Game Zone reviews
PlayStation 2
You can't beat shooting games. Well, you couldn't until Police 24/7 reared its ungainly neck. When this was a coin-op, it had a great USP: a built-in movement sensor. This meant that you had to physically duck out of the way of bullets coming your way, as well as shoot out the villains. Strangely, the console version has eschewed both the movement sensor and the light gun (well, it is compatible with a certain PS One gun that nobody has, but no other). So it's up to the Dual-Shock pad to carry the load. It did in the excellent shooter Silent Scope, but Police 24/7 is too frenetic and you have to come out all guns blazing. Wrong, all wrong. (NP)
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Parappa the Rapper 2
PlayStation 2
Our weird little 2-D puppy is back, and crazy-dancing away as ever. Speaking as a non-fan of these games, the opening levels on this only confirm my antipathy. Parappa (terribly drawn, annoying friends, and a singing voice that would make alley-cats jealous) has to Simon-Say lyrics to rap music by following the symbols on the handset. Pretty bugging already, but after a while, strangely addictive. You could do worse than this bit of harmless timewasting. Having said that, it will certainly improve your memory skills and you might discover the next time you visit a discotheque that you've got rhythm. Basically, for under-tens and drunk students only. (HM)
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Broken Sword: Shadow of the Templars
Game Boy Advance
Imagine you're an innocent American on holiday in Paris, sitting outside a bistro, when the entire place is blown up by a man dressed as a clown. No, this isn't a script to a Stephen King film, it's the new point and click game for the GBA (originally on PSOne). Your job is to help George Stobbard and his sexy new French 'friend' Nicole Collard, find out what the hell is going on and nail the perpetrator. You'll travel around the globe meeting new characters that pop up when you least expect it, and need to use a variety of items with a combination of other items and people to complete the game. The solution is sometimes logical, sometimes easy and sometimes plain infuriating. A great game, with attention to detail, witty comments, a complex and interesting plot and hilarious events. (HM)
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