans to let players switch weapons on thefly, without the pace-deadening use of a submenu as in the first game.

Will the orb system used to open doorsand purchase items in the original Devil MayCry game return? "We haven't determined thatyet," admits Tanaka. "Even if we do decide toincorporate the same feature, we will do so insuch a way that it won't hurt the game's coreelements of style and 'action'. We consider this

to be an action game rather than a puzzle-solving game. Devil May Cry is aU aboutenjoying action!"

The game's skyscrapers and buildingsaren't just pretty backdrops either - Dante willactually be able to fight on top of them,although whether he'll get to explore any ofthem remains secret (we'd have to guess thatyou will!). Also, given Dante's 'super jump'abihties of the first game, we can only hope thatDMC2 has him actually leaping from rooftop torooftop, maybe introducing a more platformyslant to the gameplay. Can we expect more newgameplay styles, too? "We are considering allkinds of cool ideas to make this game evenmore stylish. All we can say for now is that youwon't be disappointed. Stay tuned!"

THE BEST IS YET TO COMEAs of its world premiere at the E3 gamingexhibition, Devil May Cry 2 is only about 30percent complete, but, as you can see, it'salready looking incredible. It's a biggeradventure in every conceivable way - and whoknows, maybe this time we will actually get tosee our devilish friend cry. One thing's forsure: if it all comes together as Tanaka-sanplans, action gamers won't be the onesshedding tears this winter. □

tESIDENT D)EVILhis could have been a differentame with Raccoon City's Leonnd Claire rather than Dante

's hard to imagine Dante trailingIs foppish velvet trench coat in auddle of zombie brains, but that3uld easily have been the case ifMC creator Shinji MikamI had gotis way.

Before Devil May Cry's debut2000. the game started

svelopment baci< in 1999 asesident Evil 4, Capcom's iong-inning survival horror series had3buted on PSone and, underikami-san's watchful eye, hadlatured into a series ideal for theder PlayStation audience. Nowr)nsider the PS2's capabilities andsimilarly flim-friendiy, matureiming audience, and it's noirprise that Mikami's quest toinvent Resident Evil for PS2 startedlook something like Devil May Cry

a horrific, but far more accessibleime that the puzzle-basedmospherlcs that so define fiesi.

A year in development later ande game had moved so far away)m the Resi template that MikamiId his team decided to tr^ansformeir project lock, stock and twonoking .45s into Devil May Cry -w gameplay, new characters, newitting. No zombies. Justarionettes and giant scissors.

So what happened to the plot,laracters and Indeed game thatis to have been Resident Evil 4 onayStation 2? Well, the last Resimes to appear on PS2 were anihanced port of Code: Veronicaim the Dreamcast (OPS2#010,10) and the lacklustre gun game>sldent Evil Survivor 2 10PS2#018,101 and now that Resident Evil:S surprisingly been signed tontendo's Gamecube, it looks like;'ll never know - unless thethcoming Resident Evil Zero forimecube is that game. Sadly, ancluslvity deal means PS2 ownersII never get to play it

However, as regular readers ofy will know, Mikami's originalrvival horror series Is on its wayck to PS2 - and It's comingline. Announced last March,sident Evil Online is coming to2 soon, with a promo trailerowing all-new characters running)und a recognisable Raccoon City,lat will It be like? A minimum ofuals means a minimum of detailst speaking to 0PS2 back inJruary 2001, MikamI mused,nllne hortxir games] would haveich more freedom. Let's sayreral people join a game. Somely be skilled, some not, but thettern will always be different)t's the kind of world I want towide It'd be great to Incorporateleadset so you can call for back-- and also hear other players'eams when they die! Players?ht also lie, calling for help wheny're actually okay They couldp others that come along, lettingm take care of the problem!"

And until then? Until then we'll(e to 'suffer' the escapades ofite, his mysterious new partneri some of the most freneticneplay ever to grace a console.

And cue aMotrix-style leapto the nextbuilding... Vertigosu f fe re rs neednot apply.

El We're also getting some assistance from Mikami-san's staff,who were in charge of the event scenes and thebackgrounds. They're not directly working with us, but wecommunicate with them regularly, and they supplied a lot ofdata and information about the original game.

How has the experience been for you?It doesn't feel that much different Several people andcompanies are involved in putting together a magazine -there's the printers, writers, photographers and graphicdesigners, and so on, and the Editor coordinates all thesepeople. Working in game development there's programmers,designers and planners, and so on, instead. I have to createa good working environment that stimulates the teammembers and coordinate the group. In that respect, it'ssimilar - although, of course, the work itself is different

//'I read all 6,000 comment cardssent In by players, it was wor^ itto check wlietiier tiie coolnessc o n c e p t w a s o n t h e t r a c k ' ' / /

In the past, we've heard about Resident Evil sequelscenarios that have been scrapped. Can you elaboratemore on Devil May Cry Zs plot and its planning?The basic story was established pretty quickly this time, butwe're still working on the finer details, like Dante's dialogue.I can't go into specifics yet, but the boss will be differentDante's appearance has changed, too. We don't know if he'solder, but he's certainly more experienced and tougher. Helooks more mature and not so much of a smart-ass, but he'sstill wild at heart. The story is totally different, but relates tothe original in that it involves some of Sparda's back story.

What was the inspiration for DMCZs demons?Wew nt a mixture of Western and Eastern-looking demons.At first glance, they may seem Western-style, but if you lookcloser they're a unique blend. That's the concept we're after.We're still working on them, so they're not finalised yet Atthe moment, though, there are demons that are monkey-likeand eagle-hke. We'll have the different classes of demons, asin DAiC plus other individual ones for more variation.

So is the new boss a demon living among humans indisguise, or is he a human trj ing to summon thedemons with black magic?That's a really good question. Actually, your remark is prettyclose - so no comment!

The work of architect Antonio Gaudi was a biginfluence on DMCs castle. Were there architects or

buildings that influenced the sequel's environments?We're not looking into a particular architect's work this time.The game is set in a city and we don't want to make anyobvious references to a specific place. We've been usingvarious architecture books and magazines for inspiration.

Mikami said that creating DMCs 3D engine wasdifficult. How was the R&D experience this time?We originally thought we'd use the 3D engine from Mikami-san's team, but in the end it was only used for reference,because the programmers preferred to create their own. Onechallenge right now is with the resolution: we want it to bedouble that of the first game. But this uses more processingpower and causes slowdown, which I want to avoid becausethe pace of the gameplay needs to be maintained. Thenumber of polygons usable is also affected. It's an issue ofbalancing these things to achieve the effect I want

Combat is the focus of DMC. How are you creatingnew and better fighting moves?One of the game's new features is that Dante can now runalong walls while shooting, then leap off and do a flip inmid-air. It's not just something you see in a cut-scene - evenI can execute the move while playing it My goal is toinclude as many new features as I can, but it all dependson the development schedule.

You've mentioned that there will be a new playablefemale heroine. Can you elaborate more about herand how the gameplay experience with her will bedifferent to Dante?I can't mention her name. It's not fixed yet, but - whoknows? - it could be Trish. She'll have different weaponsand fighting styles, and her scenario will also be slightlydifferent Some stages are played as her and Dante, butthere are some unique areas dedicated just to her.

What kinds of new weapons will Dante be able touse to attack multiple enemies?I can't get into specifics yet The game is still only 30 percentcomplete, after all. It may be that he could hold a differentweapon in each hand - like a pistol and a machine gun, forexample - but it's going to take more time to finalise, firstI need to see how the action looks and what it feels like, interms of whether it's cool or not how the character movesand how it all sounds. Ultimately, I will include whatevernew elements it takes to make the experience of playing asDante as cool as possible. □

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SSnrtSS? 64 years old and afthou his comic book adventures areIn^ Jf !P ferrailed to reflect the appeal of this lastflSw Info mes' Shadow OfJ okolips, all that could change. 0PS2flew to New York to see ttie game running at pes' spiritual home, DC Comics.

//Goody two-tights

"Watch out! You're standing on Main Strcctr It's notexactly a wamimg you expect to hear as you exit a lilton the fifth floor. Then again, this is no ordinanoffice. brooding comic book skyline spans thelength of the lobby wall, while the asphalt-tintedcar|X!t is dotted with road markings. To the right, atthe end of Main Street, a receptionist sits at a desk adjacent to what

appears to be a perfectly proportioned nw)ftop water tower. And justaround the comer is Batman, standing proud, hands on hips. "We

had a Catwoman suit from the movie as well,'

or ultimate hero, youjust cant knoci(Superman's timingy/

our guide informs us matter of factly, "but therubber perished." Right. Some sanity and orderwould be welcome right about now. .And there,faster than a speeding cardboard cut out, wehappen upon Superman looking every bit theultimate boy samt.

Whether you think he's a goody two-tights or the ultimatesuperhero, the thing about Supennan is that you can't knock histiming. Nor can you ignore his longevity as an icon of popular culture;an era that he predates by a good 20 years. From Action Comics #1 in1938 to SmallviUe in 201)2, Supennan has been Earth's favourite alien.

inspiring over 60 years of comic b(K)k adventures as well as films, ■|'\-series, a musical and even public service shorts (remember Nick O'Teen anyrme?). However, to date, there's one medium in which evenClark Kent's alter ego has failed to make a lasting impression:videogames. All that's ab<iut to change w ith Supennan: Shadow OfApokolips. It's based on the highly stylised, Kmmy award winningWarner Bros cartoon ad%entures and developed (curiously enough)in Sheflield. The Man Of Steel from the home of steel, as it w ere.

With a phalanx of eager OC Comics suits joining the select groupof journalists gathered to see the game on its first proper publicviewing, it's likely that for Inlogrames' Senior Producer and lifelongSuperman fan, Rob Smith, this is one of the toughest audiences he'sever faced. And yet, unfazed, be talks the room through Shadow OfApokolips, and it quickly becomes clear w hy he's so calm. This isSuperman for people w ho know and love Supennan.

The third-person aetitm adventure effortlessly apes the Art Dea)style and proportitms of the cart<x)n series with bite-sized cut-scenesblending seamlessly with the playable levels (of which l.") arepromised). The first, set in the huge, open environment of the newLuthor Hydro Klectric Dam, is as good a place as any to see just bowsuper this Supennan is.

PlayStation B

Given Superman's humble, fictional ctilldhood inSmailviile its quite fitting tiiat his reai birth occurred In asimilarly low key American iocale. Legend has it that onehot sultry summer night in Cleveland, Ohio, in 1933, akid by the name of Jerry Siegel lay awake, the heatmaking it impossible for him to sleep. A fan of sciencefiction and newspaper comic strips (stand alone comicbooks didn't exist as a separate entity yet) Jerryconjured up a character from the future that possessedsuperhuman strength and powers. By the moming,Jerry was very excited by his creation. He shared itwith a good friend by the name of Joe Shuster andtogether, over the next year or so they fleshed out thecharacter. Early plans for him to be a villain werediscarded, and by the time Jerry's scripts and Joe'sdrawings had come together with a costume and aname, they were ready to try to sell their strip tonewspapers. However, their unique 'super* hero wasa little too radical for the Sunday funnies' and therejections began to pile up.

Around the same time, compilations of thesingle bar comic strips found in newspapers werebeginning to show that comic books were amarketable commodity. One of the companies setup to exploit this was one that would eventuallytake the initials of its long running title DetectiveComics to become DC Comics. DC was lookingfor original material for an anthology title, andon a tip-off from a newspaper syndicate editorwho saw potential in Siegel and Shuster's strip,it signed the pair for a 13-page story at a mere$10 per page. Superman - the first superhero- was born and became the first cover star of -issue one of Action Comics in June 1938. Thegolden age of comics had begun in earnestand DC Comics now owned a franchise thatwould spread to TV, fiim, a Broadway musicaliahemj and of course videogames. FromCleveland to legend via the news stand.

PlayStation 2 (

S T R I P T E A S EAce reporter Paul Fitz on the scene.

you want to savethe world, you wontbe able to just ploughin, both eyes blazing//

Nice boots Mr

Darksied, sir.

S It doesn't take X-ray vision to see that however the finished gameplays out over the distance, one thing that's going to defy reproach isthe control system. Using CD to launch off the ground coupled withan intuitive combination of the t\v'o analogue sticks to dictate height,speed and altitude, you could really believe a man can fly. Barrel

rolls, loops, midair switch backs; you can do thekit. And since you're Superman, flight not onlyfeels effortless but looks supernaturally graceful.It's a liberating experience.

But that's just the beginning. In the Damlevel you're required to rescue people scatteredaround the area while Interbots (Shadow Of

Apokolips' foot soldiers) do their best to stop you. With a radar-likerepresentation of Superman's hearing range, finding the strandedcivilians is a walk in the park. And when you discover the full rangeof tricks and attacks at Superman's disposal, defeating the Interbots ischild's play. You can drop to the groimd to deliver a seismicShockwave. You can spin like a g>Tosa)pe, knocking foes flying. ITienthere's heat visicm, a more explosive heat pulse, fire extinguishingsuper breath and breath blast. And let's not forget the X-ray vision toreveal the secrets that lie behind walls and locked doors. But possiblythe most satisfying of Supes' skills (after flight, naturally) is histremendous strength. Goofy as it may sound, it's a real blast pickingup an object 100 times your size to cTeate a bridge, or throwing itonto a distant fuel canister to destroy a unit of Interbots. The idea, asRob Smith explains, is that with any given problem or confrtmtationthere will be a number of ways to proceed. Wisely though, the gameisn't all about total freedom and omnipotence.

L E X A N D - m E C r i YWith all these superpowers you could be spoilt for choice in a battle,but there's a DC Comics-endorsed ctmstraint on Superman's power.As you may know, the Superman of the Warner Bros world is not aspowerful or invulnerable as his comic book incarnation. He requiresspecially created suits to work in inhospitable em ironments. With

challenging gameplay in mind the developers have interpreted thisas a superpower meter that drains away as you play. Of course, itreplenishes itself given time but if you want to save the world, youwon't be able to just plough in, both eyes blazing throughout. Giventhe Superman franchise's rich heritage of adventures and characters.

the plot promises to be as rich as the control system is intuitive.Frequent visitors to Metropolis won't be at all surprised to hear thatthe game's story follows Lex I.uthor's consuming desire to bringabout Superman's downfall. But how these plans involve fusiontechnology, the kidnap of Metropolis's finest scientists, and supervillains including Metallo, Parasite, and Livewire remain, for now, thesecret of the developers and the IX] Comics writers who co-authoredthe twisting plot.

MAN OF STEELImpressed by what he's seen, OPS2's roving reporter takes a leafout of Clark Kent's book and tracks down the game's own superman, Rob Smith, aka Senior Producer at Infogrames' SheffieldStudio, for the story behind the scoop.

Was it a dream for you to come to DC Comics?Oh my God! I was in heaven! A\'hen I came here for the first seminarthere were nearly fifty people in the room. I was listening to all thisstuff about characters I'd grown up with. It was like 1 know that..and that., and that!'

So you've loved Superman since forever basically?It sounds really pappy but it is a childhood dream to be workingon this franchise.

What, for you, is Supermaria key appeal?He's fantastic. His abilities go beyond those of his superpowers -there's such freedom with them, but there's also responsibility Ifyou had those powers, what would you do? ITie moral aspect ofSuperman's character, I think, is actually quite important. I like first-person shooters. I'm a huge Coumerstrike fan. Hut there's a niceelement in this game that makes you think about responsibility.You're constrained. Superman never kills. He takes out roboLs left,right and centre, but he doesn't kill. .4nd what some people wouldcall a constraint, I see as a way of developing a more original andinnovative game, and it's w orked really, really well.

What is it about the animated series that appealed to you?It was unbelievable. The production values on that series were just sodifferent from any other comic book-based cartoon. Seeing the

WELCOME TO METROPOLIS.0PS2 scoops the opposition and gives you the inside storyon some ofthe faces you may not know in Superman;Shadow Of Apokotips, and some juicy details on a few ofthose you do.

Both in te r io rs andexteriors are liuge.

A giimpse of Supes'' comic bool( taies.

Rescuing is just oniof Supes' many job

A N S E L A C H E NWith a taste for the scandalous and pure rumourrunning through her veins, Angeia Is the perfectgossip coiumnist for The Dally Planet Given her'iiberai' approach to truth in the news, she isntal»/ays Lois Lane's favourite coiieague. But viihatshe iacl(S In professionai scrupies, she morethan makes up for with charm and tenacity.Perhaps that's why she's also the anchor onMetrapo/ls Today, a 'news ilte' TV show.

P R O F E S S O R H A M I LT O NOne of Superman's closest friends and amultiple Nobei Prize winning one at thatAlmost single-handedly responsible for thetechnology that has made Metropoiis a truecity of the future, Hamiiton aiso InventedSuperman's speciailst suits that enabie theman of steel to work under the sea and inspace. The Prof is a true man of science,happier with equations and iabs than in thecompany of others.

I N S P E C TO R M A S S I E S AW Y E Riviaggle is one of f/letropoiis's top iawenforcement officers whose feariessleadership and habit of remaining in the thickof the action when others would retreat hasearned her the respect of her team andSuperman himseif. A worthy aiiy.

character actually come to life on screen with the really elegant ArtDeco styling was just fantastic.

What's been the biggest challenge in making the game?Making the technology do what we want it to do. Then making surethe gameplay works and that we have all Superman's abilities for theplayer to utilise. But technology can be a very dangerous thing if youfocus too much on it, so making the game fun is always important.We have also really concentrated on getting the look of the gameright and getting the plot and narrative working properly. Onceyou've sorted that lot out you've pretty much got a superhero gameto be proud of.

How hard was it to develop the control system you have now?It was actually quite a long process. When you think about it,Superman has quite a few powers. You can't develop controls forthem all at the same time, so it's kind of an evolutionary process. I'vegot to say, we're so pleased with flight in particular and how you canaccess various powers while you're doing it. The nice thing aboutSuperman is that he flies with grace. He's so used to doing it. It's anatural thing and that's reflected in the game.

Is there a creative tension between establishing a good narrativeand making the gameplay fly?To be honest, I've found the process quite easy. You've got a characterwith so many powers, so why bother trying to contrive somethingwhen you can use those along with the characters and scenarios togenerate the game for you?

Does the plot for Shadow Of Apokotips actually come from aparticular period in Superman's life?We've taken elements from the animated series that will work reallywell for us, specifically from a gameplay point of view. So we makereferences to Mannheim and the Mannheim warehouse. In theanimated series Mannheim has a very big relationship withDarksied, but we're not too concerned about that so we thought;'Well, we know that the animated series fans will understand thatpiece of continuity, so let's not bother explaining to people whomight not care, but utilise those characters and situations and buildanother plot around them.'

LEX LUTHORLex grew up in Ivletropoiis's Suicide Slumswith poor parents. Lex, however had abriiilant and ruthless mind. When his parentsdied in a suspicious car accident he used aninsurance poiicy to go to the iviassachusettsInstitute of Technology. Luther's Inventionsmade him a muiti-biliionaire. Bolstered bythe fact that Supes is loved and respectedfor who he Is, not for what he owns. Lex hasvowed to destroy him one way or another.

T H E PA R A S I T ERudy Jones was a petty criminai who, whileworking as a janitor at Metropoiis' S.TAR.laboratories, stoie an experimental biochemical. Caught red-handed bySuperman, Jones was exposed to the toxicgloop and was transformed Into an energyparasite. His touch absorbs the iife force ofany living being But when he absorbsenergy he aiso takes his victim's memoriesand strengths for a short whiie.

U V E W I R ESuper criminai Livewire was once LeslieWliils, a shock radio DJ. However, a freakaccident at a live broadcast during aviolent storm turned Wliils into a being ofpure electrical energy. Livewire can shootlightning bolts from her hands and eyes,and can travel through powerlines. A fullcharge levelled at the last son of Kryptoncould destroy him, so Superman does nottake the challenge she poses lightly.

AAETALLOMetalio is one of Lex Luther's projectsthat went horribly wrong When hitmanand mercenary John Corbin was caughtby Superman and sent to prison. Lexhelped him escape, then offered him abillion dollars to kill Superman. Thecatch? His brain would be transplantedInto an android body powered by a heartof Kryptonite. Naming himself IVietailo,Corbin has vowed to destroy Superman.

r :

0

PlayStation E

FASTER THAN A SPEEDING PIXELSuperman not only has several incarnations in comicbooks, he has them in videogames, too. Here's a selection.

1. SUPERMAN (Atari 2500,1979)is it a bird? Is it a plane? To be honest, |given the resolution, ifs pretty damned 'hard to tell.

2. SUPERMAN (Sega genesis, 1992)Supes suffers the indignity of having toorganise his fights around advertisingopportunities. The shame!

3, THE DEATH AND LIFE OFSUPERMAN (SNES. 1994)The last son of Krypton gets an actionmullet and goes all philosophical.Snap out of it, man!

4. SUPERMAN (N64,1998)Described by some as the worstgame on the N64, the Man Of Steei'sfingers were weii and truly burnt Ifstal^en four years for him to feelconfident on a console again.

5. SUPERMAN m (MSM, 1983)Arguably the best Supermon-reiatedgame was featured in the movieSuperman III. i obert Vaughan'sbaddie uses a videogame targettingsystem to peit Supes with missiies!

Superman targetsan In te rbo t d rone .

Is It a bird? No it's aPC monitor. Duh.

Super heroes?What super heroes?

SHOULD FEELI R E D . . .

^ 'There's freedomin having superpowers, but there'salso responsibility'V/

B Tell us about the super villain showdowns in Shadow OfApokolips. Who gets it first?We've got five boss lights running through the game. First you're upagainst the Interbots. After that you end up fighting the InterbotLeader. You then find out they're being controlled by Kanto,Darksieds master assa.ssin. Later you come up against a stack ofsuper villains fn)m the animated scries. The first is Li\fwire. (henyou move on to Parasite, and ultimately you fight Metallo. There's anice kind of circularity The game begins with a massive fightbetween Superman and Metallo and by (he end of the game you

fight Metallo again. It's a nice, tight plot.

Were there any of Superman's powers that youcou ldn ' t i nc lude?We've got pretty much every thing Superman can do.And you can use the derivative \ersions of hispowers. For example, we use the standard heat \ isionbut there's also a versi{)n called beat pulse. Every power the player

will want is in the game from the outset. There are no pick-ups.

Is it true that there's a Clark Kent level?It was actually a wish of mine. Superman is Clark Kent and it wasimportant to me to get Clark in the game because (here's that dualrelatiimship. We had to limit Superman's powers as Clark Ken(. I(would look stupid with him fl}'ing around so we changed thegameplay slightly so that Clark could walk around in a moreinvestigative role as a journalist. You've got to get to the bottom ofwhat Lex Luthor is up to. . nd you have to do that by soh ingpuzzles and problems. There's no combat as such, so it makes forquite a nice challenge.

Is there a desire to utilise PS2's online capabilities in the future?I'd love to see v\hat the Hard Disc Drive can do. Anything that givesthe player extra value is a gtK)d thing. You could have much biggerenvironments. You could use it in so many cool ways. It is exciting.

Superman's huge back catalogue of adventures must be a veryfertile source of inspiration. W hat's brewing back in theInfogrames Fortress of Solitude in Sheffield?I'd love to do a sequel. We've di.scussed three plots with DC andWarner Bn)s, and have such a great relationship with both partiesthat it makes sense to pursue them. The seccmd and third episodesare very rough, but there's something to work from and the firstgame can launch )ou into a sequel \ery easily. So things shouldevolve over one or (wo more games. At the moment you play asClark Kent and Superman, but it would be nice to broaden that toother characters like Supergirl

/Vnd as quickly as he arrived. Smith is gone. Off to as.sist someother member of the international journalistic community, nodoubt, before returning to Sheffield to see the game through toits release in October. But just before OPS2 leaves the alternatereality that is DC Comics and returns to the sidewalk with abump, an opportunity arises to ask Smith one more question.If you had to choose three super powers, what w ould they be?Flying has to be number one. I think most people would say that.Then strength as well. That'd be good. And lastly [giving it some realthought] probably ,X-ray \ision. For personal reasons!

Not everyone's motives can be as pure as Superman's! di

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PSIV

Frank Car ter ;Undercover copperand star of TheGetaway's recently-added second ac t .

Photographing 70 square miles of London forgangster sim The Getaway was just the firstchallenge for Team SoHo. The second was toactually make a game out of it. And the third

make people believe it was real...

I "It was difficult to explain to the management thatITie Getaway was going to be a year late," reflects Writer

I and Director Brendan McNamara. "It was never going tobe a particularly fun meeting. Luckily, everyone's stuckwith us for the ride." And what a ride it's proven to be.

I Starting way back in August 1999, McNamara and hisinternal SCEE development team had set itself an ambitious task - toaccurately recreate 70 square miles of central London for use in a filmicgangster crime simulation game. Following two different charactersthrough the crime-addled city streets, the plot would lead players into theseedy underworld of gangland London, and include encounters with theinfamous Triads, East End mobsters and the Yardies. Play would consist ofon-foot shooting and exploring, plus perilous car chases through thestreets of the capital. Of course, such huge plans would mean the gamewould require a lot of cash, a lot of manpower and a whole lot of time.

Unfortunately, no-one knew just how much time.

SOME BACK STORYThe story behind how Team SoHo (previously known as Studio London)achieved this has now become the stuff of deogame folklore. A dedicatedteam of artists set out with digital cameras and, quite literally took photosof every shop-front and building in their chosen area. These images were

then pasted onto the front of virtual structures identical in scaleto their real-life counterparts. Starting with Piccadilly Circus,they worked outwards until they reached Angel to the north,Lambeth Bridge to the south, Shoreditch to the east and HydePark to the west.

"Both SCEE and SCEA really liked the idea and vision ofThe Getaway' recalls McNamara, "Even from the verybeginning, with the first screenshots of Piccadilly Circus thatwe released, people really bought into the idea of constructinga large portion of London for a videogame." Ah yes. Thosescreenshots. The ones that looked, shall we say, too real: ashiny silver car driving past Starbucks and Pret-a-Manger. Thefamous neon advertising boards that adorn Piccadilly Circus,the Burger King and Dunkin' Donuts signs beneath. The gamesindustry was agasp - could these people really make a game

that played as good as those screenshots looked? Andwere they screenshots or mock-ups?

H E G E TA W AY:T I M E U N Ee Getaway willally hit the shelvess winter - so what'sen happening?

Early PSone titles Porsche Challengeand Rapid Racer are developed andreleased by SCEE The Internaldevelopment team behind these gameswill go on to become Team SoHo -recently renamed Team SoHo.

■ October 1996

Work begins on aDrrver-lnspiredPSone version ofTTie Getawoy witha team of justnine people

The decision is madet o m o v e T h e

Getaway from PSoneto PlayStation 2. Thedevelopment startsfrom scratch.

t B i n r

_ Aiigiist_1999__ OctobMl9

The then-Team SoHo make thedecision to set the game In photorealistic streets and buildings, whileresearch and development begins intothe facial animation technology thatwill be known as Talking Heads.

12 Play5tation,2

y/'To achieve the right level ofpersonality and atmosphere inthe game, we involved peoplefrom the film and TV indus^V/

ITiat was over two years ago. Since then, PlayStation 2 has seen thegraphical finesse of Cran Turismo 3:A-spec, Metal Gear Solid 2 and, moreimportantly, crime-based adventure Grand VieftAuto 3. Games that hadpromised so much but crucially delivered so much more. The PlayStation2 was now officially hot. Developers were walking it like they talked it andthe stage was finally built for a great game that combined the realism ofGran Turismo 3 and the gameplay of GTA3. Unfortunately, instead ofdoing just that. The Getaway suddenly made a swift handbrake turn andwent into hiding. Not to a grimy caravan on an allotment in Essex, but tothe fourth floor of SCEE's development studio complex in the heart ofSoho. With a lack of development updates, the rumours soon started. TheGetaway was cancelled. Those screenshots had been pre-rendered. Sonyhad pumped millions into a lost cause.

So had The Getaivay really gone AW'Of.? What happened to it?Well, quite a k)t actually.

TIME FOR A REVAMPCreating a game as vast as this needed time. Much more time. Morethan McNamara and his team had ever envisaged. Originally IheGetaway had been planned as a mission-based racer for the PScme, partlyinspired by Reflcctitms' mission-based car game Driver. Its focus was ondriving, with no on-foot element. At this time, the London level coveredonly 15 iiercent of the area now rendered in the PS2 verskm. When Driver2 came out in 2000 with the added option of getting out of the car andwalking, as well as driving, the team decided to shift attention to a morepowerful platform. As a result. The Getaway was rebuilt from scratch forPS2. It didn't use an existing game engine, it wasn't a port and all thetechnology used was specially developed by the coders. It's as pure a PS2videogame as you could expect to find.

"When we got hold of thePS2, we decided wewanted to c reate some

really extensive environments," explains McNamara. "It's difficult do that with only 4Mb of \ idet) RAM, which meant we had to find a way ofstreaming all those millkms of te.xtures in order to create realisticenvironments." ()nce this had been achieved, it became clear that withsuch an impressive game world, everything that inhabited it had to beequally realistic. After all, creating your location is onl\ the first stage.

"When we put our characters into the game they kxiked lifeless,'remembers McNamara. "Then we made the decision to scan real people'sfaces, bodies, expressions and movements in. They kxiked brilliant then,but still lacked life and personality." Something more was requirtxl.

It was at this stage that The Getaivay took a new direction. One thatadded the extra 12 mtmths of development time McNamara talks of. "lbachieve the right level of |)ersonahty and atmosphere, we involved peoplefrom the film and TV industry," says McNamara. Simon Wood, aProduction Designer, scouted for interior locations, while Katie Ellw(X)d asScript Writer assisted McNamara in the writing of a 7()-pagc script. A castof actors was also recruited to play the various characters in the game, amove that provided film production values. "A lot of people in the teamhave film sensibility and film aspirations, but they still love videogame's,McNamara explains. "I guess we asked the question, 'Can something bemore than a movie and more than a videogame - I don't know what youdcall that, but that's w hat we were trying to do."

It's well-documented that Team SoUo looked to such films as The LongGood Friday for inspiration. However, McNamara is keen to point out thatthey always wanted to create a *serious' game, as opposed to the morecomic styHngs of Guy Ritchie's L/xk St<Kk And Two Smoking Barrels. "TheGelatuav has been deliberately designed as an 18-certificate game, statesMcNamara. "Not just .so we could be gratuitous, but liecause it meant wecould tackle issues usually only reservedfor films." This means the game isgraphically violent, and, to paraphraseSimon Bates, 'contains sexualswear words.' Yes, tho.ieswear words.

■ . M a m

Anna Edwards (Yasmin)and Don Kembry (MarkHammond) are cast asv o i c e a c t o r s .

The first screenshots of thegame are released, showing aphoto-realistic car drivingaround an accurately realisedLondon street Jaws drop.Cynicism begins.

i March 2000 2 0 0 0

Main storyundergoes arewrite and ievei-deveiopmenttakes place.

^ May 2000

A 70-page screenplayis penned by BrendanMcNamara andKatie Ellwood. Morec h a r a c t e r s a r e c a s t .

A new motion-capture experiment pumultiple actors In any one scene. Ttiesystem uses magnetic fields, rather tlthe more traditional light sensors, tomake the process more flexible.

^auiy 2 0 0 0 _ Allgllst_i

PlayStation.2

Where i t a l lbegan;therevered mapThe Getaway

i-ii f team used toplan the game.

0 "We've tried to appeal to an older audience. Not justover-18s, but those outside the normal type of gamers.We'll be showing trailers at cinemas and I'm hopingpeople will see it and say, 'Wow, I'm going to buy that.'"

'But how does it feel to play?' you ask. Does it reallymatter that the game is advertised in the cinema, thatthe cut-scenes were acted out by real actors and if youdrive over Waterloo Bridge you can see the London Eyeexactly where it should be? Is The Getaway a case of styleover substance? More importantly are you i/i'//wonderingwhether the screenshots on this page are real?

CRUISING THE OlY STOEETSHappily, 0PS2 can confirm that those images are thereal deal. SitUng with Chun Wah Kong, 77ic Getaway's Lead

Designer, we watch as he loads up the game. The opening cut-scene begins. Two gangsters are sat in a car, bantenng about theirlatest criminal assignment. The pair's job is to kidnap the child ofMark Hammond, an ex-gangster trying to go straight. The actionthen cuts to Mark's wife Susie Hammond and their son as thetwo gangsters accost them, claiming to be detectives. Realisingtheir scam, Susie tries to grab her son and a shot rings out.Susie is wounded and the gangsters flee with the boy Markappears on the scene just in time to witness his son beingdriven off and his wife lying bleeding on the floor

From here, the player is instantly thrown into a cross-London chase to the gangsters' warehouse hideout south of

ACruise through Mayfair and youllpass Bentleys and Mercs; drivethrough Ea London and Capris andCortinas are the order of the day//the river. Following a direction cursor, we make our way across WaterlooBridge and take a hard left along the south bank of the Thames. WahKong asks how we're finding the handhng "A bit sensitive," is the answer,as we bounce our car off walls, lampposts and oncommg traffic

For gamers used to the more forgiving dri\'ing experience of GTA3, TheGetaway does take getting used to. At one point, the car flips over after anasty collision. "That's it," says Wah Kong, "You'll have to start again." Inthis level and in this game, you don't get a second chance. As weeventually master the controls, other subtleties outside the car pull you intoThe Getaway's gameworld. Pedestrians arc localised, for example. Drivethrough Chinatown and most people sport Oriental features, for instance.Even the type of vehicles reflect your current position. Cruise throughMayfair and you'll pass Bentleys and Mercs; drive through East Londonand Capris and Cortinas are the order of the day In total, 65 hcensedvehicle feature, among them a double-decker bus and a forklift truck.

On reaching the warehouse, Mark leaves the car - and we take conU-olof him in third-person view and enter the building Impressively, goingthrough the dixir cues no loading screen - we just walk straight in... andpromptly get shot. "Gamers will have to think about this game differently towhat they're used to," laughs Wah Kong. "You can't just walk in, guns

0PS2 reports for the first time on The Getaway.Javier Carrion, a Programmer on the game, isfeatured talking about the high ievei of detailbeing used for the cars and their physics.Again, our suppiied screenshots look highlyImpressive. Again, are they reai?

r i s t m a s 2 0 0 0

Sam Coates, Lead Artist, reveais the processes behind Team SoHo's diiigentm mapping of 20 square miles of central txindon in a presentation calied 'tjondon* Wasn't Built in A Day Content Acquisition For Levels In The Getawoy. Emphasis is

now placed on the fact that 40 percent of the gamepiay wiii take place out of thecar. Coates notes that pressure is high for his team to create a flagship PS2 title.'

I March 2001

B r e n d a n M c N a m a r aand his team aregiven a furtheryear to completeThe Getaway.

^October 2001

14 PlayStation.E

V

\

r e e

ABrendan McNamara (Director) Naresh HIrani [C£a--scenes) Chun Wah Ka|fl

Mad Designer! Ravinder Singh lArtf Katie EHwo# IScrlptwriterl 6. SimonWood(Production Manager! 7. Gavin Moore (Load. Anini<itor) Max Harvey (Mapper)

Andrew Hamilton (Designer) - Dominic Robillfart (Junior Designer)William Burdon (Lead Programmer) Sam Ciaifc (Lead Artist)

D O W N T H E P U BIt's for research purposes. Honest, guv.

In order to help the team live a little of The Getawaylifestyle, the team built themselves the pub Interiorthat features in the game - in their office, it comesas a quite shock when you walk through anunmarked door in their Soho-based developmentstudio to find a splt-and-sawdust East End boozerEverything's Intact, including nicotine-stainedwallpaper, obligatory pork scratchlngs, real beerpumps and bottled lager in the fridge. No wonder ThGetowoy was a year late - they were all in the pub..

b!azing. You need to think how you'd do it for real." Trying again, we use acombination of controls to tentatively check round the corner, beforejumping out and blowing away the first of the gangsters. It soon becomesapparent such stealthier tactics are essential to stay alive.

We take another hit and Mark begins to stagger. Part of his suit turnsred as blood oozes from a wound. Aiming now gets tougher as the injurysaps Mark's strength. "We don't use health bars," says Wah Kong "It helpspeople forget they're in a game." ITie interior of the warehouse looks andfeels authentic, with 'real' products stacked on pallets. Famous beer labelsnestle alongside well-known cigarette logos. It's indicative of the detailTeam SoHo has gone to and, incredibly, Wah Kong hopes to make thisbackground furniture destructible for the finished game.

After dispatching all the gangsters, you reach the office of East Endgang boss Charlie Jolson. As a cut-scene plays out, we learn that Jolson isusing Mark's son as a hostage in order to blackmail Mark into doing aseries of jobs. In the finished game, these will total 12 missions. A further12 will follow, playing from the perspective of policeman Frank Carter. Thefirst of these is potentially suicidal: do a hit against some of Mark's formergang members in a restaurant in Chinatown. For once, cut-scenes arewell-scripted, and never sound forced. The facial expressions add to theeffect, as does the tight lip-synching, courtesy of the Talking Headstechnology designed by the games Lead Animator, Gavin Moore.

Starting the game's first mission, and now a little more au fait with thecontrols, we take the opportunity to do some sightseeing - driving up thewrong side of Regent Street and donutting into Oxford Street, beforetaking the pavement route into the heart of Soho. "We're including aTourist mode in the finished game," reveals Wah Kong, "You'll be able to

take pictures of the landmarks." The team has also added a special TaxiDriver mode Pick up tourists, and in an inspired twist, take theunknowing passengers on the longest route between two destinations.

PA S S I O N A N D C O M M m V I E N TITiree years in development, a year overdue and little or no informationfiltering out about the game's progress has left much of the gaming presssceptical about The Getaway. But McNamara remains positive, "Therearen't any games on Xbox that look as good or feel as big as The Getawayon PS2. There aren't any other games that have a story that actuallymeans anything That's probably why the game's taken so long."

And from a technical perspective, the opportunities for expandingThe Getaway are numerous. "We have this huge digital asset," McNamarapoints out. "We've spent two years building technology and another yearworking on the gameplay," he says. "We're now making another gameusing the same tools we developed The Getaway with. It's actuallymore of a prequel than a sequel."

McNamara passion for the game is self-evident. "I'mvery proud of the team for talking and working forthree years," he concedes. "They could have bottled itmany times or the management could have said,'Enough's enough.' Now the game's finally close tocoming out and 1 think it lives up to something like 80percent of our original vision." McNamara pauses. "Mindyou, 1 don't think anybody will ever produce a videogamewith a similar scale to The Getaway. They'd be bloodystupid to attempt it anyway..□

M a r k H a m m o n d :He just couldn'tgo straigfrL..

0PS2 covers on The Getoway - andthose screenshots were reail We visitTeam SoHo to see the game runningNo out-of-car action yet but wewatch a selection of vehicles careeraround a photo-realistic London.

President of SCEE, Chris Deering tells0PS2, "The Getowoy could have been onthe market now, but so many ideas havecome along that will make it even betterit'll definitely be out way before next year"

i January 2002

PlayStation-E

•Play as the legendary Gitaroo Man and save the Planet from theclutches of the evil Gravlllian family!•10 colourfully unique stages, each with its own music including"reggae, rock, hip-hop, slow jams, techno, and morel"

•Musical Deathmatches and Harmonising Co-op play for up to 4-Playe•The Gitaroo is the weapon! Keep with the rhythm as you defeatenemies using extended guitar solos!

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Devastating tornado, lightning and meteor attacIncreased weapons, tactics and troops -even Elephant Cavalry!Command and control right dov^n to squad leve30 new stages including sieges, sea bsttlesa n d s t a m p c a e s

I, DYNASTY WARRIORS 3 and QITAROOMAN £AN are trademarks of KOEI Corporation and KOEI Co., Ltd. © 2001 KOE) Co., Ltd. All rights reserved.-Playstation-and the "PS" Family logo are registered trademarks of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc.THQ and the THQ logo are trademarks and/or registered trademarks of THQ Inc. All Rights Reserved. PlayStation, ^

n e x t m a n b z hin the august issue of

PlayStation®^' O F F I C I A L M A G A Z I N E - U K

rrs YOUR CHANCE TO STAR IN THE MOST OUTRAGEOUSMOVIE CAR CHASED EVER IMAI NED WITH OUR SUPERB

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» ALSO REVIEWED:GT CONCEPT 2002: TOKYO-GENEVASTAR TREK VOYAGER: ELIBLiORCE

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PlayStation

Play5tation.E/ OFFICIAL MAGAZINE-UK

The only game reviews worth readingiReviews CharterFA C T: O F F I C I A L P L AY S l X n O N 2 M A G A Z I N E Sreviews are the best in tine business. Our cracksquad of reviewers piay the games longer,harder and better than anyone eise - tal<e aiook at the screenshots in each review for proofRather than a few images from the first twoieveis or some replay footage, our review pagesshow we've played the games to bursting point.

It's this dedication that means you can trustour scores above anyone else's. Whether agame's superb or sewage, our experts will tell itlike it Is with buckets of opinion rather than afew cheap gags and some PR nonsense. Ourexperienced reviewers have written for the likesof Edge, DC-UK, Official PlayStation Magazine,Super Play, PSM2, PC Gamer, GamesMaster,ZZAPI, Gomes Radar, N64 and Sega Power soyou know these are opinions you can trust.

Next time you head off to spend your hard-earned cash on a PlayStation 2 game, makesure you read our reviews first.

Review RatingsHere's what our review scones stand fon

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hardcore fans of the genre5/10 An average game4/10 Poor, but still with the odd moment3/10 Extremely disappointing2 / 1 0 To b e a v o i d e d

1 / 1 0 B e e r m a t

The 0PS2 AwardsWe dont hand out high scores for nothing sowhen you see one of these, you'll know it's asign of quality. Ljook for them on game boxes.

[PlaySta jT ^ r yStatjgnjg ypia ation.g

v - R A L u r a • n t oStrap on your mudflaps and prep the navigator. It's time to go for a ride.

P R I S O N E R O F W A R 0 9 8Start whistling Colonel Bogey and prepare for a slice of good naturedWWII cat and mouse action as you try to outwit Fritz at every turn,

SOLDIER OF FORTUNE:GOLD EDITION....... .........102Banish all thoughts of the A-Team. This hardcore FPS takes noprisoners, and neither will you if you want to survive. Oh the humanity!

F 1 2 0 0 2 1 0 5Another year, another Formula One game. But will EA's latest be theonly one to buy this season?

Ilie Gold Awardis a rare gem andonly to be ^ven toPS2 games thatscore that magic10/10. The onlygame to get Goldis MGS2. Too right!

The Silver Awardis for games thatreceive 9/10, If yousee this, ft's a signof star quality,indicating that youshould buy thisgame now!

The Bronze Awardis for games thatscore 8/10. Thesegames are highlyrecommendedand are 100%guaranteed tosatisfy.

090 PlayStation.2

B R I T N E Y ' SD A N C E B E A T i 0 8Can you take your eyes off Britney long enough tobecome one of her dancers? Rhythm action fun.

