|
| ||
It plays like a dream, its graphics exceed expectations, and it's Nintendo's most ambitious title to date. That's right, folks. The time is drawing near for the much-anticipated release of The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time. In a few short months, you too will have the chance to save Hyrule from the clutches of the evil Ganondorf and rescue Princess Zelda. On the visual front, players are sure to be impressed by the complexity of the varied environments, from vast expanses to castle courtyards, all demonstrating texture-mapped polygons finely tuned far better than any N64 game thus far.
| |||
|
| |
Square President Tomoyuki Takechi officially unveiled the future of their flagship franchise with the announcement of Final Fantasy VIII is on the way to PlayStation. The epic RPG will star two male characters, a hero named Squall Leonhart and retired soldier Laguna Loire. These adventurers supposedly live in totally different worlds, although these realms will intersect at an undetermined time. A full-motion video preview captured a quick glimpse into the world of FF VIII, rife with hi-tech military technology like a squadron of fighter jets and a fleet of seafaring ships. A flash of battle scenes showed a hint of gameplay, indicating far more realistic and proportional character renders as well as more complex battlefield arrangements. | ||
|
| ||
Rare's Perfect Dark was a stand-out showing at E3. In-development from those that brought the wonders of Goldeneye 007 to your TV screens, this spy-fi thriller is a first-person adventure unlike anything yet seen on current-gen hardware. This title promises to combine elements of stealth, action, and strategy into a cross-genre experience that sufficiently captures the life of a super spy. It stars secret agent Johanna Dark on a mission to infiltrate the murky underbelly of DataDyne, a company storing alien lifeforms. Dual pistols in hand, she will take on a sub-sea crash site, a hidden Air Force base, and much more to learn the truth. Premier footage showcases astounding graphical improvements, from cinematic lighting to realistic textures. | |||
|
| |
In partnership with Universal Interactive, relative newcomers at Insomniac Games are preparing to take flight with Spyro the Dragon, a 3-D platform-adventure on the PS-X. Playing as the titular beastie, you are entrusted with the quest to save fellow dragons from their crystalized prisons. Spyro can perform the standard suite of moves of a 3-D action title, but has an assortment of specialized dragon abilities including fire breath, horn-attacks, and gliding downwind. Spyro promises six enormous worlds containing upwards of 30 free-roaming stages. Even in an early state, this disc showcases a fair amount of clever visual effects as well as lovely Disney-like model animation with smooth-edged polygons. | ||
|
| ||
Intelligent Systems is hard at work developing a sequel to the critically acclaimed Super Mario RPG. Our early impressions are positive, albeit skeptical that this will live up to the SNES original. Square will not be involved in the project, you see, and Miyamoto described this project as an RPG for "youngsters." These worries notwithstanding, beta screens reveal a strikingly original artistic style for Mario's next adventure. This game appears set in a pop-up book of sorts, with 2-D sprites atop a 3-D environment (a reverse of Yoshi Story). The result is an intriguing and imaginative aesthetic. Gameplay details remain scarce at this early juncture, although we can confirm Mario will be joined by companions like Poochy to assist with battles. | |||
|
| |
The incredibly hyped Metal Gear Solid was, at long last, in a playable state at E3. Described as a tactical espionage action game, this cross-genre treasure one truly has it all. Here's the lowdown. "Metal Gear" was a government black ops project comprised of highly volatile mechanized tanks. A former special agent named Snake is tasked with taking out his former compatriots at the Foxhound Space Seals in their plot to steal nuclear warheads. Unlike in your standard action titles, MGS does not force the player to go up against adversaries. It instead rewards non-confrontation. Stealth maneuvering is the name of the game, a tricky proposal when dealing with, as Konami calls it, the "incredibly complex artificial intelligence" of the computer characters. | ||
|
| ||
Turok 2: The Seeds of Evil was the singular highlight of Acclaim's E3 booth, an area otherwise crowded with yawn-worthy sports entries. Iguana Entertainment seeks to outperform their original rock-star hit with a follow-up containing immense stages, deadly dino encounters, and killer action. This sequel will focus less on platforming elements in favor of puzzle deciphering and will introduce fancy specialty weapons for specific use-cases - like a torpedo launcher for an underwater segment. A refreshed arsenal of weaponry will be especially welcome for T2's all-new four-player deathmatch. A twist on Goldeneye, player can either brawl head-to-head, go 3-against-1 in "Hunt" mode, or battle cooperatively in a team-focused setup. | |||
|
| |
Virgin Games attracted major attention to their E3 booth with Thrill Kill, a terrifically bloody fighting game coming soon to the PlayStation. Apparently made for carnage-lovers who believed Mortal Kombat too kiddie-like, this fighter from Paradox encompasses such loveliness as skull crushing, torn limbs, and so on. TK's hellish tournaments allow for free-for-all multi-player with up to four brawlers at once, or two-on-two matches if preferred. Each fighter has 50 exclusive melee attacks, including punches, kicks, and special combo moves. One character, a contortionist named Violet, bends opposing fighters into bone-crushing pretzel holds with accompanying sounds to invoke an instinctual cringe. | ||
| Click for Previews From Last Issue |
Check Out the Side Bar or Player Sitemap Below for Links to Various Features and Reviews! |
