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[Pedigree Chum]

Closing Comments
Crisis Zone is a light gun game. Why does that mean it has to be a sad, simple, short, and unfulfilling light gun game? I don't know, but that's the way it is. Crisis Zone does nothing new, but vainly tries to capitalize off an eight-year-old gimmick so that to establish a unique kind of worth that never truly gets backed by any actual game.
Crisis Zone is the straw that just broke this horses' back. Enough is enough. I've been playing and loving light gun titles since I finally realized how to reload in that stupid, stupid Mad Dog McCree "game" of so long ago. Now you're pretty much asking me to play the same thing I did when I first dumped fifty cents into Virtua Cop? Nice try.

Do something new or cut it the hell out. This isn't going to fly anymore.

-- Ivan Sulic






links :: guide faqs codes boards previews reviews news features

Ratings: Description:
out of 10 click here for ratings guide

3.0 Presentation
What's there to present?

8.5 Graphics
All the interactivity is great and the game looks clean and runs smooth.

6.5 Sound
If it had no voice and less music, it'd be a lot better.

6.0 Gameplay
Once again, the interactivity is the only thing that saves this experience. Without it, Crisis Zone is shallow and repetitive.

2.0 Lasting Appeal
What are you going to play past the first two hours? Keep kidding yourself, bud.

5.0 OVERALL:
(out of 10 / not an average)

Stupid IGN.

 

[Deg]

... the gameplay is better than the graphics.

 

[belgurdo]

Proof positive of why one should trust their own judgment

 

[signet]

So is better then TC3 for those of us who have horses with stronger backs and still enjoy the genre?

 

[AniHawk]

What's there to present?

You tell me. You're the reviewer, smartass.

 

[Die Squirrel Die]

So is better then TC3 for those of us who have horses with stronger backs and still enjoy the genre?

From most other reviews I've read, not my own experience (I've only tried the demo) so take this as you will, no. Seems that the machine gun takes away from the whole getting pinpoint head shots precision of most light-gun games. From what I played of the demo they seem about right but maybe it picks up as the game goes on, I wouldn't know.

 

[Defensor]

Then you can go back and play some worthless challenge modes later.

okay... so IGN didn't play the unlockable Crisis Missions, which adds hours to the short Arcade Mode, but rather just beat the Arcade mode and based their review from that? Why didn't they score Time Crisis II and Time Crisis 3 the same?

 

[signet]

From most other reviews I've read, not my own experience (I've only tried the demo) so take this as you will, no. Seems that the machine gun takes away from the whole getting pinpoint head shots precision of most light-gun games. From what I played of the demo they seem about right but maybe it picks up as the game goes on, I wouldn't know.

Does it suffer much from that white flash that plagues home console shooters? I know how bad it can get in TC3, must get really bad with a machine gun.

 

[Speevy]

Man, that borders on irrational hatred toward the developer.

 

[Lyte Edge]

Let's have some fun applying this same review to OTHER games. I'll start:

Closing Comments
Halo 2 is a first person shooter game. Why does that mean it has to be a sad, simple, short, and unfulfilling first person shooter game? I don't know, but that's the way it is. Halo 2 does nothing new, but vainly tries to capitalize off an eight-year-old gimmick so that to establish a unique kind of worth that never truly gets backed by any actual game.
Halo 2 is the straw that just broke this horses' back. Enough is enough. I've been playing and loving FPS titles since I finally realized how to aim with a mouse in that stupid, stupid Quake II "game" of so long ago. Now you're pretty much asking me to play the same thing I did when I first dumped fifty dollars on Wolfenstein 3D? Nice try.

Do something new or cut it the hell out. This isn't going to fly anymore.

-- Ivan Sulic






links :: guide faqs codes boards previews reviews news features

Ratings: Description:
out of 10 click here for ratings guide

3.0 Presentation
What's there to present?

8.5 Graphics
All the interactivity is great and the game looks clean and runs smooth.

6.5 Sound
If it had no voice and less music, it'd be a lot better.

6.0 Gameplay
Once again, the death match is the only thing that saves this experience. Without it, Halo 2 is shallow and repetitive.

2.0 Lasting Appeal
What are you going to play past the first two hours? Keep kidding yourself, bud.

5.0 OVERALL:
(out of 10 / not an average)

Yes? No? How about this:

Closing Comments
Gran Turismo 4 is a racing game. Why does that mean it has to be a sad, simple, short, and unfulfilling racing game? I don't know, but that's the way it is. Gran Turismo 4 does nothing new, but vainly tries to capitalize off an eight-year-old gimmick so that to establish a unique kind of worth that never truly gets backed by any actual game.
Gran Turismo 4 is the straw that just broke this horses' back. Enough is enough. I've been playing and loving racing titles since I finally realized how to drive realistically in that stupid, stupid Papyrus Nascar "game" of so long ago. Now you're pretty much asking me to play the same thing I did when I first dumped fifty cents into Race Drivin'? Nice try.

