Xbox
PlayStation 2
GameCube
My third E3 is now complete and the time has come to
compile a best of show list. The difficult task of spotting gems among the hundreds of
game titles showing at E3 is compounded by the fact that most of the games being shown are
only 40% to 80% complete. Over the last three years Ive managed to find some real
winners like Tony Hawks Pro Skater and Dynasty Warriors 2, but Ive also picked
some real stinkers like Jackie Chan Stuntmasters and Evil Dead: Hail to the King. A number
of the games on my list last year are still waiting to be released and a few of those have
made my list again this year (Eternal Darkness, Star Fox: Dinosaur Planet, ICO, and
Munchs Oddysee). Mainly, Im prefacing my list this year because the more times
I try to find that diamond in the rough the more I understand that it is an art and not a
science, a very difficult art. All of these games looked incredibly promising at E3 2001,
and, if they keep progressing how they have been, gamers will have one of the most
exciting years ever. I havent included any Dreamcast, PlayStation, or Nintendo 64
titles; the few games showing for them just couldnt compete with the titles on the
next-gen systems, and so few games are coming out for these systems that there isnt
a lot of choice.
I also haven't listed the games that we know will be huge
hits. Of course you shouldn't miss THPS3, FFX, Metal Gear Solid 2, or any of the other
blockbuster videogame releases due this year, but I also believe that if you're paying the
least bit of attention to the industry you cannot miss these games. Hopefully, my
picks will include games you don't know about yet, maybe even games that won't receive too
much attention, but will be well worth playing.
That said, on with the games.
Xbox
PlayStation 2
GameCube
The Multi-Platform List:
Eternal Darkness (GC)
Star Wars Rogue Leader: Rogue Squadron II (GC)
Pikmin (GC) (working title)
State of Emergency (PS2)
James Bond 007 in...Agent Under Fire (PS2)
Jak and Daxter: The Precursor Legacy (PS2)
Star Wars: Obi-Wan (Xbox)
Munchs Oddysee (Xbox)
Jonny Drama (Xbox)
How to use these lists: You'll
notice that each of the lists are preceded by an index of the titles covered. Click on
those titles and you'll get to a blurb about each game. At the top of the blurb, the title
is again linked, but this time the link leads to a preview page where you can get more
screens and (usually) more in-depth coverage of the game, including the release date.
Eternal Darkness (GC)
This was my favorite game
of E3 this year, while Eternal Darkness appeared on my best of show list last year, back
then it was an N64 title. This year Eternal Darkness was the GameCubes killer app. I
hate to say killer app, but Eternal Darkness makes me want to run out and reserve that
GameCube right now. The bad news is that Eternal Darkness isnt a launch title, but
expect it in late December. Eternal Darkness is billed as a psychological thriller, which
alludes to the cinematic quality of the game. Think zombies, but dont think Resident
Evil. The characters, the architecture, the weapons have all been researched and are
authentic to the over ten characters and time periods spanning thousands of years. The
graphics are simply amazing, rivaling anything on the PlayStation 2, X-Box, or PC. The
lighting effects and the textures are breathtaking, but theyre nothing compared to
the characters. They are by far the most lifelike avatars Ive seen. Their eyes are
always glued to the most important action, their faces give emotional reactions to what
they see, and they have the coolest and most authentic costumes. The camera is always in
the best place, focused on the bad guys or creating a stunning shot from high up in the
architecture. The game play is just as spectacular as the graphics, movement is agile
Mario-type control and there is a unique sanity meter. The more supernatural scaries the
characters see, the less sanity theyll have, and insanity leads to hallucinations.
The hallucinations are seamlessly cut into the game, leading you to a believe nothing and
question reality feeling to the game. Confronting and killing your undead tormentors will
increase your sanity and improve your state of mind. The combat system is simple but
allows for skill development. It creates a seamless system that takes you through swords,
spell casting, and shotguns. Eternal Darkness will give all the grown-ups something to
really look forward to on the Nintendo GameCube.
