BASS AVENGER
Maker: Simon & Schuster Interactive
Rating: 1 star
System: PC CD-ROM
System requirements: Windows 95/98/Me, Pentium 133, 4X CD-ROM, 16MB RAM, 170MB free space
Suggested price: $19.99
Number of players: 1
Bass Avenger is a parody of fishing games, but it has nothing to lure the discerning gamer.
Here, you are a tough fish who is trying to catch redneck fishermen with lures such as pizza, beer and girlie magazines. Unfortunately, catching fishermen quickly becomes boring. After a few minutes, you learn exactly where to cast to catch a fisherman. There is no difficulty in reeling one in because line tension can be easily maintained.
Graphics are subpar. Water has only two shades of blue, and there are harsh transitions between colors. Characters are poorly animated, and the shoreline scenes are mundane.
Bass Avenger has little replay value. There is one mode of play in two fundamentally identical lakes. The game's jokes are funny the first few minutes, but the novelty wears off quickly.
Bass Avenger barely makes a splash in the world of fishing games. Throw this fish back in the water and save your money for a better game.
Rated for ages 13 and older due to mature humor.
_Zachary Clifford
X X X
DEAD OR ALIVE 2: HARDCORE
Maker: Tecmo
Rating: 3{ stars
System: PlayStation 2
Suggested price: $49.99
Number of players: Up to 4
Tecmo has brought its killer fighting game to the PlayStation 2 with a vengeance.
This awesome title is an excellent showcase for the powerful new platform.
So grab some friends and be prepared to stay up late.
Dead or Alive 2 is a traditional hand-to-hand combat fighting game. It emphasizes counterattacks and grapple moves instead of pounding your opponent with a weapon.
No fireballs to throw here _ it's pure contest between martial arts masters. Learning counterattacks and killer combos (punch, kick) to destroy your opponent greatly adds to play, too. Defeating opponents unlocks clues to their lives.
Choose from 12 unique fighters, each with a special power and attack.
Each character has a life gauge, and taking hits lowers the gauge until the fighter eventually dies.
Players fight in picturesque multilayered environments, complete with weather effects and lifelike detail. Dead or Alive 2 displays the human anatomy in a realistic fluid motion never seen before in video games.
This game has lots of extras, too. Completing the game (defeating all seven characters and a boss character) unlocks hidden stages, new characters and new outfits for all players. There is even an art gallery where actual game views can be displayed. Players can also select other game modes such as Time Attack, Tag Team Battle, Survivor and Sparring.
Simply put, this is possibly the best-looking fighting game I have seen. This game supports the analog control and vibration function.
Recommended for ages 12 and older due to animated violence.
_John A. Perez
X X X
DESTRUCTION DERBY RAW
Maker: Midway
Rating: 2 stars
System: Sony PlayStation
Suggested price: $40
Number of players: Up to 4 via multitap adapter
At its heart, Destruction Derby Raw is essentially a compromise. It isn't nearly as good as the Gran Turismo or Ridge Racer series as far as racing goes, and it can't match Twisted Metal for all-out destructiveness, but it does do both surprisingly well.
In the Wreckin' Racing mode, you try to unlock 25 tracks and more than a dozen vehicles by earning points through winning races or inflicting heavy damage. You can make your vehicles better in Smash 4 $, where you earn money that can be spent on new vehicles and upgrading current ones. In the multiplayer mode, Battle, you can choose many submodes such as Assault, Destruction Derby, Skyscraper and Pass Da Bomb. All of the submodes amount to smashing your live and artificial opponents before they smash you, albeit in different and unique ways.
Game play is smooth and cars handle naturally with an almost arcadelike feel. Graphics are mediocre, with boxy cars and unimpressive damage effects. On the other hand, the music and sound effects are good, and they fit the game well. Loading time is slow and the movies are dull, however.
Rent this game to play with friends rather than buy it.
Recommended for ages 6 and older.