H R E B I A D E 1 0 7

R A L L Y C H A M P I O N S H I P 1 1 0D A V I D B E C K H A M S O C C E R 1 1 1E V E R B L U E 1 1 3A R M Y M E N R T S 1 1 6H I G H H E AT M A J O R L E A G U EB A S E B A L L 2 0 0 3 1 1 7E S P N N B A 2 N I G H T 2 0 0 2 1 1 7

PS one ™The latest titles for the little grey fella

SKY SPORTS: FOOTBALL QUIZ SEASON 02 ...118U L O & S T I T C H ; T R O U B L £ I N P A R A D I S E 1 1 8

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m e d i a□ \ J D / I N T E R N E T / P R i N T / m U S C

D V D R E L E A S E SSpeed Special Edition/The Great Escape Special Edition/Harry Potter AndThe Philosopher's Stone/Basic Instinct/Brass Eye Series And Special/Rollerball/Legend Of The FIFA World CupD V D T O P 1 0 1 2 2The top ten sports films on DVD.

I N T E R V I E W 1 2 4British comic book publisher comJ< talks superheroes with 0PS2.

I N T E R N E T 1 2 4B O O K S / M A G A Z I N E S 1 2 5M U S I C 1 2 5

Introducing.ivieet the faces behind the rev

1

Tim ClarkO P S Z s b r a n d n e w O n l i n e E d i t o rTim liadnt even got his deskd e l i v e r e d w h e n w e a s k e d h i m t o

preview Circus Moximus That'llt e a c h h i m t o l o o k k e e n . B e f o r e

joining us, he was the WebEditor at gamertv. You may alsob e i n t e r e s t e d t o k n o w t h a t h i s

previous positions include a stintgrowing hairy palms in soft focusat Playboy TV.

G a m e s o f t h e m o n t h :"Ico. I'm trying to be a bit morehigh-brow with my gaming."Cant wart to piay: "AutoModellista Speed Freaks crossedwith The Fast <& The Furiousl"

— ^ ~ ~ i c m r r i E N D E D • •The games to get and the games we cant wait to get.

S t i l l p l a y i n g C a n t w a i t t o p l a y

B U R N O U T

OPS2#013, 8/10Frantic urban racingwttti bags of attitudeand an appetite for

T I M E S P L J T T E R S 2

Spy, page 054Arguably tiie bestmultipiayer FPS onthe PS2 is comingback for more. Vfes!

S T U N T M A N

Preview, page 016The innovative RjIIGuy tribute from themakers of Driver cantcome soon enough.

D E V I . M A Y C R T 2

Feature, page 068Dante the demonk i l i e r i s b a c k a n d w e

have ail the gorydetails for you.

PlayStation.E 091

V - R A U . Y 3

' r ? •: • • ' ' . y ■ . / " ' •

■ t m i m

V~Rally 3 is all about creating the ultimate rally experience, not chasing licences. Play it and you'll understand.■!36

Racing against the clock rapidly cranks up the tension.

B U M P A N D G R I N Dwhat's the damage? That depends on you.

One of the most remarkable features of V-Rally 3 is theway cars show damage not just externally, but alsointernally which can severely affect the handlingSmashing the headlights or losing the rear bumperwon't be cause for much grief, but collide badly with abank one time too many and you could be in a world oftrouble. Your steering might be damaged to the pointwhere the car permanently veers to the left. Your brakesmay also suffer You may even lose a wheel. But worst ofall, your transmission may break, leaving you with nochoice but to limp to the finish line in second gear...

092 PlayStation.E

3. Well at least the car's lighter 4. Four wheels good, three bad.

The key to success inV-Rolly 3 is to masterthe powerslide. Losingspeed is fatai.

Choosing the right setup on the snowy stages is cmciai if you're going to win. IVIuch time has been spent getting the game's iighting just right.

O u r t M m c u r i N t n t K i c o n 1 * c t t fi 9 d r i v v r s vm n r v a i c t r o u «

c » n « e t t t i a w « ' v « J t n d v v * m

t o o t f w u o u ■ t a » ( M » « k m w i t h o u <

r « « m S t a t t w t k - *

; , , J ^ . 'R « l i « b M l t U

111.IJ

X L U • > ? - I •

X a < A S A C K

D G N T I T Y N A T » > J A L I T Y L O O K O K O e W T T T Y

Before you get to race you'ii need a contract. Biacl(, white, ginger or blond. You choose your driver's look. There are no women though...

U U H D E G D N N R D R N E H D U H D n i EThose all-important car choices in full.

1 . 6 U T R E F R O r n - W H E E L D R I V E C H A M P I O N S H I P C A R S

1. CItraen Saxo"" 2. Fiat Punto 3. Ford Puma 4. Peugeot 206 5. Renault Clio 6. Opel Corsa ' 7. Volkswagen Poib 8. Rover MG2R2 . 0 U T R E F O U R W H E E L D R I V E C H A M P I O N S H I P C A R S

1. Peugeot 206 2. Subaru Impreza 3. Ford Focus 4. Mitsubishi Lancer Eve VII 5. CitroSn Xsara 6. Hyundai Accent 7. Toyota Corolla 8. Seat Cordoba

Publisher InfogramesDeve loperE d e n S t u d i o sP r i c e : £ 4 4 . 9 9Players: 1-4 (eachplayer racing in turn)O u t N o wW e b s i t e :

vwvw.v-rally.coni6 0 H z : N oW i d e s c r e e n : N oS u r r o u n d s o u n d ; N o

Back storyV-Rally came to PSone in1997 at a t ime wi ien theconsole needed a goodrally titie It delivered v»itii itsm i x t u r e o f h a r d c o r e a n darcade modes and pavedthe way for the likes ofColin McRae Rally. 1999'sV-Rolly 2 continued thetrend with more tracks anda track editor As in theprevious instalment,competitors still raced oneanother rather than tryingto bea t each o ther ' s t imesindividually

What do you look for when you'replaying a ganne? Are you after a taxingchallenge that ups the pleasureprinciple by making you sweat for

victory, or is instantly accessible fun the order ofthe day, every day? These are questions you maywant to ask yourself before you get behind thewheel of Infogrames' V-Rolly 3. The respected rallyfranchise has evolved In the wake of the superblyrealistic World Rally Championship, dispensing withthe populist Arcade mode - a feature of the earliertitles. In its place, there at? fewer tracks withgreater graphical detail and an exhaustive Careermode that will, on occasion, feel more 9-to-5 than95mph. But as with all challenges, the harder theclimb, the sweeter the view when you reach thesummit, so maybe the real question should be,'how badly do you want to win?'

On the surface, rallying seems a relativelyImpersonal form of competition - after all, youdont actually 'race' anyone. At least not in theneck-to-necK jostling for position, overtaking onthe last corner kind of way. The fact of the matteris that rallying Is about as personal as a sport canget Think about it. Without other competitors onthe course to blame for spin-offs, prangs and life-threatening cut-ups, rally driving removes thesporting safety net of diminished responsibility Inthe face of failure. If you don't come first there's

//The Career mode is apunishing, sometimesinfuriating journey froms e a s o n t o s e a s o n / /

nobody to blame but yourself. To put It anotherway, rallying bolls down to arguably the purest testof driving skill there Is. No excuses.

With Codemasters yet to unleash Colin McRae3.0, SCEE's young buck. World Rally Championship,currently reigns supreme on the PS2 rally scene.Part of Its success comes down to the obviouscoup of boasting the official licence and all theattendant benefits this provides in tenTis of reality- the right drivers, teams, stages and cars. Andhowever good it Is, V-Rally 3 cannot make thesame c la im.

START YOUR ENGINESBut if you were expecting that fact to take the airout of Infogrames' radials you'd be mistaken.Instead, the developers at Eden Studios have puttheir hearts and souls into forging a Career modeto be reckoned with - a punishing sometimesinfuriating but never less than Involving Journeyfrom season to season and, with perseverance andskill, from manufacturer to manufacturer.

The Career |or V-Rally) mode starts in adeceptively sedate manner by letting you create adriver profile from a set of biographical details. Youcan even give your man a look of his own with aselect ion of face/hair combinat ions. With th is

done, you're then presented with a contextualisedcareer menu in the shape of an office deskcomplete with PC, Palm Pilot-style PDA and a pairof files. The first is a scrapbook of your finestmoments and the other; a more scientific affaircharting your progress lor othenA/ise) through therallying ranks.

The season starts with you as a rookie. Inorder to race, you're going to have to get acontract so It's off to the PC to check your emailsfor test drive offers. These come with usefulgauges showing the team/manufacturer's currentmorale, funding reliability and so on, anddepending on who you try out for you'll have avarying number of chances to impress the suitsin hospitality.

True to the game's handcore approach to thesport, the test drive time trials themselves are notjust a mere formality, they serve as a finestatement of the developer's attention to detail. Somuch for the sedate beginning Take the Citroentest drive for Instance. The stage is a particularlynarttjw and serpentine course weaving throughtiny French villages and edging impressive coastal 0

PlayStation.E

/ R O O M W I T H A V I E WRally 3 allows you to view your"Ogress in five different ways,hich is tlie best for you?

. C i i a s e C a mealism level: Lxiw (unless aslicopter's flying very low),ras: The classic driving view wflthgood sense of car's position onle t rack .ons: The sense of speed Is3mpromlsed a little.

Chase Cam (Elevated)ealism ievei: Marginally betteran regular chase cam.■OS: The best possible view of the)urse ahead by far.ons: Again, the sense of speedn't as good.

First-Person (Bonnet): a l i s m l e v e l : G o o d

OS: The bonnet in view makes you;l part of the car as It bombsDund.)ns: Damage the bonnet and ituld start flapping In your face

First-Person (Bumper)jaiism level: Low, but who cares?' o s : T h e m o s t I m m e d i a t e v i e w

/ing a great sense of headiongloclty.jns: The low angle makes itirder to see what's up ahead.

You know, if there wasn't so mucli to do it'd be great to partake in a spot of sightseeing.

See where you wenthideously wrong on aprevious run as you followthe ghost car

El vistas, and the time allowed to complete thistortuous run is far from generous.

Then you start driving. Now, nobody wouldclaim that WRC handles like an arcade racerNevertheless, it was possible to keep your foot' onthe accelerator throughout certain stages with onlyoccasional taps of the brakes Not with V-Rally 3.Fail to respect the laws of physics (particularly thatone covering speeding objects and theirreluctance to stay centred when stopped suddenly)and you will crash. Again, and again. And given theway your car accrues performance-debilitatingdamage, you really dont want to do that. If youthink negotiating a breathtakingly tight hairpin atspeed Is tough, tiy doing it with a bent axle andshot brake pads. Yes, here's a racing game wherethe outward appearance of damage and wearreally affects the handling

A GRIP ON THE COMPETITIONGetting used to V-Rally 3's exacting handling is areal challenge. But the flipside of this is that justwinning a contract can make you feel like you'vealready driven a long demanding season. Theensuing 1.6 Litre Front-Wheel Drive championshipseason hops from Rniand to France then to Great

Britain and finally to Sweden. There are five

//If negotiating a tighthairpin is tou^, tiydoing it with a beritaxle and shot brakes//

stages to each rally and points accumulatethrough the season to give you a final, overallposition on the table Fail to hit a target positionset by your management and your contract will betenninated. Make the grade and you'll not only begiven the option to sign on for another season, butyou'll also be courted by other teams on the prowlfor talent. Keep Improving your performance andthere's a 2.0 Litre Four-Wheel Drive championshipto reward your efforts, complete with new events inGermany and Kenya.

Competition is a surprisingly strategic affairBefore the opening stage of each rally you get toadjust various parameters on your car And oncemore, V-Rally 3 tries to out-hardcore theopposition. You can not only customise tyre typeand pressure, but also everything from ride height,suspension stiffness and gear ratios to stabilizers,brake balance and differentials Helpfully for tweakvirgins', each option has a brief description of what

First-Person (Cockpit)aiism level: HighOS: If you want authentic, thisitricted cockpit view is thely choice.m s : W h a t w i t h c a b i n c l u t t e rd mud on the windscreen,a w o n d e r d r i v e r s s e e

/thing.

14 PlayStatlon.E

R E NV - R A L L Y 3

■■ JThe game boasts a good selection of cars. 1.6L models are FWD and a bit twitchy. The 2L 4WD cars are your goal.

Thanks to your navigator you should have an idea of what's ahead...

you're on the vetge of tampering with - if youwant to, you can always settle with the perfectlyadequate default settings. Impressive but hardlyunexpected, right? The thing is, whichever setupyou go for, its going to be In piace until after thesecond stage. In practice, by creating acombination of tyres, brakes and otherenhancements that's perfect for the openingsection, you couid end up coming unstucl< If theweather has deteriorated or the racing surface isdifferent come the second section. Not only this,but any damage you tal<e during the initial runwiii be there throughout the next. So it not oniypays to drive efficiently with an eye on your car'smechanical health, but It's always a good idea tothlnl< one stage ahead when preparing to race.

This strategic element to rallying continueswhen it comes to those ail-Important repairsessions between stages two and three, and fourand five. Bacl< at the mobile team HQ, yourmechanics are given a scant 30 Virtual' minutesto patch up your car If you've driven well, therepairs required can easily be sorted within thetime limit. However there will be times when youare forced to prioritise repairs and even leavesome out entirely Choosing the right ones isntalways that straightfonward.

..£ut even he cant teach you how to win.

The UK stages have soft, mulchycourses that will really test you.

Ahh. Quaint English villages, aS wood mill, a castle. It's good to be

back home in the UK.

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2. Global Touring Challenge: Africa (Rage,OPS2#014 7/10)It's not strictly speaking a rally but it does featureseat-of-the-pants racing against the elements.

5. Rally Championship (SCi, OPS2*022 6/10)Turn to page 110 now for the full review.

6. Colin McRae 3.0 (Codemasters, out September)The former l(ing of console rallying Is gearing up tor e c l a i m h i s c r o w n .

The game's front end has been designed very well, from rally information to your handy PDA, you won't want for options.

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^ E \ lV - R A U Y 3

H L R C R R T Er r i E N UHow V-Rally 3 draws you into a rallying career

V-Rally mode goes to great lengttis to Immerse youIn the competitive season, and It does ttils with ahost of well Implemented cut-scenes andcontextuallsed menus. Your office is a one-stopcareer HQ and when you're away from home, theteam HQ has a laptop setup so you can check yourstage details and competition stats. In betweenstages, your car (complete with visible damagesustained while racing) drives to and from themobile repair area as your mechanics get busywhile you adjust the settings for the next round. Andwhen the rally Is done, ^ou get to see you and yourteam-mate spraying champagne over theassembled crowd. Small details that really add tothe atmosphere of the game.

5 1 I - c i . i t mFancy driving or no fancy driving, If this is iiappening to you, it's probably time to take early retirement. If you survive that is.

Play V-Rally 3 for a while and you'll start to get a sixth sense aboutthe track layout. Eventually you'll be driving like a pro.

As you pass, the crowd goeswild. A very nice touch.

//Fog and heavy rainmake even the mostwell-known stages feellike a fresh challenge//

0 As with the beautifully modelled car damage,the effect that course design has on gameplay ismuch more than cosmetic. Rnland's undulatingloose gravel feels substantially different to drivingon Sw/eden's packed snow and ice, while France'spredominantly dry asphalt stages provide a verydifferent driving challenge to Great Britain'smulchy autumn leaves and soft dirt. Elsewhere,graphical details add considerable atmosphere toevents. Where applicable, dirt and snowaccumulate very realistically on the cars'bodywork and weather has been implementedwith gleeful stubbornness. Fog and heavy rain canmake even the most well-known stages feel like afresh challenge, and when the sun glares off thesnow in Sweden, it really makes you thankful foryour navigator's comer-by-comer commentary.

This is a game that's veiy much focused onits season-based Career mode However all of thetracks and cars can be experienced in isolationvia the Quick Race mode, either alone or as acomparative challenge against up to three mates.Inevitably, V-Rally 3 is going to be compared to

WRC. And given the inconsistent quality of thelion's share of PS2 rally titles, it's a compliment toEden Studios that such a comparison can beinvited at all.

V-Rally 3 is a fine game and a worthy additionto the V-family if there's any criticism it's that thelearning curve is initially unforgiving to the point offrustration. A fact which may dissuade the morecasual of race fans looking for a quick rally fix.However, this is a game that rewards effort andperseverance with genuine satisfaction. Tinkerwith your car's settings, massage it around thebends with a mixture of precision and controlledinsanity and you could find yourself in love, andon the winner's podium. Who needs the officiallicence, eh? □ Paul Fitzpatrick

In Africa you canmake the oppositioneat your dust.

V - R A L LY 31

Why we'd buy it- We understand that a

track can be a

competitor too- Talk of gear dIffetBntialst u m s u s o n

- For a mealy challenge

why we'd leave it:- Not Instantly enjoyable- No split-screen modes- Brake pedal? What's a

brake pedal?

Not as InstantJy playableas WRC, but effort paysoff with some verysatisfying racing. It's heada n d s h o u l d e r s a b o v e t h e

majority of PS2 rally fare.

Q - a p N c s Real attention to detail and damage 0 BS o u n d A good mixture of atmosphertc fx 0 B

Gameplay Punishing but effort pays off in spades B B

Lifespan In for the long haul? >fc)u'll love It 0 B

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196 PlayStation,E

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P R I S O N E R D F U J R RTo do list (June 1941): 1, Escape POW camp. 2. Destroy German V5 rocket. 3. Do laundry...

P u b l i s h e rC o d e m a s t e r sDeveloperW i d e G a m e sP r i c e : £ 3 4 . 9 9Players: 1O u t N o wW e b s i t e : w w w .c o d e m a s t e r s . c o m6 0 H z m o d e : N oW i d e s c r e e n : N oS u r r o u n d s o u n d : Ye s

Back storyBased in Brighton, WideGames approachedCodemasters with the ideafor a game set in a prisonerof war camp just asCodemasters was thinking:"Hey, how about we do agame set in a prisoner ofwar camp.,,?" ttie twocompanies joined forcesand Prisoner Of Wor is theeye-opening result of theirefforts. Wide Games|www,widegames.com) alsohas a non-linear racing titiecalled Rusfi Club indevelopment for PS2, whichpriamises fast-paced, nomies racing in whatevervehicles you can find.

Lights out. Seven hours before themorning roll call. If you're not back Inyour bunk by Sam the Komnnandantwill launch a camp-wide seanch and

order you shot lor more accurately 'wounded'! onsight. But despite the danger; you sneak out ofyour barracks Into the night, making your way tothe fence. You stay low, moving slowly Beyond thefence lies the laundry where you hope to steal aguard's uniform. But a soldier stands outside,armed with a rifle, Illuminating the darkness withhis flashlight. Don't get too close. He'll spot you.

You watched this guard the night before. Youknow that he regularly moves off to walk anDundthe building a patrol that takes him two minutesto complete. So as soon as he passes by youclimb the fence and Jump over You move quicklyto the door and unlock It with the key you boughtfrom one of the other prisoners. You didn't askhow he got It, but it cost you two boxes ofcigarettes and a can of peaches. You Just havetime to slip Inside as the guard netums. The guandstops outside as usual and you watch him thnDughthe keyhole In the door After a few minutes hecontinues his patrol. Quickly you grab a guard'suniform. Time to get back..

Welcome to Prisoner Of War, the interactiveprison escape movie from Codemasters, Set inWorld War II, the game echoes with Images andIdeas from films like The Great Escape, Stalag 17and the classic TV series Hogan's Heroes. Whileyou can shoot and grenade the German army in

//You're banged up,trapped behind barbedwire and watched for24 hours a day//Medal Of Honor Frontline, In Prisoner Of War yauhave to outwit them. Here you're banged up,trapped behind barbed wine and watched almost24 hours a day Enemy soldiers outnumberprisoners and you have no weapons. Instead offighting, this Is a 3D adventure game that Involvessneaking around and hiding watching and waitingFive lengthy missions stand between you andfreedom, each one with Its own set of challengesand puzzles.

THE GREAT ESCAPEYou take on the role of Captain Lewis Stone, abrash American pilot shot down over Germanyduring a reconnaissance mission. The good news:you manage to parachute to safety from yourburning aincraft. The bad news: you land right nextto a German supply depot and quickly getcaptured. This particular depot doubles as aholding facility for allied prisoners of warprocessing them for transfer to the bigger, highsecurity camp Stalag Luft, or the Infamous andrepori:edly escape-proof castle Colditz. During thecourse of the game, you'll visit all three. It's yourduty as a soldier to try and escape from each one.

The action In Prisoner Of War unfolds using athird-person 3D view, in exterior locations, thisover-the-shoulder camera is fully rotatable. InInterior locations the camera Is fixed MGS-style. Inaddition to the main third-person view, there Isalso a fir^t-person 'examine' view, which is usefulfor watching enemy soldiers, peering throughkeyholes and for orientating yourself in rooms.Using a combination of these views, you canexplore your polygonal surnDundings, talk to fellowprisoners, obtain objects and attempt to elude andoutsmart: the patrolling guards.

The first of the five missions (set in theaforementioned supply depot) is a training level. Itserves as an Introduction to the rules of the game,to what you can and cant do, and where you canand cant go. Life In a POW camp Is run to a tightschedule and prisoners must attend morning andevening roll calls. In between these checks, theyare herded from compound to compound - theMess Hall for breakfast, lunch and dinner; theExercise Yard and the Barracks area. Prisoners

must not leave the designated areas. So otherbuildings or rcioms such as the store, laundry andsickbay are off-llmlts. Prisoners must not approachthe fences, or be found carrying Illegal Items orequipment. Anyone caught breaking the rules isarrested and thrown Into solitary confinement

To play Prisoner Of War successfully, you needto learn how to bend these rules and to workwithin the camp structure. Rather than having afree reign to formulate your own plans, you 0

098 PlayStation,?

No matter where youare held captive, eachcamp conforms to adaily routine and thetactics you learn inthe first training levelwill hold you In goodstead. Here's a quickr e f r e s h e r c o u r s e ;

Hiding PlaceYou have access to a hidingplace in your barracks whereyou can safely store items thatyou pick up. if you get caughtcarrying any items, the Germanguards will confiscate themwhen you are arrested, itemsstored In the hiding placecannot be confiscated.

Cu r rencyAs there Is no money in theprison camps, currency takesthe form of boxes of cigarettes,tins of food or bottles ofalcohol. By picking up theseitems you convert them intogame 'currency' which can beused to buy items/informationor to pay POWs to help you.

The MapThe best way to orientateyourself In a prison camp is towalk through the daily routine.This shows which areas youh a v e a c c e s s t o a t d i f f e r e n ttimes of the day As you explore,locations are added to your in-game map. Convenientlybuildings are signposted.

DisguisesTo complete the objectivesyou'll need to move around thecamp undetected. At night, youcan blacken your face withboot polish, or steal a Germanuniform and move arounddressed as a guard. But becareful; higher-ranking officerscan see through the disguise.

D i s t r a c t i o nOften, the best way to sneakpast a guard is to distract him.You can pick up and throw astone to divert his attention,or you can pay one of yourfellow POWs to feign an illness.When the guard goes toinvestigate, use the distractionto slip by unnoticed.

PlayStation,^ 0

R E NP R I S O N E R OF W A R

□□H. NDUUT H R T ' E N I C EPrisoner Of War is full of little details that givetlie game an extra dimension beyond tlie basicsneal(-and-steal gameplay. In short- the guardsare far from stupid.

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Guards cannot only be distracted by sound lie,throwing stones) but tiiey can be alerted to yourpresence if you move about too quicldy So creep,Captain Stone, don't run...

Every camp iias a resident 'scrounger' - a guy wiio can get his handson almost anything given enough time and, more importantly, money.

Find or buy the mini telescope and you can use its nifty zoomto spy on the German guards. Be careful not to get spotted us

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Lights out. The patrolling guard is fast asleepallowing you access to this door.

0 become embroiled in an ongoing plot involving thedevelopment of a long-range German nocket. Eachof the five missions has four primary objectives -ie, get a key from the German barracks or breakInto the post room to retrieve an important parcel.In each camp, talking to the other POWs willprovide you with clues as to how to approachthem. Some will tell you who to talk to or pointyou in the direction of a starting point. Other POWscan be paid to distract guards, offer you ways towin currency, or sell you useful equipment to aidyou In your adventuring

POW equipment is divided into two main types:'pocket' and 'hand' items. Pocket items can beconcealed In a prisoner's uniform and carriedanound the camp without alert:lng the guards. Bootpolish can be used to disguise your face at night,reducing the chances that your pasty white skinwill be seen in the moonlight. A lockpick can giveyou access to restricted areas (such as the laundryor German ban-acks|. Hand items are too big toconceal. The crowbar, for example, will allow you tobust open locked doors. If you are spotted carryinga Hand item, the guards will raise the alarm. Youwill then be chased and either amssted or shotWorse still, any items you are carrying when youare captured will be confiscated, forcing you toobtain them again or to buy replacements fromthe camp scrounger

Camp residents are split into three types:'info' POWs, 'diversion' POWs and 'item' POWs.

Stea l a German un i fo rm andyou can use it as a disguise.

//Disguise your face and reducethe ciiances that your pasty whiteskin will be seen in the moonlight//

Prisoner Of Wor is a slow game. You learn thatyou must explore the camp to build up a map ofIts key areas. You should watch the guards tomonitor their patrol routes, both during the dayand at night. You team that you can climb fences,hide under vehicles, and that keys are required tounlock cert:aln doors. While there's more than oneway to complete a task Prisoner Of Wat's openstructure isn't as freeform as we hoped. You can'tJust take It upon yourself to steal a shovel from astore and start your own tunnel. Your eventualescape relies on completing the 20 missionobjectives. Fall to complete an objective and youmust simply try again land again).

ACHTUNG BABY!The opening level lulls you Into a false sense ofsecurity. The Security levels are light and once youknow which fences can be climbed and how toavoid the guards, you have an almost free run ofthe camp. As long as you turn up for the two rollcalls, you can Ignore much of the dally routine. Aclock in the top-right of the screen shows the

On later levels, you will find that the charactersleave footprints In the mud and snow. The guardshave the potential to be alerted to your presence ifthey spot them before they disappear

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At night, with dark glasses and boot polish on yourface, your chances of being spotted are muchreduced. Watch out for lightning however, whichcan make you briefly and spectacularly visible.

Look before you leap. Or in a POWs case, lookthrough the keyhole of a door before you open itYou don't really want to walk straight into apatrolling guard now do you?

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The best time to explore Stalag Luft is after dark. But watcli out for tlie patrolling German guards... A lockpick. Use it to get deeper into Colditz.

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Your escape plans will only come to fruition when you understand the workings of the camps. Talk to the other prisoners to see if they can help you.

current time and how long you have until the nextsection of the day (ie, Lunchtime, Afternoon FreeTime, etc). A minute of game time passes everysecond, so each day consists of 24 minutes ofplay. Thus if you vi/ant to break Into a buildingduring Morning Exercise, this two-hour periodequates to two minutes of game time Likewise,the seven-hour period during Ughts Out gives youonly seven minutes to explore before you need toreturn for morning roll call.

This is why preparation and reconnaissanceare vital In Prisoner Of Wor. The game is oftenunforgiving and the tiniest mistake or wrong stepcan lead to both capture and the prospect ofdoing the process again. Each mission objective Iseffectively a 3D puzzle requiring you to get theright items, dodge the patrDlling guards and sneakto the right places. Solving them Is a case of trialand error You might get halfway towards yourobjective before you are captured, but you canuse the knowledge you gained in the attempt todo better next time You simply play and replayPrisoner Of War demands perfection and thepursuit of It can be frustrating

Developer Wide Games deserves anenormous amount of credit for an original, highlyplayable game It's beautifully realised, with goodattention to detail and smart 3D graphics - thebarbed wire fences and watchtowers of StalagLuft, the accurately modelled innards of Colditz,the rain and snow, not to mention the polygonalPOWs. But there are times when the gamecamera Is slightly erratic, and some of the fixed

camera angles make It difficult to see wholerooms clearly The tally-ho' scripting often grates,while the realisation that the game's freeformgameplay Is a well-conceived illusion comes as adisappointment. We could also mention limitedequipment and repetitive objectives, but thatwould be nit-picking

None of these should detract from the factthat Prisoner Of Wor is often a totally absorbinggame. Because It requires stealth and endlesspatience, you can lose hours to it. The plot (withIts animated story sections) keeps things tickingalong nicely and there's something hugelysatisfying about evading guards to reach yourobjective. Rather than offering Instant gratificationand fast-paced action. Prisoner Of War rewardsperseverance and practice. The result Is a classy,Innovative game, although not quite the quietrevolution we'd hoped for □ Dean Evans

By paying some prisoners you can ask them todistract the guards by feigning crippling illness.

P R I S O N E R O F W A Rn

Why we'd buy it- An original, highly

playable game- Good 3D graphics- Challenging stealth-'em-

up gameplay

Why wCd leave it- Slow-paced and oftenfmstrating

Graphics Good polygonal 3D, detailed enviro n m e n t s

S o u n d A stimng soundtrack adds to the t e n s i o n

Gameplay Slow-paced, thoughtful and strategicL i f e s p a n Three camps, five missions, 20 obijectives

Escaping from POWcamps is all well andgood, but you remain aprisoner of often rigidgame objectives. Even so,this is a bold, compellingadventure game.

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^ E \ l E U LSOLDIER OF FORTUNE: GOLD EDOION

The characters look greatbut only when you're close

V — m i m m ' - . J i —

5 D L D I E R O F F O R T U N Ej D l d e d i t i o nIt may be PS2's goriest FPS to date, but this shoddy splatterfest remains a one-trick pony

P u b l i s h e rC o d e m a s t e r s

Developer RavenSoftware/PipedreamP r i c e : £ 3 9 . 9 9Players: 1-4O u t N o wWe b s i t e :w w y v x c d e m a s t e r s .c o m / s o l d i e r o f f b r t u n e60Hz mode: ViesW i d e s c r e e n : Ye sS u r r o u n d s o u n d : N oPeriplierals: MultiTap

Back storyYou play John Mullins - awar veteran with three toursof Vietnam and three PurpleHear ts under h is be l t Hardnut John is actually a real-life soldier; and helped outwith the game's realism. Youhave to use any meansnecessary to find andrecover four nuclearwarheads that have beenstolen by terrDrists.The game was originallydeveloped for PC by Ravenand poorly converted forPS2 by Pipedream, withCodemasters providing finalturd-polishing duties.

BODY POPPINGForget the gameplay,and savour the purevisceral thrill of strippingaway those limbs.

Soldier Of Fortune: Gold Edition boastsa naff plot and crap puzzles, but thatdoesn't matter, folks, because It's agory shooter with an 18 certificate. As

John Mullins, the real-life decorated Vietnam vet,you have to recover three nuclear warheads stolenby terrorists, mowing down an assortment ofenemy soldiers and ne'er-do-wells en routeresulting In possibly the most visceral depiction oforgan-mangling since Peter Jackson's infamouslawnmower sequence from Braindead.

Shoot someone In the leg and they hoparound on the remaining one. Aim for their headand it explodes like a ripe cherry. In fact, eachopponent has 26 'blow-off-able' parts, pretty muchguaranteeing a gruesome display of flying limbsand a shower of blood when bullet meets flesh.Indeed, the carnage seems to be the game's mainselling point, with the end of each level bringingyou detailed stats on how many people youmanaged to shoot where it hurts.

While gore and gonad shots are all very well,games that rely on such a 'gruesome' gimmickneed great graphics to pull the trick off - which Iswhere Soldier Of Fortune: Gold Edition falls downbadly, looking more N64 than PS2. Perhaps It's theageing Quake //-based game engine that's toblame - the levels look dark and blocky, and theenemies appear fuzzy until you get right up close

/ /You real ise withhorror that aiming yourweapon is Wke trying toiuiit using a drainpipe//Is that neally a hand flying off? You'll Just have totake their word for it

And while your hunt for the missiles spans 26locations. Including Kosovo, Baghdad, Siberia andNew York, the murky graphical treatment rsallydoesnt do John F Mullins' globetrotting missionsjustice. Loading times are another big niggle.They're huge And with no lives or continues tosavour, you have to load up from the point savedto your Memory Card every time you die Thistakes so long that soon you'll find yourself keepingthe remote handy so that you can flick back towatch TV while you wait. The games displays allthe hallmarks of a very lazy PC conversion.

BLAST RRSTstill, while it might not feature the curves of QuakeIII: Revolution, Soldier Of Fortune: Gold Editionremains a satisfying blast. Your meaty shotgun israrely short of ammo, and kneecapping swathes ofskinhead soldiers with a single blast really touchessomething Inside. The dying enemies might sound

Auto-aim always goes for the jugular.

You can take quite a lot of damage - but whenyou do croak It's a long wait for the reload.

1. Head shotsShooting baddies in the head is thequickest - and goriest - way to sendthem packing. The auto-aim makes this acinch. Just point at their shoulders andyou'll always get them between the eyes.

2 . A r m s h o t s

Different points along an enemy's armrespond differently to a hit Blow offtheir hand, their forearm, or sever thelimb off completely. You never know howthey're going to react Some complain,others just look sadly at the wound!

3. Leg shotsOw! Owi Ow! Shoot towards the floorand you'll probably scuttle their legs off.Shins and thighs are sent flyingdepending on where you hit

4. Nether regionsWe doubt we'd look like Michael Barrvmoretelling a rude joke if we were hit in thenads with a shotgun. But catch them inthe pants and this is the gurn they pull.

02 Play5tation,E

The levels look okay, but the frame-rate is jerky. Multiplayer mode becomes unmanoeuvrable when you get a fiill house.

Ah, the old 'zoom Inon the head' tr ick...

Sometimes you getstuck on ladders.

the same, but this somehow adds to the(thankfully anonymous) satisfaction of wholesaleslaughter Although some bits are reminiscent ofMetal Gear Solid, such as the 'stealth meter' andthe ability to peei< round corners, neither seemsmore than a token nod to Konami's classic title.Very few missions require you to actually sneakaround, or use any strategy apart from shoot,re load and shoot

When It comes to the control system, SoldierOf Fortune: Gold Edition tackles the old problemof being able to move, look, and fire six differentweapons at eight different baddies at once, as bestit can. But that's not saying much. When you firstpick up a weapon during the game's targetpractice training session, you realise with horrorthat aiming your weapon Is like trying to knit usinga drainpipe. Thankfully, once the game begins, anauto-alm feature kicks In and does most of thework for you. Without this, you'd be snookered.

But then enemies have next to no artificialintelligence. Soldiers dont run or seek cover, andthe whole thing's a bit like blasting ducks on a(very gory) fairground Aunt Sally: the baddies popup In the same places each time. That's notnecessarily a bad thing, though, because knowingwhere to aim means you get better with each playLazy programming perhaps, but it's still fun beingable to blow your opponents' brains out beforethey've even had a chance to aim. Sadly, whenmultiple enemies appear, things often get sochoppy It's difficult to hit a barn door let alone asoldier's left temple. And that's in Single-player

mode; In Multiplayer mode It's even worse. Withfour players plugged In, the game croaks along ata barely playable two or three frames per second.The option to throw In half-a-dozen computer botsslows the engine down so much that it practicallyhas to sit down and catch Its breath. It's far worseeven worse than N54's ancient GoldenEye.

Soldier Of Fortune: Gold Edition is a fairlyshoddy port of a PC title that was great two yearsago, but Is now showing its age. The ageingTlmeSplltters moves considerably better With two18 certificates and a blood-red 'mature content'splash screen, Codemasters' title promises theultimate gorefest - but once you grow tired ofshooting people In the armpit and picking offpeople's heads, the gameplay rapidly goesdownhill. With poor graphics and no Al, It's aclassic case of gore before gameplay □ Ian Ham's

1

Bom In Oklahoma in 1942, John F Mullins Joinedthe army straight out of school, and trained tobecome a paratrooper before joining the GreenBerets Special Forces. After rising to the position ofcaptain while sen/Ing in the Vietnam War, he retiredfrom the mllitaty and offered his services for hire.Working for a number of government and civilianorganisations, he has been involved with VIPprotection, asset recovery and hostage negotiation.He's now a published novelist and a high-levelconsultant, as well as a fictionalised character inSoldier Of Fortune: Gold Edition.

How would you describe the vocation of JohnF Mullins as he appears in Soldier Of Fortune:Gofd Edition?A craftsman sure of his tools When you have abrain tumour, you get a neurosurgeon. When youhave a nasty divorce case, you get an attack dogfor a lawyer. When you get a situation that callsfor the surgical application of firepower, you callJohn F Mullins

How closely does the game reflect theexperiences of your career?Few situations can be solved by singletons Thatbeing said, sometimes it is far better to go in withone man than with a crew. You always attempt toget In, do the job, and get out without attractingany attention at all. That's easier solo.

How does this game reflect the serious natureof your undertakings?If anything, it understates the seriousness of thethreats that face us in today's world. There arefar worse things out there than the occasionalerrant nuke.

tWhat's your peisonal view on the videogame-causes-v io lence debate?it's out of control. People who talk about the violenttendencies of today's youth obviously haventstudied history. Youth today Is less violent than Inpractically any period in the past The difference isthat we have the international media slavering topresent the latest victim, complete with blood forthe edification and entertainment of the viewingpublic. And, of course, a lot of people are making aliving from It Completely undistinguished writersnow find themselves television darilngs becausethey rail about how "we are conditioning ageneration of killers." Sushwah. And I use thatword only to be polite.

Take on John F Mullins' experienced virtualpersona as you strive for gross-out carnage.

Why we'd buy it- Bits of people spillingall over the place

- Good fun shootingsold iers In the scrotum

Why we'd leave it- Chronic slow-down and

hazy graphics- Doesnt look much like

3 PS2 game

No-brainer first-personshooter that's average atbest Desensitise yourselfto the violence and there'snot much left

GrapNcs Barely up to PS2 qualityS o u n d Moody and atmospheric backgroiu n d m u s i c

Gameplay Satlslying at first, but ultimately uiichallenglngL i fespan Lots of levels, but no real replay v;3 lue

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The epic Final Fantasy series can now be experienced on PS2 for the first time. But without you the mostfantastic gaming story ever created cannot continue. HelpTidus and Yuna battle through an epic journey inan attempt to save the world of Spira from the evil Sin. What are you waiting for?

3QUARE-iOFT' THEIR DESTINY IS IN ymiR HANDS uk.playstation.com PlflyStatiO

P E N R L T yP I T - 5 T D PHim on the full FIA rules and you can bepenalised for a number of infringements,including unauthorised overtaking speeding Inthe pit lane and Ignoring yellow flags. A stop-go penalty will see you malting an unscheduledpit-stop. Here are some dos and donts:

Publisher EA SportsDeveloper EA SportsP r i c e : £ 3 9 . 9 9Players: 1-2O u t N o wWe b s i t e :www.easpor t sfl . com6 0 H z ; N oW i d e s c r e e n : Ye sS u r r o u n d s o u n d : N o

Back storyEA Sports is the iterationmeister its licensingagreements range frommotor racing to ice hockeyand footbali to goif.Remarkably, it only securedthe F1 licence in 1998,though recent competitionhas come f rom SCEE who

developed the decentFormu la One 2001 .

Realism or fun? It's been a tiard

decision for developers of F1 titles overtiie years. The common view Is thattrue authenticity just doesnt mrk In

the 2001 Spanish Grand Prix, ivllka Hakklnen wasanticipating his first win of the season, butdisaster struck on the final lap. Engine failure gavehim no option but to limp off the track just a fewhundred metres away from achieving victory overMichael Schumacher But how much fun Is that? IfIt happened In a videogame, you'd belivid. So, does this mean that realism In gamesshould be limited in order to avoid this kind offrustrating scenario?

Here on 0PS2, we're of the opinion thatauthenticity Is a worthy goal. We're not advocatingcomplete mechanical meltdown on the start-grid(something that seems to be plaguing RubensBarrlchello this season) but we do think that thevicissi tudes of mechanical fai lures should be

Included to pep up the tension and add a minorelement of chance to the experience. Thankfully,EA has delivered the most comprehensive F1 titlecurrently available on PS2, Some might complainthat it's an update that, at least visually, is nearIdentical to last year's Instalment, but F1 2002 hasbeen tweaked and tuned to offer a more well-

rounded interpretation of the sport this time round.The game's greatest achievement Is that it

delivers an F1 experience that can be tailored tothe player's skill level. Though most Grand Prixgames have Included options such as opponentskill level, tyre wear and fuel usage, F1 2002delivers much more: mechanical failures, the fullFIA rules (Including all the flag penaltiesi anddynamic variable weather This means that thecasual Formula One fan can get straight Into thegame and begin out-performing the likes of JuanPablo Montoya with a less intense arcade-stylesetup, while the true F1 aficionado will also feelthat their beloved sport Is being treated with thegravity It deserves.

The authenticity even stretches to include slip-streaming and simulation handling. Select thelatter and racing becomes Incredibly tough withwheels locking under hard braking and theslightest movement on to the grass sending yourvehicle Into an uncontnollable spin. Hardcore Elfans will be pleased to hear that it's even possibleto establish a pit strate©* before the race begins.This can Include either a one- or two-stop planthat can prove crucial In securing valuablechampionship points.

The only criticisms of F1 2002 are that it'shardly the most visually resplendent driving gameon PS2 (Gran Turlsmo still beats it by a mile) andthe frame rate, while as good as any other F1 title,Is not as slick as we'd hoped. But for enthusiasts,this game offers the best in the field to date. Untilnext year's version, that Is. □ Mark Walbank

rF 1 2 0 0 2

1

why we'd buy it- Contains all the 2002

l iver ies and dr ivers- Fully customisabie- For both hardcore and

casual F1 fans

Why we'd leave it- You've already played toomany F1 games

- Frame rate could bes m o o t h e r

- Yet another EA update

It hardly revolutionises thesport, but certainly offersenough depth to keep fanshappy for another year.

Graphics Enough to impress, but no sparkle 0 7

0 7J

S o u n d Makes ail the right grunts and rumbles 0 7

Gameplay Deep and rewarding 0 7

L i f e s p a n Enougii content until next year 0 7

PlayStation^ \IERDIIZT

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The epic Final Fantasy series can now be experienced on PS2 for the first time. But without you the mostfantastic gaming story ever created cannot continue. Help Tidus and Yuna battle through an epic journey inan attempt to save the world of Spira from the evil Sin. What are you waiting for?

THEIR DESTINY IS IN yOUR HANDS uk.playstation.com PlayStatio

E l Z m O E R N DG R D G E T BRreBlode boasts a number of delicious deviceswith which to enhance the power of yourmagnificent chopper:

S

Carry on camping? Notw i t h fl a m m a b i e t e n t s .

Hit @ to operate the cloaking device. Everythingslows dovifn, but you get the opportunity to sneakbehind enemy lines.

1 Several v iews can bese lec ted to enhanceyour enjoyment.

F I R E B L n O EIt's not the size of your chopper, it's what you do with it that counts.