Do something new or cut it the hell out. This isn't going to fly anymore.

-- Ivan Sulic






links :: guide faqs codes boards previews reviews news features

Ratings: Description:
out of 10 click here for ratings guide

3.0 Presentation
What's there to present?

8.5 Graphics
All the interactivity is great and the game looks clean and runs smooth.

6.5 Sound
If it had no voice and less music, it'd be a lot better.

6.0 Gameplay
Once again, the interactivity is the only thing that saves this experience. Without it, Gran Turismois shallow and repetitive.

2.0 Lasting Appeal
What are you going to play past the first two hours? WHAT NO ONLINE PLAY?!? Keep kidding yourself, bud.

5.0 OVERALL:
(out of 10 / not an average)

...I tried. It was more entertaining than the Crisis Zone review for me, anyway.

 

[Sho Nuff]

Wait, does it come with an UZI controller or something? Crisis Zone was fucking awesome in the arcade and Ivan is a douche.

 

[PanopticBlue]

Even if the game was just the arcade game, it would still be worth it to me. We don't get many light gun games as it is, and atttitudes like IGN would see that we don't get any ever again. It's such a shame to see the industry tell Namco to shove it when we've waited so long for this game to come home. Unless Namco completely botched it, that review is shit.

 

[ManaByte]

Time Crisis is boring now. I've been waiting for a console port of Crisis Zone for a long, long time.

Crisis Zone was fucking awesome in the arcade and Ivan is a douche.

I agree.

 

[Defensor]

How about this:

Closing Comments
As shooting games go, Crisis Zone is a stellar example of what can be done. Unfortunately, as a shooting game, its replayability is inherently limited. It will be a lot of fun for a few hours, but will quickly grow old. Rent it with the gun if you can.

-- Ed Lewis




links :: guide faqs codes boards previews reviews news features

Ratings: Description:
out of 10 click here for ratings guide
8.0 Presentation
Easy to navigate. Just point and shoot.
6.5 Graphics
A little bit dated for the graphics. Then again, it never gets in the way.
7.0 Sound
Lots of gunshots, explosions, and a thumping musical score. It's an arcade-style game and has loud sound to match.
9.0 Gameplay
It's definitely fun to blow everyone away. Something even the kids can relate to.
7.5 Lasting Appeal
Some cool bonus features extend the game well beyond the main story. Best for when friends come to visit.
8.4
OVERALL:
(out of 10 / not an average)

8.7
Average Reader Score

or even this:

8.0 Presentation
Quick menus totally controllable by the lightgun or a PS2 Dual Shock. Very nice auto-load and autp-save functions.
6.8 Graphics
Standard issue late '90s graphics for the arcades brought straight to your PS2.
8.0 Sound
Bang! Bang bang bang! Crash, Ughhh! Heh, it's a light gun game, it's got decent sound, and a racing, action-style movie soundtrack.
8.8 Gameplay
A direct port from the arcade, with lots (LOTS) of extra mini-games. Good, familiar light-gun goodness.
8.0 Lasting Appeal
The arcade game was short, and so this isn' t much different, bring a port. But the addictive quality, the easy pick-up-and-play value, and the Crisis Missions add a lot.
8.7
OVERALL:
(out of 10 / not an average)

 

[drohne]

couldn't he have used a bad light gun game to make his political statement? crisis zone is an excellent example of the genre, the genre has its persisting charms, and yes, ivan is a douche.

edit - i will make this complaint about namco's fucking brilliant light gun releases: the standalone games are only marginally cheaper than the guncon bundles, and no one needs more than two guncons. so i'm reluctant to buy crisis zone immediately. give dedicated fans a break, namco. at least price the standalone copies at $40.

edit 2 - you can squeeze longevity out of a lightgun game the same way you squeeze longevity out of practically any good arcade game: only use one credit. i've put dozens of hours into the time crisis games.

 

[shuri]

They need to figure out a way to make those lightgun games work on a hdtv.

 

[ManaByte]

They need to figure out a way to make those lightgun games work on a hdtv.

I think they'll work on the CRT HDTVs...just not projection.

 

[john2kx]

yet another thread about an IGN review that no one should care about in the first place.

 

[Suikoguy]

I wish I could use a lightgun on my LCD Projector

 

[Brandon F]

The day I find a suitable way to make these guns work on my HDTV will be the day I scoop up all these Nacmo gems I missed (Ninja Assault, TC3, CZ, Vampire whatever)

Did you ever get that PS2 dongle drohne?

