SPACE REBELLION (PS2) CODE NAME : SPR

SUMMARY

Blast your way through 15 levels of action packed futuristic space warfare. Watch your back as the enemies close in on you with weapons that one could not even dream off day. The future's progress is definately shown in Space Rebellion. Lost lasting game play is ensured by the constant change and evolution of the enemy you are facing, in addition their strategy and weapon will change all throughout the games too, giving you the most complete and exciting mission ever.

SCREENSHOT

PRICE : RM10

DARK MIRROR : SYPHON FILTER (PS2) CODE NAME : DMS

SUMMARY

Gabe Logan is a highly-trained Precision Strike Operative, commanding a black box U.S. Agency that, legally, doesn't exist. Using Precision Strike Tactics, advanced vision technology, and the latest in high-tech weaponary, Logan's specialty is covert operations requiring deadly force. Logan and his team military response, too dangerous for civilian intelligence forces. Logan job is to infiltrate, recon and execute decisively. Once inserted, Logan is his own authority.

REVIEW

Nevertheless, the gameplay is mostly fun. It mixes entertaining shoot-outs with cooperative sequences in which you and a non-player character attack a bad situation together. In one of these, you guide a frightened UN soldier through a toxic deathtrap with your flashlight, and in another, you order Lian to pin the enemy down while you run from cover to cover. When you're simply running around shooting guys, which is most of the game, a decent cover mechanic will usually let you make extremely short work of the enemies. 

From cover, you can safely aim at bad guys without worrying about damage. Combine this with the fact that your first bullet is always dead on no matter what gun you're using, along with the general lethality of headshots, and you'll have no trouble making short work of the legions of foes who throw themselves before your crosshairs. As you get used to the game, you'll become a pro at lining up headshots with pretty much every weapon, and deftly plunk several enemies in a row with single-shot kills. Part of this is due to limited enemy artificial intelligence. (They prefer to stand in the open and shoot.) At any rate, you still feel like a hotshot.

The only real problem is that one button shares two functions: changing weapons and changing firing mode. Late in the game, you'll need to throw grenades and then quickly shift to a high-powered submachine gun to subdue the toughest foes. In the process, it's easy to mistakenly switch the gun to single-shot and waste a very valuable window of opportunity. Aside from this one hitch, the controls are smooth.

SCREENSHOT

MY RATING :  8  |  PRICE : RM10

Recommended : 9

Gameplay : 8

Graphics : 8

Sound : 9

WORLD IN CONFLICT : SOVIET ASSAULT (PC) CODE NAME : WIC

SUMMARY

World in Conflict presents a chillingly authentic Cold War scenario created by best-selling author Larry Bond. The year is 1989, and the Soviets, fearing certain collapse, boldly attack Europe. NATO responds in force only to met on a second front, a full-fledged invasion of the American homeland. Players take on the role of the field commander, leading the era's most powerful military machines in the campaign to retake America's cities and suburbs.

REVIEW

Gameplay quickly ebbs and flows between calling air strikes, reinforcing your force and making sure your units aren't getting their ass handed to them on a plate. Here, the game again excels, with simple, clean and effortless controls of your units, and some of the easiest micro management I've ever experienced in an RTS. The order palette is well designed, with each command easy to see. The two main buttons, one for offensive special abilities and one for defensive, are big enough not to be missed when the heat is on. Resupplying your infantry squads with reinforcement points is never a chore. Of course it's got the depth for micro-managing experts, but, in my view, WIC's order palette provides perhaps the most accessible way of managing individual units in recent memory.

Even something as simple as moving the camera feels clean. You can move without WASD just by moving the mouse if you wanted to. You can scroll super close, inspecting the running animations of your riflemen with military precision, or zoom out to get a more strategic eye on the field. Because you don't have that many units to command, you'll never need, nor want, to stray too far from the whites of the enemy's eyes.

