Action

Interplay originally believed that the PlayStation version of Descent would be just as popular as the PC offering. They even loaded their warehouse full with thousands of copies to ensure that no one would have a hard time finding one. Well, at the time, the PlayStation was growing enormously, but the consumers that bought the unit picked it up to play MK3, or some kind of fighting or sports title, not a complicated first-person war simulator. So Interplay is to this day stuck with an abundant amount of Descent, but that didn’t stop them from giving those who live off games like this another shot. Thus, Descent Maximum is upon us with a handful of new features and the oh-so-familiar disorienting gameplay.

While this `Maximum’ offering is basically the same as Descent 2 for the PC, a few things have been added and taken out as well. The new options are mainly level upgrades, but for a Descent junkie this is all that’s needed. Descent Maximum is in a way easier to understand than the original offering. Parallax Software added a new Guide Bot feature, which on certain levels will help you find keys, power-ups, and whatever you command it to find. The mission objectives are basically the same. Once again, you’ll need to either destroy a reactor or boss (which there are more of), and then find the exit before the whole mine blows.

Solid control is the key to success in this game, and luckily, Interplay has kept the user configure option in the game. Finding a suitable controller configuration will help ease the burden of being completely out of control on a new level. Most of the time you’ll find yourself in a state of disorientation, you don’t know what is up and what is down.

Descent Maximum is a surprise to all of us since Descent sold so poorly, but we love the game, and we hope that this time around you’ll come and see how much fun it can be. Plus, it’s one of the few games left to still use the prehistoric (or thought to be so) Sony Link cable.

Fox Interactive and Probe Entertainment have teamed up to bring back the non-stop thrill ride of the three Die Hard films and convert them into a user friendly video game extravaganza for the Sony PlayStation. All three games are packed into one disc, thus the motto “more bang for your buck” comes into play. Each game; Die Hard, Die Harder, and With a Vengeance are designed differently from each other, and will surely hook more than one gaming audience.

Die Hard takes you well into the confines of the Nakatomi Plaza as you, John McClane, try to save unarmed innocent hostages from the wrath of evil. All the action is brought to life through the magic of a 3rd person chase plane view, and a handful of immensely powerful artillery. Die Hard 2: Die Harder supports the Sony Mouse along with the Konami Hyperblaster gun for better targeting and a more realistic hands on feel of gun toting. All the terrorist poppin’ action takes place in the Washington/Dulles Airport in a first person shooter view. Multiple weapons like the rocket launcher and shotgun are available for use if you can find them.

Die Hard: With a Vengeance closes off the Die Hard Trilogy with a race against the clock. Timed bombs have been set to detonate all across New York, and it’s up to you and your trusty vehicle to deactivate them. Three views bring the insane pedestrian smacking, car bashing, bomb deactivating action into full context for gamers. Beat the clock before it’s too late.

It’s not often when a three games in one opportunity arises. Fox Interactive has given PlayStation owners an offer they can’t refuse. Die Hard Trilogy will surely make gamers scream Yippie-Ki-Yay!

Syphon Filter joined Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater as a sleeper hit of 1999. Not much was expected of either title, yet when they hit the market, retailers could hardly keep these games in stock. Even a year after its release, the original Syphon Filter is hanging tough and remains one of the PlayStation’s top sellers.

With innovative gameplay and a harrowing mission that keeps gamers submerged in the plot up until the very end, Syphon Filter has been forever etched in stone as one of the PlayStation’s greatest games. The sequel, while lacking in innovation, is running on an enhanced version of the original game engine. Developer Eidetic has made a conscious effort to clean up the look of the game. The texture maps are much cleaner and less pixelated. Even the character models feature more lively appearances. Instead of trying to make the game more acceptable for the entire PlayStation audience, Eidetic has created this sequel for the fans of the original. Thanks to improved enemy AI, the game is much harder, and with powerful new weapons, a whole lot bloodier as well.

With many exclaiming that the play control in the first game was perfect, Eidetic has left the gameplay exactly the same. Targeting explodes in three different modes, and once again, the head shot is the most useful tactic in the game. Enemies can also kill you in one fell swoop with a head shot. To tackle this aggressive new terrorist organization, Lian Xing joins Gabriel Logan as Syphon Filter 2’s second playable character. Lian is equipped with the same moves and arsenal as Gabe, but differs in the slightest ways. For close range combat, Lian utilizes the taser. Gabe likes the combat knife which he can use to hack and slash or simply slit throats.