_Andrew Alford
X X X
JARRET AND LABONTE STOCK CAR RACING
Maker: Codemasters
Rating: 3{ stars
System: Sony PlayStation
Suggested price: $39.95
Number of players: Up to 4
After two so-so installments, Codemasters is offering stock car racing that can match the likes of Gran Turismo. With up to 42 car models, including the Ford Taurus, Dodge Viper, Lexus, Chrysler, Audi TT and Mustang GT, you can race against 13 pros on 23 real-world tracks, each re-created from photographs, helicopter footage, video and lasers to assure pinpoint accuracy.
As in real life, the handling of your car is affected by the seriousness of the damage. Accurate physics will make your car lean from the stress of a turn, and you must compensate to maintain control of the wheel. Never feel overconfident because the artificial intelligence has a randomness that could ruin a perfect race.
Stock Car Racing features replays, modes, car customizing and a selection of racing views. But best of all is the 360-degree freeze-frame camera that highlights collisions during replays.
The audio is packed with soundtracks from Moby, Lit, Methods of Mayhem, Offspring and Radiator. Ned Jarrett, a professional announcer for more than 30 years, provides commentary.
This is a solid, in-depth racing game for all ages.
_Harold E. Scull Jr.
X X X
NFL GAMEDAY 2001
Maker: Sony 989 Sports
Rating: 1 star
System: Sony PlayStation 2
Suggested price: $49.99
Number of players: Up to 8 with 2 multi-tap adapters
The next generation of Sony's classic NFL Gameday series comes loaded with modes: Preseason, pick two teams, assign players and go; Season, pick a team and take them through a 16-game season and playoffs; Tournament, either eight or 16 teams vie for the championship; General Manager, handle a team through multiple seasons while dealing with the salary cap, retiring players and college draft; Playbook editor, where you modify existing plays. You can also create your own players.
Unfortunately, this game was rushed _ and it really shows. Bugs, horrid game play and awful graphics make for a bad experience. The problems surface on the field, including the commentators reporting that a defensive player plays on the offensive team whenever a tackle is made. Players look fat and goofy and seem to be missing animations. Huge artificial intelligence problems exist as well, allowing a certain type of play to be used over and over again. The stadiums look good, and the sound and commentary are OK.
Madden raised the bar for football on the PS2, and this game shouldn't be mentioned in the same breath.
Rated for all ages.
_Jon Greisz
X X X
NBA 2K1
Maker: Visual Concepts
Rating: 4 stars
System: Sega Dreamcast
Suggested price: $50
Number of players: Up to 8 via Internet
Smooth online game play and a huge load of features make this basketball simulation a true gem.
Let me stress the word sim,
however, because if you prefer arcade-style basketball, you'll be driven nuts by this game's learning curve, particularly in shot precision and blocking fouls. Also, passing is a little too precise.
But those are my only complaints. Otherwise, game play is much improved over last year's version, thanks to quicker juke moves, improved computer artificial intelligence and many other tweaks.
Graphics are also cleaner, most noticeably in animation clarity. Thus, the pace isn't slowed by unneeded animations.
Unfortunately, while the sound effects and player chatter sound nice, play-by-play commentary is forced and excessive.
Plenty of modes await basketball fans, including the typical Season and Playoff features. But three new modes really shine. In Franchise, players build a team from the ground up, similar to NFL 2K1, and have the kind of team control that PC gamers usually brag about.
Street games allow two-on-two games (or any number you choose), which is nice when four friends want a multiplayer game without the extra characters. Online play is impressive and seamless. I tested this out on a slow server with nary a slowdown.
Visual Concepts is proving a serious contender for best sports game maker, particularly with this one under its belt.
Suitable for all ages.
_Sam Machkovech
X X X
STAR TREK: INVASION
Maker: Activision
Rating: 3 stars
System: Sony PlayStation
Suggested price: $39.99
Number of players: Up to 2
Star Trek: Invasion is one of the few, if not the only, Star Trek game for the PlayStation. And it's a pretty worthwhile dogfight.
After a stirring call to duty from Lt. Commander Worf (Michael Dorn), you're set up as the leader of a squad of Valkyrie space ships. These are small fighter pilot ships with all the Star Trek trimmings from photon torpedoes to phasers. The game takes place after the end of the third Star Trek TV series, Deep Space Nine.
Chancellor Mortok, the new ruler of the Klingon Empire, is fending off the attacks of the Borg with the help of the Federation and your squadron.