DirectX 10 gamers are in for a visual treatIf the campaign is worthy of an eight-out-of-10, then what elevates WIC above the very good RTS pile is the online experience, through official portal Massgate, which is as easy to navigate as you'd expect. You begin by picking a side, USA or Nato, or the USSR, and then decide what type of role you will play on the battlefield, armour, air, infantry and support. While you'll have access to every single unit, if you want to reinforce with one outside your role, it will cost you a lot more points than normal. What this does is force a degree of communication with your team mates - you won't win without each player fulfilling their role. You'll find yourself embroiled in some seriously intense games, where you'll constantly be laying down tactical aids, reinforcing your troops and coordinating your efforts in a paper, scissors stone fashion.

So the sheer fun of the multiplayer warrants an extra review point. The game is a must buy for RTS fans. Experts will tear through the campaign quickly enough, but it's just the starter, whetting the palette for the main course, a hugely engaging multiplayer extravaganza. World In Conflict is brilliant RTS fun for experts and newcomers alike.

SCREENSHOT

MY RATING : 9 | PRICE : RM10

 Essential : 9

 Gameplay : 9

 Graphics : 9

 Sound : 9

THE LAST REMNANT (PC) CODE NAME:TLR

SUMMARY

In ancient times, mysterious artefact referred to as Remnants were discovered all over the world. Offering incredible power, they so on came into the hands of the covetous few, and thus was the world delicate equilibrium shatted. The people were divided into those who ruled and those who were ruled over. War was inevitable. Our story begins a thousand years later.

Rush lives with his sister Irina on the secluded Eulam Island, a place far removed from the ceaseless battle for control over the Remnant which rages on the mainland. However, his peaceful life is shattered one day when he witnesses his sister abduction by a mysterious group of soldiers. He immediately sets off after them, ill-prepared for the evils of the outside world but determined to find his sister at any cost.

REVIEW

So, what's new for the PC version? Square Enix has completely eradicated the crippling technical issues that plagued the Xbox 360 version. On the 360 and uninstalled, The Last Remnant suffered from awful slowdown, horrible texture pop in and tiresome loading. During battles that involved more than four or so Unions, the game slowed to a crawl when anything other than a simple sword slice was triggered. Character and environment textures sometimes popped in five seconds after a scene loaded. And the game loaded what felt like every five minutes - before a fight, after a fight, in between cut scenes... all the bloody time.


Another useful addition is the ability to add any number of leaders to your unions. In the 360 version there were limits on the number of leaders you could have in your party, which meant you were forced to fill unions with generic recruits. Not only does being able to fill your force with proper characters make your team tougher, but it helps you engage with proceedings because they all have back stories, personalities and voice over dialogue. And finally, SE claims the character animations have been improved, but I didn't notice any difference. Better is the option to select Japanese or English voice-overs, an addition that's sure to please hardcore JRPG fans.

Ultimately though, the primary complaint we had with The Last Remnant on Xbox 360 rings true of the PC version: The Last Remnant is a stale JRPG with interesting combat and lovely graphics. The PC isn't exactly inundated with JRPGs, so for some it will feel fresh and vibrant. If the only thing that prevented you from picking up the game on 360 was the technical issues, then The Last Remnant on PC is for you. But, as was the case with the 360 version, it's hard to recommend if you're anything but a die-hard SE JRPG fan.

SCREENSHOT

MY RATING : 7 | PRICE : RM10

Good : 7
Gameplay : 7
Graphics : 7
Sound : 7

TEKKEN 5 (PS2) CODE NAME : TK5

SUMMARY

As the curtain falls on Iron Fist Tournament 4, Jin Kazama carves a vengeful swathe through his family, defeating Kazuya and Heihachi in furious battle at Mishima Zaibatsu headquarters. Suddenly an army of Jack bursts through the wall and ambushes the Mishima plan. Jin flees and Kazuyabetrays his father by heaving him into the path of the murderous Jack to escape himself. Seconds later, Honmaru, Heihachi is personal residence atop the Zaibatsu is consumed in a titanic explosion with the elder Minisma still inside. A mysterious man in black who has been observing the struggle scans the flaming ruins and intones into his radio 'Heihachi Mishima is dead'

A month later, the announcement the world was waiting for is made; KIng of Iron Fist Tournament 5 is set. The battle begins to determine the fate of entire Mishima Zaibatsu conglomerate and its fallen ruler, Heihachi Mishima.