Star Wars Rogue
Leader: Rogue Squadron II (GC)
Far
and away the prettiest looking game on the GameCube, like Super Smash Bros: Melee, Star
Wars Rogue Leader: Rogue Squadron II doesnt have many surprises in store for us, but
it is one hell of a good looking game. The game takes place in between Star Wars: A New
Hope and Empire Strikes Back. It includes familiar locales like Hoth, Tatooine, and the
Death Star trench, as well as familiar ships like X-wings, A-wings, and B-wings. For the
first time I really feel like the immense scale of the movies space scenes has been
conveyed in the video games (which is helped by the presence of music from the original
movies). The GameCubes new controller handles like a dream, especially when giving
orders to your wing men while shooting down hoards of TIE fighters. I was also impressed
with the targeting system; it mimics the movies low tech style while also being
highly effective. While Im not the biggest fan of space shooters, Im not going
to miss Star Wars Rogue Leader: Rogue Squadron II for the world.
Pikmin (GC)
(working title)
Word
has it that master game designer, Shigeru Miyamoto, came up with the idea behind Pikmin
while he was tending his garden. Pikmin takes place at teeny scale; giant cliffs are
footprints, and ants are monstrous beasts. While the miniature scale is unique, the
gameplay is totally new and innovative. You play a wee spaceman that has crash landed;
your wrecked ship is scattered about and your job is to retrieve the pieces and get the
ship up and running again. This is no easy task but you are able to enlist the help of the
Pikmin, indigenous plant-like creatures. Pikmin can fight creatures, carry objects, and
otherwise assist you. You are able to amass great Pikmin armies -- over 100 Pikmin can be
on screen at once. The game also utilizes a game time day/night system, which is important
because Pikmin are plants and need to be home overnight. Pikmin promises to be a strategy
game like no other, with Shigeru Miyamoto at the helm, I have very high hopes for this
innovative GameCube title.
State of Emergency (PS2)
State of Emergency emulates sheer
pandemonium. It is the near future and the evil ATO (American Trade Organization) has
declared a state of emergency in their plot for world wide domination. You are just a
normal citizen braving the urban riot torn streets in search of justice, or a really nice
and easily looted TV set. The ATO can only be brought down by one thing, utter chaos, and
its up to you to create it. I like to think of State of Emergency as a super
brawler; you can fight through swarms of cops, giant SWAT teams, and hoards of fellow
rioters. State of Emergency promises street brawls with over 100 characters at a time. The
environment is loaded with weapons, from flame throwers and rocket launchers, to
dismembered legs and cash registers. The more mayhem you create, the better, and
dont worry -- the violence is not life-like. The characters and settings look a lot
like the cartoony style of Dreamcasts Crazy Taxi. If youve ever fantasized
about running amok, this is your game: cut loose, run wild, get State of Emergency.
James
Bond 007 in...Agent Under Fire (PS2)
As I was walking through the immense EA booth at this years E3 I caught
James Bond 007 in...Agent Under Fire out of the corner of my eye. I was hooked. I was
drawn in not by the 007 franchise, but by the killer action happening on the screen. As I
picked up the controller I was immediately thrown into the hottest car chase Ive
ever had the pleasure to play. I wasnt driving, but it was up to me, my machine gun,
and my rocket launcher to fend off the bad guys and secure my escape. I launched rockets
into the pursuing cars causing massive carnage and giant explosions on the streets. The
chase met its climax at a fireworks factory adding more fuel to the explosive
frenzy. After that five minutes of game play I was truly hooked, but it is just the tip of
the iceberg. Agent Under Fire includes more than 10 exotic locations and promises a
well-balanced mix of furious action and cunning stealth. Add to that a multi-player mode,
more diving levels, lots of 007 spy gadgets, tons of innovative missions, and youve
got a hell of a game on your hands. If you want lots of action Agent Under Fire is your
game, the fact that its a Bond game just makes it cooler.
Jak and Daxter:
The Precursor Legacy (PS2)
The Naughty Dog team, famous for their excellent Crash Bandicoot series, has
been working on Jak and Daxter: The Precursor Legacy for over two years now and all that
hard work shows. While it is essentially an action game, Naughty Dog has worked hard to
incorporate parts of almost all of the other game genres. From platform puzzle to racing,
Jak and Daxter seems to have it all. You play as Jax, who is looking for the solution to
his best friend Daxters problem. Daxter was knocked into a vat of Dark Eco, some
real nasty stuff, which has transformed him into a ferret type creature. Now the two must
set off in search of the sage that might be able to transform Daxter back to his real
self. The graphics are breath-taking, and to make them more spectacular the world is
seamless, no loading. From one end of the world you might be able to see a mountain top,
and after five hours of play you might be on that mountain top looking back to your
original position. Never before has a world been so complete, so connected, and so full.