It's a fast-paced game with lots of action and a visually appealing feel. The game has a large set of missions and plenty of bonus levels. So if you finish a level in record time, instead of going to level 10, there's a level 9a.
The only downside: It gets repetitive. The game is nothing but dodging fire and firing back, not even any reconnaissance missions to keep the interest going, but the action and feel make it enjoyable.
_Rufus Coleman
X X X
BANJO-TOOIE
Maker: Nintendo/Rare
Rating: 4 stars
System: Nintendo 64
Suggested price: $49.99
Number of players: Up to 4
If you own a Nintendo 64, you have to get Banjo-Tooie, the sequel to Banjo-Kazooie (Banjo Two-ie, get it?).
The evil witch Gruntilda is seeking revenge on the backpacking bear and bird duo and it's up to Banjo and Kazooie to stop her.
To progress in this three-dimensional adventure, you'll have to collect golden jigsaw puzzle pieces scattered throughout the game's nine gargantuan levels. Players will explore a variety of locations, such as a prehistoric wasteland or a run-down amusement park. You'll do all sorts of crazy things to get those jigsaw pieces, such as drive bumper cars, bounce in an inflatable castle and play soccer with statues.
In the first game, Banjo and Kazooie were inseparable, but in this game Kazooie can hop out of Banjo's backpack for some solo adventuring. You can also play as the magical shaman Mumbo Jumbo this time, as well as change into all sorts of crazy things like a washing machine or a T-Rex.
The textured graphics are some of the best yet on the N64, and you can see into the distance for miles. You'll never get tired of the music because it is constantly changing.
Play control is excellent, which comes in handy when you're trying to execute one of the 40 new moves in the game.
Rated and highly recommended for all ages.
_Cary Woodham
X X X
Visit The Dallas Morning News on the World Wide Web at http://www.dallasnews.com/
Distributed by Knight Ridder/Tribune Information Services.
(c) 2000, The Dallas Morning News.
Visit The Dallas Morning News on the World Wide Web at http://www.dallasnews.com/
Distributed by Knight Ridder/Tribune Information Services.
Electronic adventures: Video and computer game reviews.(The Dallas Morning News)
BASS AVENGER
Maker: Simon & Schuster Interactive
Rating: 1 star
System: PC CD-ROM
System requirements: Windows 95/98/Me, Pentium 133, 4X CD-ROM, 16MB RAM, 170MB free space
Suggested price: $19.99
Number of players: 1
Bass Avenger is a parody of fishing games, but it has nothing to lure the discerning gamer.
Here, you are a tough fish who is trying to catch redneck fishermen with lures such as pizza, beer and girlie magazines. Unfortunately, catching fishermen quickly becomes boring. After a few minutes, you learn exactly where to cast to catch a fisherman. There is no difficulty in reeling one in because line tension can be easily maintained.
Graphics are subpar. Water has only two shades of blue, and there are harsh transitions between colors. Characters are poorly animated, and the shoreline scenes are mundane.
Bass Avenger has little replay value. There is one mode of play in two fundamentally identical lakes. The game's jokes are funny the first few minutes, but the novelty wears off quickly.
Bass Avenger barely makes a splash in the world of fishing games. Throw this fish back in the water and save your money for a better game.
Rated for ages 13 and older due to mature humor.
_Zachary Clifford
X X X
DEAD OR ALIVE 2: HARDCORE
Maker: Tecmo
Rating: 3{ stars
System: PlayStation 2
Suggested price: $49.99
Number of players: Up to 4
Tecmo has brought its killer fighting game to the PlayStation 2 with a vengeance.
This awesome title is an excellent showcase for the powerful new platform.
So grab some friends and be prepared to stay up late.
Dead or Alive 2 is a traditional hand-to-hand combat fighting game. It emphasizes counterattacks and grapple moves instead of pounding your opponent with a weapon.
No fireballs to throw here _ it's pure contest between martial arts masters. Learning counterattacks and killer combos (punch, kick) to destroy your opponent greatly adds to play, too. Defeating opponents unlocks clues to their lives.
Choose from 12 unique fighters, each with a special power and attack.
Each character has a life gauge, and taking hits lowers the gauge until the fighter eventually dies.
