Electronic Gaming Monthly articles from March 2005

Electronic Gaming Monthly archives from March 2005

Ready 2 Race?(Brief Article)(Product/Service Evaluation)
March 1, 2005... One of the biggest racers in the mobile space is about to see a sequel. 2 Fast 2 Furious, the action-packed sequel to the highly successful The Fast and the Furious film, makes its way onto mobile phones in a high-speed street-racing...

Baldur's Gate Mobile Reviewed.(Brief Article)(Product/Service Evaluation)
March 1, 2005... Baldur's Gate - 7.5 Baldur's Gate has long been an influence on the role-playing-game genre because of its Advanced Dungeons & Dragons-based rule set for characters, its combat, and its dialogue and narrative style. Sorrent has now compacted...

Nokia Finally N-Gaged.(Product/Service Evaluation)
March 1, 2005... After a disastrous launch, Nokia has made great strides in improving its mobile platform. Not too long ago it introduced the QD model of its handset, which addressed many of the issues gamers had with the original design. And now, Nokia has...

The Only Game in Town.(Brief Article)(Product/Service Evaluation)
March 1, 2005... Don't bother waiting for this fall's reviews when deciding which professional football game to buy--that choice has already been made for you. After receiving bids from several game publishers, the National Football League and NFL Players...

Going Once, Going Twice, Sold!
March 1, 2005... "I shudder to think what [PlayStation Portable] will cost early on on eBay," said Sony America Chief Executive Howard Stringer to Newsday.com. Well, he didn't have to wait too long to find out. In the days following the PSP's launch in Japan...

ATV Offroad Fury.(Brief Article)(Product/Service Evaluation)
March 1, 2005... The ATV Offroad Fury series has stealthily become one of the PS2's best-selling franchises, and not just to hillbillies on four-wheelers--the games skillfully blend traditional racing thrills with wild Tony Hawk-style trickery. Simple to pick...

Spider-Man 2.(Brief Article)(Product/Service Evaluation)
March 1, 2005... Get all misty-eyed and nostalgic for summer 2004's hottest flick: Doc Ock's maniacal hubris...Peter Parker's crippling self-doubt...that weird girl's pointless "chocolate cake" scene. Surprisingly, this is a port of neither the PS2 nor...

Need for Speed Underground Rivals.(Brief Article)(Product/Service Evaluation)
March 1, 2005... From its urban nighttime setting to its heavy customization and glorious sense of speed, Rivals distills the Underground home games into portable form. This is no mere port, either, boasting 10 new tracks to host your 20 fully customizable...

Welcome to the Family.(Product/Service Evaluation)
March 1, 2005... Respect. It's been the mantra of many great minds and institutions throughout the years, ranging from the Rastafarians to the US Army to Ali G. Rodney Dangerfield never got enough of it, while Aretha Franklin took it upon herself to spell it...

What's Playing in the Computer Gaming World.(Brief Article)
March 1, 2005... Who among you can truly pinpoint the joys of friendship? Really, who? I can't (that whole "social leper" thing gets in the way). But thanks to massively multiplayer online (MMO) games, I can have virtual friends. World of WarCraft ...

Show and Tell: Cold Fear.
March 1, 2005... If Steven Seagal's cinematic classic Under Siege is "Die Hard on a boat," then Ubisoft's upcoming survival-horror offering Cold Fear is undoubtedly "Resident Evil 4 on a boat." Think about it: You've got your stoic hero (Coast Guard soldier...

The Droid You're Looking For.
March 1, 2005... HK-47, the human-hatin' assassin droid (and fan favorite) from the first KOTOR, is back, and he's brattier than ever. Designer Chris Avellone recommends trying to earn lots of influence points with him: "HK-47 has a lot of interesting...

Just Another Spooky Face?
March 1, 2005... Darth Nihilus was the poster boy for The Sith Lords, but he actually played a relatively small role in the game. We asked Lead Designer Chris Avellone why.... "He has a very mysterious past, to say the least. The decision behind that was...

PSP's U.S. Debut.
March 1, 2005... The PlayStation Portable (PSP) is undeniably hot--its stunningly sharp screen and nearly PS2-quality graphics represent a quantum leap over what gamers usually expect from portable gaming. Sony Computer Entertainment America President Kaz...

