Video games
All photos courtesy www.IGN.com
Devil May Cry 3 PS2
Devil May Cry 3 is hard. Playing through it is an experience likely to be colored with frequent swearing, thrown controllers and destroyed property. But amidst the ruins of sanity and living rooms, there still stands the fact that Devil May Cry 3 is actually a pretty sweet game.
for those masochistic enough to stick with it, DMC3 offers some of the slickest, deepest and downright coolest action seen on the PS2 in years. A prequel to the first two games, DMC3once again follows antihero Dante, as he hunts down his brother Vergil, who has decided to summon a gigantic tower in the middle of Dante's hometown. While initially awkward, the story becomes one of the game's stronger points.
game's stronger points. Technically, DMC3could verywell be the pinnacle of a system meeting the zenith of its hardware capabilities. While not as amazing as other games on the market, DMC3's graphics are exceptional, with beautiful environments, great animation and high frame rates. The sound is decent, held back by occasionally repetitive industrial music and cheesy dialog.
When it comes to the action though, DMC3 soars. The game's combo-based fighting system is surprisingly deep, with a wide variety of attacks available to players. The game also offers a brand new "style" system, which allows players to specialize in dodging, swordplay, gun fighting or defense. Coupled with a lengthy main quest and lots of unlockables, DMC3 should keep action fans occupied for weeks.
occupied for weeks.
In the end, DM3 is one of the most satisfying games available on the PS2—as long as you can afford a new living room when you finish.
—Andrew Campbell
Grade: Afor those who are unfamiliar with Gran Turismo, it's basically a huge racing game that has hundreds of cars from nearly every manufacturer you can think of. From Minis, to Scions and everywhere in between, GT4 gives players an
Gran Turismo 4 PS2
Gran Turismo 4 is a great racing simulator that is extremely realistic in some aspects and not so realistic in others.
between. GTA gives abundance of sweet rides to win/buy and upgrade to your hearts content. Upgrading and tuning the cars you acquire is the essence of the game because without a competitive racer you won't get very far.
competitive leader you want to have. Cars can get different upgrades depending on its own limitations. Engines can be modified to buff up horsepower, flywheels and clutch plates, and other drive train parts can help with acceleration and shifting speed, and even a slew of tires are available to help you keep your wheels on the road and your car in the lead.
the road and your own car.
The graphics have improved a bit from GT3 with some impressive locations and track modeling.To compliment the beefed up graphics, a large music playlist is available for your listening pleasure. Anyway, there are a ton of songs in this game. There are classic rock tunes, original scores and many new songs that are on the radio today. There's just something awesome when the right song comes on during a crucial moment in a race that you just can't describe.
just can describe. G74 introduces a new dimension in gameplay with the B-Spec mode. B-Spec
lets you take control as the pit boss and coach your driver to victory from behind the scenes. As the director, you say what pace to set, when to overtake another driver and when to pit. This mode is great for those extremely long endurance events (and those who aren't really a great driver).
driver. I was a little disappointed that there isn't any damage modeling for the cars and that engine sounds aren't taken from each specific car. Most of the engines sound like a high tuned V-6, which was especially disappointing when I got my new Ford GT'05. Other than a few minor flaws, GT4 is a solid racing game with tons of options to satisfy even the most hardcore racing fan.
Grade: Ayou enter the arena.
After entering the arena you have plenty of options for destroying your opponents. You can douse them in oil and have a Roman barbecue, break their skull, cut their head off, cut them in two, cut both arms off before beheading them, cut their arm off and beat them to death with it, disarm them and kill them with their own
—Nick Finnegan
Shadow of Rome PS2
"Big Roman Balls," I love that bonus. It's what you receive if you choose to use your bare hands instead of a weapon before you enter the arena.
arm them and kill them with their own weapon, impale them on spikes or spears, slit their throat or simply stab them while they are on the ground. If using the weapons gets boring, you can beat your opponent to death. And you also fight animals.
other is a stealthy little wimp with no attacks who refuses to steal the cloths of a maid he just knocked out. The stealth missions suck. After a while you get used to them and they don't take that long.
nent to death. And you take him.
This game rocks, or at least half of it does. Shadow of Rome features two playable characters. One is a former Roman general turned gladiator who does all the cool stuff I mentioned. The
—Dan Hoyt
them and they don't take
Even with the stealth, *Shadow of Rome*
is a game that holds nothing back in creating
a sport so gruesome. "I'm probably
going to spend a week in purgatory just
for playing this," a friend says after I
convinced him he needed to try it.
Grade: B+
Death by Degrees PS2
Tekken's Nina Williams really isn't a character I like to play with, much, so having a whole game based around her doesn't seem like the best idea either. Death by Degrees is another faceless action game without a new story.
Williams is a secret agent working undercover on a yacht, fighting in underground fighting tournaments. I guess her time in the King of Iron Fist Tournaments has been paying off. The story didn't entertain me. Bad guys show up and you must defeat them all. Basically a Jean-Claude Van Damme movie, yet this character likes to fight in bikinis and high heels.
heels.
The controls are something that I've never seen before. The right analog stick is used to launch attacks. The way you point the stick determines where she will launch her attack. It seems weird to use at times, but it's good when you are surrounded by opponents. However, when faced with one-on-one combat, it's easier
to miss hits without precisely pointing the joystick.
joystick.
*Death by Degrees* is nothing special. If you want to play a game like this, I suggest you pick up a Tekken Game and play its sub game. You may have more fun with it in the long run.
18
Grade: D-
—Chris Moore
Jayplay 03.10.05