Players fight in picturesque multilayered environments, complete with weather effects and lifelike detail. Dead or Alive 2 displays the human anatomy in a realistic fluid motion never seen before in video games.
This game has lots of extras, too. Completing the game (defeating all seven characters and a boss character) unlocks hidden stages, new characters and new outfits for all players. There is even an art gallery where actual game views can be displayed. Players can also select other game modes such as Time Attack, Tag Team Battle, Survivor and Sparring.
Simply put, this is possibly the best-looking fighting game I have seen. This game supports the analog control and vibration function.
Recommended for ages 12 and older due to animated violence.
_John A. Perez
X X X
DESTRUCTION DERBY RAW
Maker: Midway
Rating: 2 stars
System: Sony PlayStation
Suggested price: $40
Number of players: Up to 4 via multitap adapter
At its heart, Destruction Derby Raw is essentially a compromise. It isn't nearly as good as the Gran Turismo or Ridge Racer series as far as racing goes, and it can't match Twisted Metal for all-out destructiveness, but it does do both surprisingly well.
In the Wreckin' Racing mode, you try to unlock 25 tracks and more than a dozen vehicles by earning points through winning races or inflicting heavy damage. You can make your vehicles better in Smash 4 $, where you earn money that can be spent on new vehicles and upgrading current ones. In the multiplayer mode, Battle, you can choose many submodes such as Assault, Destruction Derby, Skyscraper and Pass Da Bomb. All of the submodes amount to smashing your live and artificial opponents before they smash you, albeit in different and unique ways.
Game play is smooth and cars handle naturally with an almost arcadelike feel. Graphics are mediocre, with boxy cars and unimpressive damage effects. On the other hand, the music and sound effects are good, and they fit the game well. Loading time is slow and the movies are dull, however.
Rent this game to play with friends rather than buy it.
Recommended for ages 6 and older.
_Andrew Alford
X X X
JARRET AND LABONTE STOCK CAR RACING
Maker: Codemasters
Rating: 3{ stars
System: Sony PlayStation
Suggested price: $39.95
Number of players: Up to 4
After two so-so installments, Codemasters is offering stock car racing that can match the likes of Gran Turismo. With up to 42 car models, including the Ford Taurus, Dodge Viper, Lexus, Chrysler, Audi TT and Mustang GT, you can race against 13 pros on 23 real-world tracks, each re-created from photographs, helicopter footage, video and lasers to assure pinpoint accuracy.
As in real life, the handling of your car is affected by the seriousness of the damage. Accurate physics will make your car lean from the stress of a turn, and you must compensate to maintain control of the wheel. Never feel overconfident because the artificial intelligence has a randomness that could ruin a perfect race.
Stock Car Racing features replays, modes, car customizing and a selection of racing views. But best of all is the 360-degree freeze-frame camera that highlights collisions during replays.
The audio is packed with soundtracks from Moby, Lit, Methods of Mayhem, Offspring and Radiator. Ned Jarrett, a professional announcer for more than 30 years, provides commentary.
This is a solid, in-depth racing game for all ages.
_Harold E. Scull Jr.
X X X
NFL GAMEDAY 2001
Maker: Sony 989 Sports
Rating: 1 star
System: Sony PlayStation 2
Suggested price: $49.99
Number of players: Up to 8 with 2 multi-tap adapters
The next generation of Sony's classic NFL Gameday series comes loaded with modes: Preseason, pick two teams, assign players and go; Season, pick a team and take them through a 16-game season and playoffs; Tournament, either eight or 16 teams vie for the championship; General Manager, handle a team through multiple seasons while dealing with the salary cap, retiring players and college draft; Playbook editor, where you modify existing plays. You can also create your own players.
Unfortunately, this game was rushed _ and it really shows. Bugs, horrid game play and awful graphics make for a bad experience. The problems surface on the field, including the commentators reporting that a defensive player plays on the offensive team whenever a tackle is made. Players look fat and goofy and seem to be missing animations. Huge artificial intelligence problems exist as well, allowing a certain type of play to be used over and over again. The stadiums look good, and the sound and commentary are OK.
Madden raised the bar for football on the PS2, and this game shouldn't be mentioned in the same breath.