Press m to zoom in on distant enemies. On somemissions it's possible to take out sentries, ailovJingyour forces to sneak into enemy bases.

Publisher MidwayDeveloper KujuO u t N o wPlayers: 1P r i c e : £ 3 9 . 9 9W e b s i t e :www. i i i i dway.com6 0 H z m o d e : N oW i d e s c r e e n : N oSurround sound: No

Bacl( storyKuju built its reputation onfeshioning hardcore flightsims for the PC market andmore recently it releasedthe excellent, though slightlynerdy, Microsoft TrainSimulator RreS/ade,however; is just one of thecompany's games releasedon PS2 with the muchanticipated Reign Of Fire(published by BAM!) soon tofollow this September

Remember the seminal Desert Strikeon the Sega MegaDrive? Its mix ofarcade action, tactical depth andslightly dodgy gung-ho morality made

it the most famous helicopter videogame sinceChoplifter. There have been many valiant attemptsto dethrone Desert Strike since its release in 1992,but, arguably, none have succeeded. Even CoreDesign's polished Thunderhawk series failed tointnaduce many gameplay innovations.

The first thing to note about FireBlade is that ithas many similarities to Desert Strike. Theemphasis Is firmly on quick reflexes and largeexplosions. Weapon targeting and selection issimilar and there's even the ability to take outsecondary targets should you wish. But, mostimportantly, it feels like Desert Strike - w/hich is nobad thing Whether or not Kuju consciously madethe decision to adopt similar gameplay mechanicsto the classic MegaDrive title Is open to debate.However, seeing several enemy units explodeunder your machine gun-fire certainly delivers thesame level of satisfaction.

And novi/ for the plot - or; for that matter; lackof it. Thankfully Kuju has kept the cut-scenes anddodgy morality to a minimum. Although there Is agossamer thread of a story to link the missionstogether; all you really need to know is this; redside bad, blue side good. Rather than detract fromthe experience, the decision to concentrate solelyon the gameplay pnoves particularly refreshing

A number of innovations put FireBiade aheadof the competition. ElviP bombs, a cloaking device,turbo speed and telescopic weapons for pickingoff distant targets empower the player with achopper to shame even Jan-Michael Vincent. Youalso get the opportunity to man two kinds ofhelicopter: the Vendetta (an attack chopper with

superior firepower) and the Talon (a transportercraft with the ability to pick up troops). Althoughthe player doesn't actually get to choose whichhelicopter to use, the varied weapons, gadgets andcraft add variety to the missions.

At first, the controls can be quite difficult toget used to. The left analogue stick controls therotation and fora/ands thrust of the helicopter;while the right allows the player to strafe andincrease/decrease altitude. But one of thepleasures of F/reB/ode is eventually learning how tomaster the Vendetta or Talon. Once you beginto skilfully dip underneath enemy missiles andstrafe around dangerous targets unleashing alethal payload In the process, the game reallycomes to life.

The major criticisms of FireBiade are that it'svisually uninspiring and just too short. And thoughit's possible to go through the four campaignsagain to try and win all the medals. It's debatablewhether this is worth your time when there are somany other good PS2 games on the market. Thiswill be a real blast for Desert Strike fans, but maynot appeal to everyone. □ IVIark Walbank

rF I R E B L A D E

Pressing ® calls up your Thermal mode. This devicelets you spot enemy infantry - even in the dark.

I IB sends a ray of energy towards enemy vehicles.This will surround them with a blue glow and totallydisable them for long periods of time.

Why we'd buy it- Satisfyingiy destructive- Neat gizmos

and gadgets- TTiere are few helicopter

games around

Why we'd leave it- It's a tad too short- Visually bland, with

muddy textures- No Jan-Michael Vincent

Graphics1

We expect better on PS2 these dj3 V S | iS o u n d Great explosions, terrific RunfireGameplay Solid destmctive mayhemL i f e s p a n Little replay incentive

A refreshing arcade-styleshooter with plenty ofnovetty gadgets to keeptilings varied. Just a pityit's not very pretty.

P lavSta t ion ,g \ IERDI I IT

PlayStation 2 1

^EXI IEULBRmMEVS DANCE BEAT

i bar at the bottom of the screenshows who is making fewer mistakes.

I ILeana The higher your combo score, the

more you affect your opponent's dial.

3RITNEld5 DRNCE BERBritney fits videogame stardom into that period between being a girl and not yet being a woman.

Publisher THQDeveloper MetroGraphicsPrice; £29.99Players: 1-2O u t : N o wWe b s i t e :

www.thq.co.uk6 0 H z m o d e : N oWidescreen: NoSurround sound: NoPeripherals:D a n c e m a t

Baci( storyIn amongst the logos, you'lldiscover that Britney'sDance Beat has beendeveloped by veteranrtiythm-actloners MetroGraphics. TTils Is the samecompany that collaboratedwith Enix on the PSonedance-'em-up original Bust-A-Gmove. Still one of thefinest time-wasters ever..

She's a pop icon. A top-five internetsearch request (usually alongside theword topless'l. She's tried to write anovel, starred in her own movie

Cmssmads and even owns a New YorK restaurant.And now you can get a little bit of Britney on yourconsole, Britne/s Dance Beat has been designedto tempt PS2 gamers on two levels. On the onehand, it's a pacl aged extension of Britney's brandand image; an opportunity for the princess of popto add videogame sales to recond sales. On theother this brightly-coloured Bust-A-Brltney isanother worthy addition to the ever-expandingrhythm action genre. In short, Britney's Dance Beatplays on your ability to push Britney's buttons andon her ability to push yours.

Ul<e most rhythm action games (most recentlyMod Maestrv!, Gitaroo Man and Frequency thegameplay lool s simple enough. Each audition inBritney's Dance Beat is a test of your hand/eyecoordination and your ability to push the Joypadbuttons correctly (or prance anDund a plasticdance mat) in fast-paced sequences.

In the game, eight buttons are utilised - the®, ®, @ and ® buttons on the right of thejoypad, plus the four D-pad directions on the left.At the bottom of the screen, a rotating bar spinscloct<wise within a light blue dance dial. As eachsong starts to play shapes appear on the outsidering of the dial, while D-pad directions appear onthe inner ring When the rotating bar passes overone of these symbols, you have to press thecorresponding button to increase your Combopoints score.

The fewer mistal es you mal<e, the higher yourscore rises and the better your character dances.In each audition you compete against a rivaldancer A gauge at the bottom of the screen showswho's currently winning the dance-off (le, who hasmade the least amount of mistakes and hasracl<ed up the highest Combo total). Lil e otherrhythm action titles. It's all about getting the timingright and about having good reflexes, as a constantcascade of shapes and D-pad directicns coalesceinto a hypnotic Simon Says. Things start off fairlyslowly with ...Baby One More Time, then speed upslightly with Stranger, before getting a little moreup-beat and frantic with i'm A Siave 4 U. Byaccelerating the beat with each new song (so thesymbols appear faster and more often) andincreasing the speed of the rotating bar(shortening your reaction time) the basic buttontapping gets more and more difficult.

FLIRTY DANCINGRaising the difficulty level by using faster songsand more symbols is only the start The gamefeatures a total of ten auditions - the first five useshortened mixes of the featured songs, the last fivechallenge you to dance the full-length versions.Ttie eariy auditions only throw the four Sonyshapes at you. Those that follow add the D-paddirections and then tricky shape/D-pad directioncombinations (ie, hold ® and <-). And if thiswasn't challenging enough, in some auditions thesymbols morph unexpectedly into differentsymbols Just before the rotating bar reaches them.In others, the symbols move positions on the dial

As the game progresses, you'll have to cope withnasty combinations of shapes and D-pad arrows.

No matter where the camera moves, keep youreyes fixed on the rotating bar in your dance dial.

B D P D D L - T H EF 1 R 5 T n u D i T i m sThe rhythm action mechanics are drapedaround a simple premise. Britney is holdingauditions to find new dancers for herforthcoming tour. Will you be good enough?

r l t a r a c t e i

7

Six virtual gyrators have turned up to try their luck -three men (Rob, Dan and Enriquel and three women(BIsa, Uana and Carlal, By choosing one of thesecharacters, you can take part in ten increasinglydifficult dance-offs.

Dancing Is a case of rapidly tap-tapping the Joypadbuttons to match the sequences of shapes and Dpad directions that appear on-screen. See apress the ® button when the rotating bar movesover it. See a ®... you get the Idea

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<§2 SEIECT MUSIC ACCEfT @ BACKAnd because this Is a Britney game, you perform allthis crazy repetttive button pressing to ttie beat offive of her best-known tracks - ...Baby One MoreTime. Oops! I Did It Again, Stronger, Overprofectedand I'm A Slave 4 U.

The eighth audition... but that cow Elisa is justtoo damned good. You need lightning reflexes.

Complete an audition and you g!a points total based on yourperformance. As this total rises,you are awarded backstage pastthat allow you to unlock and vie'exclusive behind-the-scenesBritney footage.

The left-hand dancer has an easy sequence, but the right-hand groover could be in trouble...

//A cascade of shapesand D-pad directionscoalesce into atiypnotic Simon Says//to try to catch you out - break your concentration,and you will ruin your Combo score.

Each of the auditions is a dance-off against arival character so your button pressing can directlyaffect how your opponent dances and vice-versa.Successfully build up a giant Combo sequenceand you'll send fizzing power-ups across to therival dancer These charge the character's owndance dial, adding extra symbols to make theirsequences even more complicated. With all this Inmind, auditions eight, nine and ten get so difficult,with such a rush of shapes and arrows, thatwinning requires almost Jedl-IIke reflexes. Similarly,because the accuracy of the opposing danceraffects the symbol sequence on your own dancedial, you cant learn the sequences In the Practicemode and just hope to tap them out perfectly.Beating Britney's Dance Beat requires an immenseamount of practice, dextrous joypad ability and asurprising degree of skill.

Your reward for playing the single-player gameis that your points total unlocks behind-the-scenesfootage from Britney's recent concert tour plusInteractive video where you can rotate the camerathrough 360 degrees. Only avid Britney fans landwe're talking the pencil case and lunchboxcollectors here] will be Impressed, To be honest.

three of the jump-cutting backstage peeks lookmuch the same. There's only so many times youcan watch the pop princess ride a scooter or chatwith the huge security guards

The Two-player mode provides a little extradepth, but with only five featured songs (short andlong versions! and only fleeting appearances bythe questionable virgin herself, there's not enoughlongterm gameplay for rhythm action devotees. It'salso worth noting that you spend so long staringintently at the dance dial, you dont have time totake In the motion-captured choreography or theeffervescent lighting Without a Replay mode, you'llhave to watch a friend play before you can get agood look at virtual Britney

Fun, hypnotic and frustratlngly tricky on thoselater levels, Britney's Dance Beat puts a little poppizzazz Into the rhythm action genre. Fans of MsSpears will no doubt overlook the game's lack ofdepth. The rest of us shouldnt □ Dean Evans

LBRrTNEVS DANCE BEAT

The backstage footage consists offive minutes of Jump-cutting, rougedged video. Not very Interesting

On to rehearsals, l^ore video clip;the s-s-sound of a Britney remix,interview would have been nice,.

This grainy footage is from a 350degree view of the concert Use ianalogue sticks to zoom and pai

A game of threeBritneys - CG Britney(above), 3D Britneyand video Britney.

Why we'd buy it- Because Britney SpearsIs bri l l iant

- Britney! Britney! Britney!- We love you Britney!- Phwoooar !

Why we'd leave it:- Challenging but shallowrhythm action

- No rewards for casualBritney admirers

Rhythm action fan +Britney fan = Britney'sDance Beat It's a simpleand extremely lightlyfocused equation.

Good motion-captured dancersSound Rve songs Again, And again. And a g a i n IGameplay Circle, sauare, triangle, oh buggerL i fespan Ten auditions land number ten Is a bitch) 1

PlavStatlon.g XIERDICT

PlayStation.c

C R R B H T E 5 TDUl I I I I IE5The publisher boasts of sophisticated cardamage, but playing the game for six hours solid,we have to say we didn't notice it. So we bou^ta Hashy new Vauxhall Astra and went aboutseeing just how much punishment the car couldtake before it finally exploded.

R E MRALLY CHAMPIONSHIP

The organisers seem hell-bent onhampering your progress withstrategically placed objects.

The Four-player mode worlts surprisingly well with no slow downand a decent enough draw distance ahead...

0. Barttn-1 00:57,02 ^

W n « r 1 J ^ T C t l CK Mdjwijitf * «.S2.18 Championship.

j^ri ^15.90 "

perspective is«rick!(^ master. ^0 1 : 1 7 . 2 4 i « '

R R L L yC H n m P D N S H PThe hotly-contested rally season claims its next mangled casualty.

Publisher SCiDeveloper WarthogP r i c e : £ 3 9 . 9 9Players: 1-4O u t J u n eW e b s i t e :w w w . s c i . c o . u k /games/ra l ly.championship/ps26 0 H z m o d e : N oWidescreen: NoSurround sound: NoPeripherals: MuHiTap

Back storyRally Championshipcontinues the series thatwas firet released on thePC several years ago tonnuch critical acclaim andcorrmerclal success. Tfietransition to PSone wasnteasy, though, and having tocompete with the likes ofColin McRae Rally and V-Rally, SCi's effort was alwaysleft showered with sand asthose games sped off tolap up the plaudits. Now Itlooks like history is going torepeat itself as, once again,Rally Championship findsItself in the right place atthe wrong time

With no less than eight rally gamesnewing up for release this year, amongthem such handbrake-turningheavyweights as Colin McRae and the

safe bets of V-Raliy 3 and the inevitable WorldRally Championship sequel, competition for yourcash is fierce. Talking an early lead as the secondof these games to wheel-spin off the starting lineis SCi's Rally Championship.

Featuring 29 officially licensed cars, 24 variedstages and a smattering of real-life drivers, theimpressive credentials for Rally Championship putit up there amongst its more eagerly-anticipatedpeers. But it's the carefree arcade handling andeye-watering speed that make it so enjoyable,albeit only for short while. After taking the wheelfor the first time and ripping through a few of thewell-structured courses, our thoughts turned to thepossibility of a photo finish to separate this offeringfrom the big boys - but then after prolonged playit blew a gasket, span uncontrollably off the trackand was thus found out as being the gutlesspretender to the crown that it really is.

Although never boasting of any great realism,we have to take issue with a succession ofaesthetic blunders that hamper any aspirations thegame had of getting anywhere near the winner'spodium. Would a string off trackside flags assumethe same properties as a metal crash barrier whenyou plough into them? Would race organisersattempt to make the tracks more challenging bydotting strategically placed parked cars on a blindbend? And wouldnt you lose a little speed if youhit the side of a bridge, instead of ghosting throughit like it wasn't even there? Admittedly, some ofthese aspects would have probably beenoverlooked had we not been extra vigilant in ouraim to determine the best rally game out therebecause Rally Championship is enjoyable to play

It looks the part: with a vast draw distance,well-textured surfaces and lots of subtle mud-splattering effects. Your car also suffers noticeabledamage when you hit a hazard and lose controlon an embankment to send it rolling down into aneighbouring field. However; despite being warnedof vital components being damaged in suchaccidents, the performance of your car neverseems to deteriorate Likewise, despite having apacked forecourt of cars to choose fiiDm (you mustwin races and buy them) they all handle toosimilariy to warrant much experimentation. Theonly real improvement with each hike in categoryIs the speed, and although you can tweak thesuspension, steering and brake response, youwont even need to change your tyres until you'reon the final track of the first championship - agood hour and a half into the game.

Rally Championship is a passable introductionto the genre and novices would undoubtedlybenefit fi m the ease of use and crisp handlingbut what with the throaty pun- of McRae's Focusechoing over the hills, serious drivers would bebest advised to wait a little longer for theundisputed king to reclaim his crown. □ Ryan Butt

R A U y C H A M P I O N S H I P

00 :15 .94

Test 1 Plough full pelt into buntingBracing ourselves for severe whiplash and earlyretirement from the race, we rammed into a stringof trackside flags, it doesn't sound too testing for theaverage car, we know, but these flags are rock solid.Result Damaged headlights

ySoIr*''''Test 2 Roll into a fieldRipping through the Scottish highlands In conditionsthat can only be described as treacherous, our ill-advised refusal to ease off the gas along a ridgeresulted in our car cartwheeling into a field below.Apart from losing five seconds of time and a smallamount of pride, the resulting prang wasunspectacular to say the least.Result Slightly dented door

00:45.70;~J.Test 3 Drive into a ravineTearing along African dirt tracks, our co-driver's halfhearted land somewhat latel warning that a "hazard"was approaching wasn't met with the sensible 'applybreaks until you've clocked the hazard in questionand then negotiate accordingly' cause of action. Itwas more a case of 'slam down the accelerator andveer into the ravine in question'.Result Damaged exhaust

Verdict Where can we buy one of theseindestructible beasts?

Why we'd buy it:- Provides a good, suitablyslippery arcade feel

- iferied courses and 29licensed cars

Why we'd leave it- Not very realistic- Not much lasting appeal- We'd rattier wait for

Colin McRae Rally 3

A fast-paced, playableracer, but uWmately, Itstme worth is only to whileaway the time untilM c R a e a r r i v e s .

Graphics Fast, detailed. Impressive pop-up free horizon 0 7S o u n d Forgettable tunes are drowned out by engines 0 5

Grippins satislyinft but aesthetically flawed1 Lifespan | Plenty of races, but rt wont challenge the pros 0 G

P l a v s t a c i o n . 2 M P T R n i r r

0 PlayStation.E

R E \ JDAVID BECKHAM SOCCER

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Publisher. RageDeveloper; RageP r i c e : £ 3 9 . 9 9

Players: 1-4O u t N o wW e b s i t e :w w w j 3 g e . c o m / d a v i db e c k h a m s o c c e r6 0 H z m o d e : N oW i d e s c r e e n : N oSurround sound: NoPeripherals: MuHfTap

Back storyAfter signing a tiiree-yeardeal with Beckham in 2001,Rage Software exhumed itsPSone game UEFA Strikerand spent the last yearrefurbishing the title with amajor graphical upgrade,aii-new team rosters, and acollection of features aridsub-games designed tomake It more Beckham-ilke.Scheduled for release justbefore the World Cup,eveiything was lookingrosy... until Becks broke hisbloody metatarsal.

The cu t - scene

graphics are verylow In quality.

Writing this review before a ball hasbeen kicked at the World Cup andtrying to make it sound topical is adaunting experience as It is Impossible

to gauge how Sven-ger-land's Captain will beperceived. Hero? Villain? Will he actually play? Onething's for sure, this game certainly wont enhancehis popularity amongst footy-loving gamers.

With Pro Evolution Soccer scooping all theplaudits, It's baffling why other developers don'tJust try to emulate the gameplay of Konami's titlewhilst pouncing and building on its few flaws in anattempt to bring us the 'ultimate' football game.Instead they try to convince us that we need amore arcadey (read: shoddy and facile) alternativethat we can ]ust "pick up and play". Of course,ultimately, we Just want to play a football gamethat replicates the Intelligence of build-up play andthe euphoria of scoring a goal.

The gameplay of David Beckham Soccer ispure football-on-ice - the players glide atDund atsuper speeds with the ball stuck fast to their feet.Tackling is a nightmare with most lungingchallenges failing to make contact at all. Expect toleak numerous goals until you begin tocomprehend the Implausible pace and ineptitudeof the control system.

For a game that Is supposed to encompasseverything about Beckham's talent (the tagline is:'Train like him. Play like him. Be him") It's riddledwith heinous schoolboy errors. Aside from theshoddy physics, those score-evety-tlme 'sweetspots' are hetB in abundance and the CPU Al stripsout any shred of unpredictability from the matches.A classic example occurs every time you take acorner With joypad symbols appearing above theheads of key players In the box, opting to cross tothe same player over again produces Identikitresponses from both your striker and from theopposing goalie who tips his effort round the postwith Groundhog Day regularity. Amazingly, weracked up 12 consecutive corners in this manner

before our computer-controlled opponentmanaged to clear the ball upfield, more byaccident than by Intent Also on the pitch, thegame grinds to an agonising halt whilst crude-looking cut-scenes are loaded to coincide withgoals, bad tackles and bookings while Beckhamhimself Is the only player that beans any passingresemblance to his real-life counterpart - both inname and appearance.

Not the resounding success story to mirror thelife of the superstar endorsee then, which Is agteat shame because the backroom elements ofthe game are sound. There are ten cup and leaguecompetitions to compete In, plus a collection ofinteresting challenge modes in which you arethrust into pivotal matches of yore and mustovercome seemingly Impossible goal deficits toturn the tides of success in your favour - the mostclassic example perhaps being the 1999Champions League final.

The raft of games modes and the ability to editteams and players to your heart's content arecommendable efforts to add depth to the footygenre. Sadly, there's no disguising the fact thatDavid Beckham Soccer plays a shocking game offootball. And without a solid foundation to build onat a grass roots level, relegation from the PS2premier league is inevitable, □ Ryan Butt

DAVID BECKHAM SOCCER

Why we'd buy it- R a m m e d w i t h t e a m s- includes a great Edit

m o d e- We love Beckham

Why we'd leave it- Plays a shocker- ijooks like trash

1

Generally grotty, with lifeless player s 1

1 Sound Rousing anthems, and comment;iry Is okay 1As Hansen would say, "ver^ poor

lufespan Plenty of game modes

Peddling a decrepit PSonefboty engine in Beckham'sname was never going towoii< - it draws attentionto the fact that superstarendorsements oftendisguise a crap game.

It may be languishing inthe lower leagues ofconsole football-dom,but DB Soccer sportsseveral worthy originalfeatures missing fromother footy greats.

1. Target PracticeThe training mode Invitesyou to loft crosses attargets and smash panelswith free kicks. Crude, butstrangely addictive.

2. Editable EverythingCreate a team, namethem, construct a stadiumand then design your ownkit - right down to theclub crest Pro Evo needsone df these!

3. Team PlayerThe game features over150 different teams. Okay,ail the player names arewrong (apart fromBeckham's) but that's stillICQ more teams than ProE v o l u t i o n S o c c e r

Chelsea score, butmust wai t a fewagonising secondsbe fo re the ce leb ra t i on .

4. ChallengesNet more than 31 goalspast American Samoa asAustralia, pip Liverpool tothe 89/90 title by winningwith Arsenal by more thanone goal - fine stuff thatharks back to ISS Deluxeo n t h e S N E S i

And a couple ofunworthy inclusions...

5. Shameless AdvertisingIntrigued by the 'AdidasBoot Room' option? Don'tbe. It's just a cunning ployto flog you some ofBeckham's extortionatelypriced footwear

6. This Is His LifeCatch up on a pottedhistory of Beckham's lifeso far, complete withlow-res, grainy, out-of-date pictures.

PlayStatloQiE \|ERDIIZT

PlayStation.S 1

PlayStation®^' OFFICIAL TIPS NAGAZINE-UKTHE GENIUS NEW TIPS MAGFROM THE MAKERS OF THIS

AND THIS

ON SALE 20TH JUNETRKE UOUR GRUIEB FURTHER

Publisher CapcomDeveloper ArikaP r i c e : £ 3 9 . 9 9Players: 1O u t N o wWe b s i t e :w w w . c a p c o m . c o m6 0 H z m o d e : N oW i d e s c r e e n : N oS u r r o u n d s o u n d : N o

Back storyArika, the company behindthe Street Fighter EX series(Street Fighter EX3 on PS2|is the studio tesponslbie forthe ambitious Everblue. Thegame has been out for afew weel(s aiready, so thefact that 0PS2 didnt see apreview copy speaksvoiumes about the game'soveraii goodness.

Obta in be t te r scubagear and dive deeper.

Here at 0PS2 towers, we prideourselves on applauding innovationand atB always intrigued by newgaming concepts, but sometimes

developers take the piss. There are usually goodreasons for why certain genres have never beenexplored. Would you buy a game set In the exciting35mph world of British Lawnmower racing? Or atitle that simulated the late night thrills ofsupermarket shelf-stacking with 3D graphics andrealistic ptDduce damage modelling? No, and quitesensibly, no. So what on eart:h made Capcom thinkthat It could get away with a diving game RPG?

Like a pig with wheels or a seagull with abombsight, Everblue Is a strange beast On theone hand, It's a simplistic RPG/adventure. Set onthe Island of Daedalus, you play rookie diver Leo.Your Immediate world Is a series of land-basedlocations where you can talk to the locals, sellany Items you've found during your dives andpurchase new sub-aqua equipment A storyunfolds as you polnt-and-click these sun-bleachedbackdiDps, taking you from shallow sand sifting todeepwater wreck salvage. Like an RPG, you oftenhave to talk to character A and find item B (to giveto character A) before the story will advanceanother fathom. As the story unfolds, morelocations become available, offering newcharacters and new information, and In turn newitems and undersea dest inat ions.

The repetitive bulk of Everblue takes placeunderwater Viewed In first-person 3D, you dive Intomurky water thick with sea-gunk, surrounded bydart:ing fish, inquisitive dolphins and sand-scuttlingspidery things. Think of It as the hazy-bluewatenfl/orid of Boss Strike but on a much largerscale. It's cert:ainly atmospheric - the wheeze of

regulated breathing the blub-a-lub-blub of risingair bubbles. You feel like Dart:h Vader enjoying aMediterranean scuba holiday while the Death Staris under construction. To make things Interesting(and with a nod to realism) your ability to dive isrestricted by your equipment and your strength,both of which improve as you play. Regular divingincreases your stamina bar, allowing you to swimfurt:her; while new equipment (bigger air tanks, fins,better wetsults) enables you to stay undenwaterlonger, swim faster and dive deeper

Exploring the sunken wrecks with torchlightpiercing the drowned corridors and cabins hasvisual echoes of Titanic, but there's often littlemore to Everblue than random undersea treasure

hunting Armed with a sonar device that can bemodified to detect different types of elements (le,wood or metal) you spend much of your timeswimming towards distant sonar 'pings', hoping todig up more than an old umbrella or a discardedfishing lure. It's like searching for a needle In ahaystack - painfully slow and tedious. It's pretty,but not much of a game. □ Dean Evans

E V E R B L U En

Why we'd buy it- It's the only diving

game on f%2- We can take the game

back within ten daysof purchase-

Why we'd leave it- Painfully slow-Too much exploring not

enough spear-gun action- There's some paintdrying on a wall overthere, come seel

Curious? Dont be. Weapplaud Evertlue^s boldI n v e n t i v e n e s s a s w e w a l kIt along ttie PS2 plank andfeed i t t o t he sha rks .

Hazy-blue water Bass Strike fishy 3D 0 6

0 3S o u n d Kill the man with the electronic organ! Kill! 0 5

Gameplay Dive, dig, towei-dry, sell. Repeat until bored a s

Life span A whole, mostly empty ocean to explore

PlayStatLon^g \IERDIIZT

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R E NA R M Y M E N : RTS

Pf «■ th» L2 or Ra buttons to retat* th« buMdln

Select your soldiers and vehicles individually or group theminto plastic death squads with concentrated firepower

m I "OK, men,secu re t ha t

I B I J L L P O Z E i lR i t o p t i c t b u l W t n o ,

SfflSl l lKi l lflL

H u N E y. I S H R U N KT H E T R N K 5The battle continues to rage between the greenand tan forces. Some say the best form ofdefence is 'attack? But maybe the best formof defence is 'defence'...

HRiny nr iEN: RT5Snappy new title, snappy new Army Men game? Yes. No, really

Publisher 3DODeve loperPandemic StudiosP r i c e : £ 1 9 . 9 9O u t N o wWe b s i t e :w v v w . 3 d o . c o i i i /a rmymen/ r t sPlayers: 16 0 H z m o d e : N oW i d e s c r e e n : N oSurround sound: No

Back story3D0 handed thedevelopment of Army Men:RTS over to PandemicStudios, creators of DarkReign 2 and Battezone 2.The result is a game thatalmost single-handedlyrescues the reputationof the Army Men series.Pandemic Studios Is theteam behind the recentTriple Play Baseball 2002,and is currently developinga reai-time tactical combatgame, dubbed C-Force.

The words 'Army Men' and 'PS2' haven'tenjoyed the happiest of relationships.3D0's previous games have Insultedour collective intelligence and wasted

our time. Army Men: Sarge's Heroes 2 received ascore of 3/10 (OPS2#07l, Air Attack: Blade'sRevenge notched up a 2/10 (#09), and GreenRogue added to the misety w/ith 1/10 |#08) - andeven that was generous. But with the latest gamein the series, Army Men: R7S, 3D0 seems to haveturned a comer With our critical cannon ready tofire the words 'abysmal', tedious' and 'bloody awful'at point-blank range, the last thing we expectedwas to have to unload it and use the word 'good'.

That's right 'Good'. The RTS In the title standsfor Real Time Strategy and the game blends 3D0'siconic toy soldiers with the point-and-clickmechanics of Command & Conquer. The result isa tactical isometric wargame with base-buildingand unit construction. You assume command ofthe green forces who are fighting an ongoing waragainst their tan adversaries, and both sides haveaccess to a wide an-ay of plastic weaponry,including machine guns, sniper rifles andbazookas, as well as tanks and helicopters. It's acase or melt-or-be-melted as the two armies clashon a series of Honey, i Shrunk The Kids lor indeedMicro Machines] battlegrounds - a flower bed, thekitchen sink - littered with everyday objects.

Like Command & Conquer, Army Men: RTS isbased around resource-gathering and base-building. There are two types of resource: plasticand power Plastic is used to make new soldiersand vehicles, although vehicles also require powerTo destroy the enemy on a level, you need to buildan HQ, construct a Resource Depot to collect extraplastic and power; add a Barracks to produce

infantry and a Garage to build jeeps and tanks. Youbuild and build and build, juggling your investmentbetween prciduclng new units and improving yourbase infrastructure (by increasing production andconstructing defensive buildings). As ever, the trickis finding an eflicient balance between the two.

The tiesult is a fun and playable wargame. Thecontrols have been well thought-out and a brieftutorial explains the basics of movement baseconstruction and combat At the core of 3D0'sgame is the Campaign, but success here unlocks16 extra one-off missions in the accompanyingGreat Battles and Special Operations modes.Admittedly, Army Men: RTS isnt blessed with thegreatest Al and you can often rely on 'my army isbigger than your army tactics. But some strategicthinking Is required regarding which units you usein battle, and with a selectable difficulty level youcan tailor the challenges to suit your skill.

Army Men: RTS then: a combination oflightweight strategislng and Toy Sto/y-style visuals.It's good, it's not great but it and 3D0 deserve agenerous round of applause... □ Dean Evans

r

Successfully beating a level requires finding abalance between producing a large force of soldiersand vehicles and Investing In base defences such asguard to«/ers (shov»n here) and pillboxes.

Once a battlefield resource (like this giant water gun]Is exhausted, your resource collectors will search fornew sources of plastic. Consequently, you can't sitstill. You need to expand to thrive. Thrive to win...

ARMY MEN: RTS

Why we'd buy it- There is a lack of

PS2 wafgames- C&C-style play,

car toon v i sua ls

Why we'd leave it- U m i t e d u n l t A I- Basic attack tactics- Ail-too-iepetltive

m i s s i o n s- Surely C&C has got to

come to PS2 soon?

Anny Men; RTS bringssome respectability backto the franchise. Andabout time too.

GnvNcs Bnght, but a brt tough around ttie edges. 0 7S o u n d The shouts of plastic men about to die.. B EGameplay Sheer weight of numbers usually triumphs.Life span A lengthy campaign and 15 bonus missions. 0 7

PlayStaUon^a MERDICT

S PlayStation.2

R E MHIGH HEAT MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL 2003/ESPN NBA 2NIGm' 2002

Fielding Is made simple, thanksto these huge tangerine spotlights.

H I G H H E R T W R I O RL E R G U E B R 5 E B R L L E 0 0 3It's spring and the baseball season has starte-... No, come back!

P u b l i s h e r 3 D ODeveloper 3DOP r i c e : £ 3 9 . 9 9Players: 1-2O u t N o wW e b s i t e :www.highheat .com6 0 H z m o d e : N oW l d e s c r e e n : N oSurround sound: No

Such is the insular nature of American

sport that oniy a tiny minority of theUK gives a monkey's which team ofmen in tight trousers wins the World

Series. This means that, however good a baseballgame is, there wiii only be a few Brit gamers outthere siapping their ieather mittens in delight

So far, the Gran Turismo of basebail for PS2 isAll-star Baseball 2003 (OPS2#20 7/10) with itsimptBssive contnoi and depth. But whiie All-Starkeeps gamer participation to a minimum to avoidwrinkiing its simulation finish, High Heat is aiiabout getting your hands mucky as you control allthe players. Yep, this one's the arcade alternative.

The game is extremely flexible. There areoptions to controi the speed of the pitches and the

fielders' throws, so you can make batting aschalienging as you iike. While this smudges anyrealistic feel, it makes each innings more action-packed. Perfect for two-player games, then - andbetter than trawling through a season on your tod.

Unfortunately this dirty-knee approach hasalso rubbed off on the game's ptBsentation.Graphics border on the sloppy with ape-likefieiders and ropey animation - piayers seem torun straight through other piayers and balls oftenslip out of the wrong side of the hand

The question is, do you nealiy care enoughabout basebail to part with £40? Whiie High Heatmay warm the cockles of those aficianadosiooking for a nice 'change-up'. It's likely to ieavethe nest of us a little chiily. □ Dave Harrison

L

The replays are a 'perfect' exampleof the overly dry presentation.

HIGH HEAT MAJOR LEAGUEB A S E B A L L 2 0 0 3

Why we'd buy it- You can customise the

game to your likingGraphicsS o u n d

a s

why we'd leave it- However they dress it

up, it's stiii basebaii

.1

Li fespan

Scrappy butenjoyable. Worth 'a shot if you found 1 1

1 /W-Stor too uptightPlaySta|: ion.g \ |ERDIIZT

: j i } if only the gameplayJ *11 matched the animation.» 1

All the replayFco^y'ih"!ESP^ telly presentation?

ESPN delivers layer upon layer of neatly-crafteddetail, such as this delightful crowd participation. 4 V

E 5 P N N B R E N I B H T E 0 0 BEverybody say hoops-up-slde-your-head, say hoops... Ah, suit yerself.

P u b l i s h e r K o n a m iDeveloper KCETP r i c e : £ 3 4 . 9 9

Players: 1-8O u t : N o wWe b s i t e :

www.espntheg a m e s . c o m6 0 H z m o d e : N oW i d e s c r e e n : N oS u r r o u n d s o u n d : N o

This is basketbail at its most sober

Rather than cooking up acrobaticthrills in an NBA Street way NBA2Nlght 2002 attempts to be an ice-

cool simulator and a franchise-perfect recreationof the NBA a la EA Sports' NBA Live series Whilemany UK gamers wiii know their Michaei Jordansfnom their Jordans, most of the character detail islost on all but die-hard fans. Consequentiy, thefocus quickiy turns to the gamepiay - which justdoesnt stand up to the opposition.

NBA 2Nlght is serious, grown-up basketbaliwhich tries to promote fast hand-passing and free-flowing movement, but sadly doesn't have thecontnoi system to back up its ambition. Baiimovement anound the D seems too random in

comparison to the kind of instinctuai player-switching you wouid hope for This ieads todependency on the more obvious scoring methods(such as driving to the hole or trying to find spaceat the three-point iine for the small nippy guys),which in turn leads to very repetitive gameplay

NBA Street and NBA Hoopz are more funbecause they concentrate on the spectacuiar ifyou're going to have to score every few seconds,you might as weil pull off a few somersaults andcatch yourself on fire in the process. NBA 2Nlghtdespite ail that attention to detaii, is a dry gamethat comes up short in comparison to the similarNBA Live. No matter how shiny the floor orsqueaky the trainers, this is one game that losesout for being reaiistic. □ Dave Harrison

You never feel comfortable enough with thecontrols to try out different ways of scoring

ESPN NBA 2NIGHr 2002

Why we'd buy it- Uptight detail- Airtight animation

Why vre'd leave it- Fiddly control system

and gameplay

B•nghdy put together,but gameplay has 1 nt 'b e e n s a c r i fi c e d I T 1f o r d e t a i l .

PlayStatlon g \IERDIIZT

Play5tation,E 1

R E M I E L i

PS o n e T MThe best PSone reviews around, courtesy of Official PlayStation Magazine.

(Above) Stuck? Photos and audio clues will helpyou out. (Left) It's at times like these, the real footyanoraks come out of the c loset .

< yz

R T 5 : F D D T B( 1 (

1 1 1 N 0 2Who scored the goals in the 1978 World Cup final? Interested? Read on..

Publisher THQDeveloper HotH o u s e C r e a t i o n sP r i c e : £ 9 . 9 9Players: 1O u t N o w

P S o n e .

a s

0 E

S K Y S P O R T S : F O O T B A L L

QUIZ SEASON 02

GraphicsMore Ashton Gatethan Nou CampS o u n dMuch arguing withyour mates

GameplayGreat quiz fun thatt e s t s t h e b e s t 0 7Life spanSolo, limited. Withm a t e s , e n d l e s s 0 9

Top quizzer that's greatto play with mates, butonly tnie fboty fansneed apply

\ J E R D C T

You all know him, the gobby smug gitwith no mates, annoying the hell out ofeveryone In the pub as he drops footystats and facts Into the conversation

when at all possible. Thing Is, Is he right or Is hetouting bull? One of the more entertaining (andless violent) ways to find out Is to challenge him toa game of Sky Sports Football Quiz Season 02.

Which Is indeed a real challenge for even themore obsessive lover of the round ball. Thequestions In the game range from the obvious tothe Impossible. Those hoping to tackle the gamewill need a good deal of general footy knowledgeftDm around the world. A very good deal.

Continuing in the same boots as the originalSky Sports Football Quiz. Sky Sports 02 is exactlythe same game, but with new and up-to-datequestions to tease the old gney matter For theuninitiated, the game has various modes thatmake a quiz out of a football scenario.

For Billy No Mates, Dream Team mode Is thepick of the bunch. You choose a group ofquestions that represent a position In a 4-4-2formation. You must then answer those questionsas fast as you can to win big bucks, then spend

//The friendly' quizgame quicltty turns intobitter exclianges andmocldng insults//the money on a player Eventually, you'll flll everyposition and have your dream team. Simple cleanfun, but surprisingly addictive as you start to takepride in the kind of team you're building

However, It's In the multiplayer modes that thegame really shines. Sitting in your lounge with abunch of mates glued to the TV, obviously taking itall ever so seriously and playing with a ridiculoussense of pride and passion, the friendly' quiz gamequickly deteriorates Into bitter exchanges, mockinginsults, spilt lager and songs of victory.

The only question Is whether this secondinstalment of Sky Sports Football Quiz is a rip-off?There Is a clear lack of new game elements but,overall, the game Is good value for money andprovides hours of grudge match fun with yourmates - it might even see that smari:ass eat hisown words. Oh, and that answer? Mario Kempes. □

R O U N D U P

P R E V I E WL I L D R N D 5 T I T C H :T R O U B L E I N P H R R D B Ewill this Disney game manage to avoid thewatery grave mart^ed Atlantis? We think so.It's packed with humour; Invention, aliens -oh, and Wayne's World babe, TIa Carrere.

Lllo And Stitch uses the story of thefilm (Hawaiian lass Ulo picks up a dog,Stitch, from a stray home, only he isn't adog he's an alien killing machine] as anexcuse for some ridiculous platform antics.

You can play as either Lllo or Stitch,running jumping and voodoo-ing your waythrough a non-linear adventure, S la CrashBandicoot There are volcanoes to conquer;bosses to slap and agalnst-the-clock mini-games. In a nutshell? Ulo And Stitch isMonsters, Inc in a silly grass skirt:. □

B A S I C(aaoDif a«1

!

Only true fans would have a chance whenanswering this kind of question.

We got this right, we did. Yeah right. Somequestions are insane, even Motty would struggle.

P R E V I E W

□R N C E D R N E ER E ^ D L U T O N K D N R m i XWay back In 1998 Konami released theoriginal Dance Dance Revolution coln-op.Now, the latest Instalment of the series Is tobe unleashed onto the UK this September

Konami has added and tweaked a few ofthe more familiar features. The biggestInnovation Is the Inclusion of an edit mode,which enables you to create your ownroutines. Tons of silly pop, filed under theusual Dance Dance categories, topmultiplayer fun and lots of ridiculous poses.Just like its predecessors, Konamix isshaping up to be pure PSone Prozac. □

ALSO ON PSONET H I S M O N T H . .Want to know about SCE'sFormula One Arcade, orread the verdict on CapcomVs SNK Pro? For all thelatest PSone news, reviews,previews and playabledemos see OFFICIAL UKPLAYSWION MAGAZINE.

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□\ IU/INTERNET /PRINT/mUEIIIDone playing? Here's what you might lil e to watch, read and listen to.Text Lee Hart/Sam Richards/Mike GoMsmith

33 DOWNTOWN

BW DID THEY DO THAT?ir wondered how the flimmakers managed to get a bus to jump0-metre gap across the freeway? Well, they didn't - they made itFor a full breakdown of the cinematic trickery behind the sceneI need to check out two featurettes: The Bus Jump and Visuallets. Here's what to expect...

The Bus JumpTo get the shot of the bussoaring through the air; a rampwas built on a stretch of roadready for a stuntman to driveover it at 80mph. There was nochance of plunging to his death,but the bus still leaped 20ft Intothe air and travelled over 100ft.

Visuat EffectsWith the stunt In the can, thesequence then moved over to theCGI wizards. Ttiey created a shot ofthe bus approaching the gap;spliced in footage of the bus in theair from the stunt jump; thenincluded a shot of the bus justlanding safely on the other side.

SPEED:SPECIALEDITIONFox/£22 .99 /Out now

Film: From the moment mad Dennis Hopper letsoff his first bomb, to the final confrontation withKeanu on the roof of a tube train, Jan De Bont'sperfectly-titled action romp Just never stops. In themiddle is the film's showstopping idea: a bus filledwith panicking commuters and rigged to explode ifits speed drops below 50mph. Unless, that Is, bitterex-cop Dennis gets the cash he's demanding.

With cute, kooky passenger Sandra Bullocktaking the wheel and Reeves wandering aboutlooking confused, we get comedy and flirting aswell as unstoppable action. Breathless set-piecescome thick and fast, from Keanu's death-defyingattempt to get aboand the bus, to the laws-of-physics-breaking leap across a 50-metre g;ip in thefreeway. And when the pace does drop for i fewseconds, the scenery-chewing Hopper and thechemistry between Reeves and Bullock keeps themovie firmly on track.

