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SOCOM: US Navy Seals Hands-on Preview (PS2) |
July 26, 2002 |
Sony's betting big money on SOCOM: US Navy Seals, and from what we've
seen, it's a safe bet. The game is being pushed as an online multiplayer title, but the
single player game is really great already. Nice AI, team strategizing, serious realism,
and just plain fun gameplay should get it on your list of ways to avoid homework. Click here. |
Altec Lansing XA3021 Speakers Review |
Altec Lansing is making a big push
this year in the console gaming slash home theater arena. Their XA3021 speaker setup enhances your TV sound,
adding some booming bass and nice mids and highs. At $100, this setup dominates its price
range. Plus, that subwoofer looks like a bomb. How cool is that? Click here. |
Scooby Doo: Night of 100 Frights Review (PS2) |
Like, wow, folks: Scooby Doo: Night of 100 Frights
is an amazing rendition of the cartoon and a great play while it lasts. Sure to satisfy
the younger crowd, and pleasing to us old fogeys who "get it", this title is not
without its flaws. You'll definitely want to get the scoop here. Yoinks! |
Lost Kingdoms Review (GC) |
The Gamecube has been devoid of RPGs,
and that makes many gamers sad. Fortunately, Activision has stepped in with Lost Kingdoms, a strange
little RPG that uses a collectible card game battle system. Sound strange? It is. But it's
kind of fun, too. Click here
for more. |
Space Race Review (PS2) |
When this game came out for the
Dreamcast it was a hit. And it's still a super good game. Space Race on the PlayStation 2 brings
back all the same tracks and characters with just a few enhancements. Bottom line: If you
own the DC version, don't sweat this one, but if you haven't tried Space Race and if you
like kart racers at all, click here
now. |
All-Star Baseball 2003 Review (GBA) |
Derek Jeter and co. are now portable. All-Star Baseball 2003 offers up the
best baseball action on the GBA, and is probably the best sports title out right now for
the system. If you're itching for some out-of-the-park action during those summer
roadtrips, click here. |
Shantae Review (GBC) |
Shantae is a sexy little half-genie. She
dances in a club for money by night and fights sexy little enemies by day. She is Sequin
Land's only hope for salvation from the evil (but sexy) Risky Boots' dastardly plans. It's
a GBC title, with enhancements for GBA, but still worth a look. Cute and quirky, this game
has a DDR-style clone built in and a monkey. What
else do you want? |
Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones Review
(GBA) |
The prequel trilogy's GBA titles have
not been good, and Star Wars Episode II:
Attack of the Clones is only slightly better than Phantom Menace. Neither title offers
much entertainment. Click here for the rev. |
PSA: Give Us A Break |
GamesFirst!
will be on hiatus for a couple of weeks. We're undergoing the first of some major changes
to improve the site, and during this time we won't be updating. Have no fear, we'll be
back before you know it. In the meantime, browse the
archives, download a PC Demo (or the America's Army game
for free), or check out some Console Trailers. See
ya real soon. -- Shawn |
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Moto GP Review (Xbox) |
July 20, 2002 |
THQ and their developer,
Climax, have done a bang-up job on their latest motorcycle racing sim. Benefitting from
some RPG elements and a huge array of bikes and riders to choose from, Moto GP looks to become the Gran Turismo of
motorcycle racing. It's a lot of fun, and really, really pretty to look at. Click here. |
Warlords Battlecry II Review (PC) |
Ubi Soft
and SSG bring us some old-fashioned isometric perspective, but the gameplay in Warlords Battlecry II is
completely modern. Incorporating some RPG elements not only increases your investment in
units and characters, but adds a twist that makes this already really fun title into an
addictive must-play RTS. Check
it out here. |
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Interview:
Richard Garriott (aka Lord British) |
July 18, 2002 |
Aaron Stanton was lucky enough to get some quality time with one of
the legendary figures of gaming. Known for his eccentric qualities, including adventure
vacations and his alter ego Lord British,
as much as for his foundational role in creating Ultima Online and continuing
participation in MMO projects like Lineage, City of Heroes, and Tabla Rasa (working
title), Richard Garriott is THE man
right about now. With MMORPGs at an all-time popularity high, and many new titles entering
the fray, Garriott was kind enough to chat about his projects, game design, why consoles