Rated for all ages.
_Jon Greisz
X X X
NBA 2K1
Maker: Visual Concepts
Rating: 4 stars
System: Sega Dreamcast
Suggested price: $50
Number of players: Up to 8 via Internet
Smooth online game play and a huge load of features make this basketball simulation a true gem.
Let me stress the word sim,
however, because if you prefer arcade-style basketball, you'll be driven nuts by this game's learning curve, particularly in shot precision and blocking fouls. Also, passing is a little too precise.
But those are my only complaints. Otherwise, game play is much improved over last year's version, thanks to quicker juke moves, improved computer artificial intelligence and many other tweaks.
Graphics are also cleaner, most noticeably in animation clarity. Thus, the pace isn't slowed by unneeded animations.
Unfortunately, while the sound effects and player chatter sound nice, play-by-play commentary is forced and excessive.
Plenty of modes await basketball fans, including the typical Season and Playoff features. But three new modes really shine. In Franchise, players build a team from the ground up, similar to NFL 2K1, and have the kind of team control that PC gamers usually brag about.
Street games allow two-on-two games (or any number you choose), which is nice when four friends want a multiplayer game without the extra characters. Online play is impressive and seamless. I tested this out on a slow server with nary a slowdown.
Visual Concepts is proving a serious contender for best sports game maker, particularly with this one under its belt.
Suitable for all ages.
_Sam Machkovech
X X X
STAR TREK: INVASION
Maker: Activision
Rating: 3 stars
System: Sony PlayStation
Suggested price: $39.99
Number of players: Up to 2
Star Trek: Invasion is one of the few, if not the only, Star Trek game for the PlayStation. And it's a pretty worthwhile dogfight.
After a stirring call to duty from Lt. Commander Worf (Michael Dorn), you're set up as the leader of a squad of Valkyrie space ships. These are small fighter pilot ships with all the Star Trek trimmings from photon torpedoes to phasers. The game takes place after the end of the third Star Trek TV series, Deep Space Nine.
Chancellor Mortok, the new ruler of the Klingon Empire, is fending off the attacks of the Borg with the help of the Federation and your squadron.
It's a fast-paced game with lots of action and a visually appealing feel. The game has a large set of missions and plenty of bonus levels. So if you finish a level in record time, instead of going to level 10, there's a level 9a.
The only downside: It gets repetitive. The game is nothing but dodging fire and firing back, not even any reconnaissance missions to keep the interest going, but the action and feel make it enjoyable.
_Rufus Coleman
X X X
BANJO-TOOIE
Maker: Nintendo/Rare
Rating: 4 stars
System: Nintendo 64
Suggested price: $49.99
Number of players: Up to 4
If you own a Nintendo 64, you have to get Banjo-Tooie, the sequel to Banjo-Kazooie (Banjo Two-ie, get it?).
The evil witch Gruntilda is seeking revenge on the backpacking bear and bird duo and it's up to Banjo and Kazooie to stop her.
To progress in this three-dimensional adventure, you'll have to collect golden jigsaw puzzle pieces scattered throughout the game's nine gargantuan levels. Players will explore a variety of locations, such as a prehistoric wasteland or a run-down amusement park. You'll do all sorts of crazy things to get those jigsaw pieces, such as drive bumper cars, bounce in an inflatable castle and play soccer with statues.
In the first game, Banjo and Kazooie were inseparable, but in this game Kazooie can hop out of Banjo's backpack for some solo adventuring. You can also play as the magical shaman Mumbo Jumbo this time, as well as change into all sorts of crazy things like a washing machine or a T-Rex.
The textured graphics are some of the best yet on the N64, and you can see into the distance for miles. You'll never get tired of the music because it is constantly changing.
Play control is excellent, which comes in handy when you're trying to execute one of the 40 new moves in the game.
Rated and highly recommended for all ages.
_Cary Woodham
X X X
Visit The Dallas Morning News on the World Wide Web at http://www.dallasnews.com/
Distributed by Knight Ridder/Tribune Information Services.
(c) 2000, The Dallas Morning News.
Visit The Dallas Morning News on the World Wide Web at http://www.dallasnews.com/
Distributed by Knight Ridder/Tribune Information Services.
