MVP Baseball 2004
International distributor: Electronic Arts Sports
Local distributor: EATW
Platform: English For PC
Release: March 13
The Major League season starts April 1 and as usual EA has come out with a new edition of MVP Baseball for the big event. This year the focus of the game is Tsao Chin-hui (
The new edition makes further improvements by offering the favorite plays of current baseball greats, while also giving plenty of room for the gamer to input his own preferences regarding batting, fielding and other aspects of the game, through the player preferences panel. Another special feature of the game is the chance to go back in history and bring in historical greats such as Babe Ruth and Jackie Robinson, recreating important games of the past.
Lighting, sound, the pacing of the game, all these factors are state-of-the-art in MVP Baseball 2004, so that gamers familiar with the series still have plenty to enjoy. And if you're tired of the player's perspective, watch the game from the stands instead. This new edition is nothing if not flexible. There is also the opportunity to establish special contracts with star players that might bring out the best in them, which is sure to bring more surprises.
Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time
International distributor: Ubi Soft
Local distributor: Unalis Technology
Platform: English for PC
Release: Already Available
Fourteen years ago, Price of Persia was released to a phenomenal reception by computer gamers who hailed its innovations -- including its game format, storyline and technology -- as revolutionary and influential. Prince of Persia's original writers, Jordan Mecher and Ubi Soft, got together last year to release a new edition of the game, which, not surprisingly, is out to set new standards in computer gaming.
The background story to the game is the need by the Prince of Persia to find every grain of sand released from a magical hourglass, which has brought destruction on his country and people. In the process there is plenty of bloody mayhem, puzzles must be solved and difficult tasks completed. As the sands of time are gradually collected, the player gains increasing powers to take him through the greater challenges that await.
Winning Eleven 7 International
International distributor: Konami
Platform: PS2 only
Release: already available
Animosity between supporters of Electronic Arts' (EA) FIFA Soccer games and Konami's Winning Eleven series has always been similar to that of the rabid fans of opposing soccer clubs. You either play EA or play Konami, there's simply no middle-ground. Well, with the exception of Taiwan that is.
EA Taiwan's choice not to release a local version of its FIFA 2004 for PS2 means that if you want to play the latest armchair soccer game, then you'll have to play Konami's recently released Winning Eleven 7 International.
The lack of real teams in Konami's game (as they did not secure an official FIFA license) has always been a stumbling block in the Japanese company's games. The fluidity and ease with which the game can be mastered on the other hand has put the Winning Eleven series in a league of its own.
While last year's Winning Eleven 6 International was almost faultless and both the action and game play is some of the most fluid of any soccer game to date. Even so, Konami has still managed to make some rather significant changes to its already tried-and-tested format.
Both skilled and novice players alike can now perform shimmies, spins, nifty back-heels, can tussle for the ball without having to resort to foul play and can control the goal keeper with more precision then ever before.
The only thing that lets Winning Eleven 7 International down is its clumsy interfaces. Here Konami scores a rather shoddy own goal.
Point of Attack 2
International Distrubutor: HPS Simulations
Platform: PC only
Release: Already available
Designed in conjunction with the US Air Force Office of Scientific Research, HPS Simulations' latest tactical level wargame, Point of Attack 2 is one the most comprehensive modern combat games currently available on the market.
Depicting combat at the platoon and individual level, the game accurately depicts every intricacy of modern weapons systems.
The game leads the player though a minefield of databases and allows them to position units, call in artillery and air strikes, make use of electronic and chemical weapons and even counter the opposition with psychological warfare.
Packaged with a tutorial and seven full scenarios, which include hypothetical conventional engagements in Germany, Korea and the Middle East (and a couple of scenarios that deal with an al-Qaeda terrorist attack on the US), Point of Attack 2 also comes with an easy-to-use scenario editing tool.
While the detail given to weapons systems and command structures is graphic to the point of nausea, gamers more in tune with 3D games will find Point of Attack 2's interfaces rather dull.
The game employs 2D NATO symbols to represent the units and these are highly detailed. There are also 2D maps on which the action unfolds and Windows-styled screens to describe the locations in terms of terrain, line of sight, concealment and other such information crucial to the outcome of any battle.
With its lengthy learning curve and graphically poor interfaces, Point of Attack 2 is certainly not for everyone. For those who want to know what it takes to coordinate an invasion of Iraq, however, this is a pretty good place to begin.
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