VIEWTIFUL JOE

Game Cube Pal | 2003

An amazing side scrolling beat em up from Capcom that brings the genre of the 2D beat em up into the modern times of gaming. The game uses modern cell shaded animation and other effects to create a stunningly unique looking game as well as some great music.

You play the character of Joe. He is a fan of old Japanese-style superhero films starring Captain Blue. One day whilst watching one of these films with his girlfriend Silvia, the screen comes alive and she is kidnapped by one of the movies monsters. Joe goes peruses and the game begins.

Joe battles through hordes of weird enemies and bosses to reach his girl and having a few super hero powers comes in useful. Use slow motion and speed-up special moves to shatter enemies.

You can get some goodies and play mini-games etc from the offical Viewitful Joe Websites.

Website at Capcom.

Capcom had a launch website for the UK version at http://www.viewtifuljoe.co.uk but it has since gone offline.

GUN VALKERIE

X Box | Pal 2002

This game is a 3rd person shooter from Segas Smilebit Studio and was one of their first X Box releases. The game is full on action all the way. You battle insects across numerous landscapes. In addition you will also have to traverse the terrain and environmental hazards using your rocket pack.

Set in an alternative timeline equivalent to the 19th Century a brilliant scientist Dr Hebble has disappeared and 4 years of searching has yielded no results. Your mission is to locate him and also rescue a colony planet.

The game was originally in development for the Dreamcast before being moved to X Box. The graphics engine exploits some stunning visuals from the X Box. Smilebit is also the same team behind Panzer Dragoon Orta.

STAR TREK STARFLEET ACADEMY

You are in charge of a group of cadets making it through Star Fleet Academy set in the era just after Star Trek VI.

In this game you will take your ship on a variety of missions from patrolling borders, rescuing alien artifacts to hunting down pirates inside a damaging nebula.

Also you must manage your crew as they struggle with life in the academy. This tends to be conflicts with other members of the crew. This has no particular bearing on the rest of the game.

This game actually reunited several characters Kirk, Sulu and Checkov for possibly the last time ever. An add-on pack, Checkovs Lost Levels was released later and adds a few more missions to the game.

FIRESTORM: THUNDERHAWK 2

Saturn Pal | 1997

The sequal to the Mega CD classic helicopter combat sim from Core Design.

This game is more of a remake than a sequel. It retains many of the missions of the original game but with some tweaks to the gameplay. You can choose which weapons you would like to arm you helicopter with before the start of each mission and more camera views and new weapons amongst other things. Graphics and sound have also been upgraded.

This game was also released on PC and Playstation. The next game, - Thunderhawk: Operation Phoenix scheduled for release on all formats sometime in 2004.

EXTREME ASSULT

PC DOS

Developed by Blue Byte software in the good old days of DOS and before the age of 3D acceleration. This game is a futuristic mission based helicopter and tank combat simm.

Your missions will take place in open air and deep underground bases in an effort to crush the alien invasion. Your vehicles are armed with razors guns, laser blast and bolts along with a few missiles.