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Games and Internet
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DREAMCAST Sega Worldwide Soccer
2000 (Sega) £39.99 * it a
Among its many faults, the Sega Saturn suffered badly from football deprivation When the PlayStation was beginning to bow under the weight of ISS Pro, F/FA, Actua Soccer, Adidas Power Soccer and their cOusins, the Saturn had Sega Wor/dwide Soccer And that, essentially, was that As good a game as it was, it cOuld not compete in the big league, so to speak, and soon'headed for bargain bin heaven
So along comes a new Sega machine and, not surprisingly, a new Sega football game Except it is not. Sega Wor/dWide Soccer 2000 is its Saturn brother With bells on, The gameplay is strikingly similar, the animation is familiar and the lackadaisical pace sparks anCient memories Again, SWS 2000 is not a bad game It is eminently playable and the graphics are adequate, but there is no spark, no hook to keep yOu playing. Surely the Dreamcast deserved a Whole new game? Against its main competitor, UEFA Striker, SWS 2000 looks like a second chOice. Which, as we all know, is no chOice at all. (ID)
DREAMCAST
South Park Chef's Luv Shack
(Acclaim) £39.99 1» a:
If history has taught us nothing else, it is that humanity destroys beauty. Complex biological systems lie in tatters, finely balanced weather patterns sWing Wildly from pole to pole and now, perhaps worst of all, South Park has been defiled, nay Violated, by the dark overlords of consumerism. Chef’s Luv Shack is a multiplayer party game, designed for teams of drunkards and geeks to play through the long Winter nights. Choosing one of the children as a mascot, the teams compete in a variety of pomtless, puerile, press-the-buzzer games. The presentation is faultless, covering most
DREAM CAST SoulCafibur
(Namco) £39.99 it t it 1r it
Whenever a new machine arrives on the scene, the software which follows seems to set and break standards every week. Whether it's in terms of graphics, interactivity or sheer size, the initial games attempt to outdo each other while inadvertently paving the way for even more impressive successors. However, some games set standards so high that it takes years for them to be usurped. Indeed, some may never be equalled. Although appearing early in their console's life, Super Mario/and, the first Sonic The Hedgehog and Goldeneye all remain unchallenged in a whole host of departments. The sneaking suspicion is that Soul Calibur will count as one of these long termers for
the Dreamcast.
Soul Calibur is a gob-smacking, eye-watering spectacle of quite extraordinary proportions. As fast as Sonic was, as playable as Powerstone was and as detailed as Toy Commander was, it is Soul Calibur which gives the best impression of what the Dreamcast is capable of. Granted it is the latest in a long, long line of beat-em-ups and, at its basest level, does nothing different. But where others fail here or disappoint there, Soul Calibur excels in all departments.
Although there are fantastic ‘Arcade', ‘Versus’, ‘Practice' and 'Battle Theatre’ modes, it is the series' continuing search for the legendary Soul Edge sword which provides the meat of the game. Travelling from mission to mission across the globe, victory results in points that can be spent on artwork, releasing bonus levels, costumes and secret galleries. These missions are highly imaginative, requiring a specific task to be overcome while battling an opponent. Sometimes you
Swords to the wise: Soul Calibur
must be fast, sometimes strong, often cheeky, and mastering your character's moves is essential. Laying the control pad down soon becomes an alien concept.
The visuals are without equal, the characters offer a massive variety in style and, with over 200 cards to buy in the galleries, completing the entire game will take months. Superlatives quickly run dry when trying to describe the Soul Calibur experience. 60 now and taste it for yourself. (lain Davidson)
e~mai|zscanner@list.co.uk
of the best moments, characters and Jokes from the series, With both the animation and s0und coming straight from the show itself. However, one play of the game Will be enough for anyone. It is truly dreadful, lacking any imagination, Wit or intelligence — the very attributes that made South Park itself such a piece of genius
Why it is on the Dreamcast is anyone's guess. A board game, With the players domg the v0ices, WOuId have been much more enjoyable. Had South Park never existed, then this game WOuld be laughed off the shelves. Nuff said! (ID)
Too many cooks: South Park Chef's Luv Shack
110 THE lIST 76 [. c 1999—6 Jan 2000
PLAYSTATION Trick'N Snowboarder (Capcom) £29.99 it a t i
To accompany the first flurries of Winter snow comes the first of this year's flurry of snowboard titles. From the king of 20 beat-em-up Capcom, Trick ’N Snowboarder tries to do that little bit more than yOur normal boarding title.
There are the usual, practice modes and ’free’ time, Where you can spend yOur days cutting up the slopes and perfecting you trickiest iileS. However, Ill‘ ead of a straight championship challenge, Trick’N Snowboarder has gone all media clever. The st0ry mode sees yOur character becoming part of an international filming outfit, t0uring the cool spots of the world to capture the most outrageous tricks on celluloid. From ’Actionl’ to the wrap party, you must trove yOur worth to the camera, grabbzng air and ripping stunts as directed. This lends the game a novel challenge progreSSion that is a refreshing alternative to pornt scoring championships.
The control system is also something of a Surprise, With tricks simplified and steering complicated. This can be frustrating at times but experimentation is often a good thing. And the chance to board as yOur
favourite character from Resident Ew/ 2 may keep the competition at bay for a while at least Imperfect but promising (ID)
PLAYSTATION Formula One 99 (Psygnosis) £29.99 t it t ir
When it comes to motor racing, Formula One acts as the great diyider Some set alarm clocks for 4am on a Sunday to tune in to Murray Walker, While others still pronounce it ’Grand Priks’. If you sit among the latter group, Formula One 99 Will have as much appeal as a kick in the breadbasket. However, Fl fanatics Will lap it up
After two crackers and one Crawler, PSygnosis have redGSigned the software in its entirety, reSUIting in a slicker, smoother, more accomplished raCing game than ever before. The graphics are crisp and clear, imparting a fantastic feeling of speed, while the car handling and response has been tweaked to near perfection. Not that it is eaSy — far from it - but the learning Curve is Judged beautifully, presenting both beginners and experienced drivers With the almost tangible feeling of skill development.
There is nothing new to the game — the bqu of it involves a championship year — but, in What is essentially a