Jak and Daxter: The Precursor Legacy is sure to be a game that makes you glad to own a PS2
or makes you go get one, because this game finally makes the PS2 worth owning.
Munchs
Oddysee (Xbox)
If you havent heard about this game by now you are so out of the loop.
Oddworld was made famous in the PlayStation/PC titles Abes Oddysee and Abes
Exoddus. These 2-D side scrollers were some of the most imaginative and beautiful games to
grace the PlayStation. Munchs Oddysee was going to be released in glorious 3-D on
the PlayStation 2, but the Oddworld Inhabitants development team was unhappy with the with
the PS2s hardware and made the controversial switch to Microsofts Xbox. They
must have made the right choice because this game looks gorgeous. Our old Mudokon friend,
Abe, is back this time with his aquatic Gabbit pal Munch. You must play as both characters
to defeat the evil Glukkons and save the creatures of Oddworld. Abe plays a lot like he
did in the previous games; he can possess the bad guys, use "GameSpeak," but now
he can interact with the environments far more than ever before. There are exciting
vehicles, new capitalist "weapons," and power-ups that charge special moves.
Munch doesnt have Abes powers of possession but he is equipped with a
"Sonar Plug" that allows him to jack into the many machines of Oddworld.
Oddworld is living breathing world with days and nights, seasons, and dozens of wacky
species to interact with. The Xbox is lucky to have such an amazing title coming out at
launch. Munchs Oddysee might just be the most important game ever made. Weve
come a long way from the days of Pong, and Munchs Oddysee really shows us know just
how far.
Star Wars: Obi-Wan
(Xbox)
LucasArts has done this game right; battling with lightsabers has never been
better. You play as pre- Star Wars: Phantom Menace Obi-Wan, you must unravel a devious
plot that could dramatically shift the balance of power in the universe; an assassin droid
project. The story, graphics, and style of Star Wars: Obi-Wan are all top notch, and
matched with the power of the Xbox it is sure to be an incredible experience. From
Coruscant and Tatooine, to the lush city of Theed, Obi-Wan must use the forces and his
saber to bring justice to the universe. The control scheme is unique: the right analog
stick works your lightsaber, so for the first time in gaming theres a real
relationship between how youre moving your hand and how the character moves the
weapon on screen. Not only does this give you a greater sense of interactivity, it
actually makes fighting easier and personal skill building much more rewarding. Obi-Wan is
also able to use the force in many ways: pulling guns out of the hands of enemies,
deflecting laser shots, and pulling off the sweetest specials moves. Obi-Wan is one
acrobatic guy; his flips and jumps rival his force power in coolness. The special moves
are high flying sparkly super combos that are executed in Matrix style slow-mo. The
fifteen plus giant levels might not be enough for me; I mean who wants a game that looks
this cool to end. I think that this might be the game that makes me feel the coolest.
Everyone has wanted to be a Jedi, and you start to really feel like a Jedi after
skillfully deflecting a droids laser bolt, flipping over a bad guy, slicing into a
droid on the right and then left, using the force to pull a gun out of a guards hand
as you fling your lightsaber right into his chest, still managing to catch the lighsaber
on its return, then as a grand finale you whip out a special move: in sparkly
slow-mo you jump and flip, driving your lightsaber through the necks of four battle
droids. Now thats what I call cool.
Jonny Drama
(Xbox)
Cel shading is all the rage this year, Jet Grind Radio on the Dreamcast
showed us just how cool it could be, now many game developers are rushing to utilize this
new technology. Cel shading is so because finally games dont have to look like they
were created by a computer, now they can look like theyve spilled from the hands of
a thousand Korean animators. Jonny Drama uses the style to great effect; Jonny is a spy in
a 60s world. Think old James Bond meets Austin Powers, rendered in a old
Warner Brothers style and youve come close to imagining Jonny Drama. It combines the
cartoony style of action adventures with the stealthyness of games like Metal Gear Solid
and Tenchu. Jonny will have the opportunity to don multiple disguises, use cool spy
gadgets, and innovate weapons. Jonny will travel on foot and in vehicles including sports
cars, tanks, and UFOs. Jonny Drama also promises to give us cat-suited vixens, troublesome
pet monkeys, and evil robot butlers; my god I cant wait. There will also be a
multi-player option to fill out this already action packed game.
Sarah
Wichlacz |