Wipeout Pure.(Brief Article)(Product/Service Evaluation)
March 1, 2005... The futuristic PlayStation racer that dropped jaws way back in 1995 opts for a repeat performance in this portable incarnation. "We wanted to keep it very close to the hardcore spirit of the original PS1 Wipeout games," says Associate...

Twisted Metal: Head On.(Brief Article)(Product/Service Evaluation)
March 1, 2005... Sony's popular car combat franchise careens onto the PSP, shedding the gritty visual style of its previous installment, Twisted Metal: Black, in favor of a look closer to that of Twisted Metal 2, the series' best-loved PS1 entry. But the...

Ape Escape.(Brief Article)(Product/Service Evaluation)
March 1, 2005... Sony's original monkey-trapping platformer makes the simple leap from PS1 to PSP, filling the all-important cutesy-platformer void. "It's really an enhancement of the first Ape Escape," explains Associate Producer Shawn Torrin Rettig. "We've...

Ridge Racer.(Brief Article)(Product/Service Evaluation)
March 1, 2005... It wouldn't be a Sony hardware launch without an appearance from Namco's long-running arcade racer. This PSP version waxes nostalgic, offering up plenty of cars, tracks, and tunes from the various Ridge Racers from years past. It's thrilling...

Untold Legends: Brotherhood of the Blade.(Brief Article)(Product/Service Evaluation)
March 1, 2005... In a sea of predictable ports, Untold Legends stands out as one of the only original PSP games. It's a bit surprising, as developer Sony Online could have easily brought its successful EverQuest and Champions of Norrath series to Sony's...

PSP Hits Japan.(Brief Article)
March 1, 2005... Sony's PlayStation Portable launched in Japan to much fanfare on December 12, a mere 10 days after Nintendo's DS arrived on the scene. Due to hardware shortages, initial sales figures were a bit weak when compared to DS, but the excitement...

PSP Lineup: Quick Hits.(Product/Service Evaluation)
March 1, 2005... NBA Street Remix EA Big -- Looks nearly as phat as its console cousins, but expect a slight learning curve--the button layout makes Gamebreaker moves harder to control. NFL Street 2 Unleashed EA Big -- Extra teams, new fields,...

Grudge Match.
March 1, 2005... Whackable electronic bongos Reeds, canes, lead pipes Advantage: BDIJ ESRB says it's A-OK for everyone Advantage: DKJB PETA says they're shutting us down RISKS Sore palms Advantage: DKJB ...

News Tidbits About Monsters, Both Big and Pocket-Sized.
March 1, 2005... Uh-Oh, Somebody's Angry Again Mr. Green Genes will return to consoles (PS2/XB/GC) this summer in The Incredible Hulk. The game drops Marvel's antihero into a Grand Theft Auto-esque "sandbox" environment where he can smash his way through...

Donkey Kong Jungle Beat.(Product/Service Evaluation)
March 1, 2005... If you have Samba de Amigo maracas lingering under your bed, a vintage NES Power Glove gathering dust in the closet, and the $200 Steel Battalion joystick still on layaway, you're probably the kind of sucker who went gaga for Nintendo's...

EGM International.(Brief Article)(Product/Service Evaluation)
March 1, 2005... Hajime No Ippo All-Stars What's so "All-Stars" about this if I've never heard of it before? Believe us when we say that Hajime no Ippo (a comic and anime series about a Japanese boxer's struggle in the world featherweight rankings) is...

Under the Radar.(Brief Article)(Product/Service Evaluation)
March 1, 2005... Drive to Survive This budget-priced racer will undoubtedly slip into stores unnoticed, but you'll want to brave the bargain bins and check it out. Survive channels the long-running Micro Machines series with top-down visuals and simple...

Larger Than Life.(Product/Service Evaluation)
March 1, 2005... Sure, your 20-inch Zenith has stuck with you since Mario dropped his first 'shroom, but you know deep down it's time to experience your games on a screen wider than a yard stick. Before you hightail it to your local electronics store to drop...

Afterthoughts: Star Wars Knights of the Old Republic II: The Sith Lords.(Product/Service Evaluation)
March 1, 2005... If 40 solid hours of gameplay didn't slake your thirst for all things Star Wars, you're in luck. Star Wars Knights of the Old Republic II: The Sith Lords packs loads of replay potential. Whatever character you played the first time...