Even though It takes us on one adrenaline ridetoo many (the final cat and mouse encounter on arunaway tube train feels like It's been tacked on asan afterthoughtl Speed remains an exciting victoryof high concept over common sense. Just stayaway from the turgid sequel, for God's sake, LHFeatures: A Special Edition-sized chunk of extrasincludes three featurettes covering the visualeffects, the stunt work and an 'on location' look atthe actual shooting of the Aim. Tliere are separateInterviews with the principal cast Icompiied duringthe shoot), six extended versions of existing scenes,plus commentaries by De Boot and Producer MarkGordon, accompanied by Writer Graham Youst.Verdict: Equal parts dumb to fun, Speed is oneHollywood blockbuster that actually deserves the"high-octane nollercoaster of a movie" quote on Itsposter 7/10

J .

The Finished Scene

J There you have it. Stuntmen andcomputers working in perfectharmony to create one of the

^ most memorable sequences inaction cinema. Now when youwatch the movie, you can be all

0 clever clever and tetl friends andfamily how it was done!

!0 PlayStation E

HARRY POTTER AND THEPHILOSOPHER'S STONEWarner /£22.99/Out now

Film: One of the few genuine blockbustersof 2001 - indeed, this is now the secondhighest grossing movie evet; after Titanic -the young wizard feiia may have suffered incomparison with the epic Fellowship OfThe Ring, but for fans of the Potter bool s,this first adaptation delivers everything theydemanded. The world of Hogwarts andHarry's adventures are transferred to thebig screen with painstai ing accuracy, but -those stunning Quidditch matches aside -there's a rather clinical sense of by-the-numbers commercial filmmaking here LH

Features: Like a conjurer's trick the factthat this is a two-disc pack disguises thefact that there's llttie of real substance Inthe extras. The menus cleverly operate asan interactive game with the ultimate goalof finding the Philosopher's Stone, whichprovides access to seven deleted scenesThere are various other mini-games andInterviews but the best of a bad lot are thevirtual tours of the impressive sets forHogwarts School and Hagrid's hut.Verdict; Competent sorcerer's tale that'slacking a touch of magic. 6/10

Momentum/£24 .99 /Out now

Fiim: That Paul Verhoeven's erotic thrillershould become infamous for Sharon Stoneuncrossing her legs should tell you all youneed to know about this once notoriousmovie. Michael Douglas is the stereotypicalcop-on-the-edge hunting down amurderous blonde who ice-picks hervictims to death during coitus. Stone Is thegorgeous bisexual femme fatale he doesntknow whether to romance or arrest

The story (by Joe 'Showgirls' Eszterhas)lurches and stumbles over itself like adrunken old pen/ - the ending makes no

sense and the subtext is so misogynistic imight as well ]oin a rugby club. But, likewitnessing a car crash, it's hard to tear yoeyes away from the clich6d sexcapades. Cand Michael's pale blue pullover remainsthing of ethereal beauty, LHFeatures: The Making Of features all themain protagonists, including Verhoeven Intypically vitriolic form. There's a hilariousfeaturette on the dubbed-for-TV version ofthe movie, plus Stone's original screentesVerdict: Cheeky softcore thriller with moi(unintentional! laughs than shocks. 6/10

"When I said I fancied a go onthe 'dirty eairjp bilte', this isn'texactly viiat |had in mind...

THE GREAT CAPE:SPECIAL EDTTIONMGM/£19.99 (World Cup Edition, £22.99l/Out now

BRASS EYE:SERIES AND SPECIAL

Film: Based on the remarkable true story of250 allies attempting to tunnel out of aGerman POW camp. Director John Sturgestook this gripping tale of WWII derring-do,added a huge all-star cast and a thumpingElmer Bernstein scoiie, and finished up withone of the best examples of rollickingHollywood escapism you'll ever see.

Packed with action, drama, laughs,tragedy and more memorable set-piecesthan you can shake a pick-axe at - 'CoolerKing' Steve McQueen's motorbike Jump,tunnel expert Charles Bronson's chnonic

claustnophobia, we could go on and on -there's no escaping the fact that this istimeless, 24-carat entertainmentFeatures: Documentary The Untold Storyreveals just how accurately the film portraysthe real-life escape, as well as focusing onthe making of the movie. There are twomore documentaries on the historical factsbehind the story and a cast and crewcommentary which is actually just a load ofold recollections cobbled togetherVerdict; Epic WWII action, as welcome andfamiliar as a nice cup of tea. 10/10

VCi/£19.99/Out now

Film; For satire to be truly successful itmust outrage at least 70 percent of Itscontemporary audience. This appears to bethe thinking behind Chris Morris's brilliantBrass Eye: a series of 'mock-umentaries'designed to expose the follies,inconsistencies and sheer stupiditybehind modern politics and media.

From the iaugh-out-ioud absurdities ofdeadly new drug 'Cake', to the deeplyuncomfortable hidden truths of last year'sultra-controversial Special on paedophilia,Morris picks the scabs of tabloid morality

and celebrity rent-a-gobs until they weefAnd even if you don't enjoy the subversi\political message, you can appreciate thhilarious way language is twisted to a piin his hands. Quadra-spazzed really doe;belong in The Oxford English Dictlonaiy.Features; There's a fantastic commentaion the Cake episode by six drug addicts,moderated by Morris. No, really Plus a fogroup about the Paedophile Special, delescenes, and four great songs from the seVerdict TV comedy at its funniest and rdangerous. Morris for Prime Minister! 9/

HighlleSs And Ufes (Buena Vista/£19.99)/Crazy/Beautiful iBuena Vista/£17.99|/The Poseidon Adventure |Fox/£15.99)/Cocoon (Fox/£15.991Kagemusha (Fox/£15.99)/Last Orders |Metrodome/£19.99|/WWF Royal Rumble 2002 (Silver Vision/£19.99|/Wishmaster 4 (Mosaic Entertainment/£19.99|

PlayStation,2

» D \ D R E N I E L U 5

H i e n e w s e r i e sof The Ibyptonfactor iqtped theante considerably.

* 4 ^ ^

Rod Hull always hadto have his fingersup something...

nop 10 SPORTS MOVIE DVDS

ROLLERBALLMGM/E19.99/24 June

Film: In a de-sensitised future, where theplanet Is entirely controlled and censoredby faceless mega-corporations, a viciousgladiatorial sport named Rollerball isinvented to pacify the masses. So beginsNorman Jewison's 'conformity is dangerous,man' sci-fl fantasy in which veteranRoilerballing hero James Caan refuses toretire, becomes a hero and mal<es the plebsbeiieve in Individuaiity again.

Like Logan's Run and Death Race 2000,this preachy, sub-Kubrlcl<, pseudo-prophetic

flim says more about the tastes and worriesof the Seventies than It does about thefuture. However the lengthy Rollerbaiiscenes - an amphitheatre, motorbikes,roilerskates, spiked gloves, ultravloience andno ruies - remain absolutely thrlliing. LHFeatures: A quality selection of extras -documentary, commentaries by DirectorNorman Jewlson and Writer Bill Harrison,the original featunette - but sadly there's noInput from the main man, James Caan.Verdict: Fun but dated sci-fl hokum. 6/10

Flis Sporting Uferlton/£9.99m: Kitchen sink drama meets; brutal world of Sixties rugbyigue as Yorkshire coal-miner;hand Harris finds success on5 field, but cant shake offit sporting aggression in hisrsonal life. Found In the film:tlonary under the word

i ', this Is a landmark Int i s h c i n e m a ,a t u r e s : N o n e .

iging Bulli M / £ 1 9 . 9 9m: The harrowing tme storythe life and career of boxer(e The Bronx Bull' La Motta,5 Is an unbearably powerful,prislngly moving portrayal ofnan who can only expressiseif through violence. EasilyI best sports movie everide and a career pinnacle forr Robert De NIro ande c t o r M a r t i n S c o r s e s e ,rtures; Making Of:umentary. Jake's Jokes,vietone news footage of aMotta fight Stills galleiy.

iddyshackm e r / £ 1 2 . 9 9n: Pothead greenskeeperMurray develops turf youI smoke, then destroys theF course in a crazed mission(ill Its resident gophermssibly smarmy pro Chevyise plays perfect golf thankslis maxim, "Be the ball." Anddmouth millionaire Rodneyigerfleld splashes his cashI Insults anything with ase. An Irreverent, oftensplitting golfing comedy,i t u r e s : N o n e .

The Color Of MoneyBuena Vlsta/£ 19.99Film: Aged pool shark PaulNewman manages up-and-coming hotshot Tom Cruise,before going cue-to-cue withhis toothy prot6g6 in thisblistering sequel to hardboiledFifties classic The Hustler.Features: None.

B u l l D u r h a mM G M / £ 1 5 . 9 9Film: Dumb-ass pitchingprodigy Tim Robblns andveteran catcher (and dreamer]Kevin Costner vie for theattentions of sassy baseballgroupie Susan Sarandon InRon Shelton's quirky andappealing nom-com.Features: Theatrical trailer

Tin CupWarner/£ 15.99Film: Another Ron Sheltonsports comedy. Ttils time It'sgolf Rene Russo Is the loveInterest and both smug PGApro Don Johnson and aimlesstalent Kevin Costner manage tobe far less annoying than usual.Features: Production notes.

KingpinEntertainment In Vldeo/£15.99Rim: Ten-pin bowling, FarrellyBrothers style. Ripped off by hisdevious mentor Bill Murray, ten-pin champ Woody Harrelsonloses his money, his dignity andhis left hand, then gets back ontrack by guiding Amlsh farmer,and natural born bowler,Ishmael IRandy Quaidj into thebig time. Mucho gross-outcomic high-jinks ensue.Features: Featurette. Trailer.

Gregory's GirlCinema Club/E9.99Film: Gawky schoolboy andhopeless goalkeeper JohnGordon Sinclair gets hormoneoverload when the lovely DeeHepburn proves she's as tastyon the field as she Is off ItScottish, genteel, funny andas perceptive a movie aboutteenagers as there's ever been.Features: None.

F i e l d O f D r e a m sColumbia TriStar/E19.99Film: Heartwarming fable inwhich Kevin Costner hears avoice In his cornfield tellinghim: "If you build It, he willcome." Kev builds a baseballdiamond believing that theghost of Chicago Black Soxlegend 'Shoeless' Joe Jacksonwill come and play But whileJoe does show up, he Isnt the'he* the voice was referring to...Features: Commentary.Documentary. Trailer

When We Were KingsU n i v e r s a l / £ 1 7 9 9Film: Superlative documentaryon the events surrounding theWorld Heavyweight bout InZaire between fearsomeunbeaten champ GeorgeForeman and Muhammad All,aiming to win back the title hewas stripped of for refusing theVietnam draft. The fight becamethe legendary Rumble in theJungle but the politics, theculture and the characters takeequal billing here, with theiconic All eiectrilying the screen.Features: Two All fights -The Rumble In The Jungleand the Thrilla In Manila.

Same old Argies,always cheating.

THE LEGEND OF THEHFA WORLD CUPFox/£29.99/Out now

Film: A documentary tracing the history ofthe World's greatest sporting showcase(Olympics? Give over!) this perfectly-timedrelease follows the World Cup trail from itsinvention in 1930 by visionary FrBnchmanJules Rimet right up to France's triumph onhome soil in 1998. Narrated by ITV Sport'sGabriel Clarke, it Is a feast of football that'llleave you satiated with classic games,spectacular goals and legendary players.

But it's not without Its problems. Thelack of any background info or Interviewsmeans there's no real perspective to theaction. And there are some embarrassingschoolboys errors, such as falling to

mention Gazza's tears In 1990, and claimingthat Btyan Robson's 27-second goal againstFrance In 1982 Is the fastest in World Cuphistory - that honour actually goes toCzechoslovakia's Vaclav Masek, who put onepast Mexico after just 16 seconds in '52, LHFeatures: As well as a quiz and a 'pick theall-time greatest XI' game, each disc has asection on the best players, best goals andstatistics for the respective tournaments,plus a bonus feature ranging from a galleryof ail the World Cup posters to footage ofMaradona expertly playing keepy-up.Verdict: Lacks insight, but still a winningwalk down World Cup memory lane. 7/10

12 PiayStation-E

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© 2002 Touchstone Pictures

HU1S\Ixclusively in IMAX® Theatres

and Large Fermat Cinemasfrom June 28

Check Local Press For Details

www.tiiefiimfaGtory.co.uk

N A T I O N A L A D V E N T U R E S P O R T S S H O WROYAL BATH & WEST SHOWGROUND, SHEPTON MALLET, SOMERSET • 19TH-a 1 ST JULYw w w . n B M o n a l - a d v e n t u r E s p o r r s . c o m

64 LLL.' J 1I t t - 1 1

»INTER\IIEIJLJ » I N T E R KI

: a m'eerless Brit comic publisliers brancli into games.t's been busy. We've been learning how to publish,sally - improving our prDfessionalism..."

The man chuckling on the end of the phone isddie Deighton who, along with Neil Googe and:ussell Uttley completes the trio of brains behindIK comic publishers, com.x. Over the last yearlese three gents have bravely entered the world ofomic publishing, a traditionally Yank-centric worldf superheroes and superbudgets. No chance,ght? Sorry. See, these fellas have Just securedxclusive distribution into Borders bookshops larst for any comici with issues selling out all over

The first three titles fnom com,x are a disparateunch. Googe's Bazooka Jules (a well-endowed;en Tank Girl with her tongue in her cheek) Uttley's'uncture (a darker-than-dark story of ancient godsnd modern ultravioiencel and Cla$$war, auperheno conspiracy tale that marries The X-Files) Watchmen. New titles are planned but it's notist comics the threesome are interested in.

'The American public accept the comic formats a medium but it's still matginalised in the UK,"iments Uttley "We need to increase awareness ofur creations and that means other markets - weeed to be in film, we need to be in videogames."oth of which should prove no trouble. com.x have

/''America accepts:he comic format butt's still marginalisedlere in the UK'V/

recently had Hollywood literary agents Circle OfConfusion touting Puncture to movie producers("Nicolas Cage has shown a lot of interest - no,seriousiyll but squeezing Bazooka Jules onto PS2should pose no problem. comYs parent company,department.x, have been handling the graphicdesign for game packaging for years, recentlyworking on Silent Hill 2 and Metal Gear Solid 2.

"We'd have to work with a medium-sizeddeveloper," states Googe on the possibility of a PS2com.x game. "Plus it would depend on the vision ofthe Creative Director of that development studio."

The reason behind Googe being so specific istwo-fold. Firstly, the boys can't talk details but youcan definitely expect one of their current roster tobe announced for PlayStation 2 very shortlySecondly, com.x has been doing some drawing..

"com.x has been working for the last eightmonths on a PS2 game with what was StudioCamden IThe SCEE team behind Dropship and nowHardware ," confides Uttley "Five of our artists havebeen creating thousands of sketches for characters,weapons, vehicles, underwear - we've created awhole game world for them."

But for what game? Uttley's not saying For now,the com.x team will be working on what they knowbest - comics. Expect new titles, new teammembers and a forthcoming deal with Marvel thatwill see the British boys teaching the Yanks how todo it with all-new stories, plus their own stylish takeon certain X-Men characters.

America is going to have to watch out - thereal X-Men are coming □ MG

B A Z O O K A J U L E rAnyone remember TonkGirl? It's a bit like thatA sassy teenage girl withthe ability to create hugemech-styie bazookas, abyproduct of which is themassive inflation of herboobs. Not as naff as itsounds, but a hip, manga-friendly tale with the bestyouth dialogue this sideof DCs Young Justice,

P U N C T U R EAncient folklore, modemsetting, timeless art.The com.x title with theboldest design (and ascript that mixes snappydialogue and portentousomensl this complex taleof mysterious gods recallsn e w D C t i t l e F a b l e s m i x e dwith Sandman at its best

CLASSWARH e r o e s d i s c o v e rgovernment is corrupt.Chaos ensues.com.x's first superherotale bodes well for thestudio's work for Marvel -think AWOL superheroes,X-Hles conspiracies and,well, class war. What otherc o m i c h a s t h e l e a d h e r oburn the word 'liar' on theU S P r e s i d e n t ' s f o r e h e a d i nt h e fi r s t i s s u e ?

•Puncture #4, BazookaJules #3 and Cla$$war# 1 a r e a l l o u t n o w.

4 i Boom ^ /

B O O M S E L E C T I O Nboomselect ion.n3.net

Given the rapid time it's taken for bootlegs totravel from Steve Lamacq on Radio One to MarkLawson on Radio Four It might seem a bit latein the day to review Boom Selection, it's notYes, you can still download everything from theold Missy and Kylie 'classics' to the dubiousT-L-C-lunk Click lum, Lisa iDpes vs Madness'sDriving In My Catj but recently the wholesoundclash thing has taken a turn for the ChrisMorris. The site now features cheeky politicalcut-ups that show a future for this subversivesub-genre rather than Just providing proto-hitsfor the Sugababes. Visit, listen to Stephen Byersspliced with Chas & Dave and know that this isone craze that ain't going away just yet MG

V I D E O G A M EMUSIC ARCHIVEvww.vgmuslc.comPerusers of the more esoteric music mags willbe aware of the crossover between the cuttingedge of electronica and videogame music - seethose temix albums of old C64 theme musiclwww.c64audio.com) or the cannibaiisation ofGame Boy as a sampler (vww.littiesounddj.com).All very worthy we're sure, but if you want tolook the bomb by actually knowing where allthese noises originated from, go visit the VGMA.Rammed with MIDI and MPS files of tunes frompossibly evety console ever, this is perfect forAphex-styled inspiration or just wilful nostalgia.Anyone for a spot of Gradius 2? Oh yes. MG

T H E T O P F N EAnd to back up this issue's DevU May Cry 2cover, here's the top five survival horror sites.1 . w w w . s u r v i v a l h o r F o r . i n f oYour best one-stop shop for survival horror,regularly updated and recently redesigned.2. www.angelfire.com/tn/questionreality/re2poems.htmlYeah, we know you want info on ResI Online forPS2 but this page has Resident Evil poetry! Go!3. www.capcom.com/(ievllmaycryThe official US site for the original DMC - expectDMC2 to appear here and on www.capcom.co.jp.4. www.res ident-ev i l - forum.comWith the movie out soon and a sequel confirmed,this unofficial film site has everything you need.5 . w w w . w h f t e - u m b r e l l a . c o mAbsolutely superb site dedicated to indeperxlentonline projects based around the Resident Eviluniverse. Go listen to the Res/ music remixes!

24 PlayStation.E

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T H E P U N I S H E R /C A P TA I N A M E R I C AWritten/drawn by: VariousPubl isher : Marvel ComicsPrice: $2.99 each

While the huge sales of the early Ninetiesare still a way off, the success of theSpider-Man movie (plus the forthcomingHulk and Superman films! Indicates acomics revival Is on the cards.

Similarly PS2 comic fans can revel inthe countless comic-originated games ontheir way. With the best superhero comicscurrently coming from Marvel, the non-Initiated should start off by getting copies ofThe Punisher and Captain America - bothrecently signed up by THQ for PS2 games.

As with the PS2-bound Daredevil, bothcomics have recently been relaunched as

Marvel Knights titles - which means noirheroes, cool art and mature stoty lines. ThePunisher (the tale of ex-cop turned vigilante,Franl< Castle) is now more tongue-in-cheekthan the Jingoistic Eighties effort that It oncewas, although the creative team behind thisrelaunch has just left. Thankfully scribe TomPeyer seems to be up the job of mixingvio lence wi th dark humour whi le Manuel

Gutierrez's shadowy art Is suitably urban.The judges remain out on Captain

America though - gorgeous art from JohnCassaday, but the portentous post-9/11 taleof ten-orism in the USA from John NeyReiber Is simply too dour, reading more likean essay In angst than a comic book □ NIG

'For Shackwave previews of these titles,head over to www.marvel .com.

BPM CULTUREFrequency: Nine issues a yearPr ice: $3.95See: www.djmixed.com

According to the blurb, electronic musicmag BPM Culture "encompasses not onlythe music, but also what's happening in theworld that surrounds It Ifashlon, videogames,digital media, etc)."

Which could mean a septic version ofMIxmag or Muzik but actually translates Intoan extremely good-looking dance mag. Ithas kept the imagination of Its fanzine rootsbut now features DJ interviews, out-therefashion, criticism of the latest flyer designs,white label round-ups and, as the BPM fellasthemselves say 'a butt load of up-to-datemusic reviews". And It does.

However i t 's the non-music content thatmarks out the mag as one to watch. Thelatest Issue Is a gaming special, featuring DJdeathmatches at GTA3, an in-depth consoletimeline plus well-written features on gamemusic, un-PC titles and arcade emulators('the vinyl of games" - respect).

If you like games, like dance music butare a tad bored by mags with nowt but picsof saucer-eyed lads and ladettes sweating InTurnmllis, get yourself some BPM Culture.Gaming content: The latest gaming Issuemight be the reason we picked up BPMCulture, but evety Issue features the latestgame releases. □ MG

•We picked up BPM Culture when checkingout SOCOM at Sony's US HQ. Try Border's inLondon or check out the web site.

Ms Dynamite: Thisexplosive R&B dfva re:is the bomb! Etcetera.

Using the power of your PS2 with this month's best CDs,MS DYNAMITE a Uttle Deeper iPolydorjWho? it's long sinceceased to be an issuethat lads can dig divaR&B, but so far all thegood stuff - Destiny,Kells, Aaliyah - hashai led f rom theStates... until now.

Highlights: Sexy,ballsy, politically-chatted and gloriouslyf o u l m o u t h e d , M sDynamite rips throughthis set of dancehal i -tinged R&B withstartling assurance.

Lowli^ts: Given thatshe made her debuton Stick/s Boooithere's an odd lack ofUK garage styiingshere, Plus we couid dowithout the clutch of'mature ' bal lads.

Verdict With supertproduction and sharlyrics that tellmater ia l i s t ma les

exactly where to getoff, Ms Dynamite mcthan matches effortsby her US peers. 8/:

DJ SHADOW The Private Press (MoWax)Who? A DJ that is toOakey and hisoverpaid ilk whatRadiohead are toS-C!ub 7. Inventedtrip-hop with hisastounding 1996 LPEndtroducing.

Highlights: G/i/ing UpThe Ghost and BloodOn The Motorway arecompeliing paranoidepics, although notmuch of a progressionfrom Endtraduc/ng'sstandout t rack Stem.

Lowlights: Answerphone messages andtraffic argument cut-ups? Surely Shadow isbeyond this?

Verdict: Musicallydextrous but only :occasionally brilliantwe expected morefrom the most intrejcrate-digger in thegame. 7/10

LUCK & NEAT It's Alt Good llsland)Who? UK Garage duowho made animpression on thescene with cleverlytitled single A Little BitOf Luck This firstalbum gives us, er, abigger bit of luck.

Highlights: There'ssomething undeniablydirty about themin ima l ism o f t rackslike KO and OriginalGuestllst ExperienceSouth UDndon wi thout

having to go there,

Lowli^rts: There's notenough variation Intempo and approach,and overal l the albumlacks the humanity ofThe Streets, Not

exactly pushing thingsforward.. .

Ve rd i c t A s l i c k ,supple garage effortt h a t s o m e t i m e sseems trapped withits form. Not ol! goothen , bu t wor th

investigation, 6/10

SPACE MONKEYZ VS GORILLAZ Laika Come Home (Parlophone)W h o ? R e m e m b e r t h eMad Pro fessor a lbumon which he provideda dub remix of everyt rack f rom Mass ive'At tack 's Protect /on?

Here, Goriliaz' debut isgiven similar surgery.

Highlights: No realpeaks and troughshere - just anenveloping fug ofextremely laid-backskanking. Jungle Fresh(aka 19/20001 isespecially dope.

Uwlights: Rapidiybecomes numbing,and you fear thewhoie thing is justanother opportunityfor Damon Albam to

top up his credba lance .

Verdict Whether yclike this record or n

entirely depends onwhether you like dureggae or not IwhicIin turn generallydepends on howstoned you are), 5/]

GROOVE ARMADA PRESENTS Another Late Night fWhoa/Azuti)Who? Andy Cato andTom Ftndfay of At WeRiver and "shakingthat ass" fame. Mixcompo Another LateNight Is a dig intothe i r c ra te marked'after party'.

Hi^lights: GrooveArmada 's own vers ionof Fly Me To The Moonopens a nigh onflawless compilationof heartwarming soul,funk and 3am grooves.

LowJIghts: When Sasttrack Loose Ends' Fee/The Vibe starts to fadeout and you realise Ifsgetting light outside.

Verdict Don't go :through the effort orecording your ownsummer party tapeit probably wont beanywhere near asgood as this, 8/10

» A L S O R E L E A S E DHundred Reasons Ideas Above Our Station (Columbial/Skitz PresentsBadMeaningGood [Ultimate DilemmaJ/Speedy J Ljoudboxer {Novamute)/Roots ManuvaDub Come Save Me (Big Dadaj/Shivaree Rough Dreams (Parlophone)

PlayStation.E 1

F I N R L F R N T R S y X

■ftll me - how are we doing in theWorid Cup7 Having spent the bestpart of a month loclted in abasement of 0PS2 Towers withthe strict instructions that I wasnot to pol(e my pale face up intosunligM until I'd finished the DeusEx guide, I really havent a clue.Still, the emotion and enthusiasmusually reserved for an Owen soloran has been channelled intohelping me beat Eidos' PS2 deityand reveal the three possibleendings. Catch them all on page1 3 2 n o w .

There's also another massiveguide for you this month. Havingonce again teamed up with thetips hogs at Piggyback we areproud to bring you tiie first ofthree bulging installments of themost comprehensive Final FantasyX guide known to man. Includingin-depth boss fighting strategiesand expert hints to finding thingsyou would have otjierwise havemissed, only a fool would go intob a t t l e w i t h o u t i t .

Right, I'm off now to getcracking on a Medal Of HonorFrontline walkthrough for the nextissue - so doubtless Hi miss therest of the tournament. But still, atleast this is one shoot-out theGermans wont be winningi

W R I T E I N !

J t u c k ? F r u s t r a t e d ? A b o u t t o s l a m'Our Dual Shock 2 through the TV. c r e e n ? T h e n w r i t e t o H a r d C o r e .Veil do our best to unearth codes,ecrets, walkthroughs or advice forust about any game you want. So,f you need a hand, just pick uphat pen or keyboard and write tone, Ryan Butt c/o Hardcore,yfficial PlayStation 2 Magazine,irture Publishing, 30 Monmouthitreet, Bath BAl 2BW. Galactic3serpost to PS2@futurenetco.uk

Join us as we start you on the magicaldiscover why he's been trasported into

ourn ^:he future

ey through Zanarkand with Tidus and chums toJture 1,000 years.

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Til HFKIl l STIITIII Hil l

J O I U A K J O F r <x>

□ PROVIDED IN ASSOCIATION WITHPIGGYBACK A MORE COMPLTTESOLUTION AND FULL VERSION OF THETEXT CAN BE FOUND IN THE 228-PAGEflNAL FAMTASy X OFRCIAL STRATEGYGUIDE AVAILABLE FROM PIGGYBACK,PRICED AT £12.99 AND AVAIUBLE INALL VIDEOGAME RETAIL OUTLfTS NOW.

•Free demo - why not test the 228-page encyctopaedio for yourself? Read12 pages of the Final Fantasy X OfficialStrategy Guide for free. Download atwww.authorisedcollection.com whereyou can a/so obtain your free copy ofthe exclusive R/kku's Overdrive MixTable. Plus: browse the new FinalFantasy X art gallery or enter yourartwork in the collection.

p i g g y b a c k

Z A N A R K A N DT H E B U T Z B A L L S T A RThe game starts just before a blitzballtournament in the Zanarkand stadium.A small group of fans is waiting for theZanarkand Abes' star player. Dont makethe fans wait approach the group. Nextto the ramp, three children and twoyoung women are waiting for yourautograph. Press ® to address one ofthe two small groups. You now have achance to name your main character.The default name is Tldus, but you canenter any other name as long as it doesnot exceed eight characters.

If you want to chat with one of theother people in the foreground, youmust do so before addressing thesecond group of autograph hunters. Theaction continues as soon as all ballshave been signed and you have cleareda path between the two groups.

TO THE STADIUMOn the way to the stadium you'll hearthe voice of a commentator reminiscingabout the greatest blitzball player of alltime: Jecht, Tldus' father, whodisappeared without trace ten yearsago. Just walk along the street to thestadium. Keep an eye on the passers-by: you'll see a young woman wearing apink top and yellow tights. If you talk toher, you'll discover that she doesnt yethave a ticket to the game. Talk to heragain twice, confirming that you cantake care of matters. You'll be rewardedwith two Potions.

A small group of people Is waitingfor Tidus In front of the stadium. Makeyour way through to the huge gate. Tfieblitzball game commences. SuddenlyZanarkand Is attacked by a mysteriousforce: Sin has struck

S I N S T R I K E SAs soon as Tidus struggles back to hisfeet, you'll see a map of yourImmediate surroundings at the top leftof your screen. The yellow trianglesymbolises Tldus, while the extremetriangle comer Indicates the direction inwhich he's looking A red square on themap denotes TIdus's requireddestination or alternatively a redtriangle Indicates his suggesteddirection. In this case, Auron Is waitingJust a few metres away Follow him.Auron hands Tldus a Longsword. Thefirst battle Is about to start

■ B A T T L E A C A D E M Y - P A R T 1There are ten Potions In your Inventory(12 If you promised ttie woman tickets!and three Phoenix Downs. You don't yethave any use for these Items, which areIntended for healing or resuscitation.If you press your right directional buttonor move your analogue stick to theright you'll see a menu with thefollowing Items: Weapon, Armour andEscape. You will later be able to use thefirst two menu Items to change yourweapons and equipment The thirdoption wont allow you to escape allbattles - there's certainly no way out oft h e c u r r e n t c o n f r o n t a t i o n !

The display at the top right showsthe attack sequence for all participants.

but there's no need to concern yourselfwith that yet You have only one optionright now: select Attack and take onone of the creatures. It doesnt matterw h i c h o n e .

■ B AT T L E A C A D E I V I Y - PA R T 2

After breaking through, Tldus and Auronare attacked by a second group ofm o n s t e r s . N o w I t ' s A u r o n ' s t u m . H e h a san extra battle option or skill, but thatIs of little Importance at the momentand, like all skills, it uses up MR Justattack and have Tidus follow. Tldusand Auron run on and are encircled bythe monsters.

If you knock out the two SInscalesbehind Tldus and Auron, they'll simplybe replaced by more, so just deal withthe three opponents in front of you. Assoon as their path Is clear, the twocomrades run on... straight Into thearms of the next group of monsters.

■ S I N S P A W N A M i V I E SF I G H T I N G S T R AT E G YThe game's first boss Is accompaniedby five SInscales. Luckily, Auron has anew battle option, Overdrive, at hisdisposal. Select this opdon. Press yourleft directional button, select Bushldoand then choose the sole Overdriveattack currently available to Auron:Dragon Fang

Auron prepares to launch hisspecial attack He stops shortly beforereaching the enemy - you have fourseconds to input the following buttoncombination: J-, t , m, m. @,®. If you dont manage to enter thebutton combination In time, the attackwill not be as powerful. On the otherhand, the quicker you complete thiscombination, the heavier the attack

Depending on your fighting style,Tidus might get a chance to try hisOverdrive. His special attacks belong tothe Swordplay category and his firstattack is called a Spiral Cut You willneed to stop the cursor as It reachesthe centre of the gauge. You have threeseconds to get It right If you press (x)too early or too late, the cursor willreturn to the edge. In this case, thestrength of Tldus also depends on howquickly you succeed.

Once It is available, you may wantto save TIdus's special attack for later.The Slnspawn Ammes may appeardangerous but the monster will alwaysattack using Demi, a spell whichreduces his opponent's current HP by aquarter However, this figure Is notrounded up - so the worst that canhappen Is that Tidus and Auron's HPfalls to three. Even If the HP display atthe bottom left assumes a warningyellow hue and your two heroes fall totheir knees, there's no need to resortto Potions. Just keep up your attackAfter a while, your opponent will literallyfade away

T H E B E G I N N I N GAfter defeating the monster, Auron runson. Take note of the pale blueluminescent sphere on the right If youexamine a Traveller's Save Sphere, allcharacters' HP and MP will be fully

restored. It also provides you with achance to save your game.

After saving, follow Auron. Your pathis suddenly blocked by four SInscalesand three of the monsters positionthemselves behind Tidus and Auron,\bu'll soon find out that defeatedmonsters on both sides are replaced bynew SInscales. After a few attacks,Auron will suggest a new target Fromnow on, attack the Tanker on the right-hand edge of your screen. Keep an eyeon your two fighters' HP - at least oneof your heroes must survive the battle,o r i t ' l l b e G a m e O v e r T h e Ta n k e r ' sanchor line has 1,000 HP It's generallysevered after the fifth attack, ensuring[temporary) safety for your characters.

Auron and Tidus are sucked up bySin. in a bizarre scene, Tidus appears to'swim' through the air Press <§> toreduce his altitude, and keep an eyeout for a platform with a pale blueluminescent sphere. If you land therenext to the figure, Tidus will betransported to another location...

Tidus finds himself In an unknownlocation. Take a look at the map at thetop left of your screen: a red trianglemarks the exit from this unpleasantspot You can leave the water via a setof stairs In the centre at the top andadvance to the next section. However,you should first take the time to collecta few items.

■ T I PYou can now use ® to access themain menu. At the bottom of yourscreen you'll see the name of yourc u r r e n t l o c a t i o n .

T R E A S U R E H U N T E R SYou can climb up a set of stairs at theNorth-West edge of this area. There,you'll see a blue semi-sphere lying onthe floor: an AL BHED COMPILATIONSPHERE The Al Bhed people have theirown language, which you will graduallybe able to learn. This Sphere is only ofuse if you have Final Fantasy X savedata containing more Primers, You canthen use the Primers that you havediscovered in that previous game inyour present game.

Proceed a few paces to the Southand you will see a chest which you canopen using ® - you'll find twoP O T I O N S i n s i d e .

At the North-East edge of this areaa set of stairs leads to another chestcontaining 200 GIL A few paces to theSouth of this, you may want to examinea blue object lying against a pillar You'llsee an inscription in Al Bhed, but youdont have the language skills todecipher it yet However, a few keywords are not written in Al Bhed andyou can make out the wonj 'Macalania'.In order to reach the next section, you'llhave to make your way through thewater to the northern stairs.

E X P L O R I N G T H E R U I N SYou'll have another chance to save yourgame in the Ruins - Underwater Halt

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FULL WALKTHROUGH: PART ]section. When you reach a fork in thepath, go to the ieft. At the end of thispath you'll see a chest containing a Hl-POTiON. You can then proceed towardsthe North. After just a few metres, theground crumbies beneath you andTIdus finds himself back in the waterYou can paddie around for some timeor use ® to dive. Soon afterwardsTidus Is attacked by three monsters.Once you've eliminated two of yourattackers, a stranger will get involved.You are no match for this huge monster

■ GEOSGAENO FIGHTING STRATEGYTidus Is definitely onto a loser At thethird attack he automatically takesflight, regardless of any action youselect. Use ® to block, or select theEscape option. Luckily, there is no realdanger Any attack by Geosgaeno simpiyreduces TIdus's HP by half, so there's noneed to waste a Potion at this point

FANNING THE FLAMESAfter TIdus's escape, he finds himself Ina corridor. The entrance has beendestroyed, so you'll have to proceed Inthe opposite direction. Ciimb the stairsand enter the round hali, in the middleof which you'll see a fire. You're missingthe two items needed to ilght a fire, soyou'd better start looking. A whitesquare on your map Indicates a savepoint Through the door next to it, youenter a smaii room. If you look at thewriting desk - which has beenobviously toppied over - you'li find aFUNT. This is listed as a Key-item inyour Inventory.

Back in the haii, you may want toexamine the door which Is not markedas an exit Igreen square) on your mapYou can't open the door, but take a lookto the right of it amongst the rubbleyou'ii see a chest containing an X-PoriON. Now go through the door tothe North. Behind the door to the ieft,you'll see a chest containing ETHER. Atthe top of the stairs you'li see a strikingvase: examine It to collect theWITHERED BOUQUET. Before turningyour attention to the fire, go through thedoor on the upper level and proceed tothe end of the gaiiety, where you'ii finda chest containing a HI-POTION.

It might be a good idea to saveyour game before returning to the fire. Ifyou press ®, Tidus will use the Flint toset Ilght to the Withered Bouquet Timefor a brief nap. A short while later TidusIs attacked by a monster.

■ KUKK FIGHTING STRATEGYKeep attacking until Tidus has depletedhis opponent's HP by 750. The battie isthen interrupted by a group ofIndividuals, one of whom rushes toTIdus's aid. If you take a iook at theSpecial option, you'ii see that"????"lyour new comrade's default name)has two special skllis to offer: Stealand Use. During the first round ofbattle you'll have to deploy the Usefunction to throw a Grenade Oniy thendoes the battle take Its normal course.Since Klikk's HP are fuily restoredfollowing this interruption, you'ii be gladof the heip.

It may be a good Idea to use aPotion to heai Tidus before he attacksagain. As a basic principle, you're betteroff using too many rather than too few

Potions. Once your new comrade hasthrown both Grenades, you can useSteai to tob the monster of moreGrenades. You'ii find that the mysteriousstranger's normal attacks are notespecially effective. Once Klikk hasbeen defeated, Tidus is transported toyet another location.

LVA (

A LTidus wakes up on a ship. At one end ofthe deck you'll see a Save Sphere, Ifyou take a look next to the crane, you'llsee AL BHED PRIMER I lying on theground. A useful volume If you want toimprove your knowledge of this strangelanguage. You'll see three Al Bhedstanding on the deck. Address the oneon the left to obtain three POTIONS. Talkto the girl to find out about the SphereGrid, If you speak to her again, you willboth jump In the water.

■ T I PThe Sphere Grid may appear rathercomplicated at first, but It's really quitesimple. As soon as you've obtainedsufficient AP, you can move yourcharacter on the Sphere Grid. Caution:plan your movements carefully, becauseyour AP investment is irrevocable.

To start off with, you should moveconsistently forward, activating all theNodes to improve your characters'status levels. You'll need the relevantSpheres for this purpose, TIdus's femalecompanion is already In range of an HPNode, but does not yet have the PowerSphere required to activate it.

You will gradually be able to learnthe Al Bhed language. There is an AlBhed Primer for each letter of thealphabet, making 26 in all. Each letterthat you 'know' is translated in thesubtitles and displayed in pink. If youused the Al Bhed Compilation Sphere inthe Submerged Ruins to load additionalPrimers, you'll find that you can alreadyunderstand a little. Any Primers whichhave already been loaded will notreappear in the game.

D I V I N GYou can dive along the anchor chain byholding down @. Your target IsIndicated by a red triangle on your map.Thanks to his blitzbail training, Tiduscan hold his breath for as long asnecessary. If you decide to Ignore thetarget and swim back to the surface,you can re-board the ship by pressing@. Once back on deck, you can collectanother three POTIONS from the AlBhed on the ieft. Then just talk to thegirl to dive back into the water You cankeep repeating this procedure untilyou've collected 99 Potions.

A couple of piranhas may swimacross your path on the way to theUnderaiater Ruins. These opponents arerather easy to defeat, and "T???" cansteal Grenades from them. You'll soonbe confronting a rather nasty boss, soyou should aim to have at least fiveGrenades In your armoury. While In theUndenwater Ruins, you can restore anylost HP at the save point

■ T I PYou've probably already used an Overkillto dispose of a couple of opponents, if

so, your victory will have been rewardedwith additional AP, more Items, some ofwhich may even be rare, in order toachieve an Overkill, you must depleteyour opponent's HP by a specificamount during the final attack

Keep an eye on the CTB gauge atthe top right when switching betweenAttack, Item and other actions. Using anitem takes less time than a normalattack and could change the battlesequence. If you press (?> during battle,your hero will assume a defensiveposition rather than executing anaction. This halves the damage receivedby physical attacks.

Swim to the control panel and haveTidus open the gate using ®. Followyour companion through the hall at theend of the corridor, where you'll beattacked by piranhas. After defeatingthe scaly monsters, activate themachine under the celling beforereturning to the hall. You may want toheal your characters now... dangerlurks aheadl

■ TROS nGHTING STRATEGYHave Tidus attack while yourcompanion throws Grenades Juststeal some If you've run out Aftersuffering 350 damage points, Trosdisappears behind a pillar You can nolonger attack from this distance, butyou do have a special TriggerCommand at your disposal. You canselect Stand By to help heal yourcharacters - their HP will be Increasedby 50 points each. However, you maybe better off pressing ® to decreasethe damage to be Incurred by Tros'snext attack.

After a further 350 damage points,Tros retreats again. Now Tidus has anew Trigger Command at his disposal:the PIncer Attack, which you should tryout at once Your opponent will becaught In a pIncer movement and canno longer deploy his devastating ramattacks Keep attacking healing withPotions when necessary. If you enteredInto battle with a sufficient store ofGrenades, you'll have no problemwinning this fight

THE RETURN OF SINThe red triangle on your map indicatesa hole in the outer wall. Swim through itand dive down to your next destination.You'll discover an Airship and you'll alsolearn the name of your companion:Rikku. She claims that Sin destroyedTIdus's home, Zanarkand, 1,000 yearsago. If you want to continue thisconversation, address RIkku againdirectly, it doesn't take long for thisscene to be interrupted by Sin. Tidus Iswashed overboard. You now get thechance to save your game

Tidus gets to know the Besald Aurochsblitzbail team. Approach Wakka againafl:er the initial dialogue. From now on,he Is a member of your party. You maywant to take the opportunity to saveyour game and follow your new partner,or you may want to collect a few items.

Address each of the Aurochs twice. Fourof the five players will hand over gifts:two POTIONS, 200 GIL two HI-POTIONSand another three POTIONS. Take a lookat the chest to the South-West of thebeach - it contains two ANTIDOTES. Tothe East, in a bay, you'll also see achest containing a MOON CREST, butyou have no use for this Key Item yetMuch later on in the game, however,you'll be glad you collected the MoonCrest because it will come In handywhen combined with a very specialweapon deployed by Yuna.

O N Y O U RT H E V I L L A G E

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VISITING THE TEMPLEPay a visit to the local temple. If youtake a look at the statues in the GreaHall, you'll learn a little aboutSummoners and aeons. Now makeyour way back to Wakka, who lives inthe middle hut at the East of thevillage Have a chat with him and thetake a nap, after which you can returto the temple. If you approach WakkaTidus will automatically enter theCloister of Trials to look for thesummoner apprentice.

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You'll meet Wakka again at theCrossroads - he's still going due EastFollow him. Go to the shore whereWakka is waiting and he will push Tidusin the water You could find yourselffacing the Piranhas at any time. Yournew companion uses a ball to attack.He already has a special attack at hisdisposal - the Dark Attack - which canbe used to blind opponents.

Although the red arrow is directed tothe North, you'll first have to swim tothe East In an arc. You can use ® todive down to the three treasure chestsshown on the map, which you can thenopen using ®. It's easy to miss the firsttwo chests on the right, but you don'twant to leave the PHOENIX DOWN orthe HI-POTION. However, there's no wayyou can miss the chest containing thet w o A N T I D O T E S .

