Rockstar Games’ cornerstone Grand Theft Auto series returns for a third run through the 128bit generation, with this violent, maturethemed thirdperson shooter and missionbased driving game. Set in the early1990s gang culture of “San Andreas,” a fictional U.S. region modeled after California, the adventure plays out across the entire virtual state, with action centered in its three main cities: Los Santos (based on Los Angeles), San Fiero (San Francisco), and Las Venturas (Las Vegas).

Like its immediate predecessor, Vice City, San Andreas strives to provide a wide, deep foundation for its freeform criminal gameplay by setting the story in a slightly exaggerated representation of a familiar (if not glorified) American subculture. As Vice City seemed inspired by Miami Vice, and the pasteldecked, “me generation” ideals of the early 1980s, San Andreas is set in a time and place suggested by films like Boyz N the Hood, Menace II Society, or Colors, where riots eventually brought a whole city to a halt and awakened new consciousness across the country.

Players take the role of a young man named Carl “C.J.” Johnson, who thought he had escaped the gangland lifestyle by moving away from his Los Santos home. When his mother is murdered, he returns to the neighborhood of his childhood, only to become embroiled with threats and danger from all sides. Because of his family and friends who remained in Los Santos, he’s considered an enemyonsight to rival gang members. Even worse, perhaps, the corrupt local law enforcement frames him for a crime he did not commit.

To clear his name and save his family, C.J. sets out on a long journey that will lead him all across the state. More than any earlier GTA game, San Andreas features strong elements of roleplaying and character development, encouraging players to customize their version of C.J. as they play through his adventure on their own terms. Unlike the protagonist of GTA 3, or Vice City’s Tommy Vercetti, C.J. isn’t really working for some underworld organization or crime boss mastermind he’s out to take care of himself and his own family. He is not driven by the immediate promise of wealth or promotion; his goals are far more personal. He must steer the direction of his exploits, to follow them to a satisfactory end.

Also in the theme of giving more control of over the lead character’s development, players will take care of C.J.’s daytoday needs. Food presents the easiest way to replenish lost health, so when he is hungry, he’ll need to eat perhaps at one of San Andreas’ fast food chains, like “Cluckin’ Bell,” or “Burger Shot.” If he doesn’t eat enough, C.J will become thin and weak, but too much fast food without any exercise will cause him to grow fat and slow. Players can also choose the clothes that C.J. wears, and have him get customized tattoos.

C.J. has to come up with any money he needs for these things on his own, however, since there won’t always be some boss character waiting to pay him off as he completes his missions. One way to scratch up some quick cash is by robbing homes at night. When he jacks the right kind of van and puts on his ski mask, C.J. enters a stealth mode, and is more likely to be able to sneak into a house, nab some valuables, and head off to the local fence before the residents even wake up.

Overall, San Andreas is in the same format and style that won millions of fans for GTA 3 and Vice City, but it features a number gameplay adjustments and improvements. In addition to C.J.’s stealth mode, he can also swim; a wrong turn off the pier will no longer result in an instant trip to the emergency ward, and if all else fails, the protagonist may even be able to evade pursuers by taking a quick dip. The game’s targeting system has also been adjusted. Using triggers and both analog sticks (a la Manhunt), players take more complete control of C.J., and can have him run and strafe, change targets, and shoot in almost any direction, even while moving in another. ~ T.J. Deci, All Game Guide

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The adventure begins when Lara is hired by a powerful syndicate to retrieve a mythical object called the Scion. As Lara searches ancient tombs and isolated worlds that have lain undisturbed for thousands of years, she discovers that she is not alone. Not only has she awoken their fearsome guardians but also there are others desperate to learn the Scion’s dark secrets.

Celebrate and commemorate ten years of Tomb Raider and Lara Croft with Tomb Raider: Anniversary, a new action adventure inspired by the original Tomb Raider video game, one of the greatest action adventure games of all time.

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An experiment at a secret research facility has gone catastrophically wrong. Daniel Lamb and Leo Kasper are the only surviving subjects. The Pickman Project will stop at nothing to hunt them down and stop the truth from getting out.

Demented screams echo around the dank asylum that has caged you for the last six years. You open your eyes. A white-coated body slumps to the floor through your shaking hands. A bloody syringe slips from your arm. Waves of confusion and paranoia crash over you. You have no idea who you are or how you got here.

The door to your cell is open. One choice. One chance. They took your life. Time to take it back.

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Take the role of the beautiful, dangerous, genetically enhanced Max to serve a little justice to a forlorn, near-future world in James Cameron’s Dark Angel. As in the speculative fiction action series on which the game is based (and which was dropped from Fox’s Friday night lineup a season before the game’s release), players enter a post-apocalyptic Seattle, WA, where high-tech science fiction gadgetry is juxtaposed with sordid, urban desperation.

