games@list.co.uk
PS2
GRAND THEFT AUTO III
(Take 2) £39.99 0000
The unique gameplay of the first two GTA games won them a place in the hearts and minds of gamers everywhere. The top-down viewpoint. uncensored language and mindless violence made for an unforgettable experience that bred a population of virtual carjackers drooling over the prospect of a third instalment. And here it is
in glorious 3D.
Yes. GTA //l is a third- person, camera-behind- player climb up the violent ranks of the Criminal underworld. The graphics are impressive. particularly when driving and. as with all Rockstar produced titles. the details are myriad and hilarious. There are a few niggles. The map is poorly executed. combat on foot is very. very difficult and the traffic is rarely more than ‘Iight'. However. the cheekily irreverent
PS2 FIFA 2002 (Electronic Arts) £39.99 00.00
humour and solid-ish game engine almost makes up for the problems. GTA IN is a worthy successor and should be at the top of your wish list. assuming your mum doesnt find out. of course.
PS2
AIRBLADE
(Sony) £39.99 0000
Arrb/ade is one of those mildly irritating games that promises little. delivers a lot. yet still falls aggravatingly short of its potential. Basically it is a skateboarding game. complete yvith all the leaps. tricks and spins of its contemporaries. In a bid to differentiate it from the crowd it has plumped for a futuristic floating skateboard and a rigid game structure that tries very hard to stifle the flow that is the joy of these games.
Another one in the back of the net
A great warrior once said that if you’re going to attack, make sure you fight with everything you have. Don’t hold anything back, don’t dilute your strength, don’t under any circumstances gamble unnecessarily. Well, some might say the same with game releases. Many titles that promise success are released on one platform while the other versions are still in development. The result is a bang when the game hits the shelves, then a period of anticipation by other platform owners, then irritation, then antipathy and by the time they can buy a version that plays on their machine, they are entranced by other, newer software.
Which could explain why the FIFA games do so well. They are released as one, with PC, PlayStation and PS2 owners all getting their hands on the latest footie sim on the same day. It also saves on advertising, allowing Electronic Arts to flood every medium with the FIFA logo, selling a brand rather than a single game on a single platform. This guarantees sales and keeps FIFA at number one.
However, this time FIFA has yet another advantage. FIFA 2002 is spectacularly good fun to play. It feels great, looks great and, with the option of up to eight simultaneous players, it will be a must-buy right up
until Christmas.
And as if that were not enough, FIFA 2002 has explored some new control methods that, shook horror, actually improve gameplay. The passing is sublime, allowing a degree of control, fluidity and realism that has ne’er been seen on any platform at any time. Sure, it ain’t easy, but some impressive player AI helps you along and the results more than make
up for the effort.
FIFA 2002 has done the unthinkable and made the biggest seller a genuine contender for the most playable. Which means that the money spent is anything but a gamble. (lain Davidson)
108 THE LIST 15-29 Nov 2001
Judging jumps. spins. landings and railslides is harder than necessary because you are not touching the ground. while a pointless story arc shackles you to a time limit and specific goals. Both these hurdles are not enough to destroy Airb/ari’e. which remains an enjoy/ably crisp and responsive game. but they do grind you (l()‘.'.’l‘. to the point vxhere you only ever play the freestyle levels. Great fun but limited.
PS’Z
KLONOA 2: LUNATEA’S VEIL (Namco) £39.99
.0.
Retro is the latest thing. If we are not ‘.'.'atcltiiig compilations of tele\.'i8ion clips that have all seen oefore. or uncaring clothes that we were emlxirrassed to be seen in previously. we are playing games that would have graced any of the eight-bit consoles of the past. Korea I? is a good example.
Granted it has beautiful presentation. vxith bright colours. slick aniriia ion and sports the atest style in cell-shading. but at its heart is a two- dimensional platform game. Not that this :s a bad thing: the levels are cleverly constructed and guiding the eponymous. big-eared hero through the many and varied challenges is very enyoyable. lt's lLlSl that. like all things retro. five minutes after the off-- button is pushed there 1s very little to drav: you back. You've done all this before and only hardc0re platform addicts vrill stick yvith K/orioa 2 to the end. ilain Davidson:
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Flight Simulator 2002 WC Microsoft 5‘25). 95% Guaranteed to fly from the shelves.