The Ultimate Saber.(Brief Article)(Product/Service Evaluation)
March 1, 2005... KOTOR II offers so many lightsaber upgrade options that we figured we'd go straight to the source to find out the very best ones in the game. Here's what the designers had to say about a Jedi's weapon of choice. Best Energy Cell ...

Desert Island Games: Michael Madsen.
March 1, 2005... Every now and then, we ship a celebrity or game designer off to a desert island and ask what three console games he'd want to wash up on shore. This month's castaway: Free Willy star Michael Madsen. Oh, he's also starred in Reservoir Dogs and...

Wrestlemania 21.(Product/Service Evaluation)
March 1, 2005... Platform: Xbox Publisher: THQ Developer: Studio Gigante Release Date: March 2005 Wrestlemania 21 for Xbox is a whole new beast," claims Wrestlemania Producer Matt Greig. We hope so, considering the Raw series was a hose...

Cheat Sheet.
March 1, 2005... Becoming a Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas gang star, blasting away your Xbox Live buddies in Halo 2, beating down Samus Aran's darker half in Metroid Prime 2--that's so old school. Or rather, it will be soon, as over the next two years we'll...

Last Action Heroes.(Brief Article)
March 1, 2005... With all the excitement around 2005's impending hardware announcements (PlayStation 3, Xbox 2, Nintendo's GameCube successor), it's easy to overlook the titles that will carry your current system into its well-deserved retirement. But...

God of War.(Product/Service Evaluation)
March 1, 2005... Platform: PlayStation 2 Publisher: Sony CEA Developer: Sony Santa Monica Release: March 2005 It is not a particularly auspicious day for young Kratos when that enormous fang-ridden Hydra (look left) descends upon him. In...

Devil May Cry 3: Dante's Awakening.(Product/Service Evaluation)
March 1, 2005... Platform: PlayStation 2 Publisher: Capcom Developer: Capcom Release: March 2005 Dante smirks with big-man-on-campus bravado at whatever foe lies in his sights--be it a ghoulish demon, his unruly brother, or a three-headed...

Rise of the Kasai.(Product/Service Evaluation)
March 1, 2005... Sony's 2000 brawler The Mark of Kri achieved cult status by getting three things right--an innovative analog-stick fighting system, a pack of intricate puzzles, and a wild visual style that blends Disney charm with copious gore. Kri fans can...

San Andreas Shakes Up Xbox.(Product/Service Evaluation)
March 1, 2005... That's right: The hyper-hyped Grand Theft Auto sequel is parking its hot (as in jacked) wheels on Xbox this June. Rockstar refuses to give us the VIN number, let alone details on any additional, not-on-PS2 goodies the game might include, so...

Countdown to 200: The 10 Best Multiplayer Games.(Product/Service Evaluation)
March 1, 2005... Our 200th issue is looming ahead like a greasy truck stop off I-94, and we're marking off the milestones with a new top 10 list every month. Here are the best multiplayer games ever made (based on when they came out)--visit our message boards...

The Rumor Mill.
March 1, 2005... Yep, it's February (unless you picked up our issue really late, and if that's the case, shame on you), and you know what that means--Valentine's Day. And because I love all of my readers (well, some more than others), my gift to you is a...

The Egm 2004 Year of the Game Awards.
March 1, 2005... Why all the robots? Winners of our awards receive Robot the Awards Robot,TM a foot-tall totally adorable robo-trophy equipped with hell beams and experimental laser rays. Agree to Disagree Hey, nobody said you had to like our...

Game of the Year.(Product/Service Evaluation)
March 1, 2005... Senior Editor Crispin Boyer: If the brilliantly bizarre rolling-crap-ball simulator Katamari Damacy for PS2 had more to it, I would so pick it for Game of the Year. But I can still indulge my root-for-the-underdog desires by going with Grand...

Playstation 2 Game of the Year.(Product/Service Evaluation)
March 1, 2005... News Editor Bryan Intihar: So it looks like the big three contenders among the staff are GTA: San Andreas, Metal Gear Solid 3, and Katamari Damacy. Well, that's two out of three right. You could probably play GTA: San Andreas till the next...

