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Sports fans with little interest in basketball video games ... Read more

Sports fans with little interest in basketball video games may want to rethink their stance after getting a look at Sega Sports' NBA 2K3. They--not to mention hard-core basketball simulation enthusiasts--will likely find it hard to keep from being drawn in by the game's picture-perfect detail, engrossing realism and challenging gameplay. Like NFL 2K3, NBA 2K3 is presented in the patented ESPN style. The game has all the sights and sounds of the NBA: the pomp and circumstance of pre-game introductions, accurate arena re-creations, realistic player animations and sizes, and fluid dribbling and shooting (including crossover moves and the ability to change shot direction in midair). All of this is accentuated with special touches such as alley-oops, tipped shots, the ability to make passes on the fly, fierce rebounding battles under the basket, and the added drama and excitement of the ball bouncing off the rim before it either falls in or goes awry. NBA 2K3 offers a host of moves and modes on either side of the ball, with 25 offensive and 10 defensive plays from which to choose. Throw in fully customizable strategy options--everything from player clutch factor to computer shot tendencies, plus all types of shot percentages and fouls--and it's easy to create the ideal matchup and game environment. The limitless roster manager feature also ensures that league and franchise modes will keep from getting stale. Street mode offers a break from the grind of NBA play, allowing you to go two-on-two or all the way up to five-on-five in nine playgrounds and gyms. Pick your favourite players from current teams or choose greats from the 50s through the 80s and go at it as the Ballers vs the Ringers. Street even features requisite trash talk such as "Yeah! You like that?" and grunts backed with "Get some!" --Larry White Minimize

In a year dominated by the World Cup it's inevitable that s ... Read more

In a year dominated by the World Cup it's inevitable that soccer games by the handful will be released into a market keen to soak up as much footie as possible. Enter Konami's ISS 2, the follow-up to their massively successful International Superstar Soccer on the PS2. Being a follow-up doesn't guarantee success, however, and ISS 2 proves it's possible to take a winning formula and contaminate it with a sprinkling of annoyances that take the shine off a game that promised so much. The biggest problem stems right from the heart of the gameplay itself. Player control suffers from stop/start movements, meaning a change of direction can result in instant loss of possession as the opposition sweep the ball away while the player under your control hesitates for a second before performing the desired manoeuvre. Get caught by this a couple of times and you'll realise how exasperating it is and how it breaks up the smooth flow of play. Commentary too is weak and lacks the variety and smooth flow of titles such as 2002 FIFA World Cup--turning it off is the only real way forward unless you're in a sadistic mood. If you can push these issues to one side, the rest of ISS2 is a pretty good effort. Intro screens and menus are comprehensive and easy to use and a wealth of club, national and international sides are presented for your ball-booting pleasure. Action replays are comprehensive and, as has become the norm, can be viewed from hundreds of different angles. Graphically, the game's a treat for the eyes and manages to inject a little humanity into the players (unlike 2002 FIFA World Cup's zombie Beckham, who's more likely to frighten the opposition to death than shimmy round them with a flick of the boot). All in all, though, ISS 2 feels woolly and below par; the inadequacies of the control system make a real dent in the gameplay, which is very disappointing and takes some of the excitement away--it feels more like radio-controlled football then "being there". For best results stick to 2002 FIFA World Cup or try out Sega's Virtua Striker. --Chris Russell Minimize

In Blood Omen 2 you play the bad guy, but the vampires in t ... Read more

In Blood Omen 2 you play the bad guy, but the vampires in the Legacy of Kain series are more likely to talk you to death than get around to chewing on your jugular. Blood Omen 2 is a sequel to the okay-ish original, whose greatest claim is that it spawned two much higher quality spin-offs, in the form of Soul Reaver 1 and 2. The original Blood Omen was a top-down, 2-D, with vaguely Zelda-esque RPG action that sold pretty much on the fact that you were the baddie and could run around drinking innocent people's vital fluids. This new game has the same concept, but because everything's in 3-D it comes across as nothing more than a poor man's Soul Reaver 2. Despite the fact that there's just as much combat in this game as Soul Reaver you're saddled with a very sluggish control system, and the puzzles have been made much less interesting--90 per cent of them involve pulling switches. The game is also incredibly linear and the graphics, although quite detailed in places, suffer from bad slowdown. In short, if you're a fan of the Legacy of Kain series buy Soul Reaver 2 on PS2 instead. If you can take or leave all the vampire nonsense then Star Fox Adventures is a much better entry in the hall of 3-D adventuring fame. --David Jenkins This review refers to the PlayStation 2 version. Minimize