Syphon Filter 2 is loaded with both FMV and real-time cinemas. There are so many of them in this game that 989 Studios decided to release it as a two disc set. Both discs feature 10 levels and a ton of story material. The most exciting enhancement to this sequel is the addition of multiplayer. Two players can enter a number of mini-arenas and open fire on one another. A slew of characters and additional arenas are hidden and can be unlocked via the single player game.

While Syphon Filter 2 isn’t a big departure from the first game, the slew of enhancements and a more gripping story make this sequel feel like a completely different entity; it has so much going for it that it may even please those who disliked the first title.

Dino Crisis is set on a mysterious island that an operative from your organization has infiltrated. Contact with him and all others has broken down. Taking control of special agent Regina, and with help from comrades Gail and Rick, you start exploring the island compound and soon discover it is overrun with dinosaurs. Like Resident Evil’s Zombies, these dinosaurs are relentless. Through time, you’ll discover that your trusty 9mm pistol is no match for these beasts. Avoiding and outrunning these giant lizards is often the best tactic – until you get some serious firepower like the shotgun or grenade launcher. Standard ammunition is effective, but using the poisonous darts is essential. The shotgun not only shoots shells, but can also shoot darts. Through acquisition and mixing of various chemical vials, players can concoct deadly darts that will put down dinosaurs with one shot. No other weapon in the game has this power. Believe us, this comes in mighty handy in the latter stages of the adventure.

Unraveling the mysteries of Dino Crisis will have a player exploring the compound in search of items that allow access to new areas. The security system is complex and players will have to use keys, ID cards, and code disks in order to bypass locked doors and infiltrate deeper into the compound. An interesting puzzle requires you to use a fingerprint analyzer to scan the hand of a deceased scientist and then use this information to create a new key card. Other mind bending tasks will require the deciphering of cryptic codes to bypass security doors. The most important puzzle or task of Dino Crisis isn’t just solving the game. Beating the game quickly and finding all the possible endings is much of what makes Dino Crisis so entertaining.

There are three different endings in Dino Crisis. Getting all the endings along with beating the game quickly and using few saves or continues will open up a number of secrets – the best secret being the hidden Wipe Out mode. This mode is essentially a series of missions where the task is to wipe out a bunch of dinosaurs in a set amount of time. Other secrets include adding weapons to your inventory at the start and three new costumes.

Dino Crisis is the prelude to the highly anticipated Resident Evil 3 and is perfect to hone your survival skills. It is sure to get your blood pumping.

‘The sweat builds on your brow as a new tick shows up on the motion tracker. Its incessant hum is like a nail driving deeper and deeper into your skull, but yet you heed its call. Something is approaching fast from the left. Like a bullet from a gun the Alien Warrior pounces on you from thin air. Claws scraping…teeth tearing…your heart beats so fast you’re almost certain it will fail. Your instincts take over. In an instant, your shotgun fills the room with the scent of gunpowder and death. This time you got lucky.

This is the world of Alien Trilogy. Loosely based on the three movies, Alien Trilogy puts you in the shoes of the hero, Ripley, as you take on the evil infestation in three different environments: the colony, the prison, and the Alien craft. You’ll start the game off in the colony where you must work your way through its levels to reach the Alien Queen. On each level you must complete a specific goal. Sometimes it’s as basic as exterminating all the Aliens in the area, and other times you must collect ID Badges or destroy crates and barricades. Each episode of the Trilogy is basically the same, except the graphics and difficulty increase from level to level.

Along the way there’ll be plenty to keep you busy. As with most Doom-style games, there are numerous health items to collect as well as weapons and utility items to find. The most important item you’ll want to find on each level is the Auto Mapper. This device will show hidden areas as well the location of switches – which comes in handy when you are running low on ammo. As you move through out the levels, Ripley is able to look up and down with a special look button to search each area thoroughly. She can also run, strafe, and fire two weapons simultaneously.

From gorgeous graphics to a pulsating soundtrack Alien Trilogy has everything a gamer could expect. The action is fast with plenty of gore and lots of Aliens. So watch for Alien Trilogy coming to the PlayStation and Saturn this month.