 

[Wario64]

5.0 for CRISIS ZONE? Oh fuck no.

 

[drohne]

i did get the ps2 dongle, and it works fine on my hdtv if i turn off line doubling.

and incidentally, ninja assault kinda sucks. it's really exhausting and repetitive...too much of it involves shooting at smallish enemies who bounce all over the screen. i'd remembered liking it better in the arcades. it's got a bunch of cool minigames, though.

 

[Catalyst]

Or...maybe he just doesn't like the game?

 

[Brandon F]

Crap, don't think my TV offers an option to turn off line-doubling. SHITE!

 

[FortNinety]

Jesus fuck, what the hell is with these shitty excuses for game reviews? First G.I. now this? I don't care if I don't agree with the opinions, just let them come from someone who doesn't have an image to maintain, a chip on their shoulders, and sound like a ten year old.

 

[ArcadeStickMonk]

no one needs more than two guncons

In a perfect world maybe. I've had two go out on me. One was likely do to a jackass squeezing the trigger too hard and another plain stopped working from just sitting there. Fortunately for me, one problem was mechanical and one was electrical so I combined the working parts and salvaged one gun out of the pair.

Because I couldn't get EB to replace my broken GC2s, I just started buying the bundles whenever I got a GC2 game. Got 2 TC2s, 2 TC3s, and 2 Vampire Nights, one still sealed just to show how much of a badass I am.

I'm one of those who becomes almost afraid to use equipment in a certain way for fear of damage or failure, so out of my four or five working GC2s, I only use the two oldest, keeping the rest in the plastic until needed.

It's always tempting though, because I don't know if they revamped the guns for TC3 release or what, cuz those newer triggers are damn crisp.

 

[Ghost]

What extras does it have?


I cant imagine crisis zone missions being as good without the precise shot missions you get in TC 2& 3

 

[XS+]

edit 2 - you can squeeze longevity out of a lightgun game the same way you squeeze longevity out of practically any good arcade game: only use one credit.

And why is that such a difficult concept for some to grasp? Geez.

 

[DaCocoBrova]

They need a laser sight on the next GunCon...

There's no going back.

 

[ArcadeStickMonk]

They need a laser sight on the next GunCon...

As cool as that is, isn't it overkill considering the amount of aim correction that Time Crisis applies in addition to the fact that you are never more than three feet from the screen?

 

[Syckx]

This is obviously a reflection on how the GAMING PUBLIC will view this games.

 

[DaCocoBrova]

As cool as that is, isn't it overkill considering the amount of aim correction that Time Crisis applies in addition to the fact that you are never more than three feet from the screen?

How close one sits to the TV/Display device is a personal preference. I'm far enough to making aiming a challenge. I was very skeptical of the whole laser thing, but it works so well that it almost makes aiming too easy, as an inf beam should.

Try it out for yourself. I never noticed any 'correction' in TC2 or 3 btw.

 

[ArcadeStickMonk]

I never noticed any 'correction' in TC2 or 3 btw.

There has to be. I mean, I'm fucking great at TC2 (TC3 not so much), but there's no way I'm as fast an accurate as I seem when playing. Maybe it's a deep rooted self-confidence issue, but I am certain that the game is helping me.

 

[Meier]

This game was an absolute blast at E3 and one of a number of reasons why Namco was my developer of show. This guy is an idiot, plain and simple.

 

[drohne]

In a perfect world maybe. I've had two go out on me.

i think you just jinxed me. the "a" button on the guncon i actually use seems to be dying. it's all mushy and has started missing inputs occasionally. i guess i'll have to go to the backup. :/

i haven't noticed any assisted aiming in the time crisis games, though i'm also perplexed by how good i've gotten at time crisis 2. i can consistently get as far as the fight with wild dog. and i bet i'd be able to one credit clear it were it not for arm and eye fatigue.

 

[shuri]

I tried the game at the arcade, and while the recoiling machine gun was fun, i dont think its nothing more than a B-Grade gun shooter. Its a great game, but i would only pick it up for cheap .. and if it worked on my tv

 

[ArcadeStickMonk]

Now, I hadn't a good TV back when I was playing regularly, just a 27", but it was set so that if I sat on a low ottoman, left hand supoort my right arm, I was perfectly level to the screen. The postion helped stave off arm fatigue, but my index finger would sieze up after about fifteen minutes or less.

My solution to this was to hold the GC2 in an un-gunlike manner and fire with my middle finger. My accuracy is not decreased and I can usually fire faster. I fire like this in the arcades too.