Look no further than Sega Sports' NFL 2K3 if you're seeking ... Read more

Look no further than Sega Sports' NFL 2K3 if you're seeking a more than worthy alternative to the established Madden American football franchise. The game's superb graphics alone are enough to draw in any fan, but its in-depth gameplay realism and ESPN broadcast presentation easily rank this as the finest American football game Sega has released to date. Thanks to its smarter-than-average artificial intelligence, NFL 2K3 sports a somewhat steep learning curve that requires sound football simulation instincts. Knowing your team's strengths and weaknesses will ultimately be a big help if you hope to win at advanced levels. Be prepared to mix up your play calling and make adjustments instead of thinking the same old reliable plays will get the job done. Of course, practice mode is always there if you need to work the kinks out of your game plan and master the multitude of offensive and defensive sets at your disposal. Graphically, sports games don't come much better looking than NFL 2K3. Among the highlights: player animations are amazingly realistic and lifelike, and a wide array of facial emotions appear that are relative to game scenarios; stadiums are painstakingly recreated to take on almost postcard-like feel; and replays access a wide variety of angles to put you right on the field or in the stands. One area in which NFL 2K3 easily aces Madden is its game commentary. As part of the game's ESPN broadcast presentation, announcers Dan Stevens and Peter O'Keefe call every bit of the action in varied detail. Their comments are far removed from stale Maddenisms, offering worthwhile play breakdowns, player assessments, and quips that don't make you wince in disgust (at least not too often). Stevens and O'Keefe, along with the crowd, will let you hear about it when you bite it on the field. --Larry White Minimize

Realistic gameplay combined with total control over your te ... Read more

Realistic gameplay combined with total control over your team make Sega's NHL 2K3 the game of choice for serious hockey fans. The game captures all the intricacies of the NHL, from the furious, hard-hitting action on the ice to the day-to-day decisions made in the front office. Don't like the production you're getting out of one of your players? Send him down to the minors for a few weeks of seasoning to get his game in order. Prefer high-scoring shootouts or 1-0 grind-it-out defensive struggles? Tweak the game's highly customisable AI to set things just the way you like them. Regardless of your preferences, NHL 2K3 delivers the goods to make this a more than passable hockey sim. Like most of Sega's recent sports releases, NHL 2K3 hangs its hat on stellar gameplay and sweet graphics. Little, if anything, is overlooked: players move and react much like their real-life counterparts--goalies are especially acrobatic; the puck seamlessly glides, flips and bounces around the rink and off the posts and goalie's pads; players can be pinned to the boards during a scramble for the puck; missed shots are covered up by a diving goalie or slapped in off ensuing rebounds; arenas are painstakingly re-created and feature music and sounds specific to each. Off the ice, there's plenty of strategy and options to tinker with. NHL 2K3 boasts over 30 sliders to alter effects ranging from ice friction to referee collisions. And, of course, there's the franchise mode that allows up to 250 years of dynasty building. --Larry White Minimize

Tired of snow and skateboards in your search for extreme-sp ... Read more

Tired of snow and skateboards in your search for extreme-sports entertainment on the PlayStation 2? Then why not switch to a (slightly) more conventional form of transport--the BMX bike--with Dave Mirra Freestyle BMX 2? Mr Mirra--the Tony Hawk of the bicycle world--and a host of his professional chums have given their names and likenesses to a game which manages to be extremely tricky and highly entertaining, offering eight unique parks to play in and more than 1500 different tricks to master. It has to be said that the learning curve is quite steep during the first hour or so of play. Tricks fail constantly due to the way the bike handles and though the courses are fairly wild affairs with plenty of opportunities for stunts, many seem impossible to achieve.Stick with it, however, and what you have is a graphically wonderful action-fest that borrows the best bits from Tony Hawk's and SSX and combines them to produce a competent game that cheerfully fills a rainy winter afternoon. The soundtrack is among the best for the PlayStation 2--there's no techno-rubbish here, just steady metal from the likes of GodSmack, Ozzy and The Cult. Graphically, there are some nice touches: the playing environments are large and well designed and there's no clipping. If there's one thing that spoils the overall look it's the fact that the riders have pale, lifeless faces which make them look like extras from Dawn of the Dead.Overall, Dave Mirra Freestyle BMX 2 has a lot going for it; it's not as fast paced as SSX and it doesn't have the instant appeal of Tony Hawk's, but it's certainly chock full of quality entertainment. --Chris Russell Minimize

Viewtiful Joe 2. All our games are in Japanese Format (NTSC ... Read more

Viewtiful Joe 2. All our games are in Japanese Format (NTSC-J). Japanese (Box,package & manual written in Japanese) Minimize

Platforms: GameCube

Platforms: GameCube

Platforms: GameCube

Platforms: GameCube

Metal Gear Solid: The Twin Snakes combines the thrilling st ... Read more

Metal Gear Solid: The Twin Snakes combines the thrilling story of the original Metal Gear Solid with the spectacular graphics and extraordinary gameplay from Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty, using a specially designed engine based on Sons of Liberty. The Twin Snakes thrusts players into a stunning 3-D world of espionage and stealth action. Playing as legendary video game hero Solid Snake, gamers will infiltrate an Alaskan nuclear missile disposal facility occupied by a terrorist organisation called FOXHOUND. While the mission is simple--infiltrate the base, seize the terrorist cell and neutralise the weapons of mass destruction, aka Metal Gear--it is the gameplay that is unforgettable. Metal Gear Solid: The Twin Snakes is an exercise in stealth manoeuvres, covert operations and special ops. Delivering the essence of Metal Gear Solid and MGS2: Sons of Liberty into one unique experience, The Twin Snakes adds new elements to the gameplay that were not available with the original release of MGS, such as aiming and shooting in first-person view, hanging from ledges and opening lockers. Additionally, the game features all-new CG sequences led by Japanese film director and writer Ryuhei Kitamura as well as new character voiceovers, including the voice of the renowned screenwriter (X-Men) and actor David Hayter as Solid Snake. Minimize

Platforms: GameCube