by Kevin Miles

THE HALL OF GAME
Yay or Nay In The World Of Play

25 TO LIFE

Platform: Playstation2, XBOX, PC Multiplayer: Up to 16 players Developer: Avalanche Software Publisher:Eidos INteractive
Long before 25 To Life was released there was much hype about how it would one up the revolutionary non linear style of Grand Theft Auto by offering the one feature GTA didntnamely, online play. Any gamer who has carved out huge chunks of their lives playing GTA knows by now that anytime a new title with an urban theme comes out, these comparisons are inevitable. They also know that nding a game that lives up to this hype is about as likely as Kanye West kickin it with GW at his ranch in Crawford Texas. Well hype, like talk, is cheap. This game sucks worse than Transporter 2. The environment is a dank, post apocalyptic take on the hood and the characters look more Sega Genesis than PS2. And aiming and shooting is about as fun as a prostate exam administered by King Kong wearing potholders. Seriously, if you spend more than 5 minutes playing this game, youll wish you could turn your weapon on yourself. So save your loot and stick with the SOCOM 3, the rst Max Payne, Freedom Fighters or Ratchet and Clank. That way, youll actually have fun and youll be far less likely to ape the thugs in 25 To Life and hunt down the parties responsible for putting this garbage out.

RATCHET DEADLOCKED

Platform: Ps2 Multiplayer: Up to 8 players Developer: Insomniac Games Publisher: Sony
If youre like most hardcore gamers, you probably dont give platformers a second look. I used to share this opinion, too. Until I discovered Rachet Deadlocked, the most recent installment from Insomniac Games exceptional series. I bought this game for my wife, who, when shes not kicking my ass at Hotshots Golf and NBA Street, spends her time playing platformers. I knew from past experience that if nothing else, Id enjoy its clever dialogue and awless graphics. What I didnt expect was arguably the best
third person shooter available on any console. In the single player, you have dozens of weapons at your disposal as you play as Ratchet, an unwilling contestant on The DreadZone (Think Arnold in The Running Man) where you have to defeat numerous baddies and generally blow things up to survive. The aiming mechanics on this game are ridiculously intuitive and the voice acting and cut scene animations are irreverent and entertaining. If that werent enough, the online multiplayer will blow you away, with more than enough variety to keep you coming back for more. Even if you dont like platformers, if you love blowing things up and buckwild gunplay, youll love this game. Sure, women and kids will love this game, too. But why let them have all the fun?

GRAVY FACTORY

If youre a video gamer, or a computer geek, check out The Gravy Factory. Its the rst company of its kind, specializing exclusively in apparel for gamers and geeks. Founded by a hardcore gamer and a certiable computer geek, this irreverent fashion upstart offers clever eye-catching wares that are the talk of the gaming and information technology industry. Available online, these kick ass fashions are yours for the taking 24/7/365 for a nominal charge at www.gravyfactory.com. Currently the online store offers 32 original unisex t-shirt designs, featuring video gaming, computer technology and pop culture references with the shopping experience accompanied by music you wish your friendly local neighborhood mall offered. Some of our favorites are, O.G. Original Gamer, Geek Power, I Want My RPG, Reality TV Star and Geek Nation. The companys slogan says it all: The Gravy Factory. Because gamers and geeks arent dorks. All we know is that for perhaps the rst time ever, theres a company that features gear video gamers and computer geeks might actually like to be caught deador alive in. Which is good news for all of us, cause, after all, who dont like gravy?

Hilarious Magazine

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2/27/06 10:42:42 AM