Once you reach the end of theValley, keep going after a brief chatwith Wakka on the Village Slope. Godown the slope to the village. You canalso turn around and take the AncientRoad back to the beach, but there'sreally no reason to do this. On your wayto the village, you'll meet the CrusadersLuzzu and Gatta. Shortly afterwards,Wakka will ask Tidus about a prayer. Itdoesn't matter which of the twoanswers you select.

You cannot leave the village for themoment, so take your time and have alook around. Five huts are marked onyour game map in the form of greensquares, Your next destination, theTemple of Besald, is in the North,

You can buy a few items in theshop In the first hut on the left. In frontof the entrance, you'll see a chestcontaining a PHOENIX DOWN. Behindthe shop, a narrow forest path leads tothe West, At the end of the path thereare three chests which contain 400 GIL,a HI-POTION and two POTIONS.

THE CRUSADERS LODGEYou can save your game in the tentnext to the forest path, the CrusadersLodge. There, you will also be reunitedwith Luzzu and Gatta. The twoCrusaders tell of the 800-year battleagainst Sin. The Crusader to the rightis blocking your view of AL BHEDPRIIVIER II that's lying on the ground tothe right of the desk. You'll see aMONITOR to the left of the desk. Youcan use this to consult Tutorials, or torefresh your knowledge of BasicControls and Basic Terms.

Examine the symbol on the rear wall,New symbols will now appear to youright Take a good look at them andconfirm that you would like to touchthe Glyph, upon which the wall willopen. Go down the stairs and examirthe wall mounting. You'll find out howthe different Spheres in a temple woiTake the GLYPH SPHERE from themounting and go down to the foot o1the stairs. If you examine the door arplace the Sphere correctly, the doorwill open.

Retrieve the Glyph Sphere from iright half of the door, proceed alongpassage and turn the corner Insert tlSphere in the recess which you'll seethe middle of the left-hand wall. Thewall will now open. Behind the wall,you'll see a DESTRUCTION SPHERE irrecess. Ignore it for the moment andcontinue on your way until you see apedestal on the left-hand side. In oreto open the chamber behind thepedestal, just touch the symbols on 1opposite wall. Enter the chamber an<take the BESAID SPHERE from the w,Insert the Sphere in the pedestal. Thiwall behind will disappear, allowingTidus to push the pedestal Inside.

You now have a chance to end tTrials by simply pushing the pedestalalong, but then you'd forfeit a usefulitem. Return to the eastern recess attake the Destruction Sphere. Insert tlIn the secret chamber opposite thepedestals (the same room from wheiyou just took the Besaid Sphere). Thiwill open another secret chamber atthe end of the main passage, whereyou'll find a chest containing a RODOF WISDOM. This will prove to be anideal weapon for the Summoner YurThere Is a hidden item In each tempOnce you have found all six hiddenitems you will be able to open the v\t o a n e w a e o n .

Now go back to the pedestal.Push it to the end of the chamber bsimply pressing yourself against it. Asoon as the pedestal reaches the mon the ground, it will sink into the ficYou may have noticed a glowing swlon the wall. If you touch it, the pedewill be returned to its starting positi(This may be of use if you manage tcaccidentally push the pedestal too f;or against a wall.

^f^i^^k^MONEFFollow the rest of your party out of tgreat Great Hall. Outside, Yuna willsummon her first aeon; Valefor (yourename the creature if you wish), Yoican then chat to the Aurochs about

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F I N R L F R N T R S y Xforthcoming tournament, or you cango to the left past the fine towardsUlna. Wal(l(a asks whether the iadytal(es your fancy: repiy to this as youlike. Address him again and confirmthat you would like to go to sleep.During the ensuing dream, Tidus mustgo to the left towards Yuna for theadventure to continue.

H N A L P R E PA R AT I O N STidus wakes up in the Crusaders Lodge.In front of the tent, Wakka hands himthe Brotherhood sword. The Equipfunction is now available in your mainmenu. Take a good look at your newsword - it has the weapon abilityStrength +5% and three free abilityfields. Give Yuna the Rod of Wisdomthat you found in the temple. Theweapon has a useful sensor function,providing you with information aboutyour opponents during battle. You'll alsofind a Map in your Inventory. Togetherwith Yuna and Lulu, Wakka and Tidusproceed towards the beach.

HUNTING THE DOGAlthough you can now go directly to thebeach, it Is a good Idea to retum to thevillage first if you speak to the saleslady in the Shop, she'll tell you that herdog recently dug something up. You'llfind the dog in the hut to the North-East if you examine the animal, you'llsee that It has something mangled andslobbery In his mouth. This wlilautomatically enable Valefor to learnthe Energy Blast Overdrive technique.If you return later, you'll find the dogand his owner together in the Shop orat the northern end of the villagesquare. In this case, you only need toaddress the woman In order to learnthis new technique.

■ BATTLE TRAINING FOR EXPERTSOn your way to the beach, you'll have achance to become more familiar withthe refinements of the battle system.Your first confrontation will be with aDingo. It's TIdus's turn and your optionsare limited - you can only select Attack.Afterwards, you're attacked by a Condor.Remember what Wakka said: flyingmonsters are generally his business.

On the hillside, you'li find yourselfbattling a Water Flan. Lulu comes toyour aid. With her Black Magic, she'sable to deal with creatures who areresistant to physical attacks. Use therhunder speli against the Water Flan.

A R N A L S T O Pifour party takes a break at the saveDOint up on the hill. It doesnt matterA/hether you ignore Wakka, join in hisDrayer or just look on, but It ismportant to save your game. Thenoilow the red arrow in the direction of;he beach. On the Ancient Road you'll>ee a pillar to your left, bearing a blue>eal with an inscription in Ai Bhed. Anjmbush awaits you a little further on.

I KIMAHRI FIGHTING STRATEGYIdus must take on this boss alone,Although his opponent is one of YUna'sguardians, he won't hesitate to kill"idus. However, you're not really in anylanger since you enter this battle withnaximum stamina. Just use normalittacks in each round and he willirobably subside after five or six hits,idus's HP and MP will be fully restoredmd you can look forward to a newiddition to your group: Kimahri is about0 join you.

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■ T I PTake a look at your game map: you'llsee white squares to the left and rightYou can also make out a treasure cheston the ruins above the path. Don'tworry about this for the moment, sinceyou will only be able to reach them atthe end of the game. The same appliesto the white square which you'll pass atthe Waterfall Way in the next section.

After the battle against Kimahri,you'li find that the Besald Shop's stockhas changed. As well as the three Items,the shop now also offers weapons withthe abilities Strength +3% or Magic+3%, as well as Armour with HP +5%.The items are very reasonable, but saveyour cash for now. In any event, youcan obtain comparable equipment as areward for victory In battle.

■ BATTLE TRAINING FOREXPERTS - PART 2The next opponent to confront you onyour way to the beach Is a giant flyingmonster known as Garuda.Extraordinary measures will be requiredto defeat this awesome creature - thisis a job for a Summoner. Use id toselect Yuna and then select Summon.Remember: switching active charactersIs not deemed to be a move in thegame, so It doesn't cost you any time.

As well as the classic Attack,fighting with Valefor offers the opton ofusing Sonic Wings - a special attackwith the side-effect Delay. In addition,Valefor has the four standardelementary spells at his disposal. Thesewill inflict the greatest damage duringthis particular confrontation, if youpress you'll also see three additionaloptions: Shield and Boost have aneffect on defence and the aeon'sOverDrive gauge, while Dismiss enablesyou to recall your aeon and continuethe battle with your normal characters.Unfortunately this particular featuredoesn't apply to the fight at hand. If youmanage to select Overdrive during thebattle, you'll unleash a particularlypowerful attack.

As soon as you've defeated Garuda,the Formation function will be availableIn your main menu. This allows you todetermine which three characters enterbattle first Remember: your characters'Agility levels determine the actionsequence during battle. If your victorywas rewarded with new weapons orequipment, you should equip themn o w .

■ T I P

Open the main menu Immediately afterthe first fight with Valefor Then openthe Config sub menu. There, you canset the aeons' animations to Short. Thissignificantly speeds up the mightycreatures' battle deployment Don'tworry, you won't miss anything The fullanimation sequence will always beshown the first time you summon an e w a e o n .

■ BATTLE TRAINING FORPROFESSIONALSNext, you'll have to fight yet anotherGaruda. You'll first have to selectWakka's Dark Attack skill. This ensuresthat your opponent's physical attacksare ineffective for three rounds. Thedark clouds around the monster's headIndicate that the status effect has takenhold. If you happen to be In possessionof a weapon with a Sensor, thisInformation will be shown at the top-left of your screen.

Once you've defeated the flyingmonster, you'll have to prepare forbattle against three different opponents:Condor, Dingo and Water Flan.Remember: only those characters whohave actively participated in battle forat least one round will be rewardedwith AR In this context, the term 'active'Includes defensive measures using ®.if you use m to replace a character at

the first opportunity, it will not count asa move, even If the character took a hitat the start of the battle.

A WATERY DETOURAs soon as you reach the Crossroads,turn to the South towards the beach.Then go towards the ship In the West,remaining on dry land for now. Rrst, letthe other characters precede you onboard, then talk to the people on thejetty. The priest will give you a SEEKER'SRING, which gives Yuna an HP bonus of10%. You'll also be rewarded with anETHER, 400 GIL, a PHOENIX DOWN anda REMEDY. You'll have to address thewoman In the front to the left and thechild to the left on the plank twicebefore they relinquish their items.

Board the ship In order to leaveBesaid. If you decide to retum In thedirection of Besald via the WaterfallWay you may be slowed down byrandom battles with familiar monsters.Although your comrades are actuallyalready on the ship, they take part int h e b a t t l e .

b e f o r e

Kimahri is now available in your menu.If you'd like a particularly short crossinggo to Yuna, then speak to Wakka andthen retum to Yuna. By the same token,your best bet Is to ignore Yuna if youstill have business to accomplish on theS.S. Liki. You'd be well-advised to saveyour game below deck and to collect acouple of POTIONS.

Next to the door leading to thebridge Is a set of stairs. Take thesedown to the interior of the vessel,where you'll meet O'aka XXIII. If you talkto the trader again, you'll be offered achance to invest in his business butyou wont be able to buy anything yetGive him at least one Gil. The door onthe left leads Into the Cabin, whereyou'll find a REMEDY hidden In a cheston the left-hand side. The suitcase onthe right Is rather unusual - use ® tokick it Each kick will be rewarded witha Potion until you've collected 20.

However, If your stock of Potionshas already reached 20, kicking thesuitcase won't yield any more. Onceyou're back in the Corridor, don't climbthe stairs In the foregroundImmediately Instead, go direcdy to thebottom right of the screen, where you'llsee a door leading to the Power Room.You can admire Chocobos at work. Aninconspicuous AL BHED PRIMER III Is Inthe foreground to the right Now go ondeck and approach Vlina, beforeaddressing Wakka and then talking toVlina again. You'll obtain Informationregarding High Summoner Braska andJecht Sin now launches another attack

O'AKA XXII IYou'll have four chances to Invest inO'aka XXIII's business. Make sure yougive him at least 1 Gil, for O'aka is setto become the best and busiest traderIn the whole of Spira. The four differentlocations where you can hand over yourm o n e y a r e :

1 . 8 3 U k l2. SS Wlnno3. Luca - Number 1 Dock4. Mi'ihen Highroad

Tfie total amount Invested will have aneffect on the prices charged by O'akaon the Mushroom Rock Road. Thereference price relates to the normallocal Shop.

An Investment of 10,001 Gil willonly pay off If you later buy goodsworth at least 23,336 Gil on theMushroom Rock Road. Only thenwill you really start to make savings.By then, O'aka's stock Is quiteinteresting but It's debatable whetherIt makes sense to advance so much

money. You'll have to decide yourselfwhether to give him more than10,001 Gil.

■ SIN nCHTING STRATEGYYou'll have to take on three moreSinscales next to Sin's raft. Once you'vedisposed of all three, three more willtake their place, it's a good idea toknock out two Sinscales first whileleaving the third pest alone. You alwaysenter battle with Tidus, Vlina andKimahri. Your first move should be toreplace Yuna with Wakka.

As soon as just one active SInscaleIs left, use the long-range praperties ofWakka's ball and Lulu's spells to attackSin. If it's Sin's turn, he will pull at theship. Use Yuna to heal your woundedfighters, or simply send Valefor Intobattle. Even Valefor"s normal attackshave an effect on Sin. Use an Overdrivehere if you get a chance

Once you've defeated Sin, Tidusfalls overboard. Wakka follows him andthe two are attacked by a Sinspawn.

■ SINSPAWN ECHUILt£SFIGHTING STRATEGYThis Sin sidekick is also accompaniedby Sinscales. Concentrate on the mainmonster. Tlie Sinscales inflict a certainamount of damage, but you'll just haveto live with that Although one attackwill suffice to dispatch one of the fourSinscales, he'll be replaced by up to twonew pests in each battle round whereSinspawn Echuilles deploys his DrainTouch tactic. The Sinscales are simplydistracting you from the task at hand.

Sinspawn Echuilles always uses thesame pattern when attacking Hedeploys Drain Touch twice to attack onecharacter, and then launches a singleattack on both characters usingBlender. You can use Wakka's DarkAttack to nullify the Drain Touch.

Your best bet is to use thefollowing strategy: when TIdus's turncomes, select Cheer five times and thenjust use Attack Have Wakka launch anInitial Dark Attack, followed by twonormal attacks. Then start from thebeginning again. In the best-casescenario, you'll be able to end thisbattle with a residue of over 200 HPeach, without having to heal yourcharacters once. Nevertheless,remember that it's always better touse one Potion too many rather thano n e t o o f e w.

K l i

Unfortunately, your heroic battle againstSin proved useless. Your options InKilika are very limited until Vbna finishessending the souls to the Farplane. Gotowards the North-West Into theResidential Area, where you willautomatically spend the night Youradventure continues in the Inn, whereyou will also have a chance to saveyour game.

Leave the building, go to the left,then turn to the North In the directionof Kilika Woods. A hut collapses andTidus rescues a giri If you approach her.Bravery has its reward; If you open thechest in the Tavern in the easternquarter of the settlement, you'li collectan ETHER. You'li also see AL BHEDPRIMER IV lying In the centre, in frontof the bar. You'li be able to stealthree POTIONS from a chest Inthe House.

Now you can pay avisit to the shop tothe South of theTavern. Thew o m a n n e x t t othe chest sellsweapons andequipment butshe doesn't have

any items in stock. Remember thatyou'll be able to receive a Scout forWakka free of charge, and Kimahrialready has a Hunter's Spear. Aftervisiting the Shop, go to Wakka who'sstanding on the pier in theNorth-East. The two of you decide tovisit the temple together. Your routetakes you through the ResidentialArea to the North.

pIRHTHE FORESTMove forward a few paces to gain somemore battle experience. By using theSpecial ability Lancet, Kimahri will learnthe Seed Cannon attack from amonster known as Ragora. From nowon, he'll be able to use this as anadditional Overdrive variant.

To the North of the crossroads,you'll see one of the blue AI Bhedsymbols. Even If you've mastered all theletters, you won't be able to decipherthis inscription. You'li first have tocombine It with a similar inscriptionthat you can find later on. Gatta andLuzzu are standing a few metres awayThey warn you against the Lord Ochuwho can be seen out In thebackground. You can enter battle rightaway put In a little more training, oravoid the confrontation altogether.First, however, you should speak toLuzzu a second time in order to collectfour ANTIDOTES.

Go back a little and pick up thetwo MANA SPHERES You should alsoremember to pick up the SCOUTWEAPON for Wakka. It has the Sensorand Icestrike abilities, so you shouldequip it right away

Groups of Dinonix, Yellow Elementsand Killer Bees render the forest ratherInhospitable. Dinonix turns hisopponents Into stone, but Yuna cancure this status effect using her EsunaWhite Magic. The monster Itself isnimble, so you'll have a hard timehitting him. However, like the KillerBees, this creature poses few problemsfor Wakka. Lulu's Blizzard is alsoeffective against the Killer Bees. HerWater spell is also Just the thing to dealwith the Yellow Element You shouldalso try to load Valefor's Overdrive. Takecare to select Dismiss before the aeonruns out of HP and look around for asave point to heal her

Three people are standing at thecrossroads to the West of Lord Ochu.Two of them will flee If you approachand wait for a bit, while the thirdperson moves to the side. If you talk to

FULL WALKTHROUGhthis person several times, you'll berewarded with a REMEDY. If you need aHI-POTION, you can repeat this game atthe crossroads to the North of LordOchu. Remember to open the nearbychest containing a LUCK SPHERE.

■ T I P S1. If an aeon's HP drops to 0, theycannot be summoned until they havebeen healed at the next Save Sphere.2. An aeon's Overdrive gauge isreplenished both by attacks andby damage.3. If an aeon is knocked out, hisOverdrive gauge drops back to 0,4. Aeons are immune against negativestatus effects such as Darkness, Poisonor Sleep.

I N G Y O U R

Save your game before taking on LordOchu (there's a save point on thePilgrimage Road in the North). Thegroup seems to split up there, butTidusdoes not have to travel back to theSouth alone. Approach the battlegroundfrom the west to obtain three PHEONiXDOWNS from the Crusader If youadvance from the South, you'li simplyhave an extra chat with Luzzu. Nothingspecial will happen if you approachfrom the North or East. Remember: youcan avoid the fight with Lord Ochu andgo straight to the North to take onSinspawn Geneaux.

This Is not a normal boss fight -you can always take flight if things gettoo sticf^. Lord Ochu is vulnerable toFire. This applies both to Lulu's magicand to weapons with the relevant ability.If Tidus has already learned Haste, heshould use it to speed up Lulu. Wakkacan use a Silence Attack to preventyour opponent casting spells. Poisonedcharacters can be healed using Yuna'sEsuna or Antidotes.

Once you've inflicted 2,500 damagepoints on Ochu, he'll restore lost HP bysleeping. This ensures that he regainsHP in each battle round. Wake himusing a physical attack and he'll reactwith an Earthquake. You can circumventthe problem by summoning Valefor.Summon the aeon, attack normally,then continue using Fire and/or SonicWings. Remember that an Overdrive stillinflicts the greatest damage.

Once you've defeated Lord Ochu,you'll be In line for two rewards. Talk toLuzzu to collect an ELIXIR, and thenpick up a NULBLAZE SHIELD for Tidusfrom the Crusader at the crossroads inthe West. If you haven't done so before,you should now go up to the temple. Atthe head of the stairs you'll beconfronted by a Sinspawn - there's noescaping this battle.

■ G E N E A U X ' S T E N T A C L EFIGHTING STRATEGYBefore dealing with the monster, youshould get rid of his two Tentacles. UseHaste if possible. Although the Tentaclesare immune against Darkness, they arenot difficult to defeat. Once you've dealtwith the Tentacles, take on thecreature's body; it's vulnerable to Fire.

Once the boss's HP has fallenbelow 2,400, he'll open his shell,rendering him very vulnerable to normalphysical attacks. Sinspawn Geneauxregularly poisons his attackers, but theeffects of the venom can be healedusing Esuna or an Antidote. He alsoattacks using Water spells. You caneither avoid this by utilising Wakka'sSilence Attack, or use VUna's NulTide tonullify the effect of the spell. However,this only offers one-off protection. Aftersavouring this relatively easy victory, it'stime to visit the temple.

You'll see people milling around In frontof the temple, but they have nothing to

give you. After an encounter with anopposing blitzball team, make your waydown the stairs to the North andaddress Wakka in the Great Hall. Thearrogant Summoner Dona will thenenter the scene. Enter the Cloister ofTrials by first waiting outside, then enteras soon as the lift returns. Once you'vearrived below, go through the door Inthe backgraund. As soon as you moveto open it, you'll be asked whetheryou'd like to wait here or go inside. Youshould proceed.

K.U THECIX).STERT H E T R I A L SExamine the pedestal to the left,remove the KILIKA SPHERE and insert ItInto the recess to the right of the doorIn the North. Take the Kiiika Sphere outagain to open the passage. Go into thenext chamber and insert the Sphereinto the recess In the North wail. AGlyph wiii appear Remove the KiiikaSphere again and Insert It into one ofthe tv^o recesses in one of the sidewaiis. if you touch the Giyph, a passageto the North wlli open. Now remove theGLYPH SPHERE from the pedestai andInsert It into the other side wali.

Go to the wall of flames, step onthe glowing switch to the right and thepedestai wlli appear nearby Take theKiiika Sphere on the right-hand sideand insert it Into the pedestal, if youpush the pedestal onto the glowingswitch, part of the floor will vanish. Nowfetch the Giyph Sphere from theprevious chamber if you insert It intothe recess from which you removed thesecond Kiiika Sphere, a secret chamberwlli open.

Go down the stairs and take thenext Kiiika Sphere from the East waii.insert it Into the North wall and the exitdoor will be engulfed In flames. Fetchthe DESTRUCTION SPHERE from thesecret chamber and insert it on thelevel beiow. This will reveai a chestcontaining a RED ARMLET. This willprotect Kimahrl against Fire, ice andLightning. Finding the Red Armlet is alsoan essential part of obtaining the aeonAnima. Now ali that remains is toremove the Kiiika Sphere from theNorthern wall in order to open the exit.

A N E W A E O NTalk to the guardians several then runto the exit. Yuna will appear togetherwith Ifrtt, her new aeon. Now return tothe port. You can test the strength ofYuna's new aeon in the forest.Remember that Ifrit's element is fire, soyou can heal him using fire spells. Onceyou've completed your business, youcan sail forth on the SS Winno.

E T O L U C AYou could easily miss the treasure chestbehind Letty. It contains a HI-POTION,but it will be more visible later. AL BHEDPRIMER V is well camouflaged in themiddle of the green carpet on theBridge. You'll find the trader O'akawaiting for donations near the SaveSphere in the Corridor. If you lend himmore than one Gil, he'll sell you theI t e m s o n t h e l i s t .

Nothing will happen on board the shipunless you go on deck and then climbup to the upper deck, Here you'llwitness a conversation between Wakkaand Lulu. If you decide to approach theblitzball lying in the middle of the deckbeyond the Bridge, you'll start the JechtShot Challenge. You won't be able to trythis again until much later on, so saveb e f o r e h a n d . B e f o r e t h e t e a m s t a r t spractising blitzball, you can also talk toYuna again at the stern of the boat, oryou can climb the stairs to eavesdropon Wakka and Lulu three more times.

Tldus's father, Jecht, was a legendaryblitzball player You now have a chanceto learn his trademark shot To do so,Tidus must symbolically rid himself ofsome unpleasant memories. Varioussentences will be shown on-screen.Move your directional buttons - or yourleft analogue stick - in the relevantdirection and press ®. if the textappears Immediately above Tidus, Justpress the button. You get one trial run,then things get serious. You must hit 11sentences within ten seconds in orderto pass the test. Your best bet is to tap® repeatedly throughout, while movingyour stick in the required directions, ifyou're successful, Tidus will perform theJecht Shot under the admiring gaze ofthe Aurochs. There's no need to despairif you fall though, Just go across to Yunato complete your trip to Luca.

If you succeeded, from now on,Tidus will be able to use this specialshot when playing blitzball. You willonly have to play one blitzball gameduring the course of your adventureand it really doesn't matter whether youwin or lose. However, If you enjoy thegame and would like to improve yourchances of victory, you'll find the JechtShot very handy

l8nG live BLITZBALL!After arriving in Luca, you'll have to goacross to the neighbouring dock in theNorth-East, where the religious leaderof Spira, Maester Mika, is just arriving.He is accompanied by the youngMaester Seymour, a member of theGuado people. You'll see a treasurechest marked at Number 2 Dock onyour map, but you'll only find it thereafter this event.

Blitzball is now on the agenda.There's no need to memorise the rulesnow, you've got a while until the firstgame. After the Tutorial, you'll discoverthat Auron has been spotted in a cafe.Your acquaintance from Zanarkand isapparently a renowned guardian inSpira. You can brush up on the blitzballrules again by examining the Monitor tothe left of Wakka,

T R E A S U R E H U N TBefore meeting Yuna, you'll have achance to collect a few useful items. ALBHED PRIMER VI is lying behind aplayer's foot in Basement B. Also, takethe opportunity to open the chest atthe end of the passage - you'll berewarded with two Hl-POTIONS. You canleave the tour of the docks for later, butif you do choose to have a look around,you'll find two treasure chests on theNumber 5 Dock, hidden behind a hugestack of crates. There's also a newchest waiting for you on the Number 2Dock Once you've completed your tourof the docks, your booty will include anHP SPHERE, a MAGIC SPHERE, twoPHOENIX DOWNS, 600 GIL and a TIDALSPHERE. Kimahrl will find the TidalSpear a useful weapon, since It has theabilities Piercing and Waterstrike.

THE FLYING TRADERTake a good look at the gentlemanwith the green rucksack on Number 1Dock. It's O'aka, and now he has a fewuseful items on offer. You'll find theTHUNDER SPHERE, with itsLightningstrike ability, handy inforthcoming battles, although it's notabsolutely vital, However, the STUNNINGSTEEL SWORD has the rare Slowtouchability and is therefore a useful - ifexpensive - addition to your armoury.

T O T H E

info. This new function provides youwith tips on flghting specific opponents.In this case Bomb and Dual Horn - youcan also gather some practicalexperience. Don't worry if this trainingbattle costs your group their lives, theywill simply come back in the samestate they were in before the battle.KImahri cannot learn any newOverdrives during these practice battles.Your Overdrive gauges will not flll upduring these practice battles. You'll findAL BHED PRIMER VII lying on the ornatecarpet In Reception.

■ T I Pif you enquire at the Reception desk,you'll be able to enter the Main Hall,where you can savour the game'smovie sequences and musicalInterludes one more time. However, thisis a rather expensive pleasure, sinceyou'll first have to buy Movie Spheresand Music Spheres from the two littlemen at the Entrance to the Theatre. Youcan view a maximum of 50 films, eachof which costs 5,000 Gil, or listen to atotal of 68 musical Interludes at 2,000Gil each. Since you can return herelater on In the game, there's no need tobuy any now.

SEARCHING FORA U R O NLook around the Square a bit more.You'll find 1,000 Gil further to the East. Ifyou're eager to spend your money, takea look at the woman on the right of theSquare - she has a dog on a lead. Thelady is selling weapons and equipment.Now enter the Cafe to the North.Although Auron is not there, the cafe isoccupied by a band of kidnappers whopromptly disappear with yuna,

R E S C U I N G Y U N AYour destination is the Number 4 DockSince the direct route there Is blocked,you'll have to go West, out of theStadium. Each time you try crossingbetween the docks, you'll be attackedby two Workers, if you have weaponswith the Lightningstrike ability, youshould equip them now. Othera/lse,you'll find Lulu's Thunder very effective.Try and use Haste to speed up Lulu'sactions. On Dock 4, you'll have to battletwo robots three times In a row. Onceyou've defeated them, save your gamebefore boarding the Ai Bhed vessel,where you'll find yourself facing aformidable opponent, if your fighterswould like to put in more training, youcan go back for random encounterswith more Workers on the docks.

■ OBLITZERATOR RGHTING STRATEGYWith 6,000 HP, the ObllUerator is a hardnut to crack. There's a one-in-threechance that he'll use Counter attacks.Incidentally Counter means that anopponent hits back immediately orcasts a spell, even if it's not his turn.Such an action does not count as aturn in the context of the battle.

Your opponent will use Darkness tocounter physical attacks and Silence tocounter magic attacks. These statusailments last for one round. There is acrane, but you'll need to power it upbefore you can use It. Have Lulu castThunder on the crane three times, ifTidus has mastered Haste, you shouldspeed up Lulu at the start of battle.Following the third Thunder spell, Tiduswlli be able to use a Trigger Commandto set the crane In motion, it will severthe Oblitzerator's upper half, reducingyour opponent's HP to 1/16 of thecurrent level. This means that themachine has a maximum of 375 HPleft, so defeating him shouldn't posetoo much of a problem.

match of the tournament. Now It's yoturn. You have one last chance to leaithe rules of the game in the LockerRoom - have a word with Datto to doso. Once you're ready, turn to Wakka.This is the only blitzball session whIcJyou absolutely have to complete, itturns out to be quite a difficult matchto win. The result does not affect therest of the story however, and the priifor victory - a STRENGTH SPHERE - I:no great reward.

■ BUTZBALLTIPS1 Try to hold the ball in the first half (the match. Make full use of passes, S(that you get more experience points.2 During half time, equip Tidus with tJecht Shot technique if you learned iio n t h e S S W i n n o .3 Wakka comes on In place of Tidusthree minutes after the start of thesecond half. This interrupts any actloieven a shot at goal. Therefore, youshould ensure that the ball is passedquickly to Tidus so that he can exeathe lengthy Jecht Shot.4 The Jecht Shot puts two defenderscompletely out of action, so there's nneed to include them when calculatiioffensive and defensive levels.5 if the game is still a draw at the enof normal time, there's another breahand then the teams play on until thegame is decided by a Golden Goal.

A FAMILIAR ENEMYOnce the game Is over, you'll get achance to save before enemies attacthe Stadium. Tidus and Wakka musteliminate a total of 17 Sahagin ChlefiYou'll face three opponents during thfirst battle. During the second battle,you'll again face three opponents, buthree more are waiting behind them.And the third group has five 'substltuwaiting to enter battle. Use Hastewhenever possible and exploit Wakk;Overdrive to the full, if you stop thethree rolls on the same colour, allenemies will be damaged - the timetaken has no effect on the damagedone by the Overdrive. The coloursappear in the following sequence:yellow, blue, white and red.

AURON RETURNSAuron first gives a solo performancehe can dispose of his enemies usingsingle shot. He then joins forces wit!"Tidus and Wakka in battle against aGaruda. Use Wakka's Dark Attack toensure that the monster's next threeattacks fail. Use Auron's Power Breal'weaken the Garuda's physical attackjust to be on the safe side. After thisbattle, Seymour intervenes. Themonsters are helpless when facedhis aeon Anima. Once the fighting isover, you'll learn of a connectionbetween Jecht and Sin,

Auron will be part of your teamfrom now on. Go to the edge of the >where he officially offers his servicesYuna. Head out of Luca and climb thstairs to the Mi'ihen Highroad. If youlike doing a little shopping before yoleave town, you'll find that weaponsItems are now being sold at the MaiGate inside the Stadium. The items ioffer also include a few for Auron: aSHIMMERING BLADE and a METALBRACER, Prices and abilities are thesame as the equipment for Kimahrl.This Is the best place to get equipmand items for now, as O'aka has airem o v e d o n . D

You'll meet Yuna at the southernStadium exit. While you're there, pay avisit to the Theatre. The Monitor in theentrance area is now displaying Fiend

B E I ; r e i sJ l l

Yuna is now safe, and Wakka gets tolead the Aurochs to victory in the first

S^^flpNTH!

PlayStation.E ;

□E U 5 E XDevious cheats exposed, plus the concluding part of our huge walkthrough that'll eventually lead you to three possibleoutcomes. But who will you choose to side with when the seeds of destruction are firmly planted/

P L A Y G O DAs promised last month, it is time to doaway with all the ammo conservationand constant fearing for your hide bycheating. Here's detailed instructionsfor accessing the all-conquering Cheatmode, but be warned, enable it and/ou'll be robbing yourself of one of themost immersive gaming experienceson PS2I

At any time during play, press || to callL»p the Goals/Notes/lmages screen andthen press m, cb, m, cd, jjj;, U;.^ new option will now appear on theend called 'Cheats'. Toggle across to thismenu and you'll be presented with a listDf cheats that you can activate. Theyare: God Mode (become invincible), FullHealth, Full Energy, Full Ammo, FullMods, All Skills, Full Credits andFantaius. Please note that some of the:odes may have to be re-activated after3ach loading pause.

T H E WA L K T H R O U G HWelcome to the second instalment ofour huge walkthrough. As last month'ssegment will have drummed into youthe Importance of talking to everyoneand searching high and low forsupplies, we have chosen to skipmuch of the intricate searching andInterrogating from this second part.However, you should still take time tofuliy explore your surrounds and talkto every person you meet In order togain full Insight Into the level layoutsand the complex plot that Is going onaround you.

You'll emerge from the lift in a busymarket packed with patrolling guards.Take time to explore and chat to thelocals but watch what you do -entering unauthorised buildings andhacking cash machines will make theguards nasty. Head out of the smallpassage near the ATO machine andyou'll emerge at a junction (you shouldsee a sign for TonnochI Road straightahead). Go right Into the Wan Chaldistrict and go around the side of thelarge red-stripped building (which Is theCompound) and talk to the guard at the

entrance. He'll send youto see Ma ie Chow at

TonnochI Road, so gof b a c k o u t t h e w a y

you came andfollow the sign.H e a d o v e r t h e

— ^ b r i d g e a n d t h e n' take a left to then e x t To n n o c h I R o a d

sign. Chow's building Is a short waydown on the left and there are severaldifferent ways to enter You can eithergo straight up In the main elevator,hack Into the second elevator or takethe back route In (be sure to deactivatethe security cameras using the controlpanel In the main entrance] by goingaround the back of the building using alockpick on the grate and thensneaking In to go up on the top ofone of the elevators. If you choose theflrst option then you'll meet andconverse with Maggie Chow, any of theother two and she'll be long gone, butthis matters not (you'll just have to killher later!).

Go upstairs Into the meeting roomand use the computer terminal to turnoff the cameras and open the door tothe sword room. Ttien go backdownstairs and go to the comer of theapartment near the small table (you'llhear a buzzing noise when you getclose! and focus on the paper lanternhanging above. Pull this lantem and asecret passage will open.

Head straight down and use thecomputer to deactivate the securityaround the sword, then finally use thepanel In front of It before taking theDRAGON'S TOOTH SWORD. Now leaveQueen's Tower and head back towardsthe Wan Chal district.

Incidentally just across fromQueen's Tower Is a lift that'll take youup to Jock's apartment, where you'llfind a DATACUBE giving you details onhow to access an ATM machine and afew supplies. If you take the fire escapeup to the roof, you can also drop downonto a walkway and pick up somesniping supplies. Also, on your wayback to the Wan Chal district, go checkout the Old China Hand club for Infoa n d n o u r i s h m e n t .

When you arrive back to the areawhere you turn off to go to the WanChal district, head down the slope tothe Lucky Money Club (under thesignpost to TonnochI Road) and pay togo Inside. Search the place and talk tothe revellers before heading out the

passage behind the upstairs bar anddown to the meeting room. Speak

to Max Chen In the back roomand then get ready for a raidi

Now head back to thecompound and you'll be let

Inside, Walk across thecourtyard, head inside

and then down the

stairs. Follow the passageway until youget to a big chamber and then headover to the two guys at the table. Thepicture next to them can be opened toreveal a secret passage. Go through andhead down to Tong's labs - you'll needto press the switch on the wall to opena secret door leading through.

Head into the flashing computerroom and talk to long He'll tell you toget into the medical chamber below. Doso and hop on the pad. When theprobing has ceased, head up back toTong and In exchange for hisdeactivating your killswitch, he'll askyou to do some corporate espionage.Go back downstairs towards theklllswitch-removing chamber and go leftinto the room and down the stairs tot a l k t o A l e x

Once you're done, head furtherInto the facility to grab some weapon,ammo and other assorted supplies,before leaving the Compound and goingto the Versallfe building which Is justabove the slope leading down to theLucky Money Club,

l U I L D I N G :

To gain access to the forbidden zonesof this building you can either hack thecomputer at the reception desk andmake a fake pass, or you can findMr Hundley upstairs who can be bribedwith 2,000 credits to give you a pass.Either way, go to the third floorcomputer office and head to theelevator on the other side.

When you arrive downstairs, takenote of the large hand sculpture intothe main, red-lit foyer Now you can doone of two things: Either go left or rightbehind the sculpture and hack thecomputer panel in the armoury (left) orgo up in the lift and hack the computerpanel near the MiB (right). Failing that,just use a Multitool on the panel on theside of the sculpture. Either way, headdown the new door that has openedbeneath the sculpture.

Head downstairs and when youcome to a walkway (with the level twoaccess door on the right) head downand then through the door at thebottom. Go past the officer's mess onthe left and you'll emerge in a newroom patrolled by female MiBs - if youdidn't kill Maggie Chow earlier, you'll seeher talking to a man through someglass on the left.

Go down the next flight of stairs(you can hack a computer panel at thetop to disable some cameras and opena door downstairs) and right into theroom with the secured AUGMENTATIONCANISTERS. Use a batch of Multitools orhack the computer to get at them,

If you're using Multitools andhaven't alerted any guards so far, agood tip is to get the NANOKEY to thecell and release the vagrant. He'lldistract the two MiBs (including the oneguarding the Augmentation room)meaning you can use a Multitool tohack the lock of the room withoutarousing suspicion.

Now go upstairs to the centre ofthe room below the walkway and pressthe switch to go up in the lift. Use thecomputer and upload the NanotechBlade ROM, as requested by Tong.

This will alert the guards, so if youwant to escape from the complexwithout having to face the hordes ofguards, head through the ventdownstairs in the room next to thevagrant's cell and this will take you allthe way back to the hand sculpture.

Leave the Versallfe building andhead back to the temple near

the Compound for a conflabw i t h t h e l e a d e r s .

JFE BUILDING:

Go and see Tong In the Compoundagain, then go back out and downCanal Road - to the left of the temple,Take a left, head past the trafficaccident and go through the doorDuck under the pipe and go throughthe grate and down into the water.Swim through and hop onto the pipesand crawl into the open drainpipe. Readthe DATACUBE on the right for a codeand then go left and crawl into the nextvent on the right. Climb up through thevent and open the doors. Once through,press the button to lower the platformand if you're quick you can run off theend and duck underneath before itreaches the bottom, Failing that, you'llhave to go left when the platform isdown and work your way around tohack the control panel at the top.

U s e M u l t i t o o l s t o d i s a b l e t fi e l a s e r

beams and then use LAMs or rockets totake out the two security bots. Take outthe guard and then hack the computer,selecting both options, Go right andclimb down the ladder Go to the centreand use Multitools to grab theAUGMENTATION CANISTERS. Find theladder and go down and if you didn'tkill Maggie Chow before, now's yourchance. Look for the keypad on apodium under the camera and inputthe code. You'll now have to get out, butyou are unable to exit via the way youcame. Head down into the water andfollow the linear route, you'll eventuallyend up back In the Wan Chal district.

Head back to the Compound andtalk to Tong, Paul |if you saved him backin Hell's Kitchen) and Alex, who'll giveyou an AUGMENTATION CANISTER, Nowgo back out to the courtyard to hitch ar i d e b a c k t o N e w Yo r k .

H E L L ' S K f T C H E N ; N Y CHead down to the Underworld club andspeak to Harry Filben and a meetingwill be set up at the Osgood & Sonsbuilding It's the one with a huge hole Inthe front just down the road from theHilton Hotel. If you are short onexplosives, go and see the Smuggler Inhis lair (of which there are numerouspathways ln| and. If you want, you cango to the Free Clinic and assassinatethe reporter to complete a secondaryobjective. Rnaiiy, head onto the roof ofthe Hilton, via the fire escape in theback alley and head to the docks.

D O C K S : N Y CGo through the grate on the left andtake the key from the soldier Gothrough the gate and head towards thedoor. Use a Multitool on the door toyour left and take the NANOKEY to theammo dump that's under the desk. Bewary of the security bots roamingaround inside and head towards thebooth In the far comer. Press all threebuttons to open the bay doors. Whenyou have stocked up on supplies, jumpon top of the bays and use theplatforms to get back to the door youcame in by.

N o w h e a d t o w a r d s t h e c r a n e a n d

go into the door next to it. Talk to theguanj and examine the nearbyDATACUBEs for codes. Go through thenext door and then right down thestairs. Eventually you'll arrive at theship. There are many ways to board, butusing the crane to reposition asuspended girder and then crawlingalong it is effective. Once on deck,make your way into one of the sidedoors and start searching the cabinsfor supplies - also, take the vial ofAMBROSIA from the lab. Pick up theN A N O K E Y f o r t h e l o w e r l e v e l s a n d t h e n

PART TWCwork your way down once you havestocked up.

When you emerge, go into thecentral room and there'll be two of theweld points you're supposed to breach- just look out for the large yellowsigns on the wall. One Is obvious, theother you get to by going up the rampInto the building In the centre,smashing a window and then crawlingout along a pipe lyou'll need your lampto see It] and dropping down into ah i d d e n a r e a .

Head out the other doors and goleft to meet an engineer and a repairdroid hard at work Proceed throughinto the electrically charged room andthen drop down to see the third weldpoint (use a Ivlultitool on the controlpanel and then again on the secondo n e b e n e a t h t h e fl o o r t o c u t o f f t h e

electricity). Work your way through thecomplex and the next weld point will beobvious. Now head back the way youcame, past the engineer and to theBilge Pump Room. Flip the switch nextto the computer and hack It to reversethe pump flow. When you have donethis, the last weld point Is In theopposite comer Now get off the shipand make your way up to the chopper- the lift In front of the crane will take

you there.

G R A V E Y A R D : N Y CPress the button next to the gate andthe guard will let you in. Head left to godown into the monastery. Find Dowdand give him the Ambrosia, thenexamine the crypts to stock up withsupplies (one contains a hiddenpassageway leading you back upstairs)and check one of the pictures for alocked safe. Head back to the guard'sbuilding next to the gate, then hack thecomputer to reveal a hidden entranceto the generator. Destroy it. Get back inthe chopper and head for Paris.

P A R I S A N D T H EC A T A C O M B SHead down the service elevator in thelocked shed, up the stairs and throughthe door on the right. Talk to the girland then go back out to left beforeheading down the left passage. Followthe ramps down and grab the HAZMATSUIT before going through the door intothe toxic room. Go through the door inthe far-left corner Search the next areafor supplies and head towards the westpassage. Keep heading down and thenup the ladder if you want moresupplies, you can raid the building tothe west. Go to the east building andlocate the boarded-up door. Clear itusing a melee weapon and then godown the spiral staircase into theC a t a c o m b s .

CATACOMBS: PARISGo right at the bottom and headinto the right passage. There areguards patrolling the area so treadcautiously Go through the roomcontaining the pillars and straightahead you should see a little alcove.Go Into It and activate the brickswitch to open a secret door tobunker number one. Talk to Chadand he'll give you a key to the blastdoor which is opposite the secretdoor you entered the bunker by.

Look for the locked box, Insideis a security login, and the followthe passageway, turning leftwhenever you can. You'll emerge ina room with four exits and a MJ12troop patrolling. The room on theleft contains two LOCKPiCKS andif you go into the room straightahead you can climb a ladder toa secret room. In this room,unlock the gate and a repair botwill appear to shut off theelectric field - giving you freeaccess to more supplies. Back inthe four-exit room, the room on

the right leads to the hostages, but youdon't want to plough In with all gunsblazing Instead, go into the passageb e h i n d t h e c r o s s o n t h e w a l l a n d t h e n

snipe a couple of the guards. Go to thef a r r o o m a n d t a k e t h e N A N O K E Y f r o mthe table before using the control panelto disable the cameras (so that thehostages have an escape route). Thengo to the centre room and open thedoor to the hostages. Follow them backto Chad and he'll tell you where to gonext (which is near where you foundthe hostages).