Trusting few aside from her computer-genius companion Logan, Max must challenge the cruelly mercenary Manticore group to save other “super soldiers” who, like her, were engineered to be soulless, military machines. The action takes place through a variety of environments that will put Max’s enhanced speed, strength, and agility to the test. Dark Angel features the voices of Jessica Alba and Michael Weatherly, the actors who portray Max and Logan on the television show. ~ T.J. Deci, All Game Guide

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The first official sequel to an existing Final Fantasy game, Final Fantasy X-2 continues the story of Yuna as she and two female companions set off on a combat-filled adventure to rescue hero Tidus from captivity. Taking place two years after Yuna’s epic battle with Sin, the game also stars Riku and a new character named Paine. Once again actresses Hedy Burress and Tara Strong reprise their roles as Yuna and Riku, respectively, and are joined by Gwendoline Yeo as the voice of Paine. While many of the settings will be familiar to Final Fantasy X players, albeit expanded upon in certain areas, a number of changes have been made to the core game engine.

The Sphere Grid used to build a character’s class has been replaced with a job system that has characters instantly switching between roles during battle. Jobs are represented by costumes, with each transformation influencing a character’s hit points and abilities. Yuna, no longer aided by the powerful spirits known as Aeons, has learned the fine art of pop singing, which can lull enemies into a daze long enough for others to attack. The turn-based battle system used in Final Fantasy X has also been dropped in favor of “Active Time Battle” found in previous installments. The game’s structure has changed as well, with players being given a series of missions to undertake in any order instead of following a scripted path towards the conclusion. ~ Scott Alan Marriott, All Game Guide

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The bestselling PlayStation 2 game of 2001 returns with a new city, theme, and an assortment of enhanced features. Grand Theft Auto: Vice City offers the same goanywhere style of play as its violent, Mrated predecessor but with an area twice as large as Liberty City to explore in a completely different setting.

Inspired by the look portrayed on television’s stylish crime drama Miami Vice, the game takes place in the 1980s with criminals wearing pastelcolored suits, bikiniclad babes relaxing on sandy beaches, and palm treelined streets bustling with motorcycles, cars modeled after Ferrari Testarossas, and more. Players can now enter buildings like hotels or discos and walk through hallways to visit rooms.

Players can embark on a series of missions to build a reputation or simply explore the city, hijacking one of 120 vehicles (including motorcycles) and wreaking havoc on foot with an arsenal of 40 different weapons. The targeting mode has been refined once players leave their vehicle, with the camera taking a fixed position behind the character’s shoulder and an autotargeting system based on priority and danger level.

The change in vistas has resulted in new types of pedestrians populating the streets, including roller skaters, joggers, and different gang members. The AI has also been retooled to account for greater variety in pedestrian movement as well as gang behavior. Now gangs are designed to act independently of the player, such as fighting with citizens or stealing their cars. The police will also respond to these incidents, and may attempt to engage in highspeed pursuits with gangs as players go about their own business.

To effectively capture the mood of the 1980s, the soundtrack has been altered to fit the time period. Players will listen to an estimated nine hours of music (nearly three times the amount featured Grand Theft Auto III) across 10 radio stations. The eclectic mix features such noteworthy titles as “I Ran” by Flock of Seagulls, “The Message” by Grandmaster Flash, “You’ve Got Another Thing Coming” by Judas Priest, and “Out of Touch” by Hall Oates.

The revamped sound continues on the streets, with over 8,000 lines of spoken dialogue recorded to help bring the fictional city to life. The lead character of Tommy Vercetti will also share his thoughts and musings with players in a departure from the strong but silent protagonist found in GTA III. Actor Ray Liotta provides the voice for Vercetti, and a mix of other film stars round out the cast. ~ Scott Alan Marriott, All Game Guide

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Metal Slug Anthology is a full arcade collection of Metal Slug games with extra features.

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“Whom the gods would destroy, they first make mad.” – Euripides

In God of War

The Rockstar tradition of groundbreaking, original gameplay and humorous tongue-in-cheek storytelling invades an entirely new setting: the schoolyard.

As a mischievous schoolboy, you’ll stand up to bullies, get picked on by teachers, play pranks, win or lose the girl, and ultimately learn to navigate the obstacles of the worst school around, Bullworth Academy – a corrupt and crumbling prep school with an uptight facade.

The story follows Jimmy Hopkins, a teenager who’s been expelled from every school he’s ever attended. Left to fend for himself after his mother abandons him at Bullworth to go on her fifth honeymoon, Jimmy has a whole year at Bullworth ahead of him, working his way up the social ladder of this demented institution of supposed learning, standing up for what he thinks is right and taking on the liars, cheats and snobs who are the most popular members of the student body and faculty. If Jimmy can survive the school year and outsmart his rivals, he could rule the school.

Ready yourself for a hilarious return to campus living with Bully, the outrageously funny title.

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Like the several previous editions of the title, RPG Maker 3 for PlayStation 2 is designed to allow gamers to create their own roleplaying games for play on the console. The disc includes numerous premade characters, sound effects, and scripting, which can be put to use in playerdesigned, tilebased maps. This edition if RPG Maker features full 3D graphics. ~ All Game Guide

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