Xbox Game of the Year.(Product/Service Evaluation)
March 1, 2005... Crispin: This vote would be cinchy if Halo 2 hadn't already won Game of the Year, but our rules forbid the overall winner from competing in the other categories. What does that leave for Xbox? Blinx 2? Uh, no. I'm backing a dark horse:...

Gamecube Game of the Year.(Product/Service Evaluation)
March 1, 2005... Bryan: Wow...toughie. Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door proved that thin is in, but I pick Metroid Prime 2: Echoes. The game's drop-dead gorgeous, the puzzles really test your noggin, and I'm still recovering from those nail-biting boss...

Multiplatform Game of the Year.(Brief Article)(Product/Service Evaluation)
March 1, 2005... Crispin: Burnout 3: Takedown or Prince of Persia: Warrior Within? Burnout 3 or Warrior Within? Burnout or Warrior Within? Burnout or Warrior Within? I could really go either way on this puppy. Bryan: Or you could go Madden. It's crazy...

EGM's Third Annual Tobias Bruckner Memorial Awards.
March 1, 2005... Awful games need a mascot who can relate to them. So once again, we summon the dino-riding, half-cyborg spirit of Tobias Bruckner--main villain of 2002's awful Turok: Evolution--to call 'em like we smell 'em. Poor Tobias perished at the end...

Handheld Game of the Year.(Brief Article)(Product/Service Evaluation)
March 1, 2005... Crispin: Hmm...not much of a handheld scene last year, despite the launch of the Nintendo DS. I mean, launch game Feel the Magic was fun...for an hour or so. No way all that screen petting can top something like Astro Boy: Omega Factor or...

Family History.(Product/Service Evaluation)
March 1, 2005... Rule numero uno in the Mafia: Don't dis the don. So if you haven't seen The Godfather in a while (must not have TBS), you'd better bone up before you meet him in the game. Here's a refresher of major mafioso moments and their likely...

Made Men.(Brief Article)(Product/Service Evaluation)
March 1, 2005... Don Vito Corleone is a man of his word. He has four natural children (Sonny, Fredo, Michael, and Connie) and an adopted child named Tom Hagen. Don Vito is the patriarch of the Corleone family, and you may refer to him as "Godfather." ...

Offers We Can Refuse.(Brief Article)
March 1, 2005... Rampant wife beating Please, please don't make this a minigame. Bloody horse beheading As seen in our Family History sidebar. On second thought, we're not interested in equine decapitation. Sofia Coppola's acting We...

NBA Street V3.(Product/Service Evaluation)
March 1, 2005... (PS2/XB only) BRYAN: Attention all sports developers: This is the kind of game you can make if you don't stick to the genre norm and crap out a sequel every year. The already blockbuster NBA Street series took a season off, and by doing...

The Punisher.(Product/Service Evaluation)
March 1, 2005... Good: Seat-of-your-pants shoot-outs Bad: Cornball dialogue, B-grade delivery Slaughter Mode: Bullet time by another name SHAWN: Big, bad (in a bad way), and likeable nonetheless, here's an ode to the hard-boiled matinee. A...

Winning Eleven 8.(Product/Service Evaluation)
March 1, 2005... Good: World's best soccer sim Bad: Lack of league licenses When: Will people actually start buying this great game? PATRICK: Winning Eleven 8 doesn't offer the flashy additions of other top sports titles. You won't find some...

Sega Classics Collection.(Product/Service Evaluation)
March 1, 2005... Good: The hallucinogenic weirdness of Fantasy Zone Bad: Only two of the unadulterated originals included Embarrassing: Playing the remade Golden Axe, even by yourself ROBERT: Apparently, old 2D games look so bad that even the...

Nanobreaker.(Product/Service Evaluation)
March 1, 2005... Good: Supremely deep combo system Bad: Dull story line, repeat bosses Attempt at Dodging Controversy: Referring to the blood as "oil" SHANE: With its interlocking levels, fancy subweapons, and combo-laden combat, Nanobreaker...

Shadow of Rome.(Product/Service Evaluation)
March 1, 2005... MARK: Readers, gamers, countrymen, lend me your eyes. I come to review Shadow of Rome, not to praise it. Well, not half of it anyway. For the noble Capcom hath told us it would blend stealth adventure and arena combat, and so it does, but...

