Madden 2005
EA Sports
Xbox, PlayStation 2, GameCube
Time will only tell if the Baltimore Ravens' Ray Lewis-Madden 2005 cover boy-will be subjected to the Madden curse. Since 2001, whoever has graced the cover of Madden has seen a less than stellar year on the field. Michael Vick, Madden 2004's face, broke his leg early in the 2003 preseason. Marshall Faulk-Madden 2003-injured his ankle early in the season, and the Rams lost its first five games. Daunte Culpepper-Madden 2002-injured his knee partway through the season. But the curse really began with Tennessee running back Eddie George-Madden 2001. The Titans found themselves in the position to win two straight Super Bowls, but instead George had his worst season ever and was injured multiple times during the year. Just be glad your face isn't on the cover.
But this year the number-one-selling franchise in the history of home video-game systems celebrates its fifteenth year. This is the game of all football games and could easily be the measuring stick for every other football title. Madden 2005 has added many extras, with a franchise mode, create-a-fan, modifying pre-snap defensive assignments, and the hit stick-by using the right thumbstick you can apply a thunderous hit on your opponent, forcing a turnover. Timing is crucial with this new feature, and you could end up getting burned by the ball carrier. Turn up the volume, because Madden has added an all-star lineup of music to go with the excellent gameplay.
If your skills are good enough, maybe you'll find yourself at the Super Bowl of the Madden Challenge in Las Vegas-a prize worth 50-grand goes to the overall winner.-Eric Sentianin
Athens 2004
989 Sports
PlayStation 2
If one-thousand hours of constant Olympic broadcast wasn't enough for you or if you didn't have big cash to fly to Greece to check it out in person, this new Athens 2004 video game from 989 Sports should quench your thirst for international competition as it is the official video game of the Olympic Games.
Go for the gold as an athlete (there're 800 of them to choose from) representing 64 countries around the world in seven different stadiums. In the game, you get over 25 events to choose from, ranging from a multitude of track-and-field events, aquatics, gymnastics, equestrian, weightlifting, archery, and skeet shooting. The modes range from arcade (my personal favorite because you don't have to worry about event regulations and game rules), practice, single event, party, challenge, and competition.
Remember the old Track & Field arcade game where you had to tap the living hell out of the buttons to get the guy to run fast? Well, the same notion applies here as well. You'll be breaking a sweat as if you were really trying to break that world record in the 100-meter dash. When you develop a harrowing case of carpal tunnel from all the button mashing, slip on into party mode, get yourself a Dance Mat Controller for your PS2, and jump around on it-then you'll really know what it feels like to get physical. Overall, Athens 2004 will keep you in the Olympic spirit for quite some time-at least until 2008 rolls around.-Aaron Schmidt
Catwoman
EA Games
PlayStation 2, Xbox, GameCube
As a kid I remember watching old episodes of the television version of Batman and being unable to figure out why everyone thought Catwoman was so cool. Twenty years later I'm still wondering the same thing. Catwoman the game looks good, but the controls are confusing and there's too much fluff.
Catwoman's real name is Patience Philips. She's an artist who works for a cosmetics company with a new revolutionary antiaging product. After Patience discovers a corporate secret, her life is cut short. As her lifeless body lies on the beach, a cat named Midnight brings her back to life. Patience awakens as Catwoman and has feline traits-power, speed, agility, and a sixth sense. Her objective is to get revenge on her enemies.
The game beginns by setting up the story and the first level's objectives, which are fairly simple. The farther you venture into the game, the more difficult the objectives become, so you're given the option of buying more moves with the diamonds you collect throughout the levels. Additional moves are key, but the controls are too complicated for the gameplay. The graphics are pure eye candy, but the best part is Catwoman's abilities. She's able to climb walls and use her whip to climb poles, making it possible to explore the massive levels.
Catwoman isn't a bad game, but the entire setup felt awkward and most of the objectives seemed tedious.-Daxter Lussier
Showdown: Legends Of Wrestling
Acclaim
PlayStation 2, Xbox
There's nothing better than beating the crap out of someone while wearing a pair of Speedos and face paint. Finally, a game that makes all of my wrestling dreams come true ... and legal. Showdown lets you choose between dozens of actual wrestlers from the 70s, 80s, and 90s, including Andre the Giant, "Rowdy" Roddy Piper, Ultimate Warrior, and Hulk Hogan.
The game is loaded with options: Quickplay, Match Play, Create-A-Legend, and (my favorite) the Showdown Challenge-where you take part in your own WrestleMania. Within these options, you can choose to fight one on one, tag team, four-player battle royale, caged match, and first blood-where the loser is the wrestler who bleeds first.
I think it's safe to say every person who plays this game will be entertained for days. Put on some Mà®tley Crew, your dirtiest wife beater, and boot up for some serious wrestling action.-Daxter Lussier
Sudeki
Microsoft
Xbox
Sudeki's a single-player fantasy-adventure role-playing game that puts you in charge of the world's destiny. The plot opens with you playing as Tal, a Bright Empire soldier, but as the game progesses, you can adventure with two or as many as four players at a time-princess Ailish; Elco, the head science officer; and Buki, a skilled female warrior. This is a typical RPG with the player gaining experience points and a variety of items for winning battles-like weapon and armor upgrades, which come in pretty handy for the boss fights. When all four players are in effect, the battle scenes can get pretty chaotic. You only control one player's actions, but the AI of the other characters is good enough that your party can win battles for you.
Sudeki's an infectious game, and you could easily forget about the real world while you're trying to save the world of Sudeki from forever darkness.-Eric Sentianin
Galleon
Atlus
Xbox
Galleon is a swashbuckling adventure game featuring the fearless sea traveler, Rhama Sabrier. Overall the game is a bit behind the times with its graphic modeling. Our hero seems to have extra-long limbs, very defined square facial features, and his collar bone sticks out so much you feel like you could reach into the TV and touch it. Not to mention the unrealistic physics of Rhama's jumping ability and knack for running up walls-but hey, this is a video game, things are supposed to be unrealistic. Once you get past the oddness of Galleon, though, you'll be immensely involved in traveling to uncharted areas and uncovering the secret behind the ancient artifact that Doctor Areliano shows Rhama. If you can look past some of these minor details, you'll surely appreciate the game for its sense of exploration and adventure.-Eric Sentianin
