Tenchu: Fatal Shadows
After a blockbuster holiday season full of million-plus sellers such as “Halo 2” and “Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas,” nobody would question if the video game industry enjoyed a break. But the top publishers in the arena are not slowing down, refusing to cede even an inch of shelf space to the competition, no matter even if this is supposed to be the dry season according to conventional vid wisdom.
Yet it’s clear from this late-winter bumper crop that the A-game has definitely been spent. That doesn’t mean there isn’t any good gaming for vidders who have seen the closing credits of “Resident Evil 4.” It’s just that when you look over February’s titles, nothing has quite the impact as, say, “Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater.”
Electronic Arts unloaded a solid double-punch with “Oddworld: Stranger’s Wrath” (PS2/XB, Teen) and “NBA Street V3” (PS2/XB/GC, Teen) in the first half of the month. Although it has not enjoyed the considerable hype of those two games, Capcom’s “Shadow of Rome” (PS2, Mature) is sure to thrill gamers with a thirst for hard-core action. As the gladiator Agrippa, you must plow through wave after wave of brutish warriors for the delight of Rome. The game is perhaps excessively bloody, though, for its own good. One special move is descriptively titled “Stuck Pig,” and the game allows you to beat a man with the arm you just hacked off.
Konami’s “Nano Breaker” (PS2, Mature) gives “Rome” a run for its tomato sauce. If you want to get technical, it’s not blood that’s spilled as you slash through an army of nasty machines. It’s red oil. But it doesn’t take too much imagination to make the leap, and the copious amounts splashed everywhere as you use your multiform Plasma Blade pretty much eliminate even the need for that. Action gamers will like the game’s clever combo system, which rewards you for linking together attacks.
While not as garishly visceral as “Rome” or Nano Breaker,” Sega’s “Tenchu: Fatal Shadows” (PS2, Mature) offers its fair share of grisly takedowns. With their comely ninja avatar, stealthy players can creep up behind unsuspecting guards and perform silent kills. These moves earn bonuses that unlock new skills. “Tenchu” doesn’t look nearly as good as “Rome” or “Nano Breaker,” which is a disappointment so late in the hardware generation.
THQ is no stranger to licensed games, thanks to its lucrative relationship with Nickelodeon and Pixar, but its latest is certainly darker fare. “Constantine” (PS2/XB, Mature), based on the new Keanu Reeves movie (which is based on a comic book), is an attractive romp through hell. The hero has access to weapons as varied as flamethrowers and crucifixion nails, all quite capable of taking down a host of demons. Reeves’ likeness appears in the game, but the voice is provided by a convincing sound-alike.
No month would be complete without an absolute shame of a game, and February’s (dis)honor goes to Namco’s “Death By Degrees” (PS2, Mature). This actioner stars Nina, the heroine of Namco’s ultrapopular “Tekken” fighting franchise, but the poor girl is out of her element here. The developer fruitlessly tried to liven up the standard-issue gameplay by mapping attacks not just to buttons but to the second analog stick. Nina is rendered in a skintight costume and her polygonal sexiness translates into high humor, but nobody pays 50 bucks for camp.