Xenosaga Episode II: Jenseits Von Gut Und Bose.(Product/Service Evaluation)
March 1, 2005... CHRISTIAN: Episode II starts slow, but once in gear, this sci-fi role-playing game's story is absolutely top tier. The newly redesigned (and cooler-looking) characters get into fascinatingly deep trouble. If anything's clear at this point in...

Champions: Return to Arms.(Product/Service Evaluation)
March 1, 2005... Good: Neat "good versus evil" branching story lines Bad: Bang-your-head-against-a-wall boss battles And Did They Really: Have to throw in that stealth mission? JENNIFER: Return to Arms does a ton of stuff right--beautiful...

Shining Tears.(Product/Service Evaluation)
March 1, 2005... Good: Plenty of character customization and team attacks Bad: Frustrating structure, super-derivative Wha? How'd the dorky cousin of Zelda's Link get in here? JUSTIN: Whether you're playing alone or with a friend, Shining Tears...

Tenchu: Fatal Shadows.(Product/Service Evaluation)
March 1, 2005... Good: Ninjas Bad: Stealth gameplay from the PS1 era Not as Exciting as It Sounds: Fighting a bear mano a mano G. FORD: On the scale of things players most want to do in their games, playing as a ninja ranks right up there with...

YS: The Ark of Napishtim.(Product/Service Evaluation)
March 1, 2005... Good: Totally solid action-RPG Bad: The dub is a travesty, so bad it hurts Ark of what now? Doesn't matter, just move on JUSTIN: While Ys is supposed to be pronounced 'ease,' this action-RPG hails from the staunch old school, so...

Street Fighter Anniversary Collection.(Product/Service Evaluation)
March 1, 2005... Good: Street Fighter II movie comes with Bad: Xbox controller sucks for 2D fighting Still Scrubby After All These Years: Guile MILKMAN: If the army of neo-sequels to Street Fighter II that dominated every console known to man up...

Tork: Prehistoric Punk.(Product/Service Evaluation)
March 1, 2005... KEVIN: For the die-hard Xbox maniac, it may be a tad depressing to see all these hyped-up platformers Microsoft announced years and years ago dribble out as budget releases from other publishers. Unlike the completely forgettable Malice,...

Gungriffon: Allied Strike.(Product/Service Evaluation)
March 1, 2005... Good: Healthy variety of walking tanks to choose from Bad: With these graphics, it's 1998 all over again Try Instead: MechAssault 2: Lone Wolf, Steel Battalion, Yahtzee JON D: Allied Strike would be a mess even if the Xbox didn't...

Phantom Dust.(Product/Service Evaluation)
March 1, 2005... CHE: Toss those Yu-Gi-Oh! decks and grab a controller, because Phantom Dust is the only kind of card battle I'd want to play. By combining the control finesse of an action title with the random collect-a-thon addictiveness of a card-based...

Resident Evil 4.(Product/Service Evaluation)
March 1, 2005... MARK: Forget what you know, or think you know, about Resident Evil. RE4 not only brings the series out of its creative rut, it also packs the most refined graphics and gameplay in survival-horror since...well, ever. Let's face it: The...

Star Fox: Assault.(Product/Service Evaluation)
March 1, 2005... KEVIN: After the beautiful-but-boring Star Fox Adventures' venture into furry platformer antics, Assault is a welcome return in style to Star Fox's space-shooter roots--with short-lived but spectacular results. The 10 missions in...

Warioware: Touched!(Product/Service Evaluation)
March 1, 2005... Good: Delightfully simple distractions Bad: Unskippable cut-scenes; no wireless multiplayer Play It in Public: Strangers might throw change at you SHAWN: The pen is mightier than the sword. No, seriously: Stylus in hand, you'll...

Pocket Kingdom: Own the World.(Product/Service Evaluation)
March 1, 2005... Good: Simple massively multiplayer online warfare Bad: Innumerable interface problems The Only RPG: Where characters say "w00t" KEVIN: It's impossible not to like the basic idea behind the first major N-Gage release since Pathway...

Reviews Wrap-Up.(Brief Article)(Product/Service Evaluation)
March 1, 2005... We couldn't cram every last game in this issue, but only a few escaped the scrutiny of a three-person review. Hurry up and solve that Resident Evil, though--we should be smack in the post-holiday doldrums, but a small pile of late, big-name...