M E T R O A R E A : P A R I SGo through the sewers and you'll begiven a choice of two ladders to climb,one has a locked hatch at the top, theo t h e r d o e s n ' t - b u t t h e u n l o c k e d o n elands you right in the middle of anMJ12 patrol! Find building 13 (the frontdoor is behind three arches) and goinside. You can chat to many peoplehere - the dancing nurse will tell youloads in exchange for cash. If you speakto the man In the office behind the bardon't pay to take his directions to thearms dealer's house - It's building 11.Also, if you bribe the lady behind thebar you'll be able to gain access to alocked door containing extra supplies.

Go upstairs and talk to the girl Inthe corner, she'll arrange for you tomeet up with NIcolette DuClare behindthe club. You can go straight away oryou can explore the streets of Parissome more where there is plenty of funto be had - like breaking and enteringshops, raiding the arms dealer's houseand cashing in from the ATlvl machines.

If you told Jaime to stay atUNATCO earlier, you can find him at thecoffee shop across the street from theclub. He'll tell you the killphrase for

Gunther, so that you won't have to fighthim later When you're done, headbehind the club and find out thatNIcolette was the same girl you talkedto before. Jump Into the chopper andh e a d t o h e r c h a t e a u .

C H A T E A U D U C L A R E :P A R I SYou can pick or destroy the front doorsto get in or, if you want to conservesupplies, go around the back and hackaway at the boards across the door.Once inside, go upstairs and follow thehallway left. Take the key from behindthe vase and go into Beth's room.Search for supplies - like the key toNicolette's room - and move thepicture to find a secret compartment.Now you can either head back andunlock Nicolette's room at the top ofthe steps (which contains a LOCKPICK)or you can climb in the dumbwaiter inBeth's room to go down to the kitchen.

Unlock the cellar door then god o w n a n d t u r n t h e c a n d l e h o l d e r t o

open a secret passage. Head throughand break the boards to get into thecomputer room and use the computer.Take the key from NIcolette then headback out of the house and around theback to the maze. Go through thes o m e w h a t l i n e a r m a z e a n d t h e n i n t othe crypt behind before climbing theladder at the end.

C A T H E D R A L : P A R I SWhen you emerge, jump onto the cratesand smash the window to jump Into as e c r e t r o o m t h a t c o n t a i n s e x t r a c r e d i t s .If you use the fallen beam you canreach the second floor which containsa NANOKEY to the nearby gate,although a guard will open this If hespots you. Go through the gate and upthe slope. There are MJ12 guards onthe prowl and a security bot so watchyour step. Head past the subway stationand over the bridge to ttie Cathedral. Ifyou like you can dive Into the water andswim there via the sewers to reduce therisk of getting spotted. This place Is vastand there's plenty to explore, but we'lljust stick to the essentials here.

Go In, following the buildingaround and eventually hitting the northeast corner. Climb the trellis near thesupply crates and head towards the leftcorner of the roof Jump onto theslanted beam and head up to the nextlevel. Jump up onto the ledge andfollow it around to the next building Godown the steps and through the firstdoorway, then continue down the stairsand through the next doorway. Proceedpast the vault on the left and head upthe next flight of stairs. Take a right andthen examine the DATACUBE on thedesk You can also hack a securitypanel In this room.

H e a d b a c k d o w n t o t h e v a u l tand disable the security panel by

the side of the stairs. The placeis heavily guarded by cameras

and gun turrets, so you'd be welladvised to sneak across to the far

s i d e a n d d i s a b l e t h e s e c o n d

security panel before plunderingWhen you're done, go back out the

way you came in then turn left andhead up the stairs. Go through thedoorway on the right and disable thecamera before checking the DATACUBEfor a doorcode. Go through the door,tum left and go downstairs, Gunther willappear to take care of you. He Is armedwith a flame-thrower so a good tacticto use when flghtlng him Is to jump Intothe nearby fountain and continuouslyjump up and shoot him before droppingback in. This way he won't be able toIgnite you with his flames of passion!

Check the computer and selectthe option it presents you with. Yourwork here Is now done, so search theremainder of the Cathedral fornumerous supplies before heading backout to the subway station. Here you'll

m e e t o n e o f E v e r e t t ' s c r o n i e s . S u b m i t t ohim and he'll take you to his leader

EVERETTS HQ; PARISThere are a great many things to seeand do here. First of alt, why not headi n t o E v e r e t t ' s b e d r o o m a n d c h e c kb e h i n d t h e m i r r o r f o r a s e c r e t r o o m . I nhere you'll find the original leader of thellluminati in a floatation tank If you likeyou can hack the control panel andswitch off his life support machine,although Everett won't thank you for it!

Search the remainder of the basefor a NANOKEY to the helipad and thenhead up through the door near thestarting point. When you get to thechopper, speak with the mechanic andyou'll notice he's acting suspiciouslyConcealed behind some nearby cratesyou'll stumble across a mechanic'scorpse - something's not right. Kill theliving mechanic and Jock will questionyour motives, but as it turns out, themechanic was an impostor who hasjust planted a bomb on the chopper.You just saved Jock's life.

When you arrive on the roof, it ispossible to snipe the patrolling securitybots on the ground below If you havethe necessary fire-power Head downthe stairs via the nearby door. Disposeof the two guards and take the lift tothe second floor When you walk out,take out the nearby guard quietly so asnot to alert his mates, then use heavyduty firepower like grenades to take outthe other pack before they get achance to retaliate. In this area youshould notice a heavily secured doorw i t h t w o T N T c r a t e s o u t s i d e . Yo u c a n n o taccess this for now but you'll bereturning here later.

Head downstairs and into one ofthe side rooms to location thegenerator Press the button tod e a c t i v a t e i t a n d t h e n h e a d i n t o t h e

grate in this room to obtain a NANOKEY,Head out of the room and up the hall,disable the security cameras and turnthe turrets on the enemy beforeheading out through the door at theend, Don't go out of the main doors yet,instead head through the other doors.You can either hack the security panelto disable the beams or go upstairs inthe previous room, smash the windowand jump down, either way there'll be acouple of guards to take care of

If you go into the flooded canteent h e n t h e r e i s a n A U G M E N TAT I O NCANISTER to pick up, but be sure todisable the security panel to cut off theelectricity first otherwise you'll fry in thewater Go back out and open the doorto the small room to free the scientistand grab a few vital supplies then headback into the main building andthrough the main doors outside. If youdidn't snipe the security bots from theroom at the start of the mission, thenhead towards the building without theradar dishes on the roof. Once inside,go through the doors and turn aroundto push the buttons next to them -these will open the bay doors andrelease the allied robots out into theyard. Now go outside and watch as boths e t s o f r o b o t s d o b a t t l e !

When the enemy robots havebeen destroyed, go into the buildingthat does have the radar dishes on theroof and then head into through themaintenance tunnels. Drop downthrough the hatch at the back and getready to fight some nasty spiderdroids. You'll notice a generator onyour right as you make your waythrough the tunnel with some laser tripwires up ahead. You can opt to try andvault over these wires, but if you hitthem, more spider droids will bedeployed and you'll have to press thetop button on the generator to unlockthe door up ahead. The best way Is to

just bypass the security panel tod e a c t i v a t e t h e b e a m s .

Once you're through, take care othe two spider droids and drop down.Grab the supplies In the crates, turn !<and go up two flights of stairs. Press t'3' button on the control panel, thenhead back down and turn right. Follovthe passage, bypassing the securityfields and then up again. Now cross tlbridge to the other side, Grab the keynext to the corpse and go up the ladebefore heading out of the hatch.

Press the switch to open the doiand you'll emerge back in the mainbuilding. Go back upstairs to the controom door (the one with the TNT crat(outside) and use your new key to opeit. Head In and then right down thesteps to meet up with Carter. Then godown and talk to Dr Savage to the lefof the computer He'll unlock the doorfor you and tell you how to accessMilnet Now, if you have a Hazmat sufhead straight In, press the switch,double back to the other corner of throom where the elevator is, head upand then run up to the computer

Once you're at the computer, lo^in to upload Daedalus then go backand talk to Savage - his daughter hasbeen kidnapped and needs rescuing.Head back outside and then down thislope to the chopper

R N I A G A S

As there is a hostage at stake, the kejis to make little or no noise here. Talkto the vagrants near the flre and getthe NANOKEY, then head back to thepoint you were dropped off and openthe door Go up the ladder and thencrawl through the gap In the fencebefore taking out the nearby guard. Garound to the left of the building andup the ramp. Take out the guard behlithe building (all the time using asilenced weapon like your StealthPistoij and then use the ladder to dinonto the roof and then jump over tothe next building

Drop through the hatch andquickly take out the MIB and his trou|Open the door to save Tiffany. Tell herto stay put and go back outside, kllllnall the remaining guards and dogs ansearching the other buildings beforegoing back to fetch her and lead hersafely to the chopper Missionaccomplished.

When you're dropped off, watch out f(the prowling security bot and kill thelone guard, Search his body for aNANOKEY and then use it to open th<door on the centre pillar Go upstairsand turn left at the top, past thebarracks and through several guardsuntil you get to the room above twoscientists working on computers. Hopdown and talk to the guard. He'll giveyou some info and a picture.

Now go through the doorway tot h e s o u t h a n d fi n d t h e v e r t i c a l

passageway with all the ladders. Taket h e l a d d e r d o w n . F o l l o w i t d o w n t h e

passage, past a guard to a room withtwo turrets up top. Dispose of theguard and head through the door onthe right. Follow the catwalk to thenext building.

Go into the centre pillar and pnthe elevator switch to go down. Hackthe security panel on the left wall aniturn the turrets on the enemy Headdown the passage until you come toroom and then talk to the femalescientist to get the security login forpanel hanging down from the ceilinghere. Use it to turn off the cameras aopen the bay doors. Head upstairs arfollow the passage until you find themini subs then hop Into the one thatisn't being worked on by themaintenance drold.

PlayStation,^ 1

□E U 5 E XO C E A N F L O O RHack the security panel on the wall and[hen head up the two flights of stairsand into the room at the top. Read theDATACUBE and then go up the nextflight of stairs into the room above. Becareful of the gun turret and go throughthe door to the right There's anothergun turret in here so it may be best totake it out altogether as you'll need toapproach the body on the ground andt a k e t h e N A N O K E Y. T h e r o o m o n t h e l e f tcontains vital supplies so make sure/ou unlock the door and stock upbefore leaving

H e a d b a c k t o t h e m a i n h a l l a n dunlock the door with your new foundkey Go down the ladder and Into thewater then hack the keypad to enterthrough the next door. Read theDATACUBE on the desk and headthrough the door on the right, downmore stairs and through another doorFollow the recessed floor In the cavernand take out the creatures that pop outMow follow the hallway on the rightthen grab the NANOKEY and weaponmod from the table before unlockingthe next door and going through.

There's nothing of any great valuet)ehind any of the locked doors in thisarea apart from a couple of weaponmods, so If you're running low onockplcks or explosives, don't wastet h e m . C l i m b d o w n t h e l a d d e r a n d t h e n

through the door at the far end.Here you can either bypass the

security panel, use an EMP grenade, orockpick the grate on the right side.Head past the splder-bot towards theelevator The guy floating in the waterj e h i n d i t h a s a n A U G M E N TAT I O N3ANISTER, but the water is electrified,50 be careful. Head up the elevatorHack the panel to the right of theitaircase ahead to extend the bridge;hen head down the stairs and across:he bridge. Hack the computer in thelext room and then head all the wayD a c k t o t h e c a v e r n t o m e e t

jp with Simons. Aftersome conversation,rou'll have to fight him,j u t w a t c h o u t w h e nrou finally nail himbecause he'll explode.

Now go all theivay back to thecommand module,vhich is where youi r s t c a m e i n . G e t i n t o:he mini-sub andl e a d b a c k t o t h e^ertilcal passageway with:he ladder that spans:hree floors. Head up to

the top floor, then climb the next ladder,open the hatch and you'll be on theroof. Savage will talk to you, and giveyou an upgrade canister if you savedhis daughter Now get In the choppera n d l e a v e .

W E S T C O A S T S I L OTurn left, look up and snipe the guard Inthe tower, then take care of the twoguards to your left at the comer of thefacility. Head around the fence andtowards that building with the windows.Inside are three guards. You can trysniping through the windows orsneaking up to the door and tossing agas grenade In. Once they have beendisposed of, grab some stuff from thetable and head upstairs. There's akeypad on the central support beam.Bypass it and you'll open a secretstairway to the attic with quite a fewsupplies inside. Search the rest of thearea thoroughly for supplies by usingt h e c a t w a l k s t h a t l e a d t o t h e m a i n

base, then go down to the main silodoors and use the code to get in.

Turn left and use the code againto go through those doors. At the endare some security beams that can betaken out with an EMP grenade or byblasting/hacking the security panel.

Head upstairs and then find theconsole with the big 'ABORT button on.This will open the security panel to theleft. Get In by hacking or with yourlogin and Initiate a new launch. Headback to the silo doors and go throughthe other pair of big doors labelled'Missile Silo'. The next passage Ispatrolled by MJ12 commandos andMiBs, so you can either run down withall guns blazing or go through the grateon the floor that leads you to thebottom level linto water) and to anelevator Either way, you want to end upon level four Look over the railing andtake out the technician tampering withthe missile, then use the elevator to goup to level six. Use the button to open

the hatch and then take the chopperto A rea 51 .

A R E A 5 1If you didn't kill the mechanicthat planted the bomb in the

chopper then It's gonna blow\ at this point. Take out the••I sniper In the tower behind

the helipad and then followthe ramps down to ground

level and go to the building onthe right. Here you can find aNANOKEY to the tower, as well

as a few supplies. Now youc a n e i t h e r h e a d b a c k t o

t h e t o w e r b e h i n d

the helipad and hack the panel or youcan cross the facility to the hanger withthe collapsed door and then headupstairs to get the entrance code fromthe soldier through the broken window.

Inside the tower, go upstairs anduse the security panel to open the blastdoors then go through them. Headdown the right passage and into thebuilding on the left. Turn right and openthe panel to restore power, then goback down the other passage and takethe lift down. Press the button next tothe big security door and head through.

A R E A 5 1 B U N K E RH e a d d o w n a n d b e c a r e f u l o f t h e

exploding generator on your right OnceIt's safe, run past it and talk to Everett.Turn around and go straight ahead,following It down until you see asecurity robot and a door Input thecode that Everett gave you and go in.Take note of the Infinite strengthkeypad. Head outside and keepfollowing the passage to the nextkeypadded door and go through. On at a b l e I s a D ATA C U B E w i t h t h e c o d e t othat infinite strength keypad, so headback and open It Now continuefollowing the passage until it opens Intoa big chamber and head up to thereally big door lit by red lights, unlock Itwith your keyring and go through.

If your brother's alive, he'll sendyou a message at this point, outliningthe possible outcomes. Activate theelevator and kill the troops that comeup, before going down on It Go aheadand turn left, then Tong will talk to youabout his 'ending'. He'll give you anImage and open the door for you. Headin. There's a couple of ways Into thestairwell to your right Make a lot ofnoise and some troops will open It foryou or you can lockpick the doorFailing that, head straight then to theright of the fence is a stairwell down. Inthe water below is a corpse that holdsthe NANOKEY needed to open it

Once you're In the stairwell, takenote of the Aquinas Hub door Keepheading upstairs and you'll find ac o n s o l e w i t h a D ATA C U B E o n . U s e t h ecode on the security panel behind youand unlock the door Now head backdownstairs and, once you're back atground level, go right and follow thestairs down. Straight ahead is that dooryou just unlocked. Head through it andgo up to the control room via theladder on the right Talk to themechanic and he'll give you the codeto the Aquinas hub. Backtrack to thatdoor and punch in the code.

Follow the passage until you getto the room with the grays Inside andhead through the door on the left. You'lleventually come to a room with a stepsto your left and right, both leading to anelevator Go up to the third floor andlisten to Helios's message.

Head back down to the secondlevel and to the stairs you came downearlier Then go back to the room withthe grays and go down the stairs andthrough the door on the left. Headdown the passage and through the'Sector 4' access door Go up the stairsand through the door and someone willcontact you - if you saved your brother,it'll be him, if not itli be Savage. Whenyou're done listening, go into thecloning lab.

Head into the hallway betweenthe two Denton Incubators and find thesecurity panel near the window. Hack itto turn off the environmental generatorsand open the door on the other side.Head Into Page's chamber and disposeof the two gun turrets and save thegame because you'll now have to

1 decide which outcome you're going to] play for □

C U F F H A N G E RThere are three possible endings to Oeus Ex. Each one can be triggered byperforming certain tasks in this final segment. By saving the game at the pointwe mention in the walkthrough, you can view each ending without having toplay through the entire game again.

■ Everett's Ending: Rebirth of the llluminatiFor this ending you must activate the four blue reactors. They are grouped fairly closetogether and don't take much exploration to find. When you have activated all four,go back up to Page's chamber, through the door and Into the control room. Press thebutton on the console and you'll send him straight to hell.

■ Tongas Ending: New Dark AgeFor this ending you'll need to go down to the area populated by creatures belowPage's chamber and then head through the door at the back on the left. Work yourway downwards and locate a room with a control panel marked 'Flush Systems'.Activate this panel and then go all the way back past the area where you talked toeither Savage or your brother and up to the reactor lab (a room polluted by greenradiation). Here you'll find two reactors with a button at the base of each. Press themboth and then head upstairs to the control room Ihome to the mechanic that gaveyou the code to the Aquinas Hub). Press the three switches In sequence and watchthe place go up In smoke,

■ Helios's Ending: Merging with the Helios AlGo to the area beneath Page's chamber populated by creatures and then go throughthe door at the back on the right. Do as Helios instructs, turning on the switches oneither side of the room, and he'll give you the login to the computer Login andactivate the special option. Now backtrack to where you spoke to Helios in theAquinas Hub and your work is done.

M I R T U R F I G H T E R <

There's a stack of secrets in this sophisticatedbrawler that range from cunningly retro victoryposes to bizarre booby prizes. Slip on thoseknuckle dusters for the full expos6.

Classic Victory PosesUse a created fighter to reach the Second Kyulevel. Hold Punch + Kick + Guard during thereplay after vjinnlng a match to do a classicvictory pose from the very first Vlrtua Fightergame. You can also do another classic pose byreaching the Third Dan rank and holding Punch +Kick during the replay. But would you notice?

Alternate Main Menu BackgroundEnter the 'Game Option' menu, then press ai tocycle forviards or m to cycle backwards throughthe list of backgrounds for the main menu.

A l t e r n a t e C o s t u m e sEach character has two different appearances,most of which are just two different sets ofclothes. To see the alternate costume, hold IS; atthe character selection screen and then press (g)to select the respective character in theiralternate get-up.

Original Virtua Fighter ModelUse any character to reach the First Dan rank,then when you select that fighter again, holdPunch + Kick until the fight begins. They will nowappear for action looking exactly as they did inthe very first Virtua Fighter game.

Training Stage One In Versus ModeUse a created fighter to reach the Rrst Dan rankto unlock the flret training stage in Versus mode.

Training Stage Two In Versus ModeUse a created fighter to reach the Fifth Dan rank tounlock the second training stage in Versus mode.

Training Stage Three in Versus ModeUse a created fighter to reach the Monarch rankto unlock the third training stage in Versus mode.

Dural's Stage In Versus ModeUse a created fighter to reach the Emperor orGreat Emperor rank to unlock Dural's hangarstage in Versus mode

Fight As DuralDefeat Dural in Kumite mode to unlock her as aplayable character in Versus mode.

D-aining TrophyComplete the trial events in Training mode with acreated fighter and a small trophy Icon will bedisplayed over your character's health bar

Keep A Winning Streak In Kumite Modeif you have a good winning streak going in Kumitemode and you are about to lose, pause the gameand return to the main menu. The game will saveautomatically and when you return, you will stillhave your winning streak and no losses.

Special ItemsGet 100 consecutive wins in Kumite mode andyour character will be awarded a special item. Ttieitem varies depending on which fighter you use.

Disgrace ItemsTo get a disgrace item, your character has to bethird Dan or above. You can obtain and removethe disgrace items in Versus mode. Here arethose disgrace items in fijil:

A K I R AItem #1: Usagi-san (blue rabbit on left shoulder)Get it by: Losing ten matches in a rowRemove it by: W/inning three matches in a row

Item #2: Risu-san (brown squirrel on left shoulder]Get it by: Repeatedly getting hit by an opponent'se v a d e a t t a c k sRemove it by: Not getting hit by any evadeattacks and winning a match

P A IItem #1: Keroppi Men (huge green frog mask]Get it by: Losing ten matches in a rowRemove it by: Winning two matches in a row

Item #2: Panda-chan Men (huge panda mask)Get it by: Repeatedly getting hit by an opponent'se v a d e a t t a c k sRemove it by: Not getting hit by any evadeattacks and winning a match

L A UItem #1: Dai ganmen (huge face mask]Get it by: Losing ten matches in a rowRemove it by: Winning two matches In a row

Item #2: Chuuka Donburi (big china bowl)Get it by: Repeatedly guarding the opponent'sattacks or losing during avoidRemove it by: Connecting with at least 50percent of your attacks and winning

W O L FItem #1: Paatii Guzzu (party hat with funnynose spectacles)Get it by: Repeatedly getting side-thrown andlosing the matchRemove it by: Escaping from catches two timesor more and winning

Item #2: Dandi Dandi (Semi-transparent oldman mask)Get it by: Using ten matches in a rowRemove it by: Winning two matches in a row

J E F F R Y

Item #1: Sukaru Masuku (skull mask)Get it by: Losing ten matches in a rowRemove it by: Winning two matches in a row

Item #2: Sukin Heddo (bald head)Get it by: Having your opponent escape yourc a t c h e s s i x t i m e s o r m o r eRemove it by: Performing five catches (two mustcount) and winning

K A G EItem #1: Risu-san (brown squirrel on yourright shoulder)Get it by: Losing five matches In a rowRemove it by: Winning two matches in a row

Item #2: Usagi-san (blue rabbit on yourright shoulder)Get it by: Failing to successfully recover from 15c o n s e c u t i v e t h r o w sRemove it by: Successfully recovering fromthrows for two times the number of rounds andwinning the match

J A C K Y

item #1: Dokkiri Hana Megane (big nose andmustache spectacles)Get it by: Losing ten matches in a rowRemove it by: Winning two matches in a row

Item #2: Beibli Babuu (baby cap and dummy)Get it by: Losing by 'ring out' for all roundscontinuously over two matchesRemove it by: Winning by 'ring out'

S H U NKem #1: Chuuka Fu-Ku Musume (huge Chinesegirl face mask)Get it by: Losing ten matches in a rowRemove it by: Winning two matches in a row

Item #2: Hyottoko Men (silly looking face mask)Get it by: Losing by 'ring out' for all roundscontinuously over two matchesRemove it by: Winning by 'ring out'

U O NItem #1: Mantisu Heddo (rather large, greenmanfis mask)Get it by: Getting hit by a ducking punch for tentimes the number of rounds or moreRemove it by: Not getting hit by the opponent'sattacks for ten times the number of rounds andwinning the match

Item #2: Herumetto (Eiffel Tower helmet)Get it by: Losing ten matches in a rowRemove it by: Winning two matches in a row

A O IItem #1: Nyaaago Nyanko (Cat mask with earsand nose)Get it by: Losing ten matches In a rowRemove it by: Winning two matches in a row

Item #2: Burikko-chan (ribbon with red spiralpaint on cheeks)Get it by: Getting continuously countered bythe opponentRemove it by: Not getting countered by theopponent during a match

L E IItem #1: Buu-chan Heddo (huge pig head mask)Get it by: Losing ten matches in a rowRemove it by: Winning two matches in a row

Item #2: Zou-san Heddc (elephant mask withears and trunk)Get it by: Getting repeatedly hit by theopponent's attacks and losingRemove it by: Not getting hit by the opponent'sattacks for ten times the number of rounds andwinning the match

V A N E S S AItem #1: Pappaka o-uma (horse head hat)Get it by: Losing ten matches in a rowRemove it by: Winning two matches in a row

Item #2: Satsuriku no Masuku (goalie mask)Get it by: Getting repeatedly hit by theopponent's attacks for 15 times the numbero f r o u n d sRemove it by: Not getting hit by the opponent'sattacks for 15 times the number of rounds andwinning the match

S A R A H

Item #1: Bikkuri Kao Megane (big eyedspectacles)Get it by: Losing ten matchesin a rowRemove it by: Winningt w o m a t c h e s i n a r o w

2002 HFA WORLD CUP

To milk a little extra longevity out of this officialfooty cash cow, why not try unlocking a few extteams? Do note, however, that you can't enterthem into the World Cup.

Unlock New TeamsTo unlock a few extra All-Star teams In Friendlymode, you must win the World Cup with teams frordifferent regions.

H i d d e n T e a m

All-EuropeA l l - A m e r i c aA l l - A f r i c a

„ „ . . . W i n A

...Any European tear....Any South American tear

Any African tear

L M A M A N A G E R 2 0 0 2

To become an instant 'Fergie' amongst yourstressed-out peers, simply enter the followingcheat codes as names for the desired effect.

C h e a t . . . . . C o d e

More moneyAuto-select tactics90 percent skill -R u n f a s t e rWin every gameBuy any playerFast stadium construction...Quick heatingB l i n d r e f e r e e

Always sunny

M I N T E DN O B R A I N E R

A W E S O M EHYPERACTIVE

...RUN OF FORMFANTASY

....QUICK DRY. . . .HEAUNG HANDS

M U S T B E B U N DS U N B U R N

MR MOSKEETO

Slurp more blood out of this bizarre Japaneseimport by unlocking a few extra suckers!

TVvo Extra MosquitosThe following two codes unlock a couple of extramosquitos that can be selected under the 'Colour*option. Enter the codes quickly on the main optionscreen (from which you select the 'colour' option).If they have worked you'll hear a yell.

Doctor Mosquito - (hold ob) t,CD, CB, CDPapa Mosquito - (hold ml t.CD, CS, CD

H i d d e n G a m eTo unlock a hidden two-player mini-game calledReckless Cyclist, go to the main title screen andthen rotate the right analogue stick 30 times. Youwill then be warped straight to the hidden game.

T I G E R L U D D D B P E R T D U R E 0 0 2

Become an instant king of the swingers and improve your on-green handicap by allowing our caddy of codes to ease youthrough the course.

M a s t e r C o d eAt the Password screen |in the Options menu) enter ALLORNOTHIN asa code to unlock everything - including all golfers and courses.

U n l o c k A l l C o u r s e sAt the Password screen (In the Options menu) enter GIVEITUP as acode to unlock all of the hidden courses.

Hidden GolfersTo unlock golfers without earning them, enter the Password screen(in the Options menu] and enter the following codes:

H i d d e n G o l f e r -Super Tiger Woods...C e d r i c A n d r e w sStuart ApplebyNotah Begay IIIB r a d F a x o n

Jim Furyk

2 T R E P U S 0 1 S...._....JSWERDNA120

U Y B E 1 P PA 1 6 0D YA G E B 0 4 EE N 0 X A F 1 4 D0 K Y R U F 0 5 R

H i d d e n G o l f e rL e e J a n z e n . .J u s t i n L e o n a r dSolita LopezColin Montgomery...K e l l l e N e w m a nJesper ParnevlkVijay Singh...M o a Ta ' a Va t u

...Cod<

Melvin TanigawaE r i k a v o n S e v e r i n . . .

I N E Z N A J l l V. . . . R D R A N 0 A E L 1 3 (

G Z E P O L I O IE Y T N O M 0 9 I

S N A M W E N 1 7 ;0 K I V E N R A P 0 2 1

SHGNiSOSI0 1 U TAVA AT 0 6WAWA G I N ATO y

R V E S N O V 0 8 (

Play5tation.E 1

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,34 PlayStation.?

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ALWAYS READ THE SMALL PRINT

c£j_ayStatjonPlayStaUpn

PlayStation 2

^ j PlayStatjj

If you're reading this, you've just bought an Issue of Official PtayStation 2Magazine. YouVe no doubt checked out the cover game, you've ll |

perused the reviews to see what you should spend your cash ontrough spyto^awl,., new games h«

PlayStation,^

announced and you're possibly thinking about entering thatcode In HardCo,. that lets u open up all the skater" iT6ny Hawk's 3 or something. However before you do allthat, you re probably going to fire up your ps2 and give

featurernt covermounted DVDfeatures playable demos of the best new games for PS2.

SsletTraWe ran the demo of Metal Gear Solid 2 six weeks

PlayStation.2

PlayStation.g

PlayStation,2

before the pme was released! We did the same with the MedalOf Honon Frontline and Gran Ttiriswo 3 demos. If you're a new

PlayStation.^

a i

g 5

a B

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M A S S I V E E 3 R E P O RT l f ^ H > E l

E ^ r a lThis month: FFXs date dilemma, Virgin blunders and Private Fitz in uniform.,

Got something you want to get off your chestf Then cough upandwina prize! The author ofevery letter printed this Issue gets a copy of Medal Of Honor: FronSlne and the Star Litter alsoreceives this otignal WWII soldier's uniform, as modelled by FItz belovi. Send your letters to theEditor c/o Postal, Official PlayStation 2 Magazine, Future Publishing 30 Monmouttr Street, BathBAl 2BW. Email us at our new Postal emali address PS2postal®futtipenetco.uk or alternativelytext us your stteam-of-consciousness rants and rambllngs on the new number of 86188.Each message MUST begn with the letters 0PS2_, and each text will cost 25p.

STAR L£TT1R; REALITY BITESWhen I look thnaugh your magazine I often see games that boastunparalleled realism of graphics and artificial intelligence. Myproblem is that I actually find that realism defeats the purposeof computer games.

Reaiism doesnt necessarily mal<e a game fun, but itis something that a lot of people expect these daysAs consoles improve and developers becomemore comfortable with the hardware available,we are promised more and more realisticgames. Look at the collision damage inGT3 [Eh? Which GT have you beenplaying? - Ed], Yeah, It iooks good, butwhen I'm driving along in my F1 carI will occasionally screw up andsmack Into the ban-lers (onlyoccasionally mind). The car thenbounces off and I cany on. Ttiat's not ataii realistic, but i don't want to get through most of anendurance race oniy to make a mistake and trash mycar right at the last moment.

in first-person shooters, your character doesn't dieafter one or two shots; they can take quite a few. Butpeople dont complain about that, do they? Realistic FPSgames wouidnt be fair or fun to play If you died straightaway People would just give up after a few goes. I donthave a problem with selective realism - good looks andrealistic car handling are fine. However we should not betrying to replicate real life, because real life Is not alwaysfun. Computer games are a form of escapism, a way toget away from It all. A game should be challenging, itshould be substantial, it should be good looking and, aboveall, It should be fun to play Whether It looks 'real' or not IsJust not that Important to me.Jonathan Green, via email

We agree. The quest for ultimate realism in games is a redherring. While we do demand our games to reflect our lifeexperience in some ways, there are other elements of real life- generally the boring bits - that we'd rather forget aboutThat said, you could always just play the Arcade mode...

Just In case you were wondering, dressing Fitz in historicarmy uniform has nothing whatsoever to do with the subjectof Jonathan's letter When EA kindly offered us a box of MedalOf Honor games to give away to the author of every letterprinted this month, they generously decided to throw in anauthentic, as-wom-ln-the-trenches World War II soldier'sunifanv for the Star Letter winner Although it may be difficult toprove that said threads are genuinely 60 years old, Fitz assuredus that they definitely smelt like they'd been In a war And he'dknow. So, Jonathan, look forward to a historically significant - ifslightly minging - package arriving at your house very soon Justgoes to show where putting pen to paper in an eloquent andthought-provoking manner can get you

God help us if there's another war.

PAYING THE PRICEWhy should we, Joe Public, have to pay anextra 50 pence of our hard-earned cashon a magazine which has increased Inprice without any prior warning? i knowyou have probably received countlessnumbers of emails and lettersconcerning this subject this month, but Ifeel that at least one of them should bepublished and the voice of the publicheard. Tell us whySteven Snape, via email

Sony if the price rise seemed sudden. Thereason for it is quite simple - theincreasing cost of manufacturing anddistributing the magazine and DVD have

gradually and reluctantly forced up ourprices 0PS2 has been £4.99 since It

launched in the autumn of 2000and has never increased In price.

Similarly our sister mag 0PM hasnever increased in price sinceissue one. Sadly we had nochoice but to raise the coverprice Compare this Issue to thefirst - pricey DVD-ROM not theCD of old, better video quality,more playable demos full DVDcose... We hope that you all feelthis Justifies your outlay

CUBE CONCERNSMy younger brother bought aGamecube magazine recentlyand as I was flicking through It,i became worried when I sawgames such as Star Wars RogueLeader and WWF Wrestlemania, to

name just a few. A console is only asgood as Its games but it seems the

Gamecube has plenty of decent ones. Iquickly reminded myself of the likes of FFXand Pro Evolution Soccer on PS2. But as Iread further; i began to panic when I sawmentioned that Square's classic adventureseries would finally retum to planetNintendo, as would the iSS series. Could Itbe true that developers are abandoningthe PS2 and heading to Gamecube?

The 1^2 still has TimeSp/itters 2 right?Wrong Rocky? Nope. SSX Tricky? That'sgone too. Agent Under Fire? Sorry. BurnoutRedCard, Tony Hawk's 3, NBA Street andthe rest have all gone to Gamecube wherethey will be given a boost In graphics andgamepiay, then bought by the public allover again.

If you ask me, we're aii screwed.Please, please prove to me that the PS2is not finished.

Sean Harte, Eire

Sean, Sean, Sean. You raise many of thesame points as a letter featured back inOPS2#20, substituting the word Xbox withthe word Gamecube To settle this debateonce and for all, when a PS2 gameappears on another format, it has not'gone' anywhere. In ail of the examplesyou cite, the games are appearing onGamecube months after their PS2 release.

Developers and publishers know thatPS2 Is by far the biggest format out thereand will tailor their games' developmentaccordingly Only once the PS2 version isfinished will they turn to the other gamingplatforms often farming them out tosmaller codeshaps while the originaldevelopers get on with the importantbusiness of creating the next PS2 smash.Look at the games you mention -Burnout (reviewed waoaaay back in Issue131 has only just appeared on Gamecube.Now, wouldn't you rather play the sequelon PS2? Weil, you will be soon

Consoles will always have theirexclusive games, and Nintendo will alwaysproduce quality software for Its ownmachines But PS2 has the best exclusivesoftware llne-up of them all. Sean, doesthe GBA version of Tekken really harmyour enjoyment of the PS2 game?

Ratchet And Clank: exclusive to PS2.

SEQUEL RIGHTSWhy should a game score more overallpoints if it's original? There are virtually nooriginal concepts left to discover forsoftwarB houses, and those that arereaching the market tend to be rather foul.Some mags - fortunately, not yours -even print an 'original idea' score, whichcan deter a buyer from buying a greatgame. Most sequels are better than theirpredecessors. The Ideas arent alwaysoriginal, but so what? It's like saying that agreat rock band isn't any good because ituses the same guitars and dmms thatevery other band uses.

in my opinion, originality is a ratingfactor that shouldn't exist and I hope it'snot one that your mag would everconsider usingRay Lyies, East tx)ndon

36 PlayStation,?

PlayStatiODvS

We will always need games that break themould, but for every true original, there's aheap of bold but flawed concepts outthere Many of the best games on PS2 aresequels, but this doesnt mean they lackInnovation. Usually, a successful game willutilise an existing tried-and-testedconcept but will add all manner of freshtouches to advance the form and keep usthrilled. We don't single out originality as ascoring criteria, but If a game reallydoesn't do anything new, we'll advise youto stick with the games you already ownand keep your cosh in your pocket

FINAL FANTASY TRAVESTYI was shocked to find that in the Final

Fantasy X review you marked the gamedown for its iinearity. Linearity is not reallya bad thing - aimost all racing games arelinear! Also, the sound should have got a10 because, judging by the demo, it hasaimost the best soundtrack ever and it'sthe first Final Fantasy so far to haveproper character voices. Why didn't FFXget the 10 it so rightly deserves?Anon, via emaii

Seeing as you're writing before the releaseof the game, we have to assume you'remaking your mind up before actuallyplaying the thing. And if you had alreadydecided that Fi^ was going to be the bestthing ever, why did you need to read ourreview? Unless you're from the future...

Ah, they dont make 'em like they used to.

TV OLD ^MESBack in the days when Teenage MutantHero Turtles was in its prime, thereused to be a TV programme caliedGamesMaster (the one with the old manwho answered gaming questions). Now, asI scan the TV guide, there is not oneprime-time games programme. Do TVcompanies not realise just how big theindustry is? Perhaps if a weil-respectedmag like yourself gave the BBC a push,then maybe we would have a decentgames programme to watch on TV again.Richard Thorp, via emaii

Many have tried, but the fact Is thatnobody has yet produced a games TVprogramme that's more captivating thanactually switching on your PS2. And givenyou can find all the latest games news,reviews and early footage here at 0PS2,who really needs TV? Exactly

MAY MANIAWhen buying my iviay copy of 0PS2, i wasvery excited to find that it contained areview and playable demo of the muchawaited Final Fantasy X. After playing thedemo and reading though the review Itumed back to see when FFX was comingout. 1 May? i thought the release date was

Medal Of HanoiFront l ine isout now from EGames, pricedat £39.99 RRP

M|BjCTW»li AHENTiON ALL TXT PEOPLE! The number to send your text messagejE|pym#Sej to has changed. From now on, text all your messages about PS2 anthis magazine to 86188. You MUST begin the message with 0PS2and then leave a space before tapping out your words of wisdom si

that they reach us. With OPSZs shiny new text service you'll soon be able to;□ WIN STUFF! Enter competitions to win great prizes□ BE IN THE MAG! Vote in our mag polls for your favourite games□ INSIDER KNOWLEDGE! Find out wliat's new for PS2 in the next issue of 0PS2* The cost of sending your message to us will be 25p per text, cheaper than a first-ctosstamp and quicker than wrinkly old snail mail. If you wish to stop receiving PS2information, just text OPS2 STOP to the number above.

Aftr cscking svself itchng Ring 2 on TV tiieothr nite - no isav 9« I plaving Project Zero!^father!!! _ Beckham Soccer: Like the msnhimself/ It looks beautiful but lacks depth _PS2 H^D DRIVE? IF I WANTED A HARD DRIVE I 'D

HAVE mmi A PC - The Postasn, Scouseland _I hope Sveri's garne features a special modewhere you get to Juggle fortunes of ourn a t i o n a l t e a m l u h i l e s i m u l t a n e o u s l v s e d u c i n g

C-list celebs _ SOCOM lcKrf<s sicked butwaiting for BT to get tt^ir asses in gear isgoing to be a nightasre! _ CAN'T WAIT FOR

GTA: MIAMI NEED TO CAP SOHE HQS BABY-J^elaxer

London _ Kournakova in Saash Court. All iesant to knoB is do thev bounce? _ SYPHONFILTER ON THE PS2? AND IS DRESSING IN FULL

ARMY CAHO'S WHILE PLAYING MEDAL OF HONOR

USUAL? Gaz/ Essex _ Try •icrowving your xfao:■ i t ^ P r o j e c t G o t h a s i n s i d e ! i t i ^ l o c k s a l l

the extra's/ Evil So _ DNSTY WRRS III ROCKS!I DONT CARE WOT U ALL THINK,„ _ IWY DOES MAXPAYNE ALWAYS LOOK LIKE HE NEEDS A S"ZT? _ IWENT TO SCHOOL A GUY CALLED TONY HAWK BUT HE

WAS RUBBISH AT BOARDING AND HAD GINGER HAIR

31 May? This was all very confusing and iconcluded that the game had beenmoved fonward. So on 1 May i talked mymum Into letting me oft school so i couldbe one of the first to get the game, butguess what? it isnt out until 31 May! i putmy trust in your mag but this really gotme mad. it's not that difficult to get thecorrect dates for your readers, or Is it?Lee Westerman, via emaii

Big, big apologies for our FFX release datemix-up - a simple typographical errorwhere the '3' somehow got lopped off.However this tale does bring up thethorny subject of release dates. 0PS2'srelease dates are 99% spot on at the timeof going to press la good month beforeyou read the magi, but often publisherswill alter release dates at short notice.

Because we con only provide a monthlyupdate (at the momenti, the only surefireway to avoid being left in the lurch is to

telephone your local game shop the weekbefore stated release to see if your chosengame will be an'iving on time.

VIRGIN TERRITORYI'd just like to draw your attention to theback covers of OPS2#019 and #020,which features a Virgin Megastoresadvertisement. Look at the iittie paragraphwritten next to the Metal Gear Solid 2

game box - it talks about Fox-Hound,Alaska and the nuclear weapons disposal,which, if I'm not going mad, are allfeatures of the original Metal Gear, andnot Its F^2 sequel. What's going on?Sammi IVIarwan, Bristol

See, everyone makes mistakes.

To be eligible for a prize, remember toinclude your full name and address.0PS2 reserves the right to edit lettersfor clarity and style.

Want to get your hands on the issues people are discussing in Postal? Come raidour warehouse for issues you've missed. Ail issues feature playable demo discs.

EIGHTIEN: World exclusive reviewand demo of Herdy Gerdy. Plus ajafn-packed DVD including Half-Ufe, Maximo, Ico and Deus Ex.

NINETEEN: Huge exclusive PALreviewf for Virtua Hghter 4. Greatplayable demos of Ico, Mike Tysonand Vampfre Night on the DVD.

TWENTY: First review and playabledemo of FFX On the DVD: Moto GP,Rally Championship and more. PlusHideo KoJIma talks MGS films.

TWENTY ONE: Exclusive UK Sp/deyreview, Tekhen 4, Deux Ex tips, plusnine playable demos includingMOH: Frontline and RedCard.

To order back issues of 0PS2, write to Official PlayStation 2 Back Issues, Future Publishing, Cary Court Somerton, Somerset TAll SIB,or call 01458 271184. Back issues are priced £5.99 (UK|, £6.99 Europe) and £7.99 (Rest of the World). Supplies limited.

PlayStation.E 1

□ e0PS2's Dr Paul Fitzpatrick clears your gullet with a Heimlich manoeuvre of game knowledge.

1. Please could you send me details ofthe NTSC converter box you mentioned inthe issue #018 of your magazine?John Collins, via email

1. kVe got ours fromwww.lektropacks.co.uk for £39.99. It's notthe only option so you may want tosearch around a bit on the Internetbefore you buy

1. In Quake III it's possible to unlock theReaper and his mistress w/hen youcomplete the game and beat them on thebonus level they appear in. When I playthat level, after winning they are thetB, butwhen I turn my PS2 off and reload itthey've gone. Any ideas as to what theproblem may be, or do you Just have tocomplete the Reaper ievei every time?Christopher Winspear via email

1. Completing the Reaper level will unlockthe two characters for future play but onlyin the multlplayer levels. Could that bewhy you can't find them in one-player?

