SCANNER
PLAYSTATION REVIEW ISS Pro Evolution (Konami)£34.99 a .-
Goal playing: ISS Pro Evolution
For years now, football games like FIFA, Actua, UEFA Striker and even the recent This Is Football, have suffered from one thing, a black shadow leering aggressively over their shoulders — Konami's ISS Pro. Since its release in the dark ages, it has stood as the benchmark, the apogee that all subsequent games have to compete with, a Sensible Soccer for the 905. Well, it is now the Noughts (or whatever they call 2000—2009 AD) and the
prodigal son returns.
Firstly, ISS Pro Evolution does exactly what it says on the tin; it is an evolution from ISS Pro. It does not, however, constitute a new species. The graphics display a wider variation of animated moves but are very similar to the original. Slightly sticky footballers run around the large playing field, giving a greater sense of freedom than most other games. Some of the international footballers such as Ronaldo or even Colin Hendry are recognisable but, on the whole, the players are uniform in appearance and speed. Everything is neat and tidy but hardly impressive, while the sound is
basic in the extreme.
Yet, ISS has never boasted delicious eye candy. It is the playing of the game that gains your appreciation. This is fast, intuitive and immediate, forcing you to shout at your own stupidity rather than the PlayStation. Passing moves become delightful combinations of speed and cunning and shooting chances must be carefully fashioned rather than presented on a
plate.
Complaints about the original's artificial intelligence level have been tackled by making every player on the park much more aware of his surroundings. This makes Evolution a much more difficult proposition and ridiculous scores are nigh on impossible. This can also lead to frustration though, with defences displaying Godlike organisation and, when playing with five defenders, an impenetrable fortress for strikers to face. Scoring goals requires perseverance, patience and no small amount of ingenuity.
ISS Pro Evolution will dishearten many looking for a quick football fix. However, stick with it and a new take on a piece of past genius will
emerge. (lain Davidson)
However, and there is always a however, this is for RPG fans only Those who found the rntrrcac res of Frna/ Fantasy VIII hard to understand or, more importantly, enjoy must stay well clear of this one If you enjoyed Ba/clrrr"s Gate though, Torment rs more of the same but a whole lot different Bedtime soon becomes a hypothetical concept ilDt
Delta Force 2 (Novalogic) £29.99 ‘-
De/ta Force was one of the pioneers of the Special Forces games, the running point for games such as Rogue Spear and Spec ra/ Ops Utilising the revolutionary Voxel graphics system, rt allowed sneaking and sniping for those without a 3D card and, for its trrne, was great fun
Delta force 2 is rnuc h the same deal, crack troops using insurgent tactics to take down terrorists and such It still mum on Voxels but, ll‘: a time \‘Jher'e Video cards Juggle polygons for fun, this makes the game wobbly, ill- defined and not very pretty to play
Because the processor is crunching numbers for the Visuals, there is little left for the garneplay, resulting in artificial ir'itelligence so poor that most missions are completed alone when your team mates are mown down within seconds
Indeed, the missions themselves aren't that much fun anyway, relying far too heavin on sniping and not enough upc lose combat The redeeming factor is the multrplayer game which can hoch up to 50 players running rampant across the desert If you enjoy this style of game then Delta Force 2 may offer sornethrng a little different Otherwise, plump for Rogue Spear, a much slicker title. tlDl
REVIEWER THIS ISSUE: lain Davrdson
STAR RATINGS
Unmrssable
Very good
Worth a shot
Below aserage You’ve been warned
Totally wired
The weird world of the Web Star Dudes
http://download.theforce.net/stardudes.html
Once again we've got a site that attempts (very well) to condense the first Star Wars film into two minutes. Dazzling lo-tech effects abound here, as does a strange necessity to call everyone 'dude'.
Dumb Laws http:I/www.dumblaws.com/
A site getting qurte a bit of puberrty recently. Did you know that in York, it :s still legal to shoot a Scotsman With a bow and arrow? Except on Sundays. There goes the weekend t0urrst trade from north of the border.
Psycho Studio
http://www.saulbass.co.uk/ psychostudio/psychostudlo.html
Psycho is a ClaSSIC film, we all know that However, perhaps y0u w0uld have directed the shower scene a little bit differently, Here you get y0ur chance to cut together the famous scene in any order from exrsting footage. My verSron shows Janet Leigh getting stabbed back to life.
TV Go Home
http://www.tvgohome.com/
This is a spoof TV gurde, something along the lines of Radio Trmes meets VI/. Try playing Goose Challenge, a game show in which people dressed as geese race tlirOugh Britain's deprived, crime-ridden inner crtres srngrng songs from the 80s It only TV itself would live up to it.
William Shatner Acting Simulator
http://www.hecklers.com/ simshatner/simshatner.php3
Absolutely uncanny A co|0ur coded guide to speaking like the great man, complete wrth cartoon graphics It takes acting to a new, final frontier Rug Optional.
Apology Note Generator
http://www.karrnafarm.com/formletter.html
‘Sorry' need not be the hardest word, anymore. With this apology generator, begging forgiveness is easy Just construct said apology from a host of stock phrases, and you've got one for every occasion Soon, you’ll start apologising ‘or things you haven't done.
Head Ball
http://www.braincraft.com/headballi.html
There’s a song that asks ’Whatever Happened To Pong7’, the game that started the electronic gaming revolution. Two bats and a ball Simple Addictive Nov. give it some 21st century treatment, and the obvrous change rs to use somebody's head for the ball Good, clean, decaprtatrng fun. rSteve Bldlfl
2-l6 ‘.'.a.' 2000 THE “ST 105