REVIEW

Namco have attempted to extend the single-player appeal by including an arcade mode that allows you to level up your character from beginner to Tekken Lord. You'll also earn money in this mode to be spent customising your character with added costumes and ever crazy accessories. Fancy a giant fan for hard-man grandpa Heihachi? Done. Fancy mushrooms growing out of Yoshimitsu's hat? Done. Fancy a skateboard tied to Xiaoyu's back? Done. Want to turn Law into a chef? Done (really! You can buy him a chef's hat, ladle and frying pan to wear). Is it worth the hours you'll have to put in to fill every character's wardrobe with crap? For some die-hards maybe, but not for the average Tekken 5 player.

But arcade mode reveals glimpses of what could have been. You can name your character whatever you want, and it appears underneath your life bar, and above your rank. A random name also appears in the same way when fighting computer controlled enemies in arcade mode, some of them quite clearly thought up by members of the development team to appear as if facing other Tekken gamers across the world. It's like they included everything you needed to play the game online except the online option itself.

For now, enjoy the most explosive beat-em-up available on the PS2. I'm not going to mention the optional mode Devil Within (a third-person adventure based on the character of Jin that brings new meaning to the term 'repetitious gameplay'), which was quite obviously someone at Namco's sadistic idea of a joke. That's an aberration I can forgive, since I don't have to play the thing to unlock anything. But other oddities spoil the gamer. Included are complete versions of Tekken, Tekken 2 and Tekken 3, as well as Starblade, Namco's sci-fi shooter from 1991 that quite obviously influenced Nintendo's Starfox in a big way. These blessings satisfy the curious among you who wish to view the franchise's transition from polygonal 3D-fighting to fully fledged side stepping heaven, but you wouldn't play them when you have Tekken 5 to enjoy.

If you've never played Tekken before, or never played a beat-em-up before, you'll love Tekken's instant gratification and spectacular ease with which combos can light up the arena.

SCREENSHOT

MY RATING : 8 | PRICE : RM10

Recommended : 8
Gameplay : 9
Graphics : 7

DIGIMON WORLD : DATA SQUAD (PS) CODE NAME : DWS

SUMMARY

As Marcus, it is up to you to find the missing kids and defeat the deadly Seven Demon King and their evil minion. Team up with a large variety of Digimon to battle evil and solve complex puzzles together. As you and your Digimon partners increase in skill and find new items, your Digimon can be upgraded throungh levelling up and Digivolution. Control over 140 Digimon and evolve them to be powerful enough to save the world!

REVIEW

You'll start off playing as Data Squad member Marcus Damon, whose Digimon is the dinosaur-like Agumon. But before long, you'll be playing as the entire Data Squad, providing you with a small party of Digimon with which to fight. With your party in tow, you'll be sent to various locations to wander around aimlessly and get into random encounters with the same handful of enemies every few steps until you somehow find your way to the end, where you'll usually find a bigger boss Digimon to fight. After that, you'll head back to base to load up on items and head off to your next destination.

Your Digimon will evolve over time, and there's a pretty huge number of different evolutionary paths each Digimon can take. You can influence this process by fulfilling specific conditions, which can include reaching certain experience levels and having an encounter with a specific enemy. The strengths and weaknesses of your party can change dramatically through evolution, which would have been totally interesting, if the game didn't basically play itself.

Perhaps worst of all is the fact that all of this plays out at a snail's pace. The environments are needlessly serpentine, and without a map to refer to, it's nearly impossible to tell one bland screen from the next. The frequency of the random encounters doesn't help, and once you're actually in combat, it seems like a single attack takes forever to play out. This is not because there's so much going on, but because the game pads the encounters out with needless pauses and constant camera angle changes. When you've got three Digimon on each side, it can take several minutes just to make your way through a single round of combat. On top of all that, Digimon World: Data Squad isn't much of a game to look at, with cheap, repetitive environments, enemies, and attack animations.

SCREENSHOT

 MY RATING : 5.5  |  PRICE : RM10