1. i've read that World Of Outlaws: SprintCars is being released in the US and inAustralia, but it seems to havedisappeared from UK release schedules.Do you l<now if Infogrames has plans for aUK release ?

Steven, via email

1. For now it seems, the spectacle ofoverpowered buggies with downforce-boosting wings bolted to their roofs,bombing around oval dirt trucks, is toremain a gaming feature only in Oz andthe USA If that changes, however: you'll bethe very first to know.

1. We are all getting extremely frustratedwith Konami over its blunder at leaving

out the co-operative play option in theMaster League mode of the otherwiseexcellent Pro Evolution Soccer Weunderstand that there is a certain buttoncombination that allows you to accessconttDiler two within the Master tjeaguegame itself Is this true?BIG, Muzza and Mr P, via email

1. We've done some reseorth into thisand come to the conclusion that there isno cheat to make the Master Leaguework as a two-player co-operative option.There's a lot of supposition around but nodefinitive fix-all code. Sorry guys. On theplus side. It looks very likely that thisoversight will be rectified for WinningEleven 6 joto Pro Evolution Soccer 2).

1. Can you tell me if there's going to beanother music generator game comingout in the UK?Fred Nigglet, via email

1. Turn to page 28 for a preview of eJayand rejoice You may also be interested toknow that there is a sequel to MTV MusicGenerator being developed right now.Keep scanning the pages of Spy fordetails in the months to come...

1. In Metal Gear Solid 2, is it possible toget a stealth suit like the one that wasavailable in the original game? I've lookedall over the internet but I can't seem tofind any Information.

Percy Johnson. Ljeicester

1. To unlock the stealth suit in the Tankersection you need to collect 50 percent ofthe available dog tags (that's 781 Tounlock It in the Big Shell section you'llneed to get the same percentage, but thistime that amounts to 121 dog tags. Hopethat helps.

POSTAL SURGERY DROP INA juicy rare steak applied to your gaming black eyes.

' *" ' Right, who's first? Welcome Nathan Jarvis, who■ w a n t s t o k n o w i f R n o / f o n t o s y X / w i l l b e a s t a n d■ alone game at al l . No. RFX; wii l be a puteiy online

regularformat Next up is Marc Davies from Plymouth who

. wants to know how you coax those fearless guards in. MGS2 into giving you their dog tags. If a quick shot ina limb doesnt make up their mind, nobody stays

- fearless when you point a grenade launcher at them.Mr All ves Lennox Lewis a history just watch as they cough up. tjstly we havel e s s o n h e ' l l n e v e r f o r g e t . „ i , ^ ■ i , uChristina McCormack who has a small amount of

money burning a hole in her pocket and has a dilemma. Which boxing game to get-Knockout Kings 2002 or Mike Tyson Heavyweight Boxing? Well, Christina, if you want amore arcade experience then 'iron' Mike's your man. However for sheer number of proboxers available our money is on KK2002 That's your lot See you next month...

1. My PS2 refuses to read my old PSoneMemory Cards no matter how hard i pushthem in. I've tried standing my PS2vertically, resetting my console severaltimes but it Just Ignores them, i've triedthem on my mate's PS2 and they workfine Please help.Daniel Hale, via email

1. Desp/te covering this topic a whilebock, we've had a considerable number ofnew emails and letters very much likeDaniel's in recent weeks. There are a fewreasons why PSone Memory Cards maynot work when plugged into the PS2 Sonycannot guarantee that third-party lie, notofficial Sonyl Memory Cards wiil functionfaultlessly If the third-parly manufacturerhas deviated from the official design forany reason, that may be the cause of yourproblems. Secondly a number of gamesautoload game data early Into the boot-up sequence If you remove the MemoryCard for any reason during this time youdo risk corrupting the data stored on It. Inthe vast majority of cases, PS2'sbackwards compatibility works just fine,but unfortunately it's not perfect

1.1 have heard of software that willeliminate the DVD lip-syncing problems.Where can I find it?2. i am having trouble finding ail the filesin Resident Evil Code: Vemnica X. Couldyou print the locations?3.1 know that Frontier Developments isworking on Elite 4. Please tell me that thepiatfonm is PS2!Dan La rsen , Denmark

1. if your PS2 Is a recent model theproblem shouldn't be there at all. If not. Itappears the updated DVD driver softwarethat comes with the official Sony DVDremote eliminates lip-sync problems onceand for all. Shouldn't Sony make thatsoftware available free to anyone with anolder PS2? We think so.2. We already have, Dan. Sadly we donthave the space to print the Informationagain on this page but you can find a fullResident Evil Code; Veronica X

walkthrough In OPS2#0273. We can't confirm that the fourth gamein the much loved Elite series willdefinitely come to PS2 because FrontierDevelopments hasnt decided themselvesyet. However; the PS2 is in Its list of'probable' platform destinations, and we'dbe very surprised if It didnt come our way

1. I'm Just back from Cyprus where Ipurchased a few PS2 games. To my horror

they don't work A message comes onscreen saying please insert a PS2 formatdisc. What's up?Lisa, via email

1. Well, Cyprus is a PAL region so we'vegot to ask, is It possible you boughtbootlegged games for a bargain price? Ifso, your PS2 Isnt going to be able to playthem unless you get It 'chipped'. Andthat's not something we wouldrecommend even If the games were abargain Sorry.

1. Is it possible to plug a digital camerainto the PS2? if so, what would I have todo and what additional equipment would Ineed? I've tried reading the manual, but itmust be my age as i couldn't make headnor tall of itA n o n

1. Assuming your digital camera has aUSB port all you need Is a USB-to-USBlead to connect it to your PS2. However:that's not going to be any use to youwithout software or a game that allowsyou to Import photographs. Eventually theHard Disc Drive/Network Adaptor will givedevelopers more inspiration to make useof this connectivity but for; now only ahandful of Japanese-only titles have madeany use of this function at all.

1. In OPS2#018 you told the guy who'dbought DVD Region X - but was viewingall his DVDs in black and white - that itwas a problem with his TV not being NTSCcompatible. Not necessarily I had thesame problem, but 1 knew my TV wasNTSC compatible as i played all myDteamcast games in the 60Hz modeIncluded in nearly all of them (why can'tSony manage a similar feat?|. Anyway thisproblem is a lot cheaper to solve thansplashing out on a new TV. What thisbloke needs to do Is replace his currentcable connecting his PlayStation 2 to theTV with a proper SCART cable that has aswitch on it so you can flick between PALdisplay requirements and NTSC ones. It'llimprove game quality as well.Lucifer Stark via email

1. Thanks for that We always appreciate Itwhen readers write In with Information

Send all your game and technicalqueries to; Surgery, Official PlayStation 2Magazine, Future Publishing, 30Monmouth Street, Bath BAl 2BW. Oremail PS2postal@futurenet.co.uk,marWng it 'Surgery. Get writing now!

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HifiniSL Sw ote we've played it, argued about It and pl ed It some more. Want thedefinitive verdicts on the 272 PS2 games available nght now? Then welcome to me Shortlist

0 P S 2 AWA R D STo filter out the pearls fromtlie swine, OPS?s reviewsincorporate a colour-codedratings system.

PlayStation;

G O L DOnly awarded to§ames that scorele full 10/10.

PlayStatign^g

S I L W RAwarded to t i t lesthat score 9/10.

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^^BRONZE; A w a r d e d t o t i t l e s

that score 8/10.

4 X 4 E V O L U n O N(Take 2/Temiinal Reality)Flash but slack off-road 4x4 racer.Fails to make a lasting impression.Rev iewed 0ps2#06 /0vera l l 05

7 B L A D E S(Konami/KCEJ)Ninja-styled adventure with'healthy" chopsocky gameplay.Reviewed OPS2#05/Overall 06

1 8 W H E E L £ R(Acclaim/Sega/Acclatm Cheltenham)Brash, chunky and colourful truckracer Lacks a l i t t le substance.Reviewed OPS2#l4/OveraH 06

2002 HFA WORLD CUP(EA Sports/EA Canada)The latest offering in the endlessline of RFA footy games.Reviewed OPS2#21/Overall 06

A C E C O M B AT:D I S TA N T T H U N D E R(SCEE/Namco)Best AC yet. Graphically-polishedflight Sim with ample missions.Reviewed OPS2#17/OveraH 07

AGE OF EMPIRES I I :T H E A G E O F K I N G S(Konaml/Mlcrosoft/Ensemble Studios/KCET)Real-time strategy with depth andlongevity. Slightly tricky controls.Reviewed OPS2#13/Overal l 07

A I R B U V D E(SCEE/Criterion)

Skateboarding without wheels.Intricate visuals, sublime handling.Reviewed OPS2#14/Overalt 08

A L L - S T A RB A S E B A L L 2 0 0 2(Acclaim/AcclaimStudios Austin)An enjoyable all-round game ofbaseball with oodles of depth.Reviewed OPS2#07/Overal l 07

A L L - S TA R B A S E B A L L2 0 0 3 : F E AT U R I N GD E R E K J E T E R(Acclaim/Acclaim)Highly detailed, very playable. Weltworth a look for sport sim fans.Rev iewed 0ps2#20 /0vera l l 07

ALONE IN THE DARK:THE NEW NIGHTMARE(Infogrames/Darkworks)Scary survival horror game, butfails to frighten in this comeback.Reviewed OPS2#13/Overal l 06

W trix !O*'(SCi/Zed TWo)A well-realised update of theN64 puzzler Wetrlx.Reviewed OPS2#01/0veral l 07

A R C T I C T H U N D E R(Midway/Midway/Inland Productions)Crude visuals, but plenty of fastand furious gameplayReviewed 0PS2#14/0veraH 07

A R M O R E D C O R E 2(Ubi Soft/From Software)Infinitely-tweakable first-personm e c h s h o o t e rRev iewed 0ps2#04/0vera t l 07

A R M Y M E NA I R AT TA C K :B L A D E ' S R E V E N G E(3DO/3DO)Dullsville helicopter game.Reviewed OPS2#09/Overal l 02

A R M Y M E N :G R E E N R O G U EI3DO/3DO)On-rails shooter starring thoselittle plastic men.Reviewed 0ps2#08/0vera l l 01

A R M Y M E N :S A R G E ' S H E R O E S 2(30O/3DO)Another poorly realised shooterReviewed OPS2K07/Overal l 03

AT L A N T I S I I I :T H E N E W W O R L D(Cryo/Cryo)Tedious first-person adventure.Reviewed OFS2#20/Overal l 02

AT V O F F R O A D(SCEE/Ralnbow Studios)Quad bike stunt racerReviewed Ops2#10/0veral l 06

B A L D U R ' S G AT E ;D A R K A L U A N C E

(Interplay/Black Isle Studios)An RPG that does the PS2 greatjustice. D&D In digital form.Reviewed OPS2#15/Overa« 08

B A S S S T R I K EITHQ/PAI Corporation Ltd)Fishing on PS2? Get out in thefresh air and do It for real!Reviewed: OF>S2#15/Overall 04

B A T M A N V E N G E A N C E(Ubi Soft/Ubl Soft)Act ion adventure that 's too 'onrails' to provide a real challenge.Reviewed OPS2#14/Overal l 06

B L O O D O M E N 2(Eidos/Crystal Dynamics)Arcade-style adventure game.Good story but stale gameplay.Reviewed OPS2#20/Overal l 06

B L O O D Y R O A R 3(Virgin/Hudsonsoft)Fur Fighters meets WWF. A lotof fur, but quite not enough bite.Reviewed OPS2#09/Overall 06

■B U R N O U T'-A (Acclaim/

Criterion Studios)Thrilling edgy race action that willthreaten your no claims bonus.Reviewed OPS2#13/OveraH 08

C A P C O MV S S N K 2

(Capcom Eurosoft/Capcom)Superb 2D beat-'em-up from thehouse that knows its combat.Endless two-player fun.Reviewed OPS2#15/Overall 08

C A R T F U R YC H A M P I O N S H I PR A C I N G(Midway/Midway)Arcade racer with crazy physicsand high-speed hard shoulderingRev iewed 0ps2#10 /0vera l l 06

C A S P E R : S P I R I TD I M E N S I O N S(TDK/Lucky Chicken)Half-decent cartoon licence.Rev iewed 0ps2#20 /0vera l l 04

C E N T R E C O U R T:H A R D H I T T E R(Midas Interacth^e/Magical Company)Cheap, arcade-style tennis game.Reviewed OPS2#17/Overal l 04

C r i Y C R I S I S(Take 2/Syscom)Innovative helicopter adventure.Rev iewed 0ps2#10/0vera l l 06

C O M M A N D O S 2 :M E N O F C O U R A G E

(Eidos/Pyro)A daunting but ultimatelyrewarding WWII strategy game.Huge levels and bonus missions.Reviewed OPS2#21/Ovoral l 08

C O N F U C T Z O N E(Ubi Soft/MASA)Solid, functional RIB. Doesn't domuch you haven't seen before.Reviewed 0p$2#20/0vera l i 06

CRASH BANDICOOT:THE WRATH OF CORTEX(Vivendi Universal/D-aveller's Tales)Crash spins onto PS2 but little haschanged since his PSone days.Reviewed OPS2#14/OveraH 06

C R A Z Y TA X I(Acclaim/Sega/Acclaim)

Arcade thrills aplenty in this no-holds-barred city-smashing racerRev iewed 0ps2#07 /0vera l l 08

C R I C K E T 2 0 0 2(EA Sports/EA Sports)

The best leather-on-willow simon any console, everReviewed OPS2#15/Ovcr,it i 08

D A R K C L O U D(SCEE/Level 5)An enthralling atmospheric RPG.Rev iewed 0PS2#U/0ve ra l l 07

D A R K S U M M I T(THQ/Radlcal Entertainment)Snowboarding with an alien-riddled story. Bizarre.Reviewed OF»S2#l9/OveraH 05

D AV E M I R R AF R E E S T Y L E B M X 2(Acclaim/Z-Axis)Orthodox but impressive, BI^XSim with an array of tricks.Reviewed OPS2#12/Overall 07

D E A D O R A U V E 2(SCEE/Tecmo)A blistering beat-'em-up.Reviewed OPS2#02/Overal l 07

D E U S E X(Eidos/lon Storni)

A triumphant multi-genre fusionthat breeds new FPS intelligence.R e v i e w e d O P S 2 # 2 0 / O d

D E V I L M AY C R Y(Capcom Eurosoft/Capcom)

Melding rip-roaring battling withlush surroundings and a superbgothic atmosphere. One of thebest PS2 games yet?Reviewed 0PS2#14/0vera} | 09

DISNEY'S DINOSAUR(Ubi Soft/Ubi Soft)Follows the tradition of all moviespin-offs - it's pretty poorReviewed OPS2#03/Overal l 04

D N A(Virgin Interactwe/Hudsonsoft)Gene wari are and confusingpuzzles in this manga adventure.Reviewed OPS2#14/Overal l 06

D O N A L D D U C K :QUACK ATTACK(Ubi Soft/Disney Interacth/e)Rrst generation platformerReviewed OPS2#04/Overal l 04

D O W N F O R C E(Virgin Interactwe/Smartdog)Pretty decent spin on Fl racingReviewed OPS2#21/Overall 06

D R A K E N : T H EANCIENTS' GATES(SCEE/Surreal Software)A medieval action adventuregame with a dragon.Reviewed OPS2#18/Overal l 07

D R A G O N ' S L A I R(Digital Leisure/Cinematronics)Retro adventure. Should havestayed stuck on the Laser Disc.Rev iewed 0ps2#03/0vera l l 02

D R A G O N ' SL A I R I I : T I M E WA R P(Digital leisure/Cinematronics)Painfully dull arcade sequel.Reviewed OPS2#03/Overal l 01

D R I V E N(BAM! Entertainment/BAMI Studios Europe)Poor racing game from a poorfi lm l i cence .Reviewed: OPS2#15/Overal l 04

D R I V I N GE M O T I O N T Y P E ' S(EA/Square)Dismal racer. Falls to evoke anyemot ion a t a l l .Rev iewed 0ps2#05 /0vera l l 04

D R O P S H I P : U N I T E DP E A C E F O R C E

(SCEE/Studio Camden)Impressive combat sim thatrewards commitment with pacedand varied gameplayReviewed OPS2#16/Overal! 08

D Y N A S T Y W A R R I O R S 2(Midas Interactive/KOEI)Epic battler mixing strategy, swordslashing and horse ridingReviewed OPS2#02/Overall 07

D Y N A S T YW A R R I O R S 3

(THQ/KOEI/Omega Force)Feudal Japan at Its best; asatisfying beat-'em-up combinedwith the complexity and strategyof wargames.Reviewed OPS2#19/Overall 08

A ECCO THE. D O L P H I N ;

D E F E N D E R O FT H E F U T U R E

(SCEE/Sega/AppaloosalRelax in the New Age calm of thisunde rwa te r adven tu re .Reviewed OPS2#16/Overal i 08

EOE: EVE OFE x n N c n o N(Eidos/YUke's)Puzzles, action, adventure andeven platfomiing All good ideasbut they just don't gel.Reviewed OPS2#20/Overall OS

E P H E M E R A L F A N TA S I A(Konami/KCEJ East)Bemani-style RPG In which aguitar solo Is Integral to the plot.Reviewed OPS2#10/Overal l 07

, ESCAPE FROM' MONKEY ISLANDlActivision/LucasArts)Enthralling adventure with smartvisuals, witty script and intelligent,challenging puzzles.Reviewed OPS2#09/0veM)l 08

E S P N I N T E R N AT I O N A LT R A C K & H E L D(Konami/KCEO)Graphically impressive athleticssim marred only by iffy Ai.Rev iewed 0ps2#01 /0vera l l 06

ESPN INTERNATIONALW I N T E R S P O R T S(Konami/KCEO)Event-based winter sports sim.A little dated and rather dull.Reviewed OPS2#18/Overall 05

E S P N N AT I O N A LH O C K E Y N I G H T(Konami/KCEO)There are other hockey sims onthe market with better gameplaythat put this in the sin bin.Reviewed OPS2#05/Overal l 06

E S P N N B A 2 N I G H T(Konami/KCEO)Hardcore gameplay makes thisone for basketball heads onlyRev iewed 0ps2#05/0vera l ( 06

E S P N X G A M E SS K A T E B O A R D I N G(Konami/KCEO)Not-very-extreme skateboardingsim with dod© graphical glitches.Reviewed OPS2#l3/Overa l l 05

ESPN WINTER X GAMESS N O W B O A R D I N G(Konami/KCEO)Lifelike snowboarder, ruined bya dist inct lack of exci tement.Reviewed OPS2#01/Overal l 06

E S P N X G A M E SS N O W B O A R D I N G(Konami/KCEO)Second In the series, but not anybetter An average snowboard sim.Reviewed OPS2#18/Overal l 04

E T E R N A L R I N G(Ubi Soft/From Software)Unoriginal Japanese RPG.As painful as Its title.Reviewed OPS2#05/Overal l 03

E V E R G R A C E(Ubi Soft/CraveEntertainment/From Software)A depressing RPG, that fails toengage the player at any level.Reviewed OPS2#06/Overal l 02

E V I L T W I N(Ubi Soft/ln-Utero)Adventure from the darker sideof platformingReviewed OPS2#17/Overal l 05

E X T E R M I N A T I O N(SCEE/Deep Space)A//en-inspired survival horrar-fest.Reviewed OP$2#08/Overal l 07

. E X T R E M E - G 3^ (Acclaim/Acclaim)

A neon beast of a future bikeracer that requires skill andbrains. Not for the faint-hearted.R e v i e w e d 0 P S 2 # l l / 0 v e r a ! l 0 8

F l 2 0 0 1(EA Sports/EA Sports)Another sol id Formula One t i t le.Reviewed OPS2#13/Overal l 07

F l C H A M P I O N S H I PS E A S O N 2 0 0 0(EA Sports/EA/Visual Sciences)Too easy for hardcore Fl fans.Reviewed OPS2#03/Overal! 06

F l R A C I N GC H A M P I O N S H I P(Video System/Ubl Soft)Good attention to detail but a lotless fun than its competitors.Rev iewed 0ps2#06 /0vera l l 05

F A N T A V I S I O N(SCEE/SCEr)The worid's first fireworks game.Reviewed 0ps2#01/0vera l l 07

H F A 2 0 0 1(EA Sports/EA Sports Canada)Great graphics, but SecondDivision gameplayReviewed OPS2#02/Overal l 06

F I F A 2 0 0 2(EA Sports/EA Sports Canada)A goal down to Pro Evolution.Reviewed OPS2#14/Overal l 07

R N A L F A N TA S Y X(SCEE/Square)

By far the best-looking RPG onPS2. It's Challenging it'scaptivating and it's huge.Reviewed OPS2#20/OvpraH 08

t : : lF O R M U L AO N E 2 0 0 1

(SCEE/Studio Liverpool)The best Fl game to reach PS2.Load It up and feel the speed.Reviewed OPS2#07/OveraH 08

F R A N K H E R B E R F SD U N E(Cryo/Wide)Just about the wors t ac t ionadventure on PS2.Rev iewed 0ps2#20 /0vera l l 03

10 PlayStatlon E

S I X o pt r h e b e s t

- h e s h a n b l i s t

1. METAL GEAR SOUD 2:SONS OF UBERTY

Even when you're not sneaking past theopposition, MGS2 is more of a cerebral guntest than most. However it still manages topack in some of the most tension-filled,pyrotechnic set-pieces you're likely to find.*MGS2 Is out now from mnami

2. MEDAL OFH O N O R :FRONTUNE

Every bit as thrillingand atmospheric as itspredecessors, MOH-Frontline takeseveyone's favouriteNazi-nobbllng FPS andcranks up the realism.*MOH:F is out now from EA

3. HALF-UFEA superlative blend ofFPS action andintelligent storytellingthat comes from thePC Intact and firingwith deadly accuracy.Add-on missionshopefully comings o o n .•Half-Life is out now fromVivendi Untveisa!

4. JAMES BOND0 0 7 I N . . .AGENT UNDERH R E

A clunky game title forsure, but freed frommovie tie-Inconstraints, this FPSiias a licence to thrill.♦Agent Under Fire fs outnow from EA

5. DEUS EXNot just another PCport, but one of thefinest shooters everfinding its true homeon PS2. A bleaklybrilliant future shockerwith supremegameplay throughout.•Oeus Ex is out nowfrom E/dos

6. HEADHUNTERSweden's answer toMGS2 Is a fine gamein Its own right withglossy visuals, aRoboCop-style visionof the future and lotsof hardware to bringthe bad guys down.nHeadhunter is out nowfrom SCEE

FREAK OUTjswingl/Treasure)Unique cartoon action-adventurewith a kooky Japanese twistReviewed OPS2#12/Overall 07

, FREQUENCYK (SCEE/SCEA)

Hypnotic rhythm action game.Wildly addictive and original.Reviewed OPS2#21/Ovorall 0»

frogger; -njEGREAT QUEST(Konami/KCEA)3D piatformer starring a frog.Reviewed OPS2#21/Overa1l 02

v F U RFIGHTERS

lAcclaim/Bizaire Creations)Cute fluffy creatures armed to theteeth with shotguns blast eachother to pieces.Reviewed ops2#08/0verall OS

G1 JOCKEY(THQ/KOEI)Part strategy, part puzzlerHorse racing comes to PS2.Reviewed OPS2#20/Ovet3ll 05

GAUNTLCT: „DARK L£GACY(iVIidway/Midway East Games)Linear RPG that's a pale imitationof its coin-op ancestor.Reviewed OPS2#08/Overa1l 05

CmKABUTO(interplay/Planet Moon)Loading times hamper this port ofa complex PC battle game.Reviewed: OPS2#15/Overall 06

1 Interactive/Ekosystem)New take on the 3D piatformer.Reviewed ops2#10/0verall 06

- ^gitaroo manM (THQ/KOEI)Perfectly silly musical guitar-playing cartoon adventure. Bothchallenging and entertainingReviewed OPS2#21/Ovcrall 0»

GLOBAL TOURINGCHALLENGE; AFRICA(Rage/Rage Warrington)Impressive racer that's let downby short courses.Reviewed OPS2#14/Overali 07

EU'NTAL FORCE(3DO/3DO)A martial arts parody, third-personbeat-'em-up Nice ideas ruined bybad implementation.Reviewed OPS2#18/Overall 02

GRADIUS III & IV(Konami/KCET)Dull 2D arcade shooter. MorePSone than next-gen.Reviewed OPS2#01/Overall 02

GRANDIA II(Ubi Soft/GameArts)Big but ugly RPG game.Reviewed OPS2#20/Overall 05

. .-GRAND THEFT> X AUTO 111(Rockstar Games/DMA Design)The original crim sIm goes 3D.nie game has Its flaws, butthere's nothing else quite as sickand funny on the shelves. Buy rt.Reviewed OPS2#13/Overall 0«

. G R A N T U R I S M O; 3: A-SPEC

(SCEE/Polyphony Digital)If you didnt know It already, GTSis the greatest driving game in theworld Buy it now.Reviewed OPS2#09/0».-ral! o9

G-SURFERS(Midas interactive/Biade Interactive)Futuristic racer that's improved byan innovative track editorReviewed 0PS2#13/0verall 07

^-GUILTYK G E A R X

(Virgin/Sammy)Pushes hard at beat-'em-upboundaries Tfie start of a newwave of next-gen 2D fighters.Reviewed OPS2#16/Overall 08

GUN GRIFFON BLAZE(Swingl/GameArts)A mech shooter for robotobsessives everywhere.Reviewed OPS2#03/OveraU 07

H30 SURHNGtTake2/ASCII)Inadequate surf Sim, although thewater's well realised.Reviewed OPS2#02/Overall 04

HALF-UFE(Vivendi Universal/Vaive/Gearbox)

The award-winning PC FPS arriveson PS2 in resplendent fomi. Anessential purchase.Reviewed OPS2#14/Ovorall 03

h e a d h u n t c r(SCEE/Amuze)An action adventure where DirtyHarry meets MGS2.Reviewed OPS2#16/Overall 07

^HERDY GERDYH (Eidos/Core Design]

Quirky herding 3D adventurewhich has to be played to bebelieved. An extraordinary gameunlike any other on PS2.Reviewed OPS2#18/Overan OS

HEROES OF MIGHTAND MAGIC(3DO/3DO)Patchy PC-style adventure.Reviewed OPS2#08/Overall 03

h o l o g r a mTIME TRAVELLER(Digitai Uisure/Sega)It may be called a 'classic' butavoid this like the plague.Reviewed OPSNeee2*03/Overall 00

t o o(SCEE/SCEI)

Beautiful environments andImmaculate character animation.For those looking for somethingdeeper in an adventure game.Reviewed OPS2#18/OvBran 09

INTERNATION^LEAGUE SOCCER(Eon DigitaiEntertainmeirt/Ta'ito)Easily one of the worst footySims ever to grace PS2.Reviewed ops2#10/0verall 02

-A-INTERNATIONALSUPERSTARS O C C E R

(Konami/KCEO)Genuine squads and more instanttertace gratification take ISS up toPS2 level. This game will take overyour life.Reviewed OPS2t01/Ov<Jtall OS

iron ACES 2:BIRDS OF PREY(Xicat/Xicat)Fiigiit Sim where you fly yourway through aviation history.Reviewed OPS2#18/Overall 04

I S S 2(Konami/KCE OSA)Solid arcade football game forthose who like their pixeiiatedfooty on the cheesy side.Reviewed OPS2#20/Overall 07

JADE COCOON 2(Ubi Soft/Genki)'Adult pok6mon' RPG with a twist.Reviewed OPS2#19/Overall 07

JAK ANDDAXTERiTHEPRECURSORL E G A C Y

(SCEE/Naughty Dog)Brilliant piatformer from themakers of Crash BandicootReviewed OI>S2#15/Overall 09

JAMES BOND007 IN... AGENTUNDER ORE

(EA/EA Redwood Shores)A thrilling Single-player Bondexperience, with a great Four-player mode. Almost on a parwith N64's GoldenEye.Reviewed OPS2#15/ov(!rall 08

JEREMY McGIWmSUPERCROSS WORLD(Acciaim/AcclaimStudios Sait lake)A motocross game minus realism,thnils, speed, handling and mud.Reviewed OPS2#16/Overall 03

JET SKI RIDERS(Eidos/Opus Corporation)Great water effects and Kawasaki-licensed Jet Skis.Reviewed; OPS2#15/Overall 06

JET ION GP(3DO/3DO)A poor WipEout antl-grav copyReviewed OPS2#21/Overall 01

JONNY MOSELYM A D T R I X(3DO/3DO)Tricks on skis. Offers nothing new,exiting or fun.Reviewed 0PS2#lS/0verall 04

KENGO: MASTEROF BUSHIDO(Ubi Soft/UghtWeight)The Training mode makes up forthis ninja fighter's othenwiserather limited nature.Reviewed OPS2#07/Overall 06

K E S S E N(Eiectronic Arts/KOEi)Real-time strategy game set Infeudal Japan.Reviewed 0PS2#04/Overal1 07

KESSEN II(THQ/KOEI)3D strategy wargame with spear-wielding peasants elaboratearmour and yelling swordsmen.Reviewed OPS2#18/Overall 07

^KLONOA 2:M LUNATEA'S VEIL(SCEE/Namco)Cute and cheerful piatformerfeaturing the lovable glove-earedblue cat-rabbit hybrid.Reviewed OPS2#13/Overall 08

lake MASTERS EX(Midas interactive/Dazz Corporation)Dull fishing game. Very dull.Reviewed OPS2#20/Overall 02

l e g e n d s o fWRESTUNG(Acciaim/Acciaim)Violent ballet' with a shortage ofmodes and optionsReviewed OPS2#17/Ovcrall 05

LEGO RACERS 2(Lego Software/ATD)It's a Lego racer. Build cars andcharacters then race them. Veryaverage - give us more bricks!Reviewed 0PS2#14/0verall 05

k n o c k o u tKINGS 2001(EA Sports/EA Sports)A more-than-competent boxingSim. Not good enough to eam Itsroyal status, though.Reviewed OPS2#05/OveraU 06

KNOCKOUT KINGS 2002(EA Sports/EA Sports)Don the gloves for the fourthInstallment of the well-establishedboxing Sim.Reviewed 0PS2#19/0verall 07

KURI KURI MIX(Empire/From Software)A blend of two-player cooperation and cutesy piatformerAn odd but worthwhile addition toany PS2 collection.Reviewed OPS2#07/Overall 07

- L E M A N SX 24 HOURS

(infogrames/Melbourne House)Easily accessible, but also hasdepth and thrills in abundance.Reviewed OPS2#09/Clvctal| 08

f MANAGER 2002 ,(Codemastere/CodemastersA very silci very playable footballmanagement game that's vast inscope and hugely challenging.Reviewed OPS2#20/OveraU 0«

LOTUS CHALLENGE(Virgin Interactive/Kuju)A Lotus fan's dream. Just a shamethe speed Isn't conveyed.Reviewed 0PS2#14/0veraH 05

^ MADDEN1 NFL 2001 ,(EA Sports/EA Sports)A rewarding and complete NFLgame. Could convert non-believers to the sport.Reviewed OPS2#01/Overall 08

MADDENNFL 2002

(EA Sports/EA Sports)Exemplary American football titlewith a pristine pedigree. Virtuallyfaultless, but yet another yearlyupdate of a franchise. Go buy!Reviewed OPS2#13/OveraM 09

MAD MAESTRO!(Eidos (Fresh Games)/SCEI)A very welcome addition to therhythm action familyReviewed OPS2»20/Overal1 06

MAGIX MUSIC MAKER(Fast Trak/Magix)Music creation game with loads otsounds, a freaky Video mode, butnot enough scope for creativity.Reviewed OPS2#17/Overall 06

MAX PAYNE(Rockstar/Remedy)Classy shooter, with a dark storyline and Motrlx-style Bullet Time.Reviewed OPS2»18/Overall 07

A M A X I M O(Capcom Eurosoft/Capcom Digital Studios)

Platform adventure fun withswords and young men in pants.Varied and lengthy gameplay thatwill take ages to complete.Reviewed OPS2#18/Overall 08

M D K 2VJ ARMAGEDDON(Interplay/BioWare)This third-person action shooterhas lost nothing in translation. It'sdestined to be a cult classic.Reviewed ops2#07/0verall 08

(EA/EA LA)Experience war at Its rawest inthis brilliantly executed FPS.Reviewed OPS2t21/OvBrall 09

PlayStatii

— h ^ s h a r - t i i s t

□(Konami/KCEJ)A must-own, state-of-the-artTactical Espionage action game.A superbly paced, surprising storywith intelligence and soul. This Isa benchmark for future PS2 titles.Reviewed OPS2#17/

M I D N I G H T C L U B(Rockstar/Angel Studios)Urban racing with action-packedNew York and London locations.Rev iewed 0ps2#01 /0vera l i 04

M I K E T Y S O NH E AV Y W E I G H T B O X I N G(Codemasters/Codemasters)Despite Its flaws, this is a roundedand entertaining box-'em-up.Reviewed OPS2#21/Overal l 07

M O D E R N G R O O V E ;M I N I S T R Y O F S O U N D(Ubi Soft/Modemgroove)An iightshow generator with fivefu l l dance a lbums.R e v i e w e d 0 P $ 2 # l l / 0 v e r 3 l l 0 6

MONSTERS, INC(SCEE/Disney Interactive)Disney platform game, based onthe fi lm .Reviewed OPS2#17/Overa!l 04

M O T O G P(SCEE/Namco)Gran Turfsmo on two wheels? Ish.A fantastic motorbike sIm thatrewards repeated playRev iewed 0ps2#03 /0ve ra l l 07

M O T O G P 2(SCEE/Namco)Slightly repetitive gameplay butslicK fast and realistic.Reviewed OPS2#17/Overai l 07

M O T O R M A Y H E M(Infogrames/Beyond Games)Unoriginal deathmatch-basedvehicle blastingReviewed OP$2«l3 /Overa l i 05

M R M O S K E E T O(Eidos (Fresh Games)/SCEI)Brilliantly original and mildlyaddictive insect-'em-up sim.Rev iewed 0ps2#20 /0ve ra i i 06

M T V N R I S I CG E N E R AT O R 2

(Codemasters/Jester)Home DJ sample/mixer musicmaker Exciting and well puttogether Become a bedroom DJReviewed OPS2#08/: ^ 'al l 09

M X 2 0 0 2 F E A T U R I N GR I C K Y C A R M I C H A E L(THQ/Pacific Coast Power)Engaging motorcross sim thatutilises its subject to great effect.Reviewed; OF»S2#l2/Overati 07

M X R I D E R(infogrames/Paradigm)Motocnjss/supercross sim thatlacks the true grit of the sport.Reviewed OP$2#13/Overal l 06

N B A H O O P Z(Midway/Eurocom)Arcade-styled b'bali sim.Reviewed: CW*S2#06/Overatl 06

N B A U V E 2 0 0 1(EA Sports/EA Sports Canada)Solid and playable. Thrills are thinon the ground, though.Reviewed: OPS2#05/Overal l 06

N B A U V E 2 0 0 2(EA Sports/EA Sports Canada)An update of NBA Live 2001?Only for true basketball nuts.Reviewed: OPS2#15/Overa[l 06

N B A S T R E E T(EA Sports Big/EA Sports)Great looks, great to play, butdoesnt quite hit the mark.Reviewed OPS2#10/Overal l 06

^UARTERBACK(Accla im/Accla imStudios Austin)American football game that hasunique features, but unable tocompete with Modden 2002.Reviewed OPS2#13/Overal! OS

N H L 2 0 0 1(EA Sports/

EA Sports Canada)EA Sports' perennial Ice hockeyl icence that h i ts the markReviewed OPS2#02/ >-/efalt OS

N H L 2 0 0 2(EA Sports/

EA Sports Canada)The definitive Ice hockeyvideogame, and a markedImprovement on NHL 2001.Reviewed C>PS2#14/0v.'Mt! OS

N H L H f T Z 2 0 0 2(Midway/Black Box)A satisfying if short-lived, arcade-style Ice hockey game.Reviewed OP$2#14/Over3l l 06

NO-ONE LIVES FOREVER(Vtvendi/Sierra/Monolrth)A FPS based on the worlds ofJames Bond and Austin Powers.Reviewed OPS2#19/Overal l 07

N Y R A C E(Wanadoo/Kalisto)Racer, based on The Fifth ElementReviewed OPS2#l4/Overai l 05

O N I(Rockstar/Bungie Software)New charac te r an imat ion In anenjoyable third-person sci-fi romp.Reviewed OPS2#05/Overal l 07

O N i M U S H A :W A R L O R D S

(Capcom/Capcom)Impressive survival horror thatlets the PS2 run riot.Reviewed OPS2#09/OveraB OS

O P E R A T I O N W I N B A C K(Midas Interactlve/KOEI)An enjoyable stealth shooterRev iewed 0ps2#07 /0vera i i 06

O R P H E N(Activision/Shade Inc)Disappointing anime-insplredJapanese RP6.Rev iewed 0ps2#01 /0vera i i 04

PA R A P PA T H ER A P P E R 2(SCEE/NanaOn-sha)Rhythm action game where youplay a rapping dog.Reviewed OPS2#X7/Overaii 07

PA R I S - D A K A R R A L LY(Acclaim/Broadsword Interactive)Based on the real race, this simdoes little to inspire Interest.Reviewed OPS2#13/OveraH 05

P E N N Y R A C E R S(Midas/Takara)A half-baked and underfed GT3,with Just a few good tracks.Reviewed OPS2#l4/Overa l l 04

P E T t R PA N : R E T U R NT O N E V E R L A N D(SCEE/Dtsney Interactive)A piatfonfTier starring the boywho never grew up.Reviewed OPS2#19/Overal l 02

P I R AT E S : T H E L E G E N DO F B U C K K A T(EA/Westwood)A RPG with unique sea battles.Reviewed OPS2#19/Overal! 03

P O L A R O I D P E T E(JVC/lrem)This Japanese side-scrollingphoto Sim is a definite cult hit.Reviewed OPS2#16/Overal l 07

P O U C E 2 4 / 7(Konami/KCET)Basic lightgun game with motioncapture option. Frantic and fast.Reviewed OPS2#17/Overall 05

P O O L M A S T E R(Take 2/Ask)Dull pool Sim, despite some tidyball physics. Keep it In the pubwhere it belongs.Rev iewed 0ps2#02 /0vera l i 05

P O R T A L R U N N E R{3DO/3DO)Vikki, of Army Men notoriety,gets her own title.Reviewed OF»S2#13/Overaii 05

alossai-yust got your PS2? It'sDur first console evernd you've bought theest magazine to giveD u t h e l a t e s t a n d m o s tp-to-date information?ut you don't have alue what we're goingn about? Well, withoutanting to patroniselose gamers who'ves e n a r o u n d s i n c e t h eK Spectrum by spellingJt the meaning ofsming terms and:ronyms in the reviewsid previews, here's)ur 'at a glance'Jide to all things5 2 a n d t e c h n i c a l .

AfterlMjm: An extra kickof power in flight sIms.AI: Artiflclal Intelligence.Analogue: Registeringdegrees of Input, asopposed to digital'son/off status.Boarders: Snowboardersor games featuring thealpine sportCoin-op: Coin-operatedarcade videogames,Cut-scene: Explanatory,non-playable scene invideogame (also TMV).CPU: Central ProcessorUnit Brains of PS2.Dev kits: ProgrammablePS2s used by developers.D.pad: Direction pad onPS2 contrc)ller.

Dual Shock controt ierController for PSone.Dual Shock 2:Controller designed forPS2 (with analogue).ECTS: EuropeanComputer Trade Show.E 3 ; E l e c t r o n i cEntertainment Expo (US).Frame rate: Number ofImages drawn persecond in games. Higherframe rate = smoothera n i m a t i o n .F P S : F i r s t - P e r s o nShooter [eg Quake HI}.Hack 'n' slash: Refersto game (usually fantasy)featuring blade combat.High res: Highresolution (graphics).

PRO EVOLUTIONS O C C E R

(Konaml/Konami TYO)Konami TYO updates ISS ProEvolution and creates the bestPS2 football Sim yet.Reviewed OPS2#14/Overal l 09

P R O J E C T E D E N(Eidos/Core Design]

Look beyond some of the not-great visuals and you'll lose weeksto this complex and satisfyingfirst-person shooter/adventure.Reviewed OP$2#12/Overali OS

P R O R A L LY 2 0 0 2(Ubi Soft/Ubi Soft)Mildly engaging rally title.Reviewed OPS2#21/Overal l 05

;iUAK£ III(EA/id & Bultfrog)

In four-player, this FPS is the bestmultiplayer yet. A technical tourde force, It runs like greasedlightning and looks gorgeous.Reviewed OPS2#06/Qveral! 09

R A Y M A N M(Ubi Soft/Ubi Studios France)Some good Ideas, but thegameplay Is nothing new.Reviewed: OF»S2#15/Overall 06

R A Y M A NR E V O L U T I O N

(Ubi Soft/Ubi Soft)Animation-quality graphics elevatethis classic platformer staring adisjointed hero.Reviewed OPS2#02/U'."raN OS

RC REVENGE PRO(Accla im/Acclaim Cheltenham)An avoidable kar t racerRev iewed 0ps2#02 /0vera l i 03

R E A D Y 2 R U M B L E :R O U N D 2(Midway/Midway)Marvellous, arcade-based boxinggame with crazy cartoon fighters.Reviewed OPS2#Ol/Overal l 07

R E D C A R D(Midway/Mtdway)Brutal arcade footy action.Reviewed OPS2#21/Overall 06

R E D FA C T I O N(THQ/Violition)

FPS that melds MGS- le tacticsand the all-out blasting of Quake.R e v i e w e d 0 p s 2 # 0 8 / 0 v r r O S

R E S I D E N TE V I L C O D E :V E R O N I C A X

(Capcom Eurosoft/Capcom)A captivating story, cinematicatmosphere, frights, thrills andcopious amounts of blood.Rev iewed 0ps2#10/0vera f ! 09

HUD: Head Up Display.Screen furniture such asmap, speedometer, etc.Iconography: Graphicalshorthand defininggame, genre etc.Low res: Refers to poorquality graphics.L3: Pressing down onthe PS2 controller'sleft joystick.Mini-games: Bonus,playable games found Inlarger titles.MuttlTap: With one,have up to four players;with two, up to eightPolygon: Building blockof videogame graphics.PSone: The precursor toPlayStation 2.

Real-time: When onesecond of game timeequals one second inthe real world.RPG: Role-playing gameRTS: Real-time strategyR3: Pressing down onthe PS2 controller'sright joystick.Sim: Simulation.Strafe: Move sidewayswhile looking straightUSB: Port to connectperipherals such askeyboard to PS2.

□ If there's a term, wordor phrase that's stilltaxing your brain cells,let us know and we'llInclude it here.