Weapons & Ordinance
Do you think you have what it takes to stop the Alien horde? It’ll takes guts, nerves of steel, and, as we always say, lots of hi-tech weaponry. You start the game off with just 9mm pistol, but don’t worry there’s plenty of weaponry on the way.

Seismic Survey Charges
You can use these to destroy mass quantities of Aliens, but it’s best to save them for weakened walls and barricades.

Shotgun
The shotgun is second best all purpose weapon in the game (and will be your primary weapon for most of the first episode). Use it to blow Face Huggers away in one shot!

Pulse Rifle
Easily the best weapon in the game. The Pulse Rifle is effective and has a built-in Pulse Grenade launcher for the really nasty Aliens. To get the Pulse Rifle on Level 7 you’ll need to go the room with the three eggs and a switch. Flip the switch and run out and to the left to find a lowered lift holding the Rifle.

Flame Thrower
The Flamethrower is an excellent weapon, but the ammo is limited. Works best against numerous weak Aliens.

Smart Gun
This hi-powered rifle can cut through an Alien in one second flat and then slice a tomato the next (sorry Ginsu!). It takes a while to find this harbinger of death, but once you do you’ll find it irreplaceable against Queen Aliens.

Utility Pick-Ups
Throughout the levels you’ll need to find numerous items, but nothing you’ll find will be as necessary as these. The Auto Mapper keeps tabs on your location as well as reveals hidden areas. Battery Packs are needed to operate switches as well as power the Shoulder Lamp and Night Vision Goggles – that you’ll need to navigate the Alien hive.

Unfolding the Story

September 28: Just 24 hours prior to Leon Kennedy’s first day as a police officer and Claire Redfield’s arrival in the devastated town of Raccoon City, Jill Valentine realizes that little can be done to stop the Umbrella Corporation. Umbrella controls Raccoon City and no one dares to oppose them.

As a member of the Raccoon City Police Department’s elite unit known as S.T.A.R.S. (Special Tactics and Rescue Service), Jill lived through an overwhelming experience just a few weeks ago. At the time, she believed that the nightmare was over and that Umbrella’s licentious experiments in the mansion outside of the city had ended when the entire site was destroyed. However, recent events in Raccoon City have brought Jill to the realization that this is Raccoon City’s last chance – and this is also Jill’s last chance, her last escape.

Resident Evil 3: Nemesis spans four days. During this time it will take Jill through the events that lead up to Resident Evil 2 and, because of mysterious circumstances, it will conclude 24 hours after Leon and Claire have escaped the city.

Can you change Jill’s last chance into a new beginning? Can you fulfill Jill’s destiny on October 1?

Unraveling the Conundrum

Like the previous games in the Resident Evil series, the play of Resident Evil 3: Nemesis is not as simple as just gunning down zombies. Players must use their brains to fix machinery, decipher puzzles, and open passageways. Some tasks can be as simple as finding a key and unlocking a door, but others will have many scratching their heads.

The difficulty with deciphering many of the game’s brain-teasers is two-fold. First, a number of the puzzles offer random solutions. Maybe not truly random, but close, since more than one answer can be used to solve them. For example, the first passcode that is offered in the Police Station can be any one of four numbered sequences. Another instance in the Hospital allows for multiple solutions by having the player push an object onto one of four floor switches. Second, a few puzzles will combine this “randomness” with some number crunching or pattern recognition. Players may spend upward of an hour trying to decipher some of these difficult conundrums.

Solving the mysteries of Resident Evil 3 is often done through plenty of trial and error, as well as by learning the proper sequence of events. Of the three Resident Evil games, this one definitely has the most difficult puzzles.

The Nemesis is Coming

The Nemesis concept, or “Chaser” as he is referred to in Japan, was introduced in Resident Evil 2. In that game, this biological killing machine, known as Tyrant-103, would appear in various locations during the second mission. It was tough to kill and, if you did put it down, it would drop some ammo. The reward outweighed the task as players could easily avoid the Tyrant by leaving the room. Even if you did kill the Tyrant, it would ultimately reappear in another part of the game. Resident Evil 3 builds on this basic scheme, expanding it in the third adventure.

