Game Reviews

Yet, by far, the one thing that makes Unreal Tournament such a worthy contender for the online multiplayer crown is the sheer amount of options that it offers over Q3A. There are more degrees of difficulty in Bot configurations, more different styles of play beyond CTF and classic Deathmatching, more maps to choose from, and even more diverse weapons (each sports an alternate fire option, which adds an entirely new dimension to the game). Almost across the board, Unreal Tournament brings more to the table than Q3A.

Walk by a couple of young kids debating their favorite sci-fi shows and youll likely find yourself dumbfounded. One kid, a zealot Trekker (Star Trek fanatic), will praise how the whole universe created in that series takes on a life of its own. Hell talk about the wondrous technology and great characters, but, much to your amazement, the next kid, a devout Babylon 5 fan (a relatively new franchise that has been consistently stealing Star Treks thunder and fans), will say the same thing about his favorite show. Their loyalty to one show over another can be puzzling to the layman because they sound as if theyre talking about the same show and few of their differing reasons are about anything substantial. Lets be honest, most of this comes down to far more simple rationale that range from personal preference to having found one show first and sticking with it.

Videogames have also been considered another plain old recreational activity, but with the release of the much anticipated online multiplayer first-person shooter (FPS), Quake III: Arena (Q3A), that perception may finally change. The activity of Deathmatching (dueling to the death in cyberspace), which was popularized by FPS games like Q3A, may finally be considered a legitimate sport; digital or otherwise.

Going multiplayer was part of John Carmacks grand experiment and I commend him for it. Whenever I cruised to some of the Quake specific web sites, there were always loads of new Quake mods available, created specifically for online Deathmatches and CTF games. This was telling proof that gamers were hungry for deathmatch-specific levels and Im really not surprised that a game like this was made for them.

Its almost heart warming to see Capcom come up with such a wonderful game given their history of releasing quasi-sequels with rehashed and dated gameplay mechanics. A release like Power Stone is so full of personality and innovation that I would hope it isnt overlooked simply for its arcade look and feel. With the next-next-generation hardware, Capcom has found a way to offer a game that is a throwback to the days of 2D arcade brawlers but with new school 3D freedom. Its a clear sign of the times that hardware limitations are becoming less and less restrictive.

If Jackie Chan were a videogame (other than his own upcoming Stuntmaster), hed be Power Stone. Much like Chans renowned style of comedic martial arts filmmaking, Power Stone is a two-player competitive fighting game that allows players to freely roam about the stage with the ability to pick up, hurl, swing, or hang from nearly everything in it.

Thousand Arms is a game that is so distinctively Japanese through every part of its fiber, that only a user base familiar and understanding of the cultural, Japanese nuances present in it will be able to comprehend and enjoy the game. Its localized release clearly signals that such a phenomenon has taken place in the United States.

About the only thing I can see that will add to Chi's review is to further reiterate how meaningful this release is for the anime fan. It's is like an anime movie with RPG elements. All the standard elements are there from the submissive women to the stoic (and often cold) men who always seem to get the babes. The whole dating thing was a bit unsettling at first, but it was so simplistic that I got into it pretty easily and the results were more fun than not.

To anyone whos played Banjo-Kazooie, Donkey Kong 64 (DK64) can give you a serious case of déjà vu. First off, the two games look strikingly similar. In some instances, it looks like worlds were plucked right out of Banjo-Kazooie and pasted into DK64. The textures and colors of the landscapes, although a bit more detailed and abundant, seem familiar and barely changed.

I have to admit that after trying my hand at the demo of the original Rainbow Six on the PC, I was so overwhelmed by the strategy and planning that went into it that I never gave the game much of a chance. Having played Rainbow Six for the Nintendo 64, I realize now that that was a huge mistake. Granted as Chi said, the game is more simplified, this is a good thing in my book because the controls were a lot more approachable and the planning phase didnt feel like homework.