Bandits: Pheonix Rising
May 27, 2003
Car combat has always been a favourite of mine, especially on the consoles where games like Twisted Metal Black, and Vigilante 8 shine. They have always had this great fun about them combining two enjoyable elements, driving and shooting, into one all out brawl-fest. Developer GRIN with publisher Tri Synergy Inc, create a fairly straightforward game which while fulfilling your need for fun action, doesn’t offer as much as you would like. Read more
Uplink: Hacker Elite
May 26, 2003
“Uplink: Hacker Elite” takes place in the near future, where hacking is still illegal, but all the companies employ private hackers to steal information, sabotage projects, or otherwise cause mayhem to the competition. As a new hacker, you are given access to a basic gateway (not the computer company) mainframe which you log onto remotely to accomplish your hacking missions. The game begins with a tutorial that helps you get a feel for what you need to do and what tools that you will need to employ to get it done. (Skipping the tutorial is a bad, bad idea.) Read more
Purge
May 24, 2003
Purge is not a name that many would think of for a game, but it is. An online game set in the distant future, this game is a battle between science and religion. It is a time when androids and cyborgs are the fighting forces and rulers of the day. Those who are fighting on the religious side, the Chosen, feel they are the ones to rid the world of the mechanical humanoids, the Order. Read more
Dominions: Priest, Prophets and Pretenders
May 23, 2003
Dominions is one of the more unique titles I have come across in some time. With a few notable exceptions, I have found most strategy titles on the market lately to rather cookie-cutter or just too simple. There is plenty of depth to Dominions though. The basic premise behind the game is the competition between gods as they vie for control of their world. This takes place through the development of your domain, magic, heroes, and armies. Read more
E3 2003 Wrap-Up
May 16, 2003
I really hate saying goodbye. I had to say goodbye to my new baby puppy, cat, and fish to leave for E3. (Okay, I am a dork). Now I sit on a plane heading back to Texas and I have to say goodbye to E3. For six years now I have attended the show…. For six years I have had to say goodbye to all the great titles. But for some strange reason, this year, it was much easier to leave… Read more
E3 2003 Journal 5/16/2003
May 16, 2003
In the final day of the E3 2003 Convention, LucasArts was the highlight of the day. However, they weren’t the only appointment we had. Read more
Iridion 2
May 16, 2003
Most of you probably remember the first Iridion released long ago as one of the original GBA launch titles. For many, Iridion was a lackluster release which seemed rushed and void of all substance, which of course isn’t necessarily bad considering Iridion is nothing more than a fast paced, high energy shoot-em up reminiscent of earlier games such as R-type.
After turning on my GBA and watching the B-movie intro cinematic, I was treated to a great song coming out of the little speaker. Honestly, I haven’t heard music this good from a GBA game since the original Golden Sun. So instinctively, I plugged in my headphones to get a real stereo experience from this little cartridge. The sound effects on top of the great music are decent, but typical for such a game. They’re nothing too spectacular and you’ll probably find yourself turning the sound effects down and the music up in the options screen.
The graphics are much better than they were in the original Iridion, even though they were good to begin with. The game has progressed from a typical behind the ship view to a more isometric overhead perspective. The background level graphics are amazingly detailed and anti-aliased and will make you wonder how your little GBA can churn out such graphics. However, the enemy, obstacle, and ship designs are basic and not nearly as pretty as the scrolling background that dominates your senses. Overall, the game is mighty pretty and will hold your interest graphically.
When it comes to games like this, gameplay and control are the only things that really count. When there are hundreds of bullets and enemies flying at you, you want to be able to quickly dodge them and then easily get back on track. That is exactly how the control is in Iridion 2. The gameplay is precise and consistent, with no slow down or glitches that cause you to lose control and your concentration.
In comparison to the first Iridion, they did a good job in achieving another great shoot em up adventure that you will laugh, yell, and cry out in frustration at. I’d recommend this game to anyone.
Iron Storm
May 15, 2003
Things that need to be in a World War 2 game: 1) New story. 2) New angle. 3) New weapons and plot. 4) John Wayne. Iron Storm gets 0 out of 4. Somewhere within gaming world a fine line exists between an ideas that works and just another mass-produced knockoff title. In Hollywood, films try to stay away from this deadly loop by basing their movies, say, one World War II but by showing an entirely different aspect of it. For example, Private Ryan, Stalag 17 and John Wayne all involved the war but were entirely different. However, this does not apply to Iron storm, another sub generic FPS with a bland WWII skin. Read more
THQ and Nickelodeon Team Up
May 15, 2003
Nickelodeon and THQ has announced that several titles will be released this year from cooperation between the two companies. These games will features some of Nickelodeon’s highest rated cartoon characters and THQ’s consistent reputation for fun and entertaining kid’s games. Read more
E3 2003 Journal 5/15/03
May 15, 2003
In the second day of the E3 conference, we had all three big console makers on our schedule. The day started off at 9 AM with Nintendo. However, the team that does the appointments was running late and we didn’t get to start until almost 9:20. This caused our thirty minutes with Nintendo to be cut well short. Read more