won't succeed online, and much more. Get
the interview here. |
Test Drive Review (Xbox) |
Va, va, vroom, Test Drive is a pretty package. Lots of
multiplayer modes and tons of cars to drive give it some quality bang for your buck. Take
some spins around the track, admire the tight controls, and get your fender ripped off by
a two foot tall fern. It's got issues. Get the whole story -- click here. |
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Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind Review (Xbox) |
July 13, 2002 |
Bethesda Softworks gets the
prestigious honor of gracing the Xbox with its first RPG. Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind is a great
start for the system, and a wonderful example of how cool RPGs can be. Eschewing the
Japanese tradition, Morrowind should throw many console gamers for a loop in the best
possible way. Click here. |
Brittney's Dance Beat Review (PS2) |
She's not yet a woman and
not just a girl anymore -- now she's a digital character on your PS2 (and we can only hope
THQ will have a sense of humor and make her a playable character in one of the WWE
titles). Brittney's Dance Beat is
awesome if you are in the right target audience, and you already know if you are. If you
dig dance games, or really love dancing gams, click here. |
Get Your America's Army Right Here! |
Soldier,
you'd better wax up that modem and get your keister glued to the download meter so you can
fully immerse yourself in the real world of defending the US of A! The makers of America's Army (the US Army) have
treated us to a bulky prelude to the full release, scheduled for this fall. America's Army
Recon is the first installment, and is available for free from our PC Demos page thanks to our good friends at Gigex. Click here or wish you had. |
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Warcraft III: Reign of Chaos Review (PC) |
July 03, 2002 |
Forget Fourth of
July holiday picnics and fireworks display. Give us a fast LAN, a dozen of our closest
friends and family, and Warcraft III: Reign
of Chaos, and we'll be just fine. Blizzards latest triumph is another unqualified hit.
If you can stand to wait another minute before you run out and buy it, click here for the review. |
No One Lives Forever Review (PS2) |
Sierra brings its
classic FPS franchise to the PS2, and all we can say is that Cate deserved better. No One Lives Forever is a disappointing console
port, right along the lines of Half Life for the PS2. You can't beat the story and some of
the gameplay in NOLF, but it is severely flawed. Click
here. |
Le Mans 24 Hours Review (PC) |
PC gamers who love racing
sims should be very, very happy with Le Mans
24 Hours. Featuring a broad selection of vehicles, a nice assortment of tracks, modes
and options, and an attention to detail that is refreshing, this latest simulation is a
must-play. Click. |
Shifters Review (PS2) |
3DO does it
again. Shifters is a bad game, plagued
with bad graphics, bad controls, glitchy play, and no real inspiration. The concept of a
shapeshifting, "cast & slash" fantasy action game could have been pretty
cool. But this isn't the game. Click here
for more. |
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Mace Griffin Bounty Hunter Preview (Xbox, PS2, GC) |
July 01, 2002 |
Crave brings us a way cool combination of space and planet based first
person shooter. Mace Griffin
Bounty Hunter creates a seamless world where you chase down bounties, cap on aliens,
fly around several different spaceships, and generally rule the universe. So far there
isn't a downside to this one. Click
for more. |
Shadowbane Preview (PC) |
Ubi
Soft and Wolf Pack Studios have teamed up on a seriously ambitious MMORPG. Shadowbane promises to put players in
control of a world and have that world stay interesting and dynamic. Impossible?
Maybe. But playing characters with wings is pretty dang sweet. Click here for a thorough rundown. |
Gladius Preview (Xbox, PS2, GC) |
LucasArts decided to take a fantasy-oriented route with Gladius, which pits you against gladiators
in arenas from Rome to Hades, but the liberties they've taken should only disappoint those
Classics majors and Roman Empire buffs. The rest of us might enjoy hurling fireballs at
our foes. In an RPG-style strategy type game. Sounds fun. |
Star Fox Adventures Preview (GC) |
The
high-flying, dogfighting, cuddly, fuzzy savior of the galaxy is back, and this time on a
planet of dinosaurs. Star Fox Adventures
has a steamy and sordid past -- brief fling with the N64, merged with a dinosaur game --
but from what we've seen the finished product looks like it just might work. Lube up that
Arwing. Click here. |
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