REVIEWS

 

nightmare creatures II: for playstation

    It is one of the most nerve rattling games ever created.  You play as Wallace, a demented and mangled young hero who used to spend his lonely evenings as a laboratory test subject for the sinister sorcercer Dr. Crowley.  As the dizzying story unfolds, you discover that the evil Dr. Crowley is in search of some rare occult artifacts that will bring him new powers, eternal life, and all that typical nonsense bad guys crave in video games, and he’s willing to slaughter anyone and everyone to get him.

  maken x: for dreamcast

            The story has all the trappings of any decent anime flick.  The meddling             scientists have created a sentient sword called the Maken, Geist entertains the standard world domination/subjugate humanity aspirations are trying to tell him to kill you.  Throughout the game, you’ll have to make various critical, game-turning choices.  Combat is mostly hand-to-hand  (a first person shooter)  Maken X looks amazing and has a great soundtrack.  Painful voice acting, occasional budget cut scenes, and the lack of any multiplayer support are the only was keeping it from earning the shouts of “Bravo!” and shower of rose petals that accompany our highest rating.

  tony hawk’s pro skater         

The roughness of the Playstation and N64 versions is gone, replaced with clean edges, from the clothes and surrounding environments right on down to the design on the boards.  While Tony Hawk isn’t a long game-you can collect every tape and win every event with one skater in a day-it is a deep one, thanks to skate parks and extensive array of over-the-top tricks.  It’s rare to have such a superb gaming treasure that gets better with age, and this one has done just that.           

Marvel vs. Capcom 2: New Age of Heroes : for dreamcast

"Marvel-influenced-vs." series of Capcom games has never really been about fairness.  Instead, the titles have concentrated more on providing a combo-filled thrilling experience, something this latest incarnation delivers perfectly.  By omitting the "medium" attack buttons, Marvel vs. Capcom 2 makes it even easier to slap out impressive combinations.  Add ability to include your two other characters in certain attacks and combos can reach the 80-hit range.  You can get dozens of hits before your opponent even touches the ground; it's pure insanity, but it's also pure fun.

 QUICK REVIEWS  

  COVERT OPS: FOR PLAYSTATION       rating: 3/5 stars

            Terrorists have hijacked a train, taking a French ambassador and his family hostage.  One soldier is all that stands in the way of a Parisian nuclear catastrophe.  And if you give us a minute, we’ll think of a good reason to save the French.....Regardless, Convert Ops is a solid, if unoriginal, game in the vein of Metal Gear Solid. An uncooperative camera is our mail game play complaint, but commando-game fans will still find this a satisfying diversion.

Test drive le mans: for playstation       rating: 3/5 stars

            The Indy 500 may be the world’s largest sporting event, but Le Mans can’t be far behind-at least not if you're French and a race fan.  You can race a season or go straight to Le Mans and, thanks to time compression, cram 24 hours into 12 minutes.  The game play is extremely fast but less realistic than Gran Turismo’s.

Air Combat: for N64

Although no one seems to know just how many Army Men games exist, the game news is that each addition is marginally better that its predecessor.  Army Men - Air Combat focuses on piloting helicopter in support of Green ground troops as they face off against the Tan menace yet again. It is not profound. but it's the very formula that made this county great, and after the concept of a game based on plastic army men wears thin, you're left with a game that is simplistic but  undeniably fun.