| PS2
Bloody Roar 3 |
Scans |
Man
and beast are one and the same in Bloody Roar 3. The
combatants shifting onscreen appear mere humans at first
glance but hidden inside, there's more. Powered by Namco
System 246 coin-op hardware, which happens to be PS2
compatible, Roar 3 makes a smart transition to the home and
retains all of the speed and gloss from the arcade original.
Metamorphic force plays a strong hand in the dynamics and
strategy of BR3. Each fighter in the game, whether it be Alice
or Busuzima, can erupt out of their skins and change into
their respective animal alter-egos. In the case of Alice, it
is fitting when she morphs into a floppy-eared, powder
puff-tailed rabbit when her inner beast calls. Animal power
turns the tide of battle and may be used as a desperation
gambit when you falter and need a boost of adrenaline. It's
also a flashy way to finish off a woozy foe when the battle is
going your way. During a contest, when neither fighter is
gaining much leverage, the beastly advantage helps churn
things up.
Bloody Roar 3 plays very fast and hard. Some
fighters heft hulking masses of rippling muscle that can
overwhelm and disembowel with a flurry of punches, kicks and
bites. No skill or fighting finesse need apply, just unleash a
barrage of mighty blows to destroy an opponent. Add the gleam
of illumination when a beast morphs and you're ready to dazzle
foes into submission. Ryu could probably try and take some of
this crew on, but he wouldn't stand a chance on this stage. |
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Bloody
Roar 3
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Price: US$68
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In
1997, the original Bloody Roar was released in Japan and made
it to the USA (arcade and Playstation) under the name of
Beastorizer.
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| PS2
Zone
of the Enders |
Scans |
Capitalism, greed, and human nature will inevitably push man
out into the solar system when Earth's natural resources are
depleted. Consumer consumption demand won't go down when the
sapping of the earth is complete and the tendrils of human
exploration will extend to neighboring planets. New worlds
will become harvesting grounds for minerals and other
resources. According to Konami, this takes place in the 22nd
century with Mars being the first victim of exploitation and
Jupiter dead sighted in the targeting scopes. Human workers
who travel into the depths of space are known as Enders, for
they operate near the ends of the solar system.
The player takes control of a young boy named Leo
Stenbuck. He's the typical unlikely hero who eventually gets
to man a mech called a Jehuty. With this machine, known as an
orbital frame, Leo confronts a Martian rebellion group known
as the Z.O.E. ~ The Zone of Enders. Reflections of Gundam
0079's Ray Amuro and Macross' Hikaru Ichijyo are probably
intentional and no accident for Leo's character development.
The game is impressive. Leo's Jehuty is capable
of various attacks including lasers which stream in congress
towards a target, a blue power ball which is thrown up and
then punched at foes, and a close-range sword slash attack to beat
back foes. Control of the mech is smooth but you'll have to
map the buttons (they're all used in this game) and control
schemes in your head to execute movement and attacks. After a
little game time however, Jehuty control should become second nature.
Similar to Konami's last endeavor, Shadow of Memories, English
is fully supported in ZOE and gamers may toggle between Japanese or
English language options. |
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Zone
of the Enders
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Price:
US$68
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Hideo Kojima's
next project is the long awaited, much anticipated Metal
Gear Solid 2, slated for the summer of 2001. Gamers get a
taste of the game with the MGS2 playable demo that is included
in the ZOE packaging. Check out Konami's
website for ranking mode and details on Sons of
Liberty.
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Zone of the Enders Limited Edition |
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of Enders LE is also in stock today and includes the following bonus items for
the connoisseur and collector: A 150 page artbook with ZOE mech designs and character sketches,
a mini-cd containing the Z.O.E. theme song, and a DVD featuring the
"Z.O.E. 2167 Idolo" movie, which is a prequel tale
to the storyline in the Z.O.E game. As mentioned in
yesterday's update, the Metal Gear Solid 2 playable demo is not
included. Pre-order customers who confirmed with NCS yesterday
will have their orders shipped today. Pricing for the limited
box is set at US$153.
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E-mail
NCS
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