The Nemesis is more aggressive, harder to kill, and will constantly track you. The tactic of just leaving the room will not work with the Nemesis. It will chase you over a wide expanse of rooms. Although it is possible to evade the Nemesis by running, it will then set up another ambush when you least expect it. With the increased difficulty come bigger rewards. If you are skillful enough to take it down, the Nemesis will supply you with a treasure trove of useful items. New weapons, bountiful health, and unlimited ammo will be the fruits of your labor.

Still, the Nemesis is incredibly tough, and you’ll spend plenty of time avoiding this imposing figure.

Scaring Your Pants Off

Resident Evil has always been one of the scariest video game experiences ever made. The series makes our spines tingle and hair stand on end. It might have been the unexpected crash of a window or the first glimpse of the deadly Hunter. Whatever the eerie surprise, we have been conditioned to expect some terrifying events.

The second game was reasonably scary, but used too many of the same fright tactics as the first. And RE3? While you might suppose that you can take crashing glass only so far, Resident Evil 3 defies your expectations. Just when you think you have experienced all the events and all the scare tactics, something changes. One time you may just see a flock of crows, the next time it’s become a pack of dogs. The first time you play through you might meet some lumbering zombies, the second time it will be hunters. It makes us shudder just to think about all the instances of true gaming terror.

The terror is further intensified with the Nemesis. Even though we have played through the game a number of times and know exactly when and where the Nemesis will appear, we still get the chills when trying to escape. One wrong mishap with the controller and it will get you.

Surviving the Horror

New adventurers in the Resident Evil universe have the tendency to destroy everything that moves. This tactic, although very satisfying, quickly depletes the player’s supply of ammunition and leads to difficult situations. If you have played either of the previous adventures, you know that many instances call for evasive maneuvers rather than armed conflict. Even so, in the other games, escaping trouble was easier. The creatures in this game are faster and more numerous.

Resident Evil 3 introduces a new evade move which, when used correctly, will side-step an oncoming attack. It will give you space to fire a shot or run for cover. Over and above figuring out which key goes into which lock, the most daunting task in this game is simply staying alive.

Most often, then, the tactic of choice is to run for your life. Remember, this is survival horror, not suicide horror.

I must say that I owned the import version of Tenchu far before I ever even saw screens of the American version, and after enjoying the import for months I had high expectations of this title. Luckily, Activision did nothing but improve this already solid title.

For the uninitiated, Tenchu is a stealth game along the same vein as Metal Gear Solid with less overall emphasis on stealth. True, your character must stay in the shadows to avoid head-to-head confrontations, but engaging the enemy won’t punish you as thoroughly as it did in MGS.

From the beginning, you are given the choice of two different ninjas a male ninja named Rikimaru, with a katana and more strength than agility (what a surprise), or a sai-strutting female ninja (Ayame) whose speed puts Rikimaru to shame. The overall interface has been cleaned up from the Japanese version and looks much more impressive, in my opinion. The characters look far more realistic and the weapon select screen looks sharper. If you’re familiar with the import, you will surely notice that Rikimaru’s pants look baggy, as opposed to the stretch pants he formerly wore.

The game engine has been noticeably tweaked for the better. Gone are the three-second delays when your ninja shoots the grappling hook onto a roof, most of the complicating and at some times insane camera angles, and the slowdown that were prevalent in the Japanese version. Everything has been revamped so that the game flows nearly perfect. The enemy AI also seems to have been improved, as you won’t be seen in some of the more frustrating situations as before (an example, in the import you would sometimes alert a guard when you were across the street and he was inside a building about fifty feet back, asleep…this no longer happens, thankfully).

A major complaint of mine in many translations is how the video game companies destroy the music in order to apparently please the American audience (Gran Turismo, anyone?). The mood is often conveyed quite well through music, and Activision left the wonderful tunes in this game. I am surprised that they didn’t decide to add rap music and rename the ninjas Garth and Rohonda or some ludicrous “Americanization.”

Enough complaining, however. Simply put, this game rocks. If you already own the import and are not sure if this title is worth it, I assure you that it is. The new levels and fixed annoyance will assure an almost new playing experience. If you like the idea of Metal Gear Solid against the backdrop of Feudal Japan, then Tenchu will satisfy your every gaming need.

