I want to live in San Andreas, where Las Vegas is only a few minutes drive from LA and San Francisco. Actually, it's Las Venturas, Los Santos and San Fierro, but they're essentially stunning re-creations of the aforementioned cities. Las Venturas is littered with the same casinos, payday loan places and strip clubs. I could swear I even saw my apartment and half-expected to see Weekly racks at the bus stops.
More than a giant step for the GTA series, San Andreas is a huge step for video games. The enormous fictional state—roughly five times the size of Vice City—is one of the most detailed, immersive environments I've seen in a game. The countless missions use a variety of wildly diverse elements, from stealthy assassinations to runnin' 'n' gunnin' to good old-fashioned racing.
The violence will undoubtedly stir up controversy (I'd never considered stealing a sword from a Treasure Island pirate and using it to decapitate Elvis impersonators on the Strip, but now that I've seen it in a video game, I'll do it all the time). Though some will dismiss the game as a work by evildoers for evildoers, it's really a satirical joyfest for game lovers, and will be remembered as a landmark in the industry and best game of the year.
Ratchet & Clank: Up Your Arsenal (T) (5 stars)
Sony Computer Entertainment
PlayStation 2
Compared to the latest entry in the Ratchet & Clank series, other 3D platformers are mere sheep, and not just because Ratchet's new arsenal includes a gun that literally turns his enemies into ovines. Between Ratchet's frantic action, Clank's clever side missions, and Captain Qwark's hilarious side-scrolling arcade adventures, Up Your Arsenal is easily the best platformer on PS2.
Killzone (M) (3.5 stars)
Sony Computer Entertainment
PlayStation 2
If World War II happened a hundred years in the future, it would probably look a lot like this. The gritty, anachronistic atmosphere is the highlight of this otherwise standard first-person shooter. Of course, blasting space Nazis never really gets old.
Shin Megami Tensei: Nocturne (M) (4 stars)
Atlus
PlayStation 2
Most RPGs task you to save the world. This one saves you the trouble by destroying it at the very beginning and turning it into a sort of vacation spot for wandering demons. These monstrous foes can be quite the challenge in turn-based combat, but if you're a smooth talker, you can actually convince a few to join your ranks. This unconventional title keeps you guessing until the very end.
Matthew Scott Hunter has been known to mumble, "Up, up, down, down, left, right, left, right, B, A, start" in his sleep. E-mail him at
[email protected].