The Weakest Link W88 Actmsmn $199.95): More money for the Robinson coffers.
Tony Hawk 3 4’8? PSX Act/i.~isi<>ri f‘:l$).5)5i Boarding at its best. Harry Potter
(P8X PC GBC Ei/i
l‘.’_’()— flit), Harry yalio‘.‘
Internet
internet@|ist.co.uk
STAR WARS PERSONALITY TEST www.matthewbarr. co.uk/personality
loye it or hate it. everylxxly resembles a character from Star ‘.'./t'ir':;. don't they"? lt's such a rich. cultural text: the first 1and only ’2‘ post-- 'nodern \‘x’estern’? \"x’ho are you: riia‘.erick cox/boy. Han Solo? l‘t‘il'llllX)‘, Skysxalker’? Bad guy rblack hat Vader"? Digital protocol droid CISPO'.’ OK. it doesi 't guite conforin. but it's fun. Punch in tne uata and fed out whom you yaguely l'(}t;(}.'l‘.l)|(}. for all the .’.'rong "(>asoris;'z’ line l‘i)l'(i(3 wont be '.'.'ith you. that's for certain.
VIRUS MAP
www.mcafee.com/anti- virus/virusmap.asp
V‘ruses are ‘ot gust .‘or geeks these days. ll‘. the violent world of e tc-r'ror'isii‘:. anything is possible and -:>iectron:c
i, iruses are proliferating by the day. To rernfcrce the point. this :s a graphical rc-present;iton of hov.‘ rnucl‘ damage knoyzii 'rtises are causing '.'.'()l'!(l.'.’l(l(‘:. Main targets seem to be the USA {tilt} Bi‘tain. \‘z’l‘ic y'.=ouid hate thought? Get protected.
GUGGENHEIM ONLINE
www.guggenheim.com
UI
‘So long. l "a'ik lloyo \‘Jrightf yelled Sutton and Garfunkel. Yet tne inaii liyes on. bot‘i his legacy of architecture. anu nov. on~line. the Guggenheirii lvluseuni shoy'>.'s no sign of stopping. You must be l-Vas‘n eitabied. as you'd expect from suc'i an exhibitionist site. Go on. he an exhibitionist.
THE VIRTUAL TALKING MACHINE
www.dismuke.org
Vy/llll the rise (and falli of Napster. we've seen the cutting edge of contemporary liltlSlC file sharing. Whack your iniiid back 80 years and retrosi)ectvuely i‘ey/iey'.’ the same technology \‘Jllll this site. 1920s i't’irpni tunes available for your very perusal. .lust arrii yourself With a copy of RealPlayer iwww.real.com) and you can check out tne very best of the 20s blues music scene from one die—hard fan's virtual hard drive.
ROMANTIC HOTELS www.romantichotels. co.uk
I .' if” :f
You'xe messed .ip big tii'te or maybe you're juiSi fee‘ing snuggiy and you need a place to si‘uggie. A guaranteed ‘<>ii"~poster bed ay'.'a:ts you here. regardless (3 .'.'here you choose. They are. v;ondmfully. all in Scotland. Prices start from cheap to expe'isiye. \‘Jith this n‘uch romantic
exc ternent. Valentne's Day can come ear'y. But
then. can". all .‘
DICTIONARY OF DIFFICULT WORDS www.lineone.net/ dictionaryof/difficult words/
l .tt‘e '.'.o"os are good. They are easy. 'Tl‘ey'
; tse. But ‘.'."l;li f you cant 'cng y'xoi‘tisIC‘ lt' you can't tel. 't
tlau.i-.;ireo.yi)e fron‘ ..
tiactyioglynri. a tangra'n from a ta"axac..n‘. a :exiii'ianic trc'ii a ientonm‘fl‘us. ti" s is the s..e ‘or ytxr lt" stretch your \ocaix. a". ‘.'.'i.'l an A. / igzing e' the nardest :armmd. eacn yvith a ‘i".i\ to :ts .lefiittion.
Sheryl some tune vrith
t"e 1.53.)“. .lelii‘vitioiis
here. then iriipi‘ess y‘Our er‘ds y'. tl‘. your new-
\‘ti'lfl al‘ iity to lie suixiersttxyi .t'. til?
.riitrs. bteye btlll'