I first played Tomb Raider by downloading the PC demo from one of the various sites on the Web. When I played, I fell in love with it, and even though my PC was lacking a 3-D card, I still liked its gameplay. So I went out and bought my copy of Tomb Raider for the Playstation.

I hurried home, popped the CD in my station and…WOW! I started by watching the FMV scenes, which are sharp as a tack. Then after the snappy loading time, the menu popped up. I decided to go to the training level in Lara’s home. I will admit the controls were sort of hard to get the grasp of, but after a couple hours of gameplay, it was second nature to do a backflip, whip out my guns, and start blasting any poor thing in my way, even before I hit the ground!

Now, let’s talk about the levels. The first and the second levels were sort of dull, capping a bat here, snuffing a wolf there, but from then on it was like running the gauntlet to try to complete a level. Some of the levels just want to make you put down your controller a while and just stare at the lovely, rich levels that have been created. For example, on one of the Egyptian levels, you run out of a long tunnel, look around, and discover you are standing on some huge structure, but you can’t tell what it is yet. But when you get to the front of it, it is a gigantic (I mean gigantic) sphinx! The first time I saw it, I stopped just to stare and got mauled to death by a monster, but it was worth it. When you read the back of the CD case, don’t get turned off by reading that it only has 15 levels. These levels are longer than the Great Wall of China! It will definitely take a while to tame this monster.

One thing I missed in this game was a link-up option. I would have loved to turn a corner, see my best friend running towards me, aiming his shotgun, whip out my Uzis, and drop him. But, you can’t have everything.

If you are looking for a solid one-player game that will keep you entertained for months to come, Tombraider is your best bet.

I think I’m about to become VERY unpopular. Tomb Raider II promises so much and delivers so little that it makes me kick myself to think I spent hard-earned money on it. Frustrating, eye straining, and annoying are not qualities I like in a game and those are the adjectives that best describe this sequel.

First things first, let me say I enjoyed the original TR. I should enjoy this one too, considering it’s basically the same game. I don’t though. Sequels should be riddled with significant improvements in graphics, gameplay, characters, etc. – it seems to me that Core wanted to release a moneymaker rather than another groundbreaker. To me, that’s unforgivable. My time and money is worth more than that and I find it insulting when developers worry more about the bottom line than being innovative.

The controls for TRII are the same as they were in the original – poor. Sluggish responses are frustrating to no end and TRII ranks among the worst in that area.

Graphically, get ready for eyestrain. Pixelation prevails and the color choices for backgrounds are horrible. Whites are harsh, blacks are blurry, and the overall effect is grainy and unappealing.

The game’s heroine is the thing that bugs me the most. Lara Croft is the Barbie of the 90s – an anatomically impossible bimbo with a brain. Every video game magazine you open features her in articles or ads and I am sick of seeing her. The biggest improvement in TRII is Lara’s curvier form and a whipping ponytail. Oh, hooray. I wish game developers would stop watching Baywatch, get girlfriends and find out what real women are like.

TRII is the biggest disappointment to hit the shelves in a long time. It’s challenging for sure, the levels are huge and well designed, and it’s a nice change to focus on exploration instead of combat, but for me, its problems are too numerous and too significant to provide a truly entertaining experience. The best advice I can offer is rent before you buy, and see what you think.

This is one of the best games that I have ever tried! Having played the previous two TR-games, I wasn’t sure what to expect from this third adventure, but I must say that I am forever impressed.

First of all, the graphics is simply breathtaking. The lightning effects, the water effects, the smoke and mist effects along with the faster game engine and the higher resolution simply make this one of the best looking PlayStation games to date. Yes! this game really makes your PlayStation look FANTASTIC. The FMV sequences also look far better than before.

The music has also been improved. Now you’ll hear atmospheric music being played a lot more often than before. The music itself has also been improved, the tunes are longer.

The gameplay has also risen to new heights. I never understood why the second title was called “TOMB” Raider II since there weren’t any real tombs at all.

But now the great tomb feeling from Tomb Raider is back with an even stronger atmosphere. (it’s even a bit spooky at times). Tomb Raider II had mindless action popping out of nowhere, but now the action is a lot more exciting. The game has increased in size also making it last even longer, especially if you want to find all of the secrets.

The only complaint I have is that the framerate sometimes drops a bit low, but it happens very rarely. Apart from that the game is perfect.