R E S I D E N T E V I LS U R V I V O R 2C O D E : V E R O N I C A(Capcom Eurosoft/Capcom)A wasted chance to do a decent,first-person survival horror game.Reviewed OPS2#18/Overa!i 04

R E Z(SCEE/Sega (UGA))

Exploring the relationship betweensound and colour this technoshooter provides pure gameplayReviewed OPS2#16/Over3l l 09

R I D G E R A C E R V(SCEE/Namco)A popular racer but limited insize and lacks originality.Rev iewed 0ps2#01 /0vera l l 07

R I N G O F R E D(Konami/KCE)

A must-buy for the robo-fetlshistwho's after something differentReviewed OPS2#07/OveraH OS

R O B O T W A R L O R D S(Midas Interactfve/DaZZ)Superior mech games make thisredundant in a minority genre.Reviewed 0PS2#06/Overa l t 04

R O B O T W A R S(BBC Multimedia/Climax)TV show tie-ins rarely wori< - thiscou ld have been be t te rReviewed OPS2#14/Overal l 05

R U G B Y(EA Sports/

Creative Assembly)So far, the only PS2 game torepresent this sport. An enjoyableand refined take on RubyReviewed OPS2#08/0>A>'alI OS

R U M B U R A C I N G(EA/EA)

Fast and furious arcade stuntracer that's full of insane courses.Tons of challenge and replay valueReviewed OPS2#08/Ov<-r;)ji OS

R U N E :V I K I N G W A R L O R D(Take 2/Human Head)Viking slash-'em-up that should'vebeen confined to the Dark Ages.R e v i e w e d 0 P S 2 # l l / 0 v e r a t l 0 4

S A LT L A K E 2 0 0 2(Eldos/Attention To Detail)Winter Olympics game with well-defined features but not muchvariety and limited life span.Reviewed OPS2#l7/Overa l l 05

S H A D O W H E A R T S(Midway/Sacnoth)An uncomplicated and enjoyableJapanese RPG.Reviewed OPS2#19/Overal l 07

S H A D O W M A N :2 E C 0 N D C O M I N G(Accla im/Accla imStudio Teesside)Act ion adventure w i th a sombretwist. Rich textures, gorgeouseffects, but doesnt stand out.Reviewed OPS2#18/Overal l 07

S H A D O WO F M E M O R I E S

(Konami/KCET)Fi lmic adventure wi th aserpentine plot that constantlysurpr ises and en thra l l s .Reviewed OPS2#05/Ov,';'-.-!i| os

S H A U N P A L M E R ' SP R O S N O W B O A R D E R(Activision/Dearsoft)An exciting sport, butunimaginative gameplayReviewed: OP$2#15/Overal l 06

S I L E N T H I L L 2(Konami/KCETTeam Silent)

One of the most atmospheric andfrightening titles on PS2.Reviewed OPS2#13/Overa!l 08

S I L E N T S C O P E(Konami/KCEO)Slick shooting gallery-style game

where you play a police sniper Alaunch title that we're still playingReviewed OPS2#01/Ov»-rall OS

S I L E N T S C O P E 2(Konami/Konami TYO)A woriihwhile update of thisarcade sniper sim.Reviewed OPS2#14/Overal l 07

S I L P H E E D : T H EL O S T P L A N E T(Swing!/l>%asure/GameArts)Tedious top-down shooterReviewed OPS2#03/Overal l 03

S I R A L E XF E R G U S O N ' S P L AY E RM A N A G E R 2 0 0 2(3DO/Anco)Footy management sim, but lacksthe killer goal.Reviewed OPS2#l2/Overa l l 06

S K Y O D Y S S E Y(SCEE/Cross for SCEI)

Flight Sim in which you completemissions, ratfierthan shoot things.Reviewed OPS2#06/Ov\>»aH OS

S K Y S U R F E R(Virgin Interactive/Idea Factory)Jump out of a plane with a boardon your feet and surf the skies.Rev iewed 0ps2#04 /0vera l l 03

S U D S T O R M(EA Sports Big/

EA Canada)A motorised version of SSX Tricky.Easily one of the finest arcaderacing titles available on PS2.Reviewed 0ps2#20/0vera i t OS

S M A S H C O U R T. T E N N I S P R O

T O U R N A M E N T(SCEE/Namco)PS2 Tennis at its best Playsalmost fiawlessly and looks ace!Reviewed OPS2#21/Overali OS

S M U G G L E R ' S R U N(Rockstar/Angel Studios)Escape from the cops with atnjnkload of booty.Rev iewed 0ps2#01 /0vera l l 07

S M U G G L E R ' S R U N 2 :H O S T I L E T E R R I T O R I E S(Rockstar/Angel Studios)Impressively big and frantic, nottoo different from its predecessorReviewed: 0PS2#15/0vera l l 07

S O U L R E AV E R 2(Eidos interactive/Crystal Dynamics)Soul-sucking fantasy adventure.Reviewed 0PS2#14/0vera l l 07

S PA C E A C E(Digital Leisure/Cinematronics)Honlfic and ancient arcade port.Rev iewed 0ps2#04 /0vera l l 01

S P A C E C H A N N E L 5 V I(SCEE/Sega UnitedGame Artists)A rhythm action game - verystylish but not much variety.Reviewed OPS2#18/Overal l 07

S PA C E R A C E(Infogrames/Melboume House)The cariioon Kart racer in itssimplest form.Reviewed OPS2#l7/Overa l l 05

S P I D E R - M A N(Activision/T^^yarch)Stylish, level-based superheroaction adventure game.Reviewed OPS2#21/Overalt 07

S P L A S H D O W N(Infogrames/Rainbow Studios)Sea-Doo racer, with impressivewater e f fec ts .Reviewed OPS2#14/Overal l 07

2 PlayStation.2

d a t a b a s eCan't get hold of one of the games inThe ShortUst? Something gone wrong?Need to checl( a reiease date? Here's thedefinitive list of all the UK PS2 publishers.

S P Y H U N T E RlA (Midway/Paradigm)

Pretend to be James Bond andrace around in smart cars.Reviewed OPS2#12/OveraU 08

s s x(EA Sports Big/EA Sports Canada)

Inventive rainbow-coloured highspeed snowboard game withcrazy courses and characters.Reviewed OPS2#01/OveraH 00

S S X T R I C K Y(EA Sports Big/EA Sports Canada)

Ihe sequel to PS2's sieepertiit Isnow bigger and better.Reviewed OPS2#15/Overal l 09

S TA R W A R S ;R A C E R R E V E N G E(Activision/LucasArts)Pod racing with great atmosphereand lightning fast gamepiay.Reviewed OPS2#19/Overal l 07

S TA R W A R S ;J E D i S TA R F f G H T E R

(Activision/LucasArts)The sequel 3D shooter with a fewwelcome innovations, but nomajor leap from the first game.Reviewed 0PS2#19/0ver3n 08

S TA R W A R S :S T A R R G H T I R

(Activision/LucasArts)Mesmerising 3D Stor Wors biasterwith film-perfect sound effects.R e v i e w e d O P S 2 # 0 6 / : a - r 0 9

S TA R WA R S ; S U P E RB O M B A D R A C I N G(Activision/Lucas Learning)Bana i ca r toon ka r t racerReviewed OPS2#08/Overal l 05

S TAT E O F E M E R G E N C Y(Rockstar/VIS)A riot Sim complete withMolo tov cock ta i l s .Reviewed OPS2#19/Overal l 07

S T R E E T R G H T E R E X 3(Capcom Eurosoft/Arika)2D/3D fighter with devout fans.Rev iewed 0ps2#03 /0vera l l 06

S T U N T G P(Virgin Interactive/Team 17)Prac t ice car s tun ts w i th remote-con t ro l i ed ca rs .Rev iewed 0PS2#14/0vera l l 03

S U M M O N E R(THQ/Volition)

TTiis RPG is an entertainingspectacle with expert storyteliingReviewed 0PS2#04/Overa« 08

S U N N Y G A R C I AS U R H N G(Ubi Soft/Krome Studio)Surfs up for the second time inthis PS2 wave sim.Reviewed OPS2#19/Overal l 03

S U P E R B U S T - A - M O V E(Acciaim/Taito)Another update of the classicrhythm action game.Reviewed OPS2#02/Overal l 04

S U P E R C A R S T R E E TC H A L L E N G E(Activision/Exakt)A by-the-book arcade racinggame round desolate cities.Reviewed OPS2#14/Overal i 04

S U P E R T R U C K S(Kester Interactive/JesterInteractive)Average truck racing sim thatlacks exc i tement and amb i t ion .Rev iewed 0ps2#20 /0ve ra l l 04

S W I N G A W A Y G O L F(EA Sports/T&E Soft)Cutesy PSone golf sim that's letdown by a poor PS2 conversion.Reviewed OPS2#02/Overal l 03

TA R Z A N F R E E R I D E(Ubi Soft/Disney Interactive)Based on the Disney film, thistries to be different with 'surfing'tree branches, but It doesn't work.Reviewed OPS2#16/OveraH 04

T D O V E R D R I V E(Infogrames/The PitbullSyndicate)Enjoyable, formuiaic arcade racerwith canny CPU challengers.Reviewed OPS2#21/Overal l 06

T E K K E N T I V GT O U R N A M E N T

(SCEE/Namco)Fantastically playable andgraphically spectacular beat-'em-up. The tagging movesshould keep the Tekken faithfulhappy until the next 'proper"ins ta lment reaches the she lves .R e v i e w e d 0 p s 2 # 0 1 / 0 v e f . ^ i ! 0 8

T E S T D R I V E :O F F R O A D W I D E O P E N(Infogrames/Angel Studios)A tidy offroad racer, from themakers of Smuggler's Run.Rev iewed 0PS2#14/0vera l l 06

T E T R I S W O R L D S(THQ/Blue Planet Software)Tetris addicts beware, this Is retrogame could take over your life.Reviewed OPS2#21/Overal l 07

T G D A R E D E V I L(Kemco/Papaya Studios)Mtss lon-based ret ro car racer thatfails to provide excitement.Reviewed OP$2#02/Overall OS

T H E B O U N C E R(SCEE/Squaresoft)A fun brawler whose adventuringelements are fairly limited.Rev iewed 0ps2#09 /0ve ra l l 06

T H E S H A D O WO F Z O R R O(Cryo/ln mero)Stealth-'em-up adventure. Evengood Ideas dont always survive.Reviewed OPS2#18/Overal l 03

T H E F U N T S T O N E S I NV I VA R O C K V E G A S(Swing! Entertainment/Toka)Stone Age karting action basedon the t i tular film l icence. Yabbadabba... Actually, dont. EverR e v i e w e d 0 P S 2 # l l / 0 v e r a l l 0 2

T H E M U M M Y R E T U R N S(Vivendi Universal/Blitz Games)Sub-standard, adventure-basedmov ie t i e - i n .Rev iewed 0PS2#14/0vet3 l l 05

T H E S I M P S O N S :R O A D R A G E(EA/Radical Entertainment)It's Crazy Taxi, but with Bart andHomer beh ind the whee l .Reviewed: OPS2#15/OveraH 06

T H E W E A K E S T U N K(Activision/Activision)You'll get more enjoyment playingalong with the TV show.Reviewed OPS2#14/Overal l 04

T H E M E PA R K W O R L D(EA/Bullfrog)Take on the role of a theme parktycoon for a day in this god sim.Reviewed OPS2#03/Overal l 07

T H I S I SF O O T B A L L 2 0 0 2(SCEE/Team SoHo)An atmospheric and playableaddit ion to a revived series.Reviewed OPS2#12/Overal l 07

- m U N D E R H A W K :O P E R AT I O N P H O E N I X(Eidos/Core Design)A brave attempt to blend arcadeand sim with choppers.Reviewed OPS2#12/Overal l 07

T I G E R W O O D SP G A T O U R 2 0 0 1(EA Sports/EA Sports)Authentic golf sim, underminedby a random control system.Reviewed OPS2#06/Overal l 06

T I G E R W O O D SP G A T O U R 2 0 0 2(EA Sports/EA Sports)Golf game branded by the big cathimself. Great Multlplayer mode.Reviewed OPS2#19/Overal l 07

T I M E C R I S I S 2(SCEE/Namco)

PS2's first on-rails lightgun titlesets a high standard to follow.Reviewed OPS2#13/OveraH 08

T f M E S P L I T T E R S(Eidos/Free

Radical Design)Fun, fast, frantic and Inventivefirst-person shooter with split-screen multlplayer madness.Reviewed OPS2#01/<>v>=.raH 09

T O K Y OX T R E M E R A C E R(Crave/Ubi Soft/Genki)Sedate, and thus dull, racerRev iewed OPS2# l l /Overa l l 04

T O N Y H A W K ' SP R O S K AT E R 3

(Activision/Neversoft)Skate Sim that's perfect to playwhether you've got two minutesor two hours. The first PAL gameto have online network playReviewed OPS2#15/Ov6rai! 09

T O P A N G L E R 2(Xicat/Sims)Ttie best fishing game on PS2.Reviewed OPS2#20/Overal l 05

T O P G U N(Virgin Interactive/Digital Integrations)A flight Sim that seems to havebeen designed by people whohave never even seen a plane.Reviewed OPS2#14/Overal l 04

pTWISTHDM E T A U B L A C K

(SCEE/lncognito)Drive around a post-nuclear-warplanet In complete frenziedv e h i c l e - b a s e d h e d o n i s m .Reviewed OPS2#12/Overa!i 08

U E FA C H A L L E N G E(Infogrames/lnfogrames)Everything that could go wrong ina football game is here.Rev iewed 0ps2#10 /0vera l l 02

U E F A C H A M P I O N SL E A G U E S E A S O N2 0 0 1 / 2 0 0 2(Take 2/Silicon Dreams)The balance of play and fluidanimation isnt defined enough.Reviewed 0PS2#16/0vera l l 07

U N R E A LT O U R N A M E N T

(Infogrames/Epic Games)A gory, totally over-the-top andimmensely playable FPS.Reviewed OPS2#04/OveMi i 08

V A M P I R E N I G H T(SCEE/Namco/Sega Wow Entertainment)On rails lightgun shoot-'em-upwith vampires and werewolves.Reviewed OPS2#19/Overal l 06

V I C T O R I O U S B O X E R S(Empire Interactive/ESP)Story-based Japanese boxing titlethat sadly lacks the killer punch.R e v i e w e d 0 P S 2 # l l / 0 v e r a l l 0 4

V I R T U A R G H T E R 4(SCEE/Sega AM2)

A complex beat-'em-up. Requirespatience, but rewards well. Offersa lengthy single-player challenge.Reviewed OPS2#19/Overafl 08

W A C K Y R A C E SS TA R R I N G D A S TA R D LYA N D M U T T L E Y(Infogrames/lnfogrames)Misty-eyed fans of the W serieswill love the visuals.Reviewed OPS2#09/Overal l 06

W A L T D I S N E T S J U N G L EB O O K G R O O V E PA R T Y(Ubi Soft/Disney Interactive)Guaranteed to get you dancinground your house like a loon.Reviewed OPS2#08/Overal l 04

W A R R I O R S O FM I G H T A N D M A G I C(3DO/3DO)D r e a d f u l n o n - a d v e n t u r e / R P G .Rev iewed 0ps2#07 /0ve ra l l 03

W H O W A N T S T OB E A M I L U O N A I R E ?2 N D E D I T I O N(Eidos/Revotution)Scary animation of Tarrant andeasy questions make this a chore.Reviewed: OPS2#15/Overal l 04

W I L D W I L D R A C I N G(Rage/Rage)Off-road buggy-racing game. TTieStunt mode is add ic t ive .Rev iewed 0ps2#01 /0vera l l 06

W I P E O U TF U S I O N

(SCEE/Studio Uverpool)The most fully realised WIpEoutyet. Smart, extreme, classy stuff.Reviewed OPS2#16/Overal i 09

W O O D Y W O O D P E C K E R :E S C A P E F R O M B U Z ZB U Z Z A R D ' S P A R K(Cryo Interactive/Ekosystem)Dull cartoon platform adventure.Reviewed OPS2#17/Overal l 03

. W O R L DC H A M P I O N S H I PS N O O K E R 2 0 0 2

(Codemasters/Blade)incredibly playable snooker sim.Rev iewed 0PS2# l l / 0ve faH 08

W O R L D D E S T H U C n O NL £ A G U E : T H U N D E RT A N K S(3DO/3DO)Arcade tank sim with a Four-Player Deathmatch mode. Lacksappeal in One-Player mode.Reviewed OPS2#05/Overal i 07

WORLD DESTRUCTIONL E A G U E : W A R J E T Z(3DO/3DO)Plane-based future war game.Reviewed OPS2#10/Overal l 02

. W O R L D R A L LYC H A M P I O N S H I P

(SCEE/Evolution Studios)The most realistic rally a gamecan offer A pristine example ofnext-gen programmingReviewed 0PS2#14/0vers l i 09

. . W O R M S B L A S T-A (Ubi Soft/Team 17)

6ust-A-Move gamepiay but withal l the favour i te Worms weaponry.Reviewed OPS2#19/OveraU 08

W W FS M A C K D O W N !' J U S T B R I N G m '

(THQ/Yuke's)The most realistic representationof the WWF experience to date.Reviewed OPS2#13/OveraH 08

X-SQUAD(EA/EA Square)Team-based third-person shooterReviewed OPS2#02/Overal l 05

Z O N E O FT H E E N D E R S

(Konami/KCEJ)Cool mech thriller from Meta/Gears Hideo Kojima.Reviewed OPS2#06/Overai l 09

3D0 01895 456 700www.3doeurope.com3D0 Europe, 21-23 Mossop Street,London SW3 2LY

ACCIAIM 0207 344 5000vww,acc la imna t ion .com112-120 Brompton Road,Knightebridge, London SW3 IJJACnVISION 01895 456 789w w w . a c t i v i s i o n . c o m

Long Island House, Suite 3a, 1-4 Marple Way,London W3 ORQ

BBC MULTIMEDIA 0208 433 2000vww.bbcmul t imed ia .comCGll, Woodlands, 80 Wood Lane,London W12 OTT

CAPCOM EUROSOIT 0208 846 2550vww.capcom-europe .com9th Floor, 26-28 Hammersmith Grove,London W6 7HA

CODEMASTERS 01926 814 132vwvw.codemasters.comStoneythorpe, Southam,Wanwickshire GV33 ODL

CRYO 0121 250 5072www,cryo-interact ive.com186a Stratford Road, Shirley, Solihull B90 3BQEIDOS INTERACTIVE 0121 356 0831wvw.eidos.co.uk1 Hartfield Road, Wimbledon,London SW19 3RU

ELECTRONIC ARTS 0870 243 2435www.uk.ea.com2000 Hillswood Drive, Chertsey,Surrey KT16 OEUEMPIRE 0800 783 0156vww,empire.co,ukThe Spire. 677 High Road,North nnchley N12 ODAINF0GRAME5 0208 222 9700www.infc^rames.com116 Baker Street, London WIM ILBJVC imERACnVE 0207 240 3121vww.Kmuslc,co,uk44 Wellington Street, Covent Garden,London WC2E 7RH

KONAMI 0208 582 5573vww.konami -europe .com7/9 The Oaks, RuJslip, Middlesex HA4 7LFLEGO 01753 495 453www.iego.com33 Bath Road, Slough, Bette SLl 3UFMICROIDS 0208 901 7388vww.mic ro ids .com2 Gayton Road, Harrow, London HAl 2XUMIDAS INTERACTIVE 01279 858 000www,midas-tnteractive.co.ukMatrix House, Cambridge Business Park CB4 OHHMIDWAY 0207 938 4488www.midway.com96 Kensington High Street, London W8 4SGR0CKS1AR GAMES 0870 124 2222vww.rockstatgames.comSaxon House, 2-4 Victoria Street,Windsor. Series SL4 IBY

SCEE 0990 998 877vww.playstat ion-europe.comPlayStation Caretine, PO Box 2047, London WIA 3DNSCi 0207 585 3308www.sci,co.uk11 Ivory House, Plantation Wharf, York Road,London SWll 3TN

TAKE 2 0870 124 2222www.take2games.comSaxon House, 2-4 Victoria Street, Windsor,Berks SL4 IBY

THQ 01483 767 656www.thq.comDukes Court, Duke Street, Woking,Surrey GU21 5BH

UBI SOFT INTERACTIVE 01932 838230www.ubisoft .co.ukChantrey Court, Minorca Road, Weybridge,Surrey KT13 8DUVIRGIN INTERACTIVE 0207 551 4222www.vie.co.uk74A Charlotte Street London WIP ILR

VIVENDI UNIVERSAL 0118 920 9100www.vivendi-universai-interactive.co.uk2 Beacontree Plaza, Gilette Way,Reading RG2 OBS

PlayStation.^

a m p e c z i c z o n s

UJIN!R lU IDESCREEN TUR N OE D I T I O N B D X S E T0PS2 and 20th Century Fox are celebrating therelease of Speed in spectacular style.

IN THE IMMORTAL words of One William idol Esq, grizzled tunesmith of the title track to JanDe Bont's higti-octane directorial debut, 'Speeeed! Give me what I need!" Eleven lucky readerswill be getting Just that if they answer our Mensa-bamboozling question correctly and findtheir postcard plucked from the 0PS2 lift shaft.

Speed is arguably one of the finest action movies ever made. It's a tightly paced, explosivestory that follows LAPD Officer Jack Traven iKeanu Reeves) as he tries to foil Dennis Hopper'sinsane bomber before his plans for extort:ion kill scores of Innocent people. The movie's set-piece, a bus wired to explode If its speed dips below 50mph, has become one of the mostmemorable sequences In recent cinema. 20th Century Fox's unfeaslbly well-endowed two-disc boxset not only presents the film In sparkling DVD-o-vlslon, but also comes with a wealthof featurettes, commentaries and cast interviews A fine prize. But If that's not enough, oneoverall winner will also receive a wldescreen TV to watch it all on. Okay, ready for the rushhour? Pop quiz, hot shot..

Watch Sandra sweat i t ou tin cinema-style widescreenwith our top compo prize.

THE QUESTION

IN SPEED^SYCHOnCALLYBITTER R^RED COPD E N N I S H O P P E R U S E SW H AT K I N D O F T I M E R T OT R I G G E R H I S H R S TBOOMING BUS BOMB?

A A gold watchB A sundialC A My Little Pony bedside clock

H O W TO E N T C R

1. Write your answer on a postcard andsend to 'Speed (give me what I need!Compo', Official PlayStation 2 Magazine,Future Publishing, 30 Monmouth Street,Bath BAl 2BW.

2. Email us with the answer atPS2compos@futurenet.co.uk - rememberto put 'Speed (give me what I need!Compo' in the subject line.3. Please Include your name, address andphone number on all competition entries.

'If you do not wish your name to be usedfor further marketing Information, pleasestate this on your entry.

And what a special edition itis! Behold the long shiny trailof goodies that make up thislovely boxset.

Competition RulesNo purctiase necessary. No conespondencewtll be entered Into. No employees of FuturePublishing 20th Century Fox or any affiliatedcompany may enter. No cash alternative isoffered to tiiese prizes. Closing date is 12 July2002. If any prize becomes unavailable, FuturePublishing and 20th Century Fox reserve theright to replace It with another of equal value.Multiple entries will be disreganjed. TheEditor's decision is final.

THE PRIZE

The overall winner will receive:

□ A W i d e s c r e e n T V□ A copy of the Speed Special EditioniMxset with the following features:Disc One:- Feature-length commentary by director

Jan de Bont- Audio commentary by Writer Graham Yost

and Producer Mark Gordon- interact ive Menus

- Scene Access

Disc Two:- 'Making Of documentary- Two featurettes: bus jump sequence and

metrora l l c rash- Three 'inside Speed featurettes: on

location, stunts and visual effects- Interviews with the stars and Director- Rve extended scenes- Multi-angle stunt sequences- Multi-stream storyboards- Billy Idol music video- Product ion notes- Stills gallery- Eleven TV spots- Original theatrical trailer

Ten runners up will receive:□ A copy of the spectacular Speed

Speciai Edition boxset

4 PlayStation E

HMiijgyj ' ipnz\.mm\E OP viiRT

Chat to Tonywhen he gets allf o u r w h e e l s b a c k

' on the ground.

l U D R L D 5 K B f T I R S T E R ZT I C K E T S R N D m E E T T D N U H R U J KWe ' r eTony

, one luci reader the chance to meet the legendaryat the ultimate skateboarding event. How phat Is that?

H O W T O E N T E R1. Write your answer on a postcard and send to Yo! It'sThe FtBsh Tony Hawk Compo', Official PiayStation 2/Magazine, Future Publishing 30 Monmouth Street,Bath BAl 2BW.2. Emaii us with the answer at

PS2compos@futurenet.coul< - remember to put Yol It'sThe Fresh Tony Hawk Compo' In the subject line3. Please include your name, address and phonenumber on all competition entries.

'if you do not wish your name to be used for furthermarkeVmg /nformation, please state this on your entry.

WE AT 0PS2 ARE an empathetic bunch. We knowthat skateboarding fans will have devoured the 'defnews that Tony Hawk's 4 is on its way (Spy page 0351but will probably consider It frightfully 'wack' that theywon't be able to get their mitts on it until Christmas.Well, we've got Just the thing to make those longmonths of waiting melt away

On Sunday 11 August at the London Arena,12-tlme World Skate Champion Tony Hawk will beshowcasing his mad skillz with ten of the world's bestskateboarders at the World Sk8 Masterz: Legends OfVert event, sponsored by Official PiayStation 2Magazine. During the day the crowd will decide thewinners of a series of competitions including HighestAir and Best Trick But there's more. The very best ofthe surf, skate and snow companies such asQuiksilver; Blllabong, Etnles, Mambo, Osiris and K2 willbe exhibiting at the event Your favourite PS2 mag0PS2 will also be there, so visit us for the chance towin loads of goodies. To round off the day, MTV will bepresenting two of the freshest live music acts around.

We have six pairs of tickets to Sk8 Masterz to giveaway. All you have to do Is come up with the correctanswer for the ludicrously easy question below and ifyour answer is selected you'll be a winner But there'ssomething we're forigettlng..

One extremely fortunate overall winner will notonly receive tickets, but will also get a backstage passto meet the Hawkster himself, a BIndhouse SkateDeck signed by Tony two Quiksilver T-shirts and aPS2. That's one 'sick' prize. You know what to do...

THE QUESTION

TONY HAWK IS WORLJ> FAMOUS FORPERFORMING TRICKS USING...?

A Doves and a top hatB A skateboard

C Debbie McGee and a circular saw

WORLD SK8 MASTERZ - LONDON ARENA - 11 AUGUST 2002 □ TICKETS ON SALE NOW - TICKET HOTUNE: 0207 538 1212

Note: T-shi r t tobe worn a towner ' s r i sk .

T H E P R I Z E

F i r s t P r i ze :

□ Backstage Pass to meet Tony Hawk□ BIndhouse Skate Deck signed by

Tony Hawk□ PlayStation 2 console□ Two Quiksilver T-Shirts□ Two Tickets to the World

Sk8 Masterz

Tive Runner Up Prizes□ Two Tickets to the

World SkS Masterz□ One Quiksilver T-shirt

Competition RulesNo purchase necessary. No correspondence will be entered into. No employees ofFuture Publishing or any affiliated company may enter No cash alternative is offered t<these prizes. Closing date is 12 July 2002. If any prize becomes unavailable, FuturePublishing reserve the right to replace it with another of equal value. Multiple entrieswill be disregarded. The Editor's decision is final. Ail normal competition rules apply.

PlayStation E 1

UJHRT IF...psa BRfTlE CHRRRCTERS RRN FDR DFFICEPOnce sentient game characters got used to livingin our world, it was only natural that they'd wantsomeone looking out for them at the top. Butwho would get their vote?WORDS; PAUL FITZPATRICK/ILLUSTRATION; WILLIAM BARRAS

CANDIDATE: Eddie WachowskiPARTY: Liberal Dude-o-crats

STATEMENT: This is iike a totally bitclnin'politlcai party man, and you are so on the guestlist if you Just, iike, vote for me. Too iong haveyou limey dudes been, like, royaliy bored totears by heinously twisted middle-aged dudes in

suits. Man, you wouldn't want to go to a partyhosted by your grandparents so how come you

keep turning up to theirs? Go with the fro in 2005 andi biow you away with some lilln' reforms, i wlii, like, reverse

the present government's bogus snow deficit, i will abolish tax onessential Items Including plastic sun visors, sick polyester shirts,board wax and righteous flares. I promise that there will aiso be78% more phat air In real tenms for every dude, honey anddudeiette In this most United of Kingdoms. It's totally time to votein a new chairman of the board so, like, make your 'X' count. Sweet.

CANDIDATE; Max PaynePARTIT: Vigilance PartySTATEMENT: Do you have an aching chasm of emptiness anddespair in your soul? Do you wake up every night bathed In thecold sweat of realisation that every hope for happiness has beentorn from your arms forever? Or maybe you're miffed at the extrapenny on Income tax. Whatever It is that makes you want to kill, weat the Vigilance Party understand your pain. Do we ever understandit. Vote for me and I'll go to the ends of this godforsaken, wastelandto hunt down Justice for you and your loved ones, with their happyfaces still greeting you when you come home at night. Their heartsstill beating and warm... Where was i? i promise you, the voters, towork day and night to keep the wolf from your door and theravenous hell hounds of regret and futility from the wakingnightmare that Is existence. And I'll aiso give tax breaks to recentlywidowed men based on their proven and sustainable bioodiustYou know it makes sense.

CANDIDATE: Ecco T DolphinPARTY: Natural Flaw ParlySTATEMENT: We at the Natural Flaw Party believe In the profoundbond between man and dolphin kind. We believe that only bybringing our two species together will we achieve a state of eternal,symbiotic nirvana unprecedented in over a millennium. That's why if

you vote for me I'll not only lower taxes, but I'll also lower the entirecountry by approximately 1500 metres. Picture it. With the Britons'quaint reliance on outdated concepts like land and air there will benothing standing between man and dolphin. Literally as well asfiguratively Some may say that this reform will unfairly favour thesection of the population with blowholes. I say this is typical of thereactionary, hairy, bipedal fringe element that Is undermininggenuine change In this country of ours (and Its surrounding waters).As my father once said to me, "click click roaaaaaaaaat click click".I think we can all agree on that. Vote smart. Vote Natural Flaw. □

/Too long have yoududes been, like,royally bored to tearsby heinously twistedmiddle-aged suits//

16 PlayStation.^

he CHEATMISTRESS presents

" T H E W O R L D ' S N U M B E R 1C H O I C E F O R C H E AT S & G U I D E S ' '

TOP WALKTHROUGHS PLUS OVER[/[(WTflUJ CHEATS & TIPSA = 0 1

A c e C o m b a t 4Age of Empires 2Agent Under FireA i r b l a d eAlex F's Player ManagerA l l S t a r B a s e b a l l 2 0 0 2A l l S t a r B a s e b a l l 2 0 0 3Alone in the Dark 4A m e r i c a n P r o T r u c k e rAqua Aqua Wetrix 2A r c t i c T h u n d e rArmageddon (MDK2)A r m o u r e d C o r e 2Army Men Air AttackArmy Men Green RogueArmy Men RTSArmy Men Sgt's Heroes 2Army Men: Land Sea AirA t l a n t i s 3ATV Off-Road Fury

B = 0 2B a l d u r ' s G a t eBatman VengeanceB I G : N B A S t r e e tBIG: SSX SnowboardingBIG: SSX TrickyB l o o d O m e n 2Bloody Roar 3Bombad RacingBond: Agent Under FireB o u n c e rB u r n o u tB u s t A M o v e 3

C = 0 3C - 1 2 F i n a l R e s i s t a n c eC A P C O M v s S N K 2Cart FuryCasperChampionship SnookerCitizen Kabuto (Giants)City CrisisCode Veronica'XC o m m a n d o s 2C o o l B o a r d e r 2 0 0 1C r a s h B a n d i c o o tCrazy Bump's: Car Bat.Crazy TaxiC r i c k e t 2 0 0 2

D = 0 4D a r e D e v i lDark Alliance: B's GateDork AngelDark CloudDark LegacyD a r k S u m m i tD a v e M i r r a B M X 2D e a d o r A l i v e 2D e u s - E xDevil May CryDigimon WorldDisney's DinosaurD i s t a n t T h u n d e rDNA Dark Native ApostleDonald Duck: Quack Alt.D r a k e n : A n c i e n t G a t e sD r i v e nDrivinq Emotion Type-SDropsnipD r u m M a n i aDynasty Warriors 2Dynasty Wairiors 3

E = 0 5Ecco the DolphinEden, ProjectEighteen WheelerE l e m e n t a l F o r c eElite Force: VoyagerEmotion Type-S (Driving)Ephemeral PhantasiaEpisode 1: Star FighterEscape Monkey TslandE S P N I n t . Tr a c k & F i e l dE S P N N F L P r i m e t i m e 0 2ESPN SkateboardingESPN Snow/boardingEternal RingE v e o f E x t i n c t i o nEvergroceE v i l Tw i nE x t e r m i n a t i o nE x t r e m e G 3E x t r e m e R a c e r

F = 0 6F 1 2 0 0 1F1 Champ. Season 2000F a n t a V i s i o nF a t a l F r a m eFl FA 2001F I F A 2 0 0 2Fifa World Cup 2002Final Fantasy 10Final Fantasy 8F o r m u l a 1 2 0 0 1Four by Four EvolutionFreestyle BMX 2FrequencyFur Fighters

G = 0 7Gauntlet: Dark LegacyG i a n t s : C i t i z e n K a b u t oG o d a i : E l e m e n t a l F o r c eG r a d i u s 3 & 4G r a n T u r i s m o 2G r a n ' n j r i s m o 3Gran Turismo ConceptGrand Theft Autoi 3Green RogueGuilty Gear XGuilty Gear X PlusG u n G r i f f o n B l a z eG u n d a m : J t o J a b u r o

H = 0 8H30 SurfingH a l f L i f eHarry PotterH a r v e s t M o o n : H o m e l a n dH e a d h u n t e rHerdy GerdyHeroes of Might & MagicH i d d e n I n v a s i o nHigh Heat Baseball '02

1 = 0 9I c oI n t . Tr a c k & F i e l dInt. Super SoccerI S S P r o E v o l u t i o n

J = 1 0J Bond: Agent Under FireJ M c G r a t h s S ' c r o s s Wo r l dJ a k & D o x t e rJedi Star FighterJikkyou W. Soccer 2000Just Bring It

K = 1 1 O r p h e nK e n g o : M . o f B u s h i d o P = 1 6K e s s e n P a r a p p a t h e R a p p e r 2K e s s e n 2 P a r a s i t e E v e 2K i n e t i c a P a r i s - D a k a r R a l l yK l o n o a 2 P i r a t e s : L e g . o f B l a c k K a tKnockout Kings 2001 Player ManagerKnockout Kings 2002 Polaroid Pete

L = 1 2 P o l i c e 2 4 / 7L. of Kain: Blood Omen 2 Pool Master: Q-Bal lL , o f K a i n : S o u l R e a v e r 2 P o r t a l R u n n e rL a s t B l a d e 2 P r o E v o l u t i o n S o c c e rL e M a n s 2 4 H o u r s P r o j e c t E d e nL e g e n d o f B l a c k K a t Q = 1 7Legends of Wrestling Q-Ball: Billiards MasterL e g o R a c e r s 2 Q u a c k A t t a c kLMA Manager 2002 Quake 3 Revolut ionL o t u s C h a l l e n g e R = 1 8

M = 1 3 R C a r m i c h a e l ' s M X 2 0 0 2M a d d e n N F L 2 0 0 1 R a c e r R e v e n g eM a d d e n N F L 2 0 0 2 R a y m a n 2Major Lgue Baseball 02 RC Revenge ProMa|or Lgue Baseball 03 Ready 2 Rumble Round 2M a r t i a n G o t h i c R e d F a c t i o nM a s t e r o f B u s h i d o R e s . E v i l G u n S u r v i v o r 2M a x P a y n e R e s i d e n t E v i l ; C o d e V . XM a x i m o R e t u r n t o C . W o l f e n s t e i nM D K 2 R e v o l u t i o n : Q u a k e 3M e t a l G e a r S o l i d 2 R e zM i d n i g h t C l u b R i d g e R a c e r 5M i g h t & M a g i c R i n g o f R e dMc^ile Suit Gundam Road RageMonkey Island (Escape) Robot WarsM o n s t e r s I n c R u m b l e R a c i n gM o t o G P R u n e : V i k i n g W a r l o r dM o t o G P 2 S = 1 9M o t o r M a y h e m S P a l m e r ' s S n o w b o a r d e rM r M o s k e e t o S a r g e ' s H e r o e s 2M T V M u s i c G e n e r a t o r 2 S h a d o w M a n 2MTV Skateboard ing Shadow of Memor iesM u m m y R e t u r n s S i l e n t H i l lM X 2 0 0 2 S i l e n t H i l l 2M X R i d e r S i l e n t S c o p e

N = 1 4 S i l e n t S c o p e 2N a m c o M u s e u m S i l p h e e d : L o s t P l a n e tN a s c a r 2 0 0 1 S i m p s o n ' s R o a d R a g eN a s c a r H e a t 2 0 0 2 S k y O d y s s e yN B A 2 0 0 2 S k y S u r f e rN B A H o o p z S l e d S t o r mN B A L i v e 2 0 0 1 S m a c k d o w n l J u s t B r i n g I tN B A L i v e 2 0 0 2 S m a s h C o u r t T e n n i sNBA Shoo tou t 2001 Smugg le rs RunN B A S t r e e t S m u g g l e r s R u n 2NBA Tonight , ESPN Sold ier of For tuneN C A A F o o t b a l l 2 0 0 2 S o u l R e a v e r 2N F L 2 0 0 1 S p a c e C h a n n e l 5 P a r t 2N F L 2 0 0 2 S p i d e r m a n 2NFL Primetime 2002 Spiderman the MovieNFL Q'back Club 2002 SplashdownN H L 2 0 0 1 S p y H u n t e rN H L 2 0 0 2 S S X - S n o w b o a r d i n gN H L H i t z 2 0 0 2 S S X T r i c k yN o - O n e L i v e s F o r e v e r S t a r Tr e k : E l i t e F o r c e

O = 1 5 Star Wars: Jedi S 'fighterO f f R o a d F u r y S t a r Wa r s : R a c e r R e v e n g eOff Road Wide Open Star Wars: Star FighterO m e g a S o l d i e r S t a t e o f E m e r g e n c yO n i S t r e e t F i g h t e r E x 3O n i m u s h a 2 S t r e e t N B AO n i m u s h a : W a r l o r d s S u m m o n e r007: Agent Under Fire Sunny Garcia: SurfingOperat ion Winback Super Bombad Rac ing

THE ABOVE LIST IS JUST A SELECTION OF WHAT'S AVAILABLE

Super Bust A MoveSupercar St. ChallengeSurfing H30Swing Away GolfSyphon Filter 3

T = 2 0T W o o d s P G A To u r 2 0 0 1Te k k e n 4Tekken Tag TournamentTest Drive: Wide OpenT h e B o u n c e rThe Mummy ReturnsThe New NightmareThe Simpsons: Road RageT h e W e a k e s t L i n kThe World is not EnoughT h e m e P a r k W o r l dT h i s i s F o o t b a l l 2 0 0 2Thunderhawk: Op.Tiger Woods Golf 2002Ti m e C r i s i s 2Time SplittersTokyo Extreme RacerTo m b R a i d e r 4Tomb Raider 5 ChroniclesTony Hawk's 2Tony Hawk's 3Top Gear: Dare DevilTop Gun: Combat ZonesT r a c k a n d F i e l d

Triple Play BaseballTw i s t e d M e t a l B l a c kType-S: Driving Emotion

U = 2 1UEFA Champion LeagueU n r e a l To u r n a m e n t

V = 2 2Vampire ApocalypseV i c t o r i o u s B o x e r s

W = 2 3W Games SnowboardingWacky RacesWarlords (Onimusha)W a r r i o r s o f M & MW D L : W a r J e t zW e a k e s t L i n kWe t r i x 2W h o W a n t s 2 B A M i l l i o n 2Wild Wild RacingW i n b a c kWipeout FusionWorld C Snooker 2002World Cup 2002, FifaWorld Is Not EnoughW.Outlaws Sprint Cars 02W r a t h o f C o r t e xWRC: WoHd Rally ChampWWF Smackdown 3

X = 2 4X Games: SkateboardingX Games: SnowboardingX-SquadX t r e m e G 3

Y = 2 5Yanya Caballista: SkaterYuGiOhl Dual Monsters 2

Z = 2 6Zone of the Enders

0 - 9 = 2 7007 Agent Under Fire1 0 2 D a l m a t i a n s2002 FIFA World Cup

W H AT M A K E S C H E AT SU N L I M I T E D N O 1 ?

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SPIDER-MAN™ THE MOVIE GAMEAssume the role of the super hero himself,weighing great power with greatresponsibility as he embarks on a careerto thwart crime and put an end to amastermind criminal, the Green Goblin,and his legions of evil. Spider-Man hascomplete mastery of his surroundings,including zip-lining from buildings toadjacent buildings and descendingwhilst swinging.

PlayStation.

FINAL FANTASY X

The first Final Fantasy title forPlayStation 2 invites you to embark onan epic journey with Tidus. The youngstar of Blitzball (futuristic sport playedIn a suspended sphere of waterl ispropelled Into the future by a mysteriousforce, known only as Sin'. Appearing In astrange place called Spira, TIdus learnsthat his home town of Zanarkand wasdestroyed 1000 years ago. Tidus teams upwith some new friends and they set out todiscover the truth.

Head back behind enemy lines with Lt. JimmyPatterson In Medal of Honor Frontline, in thisinstallment of the smash-hit Medal of Honor

series. Lt. Patterson returns and must usethe confusion of the real-world offensiveOperation Market Garden to infiltrate the

German frontline and steal the HO-IXflying wing, an experimental Naziweapon so powerful that It could

turn the tide of World War II.

VAMPIRE NIGHT

The legend has existed forcenturies. Very few have survived to

tell their account of terror. But weknow, the Vampire Is real. Grab a

friend and the G-Con2 and experiencethe bone-chilling shoofem up action.

Namco puts you In the role of thevampire hunter Improved over the

arcade version. Vampire Night for thePlayStation 2 also includes a special

training mode, an adventure mode, andother hidden features.

WHATEVER TJRMS YOU ON

Spider-Man and all related Marvel characters. TM & © 20D2 Marvel Characters, Inc. Spider-Man. the movie. © 2002 Columbia Pictures Industries, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Game Code © 2002 Activision Inc and itsaffiliates Published and distributed by Activision Publishing. Inc. Activision is a registered trademark of Activision, Inc, and its affiliates. All Rights Reserved. "PlayStation" and the' PlayStatiori' logo are registeredtrademarks of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. All other trademarks and trade names are the properties of their respective owners.

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