Release Archives: WEEK OF MARCH 22, 20043.22.2005 Timesplitters: Future Perfect*Game of the Week* Developer: Free Radical Publisher: EA MSRP: $50 Systems: GC/PS2/Xbox If I could take one game with me to a well furnished desert island it would be Perfect Dark. So it comes as no surprise that, while Rare has been slowly chugging away on a sequel for the last five years, the Timesplitters series has jumped right in to fill the void. Made by some of the same people who worked on Perfect Dark and Goldeneye for the N64, Timesplitters proves that no matter how pretty graphics get or how much hype surrounds a product, nothing can top great gameplay. So what's new? Well, not much, but don't let that hold you back. Instead of reinventing the wheel Free Radical has been content merely refining what made Goldeneye so great to begin with. There is now a gravity gun, something you can expect in every FPS now that Half-Life 2 showed how awesome it can be, but everything else is just carried over from the previous titles. So what can you expect? A top notch campaign mode featuring the best co-op out there, a ton of addictive Challenges (the main reason I play the games) and the most diverse multiplayer mode around. If you're itching to relive the glory days of FPS, look no further than TS:FP. With an online mode that ensures the game with infinite replay value will never get old, this should tide you over until Rare finally releases Perfect Dark Zero. God of War Developer: SCE Studios Santa Monica Publisher: Sony MSRP: $50 System: PS2 Either I'm completely crazy or third person action titles are generally worthless. Aside from the amazing Ninja Gaiden, I haven't played one truly compelling title in the genre this entire generation. I prefer my camera fixed and my action tight, which is why I usually turn to a good First Person Shooter or 2D action title to fill my needs. However, God of War looks to fix many of the problems plaguing the genre. For starters, it incorporates a usable camera. I'm not sure why it has taken so long to come around, but GoW has a camera that is both tight yet takes in every important object, all without forcing the player to fiddle with it. This makes combat much more enjoyable than other titles. Dodge, block and grab your opponents with ease, all while racking up huge combos. To top it all off, this takes place in the land of the gods, so you'll be wrestling with five headed hydras and talking smack to Poseidon. A great game any way you look at it. Iron Phoenix Developer: InterServ International Publisher: Sammy MSRP: $50 System: Xbox This is a fighting game that bears much more resemblance to Powerstone than Tekken. Combat takes place in huge, open arenas where complex fighting styles are thrown out in favor of a variety of weapons. While there is a story mode that has you squaring off against warriors of some kind, the main draw of IP is an online mode that lets up to 16 players battle it out. Games reliant on an online mode have a shorter shelf life than offline titles, so if any of this sounds interesting, I recommend picking Iron Phoenix up post haste. Matrix Online Developer: Monolith Publisher: Sega MSRP: $50 System: PC After seeing the third Matrix movie, I assumed that was the last we would hear of this sci-fi franchise. Shockingly enough, there are still games being made about it. I'm not entirely sure that a MMORPG is the step this franchise needed though. The premise sounds fairly cool - choose your side and attempt to free humans from their shackles or continue to harvest their precious energy. The problem seems to be in the fundamental manner in which MMORPGs are played. While the sense of community and accomplishment is higher than any other genre out there, the actual combat is usually somewhat lacking. It is surprising that a MMORPG would come around which essentially focuses on that weak aspect. Honestly, if you love the Matrix universe you'll buy this regardless of the quality. I don't think there is a place for more than one game in this time consuming genre, though, and World of Warcraft seems to be the king of the mountain at the moment. Shining Tears Developer: Sega Publisher: Sega MSRP: $50 System: PS2 Sega really does have a knack for creating sequels that bear little resemblance to previous entries in the series. Enter Shining Tears - a sequel to the Shining Force franchise in name only. For once, though, the change may not be a bad thing. While the original games centered on a complex turn-based battle system, reminiscent of the Final Fantasy Tactics series, the new title is actually an action/RPG sporting two player co-op. Clearly, cooperative play is always a welcome addition. And while the story featuring amnesiacs and angst won't win any awards, you actually have some impact on how the story plays out. Finally, an RPG that understands this is an interactive medium. With so many lemons served up in a row, it's hard to be excited for a Sega made game. However, Shining Tears looks to buck that trend in a big way. - Tom |
