Mono/Stereo

Like a bolt out of the blue, Guilty Gear X2 comes out this month and totally hits a player between the eyes. When one thinks of fighters on the Playstation 2 console, most think of the studios Capcom or Sega--and those titles popular to those particular production houses. Yet, Sammy Studios released a fighting title for the PS2 that is so marvelous, so fun, and so entertaining, that it almost completely redefines 2-D side scrolling fighters.

The game, of course, is Guilty Gear X2 and it must b... seen and played to be believed. Reveling in the old school 2-D fighter genre that many of us grew up on in those dark arcades of past, X2 is a fantastic mix of unique characters, interesting fighting arenas, classic arcade machine rock and roll, and a healthy amount of combos per fighter.

London is known for several popular things: Fish and Chips, Big Ben, the river Thames, but one thing it will probably never be credited for is being the centerpiece of an engaging, fun videogame--at least if one only looks as far as The Getaway. It’s a guarantee that nothing will confuse and frustrate players quicker than a game that can’t make up its mind what it is. Is it a movie? Is it a game? Well, whatever it is, it should choose a path early and then stick with it.

The plot...behind The Getaway revolves around three main characters: Mark Hammond, an ex-criminal on the run for the alleged murder of his wife, Frank Carter, a vigilante cop suspended from the police force for unorthodox methods, and Charlie Jolson, a larger than life crime boss who pulls the strings of these two men to get what he wants out of the London crime scene.

Sony seems to be on a roll this season with the release of another fun Role Playing Game that is quite a sight to see. Dark Cloud 2, the sequel to the popular title Dark Cloud which released during the first year of the Playstation 2, is the game we are reviewing here today.

The story follows a young man by the name of Maximilian, or Max, and a girl named Monica. Max is an inventor who likes to tinker with things--hence he carries around a large wrench which also doubles a... a weapon. The story begins with Max discovering that there is a horrible secret involving his town, and having never ventured beyond the gates of his enclosed city, decides that he will travel beyond the city limits to unravel the truth behind the secret.

Rayman 3: Hoodlum Havoc is by all intents and purposes is a platform game, but video gamers should not just assume they have another plain-vanilla platformer on their hands. On the contrary, although Rayman 3 is another platform title, the slick graphics, neat music, and top notch voice acting make it a game worth checking out.

Most Playstation owners have undoubtedly come across Rayman at some point in their gaming lives whether it was the original Rayman on the PSOne or those e...isodes that followed onto the PS2. Rayman is, of course, the little fellow with no arms and legs that runs around the levels doing justice to the bad guys. He is joined by Murfy, a tough talking fly who is filled with info, and Globox, a chubby goof-off who has accidentally swallowed an evil thing--the Chief of Dark Lums.

Man, talk about your old school inspired shooters! Ikaruga, from Atari and for the Nintendo GameCube, is one of the coolest side-scrolling shooters to date on any of the three platforms. Placing gamers inside a spaceship up against waves of enemy fighters and mother ships, players can use several different cannons and missiles to take down the enemy swarm. Strap in, and get ready to ride!

Graphics

The first person shooter has come quite a long way from the beginning days of the genre and it has seen some interesting additions to its mode of play. Although one might argue that on the one hand that FPS games are fundamentally the same as they were back then, new titles on the market like Red Faction II introduce new and better features which keep the genre fresh and exciting.

Players can pick up Red Faction II out now for their Nintendo GameCube video game console and experience some down...right fun blasting away at walls, troops, and vehicles. With 17 different weapons, four types of grenades, and several vehicles capable of being piloted, gamers can expect some serious fragging to happen out on some inspired landscapes and levels.

The first person shooter has come quite a long way from the beginning days of the genre and it has seen some interesting additions to its mode of play. Although one might argue that on the one hand that FPS games are fundamentally the same as they were back then, new titles on the market like Red Faction II introduce new and better features which keep the genre fresh and exciting.

Players can pick up Red Faction II out now for their Xbox video game console and experience some down right fun bl...sting away at walls, troops, and vehicles. With 17 different weapons, four types of grenades, and several vehicles capable of being piloted, gamers can expect some serious fragging to happen out on some inspired landscapes and levels.